Being a Fantasy Writer in a Real-World Crisis

“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?” — J.R.R. Tolkien

Let me be real with you: there have been days when I’ve stared at my manuscript, full of dragons and magic and made-up names, and thought, What am I even doing? The world outside my window is on fire — sometimes literally — and I’m writing about a girl who communes with ghosts on a floating island.

And yet… I keep writing.

Not because it always feels important. Not because I’m convinced it’ll change the world. But because sometimes, when everything feels like too much, the one thing I can do is create. Tell a story. Build a world where the good guys win, where pain has meaning, where magic still exists. And sometimes, that’s enough to get me through the day.

Here’s the thing: being a fantasy writer in a real-world crisis can feel selfish, disconnected, even indulgent. I’ve had those thoughts — plenty of them. But I want to challenge that. Because every time I’ve returned to the page, I’ve realised that writing fantasy isn’t escapism from the world — it’s a way to process it, to question it, to dream of something different.

🔥 Escapism Isn’t a Dirty Word

Let’s stop treating escapism like it’s weakness. Escaping into fantasy doesn’t mean ignoring reality — it means giving your brain and heart a place to breathe. It’s about survival, not avoidance.

When I was going through one of the hardest times in my life — grief, burnout, the whole emotional soup — it wasn’t the news or self-help books that saved me. It was a novel about a girl with a sword and a prophecy. It reminded me what courage looked like. It made me feel like I had some, too. That one story didn’t fix my life, but it gave me just enough strength to keep going.

Stories give us distance. That distance can help us process fear, grief, anger — especially when the real world feels relentless. Writing fantasy isn’t retreating. It’s reclaiming mental and emotional space to imagine something else. Something better.

There’s a reason fantasy has existed for centuries in every culture. It’s not just because people like dragons. It’s because, when faced with hardship, we need stories that say, “What if?”

💡 Fantasy Has Always Been Political

Don’t let anyone tell you that fantasy isn’t relevant. From Tolkien’s war allegories to the revolution baked into every dystopia, fantasy has always reflected and challenged the world we live in.

Look closely at the great fantasy works and you’ll find systems of oppression, corruption, rebellion, resistance — and hope. When you write about corrupt kingdoms, failing empires, or chosen ones who dismantle power structures, you’re not just spinning tales — you’re making commentary. Even if your world has zero connection to ours, your values seep in through the cracks.

And that’s not a flaw. That’s truth.

I’ve written characters who overthrow monarchies, who question their religion, who fall in love across the lines of war — and I wrote them because I was wrestling with those things. Writing fantasy gave me the freedom to explore complex ideas without the weight of the real world pressing down.

So write your dragons. Write your resistance. Let your metaphors roar.

💭 Your Imagination Is Resistance

In a world that constantly demands productivity, realism, and conformity, choosing to write fantasy is a radical act. You are saying: I believe in the impossible. I believe in more.

Imagination is one of the most powerful tools we have. It allows us to visualise a world where things are different, and that is the first step toward creating real change. If we can’t imagine a world with justice, equality, or peace — how can we ever build one?

Writing fantasy reminds me that I am allowed to dream. That I am allowed to hope. That the constraints of our current world aren’t the limit of what’s possible.

Even if no one reads it (yet), even if it’s rough, even if it’s just for you — your story is a light in a world that desperately needs brightness.

And don’t underestimate the ripple effect. The book you’re writing today might be the exact story someone else needs five years from now, when they’re struggling. Your words could be the thing that helps them hang on.

There will be days when writing feels impossible. When the world feels too loud, too broken, too much. And on those days, it’s okay to rest. It’s okay to unplug. To look away for a bit.

But it’s also okay to write.

Because fantasy doesn’t deny reality — it dreams beyond it. And sometimes, that’s the most defiant, beautiful thing we can do.

So go ahead. Write your ghosts. Write your floating islands. Write the magic you wish existed. Write the justice you don’t see in the headlines. Write the love story that heals you. Write the ending that gives you peace.

I promise, it matters. And so do you.

So tell me, how has fantasy helped you during hard times — either reading it or writing it? Share your story below. Let’s remind each other that imagination is strength.

As always, if you’ve made it to here, thank you for reading! If you liked this article, please give me a follow!