Monthly Archives: July 2014

WorldWide Blog Hop

Posted in Writings about Writing by

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done a blog hop, so I thought I’d participate in this one. I think these questions are the same as the ones I answered last time – but I’ve purposefully not looked at my previous entry, so that my answers for this one will be fresh and honest. So here goes.

First of all, I was nominated by my friend Bonnie Watson. She’s a writer of fantasy (as well as an artist and musician), and her work can be found here. Now, on to the blog hop questions:

1.  What am I working on?

Still editing the first novel of a fantasy trilogy. I really hate editing and rewriting. I guess it’s the drudge work of being a writer. I much prefer first-draft writing. I’m doing a bit of that, too. I’m hoping to finish the first draft of book two of this trilogy by the end of October, because I want to start fresh with a new project for NaNoWriMo.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Mine is a cross-world fantasy, taking place in both the real world and a fantasy world. That’s not exactly unique, but I think that primary world fantasy is the most popular right now. It’s also inspired by Finnish mythology and folktales. Again, not a one-of-a-kind idea, but perhaps a bit less common than urban fantasy with vampires or Norse mythology fantasy.

3.  Why do I write what I do?

Because the characters in my head tell me to! Seriously – I write because if I didn’t, I’d probably eventually go crazy. The ideas need an outlet.

4.  How does my writing process work?

Slowly. Discipline is my main problem. I also have to fight against Shiny New Idea Syndrome, and stay mentally focused on the two or three projects I’m currently working on. As far as specific writing process, I’m more of a plotter than a pantser, and so if I come to a spot in my story that I haven’t plotted out well ahead of time, I get stuck. Usually for a long time (that part is just a discipline problem.) Having at least a loose outline helps keep me from dreading my work too much.

And now I’m tagging…every blogger out there! If you’re a blogger, and you enjoy reading my blog, then jump on board and post your own answers to these questions (and tag my blog, if you don’t mind!)

Keep writing!

10 Quotes from Science-Fiction and Fantasy

Posted in Music, Movies, and other Muses by

We can learn a lot from fantasy and sci-fi. Sometimes we need to hear a truth come from the mouth of the Other, or to see our situations mirrored in a fantasy world. So here are ten of my favorite quotes about life from fantasy and sci-fi books, TV shows, and movies.

Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny. –The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others. – The Wizard, The Wizard of Oz

Words are, in my not-so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. – Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Equality is the nullifier of individuality… Equality is the despot destroyer of self-worth. In a world of sameness, there can be no heroes. – The Watcher, “Earth X #3,” Marvel Comics

Who’s the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him? – Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: A New Hope

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. – Gimli, The Fellowship of the Ring

‘Impossible’ is a word that humans use far too often. – Seven of Nine, “Hope and Fear,” Star Trek: Voyager

You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are. – Aslan, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We all have a destiny. Sometimes we do not see it, because we have been taught to believe that we are not important. – Delenn, “Comes the Inquisitor,” Babylon 5

Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things – trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. … I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. – Puddleglum, The Silver Chair

What is one of your favorite sci-fi or fantasy quotes about real life? Please share!

A Traveler’s Moment of Reflection

Posted in Travel Writings by

Sometimes it’s the little things that grab your attention.

There are the famous museums and the great monuments. Every city, town, and country road has its own uniqueness, its glamor both great and small. Sometimes those small bits of glamor capture your senses, and come to define a place in your mind long after you have left. When I went to Iceland I found such a moment – not in the vast verdant wilderness of the country, but behind a gas station in the middle of the city.

I passed by this gas station every evening on my way back to where I was staying. Behind the gas station and convenience store was a little garden. Beyond that, a walking trail led around a lake (or perhaps an inlet of the bay.) I never explored the extent of the trail, or even the depths of the garden, because I only ever came to this place in darkness or at sunset.

The statue of the boy in the garden was a dark silhouette against the sunset. I couldn’t read the Icelandic plaque, even if there had been enough light. I wondered how many lives passed through this garden every day – jogging on the trail along the water’s edge, or enjoying a snack from the gas station. I wondered whose life had inspired the statue.

Here, at this serene spot of glamor in the middle of a city, I found a sight that captured my mind. I had many wonderful experiences in Iceland, and I look forward to going there again for more. But this little stone boy at sunset will always be Iceland to me.

~Oct5 171

Found Words – Names and Places

I like words. Words are everywhere. We may ignore them – their placement, their meaning. We ignore their very presence. But every word that is placed somewhere, that is found, has a purpose and a meaning.

Everyone and every thing has a name. And every name a meaning.

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We see this as art and we admire it. But do we appreciate the words? Do we find these words in our lives?

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Subtle words, easy to miss.

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Every place has its words, unique and waiting.

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Where have you found words?

The Case for Predictability in Fantasy Plots

Posted in Writings about Writing by

New, different, unexpected – these are the things we all want in a story, right? After all, if the story is too predictable, too much like all the others we’ve read, then why bother with it? While this is very true – both readers and writers are always looking for the unique element – I believe there is room for some degree of predictability.

First off, there is the conventions of the genre. This can be very broad, but I believe it’s the most important form of predictability. Readers pick up certain genres because they enjoy the conventions of that type of story. A reader of classic sword and sorcery will not be pleased to find space ships and vampires half way through the novel. Pick your genre/sub-genre, learn your genre, and gain an understanding of what some of the most common or popular elements are. The fantasy/paranormal sub-genre of vampire romance involves – you guessed it – vampires and romance. If your story is lacking these key elements, then it’s not a vampire romance.

Another “predictable” element in most fantasy genres is the hero (or heroine). The hero is usually the main character, although there can be main characters who would not be classified as the hero. I won’t go into great detail about archetypal hero elements and classic storytelling techniques, and it’s certainly not a requirement to follow an archetypal path. But I would argue that most readers of fantasy genres (even dark fantasy) expect to see a heroic character or at least a heroic element in stories. The uplifting, the overcoming of all odds, the growth of the main character – all of these should be found to one degree or another in most any kind of story, but especially anything in the fantasy realm.

Another important element is good versus evil. This is more than a protagonist versus an antagonist. A “force of good” versus a “force of evil” – whether embodied by individuals, creatures, societies, or something else – is expected in most fantasy genres. Most readers of fantasy expect at least a few battles, and an idea of a good guy versus a bad guy. Conflict drives plot and character development in any story, and all of the fantasy genres provide rich fodder for conflict on every scale.

These are very loose guidelines, as they should be. Every genre – especially fantasy – should be open to the author’s creativity. But just remember that with all the unexpected elements, don’t neglect the expected.