In the wonderful world of books there are so many genres that it's hard to pick just one as the reigning champion of awesome. Everyone has their favorite world they like to dip into whether it be a tantalizing mystery, heart-pounding romance, exciting adventure, or a thought-provoking classic. Throughout the pool of amazing talent lies genres that are both revered and rejected. While the most popular for movie and television adaptations nowadays, fantasy seemingly drew the short stick in regards to respect in the literature field. A fact I find both shocking and demeaning.

Last semester, I had a bad experience with a professor who not-so-subtly put down the fantasy/sci-fi genre along with many others that did not fit into the "literary" category. They argued that these "genre writers" focused only on plot and left two-dimensional characters in their wake, making the book only satisfying as a one-time read. They demeaned the "page-turner" quality of fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery books as as a factor that should not be the desire of any writer - according to them, a writer should write complexly with stories that have multiple layers and focus on character more so than plot. She listed Lord of the Rings as the only exception.

"But I don't think any of you will be writing the next Lord of the Rings," she said. "So why try?"

There may never be a "next Lord of the Rings," nor should there be. It is a writer's job to create something new out of a bunch of used materials. Ever hear the phrase "There's no such thing as an original idea"? Well, that's true. It's what you do with that idea that makes it original - how you tell the story in a way only you can tell it.

Thankfully, I already knew that. My former professor didn't seem to.

I like to consider myself a well-read person. I have read books of every genre - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I have my own preferences, obviously, but I also respect other genres for what they bring to their fans. Yes, even erotica. I also have a writer's perspective on the whole ordeal. Granted, I am aware I still have a lot to learn. Writing is a constant learning experience with a neverending need to improve. But what has always remained constant is my taste in books.

To me, fantasy should garner much more respect than it receives. It is an audience favorite in many respects, which is great. But to the writing world, it seems to be more of a nuisance than a comrade. A good number of teachers I've had in my career as a writing student always seem to advocate against fantasy as a genre and advice that writers go for a deeper and more meaningful storyline.

I have read high fantasy, urban fantasy, teen fantasy, and pretty much every in-between niche that the genre has. As a majority, they have some of the most complex and sympathetic characters around. To name a few: Harry Dresden, Kvothe, Severus Snape, Kylar Stern, Katniss Everdeen... the list goes on. I have related to and been enamored with these characters a lot more than Jay Gatsby, Elizabeth Bennett, and Oliver Twist. Not to demean any of those authors or books, I like them all well enough, I just think the aforementioned pioneers of fantasy novels have much more depth and deserve as much respect as their literary brethren.

 As for fantasy writers relying heavily on plot - that's true. Of course it's true. Fantasy has the burden (and the privilege) of transporting the audience into a new and confusing world. What's the best way to cement this world? Have the characters go on a new and confusing journey so that the rules of the world will be revealed  slowly, not scaring away or confusing the reader. As the characters are occupied with other things like life and death, things like their long forgotten cities and/or their complex, infuriating families are not just thrown in with chapters upon chapters of needless mind-dwelling. The characters instead are revealed through their actions and interactions, which I believe is a much stronger testament to who they are than sitting alone in a darkened room, brooding and contemplating their life. A character can very much do that in fantasy or any other genre, but if it makes up the bulk of their character development, the character loses interest.

As of late, I have been a part of many conversations that label setting as it's own character. It didn't take me long to recognise that I am a firm believer in this, as should be any fan of fiction. And which genre has the most detailed and intricate setting? Fantasy. I mean, come on, Hogwarts and Middle Earth have just as much character development as their title characters. Look at all of the crap they're put through. All the history wraight in their infrastructure. All the blood spilt on their soil.

Even if none of these points reach you, there should be one thing you are absolutely aware and respectful of: The craft of fantasy. All writers go through an outlining stage where they craft the basic plot, characters, conflicts, etc. For a writer working within the rules of the world as we know it today, they can focus more intently on niches and individualities for their stories to possess. Fantasy writers can do this, too - on top of the worldbuilding stage. Worldbuilding is exactly what it sounds like. Hogwarts, Middle Earth, and Westeros all took hours upon hours of rule making, land building, history crafting, and more to come to life. Since they are worlds completely separate from our own, they require their own set of rules. Some rules can overlap, but for the most part the worlds have to be original and concrete. This takes up much, if not most, of the outlining stage of writing. In some ways, worldbuilding never ends. This process is long and draining but the result is nearly always worth it. The authors create a new world readers dream of escaping to and that talent it is taken very much for granted. Not to demean any other genre of literature, for there are countless amazing stories and plots of all genres, but there is no question the amount of work that goes into writing fantasy. This is the main reason why the lack of respect for this genre boggles me.

The fans of fantasy are also not usually looked upon with high regards. From television to books to RPGs, fantasy fans are deemed social outcasts to the point that many feel the need to hide their passions so as not to be ridiculed. I find this ridiculous. As a former D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) player and LARPer (Live Action Role Play), I also continue to feel these pressures. But with the growing popularity of shows like Game of Thrones and games like Skyrim, I feel there is a change coming. At least, I hope so. It is now very common to run into someone reading A Song of Ice and Fire or geeking out with their friends at the newest episode of GOT. Fads in television and books have had both positive and negative connotations throughout the years. When I was growing up, everyone wanted to be a wizard - a la Harry Potter. Now everyone is a closet Harry Potter nerd, it seems, and those who have not seen it or don't like it are the outcasts. A few years later, the Vampire craze hit. That one wasn't as pretty. But now it seems like high fantasy, or really fantasy in general, is becoming the norm. I hope this respect and love for the genre seeps through to more than just the general public and is also felt by critics of literature and the writing community because, as it has been for years, fantasy is not going away anytime soon.

Fantasy has drawn the short end of the stick in many regards but it still remains my favorite genre. True, there are many bad fantasy stories. But there are also many bad literary stories. Just because someone went the extra mile and used their creative energy to create a new world on top of a story with colorful characters and plot to tell does not demean their talent. It extends it.