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Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/8868-Characters-Connection-to-Nature.html
Fantasy: April 25, 2018 Issue [#8868]

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Fantasy


 This week: Character's Connection to Nature
  Edited by: Dawn Embers Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Fantasy Newsletter by Dawn

Taking a look at the fantasy world, natural elements and the main character found within.


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Letter from the editor

With the passing of Earth day over the weekend, it has brought to the front some focus on nature and the world around us. As always, when I am faced with something or get an element that receives increased focus, one of my first thoughts is how can I use it within a fantasy world. Nature is an easy mix for the genre and even in others within speculative fiction.

The question is not whether nature is found in the genre or not. The real question becomes how it is involved. That is why I bring up this topic today. I want you to consider how your main character connects or disconnects with nature.

What has been done before?

A couple of stories come to mind in particular with a nature based focus. The obvious one is going to be Fern Gully. That movie is all about saving nature from industry. One character spends her life around nature while the other, then man, learns through his experience with her within the natural world. They then have to fight to save it. But one doesn't need as big of a conflict in order to tie in nature to the story, though it does help.

One doesn't even need to be human to have a connection to nature. I'm also reminded of Wall-E where the robot finds a plant. That is a big element of the story. Even when working on a more sci-fi based world, you can find different ways to get natural elements involved, human or not.

Magic is an element that can also have a very world/nature based focus. In fact, it's more common than not to have the magic system within a fantasy world have a connection to nature. Spells use things found within nature. Rituals are done to create a connection to the world and character's can draw their powers from different natural elements. So, if your main character uses magic, that is one option for how they connect to nature or it can be a way they disconnect. It's all in how you write them.

And there is the aspect of how the culture is developed in the world and how they view their own world. Do they need a day to celebrate nature and their world? Do they have an "earth day" like we do or something similar? Or do they focus on pushing away nature?

So many options exist. Since the story is often done in the eyes of the main character, then it's important to figure out how they will connect with the world around them. And I say connect or disconnect because it's good to have the option to do either. Sure connection makes a lot of sense. However, I'm certain that a great story could develop from a very natural world but a character who disconnects from it. What do you think? What are you writing?


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Ask & Answer

How does your main character connect or disconnect with nature?

Last month for this newsletter, I discussed Passover and here are a couple of comments posted in relation to the topic:

Comment by Quick-Quill Author Icon
I think using the Passover emblems would work wondrously in a fantasy story. The translation from the law to the fulfillment is an amazing transition.

- Good point. I think it would work well in a fantasy story too.

Comment by Mumsy Author Icon
Thanks so much for this! I think a Passover-like celebration would be a fantastic culmination of some world-building. A group of people on an exodus of some sort. Were they slaves? Were they driven away? How does their religion/the religion of the place they're fleeing play into the story? What happens along the way that get incorporated into their celebratory ritual? What foods are an important part of this ritual?

Chag Pesach Sameach! Happy Passover. *Smile*

- Thank you. While it was weeks ago, I hope you had a Happy Passover as well. Good point in the exploration with world-building.

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