Over the course of a twenty-five plus year collaborative writing project, we've learned quite a bit about writing fantasy. What follows is a list of general suggestions to bear in mind when developing a story idea. While some may sound arbitrary or unnecessarily restrictive, the collaborative nature of the project requires that we accept certain limits on what we can write about.
Set your first story in the vicinity of the city of Dargon.
While this is your first time there, note that it doesn't have to be your character's first time (we've had several of those over the years). The town has a keep, a one-armed duke, a thriving seaport, and many markets, taverns, and a brothel or two. There are also a number of homeless children known as the Shadow Boys who create constant frustration for the Town Guard. The major religions of Baranur (the kingdom that contains Dargon) each have a presence in Dargon and everyone knows you can buy anything your heart (or greed) desires in the famous Venilek Market.
This is a low magic world.
In our shared world, magic is intended to be rare and wonderful, not commonplace. Spell-slinging wizards and characters festooned with magic are not inhabitants of this world. See the Magic in Dargon article for details.
Explosives are not commonplace.
Non-magical explosive material is not readily available in the world of the Dargon Project. Someone did recently invent rockets, but they aren't very accurate and the method to build them is not well-known. In fact, cannons do not exist in our world at all.
Nonhuman races are in the minority.
The world of the Dargon Project is primarily a human one. We have some nonhuman races in the world -- notably the Ealail (think elves) and short people in Shireton (no joke), but they don't usually intermix with the human populace. We ask that you don't lift species from roleplaying games or other sources, as we are trying to move away from standard fantasy tropes in this area.
Avoid creating superheroes!
There are several powerful characters in the Dargon Project. We have a Royal Magician who is psychic. We've had a crime boss (recently deceased). And we've had several characters who have traveled to other dimensions, been in communion with the gods, and even murdered their fathers and built a castle in Denmark (wait a minute...). We would like to avoid characters who are unbeatable in battle or immortal. Ultra-powerful characters can be destabilizing in a shared world. Like our own world, the Dargon Project is populated with relatively ordinary people who occasionally find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
Please don't mess with our maps!
We ask new project members to overcome the desire to "leave their mark" by creating lots of new continents and kingdoms and cities. You'll be much more fondly remembered for a good, powerful story than for the mess you make of the map. Write your stories to be consistent with the landmarks and people who are already there. If you absolutely, desperately need a chrysoline mine, ask if one already exists first, please.
Start something you can finish.
When you introduce a character or a plot, be sure that it's something that you have the time and energy to complete. We have our share of plotlines that have petered out because the person writing that thread left the project. We want to help you improve your writing, and to do that we want to see your story from beginning to end. We also have several hundred subscribers who don't want to be left hanging.
Research what you're writing.
If you are writing a story that takes place on the high seas, it's a good idea to do some research into it. Learning about your subject matter not only gives you a passable understanding of it, but will also give you the ideas and vocabulary to make your story believable. You'll only damage your own reputation as an author if you write about impossibilities such as castles with 300 foot towers. We had one of those once. Blocked the whole bloody skyline on the western coast.
Crossovers and modernisms are not allowed.
It may be tempting to write stories which feature "real" people or "cross-overs" between the world of Dargon and "reality" but we'd like you to write solely in our world, please. Also note that Dargon Project writers will check you on your use of modern phrases, such as "Cool!" or "policeman" or "gastroenterology", especially in dialogue. Use of "modern" language can destroy the reader's willing suspension of disbelief.
The Gods like to be left alone.
The Dargon Project already has several different pantheons as well as a monotheistic religion that's similar to Christianity, so please don't create any more religions. And while gods have manifested themselves via dreams and visions, the gods themselves do not actually physically appear in the world of Makdiar.
What time is it?
All Dargon Project stories indicate the general date they take place, and should reflect events happening at that time. There is a sense of a "current" time in Dargon, which writers typically write within. If you write a story that takes place in the comparative past, be aware of other things that happened at that same time.