Are You Writing Serious Fantasy? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 05-07-2002, 07:43 AM

Hi Cimmerian. I used to have almost the entire CtB comic book collection up to about issue 200, then sold it all. I have a lot of respect for Robert E. Howard's creative genius, surpassed by few others besides Tolkien.

I do not include serious role play gaming in my conception of serious writing. I used to do serious role play dungeon mastering, and now distinguish between the two, having chosen the writing over the game prep and play.

Writing contains a qualitatively higher level of artistic endeavor than role playing, the literary. I don't deny the great fun and seriousness of fantasy role playing, however the refinements required to make a story - on paper - that deals not only with plot and character and cosmos/world development, but with word choice and beauty of expression, as well as form and content, are at a higher level of seriousness than role playing.

That's my take, at least.

Now, if you wind up turning your plot and character and world story that your role playing has created into a written story, you've raised your level of seriousness.

No hard feelings, Cimmerian, just my pov.

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05-07-2002, 07:43 AM	#11
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Hi Cimmerian. I used to have almost the entire CtB comic book collection up to about issue 200, then sold it all. I have a lot of respect for Robert E. Howard's creative genius, surpassed by few others besides Tolkien. I do not include serious role play gaming in my conception of serious writing. I used to do serious role play dungeon mastering, and now distinguish between the two, having chosen the writing over the game prep and play. Writing contains a qualitatively higher level of artistic endeavor than role playing, the literary. I don't deny the great fun and seriousness of fantasy role playing, however the refinements required to make a story - on paper - that deals not only with plot and character and cosmos/world development, but with word choice and beauty of expression, as well as form and content, are at a higher level of seriousness than role playing. That's my take, at least. Now, if you wind up turning your plot and character and world story that your role playing has created into a written story, you've raised your level of seriousness. No hard feelings, Cimmerian, just my pov.