The plot of every fantasy book you have ever read (a how-to guide)

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1. Pick a protagonist, orphans are popular. If your protagonist has both parents, then one of the parents has to be a bit of a jerk. Make your protagonist an outcast. Alternatively, give them a happy family and lots of friends. Then kill them off so you have a quest for revenge.

2. Travel alone for a while. Or be alone and friendless in a crowded place, generally a castle. For older protagonists, hint at a tortured past.