tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post8841101265422650797..comments2023-10-23T23:35:22.776+02:00Comments on Cross Words: Type of PeopleTed Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-31016624007998235472010-06-12T03:16:25.814+02:002010-06-12T03:16:25.814+02:00I agree with Piedmont. Thanks or the simplicity! ...I agree with Piedmont. Thanks or the simplicity! My biggest turnoff with fantasy is exotic names I can't pronounce...or remember. I'll sit there wondering was that a person or a town? And of course Xesdac is likely to get shortened in my mind to "X" or "Dac".Vicki Rochohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07381089434014961076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-2109801246725387442010-06-11T18:01:33.763+02:002010-06-11T18:01:33.763+02:00Too bad I haven't gotten to know the Dutch yet...Too bad I haven't gotten to know the Dutch yet, Tart. Some of my characters stay at the Hillshade Inn, whose sign is of two connected hills, because if you look over the roof of the inn that is what you will see behind it.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-67775990401833533112010-06-11T17:56:40.726+02:002010-06-11T17:56:40.726+02:00This is fascinating! Your Greatlanders sound an a...This is fascinating! Your Greatlanders sound an awful lot like Dutch (who give cities name like third hill), but never mind. Still, I love the logic you've infused to how and why they are like they are and believe what they do. I think the consistency will serve you well.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-44367874511367714752010-06-11T17:06:05.392+02:002010-06-11T17:06:05.392+02:00You are right, I tend to forget those oversimplifi...You are right, I tend to forget those oversimplification of how people see cultures. The pragmatism sounds a bit like the Vulcans, except they shun emotion, which is different, I guess.<br /><br />Good luck on your world building! It's so hard, isn't it? But fun, too.Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-70015305565914588622010-06-11T16:14:30.539+02:002010-06-11T16:14:30.539+02:00I think keeping is simple is the best thing you co...I think keeping is simple is the best thing you could do - although, I have great respect for anyone who can world-build. It's not in me and probably why I stick to contemporary settings.Jaydee Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069805915071090479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-18453356658873503382010-06-11T15:13:03.387+02:002010-06-11T15:13:03.387+02:00Thanks Victoria. It may be a bit longer, since I l...Thanks Victoria. It may be a bit longer, since I leave for vacation on the 17th and don't return (to my computer) until the 30th.<br /><br />I think of many things at night and just hope that I don't forget them by morning. It doesn't always work!Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-25755570342762163682010-06-11T14:09:13.763+02:002010-06-11T14:09:13.763+02:00Hey, Ted. If I start thinking about my world/book/...Hey, Ted. If I start thinking about my world/book/writing at bedtime, I inevitably come up with something that needs to be written down. I DO have pen and paper on my nightstand (and a stack of books, tissue boxes and probably a few toys from my daughter) but the whole turning the light off and back on to write down ONE MORE THING gets irritating, so I try to read a little bit from one of those stacked books and go to sleep. It doesn't always work. LOL<br /><br />BTW, I expect to be able to read your short story after the 22nd. I look forward to it!Victoria Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14012092208934951963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-50129361856145278282010-06-11T13:26:08.716+02:002010-06-11T13:26:08.716+02:00Yay for traffic coming to Ted's blog. He (you)...Yay for traffic coming to Ted's blog. He (you) is (are) one of my best blogging/writing buddies out there so it's nice to see you get some love.<br /><br />As to world building it is very cool to see the details of how much thought you've put into it. This kind of thing is pretty important for high fantasy, but you don't often see the thought process laid out like this.<br /><br />Looking SO forward to reading more of The Shard.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-18027909721244024542010-06-11T07:35:21.401+02:002010-06-11T07:35:21.401+02:00Hey, welcome Claudie! It's wonderful to see ne...Hey, welcome Claudie! It's wonderful to see new people show up, even if you are a morning person;)Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-44154020596640489002010-06-11T06:59:08.628+02:002010-06-11T06:59:08.628+02:00*sneaks a peek*
Heey, it appears you've got y...*sneaks a peek*<br /><br />Heey, it appears you've got yourself a new reader. Ever since I started frequenting writer-y sites, I keep seeing you. First on Authonomy, and then on Nathan's blog and forums. I figured I might as well check your blog.<br /><br />And it so happens I completely agree with your latest post. Details in worldbuilding are incredibly important, because they are how you show your readers what this world is like, and how a cultural belief influences daily life. Details bring a fantasy world to life. <br /><br />I do a lot of my worldbuilding in the morning rather than late at night. I set my alarm a hour earlier than necessary, and the half-asleep state that follows is when I'm the most inspired. I'm weird like that.<br /><br />And last but not least: keeping names simple is a great idea. I like to think that Simple + Unique = Memorable.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />ClaudieClaudie A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10726598163986994132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-68164411119236394522010-06-11T06:02:56.663+02:002010-06-11T06:02:56.663+02:00Thanks everyone! Bethany, yes it is nice to stumbl...Thanks everyone! Bethany, yes it is nice to stumble across the few adult fantasy writers out there!<br /><br />Bryan, I can imagine that could happen to some people. I never encountered that, but I think my world feels so real to me after twenty years of thinking about it that stories just flow naturally within that framework.<br /><br />Maria, I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. I just have a few constrictions, such as the fact that Sol has to be there due to a conversation he has with Midas in my novel. It also makes sense, since Sol's personality makes him far more likely to speak about the necessary talking points than the squire Fridrik, who is simpleminded and hardly speaks.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-65603771630674922262010-06-11T02:24:05.255+02:002010-06-11T02:24:05.255+02:00...that should be 'very few sentences'....that should be 'very <b><i>few</i></b> sentences'.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-55632495191939693132010-06-11T02:21:16.735+02:002010-06-11T02:21:16.735+02:00Ref: Midas
Well, let's see...
The drawbridge...Ref: Midas<br /><br />Well, let's see...<br /><br />The drawbridge scene is the perfect backdrop for his self-esteem issues to show up. You already painted his compassion.<br /><br />My suggestion is to spend a couple of paragraphs leading to the drawbridge which also happens to be the inciting moment. <br /><br />Midas will be dodging townspeople, instead of pushing them out of the way. He's 'asking' his squire for directions (or something) instead of ordering him. The squire might even give him some lip and Midas doesn't correct him.<br /><br />You can also give Midas a couple of lines of introspection, wondering about his betrothed and how the hell he got into this situation. All these little things will highlight his doubt and self-consciousness, and they can be done with very sentences.<br /><br />You can build a lot of characterization in the five minutes it takes to make the drawbridge.<br /><br />And then when he meets Brindor, it's put up or shut up and he fails his last 'test' as a nobleman.<br /><br />When I plot, that's my usual build up for conflict leading to the black moment. The protagonist must have several 'fails' before he succeeds.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-27667260383849568452010-06-10T22:28:58.680+02:002010-06-10T22:28:58.680+02:00Yep, I'm one of those who came from Matthew Ru...Yep, I'm one of those who came from Matthew Rush's page. :)<br /><br />Most of the time, for me, the worlds begin with what the people believe about God/gods. Are they mono- or polytheistic? Do they believe that the gods take interest in them or can be communed with? Or are they just "up there somewhere"? Are they real things (wood, water, fire) or the creators of those things?<br /><br />That's how it always begins for me at least. Once I know what/who they worship, I can predict how their government will be designed, how they'll treat each other, how they'll view other countries that may not believe as they do. Anyway - that's how I start. :)Melodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08846251713093236356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-8220271084570762462010-06-10T20:40:28.244+02:002010-06-10T20:40:28.244+02:00Bethany,
Us fantasy writers are out there! You ju...Bethany,<br /><br />Us fantasy writers are out there! You just gotta keep digging. :)<br /><br />As for worldbuilding, I don't have any real plan. Some of it will be clear to me before I write, but I like having a lot of white space on the maps, so to speak. I feel that way I can build what I need as I go along, and the world supports the story... rather than the story trying to support the world. I've known too many writers who get stuck writing and say "I can't get out of this fix because the world doesn't work this way! It's in my worldbuilding notes!" <br /><br />I don't really want to stick myself in a corner like that. For me, the world can be as fluid as the story - everything is fluid and shiftable. Whatever best serves the creation of a great story is what I want.Bryan Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555071335245492790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-70239462287355106982010-06-10T19:45:45.279+02:002010-06-10T19:45:45.279+02:00My brain's too tired to think late at night, b...My brain's too tired to think late at night, but things will hit me throughout the course of the day.<br />The world-building applies to science fiction as well. And I tried to keep names simple, too.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-5228385308502115252010-06-10T19:22:38.527+02:002010-06-10T19:22:38.527+02:00Um, can I first say how awesome it is that you wri...Um, can I first say how awesome it is that you write fantasy? I've been in this blogging world for about two months, I've met tons of wonderful writers of mainstream, dystopian, buckets and buckets of YA, and a bit of fantasy YA, but not many just fantasy writers - especially not high fantasy writers. Which kinda was hard for me, because, um, I am one. :)<br />So yeah, yay for fantasy!<br />Secondly, I also do lots of thinking when I'm falling asleep. It's a lifesaver, too, because it can take me forever to get to sleep. World building is one of my favorite parts of writing, it's fascinating, imagining all the different possibilities. I definitely like the way you formed a culture logically, not just like, 'This is how it is because... it's just how it is.' I hate that it novels! :) <br />Wow, sorry for the essay. :) I'm one of the readers that came over to the blog after the critique group blogpost, and I'm glad I did. Great post!Bethany Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12829932931010851406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-74139695533481895732010-06-10T19:15:50.097+02:002010-06-10T19:15:50.097+02:00The writer's dilemma -- making scenes fit. My...The writer's dilemma -- making scenes fit. My solutions is that I let them ferment a bit, and the answer usually comes when I'm petting the cat.<br /><br />Like your world building using the KISS method -- the old keep it simple stupid. You also remember things better. I hate going back 50 pages to find what a "ascovianette" is.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14115085533635353291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-64703991299001671042010-06-10T18:35:42.453+02:002010-06-10T18:35:42.453+02:00I'm actually stuck on it for now. I know how I...I'm actually stuck on it for now. I know how I want to rewrite one of the scenes, having Midas fight in the melee rather than the jousting competition. It's the initial scene that is bothering me, since Maria gave me a catch-22 - she wants more about Midas's low self-esteem about being a freshly minted noble, yet she wants the action on the drawbridge much sooner. I can't figure out how to reconcile that yet.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319453613836766610.post-52380747598167067512010-06-10T18:33:11.987+02:002010-06-10T18:33:11.987+02:00I like that you keep things simple, Battle Wood, F...I like that you keep things simple, Battle Wood, Frozen Lake. That's the problem I have with reading fantasy/sci-fi, so many times the author is trying too hard to name things. <br /><br />And thanks for the shout out. I hope the story is going well.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816355522284492131noreply@blogger.com