World Building, part one

hey FFFers - sorry for the silence. Life has been hectic. Let's get back to talking about fantasy writing. Some of you have sat in my workshop "We're Not In Kansas Anymore." I'm going to use that format here.

Fantasy stories don't only include fairies, elves, dwarves, etc. and magical elements, it also needs a special setting, even if you are writing contemporary fantasy like urban fantasy. When you are developing your characters, don't forget your setting. It's also a character and can add or take away from the action/plot.

First, let's look at the different types of fantasy. This will help you know what you're writing and what kind of world to start building.

• High fantasy
• Urban fantasy
• Steam punk
• Magical realism
• Portal worlds
• Dystopia
• Paranormal


High Fantasy – usually a world other than our Earth. Example: The Lord of the Rings, or The Elfstones of Shannara. It typically includes the usual gang of fantasy characters; dwarves, elves, fairies, etc.

Urban Fantasy (or contemporary fantasy) – kind of a merging with sci-fi, but with definite fantasy elements. Similar to Paranormal, sometimes merging the two. Example: Harry Potter

Steam Punk (trendy historical fantasy) – like Victorian England with certain technologies. A couple of examples are: Around the World in 80 Days, or A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Magical Realism – set in the real world with fantasy elements. Examples: Mudville, Faerie Rebels

Portal Worlds – our world with a portal to another world. Example: Artemis Fowl

Dystopia – post apocalyptic. Example: Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse, Bones of Faerie

Paranormal – can be set in the real world with fantasy elements. Similar to Urban Fantasy, but with more of a gothic feel. Example: Twilight

What is the difference between fantasy and contemporary? How did Dorothy know she wasn’t in Kansas anymore?

Your world and characters are what makes the reader know it’s fantasy.

So, let's identify what we're writing before we go on. We've touched on this before, but it's good to refresh. I'll get us started: I am writing high fantasy right now. I have a series I started years ago that was more urban fantasy with a portal world twist. I've left it go for now - it was more of a "practice novel" for me, but maybe someday I'll be able to revise it.

So, let's hear what you're working on!

Two Incredible YA Fantasy Novels

hey FFFers - I want to share two YA fantasy novels with you and encourage you to get them and read them.

Bones of Faerie and Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner

WOW.

They are post-apocalyptic, but not in the way you would think. They are set after a War between humans and faerie folk. The world building is incredible, the characters are alive, interesting and diverse. The plot is unique and the endings satisfying. I read both without editing in my head and felt frustrated when I had to put them down.

Here is a sample from the beginning of Bones of Faerie:

I had a sister once. She was a beautiful baby, eyes silver as moonlight off the river at night. From the hour of her birth she was long-limbed and graceful, faerie-pale hair clear as glass from Before, so pale you could almost see through to the soft skin beneath.

My father was a sensible man. He set her out on the hillside that very night, though my mother wept and even old Jayce argued against it. "If the faerie folk want her, let them take her," Father said. "If not, the fault's theirs for not claiming one of their own." He left my sister, and he never looked back.

I did. I crept out before dawn to see whether the faeries had really come. They hadn't, but some wild creature had. One glance was all I could take. I turned and ran for home, telling no one where I'd been.

We were lucky that time, I knew. I'd heard tales of a woman who bore a child with a voice high and sweet as a bird's song - and with sharp claws to match. No one questioned that baby's father when he set the child out to die, far from town, far from where his wife lay dying, her insides torn and bleeding.

Magic was never meant for our world, Father said, and of course I'd agreed, though the War had ended and the faerie folk returned to their own places before I was born. If only they'd never stirred from those places - but it was no use thinking that way.

Besides, I'd heard often enough that our town did better than most. We knew the rules. Don't touch any stone that glows with faerie light, or that light will burn you fiercer than any fire. Don't venture out alone into the dark, or the darkness will swallow you whole. And cast out the magic born among you, before it can turn on its parents.

Towns had died for not understanding that much. My father was a sensible man.

But the memory of my sister's bones, cracked and bloody in the moonlight, haunts me still.

Tempted? I bet you are. I hope you'll get these books and read them. What struck me most was the world the author built, so our next topic will be world-building. Be thinking about that until next time!

Pekazoid Prophets

Did the title get your attention? It has a fantasy sound to it, huh? Pekazoid Prophets is a brand new writers group for authors who write for kids: picture books, middle grade and young adult, any genre. We kicked it off at the Glen Eyrie conference in September.

Pekazoid Prophets is a Christian group of children's authors who want to better themselves in the craft, be mentored and interact with other children's authors. We have a website and three yahoo groups; one for picture books, one for tweens and one for teens. I am moderating the picture book group.

Here's the deal; anyone can join for a small fee. You'll need to submit a writing sample for evaluation. You'll be placed in the appropriate mentoring group where you'll learn more about writing for the age group you're working in.

As things progress, we will change according to what the group needs. The Glen Eyrie Writing for the Ages conference went well. Next year's dates are Oct. 14th-17th, and I believe there will be a fantasy track. We are hoping to have a conference on the East Coast in 2013. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, check out the website: http://www.pekazoidprophets.org/

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Glen Eyrie Report

Hey FFFers - I had an amazing time at the Glen Eyrie Writing for the Ages conference. Here's my report:

I went to work on Koda's Quest, learn some stuff, make some friends and get excited about writing again. I did all those things, BUT, here's the big thing: at lunch one afternoon, we were talking about being honest in our writing and I brought up the book idea I have on being the parent of a special needs child. Kathleen Kerr (past editor at Zonderkidz and how with Harvest House) said, "You HAVE to write this book! And you HAVE to send it to me!" I told her Steve Lawson suggested partnering with Joni and Friends, and Kathleen said Harvest House partners with Joni and Friends on certain projects!! I almost couldn't breathe. And while I did the homework Kathleen gave us in the YA class on characters (for Koda's Quest), I will not be diving into that right away. I'll be working on three chapters and an outline for my nonfiction book. Even when we were saying goodbye, she reminded me to send her the proposal.

I took lots and lots of pictures and will be working on an album on Facebook when I get them off the camera and on to my computer. The grounds are amazing and the gardens are tended by volunteers! I met one lady who has been working on the gardens for 13 years! I'll work to get some more fantasy pics posted here, too.

The food was delicious, the accomodations comfortable, the people so friendly and the faculty marvelous! Nancy Rue, who has been my mentor for 10 years, was the director and she never once separated herself from the conferees. I'm hoping the general session speakers were recorded because I would love, love, love to have a tape or CD of each. Jesse Florea was incredible, Bill Myers engaged us and made us laugh, Kathleen Kerr made us think - and cry - and Nancy was so eloquent and encouraging. I could have sat for hours listening to each one. I did my best taking notes, but I couldn't really capture it all.

We played kids' games the first night. In my group, I won the spitball contest. HA! And another night, I won the helium speaking contest. There was paper and markers on the tables where we could draw, doodle, scribble, whatever we wanted. We could rip the paper off and put more on and keep going. I'm not an artist, but I drew and colored two scenes from Koda's Quest. I took pictures of my drawings and also brought them home. The last night, we were entertained by an Improv Group. They were really good and we laughed and laughed.

We had the opportunity to submit 800 words for a "kids' critique" in picture books, tween or teen. The kids read our stuff and filled out a form. We received them back and were able to attend two panels - one tween and one teen - and we could ask the kids all sorts of questions, just not about our manuscripts. It was amazing. The kids were well spoken and totally honest. I asked one of the teen boys if he would read a book that had a girl as the main character and he said, sure, as long as she was good with a sword or bow and arrow. HA!! We could have sat and talked with the kids for hours. What great sports they were!

Every night, we were read a bedtime story by the faculty and had a nite-nite prayer. And we were back in our rooms by 830pm. My roommate and I got our jammies on, jumped into our beds and read until we fell asleep. It was glorious!!

They have a Prayer Walk, which I couldn't complete, but what I did spoke to me and helped me see God more clearly.

THANK YOU, Nancy Rue, for directing such a wonderful conference. I was blessed beyond words and can't wait to go back! You all need to seriously consider coming out next year if you are writing for kids. My understanding is they are going to add a fantasy track. Woo Hoo!! The dates are October 14th-17th. Be aware, though, the altitude is high and there was a lot of walking, at least on my part. I did not stay in the castle (too expensive) but that was an option. Less walking then, although it depends on where your class is being held. My poor East Coast lungs got a real workout. :)

I'll remind you when it gets closer.

What's in a Name?

Okay - I got this cool idea from the topic on The Writer's View 2. We're talking about names there, so let's talk about them here. We write fantasy, so choosing names is a little more difficult than if we wrote contemporary, right?

Choosing names depends on the type of fantasy you're writing. If your story is contemporary with fantasy elements, you can pick regular names for your regular characters and fantasy names for your fantasy characters.

High fantasy is totally different. You want names that are solidly strange and fantasy sounding. Here is my favorite tool for fantasy names: http://www.rinkworks.com/namegen/
It's called Fantasy Name Generator. Sometimes I use the names suggested and sometimes I use a varation. You are free to use the names on the site without worrying about copyright.

I have also used the Bible. There's a ton of fantasy sounding names in the Old Testament. In my new novel, Koda's Quest, I picked "Nekoda" from the Bible and am calling him, "Koda." It's easy to pronounce and I like it.

Names are important. Here's something fun. How many books/movies do we know simply by saying the name of the main character? Or the villain? Or a strong secondary? Here's a few to get you started (a couple may throw you):

Frodo
Buttercup
Anne Shirley
Luke (Luuuuuke! Use the force, Luuuuuke!) HA!!
Mia
Piggy
Tuck
Edward
Harry
Peter Parker
Clefspear

How many can you think of?
How do you choose the names of your characters?

Philly Conference Report

hey FFFers! The Philly conference was really good this year. Everyone I talked to said they learned a lot and had great appointments. I enjoyed spending the day on Thursday with the teens. We started at 10am and finished up at 5:45pm. It was a long day, but everyone hung in there and we finished up with a great critique session.

I'm excited to report that an agent asked for the full manuscript of my fantasy novel, Fairyeater! I'm waiting to hear.

And an editor asked me to send three of my children's manuscripts. I'll be sending those in September after my illustrator friend gets her sketches done.

I was happy to meet Rachel Joy and see Elisabeth and Danielle again. Hi girls!!

So, what do you do when a conference is done and you've sent in the manuscripts an editor or agent has asked for? You start a new project! I'll be working on my next fantasy novel, Koda's Quest. I've had the prologue and first chapter done for a while now, but wasn't able to move on until I finished up some other things. And I'll be attending the Writing for the Ages conference at the Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs on Sept. 11-14th. Am totally looking forward to that! There's still time to register if you can make it. Check it out here: http://www.navigators.org/us/ministries/gleneyrie/retreats/cornerstone/writingfortheages

It's not a typical conference where editors and agents will be looking for submissions. It's more of a mentoring conference. There will be workshops, activities, and writing time. I can't wait to work on Koda's Quest. Imagine writing a fantasy novel in a castle near the Garden of the Gods! What could be better?

Let's share what we're working on before the next topic. I love to hear what you're doing!

It's Conference Time!

Hey FFFers - I'm off to the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference tomorrow morning. I'll be teaching and taking appointments, as well as meeting with a couple of editors and an agent.

I'll give a full report when I get back. Then we'll get back to talking about writing fantasy.

If you want to come at the last minute, here are the details of the conference: www.writehisanswer.com/philadelphia