History SoYouWantTo / WriteAnUrbanFantasy

* The shortlived MarvelComics series ''Nightside'', with [[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/nsothers.htm The Others]], several races of [[OurMonstersAreDifferent different monsters]] living the {{Masquerade}} and organized like [[TheMafia crime families]].

* ''Literature/NightWatch''. The epic battle of Good and Evil set in post-soviet russia, mostly Moscow.

* ''Series/{{Being|Human UK}} [[Series/BeingHumanUS Human]]'', both versions of which revolve around supernatural monsters trying to reclaim their old human lives. Magic exists in both settings, but aside from the curses the protagonists are afflicted with it is very much in the background. The UK version notably has a suburban setting.

* ''Series/{{Being|Human UK}} [[Series/BeingHumanUS Human]]'', both versions of which revolve around supernatural monsters trying to reclaim their old human lives. Magic exists in both settings, but aside from the curses the protagonists are afflicted with it is very much in the background. The UK version notably has a suburban setting, whereas the US version takes place in a Boston surrounded on all sides by LovecraftCountry.

* ''Series/{{Being|Human UK}} [[Series/BeingHumanUS Human]]''

* ''LeaveItToChance''

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''

* Throwing magic into the mix sometimes has the effect of turning everyone Good or Evil. Can you think of a RealLife war or conflict where [[BlackAndWhiteMorality one side was unequivocably good and the other was utterly, irredeemably evil]]? Even in WorldWarII, America and Britain were allied with JosefStalin, while Mussolini's Italy, while still not an incredibly nice place to live, was very much a lighter shade of dark gray compared to the Nazis. Why would magical conflict be any different? Having an [[AlwaysChaoticEvil entire species of evil bastards]] as some kind of DesignatedVillain crew is a cheap way of securing a non-stop supply of enemies for your protagonists to fight, but will your audience really care when one of them is defeated? If BlackMagic and WhiteMagic have the effects of ''turning'' their users good or evil respectively, why don't more people know about these side effects and avoid the evil? Is it because it's more powerful, has wider applications, or [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil is addictive]]? Is it simple ignorance, cynical disbelief of "old wives' tales" warning of the effects, or deliberate misinformation being spread by someone for their own purposes? Or do ''both'' forms of magic have consequences? White magic turning the user into a KnightTemplar is a popular choice.

* ''The Coffee Achievers'' is an Urban Fantasy webcomic by Mitch Clem of NothingNiceToSay. It includes cool details such as a mixtape that allows the listener to fly.

* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters}}'' does a very good job of mixing creepy paranormal and supernatural myth with off-the-wall comedy and MadScience

* Remember that [[OurMonstersAreDifferent Your Monsters Can Be Different]]. Then again, it's extremely difficult to reinvent the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] or the [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] or some other classic monster, and inventing your own creatures can lack the archetypal significance of something more familiar, like, say, a [[OurZombiesAreDifferent zombie]]. The best approach is probably to look at what you need the monster to do, and add or take away weaknesses, strengths and other traits that we associate with those monsters to make them your own, based around where you want the plot to go. If you want your vampire to be a devout Christian, there's nothing stopping you from discarding the rule about them hating crucifixes. If you're writing a romance story and your werewolf has a silver wedding ring, you could drop the stuff as their KryptoniteFactor. If your protagonists are trying to escape a horde of evil [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblins]] and their regular meeting place is a coffee house, maybe the goblins could be [[WeaksauceWeakness allergic to coffee]]?

* Are the supernatural elements of the story being kept behind a {{Masquerade}} or is it common knowledge? If there is a Masquerade, why is the magic being treated this way? Is it because TheWorldIsNotReady or just that those who have encountered monsters, witches or fairies just don't think that the authorities would believe them? If there's no {{Masquerade}}, how does magic affect the world? What is the divide between the {{Muggles}} and the WitchSpecies?

* If magic trumps mundane and Magic Must Defeat Magic, you need to explain why the wizards or other supernatural beings haven't taken over yet.

* If magic trumps mundane and MagicMustDefeatMagic, you need to explain why the wizards or other supernatural beings haven't taken over yet.

* ''Series/BeingHuman''

* Just how much magic are you working in, anyway? Don't make the mistake of thinking that a well thought out, believable setting can only be a FantasyKitchenSink. Increase the Urban and tone down the Fantasy, if you want: you can do great things by having just one or two supernatural elements (or several relatively low-powered ones) and then taking advantage of the ButterflyEffect. It's not about the size of your idea, it's what you do with it, and that book really explores the main conceit with a lot of depth. There's a story where the only supernatural part was that some characters could [[{{Telepathy}} read minds]], but it worked very well, and was one of the best explored worlds ever written.

* [[TheCity Cities]], obviously, it's there in the title. But is it a grim, grimy and Noir-esque or MarySuetopia? Is it a major urban centre like UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, UsefulNotes/{{Paris}} or UsefulNotes/{{London}}, [[AliensInCardiff or a smaller city or township]]?

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* Cities, obviously, it's there in the title. But is it a grim, grimy and Noir-esque or MarySuetopia? Is it a major urban centre like New York, Paris or London, or a smaller city or township?

* If you're giving your main characters any kind of supernatural powers, then you may find it interesting to explore how they may be CursedWithAwesome or BlessedWithSuck. Whilst this can present an interesting opportunity to explore how magical powers would work and what effects they would have on those possessing them in a "realistic" context, try to avoid making it an overly-convenient crutch for angst, and maintain a balance between the awesomeness of the abilities and the suckiness of the consequences of possessing them. Most fantasy is in many ways essentially WishFulfillment - the reader will approach your text often wishing that they could do the things that your characters can do, and if you have constructed a situation where your character possesses amazing and enviable skills and abilities with few negative drawbacks, and yet spends [[{{Wangst}} all their time whining about them]], this will risk irritating your reader. In a similar vein, {{Wangst}}y immortals (including vampires) are dime-a-dozen - just check out WhoWantsToLiveForever - and there's a bit of a 'been there, done that' feeling to them; try and focus on the positives as well, or at least make them stick out.

* Explain where your [[OurMonstersAreDifferent monsters]] come from. Despite many Urban Fantasies being filled with [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolves]], and more, almost no story makes an attempt to explain where these creatures come from. They just pop out fully formed like Athena from Zeus' head. And since Urban Fantasies are supposed to take place in the real world, you need to explain how your creatures fit into evolution and natural history. Not only does this make your creatures seem more realistic, but it provides excellent opportunity for plot growth. Are vampires souped up bats using magic to disguise themselves as human? [[TheVirus Are they just humans infected with a symbiotic microorganism?]] Or is the mortal theory of evolution flawed or just completely wrong? However, one explanation one should avoid is the one almost all Urban Fantasies resort to when pressured with a race's origins, namely that (in the case of werewolf stories, for example) a human/demon/wolf mated with a demon/wolf and voila, instant werewolf. This is a bad AssPull at best, unless you do some serious [[JustifiedTrope justification]].

!'''Potential Subversions'''

* Supernatural plot elements are often used as a [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic metaphor for something more mundane]]. The plot of the original ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}'' novel can be seen as a metaphor for childbirth - isn't the idea of creating something evil a terrifying prospect? ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' was originally based upon the idea that HighSchool is hellish, by filling Sunnydale High with ''actual'' demons that themselves often represented fears such as peer pressure and relationships. Be creative, this is a very flexible way of enriching your story. But don't make it too {{Anvilicious}}, and keep in mind that GenreSavvy readers will recognize what you're doing.

* A lot of urban fantasy focuses on the TrueCompanions, such as ''Buffy'' and ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}''; ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' and ''Series/{{Charmed}}'' focus on families. The characterization is often a much-loved feature about this sort of show, as the {{Masquerade}} tends to force the few who are in the know about the world's magical secrets in together. Perhaps your story could explore working relationships that are magically influenced, such as a hospital or veterinary practice for magical beings, a secret post office for magical messages, a special branch of the army for those with PsychicPowers or a sanitarium for werewolves? Or perhaps you can subvert or invert this expectation... the group is [[TeethClenchedTeamwork not made up of True Companions]], or even [[EnemyMine enemies forced to work together to survive]].

* Start with a garden variety ChangelingFantasy. Then ''subvert'' it. The protagonist's real family/species may be not too nice, and instead the protagonist considers their MuggleFosterParents to be their "true" family, and treats their foster parents and siblings as anyone would their own family. Perhaps even taking it upon themselves to defend them from the various [[OurMonstersAreDifferent supernasties]], {{Mooks}}, and [[BigBad Big Bads]] that inhabit the universe. Bonus points if the protagonist has a [[SuperPoweredEvilSide Super Powered Evil Side persona]] that results from their [[EnemyWithin family or species' heritage]], or if the protagonist was whisked away from their biological parents because they are [[AntiAntiChrist the harbringer of doom]].

* Later series of ''Series/{{Charmed}}'' seemed to suffer from PowerIncontinence and introduced [[CreatorsPet a character]] with the power of "[[GreenLanternRing projection]]" which basically meant "[[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands do anything]]". More and more magic was being thrown at the script without additional characterization and non-formula plot.

* ''{{Neverwhere}}''
* ''{{Preacher}}''

* Urban Fantasy and Horror author Charles Phipps talks about ''[[http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-i-like-urban-fantasy.html Why I Like To Write Urban Fantasy]]'' a bit here at the blog/TheUnitedFederationOfCharles.

* The ''Literature/Bordertown'' shared universe series.

* ''{{Persona 3}}''
* ''{{Persona 4}}''

* If you're giving your main characters any kind of supernatural powers, then you may find it interesting to explore how they may be CursedWithAwesome or BlessedWithSuck. Whilst this can present an interesting opportunity to explore how magical powers would work and what effects they would have on those possessing them in a "realistic" context, try to avoid making it an overly-convenient crutch for angst, and maintain a balance between the awesomeness of the abilities and the suckiness of the consequences of possessing them. Most fantasy is in many ways essentially WishFulfillment - the reader will approach your text often wishing that they could do the things that your characters can do, and if you have constructed a situation where your character possesses amazing and enviable skills and abilities with few negative drawbacks, and yet spends [[{{Wangst}} all their time whining about them]], this will risk irritating your reader. In a similar vein, {{Wangst}}y immortals (including vampires) are dime-a-dozen - just check out WhoWantsToLiveForever - and there's a bit of a '[[SeenItAMilliontimes been there]], done that' feeling to them; try and focus on the positives as well, or at least make them stick out.

* Take a city, remove the peaceful, cosmopolitan, globalized aspects (with McDonald's and Internet), and put your city into the aftermath of a war, global crisis or a similar event. What would happen if your protagonists had to cope not just with vampires and fairies, but also had to cope with the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the London Blitz, the Siege of Leningrad, the Los Angeles Riots or something similar going on at the same time?

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!!'''Suggested Themes, Plots, and Aesops'''

* When the story focuses on magic that the protagonists of your story can use, [[MagicAIsMagicA the magic must have rules]]. Maybe the magical process requires a lot of concentration (on the order of running PERL code in your head), maybe it requires them to injure themselves or otherwise sacrifice something to power it. Your best bet is to use magic as a symbol for a form of power (money, influence, knowledge, etc.) that you understand, then use the rules for that kind of power to shape how magic works. For example, magical energy might be gathered in particular ways (like earning money on a job) and can be stolen if the holder isn't careful; how would a magical "stock market" or "bank" work?

* If there is no {{Masquerade}} and magic is out in the open, think about the kind of effects magic would have on established society, including law enforcement, art, [[{{Magitek}} technology]], and culture overall. Would magical proficiency be a common skill, something to be envied, or the profession of the elite. Or perhaps you'd explore the effects magic would have on society the way ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' explores the effects [[SuperHero superheroes]] would have on society. Milieu is very important in all kinds of fantasy and science fiction; society is an important part of milieu.

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