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Old 07-24-2003, 06:40 AM   #41
Imladris
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Thank you for clarifying that! I wonder if I don't have enough conflict in one of my stories. I mean, there is the good vs bad, but I wonder if there is not enough between the central characters. One has a lot of inner conflict within herself. That's hard to write. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Thank you so much!!!!
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Old 07-24-2003, 02:35 PM   #42
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Tolkien

Hmmm... I guess I'd better tell you what my books are like.
I'm working on a seven part series (Which is definatly NOT about a boy at his magical school [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] God, its taking me ages to do! I was writing a chapter a week, but my computer broke, and even since I got it back havn't got back into that rotine. I've been working on the first book since about easter and I'm not even a sith of the way through! I don't know where I got the idea, I just thought, right. I'm going to write a book and its going to have a mage in it and a cat and... And I worked it out from there!

Quote:
How did you decide that you wanted to write fantasy? What kind do you write?

Has Tolkien influenced your writing? If so, how?
I don't think I ever did decide. I've been writing fantasy since I could. Probably becuase I'm autistic so I find it hard to express feelings, whenever I got really annoyed or something like that I would write a short story with the chacter feeling like I was at the time. They were always fantasy. Probably because its really the only genre I've ever been interested in. The first book I read was a book of myths (I went from not reading at all to reading books years above my age in a half term [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I write any books that come into my head. Thats normally fantasy but I think I've done a few sci-fi and comedy ones. But the comedy ones were based on fantasy so...

Tolkien has influnced my writing in so many ways. All the writers I've ever read have (Way to many to list!) I think I valued Tolkiens way of writing becuase its very similar to my own and becuase he used myths and things for his backrounds. The first time I read LotR I could see the edges of myths that I had read over and over again creaping in. I loved his elves. Thats what shows must in my writing. I never liked the faries of fariy tales. If there was ever a fariy party I would always be the one without wands and wings but with a bow; becuase these were the elves I loved and beleived in.

Quote:
What kind do you write? (Transition or Immersion)
I don't acctually know. Mines based in a time that isn't stated. It has all the modern technology but could easily be in the future. Basically it's set on the Earth which is split into three worlds: the World that Is (A magical world), the Worlds Wood (a place that separates the other two), and the World. The World is the one we're in now.

Quote:
how do you make your protagonist (hero) somebody your reader can relate to, or like, or at least sympathize with?
I don't think I have tried. I just split myself into six, but one part in each of the main charaters and then the seventh is me.
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Old 07-29-2003, 11:05 AM   #43
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Silmaril

I just combined two of the story ideas I have into one, and now I'm not sure if it's transition or immersion. My main character lives in our world, but also belongs to my fantasy world, though she doesn't know it yet.

Quote:
how do you make your protagonist (hero) somebody your reader can relate to, or like, or at least sympathize with?
I just make them someone I can relate to/sympathize with. People are more alike than you might think, so if you can relate to a character, there's a good chance other people will too.
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Old 08-09-2003, 09:46 AM   #44
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I've been reading a book about writing fiction, by Orson Scott Card, the author of the Ender's Game and Alvin Maker series. The book's title is Characters & Viewpoint. The subtitle is: How to invent, construct, and animate vivid, credible characters and choose the best eyes through which to view the events of your short story or novel.

Simply put, I wish I had read this book fifteen years ago. It was published fifteen years ago.

It is crucial to my understanding of what I'm doing as a writer, whether I want to get published, or because I just love writing and want to make my story the best I can.

Card uses The Lord of the Rings as an example for many of his points. So there's the necessary tie in. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Just to nail this down with some usefulness to you by way of example: the transition versus immersion versus lizardzone categories are of limited use because they don't really help you know how to write better. Card supplies four categories of fiction that really help you know how to write better. It's MICE. That's a handy acronym for:

M - milieu
I - idea
C - character
E - Event

Every story has one thread that holds the story that you're weaving together, and it's one of the four I've listed above.

LOTR is the best example of Milieu. You love the place! You want to go to Middle Earth. The story is about Middle Earth, and the characters and events and ideas that are there, but the thread is the Milieu.

Detective and Caper fiction (think the movie Bandits are examples of Idea fiction. Some problem (like a murder) occurs at the beginning, or a feat (like a bank robbery) is planned at the beginning, and the story is done when the murder is solved or the bank is successfully robbed and you celebrate with the robbers for pulling it off and getting away with it. (We were all sympathetic and cheered Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett, did we not?)

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.

So now for the question: Which of the four MICE categories is the main thread tying together the story you're writing?

Whichever it is, it will help you to know how to START your story and how to END it.

If you want to know more details about this, borrow Card's book from the local library. Better yet, if you're a really serious writer, or want to be, buy it. I'm going to.

By the way, my story is Milieu. And now to go back and rewrite. [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

LMP
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Old 08-09-2003, 01:28 PM   #45
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Tolkien

Writing is one of the most important parts of my life. Like many of you, I aspire to become at least half the author Tolkien was. As for fantasy, I entered a sci-fi/fantasy writing contest several years ago...and failed miserably. I didn't really expect to win anything; it was a horrible story! It was rather the pixie-faerie type thing, but hey, I was in 3rd Grade! Funny how I haven't thought about writing another fantasy until now...I'm more into realistic fiction writing, and won a couple of awards that way. I don't have any illusions of actual potential in the way of fantasy, but Tolkien has certainly given me a lot to think about. Besides, I'm 13, I've got a long way to go!
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Old 05-09-2004, 04:50 PM   #46
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Tolkien Ahhh, beautiful ressurection!

Okay, I have just finished reading the old AYWSF thread (all 22 pages! It took me 2 weeks!) and I have decided to resurrect this one, basicly for moral support and to see some new writers here!

I briefly posted on this thread when I first came to the Barrowdowns, but it hardly had anything to do with writing. At the moment, I am writing a fantasy story that could possibly become a duology (phrase coined by LMP. It means "two books") or even a trilogy. I havn't actually started the writing process yet, but I'm very far into the planning stage. I have my protagonists: 4 girls. (This will lead to a question I will post later in this post.) I have maps, a language, and most of the plot sorted out in my head.

The world is called Ola, and it is like one gigantic forest. In this I basicly thought, what would my dream world look like. My immeadiate answer was trees.

I will also address my language, since it has been commented on many times before (not mine, but language in general on this thread.) It is called Isca-augay, which translates directly into "scribe-language". It is only used mainly in old scrolls and ceremonies. Now, I'm no linguist. I, in fact, only speak 2 languages: English and Pig Latin. ( ) However, I drew from those strengths. My language is mostly a spoof on pig-latin. Here is my complicated process:
1) I turn the English word into Pig Latin.
2) I add and/or remove letters depending on the part of speech of word.
FOR EXAMPLE:
House would translate distantly to Ohay. Similar, yet distant enough to be unrecognizable.

I have written many other things. I have written a few short stories, but I mostly write poetry. One short story I'm very fond, not to mention proud, of is "The Spire of Hope." I wrote it for a Reading assignment, and I think it is the best thing I have written to date. It is uneditted, yet I shan't get around to editing it for a long while. However, it is available on fictionpress.net. I'm under the pen name of Blissfully Unaware, if you want to check me out. You can also find many of my poems there.

Okay, here are my questions:

1) How do you overcome gender barriers? For example: my 4 protags are female, being as I'm female. My problem? I don't know how to write a male character. I've tried, and I've failed miserably. Any advice?

Okay, my mind has completely gone blank, and with this blankness has gone my questions. Oh well.

I await your replies!
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Old 05-09-2004, 06:10 PM   #47
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Ah, genders...;)...always tricky for peopleto know if a woman/man woulds actually act as they've written it I guess. :) It's nice to hear all your progtags are women: I ugess it's ok that most of mine are men (there are women in abundence in non-main roles, or "everyperson/background roles", just not so manym as main characters) it's simply that I'm a man, and I tend to think of my characters are being somewhat like me, so a lotendup male. :)
Well, what do you mean by failed? Could you give an example of you writing a male charatcer (if you can write female characters I'm sure you can write male ones)? I mean all human beings are varied, so it'd be foolish for anyone to think of them in terms of anything but biology as being easilly sorted into 2 groups (and even then...), so there's a lot of freedom in your characterisation. Make sure you don't go for any stereotypes, unless the charatcer's intended to be one. Well, I can't really think of any tips to give unless you could post or PM an example of your writing of a male character; who knows, maybe they're fine after all?

As for me, to answer the thread-starter, yep, I write serious fantasy. I've been influenced first by "Fanstasy" in general, which I found before Tolkien. It's been in my life for ages, like the air I breathe...I can't place it exactly with titles or dates, but it's always been there. Some clear examples would be some childnres books with dragons and wizards (non-Tolkien inspired It would seem), Enid Blyton, and then post-Tolkien stuff like Fighting Fantasy RPG novels, other Unplacable Fantasy &...Warhammer. But there were mnay earlier ones... Hell, even Rupert had a wizard (and talking bears!) It's basically like asking Homer whether he was inspired by Greeks myths! All quite Tolkien & D&D inspired. Then I found Tolkien at 11 years old. But I do think Tolkien has had an even stronger influence over time...his take on magic, for instance. Now my plots are my own, except I do have a dragon-slaying, because I love them :) , and I do have "Dark Lord"-syndrome. HOWEVER: I don't think that's from Tolkien. You see, in books (and RPGs and other plot-driven games) I've never been much moved by a protagonist's desire for gold or fame etc. What I want is to do some good. Whether it be an adventurer in an RPG aving some forsaken prisoners on a hellish island, or the huge (yet small) scale of the War of the Ring and Frodo's sacrifices to save the world, I want the plot to mean something, to not just be some guy out to get glory. And so if it happens on a large scale, you've gotot be up against some great deadly force. And mortal overlords just aren't the same, imho, for the most part. They're not threatning enough, for they are in the end subject to the same weaknesses as everyone else. But a Power that would be a terror to go up against is one way of achieving the kind of...meaningful...chararcters I like. Just one way.
Now I'm trying to introduce some new ideas in without upsetting the world of my stories. I'm aware that a lot of what I have has been influenced to varying degrees - hell, the whole fantasy package with its deities, magic, Elves,medieval-like era, etc, is basically a "template", and once used as a starting point, is nearly impossible to remove from your works it features in! I'm aware that had Tolkien come along today, I wouldnot have used ideas so, but only did so becuase even before I was aware of him those things were so widespread as to seem common-thread ideas, like space-ships and aliens in sci-fi (yeah, I know loads of sci-fi has neither, you know what I mean).
But I'm also aware that in the end it's plot, not setting, that matters. And with that, I'm satisfied. :) Now I just need to twiddle the 'metaphysics'...urgh, headaches. (I'm like the inquisitve reader to myself - always checking if there are situations where so-and-so should or could have done this, or why didn't they simply do this-and-that, etc. :) )

Phew, it's been really nice to get this out. :)

I'm just about to sleep, but I'll try to read your short story. :)
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Old 05-10-2004, 04:07 PM   #48
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Tolkien Of male characters and mortal villians...

Regarding male characters, you asked for an example. I don't have one on hand, since I scrapped most of them, but they just seem really "flat" or two-dimensional. I don't know reallly how my characters would act in a certain situation, or what they would say, or anything! It's very frustrating! Unless maybe I wrote a gay character...hmmm...it would probably be a little harder, but it could get interesting!
Quote:
And mortal overlords just aren't the same, imho, for the most part. They're not threatning enough, for they are in the end subject to the same weaknesses as everyone else.
What about "Wizard of Oz" type of characters? Where you think they are all great and (possibly) immortal and all-powerful, but they're really just mortals taking up that guise? I think those characters are very interesting and add for a good plot twist at the end. Your thoughts?

Happy Writing!
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Old 05-10-2004, 04:24 PM   #49
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Sirithheruwen wrote:
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I will also address my language, since it has been commented on many times before (not mine, but language in general on this thread.) It is called Isca-augay, which translates directly into "scribe-language". It is only used mainly in old scrolls and ceremonies. Now, I'm no linguist.
My advice is that unless you are a linguist, or a very knowledgeable amateur, you avoid making fictional languages a critical component of the story. Tolkien was onto something with his idea that a world must be thoroughly self-consistent (which includes the evolution of languages) to be believable - even if the reader doesn't notice it.

Of course, I'm not saying you shouldn't use fictional languages at all. I'd just avoid overusing them.

Quote:
1) How do you overcome gender barriers? For example: my 4 protags are female, being as I'm female. My problem? I don't know how to write a male character. I've tried, and I've failed miserably. Any advice?
Males and females aren't really fundamentally that different. I think you can probably write male characters better than you realize. You may be over-analyzing your own writing.

On the other hand, I'm fairly miserable at writing fiction, so maybe you shouldn't give my advice too much credence.
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Old 05-10-2004, 04:31 PM   #50
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My advice is that unless you are a linguist, or a very knowledgeable amateur, you avoid making fictional languages a critical component of the story. Tolkien was onto something with his idea that a world must be thoroughly self-consistent (which includes the evolution of languages) to be believable - even if the reader doesn't notice it. Of course, I'm not saying you shouldn't use fictional languages at all. I'd just avoid overusing them.
Hmmm...well, as I stated above, it's is the scribe-language, used mainly in old scrolls. These scrolls are very crucial to the story, especially the plot. They are not, so far, used in any other part of the story crucially, except maybe mentioned once or twice. So I don't think I am overusing them as of yet, but I'll look out for it! Thanks!
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Old 05-10-2004, 05:07 PM   #51
Imladris
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Sirithheruwen , do you know any men or boys in your immediate family? If you do, study them, see what makes them tick, and then that might help you write male characters.
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Old 05-10-2004, 05:41 PM   #52
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Ok, random idea! Perhaps you could pretend one of the guys from the Barrowdowns just appeared inexplicably in a story of yours, and write a bit their and everyone else's reactions in a post here. I still thinki you might be being too hard on yourself.

As for Wizard of Oz guys...yep, they can be good. So long as the opposition seems like something worth making sacrifices to get rid of (doesn't matter if it is a Wizard of Oz like character, unless it's revelaed in a really, really lame way ("Frodo! The Ring was harmless after all!Sorry about the mental anguish...have a lolly!"))

Thinking some more about how Tolkien influenced me...I've always loved ancient myths, but they don't really have much cohesion (right word?) to them - each story makes sense on its own terms, but when grouped together with others can become very contradictory (esp. Greek ones). So I guess, reading all of Tolkein's work on ideas such as fea, etc, that he made me try to make sure my stories all were 'watertight' from that point of view. Unfortunately, it feels like a chore sometimes.
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Old 05-10-2004, 05:55 PM   #53
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Olorin_TLA: Oh yeah, I can just see that...Mr. B-W: "Thread Closed! Thread Closed!"
NO, really, though, that's a good idea, for practice at least. I'll try it out!

Imladris: That is a very good idea too. I do have my dad I could study a bit. I can just see it: "Hey, Dad, what would you do if the entire fate of the world rested on your shoulders? How would that make you feel?"
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Old 05-12-2004, 03:26 PM   #54
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Do I write serious fantasy? It depends on how the word 'serious' is being defined. If it means that I take it seriously by working hard and trying to make it good, then yes I do, not just with my fantasy but everything I write. If it means that I intend to at least attempt to get it published, I'm afraid I don't take it that seriously. When I write books I'll do it for the sake of the characters, who are screaming to be brought into a story, and for my sake because I love to write. I don't necessarily care if I have an audience or not. The only 'publishing' I do besides letting family and friends read is on fictionpress.com, hoping against hope that I'll get some constructive criticism, but I've never really thought of real publishing.

How did I decide that I wanted to write fantasy? Everything. A walk through the woods at evening-time, a young laddie talking with his friend, a piece of news on the radio, a little tune on the tin whistle, and a rock over-hanging a stream started the book. I decided I wanted to write fantasy when I was five years old and a brother of mine and I started 'playing' Lord of the Rings and writing what adventures Sam's children had. That's how fantasy-writing started for me.

I don't want to give too much of my book away before it's finished, but it is a fantasy book without a name (actually the first in a few books... I act these things out and they just don't stop), centered around a soldier in a very hideous war and two young boys (and very young, as well, only about eleven or twelve) who just want to go home and see their family again. They live on an island called Enare, which is part of the country Trenia though it is a separate landform. I am working on a language, which is called Trenian because the Trenians speak it. I actually don't really write it out in order, because if I come up with a good scene and I let it go until I approach that point in the book I don't like it anymore, whether it was good or not, and I don't put it in. When there isn't a need to write a future scene I just go in sequence. As far as going in sequence, I'm nearly finished with the first chapter, though I've been working for quite a long time. Before I began the process of actually writing the book, however, I wanted to know what it is. I gave the characters time to develop themselves in my mind, for the geography of the land in the peoples in it to become clear, and so on. After that I pulled random scenes out of my head and acted all the characters out to further understand what they were like. When I was confident I knew them and the world they were in, I began writing.

Has Tolkien influenced my writing? Indeed he has. I don't imitate his writing style, nor do I copy him, so to say, but everything I hear and see influences my writing. Little things that were said or done, whether in real life or in another book, I take and put in, then expand upon it and let my imagination run away with it until it becomes something entirely original.... perhaps even the plot for the book itself, or one of the main subplots. Calling it a 'starting point' would be appropriate, I think. I try to have a notebook and pencil to take down what people say and do. One little smile from someone not a week ago introduced a main character in my book! A lad said 'Thanks' when I handed him a baseball that had gone right by him and a whole scene was created (yes, I know I'm inspired really easily, but I get scared in the dark really easily, too... my imagination takes hold). Now, Tolkien also influences my writing in the way that when I read his works I write better. If I'm reading something that is extremely basic (usually a dialogue-only book) I find myself tempted to write the same way and it's awful trying to keep from it, and worse than that writing doesn't seem fun anymore. If I'm reading a real book, with good description, dialogue, plot, and everything else, writing is absolutely lovely and I can write well.

littlemanpoet asked: "How do you make your protagonist (hero) somebody your reader can relate to, or like, or at least sympathize with?" I can't makes my heroes do anything. They arrive in my head and take their own views on everything. All I have to do is write down what they're saying and doing. Sometimes it is a bit annoying that I don't have a real control over them but so far they have been real enough personalities, regardless of whether people can relate to them or not. If they are real people I let it go. I don't really care if my readers can relate to them or not, because around my home in this age they probably couldn't. If they can't relate in any way to Tom Playfair or Percy Wynn they can't relate to my characters, because my characters treasure everything Tom and Percy do, and despise everything Tom and Percy do. Most of my readers can't relate to Tom and Percy, therefore they cannot relate to my characters. Most of my readers don't know what real flaws and real virtues are. I'm still learning! As long as my characters are certainly human (or name another race, though I haven't encountered any in my books yet) I let them have their own way. Yes, it is annoying I don't have a control over my character but at the same time it is a blessing, for that way I don't have to worry about making life-like personalities, etc. They have them because they came with them, whether readers agree or not. Now I'll stop talking to myself.

Am I writing transition fantasy or immersion fantasy? It would fit best in the latter, I suppose (except... mine isn't our world in ancient times or in future times, it's a completely different world... I think... that's why I add 'I suppose'). I tried the former once and couldn't make it work. 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. The other stumbling block for me on that was that people from modern times have to come from somewhere. The only places in the world I really know are places I consider little homes of mine... mine, exactly. I don't want my characters coming from there. I like reading transition fantasy well enough but I'd have to be prepared to seriously work myself if I wanted to write it.

There was some discussion on conflict (though no conflicts in those discussions!.... sorry, couldn't resist), and I thought I'd consider aloud here what the conflict in my book is. One conflict is obvious; it's how the story begins. One nation declares war on another. That's conflict enough. But for the main character's personal conflict (by the way, I'm not quite sure who the main character is... it might be Chirfan or it might be not, but I'm using him for now because he was the original main character), it's the simple fact that he's a Catholic (and that is why I'm not sure if my world is a completely different world or not. Could the Catholic Faith exist in other worlds? I highly doubt the Incarnation would happen twice... so if there was no Incarnation would there be Catholics? I prefer not to touch upon the subject and just cast it aside, and if the reader really wants to know they just can't, because I don't)... he's constantly conflicting with Satan, because he's a rather good Catholic and that just isn't acceptable to the devil. And then oftentimes he'll have to choose God over king and country and that can be a challenge sometimes. I won't go any further... that's the basics of it.

"Which of the four MICE categories is the main thread tying together the story you're writing?" I don't quite know yet... it might change at any moment. For the time it seems Milieu. I'll go through the process of elimination. I know it isn't Idea... there haven't even been any subplots suggesting that yet. Character? Well, of course the characters will grow (please God they won't decide to shrink!! I just put horrible thoughts in my head), but the story isn't centered around that. Event? Chirfan is one of the people who has to try to set things right... he's a soldier. But he isn't do everything single-handed. He doesn't have to 'get the girl,' because she's no princess ever man in the kingdom is out to get or anything. She's just a sweet little farmer's daughter who lives in the tiny village he left behind that he loves... rather like Sam and Rosie, if I'm to give a LOTR example. And he won't become a king at the end, save the little king of his own little family when he gets to go home from the war. That being said, the story would best fit into Milieu.

And looking at another subject that came up, the problem of writing male characters successfully. Nobody's ever complained about my male characters being unrealistic, and I find them a lot easier to do than female characters, though I'm learning the latter. It comes from having grown up in a little isolated place in the middle of a forest with a pack of brothers and no sisters. Besides, the kind of plots I like to write wouldn't seem too realistic with main female characters. In the world I've invented, women don't go fight, and so having one in the war would be uncanon to my own work. I concur with what Imladris said. My brothers and their friends gave me the training. They became characters in my books. Not them, but little aspects of their personalities as the starting point and then off to a delightful characters.

Now I'll go. Sorry for going on so long. I was reading the thread and writing as I went along, and it made it drawn-out (previewing it, it actually wasn't that bad). I had fun, though. Hopefully I wasn't too much of a bore.... or, more than likely, completely confusing.
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Old 05-12-2004, 04:09 PM   #55
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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.
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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?

Quote:
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.

Quote:
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.

Quote:
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!
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Old 05-12-2004, 07:19 PM   #56
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Well, I enjoy every minute that I write. I'm deep into chapter two, and I know I'll need to do some serious rewriting. But I *love* to write. In between high school, helping my parents farm, keeping up with my friends, (one of which I probably won't see for several months to a year, so I'm trying to spend a lot of time with her), I write every minute I can.
I write characters and stories because I want to; not because I think I'll make a six figure book deal. I have wrote several short stories, short shorts, and a pretty large amount of poetry. Some of which has won some awards and have appeared in a few anthologies.
I think to have a really good story, you need large conflicts (eg. a quest, getting the girl/guy) and smaller conflicts (getting to work on time, not killing fellow people on quest with you). All of these elements must be tied together in a conclusive ending.
I had read Narnia and some other really obscure fantasy books, along with myths and legends before I read LOTR. So, I was writing before LOTR, but after LOTR, my writing had a more epic and grand style to it. I am inspired largely of my own fears: heights, the dark ( I live in the middle of nowhere-woods after dark, wolves, scary!!), the unknown in general. I take these fears and push them to the limit. I model some of my characters off of one or two traits from each of my friends. Can be quite interesting.
Right now my novel is not ready to see the light of day, but when I get done with the first draft, and am aprox. half way through the second re-write, a few (VERY few!!) choice people will get to have a peek. My good friend, who happens to be an English teacher, and another fellow writer, will all have a first row seat to be my cheerleaders and to catch my mistakes. After all, what are friends for?
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Old 05-12-2004, 08:18 PM   #57
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How do you decide to write fantasy? I don't think you really decide it just kind of comes to you and you go with it. Atleast that's how it worked for me. I love to write fantasy because you don't have to stick to facts like historical fiction, you can make up the facts as you go. Not to mention it's kind of a release from boring every day life.

I'm in the middle of writing a series, but not to get it published, but just because it's fun to write. I had always been writing some form of fantasy, but not until I read LOTR did it take on a greater purpose (good vs.evil, stuff like that). So my writing has a lot of parells to LOTR. But hey I figure I'm not hurting anyone because I'm not publishing it.

I figure you can't really write a fantasy nowadays without having something Tolkien in it. Not always the case, but when you think about it most fantasy books can and are compared to his.
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Old 05-12-2004, 08:25 PM   #58
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My, my, this thread has been quite a while in it's existence, and yet I never noticed its presence on this forum.

On a first note, to discuss Tolkeinion influence. I cannot, by right's say that I was inspired per se by Prof. T., but I have leeched my share from his work. I took a lot to develope my own more amateur tales, including the varying realm of character, plot, and miscellaneous developement for most available genres out there. It wasn't hard to borrow a lot, in fact I found myself unable to help it. I have one friend who has never read Tolkein, and seems to have written a slightly mediocre story that is exactly like it, which he says is all foolishness (an issue I must discuss with him at length in the future).

Something I took from the Tolkein archives was a fuller branching system. Since I find that, even though stories told from a solitary first person point of view are still intriguing, going more prominently in depth into a single character, it is best for my more complex storyline to go with 'tree branches' in both plot and character. It is, in all seriousness, the easiest way to make a third person POV more 'grabbing' to both reader and writer, developed or underdeveloped. If a story's plot splits into multiple plots, still centered around a focal point, it works better for more diverse stories. Tolkein's different books within books, focused on the different aspects of each journey, was what did initially inspire me as far as that section of the story. I had to split my story into sections, each storyline rotating almost per chapter to avoid to much resemblance to Tolkein on a whole. Otherwise, I still have plenty of things I've stolen *nervous cackling beneath breath*.

I have two stories in the works that can be classified as fantasy.

Story A would be slightly more fantastical, but with a real root and base. You could say I cheapened the story a little by setting it in an actual era of Earth, rather than formulating a legendarium for the tale. It is set, as best as I could tell for the storyline, in the 16th Century of our world, and has enough twists to knock it into proverbial fantasticity (is that even a word I wonder? As you can see, my writing's prime limitation is the pomposity of my vocabulary, everywhere). Using the legendarium already created by the people of that era, based on religion, belief, superstition flowing around at the time. It works in context, since said context is realistic, but fantastic with the superimposing of fantasy (of that time period) on that period's reality, merging history with the mythos of the past, present, and some futuristic dabblings.

There are many characters in mine, which is genre-less on technicality, but many share generic traits with stereotypes just because the obviousness of their personas is needed, they are meant to be translucent, but others borrow more complex traits from Tolkein legendarium characters and characters from other mythos. There are, as I said, many. Some of them have intertwined pasts, but those who are symbolically related do not actually meet until much later in the story, for developement puposes. I found it more interesting, and, dare I say it, funner to slowly juxtapose the characters who shared the least (both in past history and personality) beside each other on the quest I have them all seeking, though they don't know their counterparts are seeking the same thing they do. The tale is not about intrigue, so I don't dwell on mytery, but I take pride in my twisting plot turns and suspense, so I have utilized that aspect to develope character, just as Tolkein did (Namely as inspired by the chapter from Fellowship involving the Barrow-Wights, a more horrific upheaval from Shire's peace that developed Frodo suprisingly as a character). They all come together at the end, not necessarily at allies, but together all the same, many battling as they do so, thus the dubbing of my story as more of action piece, but tampered with all the philosophy I could muster.

Story B and more on A (character) when I have some time. Please comment, for I am eager for some form of creative criticism. I know I didn't supply much information, but recommendations on the whole plot-branching and practical archive of characters would be much appreciated. Also, more on my in detail responses to the other questions posed by this thread's first post forthwith....too...sleepy...
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Old 05-13-2004, 12:22 PM   #59
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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).
And here's where the problem lies... in short, it's because I believe the Catholic Faith to be the Faith. I don't want to make up a religion that can't be better. It's because I'm a Catholic that I don't want them to be non-Catholics... it's horribly difficult to explain. I've decided the best thing to do would be just to leave it rather vague and never actually say one way or another, but let their actions and words give the readers a little idea of what they might be. Besides, I don't want to go too far on this subject, considering not everyone on the 'Downs are Catholics.

Lhundulinwen mentioned very briefly drafts in her post, which brings me to ask a question to you all. How do you do second drafts? In all my past works I've only had first drafts. I'm the type of person who is inspired, writes it out, and then loves it too much to change it in anyway, regardless of whether it would be made better or not. I feel more in that case like my story is a well-rehearsed play rather than something actually happening. Aside from that, I also simply do not know how to do a second and third (and however many more one wants) draft... if anyone could give any simple guidelines and suggestions I would be most grateful. Most books around the house tell 'how to write a novel' and never say anything about numerous drafts... There, I've admitted one of my faults in writing.
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Old 05-13-2004, 12:33 PM   #60
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reviews etc

Nuru,

I felt the same as you, til I had people I really, really respected review my work. When lindil questioned my use of a dragon, for instance, and suggested a troll would make more sense, I knew I had believability issues. And I didn't want to give up the dragon! So-- I had to lay a lot more groundwork, and show that the dragon had been around, before he showed up and wreaked his havoc. I had to make the presence of the dragon plausible.

Without lindil's advice I wouldn't have made those changes. But with lindil's changes it is a much better story.

Now, it doesn't work *at all* with someone you don't respect. (Don't bother.)

So-- my advice would be, put a copy of your original story in a very safe place. Then make another copy and hand it to someone you really respect who has a Big Red Pen-- littlemanpoet, at FWW, has a large team of people with Big Red Pens-- and watch them wreak havoc with it. It's a little horrifying-- because you love it so-- and that's why I say put a copy in a safe place so you always have the original.

lmp is on chapter 18 of The Fairy Wife. He's bled all over it! AAAUGH!!! But it is all good. When he is all done, I will "publish" a second edition (the first edtion will not completely disappear.) And it will be much more believable, more bulletproof, tighter, more believable.

Beievability is key to enchantment, which is key to eucatastrophe. So believability is important-- to me, to the reader.

How's that for a ramble? (...join FWW...)
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Old 05-13-2004, 01:21 PM   #61
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Nuru, on religion, this is my advice: Keep it vague, don't name the religion as that will probably be a turn off. I don't know much about the Catholic religion, but keep their customs in the story and if a Catholic comes upon your story, he can mentally smile as he recognizes them. And if one isn't a Catholic, one can look at the story and appreciate how noble, etc, the characters are.

As for second drafts, I read a rule once: Second draft = first draft minus ten percent . I've found that this is extremely easy to do and the best part is that you don't even loose a bunch of the core important stuff or the stuff that you've come to love. After you do your own editing of the ten percent, then have an editor read it and then you'll cut off even more fat from the flavourful meat.

Also, before any editing takes place, put the manuscript in a drawer and just let it rest for a few weeks. That way it will be fresh and you can easily see parts that won't flow, etc.
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Old 05-13-2004, 02:39 PM   #62
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Ooooh... I've finally found a thread like this. Very helpful indeed, as I have been working on some fantasy and sci-fi stuff for quite a while in my spare time.

In my main story, and by which I mean it has an awful lot of stories built off of it, the main characters are female, with very interesting pasts, and futures. My problem with this story is it works in the "Three Worlds", and I'm not sure whether the heavy fantasy base works with the other two worlds, of Terra/Earth, and the future, which is very Star Wars like. Does anyone have any good tips on combining fantasy with sci-fi, and not giving the sci-fi characters a heck of an edge, even though their technology is actually a form of magic? Yeah, it's very confusing. But at least there are a few male character to balance the two main lightsideish females, and the one darkside female character.

In the other one, it's straight out fantasy, and the main character's parents die very early on. I mean like chapter two. But I'm not exactly a great writer in that genre, and she hardly reacts, even though another character appears in to destract her awfully fast. I need to expand the scene, and could use tips on reacting to death of her entire family. I suppose the best way for you to understand what I mean by lack of reaction, you'd have to read the story. (PG13 for violence)

If anyone's interested in reviewing, I'm on fictionpress as Elf with a lightsaber.

I quite like this thread, lot's of good advice. Please help me here!

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Old 05-13-2004, 02:49 PM   #63
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For myself, I write...and as I write, I'll cross out, edit, insert, 3the text. If I readit orcomeback to it later, that'll ahppen again...sometimes I might redo a paragraph, but usually only if I knew I was unhappy with it at the time of writing.

There have been occasions, however, when I've done a section anew (not having the original on me at the mo) and it usually ends up quite different, (eg: more detail & indpeth, as opposed to a semi-summary one time). But generally, I don't have drafts - I have writing, with each line of paper sprouting notes and changes, and sentences and parapgrahs living in the margins with convoluted arrows directing them to their new homes.
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Old 05-13-2004, 02:55 PM   #64
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Well, Éowyn, it might not sink in for her that quick, and might take a whule, as it can in real life. Perhaps soon after something could happen, (or even a moment of silence could happen) which causes it to all sink i for her. Also, having her sometimes act as if her parents were still around could be one thing, sometimes - I know when my granny died I had dreams where she was still around, and asked if she was coming to visit once at lunch because I'd forgotten. And someone I knew mum died and the nedxt day he was wondering why she hadn't prepared his breakfast, when he remembered and it all sank in.
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Old 05-13-2004, 03:29 PM   #65
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I'm going to comment on something that you guys were talking about waaaaay up at the top of the page: gender in writing.

When I was a bit younger and first beginning to write, all my main characters were female. This isn't surprising, considering that I'm female. Anyway, lately, I've been trying out male MC's. The story I'm working the most on has six (or seven, haven't decided yet ) MC's and around half of them are male. The "ringleader", I suppose, evolved from a female to a male.

At any rate, I found that my male characters are more believable than my female ones. My female ones either turn out Mary-Sueish, or wimpy, and I can't for the life of me figure out why.

Quote:
Does anyone have any good tips on combining fantasy with sci-fi
Well, it looks like you're off to a good start, with your magic-technology relationship. That sounds quite interesting. I suppose something I could say is not to overload the story with complicated things of either type. This might confuse people who are fans of one and not of the other. Perhaps you might have a character who is illiterate to both technology and magic to sort of introduce things to the reader in a more subtle way.

Hope this helps. If not, then sorry for the time waste. You'll never get it back. Mwahahaha...
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Old 05-13-2004, 03:38 PM   #66
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I'd actually say not to care whether people "get it" at all, because tthey will - iut's only when people start worrying that they dumb down, and then they do it to a ridiculous level. If you don't want them to have some kind of huge advantage in a fight over the fantasy people, itcould be aharsh future where mostpeople are dirt poor with only poor qwuality black-marketweaposn or somehting like that.
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Old 05-13-2004, 05:39 PM   #67
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As for drafts, I generally edit as I go along, as far as grammar and sentence structure. But when I get done with a piece, I set down and read the entire thing out loud. I ask myself a few questions as I go- Would this character say that? What is his dialect and accent? Can a reader 'hear' my character's way of speaking? Is there clues along the way about the outcome of the story? Are they spaced out? Does the plot have a climax? Is the conflict strong enough?
It takes a while to rewrite the whole project usually, and your project should shrink. I allways take out the irrelevent descriptions, the overwriting, etc. For every ten pages you may end up with 5 - 9 pages. But then again, you may find the need for an entire new character (it has happened before) and your story may grow.
I generally end up doing three to four drafts. It helps to work on something else for a week or two between edits. Some people have more drafts, and others can't bear to cut anything. Its best to find a happy median in between those extremes. You'll know when your on your last draft. It'll just seem as if you won't ever do better, or that the characters have reached "ripeness". Then its time to think about publishing, or not. It all depends on you.
If you want more information on publishing and writing in general, try The Writer magazine, and a book with the dragon from the Hobbit (I think it is anyway) called Writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy. (Please correct me if that's not the whole title!). And two good books on general writing is Escape into the Open by Elizabeth Berg and a book that's shaped like a block, The Writer's Block.
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Old 05-13-2004, 05:41 PM   #68
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Onew thing I'd like todowould be carry a tap recorder around,since sometimesI have great dialogue or narrative that gets lost in the transition from thought to page.
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Old 05-13-2004, 06:45 PM   #69
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A lot of writers carry notebooks or tablets, even index cards, with them to jot down ideas. I never go anywhere without pen or pencil and generally have a notebook with me. Though I have written on napkins and shoping bags before! Does anyone else carry something with them? Like a special notebook or pen?
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Old 05-13-2004, 06:58 PM   #70
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I usually carry a notebook of some kind with me, Once I wrote on a receipt so I didn't lose my idea. However my pen is usually running out of ink so I have to run around to find a quick replacement.
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Old 05-13-2004, 07:04 PM   #71
Eowyn Skywalker
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Well, Éowyn, it might not sink in for her that quick, and might take a whule, as it can in real life. Perhaps soon after something could happen, (or even a moment of silence could happen) which causes it to all sink i for her.
Ahh... that helps there. So I suppose that the fact that Alenece is acting funny now fits. Thanky. Lot's.

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Perhaps you might have a character who is illiterate to both technology and magic to sort of introduce things to the reader in a more subtle way.
Tee hee... I have a few of those already. I suppose that should help explain the combined technology with magic, and her lack of skill when it comes to running then. No, my characters aren't Mary-Sues.

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I usually carry a notebook of some kind with me, Once I wrote on a receipt so I didn't lose my idea. However my pen is usually running out of ink so I have to run around to find a quick replacement.
I do that too, but I carry a pencil and sharpener... that way I don't have to worry about running out of ink! Jeez, I have a lot paper used up though. You'd be surprised what I'll write on...

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Old 05-14-2004, 10:00 AM   #72
Estelyn Telcontar
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Since the Books forum is really reserved for discussions of Tolkien's books, I'm moving the writers' threads to the Novices and Newcomers forum. Please continue to share ideas there!
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Old 05-14-2004, 10:52 AM   #73
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Keep it vague, don't name the religion as that will probably be a turn off. I don't know much about the Catholic religion, but keep their customs in the story and if a Catholic comes upon your story, he can mentally smile as he recognizes them. And if one isn't a Catholic, one can look at the story and appreciate how noble, etc, the characters are.
Imladris, thank you for that. There are still a few problems I have to work out, the main one being the Eucharist... This ties in with the problem I mentioned earlier. If this is an entirely different world than ours (which it very well may be) then there would be no Incarnation, and therefore could there be a Eucharist? I'll be even vaguer on this, because it isn't something I like to take artistic license with! As for Catholic readers, I fancy they'll have a few hints that won't be obvious to others... the characters' constant pleas to the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for them, though Mary in Trenian would be Mérali... thus far the characters have recited the Hail Mary once, but in their own language. Catholics might be able to guess, but non-Catholics would have a more difficult time.

Writing with the characters having certain religions, or none at all (atheism, unless I'm to throw in a character who as made that be a religion to him?), though not named inside the book, gives me a chance to do interesting things, such as how the characters will relate to each other. A Catholic and an atheist who are grand friends, or a Catholic and a Catholic who greatly dislike each other... the opportunity to put in really devout Catholics and those who are Catholics only by name but otherwise are not because they have abandoned all practice of their religion. Oh, this is grand, I am getting excited now. More and more characters spring into my head!

Thanks, Helen, for your advice. I suppose if I ever get the nerve to do it I'm going to do it the whole way... that means getting someone who won't balance praise and criticism evenly to spare my feelings. If there's more bad than good I want it all told to me. I can't say as much for my story, but as far as that goes my feelings could not be hurt. My story and the characters in it might be devastated, however.

I usually end up writing in my head because I forget to bring a notebook. Ah well... I'm going places today and tomorrow so I'll just use the posts I've read as a reminder to bring a little notebook. I have a darling pen that lasts nearly forever and doesn't show through on the opposite side of the page, and I have a little notebook about the size of a greeting card that is a binder... so I can add and remove paper at my pleasure! The main trouble is pockets. Most skirts are made with pockets. However I've discovered this temporary sling I've got on serves as an admirable pocket... though it hinders typing!

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One thing I'd like todowould be carry a tap recorder around,since sometimesI have great dialogue or narrative that gets lost in the transition from thought to page.
I sympathize, Olorin. I had acted out a grand dialogue on the way to a baseball game. It was a bit of speech between two good friends who had grown up with each other and were now serving in the King's court. One was the son of the farmer, the other the son of the soldier. The son of the farmer seemed, as the dialogue went on, a bit insane, saying he was the rightful King of the land, and his friend expressed concern for him but also for his King, fearing the latter might come to harm. He was a bit harsh with the farmer's son, saying that if harm came to the King he would not spare his friend's life, much as it would grieve him. If I had written it down I might have been able to sort through everything weak and flabby and save everything grand and write out a wonderful scene, but it is completely lost to my mind now and even the general idea seems ridiculous. Ah well...

I'm going off to search for that little notebook.
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Old 05-17-2004, 06:10 PM   #74
Sirithheruwen
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LIttle notebooks are a great idea. I don't carry one around with me everywhere, but I do have I notebook that I write all of my stories in, no matter how much the differ from each other. As a matter of fact, I have at least four to five stories that I started, but never finished. My characters become stale and the plot moldy (Well, I already said stale). WHich brings me to several questions:
How do you keep the original plot running smoothly?
I think my problem is, I rush things too much and get (or try to get) from Point A to Point B too fast. How do you avoid that?
Another one of my current problems is that I'm afraid to take the plunge on this story. (Remember, this is still the planning stage.) HOw do you just suck it up and start? WEll, that's all...have fun!
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Old 05-17-2004, 06:41 PM   #75
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I have never finished a long story -- just short stories -- but I've heard that you don't write a story. You let the story write itself. If you try to hard, it won't happen. That's essentially what Tolkien did as well. I remember in another letter that he had no idea who Aragorn was, etc. If you like, I will get the letter in it's entirety for you.

As for afraid to take the plunge, you can always re-write. How many times did Tolkien restart LotR? Heck, how many times did he add/change new characters?

As for characters and plots getting moldy, I have no idea.

Edit: If you want good info on writing (and if you don't crude references and bad language ), read Stephen King's book On Writing. It's very good and has lots of encouragement and tips.
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Old 05-17-2004, 08:50 PM   #76
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I was as surprised as Frodo and Sam when Faramir rose from the grass in Ithilien
Something like that.

Anyway, this, to me, is a beautiful glimpse of the writing process. To read this, as a fan of Faramir and his exceedingly well-developed character, and to learn that Tolkien himself had no idea of his existence is phenomenal.

It shows that writing is indeed not a job, but an art form, and one I hope to be slightly as good as Tolkien at.

Not nearly to that point, nor will I be for quite a long time.
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Old 05-18-2004, 07:55 AM   #77
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Saraphim-- Yes. I love that quote. This is the quote that inspired me to start writing:

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"I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never before been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner at the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than had Frodo. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlorien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there. Far away I knew there were the Horselords on the confines of an ancient Kingdom of Men, but "Fangorn Forest was an unforseen adventure. I had never heard of the House of Eorl nor of the Stewards of Gondor. Most disquieting of all, Saruman had never been revealed to me, and I was as mystified as Frodo at Gandalf's failure to appear on September 22."
I love this quote, especially the part about Strider sitting in the corner. If Tolkien could be baffled by who and what he wrote, thought I, then so can I. Easily.

I sat at the PC, and the first thing I wrote was a man running down a hill somewhere north of Bree. It went nowhere. The second thing I wrote was about a hobbit in a train station. Thank God. I'd call it a turning point in my life, I think... Two novels later, Bolco remains a huge favorite with me.
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Old 05-18-2004, 05:43 PM   #78
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Silmaril

I too have never finished a larger work. Of course, I had never thrown myself in heart and soul into a project before now, except a few wonderful poems. I knew how to do a magnificent poem; find a strong emotion, memory or idea and open my mind and let my fingers type or write whatever came out. Editing comes so much later. Editing too soon always sucked the soul out of my poems.

Now I understand how to do larger works also. Its the same process except a lot longer, at least for me. Within the first pages five pages of my quietly growing novel, I got stuck. I had no idea how to move the plot along. I never ouline, (it makes my projects all seem so predictable), so I was staring at a roadblock. I was already in love with my characters, so I couldn't just throw them away.

I set the whole thing aside for about two weeks. I was outside running, (after a cow no less. Ah, the joys of agriculture) and it hit me. I knew who, where, what and when. It all fell into place. I learned a lot about my characters in that flash. A hidden past, a hidden talent, a few new gifts... it really was magic.

Which is why I LOVE to write. I don't understand where the inspiration comes from in most of my projects. It is really hard just to let yourself go, and not listen to your inner critic, but when you do, it is such a wonderful feeling. Its like dreaming while being conscious, directing your own personal movie or floating above the story you are creating. Sure, most of what you write will be edited out, but for me, this is the only way to get the meat of the story and those little details we all love in our stories.
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Old 05-18-2004, 10:29 PM   #79
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I was already in love with my characters, so I couldn't just throw them away.

I set the whole thing aside for about two weeks. I was outside running, (after a cow no less. Ah, the joys of agriculture) and it hit me. I knew who, where, what and when. It all fell into place. I learned a lot about my characters in that flash. A hidden past, a hidden talent, a few new gifts... it really was magic.
Indeed, I truly know what you mean. I too have fallen into ruts with characters that I love, and would never throw away, they have too much to them, too much work put into their past. Aand then suddenly it came to me. I know my character for who THEY are, and not the people that they are based on. Suddenly, they had a past, and a future.

A hidden past began to grow up, and suddenly there was such a difference... suddenly the characters had something to them. A girl from earlier, suddenly she was known as the heir to the throne cougharagroncough. Suddenly, a half-elf became known to who he really was... They fell into place. An Agent... suddenly he was known as the Emperor, explaining sooo much of the plot. It was like magic, as suddenly the worlds began to show themselves, and create an actual world to them. And all it took was setting the story aside for a while... now I'm rewriting it, and the characters actually are characters. I'm writting a sequel for the story that explains so much of the plot.

I have never finished half my stories... to be exact, I have two finished ones... not to count my short short stories. But these were just fanfictions. I have yet to complete my fiction based tales, and I will too! When characters grow so easily, they cannot be easily lost again. Especially when they are not Mary-Sues, but actual people.

All characters have something to them, it just takes time for them to show through. But someday they will, so never give up on them. I'm glad that I never trashed mine... they are actually going somewhere... as soon as I got the idea for magic based technology, I knew I had something, and had to rewrite so much of it, but the work is worth it... this story has a chance at survival.

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Old 05-19-2004, 02:56 PM   #80
Sirithheruwen
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Well, I started. Last night to be exact.

I was listening to the main theme for Requiem for a Dream when it came to me: the death scene of one of my characters I had been planning for the end of the book. Who knows if it'll even end like that, bu tit seemed a good start. If you happen to be listening to it at the exact same time you are reading this, you will realize it choreographs perfectly with the music. I'm so proud!

Well, I'm off to write!
Happy Writing!
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