  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: Colin Back on the Ghost Roads  
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This newsletter is for everyone who enjoys the magic and mystery of a good Fantasy, be it Tolkien, Jordan, Rowling, or a host of others. I will also be attempting to give some time to other types of fantasy, as written by the likes of Asimov, Wilson, Clarke and a galaxy of talent.
I hope to present some information that will be useful to other fantasy authors on site, and entertaining to all our subscribers.
So, let the wonder and glory of all that is fantasy engulf you.
The Fantasy Editors:
Colin Back on the Ghost Roads
billwilcox
The Milkman 
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Travel Broadens the Horizons
Somethings that appear often in fantasy stories are exotic locales. I have an advantage in this, since I've traveled to locales that would be considered exotic by some, but suppose you've never really travelled much beyond your home city limits. With the advice of 'Write what you know', how can you write about strange places no one has ever seen?
Well, the answer is simple, but it will involve some work. In order to know what you are going to write, you're going to need some research. So, the following are some good choices to search through for some ways to describe the places around your detailed fantasy world.
1) Travel - Well, not everyone can afford to tour the world just to write an entry for a short story contest. (Don't you wish you could?) But you don't have to travel all that far to get some interesting locales. Every city and town has its own character and ambiance. To some one that has lived all his life in Arizona, for instance, a winter in Northern Quebec would be pretty exotic. If you happen to live in Quebec, you've got an advantage right there. The more places you've been, the more details you can come up with. Mix and match them, and you can get a pretty good location that is strangely familiar and yet unusual.
2) Travel brochures/books - Just because you've never been somewhere doesn't mean you can't know anything about it. Head out to a library or travel agent and see what's available about various places. I know for a fact that the Lonely Planet books cover a lot of different areas and have some excellent pictures. There are a number of other good series on the market. Also toruist brochures can give you a wealth of information, and most regions will be happy to send them out to you free of charge. They aren't exactly unbiased, but your not looking to do an encyclopedia entry.
3) Interviews - You can spend a bit of time asking around the neighbourhood. You can ask around online in chat rooms, newsgroups and other public forums. Whatever you choose to do, you have the means available to find people that have gone beyond your borders. Once you find them, ask them if you can interview them for a writing project you're working on. Some will say now. Respect that. Some will be overjoyed to share their experiences. Treasure them and let them know how grateful you are. Always credit your sources in any work you get pubished. If you should want to know about Korea or to a lesser extent Japan, just email me. I'm always glad to chat.
4) Historical records. There is a lot of information about the history of various nations. In many cases, these records can be more useful to you than current information. I once wrote a section of a story set in a fishing village. My wiring mentor at the time wrote back after reading it with a certainty that I'd spent a great deal of time in Newfoundland, since my descriptions of the way the air smelled and the way the buildings looked were all spot on. All I had done was read some books on the subject and visited a local museum that had a temporary display about old fishing villages. Interviews will also serve you well when looking for historical information, although the longer you wait the fewer subjects there will be.
5) The internet - Pretty much every country has websites now. There are statistical records, tourist sites, sites about events the country is hosting, sites about history, geography and just about everything else someone might choose to create a website about. Many of them have pictures; some have sound files as well. Use what is in front of you always.
With some research under your belt, you can develop a stock set of exotic locations to serve you in your writing career. Try it out and see. |
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From shadowdawn
Hi! Great NL focussing on religions! I usually don't involve religion myself, because I do not want to anger any religious individuals. Religion is a very prickly subject for some, and I don't want the headache of being yelled at or critisized. Maybe that's the coward's way out, but that's how I am.
Thanks!
ShadowDawn
The sad fact is, writers are yelled at and criticized all the time. There is no way you can write a story that will make everyone happy. As such it's generally better to select a target audience and write for them.
Having said that, there are a great many excellent fantasy stories that ignore or gloss over religion. Lord of the Ring, as mentioned, barely touches upon Religion in Middle Earth, and Harry Potter is throughly grounded in the 'real world' of magic. Those are just two examples, but they are also among the most popular fantasy works, so by ignoring religion, you are in good company.
If you do choose to incorporate religion into your stories, just focus on the fantasy elements of the religions and keep away from religions that are very similar to real world religions and you should keep the reasonable critics at bay. The unreasonable ones, there is just not much you can do to keep them away.
From billwilcox
Colin,
Another fantastic educational newsletter. There is so much a writer has to consider when creating a Fantasy World. You sir, are a fabulous help, thank you,
W.D.
My pleasure. I'm glad you find them useful. It's true, when you create a fictional world of any sort there is a lot to consider if you really want it to work.
From Nikola~Asked Santa for a Pony! 
Colin, Very good points! It is something that I often forget when trying to plot that "in-the-works" fantasy piece I always have working in my head. Thanks for the tips! ~Nikola
It is often something that slips by unless religion is a main focus of the story. Simply adding in a few religious names and the odd ritual or celebration of faith can really help to bring a fantasy world to life.
From {user:(pipinheart}
I have a question about point of view. I have a story I'm working on and I have four characters imprisioned with a great evil... Well technically they all our the main character, can that be or do you have to do it from one of thier viewpoint?
pipinheart
There are no set rules for Point of View. What you should consider is that each of those four characters has a different mind set. How long can you write from four different points of view, keeping each one distinct and different from the others, and consistent within itself? Generally it is best to select one character and write from that character's point of view, or write from an outside viewpoint. Writing from multiple points of view is very difficult. It should rarely be done in a short story. In a novel it can be acceptable, but only one POV per chapter. Even then it can strain the writer and the reader, so be very careful and give clear indications when the point of view changes.
From revdbob
(See the Editor's picks for an excellent story involving an exotic setting by this author.)
y well done newsletter, by the way. I'd never before seen the fantasy religious systems "systematized" as you have done. Good job. And the choices of stories this week were outstanding.
Thanks for the feedback. Most aspects of a fantasy world can be systematized at their heart, and that makes designing a coherent world a little easier. I'm glad you found it useful and that you enjoyed the story picks.
From M Hague Bailey
I just wanted to say that I agree about your points on religion for a fantasy world. Another thing that I believe having the religion worked out helps understand the characters better. When you know what a persons beliefs are, you can understand the person better.
Well, that's all for this edition. Tune in next time for more from the world of fantasy. |
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Fantasy: August 17, 2005 Issue [#555]
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