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Writing-GAF: Writing, Publishing, Selling |OT|
- Thread starter AngmarsKing701
- Start date
Sheriff_Battlesnake
Banned
Thank you! Like I said, it's dated, but it was hindsight that got me really motivated. In "The Ides" I had a character who was a soothsayer. I started thinking how fun it would be to expand the character years later, with just the basic foundation from the song.
"Well, I shared my beer with a blind soothsayer who said our pages are black. Calloused and cold, I spoke rather bold in saying our lives are on track. And he said, 'Railroads and tracks will never take you back to the place we all came from,' and pupil-less he grinned at our life of sin as he said, 'Just strum along and hum.'"
He is never mentioned again in the song, but by the end it turns out he was more or less correct. He has fun with that, given his grin. It's not an uncommon character, but it's a start at developing a more complex one.
In the future I want to practice this exercise more.
So after a lot of thought regarding what magic system to use for my fantasy story, I decided to go with the simple game-like RPG system. I figure it's my first story, so simple is good, and my story will suck anyways. Also, I've read some nice VNs that use it. After that, I decided to write down some of the ideas for the story I had in my head, but I don't know, it just wasn't coming out. I just have a really hard time writing something without knowing what led to it. So after a lot of crappy ideas and deliberation, I decided to go with the "transported to another world" setting. It looks to be a good fit for the RPG-like magic system, and I really don't want to think about it anymore since I want to start writing. I still haven't written anything proper, lol. Will hopefully write down bios of all the initial main characters down tonight.
Oh and here's the (really) rough sketch of my fantasy world that I drew. This is the world map and this is the map of the continent the story will start in. I'm making stuff up as I go, so a lot will probably change. Just made it so I can use it as a reference of sorts.
Wow! Congratulations! I can only dream of accomplishing that.
Oh and here's the (really) rough sketch of my fantasy world that I drew. This is the world map and this is the map of the continent the story will start in. I'm making stuff up as I go, so a lot will probably change. Just made it so I can use it as a reference of sorts.
Wow! Congratulations! I can only dream of accomplishing that.
I'll be honest; I was totally planning to do that. Do you mean shouting the name/attack? What if I have them shout it in a fantasy language?
Heh.
I guess if it was in a fantasy language and obscured from the reader (e.g. Nothing like "'Magic missiles!' he shouted in elvish as glowing bolts of arcane might flew from his fingertips."), it'd get by. I think there're multiple fantasy series that have magic being words spoken in dragon or some other One True Primordial Language, so it's not without precedent.
Sheriff_Battlesnake
Banned
What are your feelings on a chant of sorts? How do you feel about people shouting their attack names if you find it uncomfortable hearing them yell "support" magic?
Coolsies. Though I'll be thinking stuff up as I go, so I might just make things chantless and whatnot.
I mostly just can't stand calling out moves in the same language they speak of any sort. It never sounds natural, it's frankly kind of dumb and screams "I love anime!" Moreover, it's the shallowest possible magic system I can think of. Every aspect of it tweaks every sensibility I have and I will without exception just stop reading if I see it in prose.
Chanting is far more tolerable, largely in part because it implies that there is more depth to the system, e.g. it's a mantra to focus the mind in a particular way, implore the spirits, etc.
timetokill
Banned
No way dude. Casting fire magic should always have the character say something like: "Hiyaaaa! These flames are scorching hot! 10,000 degrees of death!"
toddhunter
Member
What is the series where they use elements in their stomachs? I think it is a Sanderson one.
I remember reading "so and so burned tin" and stopped reading.
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
I'm with Mike on this. Magic with clear vocal aspects are way too overplayed. That said, you can always do twist upon cliches and those can help. Instead of saying "magic missile" what if they had to say it for a minute straight in a form of chant. Adds a layer of danger and error to the use. Similarly, naming attacks is kind of lame, unless you're aware they're super lame, in which case they become cool again because we all secretly want to be brave enough to be that lame guy who shouts attacks.
Also, open challenge to anyone who like magic systems. Instead of having them shout some magic words and what not, have them say a cool thing. Everytime. For example, a grand priest, covered in the blood of those who tried to stop him with a coup, stands over the city. His preparations are complete. He stretches out his arm and says "Lament, you sinful fools." as meteor is cast.
Also, open challenge to anyone who like magic systems. Instead of having them shout some magic words and what not, have them say a cool thing. Everytime. For example, a grand priest, covered in the blood of those who tried to stop him with a coup, stands over the city. His preparations are complete. He stretches out his arm and says "Lament, you sinful fools." as meteor is cast.
I'm lame as fuck, don't listen to me on what is and isn't cool.
Copying this down so that I can use it in my story.
That's pretty damn cool. Will try to include a bad guy in my story who does this.
Mistborn series, I think?
I have mixed feelings about Sanderson.
Okay, so let's look at this since you brought it up, and maybe people can get a better grasp about the nonsense I'm talking about.
Rowling's magic system is not particularly great. Jinxes/hexes/curses and charms/enchantments/whatever are all indistinguishable from one another in their own cohort. It's poorly defined, but it's just a vehicle to deliver fantastic happenings rather than the focal point itself.
But what systems there are aren't half bad, even if inconsistent and perhaps contradictory. Taking Ashes's example, even this simple throw away spell has multiple components.
*Material component: Requires the use of a wand.
*Somatic component: Requires a particular motion of the hand.
*Verbal component: Magical incantation.
Things actually get slightly deeper than that as it's explained later that the words aren't actually needed to cast spells, so they can therefore be argued to be less important in their own right rather than being training wheels for the particular flow of mental processes that is actually necessary.
Mechanism of action is important, and going no further than calling out attacks generating effects is lazy. There needs to be more to it. We need to see that there's more to it.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Well, it's not a blog per se. We get review copies of stuff, books included.
But I'm probably being extra special paranoid with this.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
.
Ha, DBZ was one of the first things I thought of. I don't know if it was the progenitor of the calling out attacks trope, but yeah, there are other "magic" system elements where it takes specific efforts to perform them. Stuff like shouting "Special Beam Cannon!" still grates, though. You can call it that, he can mention it in your taunting or something, but just blurting it in conjunction with firing it is the magical system version of me screaming "Lever door handle activate!" every time I go into my bedroom.
There is a story about Author Philosopher where he learns how magic functions in different universes.
It was all very fun to write; fun but not very realistic. My preferred version is the same as how magic has been done for thousands of years. Spells, incantations, curses, prayers.
Reading a real grimoire where one asks Lucifer to make dolls smile. Now that's good material. If a little scary.
I had another idea but never got round to writing it. That universe's God had died. And the universe begins to listen to anyone knowing the god's tongue as it were.
It was all very fun to write; fun but not very realistic. My preferred version is the same as how magic has been done for thousands of years. Spells, incantations, curses, prayers.
Reading a real grimoire where one asks Lucifer to make dolls smile. Now that's good material. If a little scary.
I had another idea but never got round to writing it. That universe's God had died. And the universe begins to listen to anyone knowing the god's tongue as it were.
toddhunter
Member
You should read The Magicians.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
So basically Feep's There Came An Echo. I've booted it up, tried it, then never touched it again. I really should though, since it's all controlled by voice, which is interesting in it's own right. Didn't take the opportunity due to other people being around though.
But it might be more interesting if you had an Amnesia game where your actions have to be spoken, but noise attracts monsters like it always does in these games. "door lever activate" definitely would make sense in that setting, though I suppose a space ship or station would be needed to make having to say those things convincing. Like Alien: Isolation with voice commands on doors.
But it might be more interesting if you had an Amnesia game where your actions have to be spoken, but noise attracts monsters like it always does in these games. "door lever activate" definitely would make sense in that setting, though I suppose a space ship or station would be needed to make having to say those things convincing. Like Alien: Isolation with voice commands on doors.
Crash Station
Member
Disagree. It's great in all mediums!
Yet oddly enough, I didn't do it in my super shouneny second novel.
timetokill
Banned
This is a hilariously fun idea.
You: (whisper) open crew quarters
Ship: "COMMAND INAUDIBLE"
You: (whisper) shhh! oh my god
Ship: "COMMAND INAUDIBLE"
You: OH SHIT FUCK
Ship: "I CANNOT PERFORM THESE FUNCTIONS"
...
...
Ship: "MEDICAL ALERT DETECTED OUTSIDE CREW QUARTERS, ASSISTANCE REQUIRED"
...
...
Ship: "MEDICAL ALERT CANCELLED. ASSISTANCE NO LONGER NEEDED"
Ugh, so I'm all ready to start writing, but I just don't know how to start things. I mean, I have an idea of how the story is gonna begin, but actually writing the very first sentence has me frozen. I mean, the first sentence is pretty important, no? It has to be interesting and leave a good impression on the reader. But the beginning of my story is so boring. Maaaan, writing really is hard.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Most of the time the first paragraph, page, or even entire first chapter is actually written last, and mostly in editing (especially in academic writing).
So don't worry about getting things "right" on the first go, since your first job is just jotting all your story events down. Good story is all in editing.
So don't worry about getting things "right" on the first go, since your first job is just jotting all your story events down. Good story is all in editing.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Rule of thumb: your first draft is going to suck. It's why it's the first draft.
You'll edit your first chapter more than any other chapter.
So don't stress about any of this and just enjoy the ride!
toddhunter
Member
If you start like that then you must write the novel entirely on puns though, that can get difficult.
I believe you're right, but I've been having some problems with this lately. Since the whole pre-release process of my first book is still ongoing, I had time to start writing my second thriller novel. And of course, I now care much more than the last time around, so I'm tirelessly editing almost every paragraph right after I write it to make it perfect right away (which is ridiculous, because I'll absolutely edit it again when the whole thing's done).
Unsurprisingly, this slows my tempo to a point when writing almost isn't fun anymore. Hope I get the right mindset back soon.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
.*
Yeah, I'm in a similar boat. But I've just passed the one quarter mark, which is way faster than I anticipated. Gonna get the heavy revisions in, go back over for the minor stuff to smooth it out, then probably a polishing draft, then... Probably spring for copy editing, I guess.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
I need to continue with my third novel. That contest reaching its 200 submission limit before I could sent my stuff in put me in a bad mood and I haven't written anything creative since.
You should jump in the next Neogaf Creative Writing Challenge, which will probably start in a few days, to get the gears moving again.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Woke up with an email from an agent. Someone else wants my first chapter. I'm pretty sure I last sent out such an email five or so months ago, but hey, another bite!
This one i have to physically mail in though
I think you just gotta mentally give yourself permission to write a bad book, but I dunno. That's hard to do, especially when you're happy with how the first one turned out.
This one i have to physically mail in though
This happened to me when I went into my second novel. I have no idea how to go about fixing it, because yeah, it ruins a lot of the fun.
I think you just gotta mentally give yourself permission to write a bad book, but I dunno. That's hard to do, especially when you're happy with how the first one turned out.
There are worse things in the world than worrying about physically mailing a sample to an agent.
I got back in the saddle and made a half dozen submissions tonight. I haven't been at it since last summer, but then some shit went down (completely unrelated to writing) that left me in a bad place and I couldn't bear to submit my ego to further abuse. I crawled back out of that hole quite some time ago, but I was still having anxiety issues about submitting anything. Hopefully I can get back in the habit.
I got back in the saddle and made a half dozen submissions tonight. I haven't been at it since last summer, but then some shit went down (completely unrelated to writing) that left me in a bad place and I couldn't bear to submit my ego to further abuse. I crawled back out of that hole quite some time ago, but I was still having anxiety issues about submitting anything. Hopefully I can get back in the habit.
One last post about my book.
Finally have it released! Everywhere but iBooks, because for some reason they are taking forever. I was told 1-3 business days and it's been, like, six. :/
But, it's on Amazon, which is the really important part. Already got two paperback and two ebook sales, so woooooooo
Now I get to work on writing the two talks I'm giving later in the year.
And I'm interviewing a magician later today so I can start building characters for the next novel.
Busy.
Starting to wonder if I should try to get an agent, and if so, when I should start trying. I mean, this is still a part-time, "because I want to" thing. Don't know that it'd even be helpful or necessary.
Finally have it released! Everywhere but iBooks, because for some reason they are taking forever. I was told 1-3 business days and it's been, like, six. :/
But, it's on Amazon, which is the really important part. Already got two paperback and two ebook sales, so woooooooo
Now I get to work on writing the two talks I'm giving later in the year.
And I'm interviewing a magician later today so I can start building characters for the next novel.
Busy.
Starting to wonder if I should try to get an agent, and if so, when I should start trying. I mean, this is still a part-time, "because I want to" thing. Don't know that it'd even be helpful or necessary.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Conkersbadfurday
Member
When a publishing house asks for
Market analysis, including research on competitive titles
What all does that entail? Thinking of sending my book to this publishing house and that's all that's giving me pause.
Market analysis, including research on competitive titles
What all does that entail? Thinking of sending my book to this publishing house and that's all that's giving me pause.
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Yo, M, you still want a copy of the raw script? Sorry. Been a bit out of the loop since I popped. Babies are serious business. ;_;
You had a baby???
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Seeing if I can copy it into a PM (it was a short comic, after all).
Yup. Last week. Boom.
That..is...awesome. Congrats!Yup. Last week. Boom.
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Thanks. ^_^ She's giving my crunch time experiences of no sleep a run for their money, but she's pretty cute, so I forgive her. Hoping her schedule normalizes a bit so I can start writing properly again. Wahey~