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

Olorin_TLA · 05-13-2004, 03:38 PM

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.

Lhundulinwen · 05-13-2004, 05:39 PM

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.

Olorin_TLA · 05-13-2004, 05:41 PM

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.

Lhundulinwen · 05-13-2004, 06:45 PM

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?

Kitanna · 05-13-2004, 06:58 PM

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.

Eowyn Skywalker · 05-13-2004, 07:04 PM

Quote:

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.

Quote:

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.

Quote:

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...

-Eowyn Skywalker

Estelyn Telcontar · 05-14-2004, 10:00 AM

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!

05-13-2004, 03:38 PM	#1
Olorin_TLA Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gardens of Lórien, Valinor. Posts: 420	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. __________________ "For I am Olórin! And Olórin means me!" ELENDIL! - Join "Forth Tolkiengas!"

05-13-2004, 05:39 PM	#2
Lhundulinwen Wight Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wishin' and hopin' in the Shire Posts: 139	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. __________________ ~Just call on me, and I'm there. I'll always be your Sam~

05-13-2004, 05:41 PM	#3
Olorin_TLA Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gardens of Lórien, Valinor. Posts: 420	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. __________________ "For I am Olórin! And Olórin means me!" ELENDIL! - Join "Forth Tolkiengas!"

05-13-2004, 06:45 PM	#4
Lhundulinwen Wight Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wishin' and hopin' in the Shire Posts: 139	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? __________________ ~Just call on me, and I'm there. I'll always be your Sam~

05-13-2004, 06:58 PM	#5
Kitanna Child of the West Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Watching President Fillmore ride a unicorn Posts: 2,132	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. __________________ "Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain

05-14-2004, 10:00 AM	#7
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	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! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'