How to Write Romantasy - What IS Romantasy?

Jenna Moreci
Jul 29
5 min read

HelloOoOo everybody!

In honor of How to Write Romantasy, I’m here to answer the age-old question: What even is “Romantasy?” There are a million different people spouting off very different and very wrong definitions all over the internet. So I'm here to clear the air and make the genre as simple as possible. And you should trust me. I wrote the book, after all.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to also subscribe to my YouTube channel for more writing tips, sarcasm, and of course, more of Princess Butters!

Number 1: What Is Romantasy?

Romantasy is a genre that combines both the fantasy and romance genres. So in order to understand romantasy, we need to understand its parts.

Fantasy novels either take place in a fictional world, or feature magic and/or magical creatures, or both.

Romance novels follow two or more people falling in love. Their romance is tested, but they find a way to be together and live happily ever after or happy for now.

Romantasy is a merging of these genres. A romantasy novel follows a romance between two or more characters within a fantasy setting or plot. Something fantastical is threatening to destroy their love, but they manage to defy the odds and live happily ever after or happy for now.

Number 2: Soooo… Is Romantasy Just Fantasy With a Romantic Subplot?

No! Subplots are great, but if you were to remove them from a novel, the plot would still be able to unfold as normal. It just might not be as interesting as it was before. However, in romantasy, the fantasy and romance elements are intertwined. If you remove the romance, the plot ceases to exist.

That's the easiest way you can tell if you're writing a romantasy or a fantasy novel with a romantic subplot. Imagine the romance was removed. Could the plot still come to fruition? If the answer is yes, then you've written a romantic subplot. If the answer is no, then you've written a romantasy.

Number 3: Okay, but if That’s Romantasy, What’s Fantasy Romance?

Short answer? Fantasy romance is romantasy. Same shit, different name.

Long answer? Romantasy is an umbrella term for a book that is equal parts fantasy and romance. But there are two more specific categories within romantasy.

The first is romantic fantasy, which is a romantasy novel with slightly more emphasis on the fantasy elements. I like to describe it as 60% fantasy and 40% romance. You can usually tell a book is a romantic fantasy if the couple gets together later in the story, maybe there's a slower burn and there is a greater emphasis on world-building. Examples of romantic fantasy include The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen, and Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer.

Fantasy romance is when there's slightly more emphasis on the romance in the story. I like to say they're 60% romance and 40% fantasy. You can usually tell a book is a fantasy romance, because moments of connection and physical or emotional intimacy are frequent throughout the entire story. Examples would include Blood Mercy by Vela Roth, and The Savior's Champion by yours truly.

Now, if you Google these terms, you'll see a million different definitions listed by a million different people. That's the problem with having three different terms that mean virtually the same thing. People get confused. Some people claim that fantasy romance is just a romance novel set in a fantasy world and that the fantasy elements have no bearing on the plot whatsoever. But I've never read a fantasy romance that fits that description.

Other people claim romantic fantasy is just a fantasy novel with a romantic subplot, but as we've already covered, that is very wrong. If that were the case, Brandon Sanderson's novels would be labeled romantic fantasy. Ultimately, the most commonly recognized determiner is that romantic fantasy and fantasy romance are both subsets within the umbrella term romantasy. They're very similar and differ only in terms of whether they place the fantasy genre or romance genre at the forefront of the plot.

Number 4: So That’s It, Right? Just One, or I Guess Three Genres, and We’re Done?

Not exactly! Because writers always got to make shit as complicated as possible, like all other genres, subgenres exist and romantasy has a ton of them. Am I going to list them all? Absolutely not. We'd be here all day. But here are just a few that I see quite often:

Epic Romantasy. This is the most common subgenre of romantasy. It usually means that the story takes place in a fictional world, and the characters travel across multiple realms to achieve their goal. This is probably the most common subgenre of romantasy and fantasy as a whole. So if this is what you're writing, you probably don't have to label your novel as an epic romantasy. Readers will typically assume it's epic unless stated otherwise.

Gaslamp Romantasy. This is when your story takes place in a historical setting, usually the Victorian or Edwardian era. Except there's magic in the mix. This subgenre bridges the gap between fantasy and historical romance in a way that titillates readers everywhere.

Cozy Romantasy. This is your standard romantasy novel, except with the lowest stakes possible. Nobody's dying. No kingdoms are getting overthrown. Instead, the drama revolves around two lovers fighting to save a magical library. These books are designed to be fluffy, lighthearted, and sweet because we all need some sweetness from time to time.

Contemporary Romantasy. This is a romantic novel set in the real world, except the world just so happens to have magic or magical creatures. The story could take place in San Francisco, following a fae who owns a bookstore. Or it could take place in a fictional town in Canada, and it follows sorcerers and dragon shifters. But the idea is it takes place in the real world, just with some fantastical pizzazz. And of course, a whole lot of romance.

So that's all I've got for you today!

If you want to learn a whole lot more about how to write romantasy, then you’re gonna wanna get your hands on How to Write Romantasy. It's linked right here. Be sure to also check out my first writing craft book, Shut Up and Write the Book. Or if you like to read romantasy, check out The Savior's Champion and The Savior’s Sister. And you want to get in on the hype soon because The Savior's Army is on its way.