Any tips on writing an anthro fantasy?

[Architect_of_Aurah]

Hi. I'm working on creating a world populated by anthropomorphic beings. They'll be in a setting quite like our modern world, but with slightly more advanced technology available. Some of them will also have special powers, like in comic books.
Does anyone have any tips on creating a realistic anthropomorphic fantasy world? I would especially like to know about any anthropomorphic fiction that you thought was convincing and why it was convincing. I'm familiar with Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series, which was well-realised, but I'm sure there's others.

 

[Ireth]

I really liked Brian Jacques' Redwall series, which is all about anthropomorphic woodland animals in a quasi-medieval world with no humans. Also there are the Welkin Weasels books (can't remember the author), which are kind of similar, but they do include humans from time to time.

 

[Architect_of_Aurah]

Ah yes, can't beat a bit of Redwall. The way Jacques used the various accents of the characters made them larger than life. Was very sad to hear he died last year. He left a lot of kids something wonderful.

 

[Jabrosky]

It's not quite anthropomorphic, but the first novel idea I ever had (this was between ages 11-13) was an account of a Tyrannosaurus rex's life in the Cretaceous Period. Unfortunately I never made much progress on it because my limited imagination couldn't think of scenes that didn't feature some kind of violent confrontation or natural disaster. The problem with writing wild animals while keeping anthropomorphism to a minimum is that they apparently have much simpler and more monotonous lives than human beings, so it's hard to brainstorm things for them to do that fall outside the eat-sleep-mate rhythm of their daily lives. Robert Bakker may have pulled off a dinosaur novel with his Raptor Red, but I don't want to rip him off.

 

[Feo Takahari]

I've heard some squeeing about how great the worldbuilding in Ironclaw is, so you might take a thumb (or paw) from that.

Personally, I think any fantasy world with dozens of intelligent races is bound to require a little suspension of disbelief. If they're cross-compatible and children are always one species, it's genetically implausible. If they're not cross-compatible, how could so many different species arise in the same region? And if they're cross-compatible and crosses have hybrid traits, then why isn't everyone a hybrid by now? Thus, I'd advise having just one or two common races in each region--if you want more species, you can have some characters be immigrants or refugees from other regions.

 

[FistfulOfSeptims]

Anthrofiction which I found convincing?

This is a video game but I suppose it counts. It's a title called called Overgrowth
It features anthropomorphic rabbits who know martial arts and have to defend their kingdom for ravenous wolves.

Also in the world of comics. Mouse Guard!