[Sirithheruwen]

How did I decide that I wanted to write fantasy? Everything.

Nurumaiel brought up an interesting point. When the question was asked, it was pretty vague. Up until now, people had been answering the names of books and the names of authors that inspired them. While I have nothing against those answers, and I agree with most of what was said, I too have been inspired by "A walk through the woods at evening-time" and such. Actually, my entire world is based on trees. I love trees, and I met many on my frequent walks around town that I wouldn't hesitate to call my friends.

yes, I know I'm inspired really easily, but I get scared in the dark really easily, too... my imagination takes hold

Is that a bad thing?

That was where I found a problem with making the character a person one could relate with. Someone who came from modern times was tricky, because while I live in modern times (or I suppose I wouldn't be writing this now) I am awfully old-fashioned and can't fit in with the times. I've not met many people who are old-fashioned like I am, so it was hard to make a modern character work, because if I were to know what I was writing about they wouldn't really be that modern.

Well, consider Tolkein. He wrote LOTR many years ago, and it may be called "old-fashioned" by some, but it is still a huge classic. At the time he was writing the book he might have been called "old-fashioned" because of his views on technology and industry. And yet the chapter "The Scouring of the Shire" is loved by many. (Except Jackson...grrr... ) I mean, who didn't root for the hobbits? I would say go with what you call your "old-fashioned" characters and not try to adapt to the times.

Could the Catholic Faith exist in other worlds?

Hmmm...that's a toughie... I would say that you might want to try something similar to the Catholic religion...but...Ahhh! Brain freeze! Lost my train of thought there! Well, I'll just say that you might want to try to avoid using any modern religions unless you are writing about the past history of our world (which I can tell you are probably not). That's just my two cents.

Ahhh, yes, the MICE question. I had meant to reply to that, but I didn't have time or some other excuse.

Character is the story in which the character herself is the thread, and she is less than she needs to become, and by the end of the book you see how she has become what she needed to. This is typical modern fiction.

Event fiction is the classic kind. Something bad happens, or something bad always happens, and the protagonist of the story is the hero who must set things right, and get the girl while he's at it, and become king at the end, to boot. The modern romance is a good example of this story.

I think my story (as far as I can tell in the planning stage) is/will be a happy medium between the two. Something bad happens at the beginning of the story, and the protag I start with wants to set it right, except she doesn't consider herself to be the protag at all. She's meek and timid and very afraid of death. By the end of the story she isn't (I hope!) and that is where the "Character" comes in.

Phew! That was a long post (to me at least) but it has inspired me oh so much! Thank you!