http://mythicscribes.com/forums/ Fantasy Writing Forums - Discuss all aspects of fantasy writing, including magic systems and world building. An active and friendly writers forum. en Mon, 20 May 2013 04:58:22 GMT vBulletin 30 http://vbimg.mythicscribes.com/forums/images/mythic/misc/rss.png http://mythicscribes.com/forums/ http://mythicscribes.com/forums/nanowrimo/8509-preparing-nanowrimo.html Mon, 20 May 2013 03:39:18 GMT I have decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month having never written any version (except a little in high school). How do I prepare? ... I have decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month having never written any version (except a little in high school). How do I prepare? What do I need to know? I know I have a few months, but I'm having a baby (my wife is doing most of the work for now, but that will change once she's born) and I want to make sure I'm ready. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Nathan ]]> NaNoWriMo Nathan J. Lauffer http://mythicscribes.com/forums/nanowrimo/8509-preparing-nanowrimo.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/marketing/8508-thank-not-thank-unexpected-reviews.html Mon, 20 May 2013 02:47:47 GMT Hi Guys, I was just wondering if you thought it was appropriate to send a thank you message to reviewers that reviewed your work without any query... Hi Guys,

I was just wondering if you thought it was appropriate to send a thank you message to reviewers that reviewed your work without any query or request from you beforehand.

I know it's not appropriate to complain about a review, but I'm going to go ahead and message a thank you and maybe offer a review copy of another work. Just curious what other people have experienced.

Thanks!

(sorry if this has been covered before, didn't see it anywhere) ]]> Marketing Zero Angel http://mythicscribes.com/forums/marketing/8508-thank-not-thank-unexpected-reviews.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8507-just-arrived.html Mon, 20 May 2013 00:06:22 GMT Good morning all, just joined last night, and it seems the polite thing to do is to introduce yourself. So, while I do not expect to make a... Good morning all,

just joined last night, and it seems the polite thing to do is to introduce yourself.

So, while I do not expect to make a living writing, I do have an interest in the art and it's intricacies.

Particularly consistent plots and the fantasy world's laws of physics (including magic), workable economics, and social structures.

There are few things better than a well constructed and thought out world and social structures.

Tevaras ]]> Introductions Tevaras http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8507-just-arrived.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/suggestions-feedback/8505-forum-kids-writers.html Sun, 19 May 2013 19:46:26 GMT Itīs wonderful to have a place where fantasy writers can get together and talk about things other just dont understand. Thanks for this. But, is... Itīs wonderful to have a place where fantasy writers can get together and talk about things other just dont understand. Thanks for this. But, is there any chance mythscribes can open a section especially for childrenīs writers? pretty please. ]]> thequillwitch http://mythicscribes.com/forums/suggestions-feedback/8505-forum-kids-writers.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8504-new-member-here.html Sun, 19 May 2013 19:43:47 GMT Hello everyone. Iīm new around here and just thought iīd say hi. i write speculative for adults, but mostly I write fantasy for kids. This place... Hello everyone.
Iīm new around here and just thought iīd say hi. i write speculative for adults, but mostly I write fantasy for kids.
This place looks like i could get addicted to it. Any chance of opening a forum for kids writers? I live in Mexico so if you ever need words in sanish, you can come to me! ]]> Introductions thequillwitch http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8504-new-member-here.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-questions/8502-switching-pov.html Sun, 19 May 2013 14:58:39 GMT Hey, in my WIP when the povs of the characters are switched I usually use something like * * * and then continue in the new pov if the characters are... Hey, in my WIP when the povs of the characters are switched I usually use something like * * * and then continue in the new pov if the characters are separated in the story, be it time, chapter, or location.

So, is it okay to switch pov without this from one character to another who are both in the same scene beside each other?

Example:
...Tallis said, striding ahead. (Skylar's pov ends)

Skylar followed after him, but Drake stood still, staring at the dancing flames. (Drake's pov begins)


Is something like this acceptable or do I have to stick to one pov or switch it another way? ]]> Writing Questions teacup http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-questions/8502-switching-pov.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-resources/8501-history-veterinary-wounds-treatment.html Sun, 19 May 2013 12:20:10 GMT I've been researching how a medieval farrier/vet would have treated and cared for a wounded horse.

Found this helpful as an overview of the history of veterinarian practices.

A review of the history of veterinary wound management

Other useful sources found:-

Veterinary medicine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

History | Worshipful Company of Farriers

Horseshoes.com | Farrier Forum & One-Stop Farrier and Hoofcare Portal - A Short History of the Term "Farrier" ]]> Writing Resources Butterfly http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-resources/8501-history-veterinary-wounds-treatment.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8500-hello-im-sia-new.html Sun, 19 May 2013 08:08:05 GMT Hello guys, I just want to say hi to everyone. I've been writing on and off for about fourteen years now. I was little when I started writing so ... yeah, not publish-worthy quality or anything, even if I had any desire whatsoever to publish for money which I don't. Bye now. ]]> Introductions Sia http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8500-hello-im-sia-new.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/world-building/8499-hmm-question-regarding-handedness.html Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:31 GMT So, for whatever reason, my world seems to have rather a lot of left-handed people. What effect would that simple detail of flipping the... So, for whatever reason, my world seems to have rather a lot of left-handed people. What effect would that simple detail of flipping the majority-handedness have? Given the origins of hand-shaking, I'm guessing they would shake with their left hands... but I may be wrong... I don't know. Language could be switched around to a certain degree (the direction of written language, the whole 'sinister' thing wouldn't work, right?)

So any blatant missing things or blatant misfacts? ]]> World Building Sia http://mythicscribes.com/forums/world-building/8499-hmm-question-regarding-handedness.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-questions/8498-sub-genres.html Sun, 19 May 2013 03:43:52 GMT I've read a good share of threads questioning sub genres. Not their existence but where the writer's story fits exactly. While the most commons sub-genres are; epic, sword and sorcery, high, low, dark etc, I came across a few sub genres that were new and interesting.

Arcanepunk: The word arcanepunk refers to a fantasy world where both magic and science exist. It applies to a genre or a design.
The magic and science are advanced enough that most people have access. Not everyone is a scientist or wizard, but most people know how to use technologic and magic items. Scientific knowledge is comparable to the late 19th century or more advanced. This genre is often old fashioned, either by borrowing in fantasy or steampunk.
In most cases, magic and science have evolved in parallel. People use technomagic devices based on magic and science. Coal, oil and electricity are often replaced by crystals, mana or glyphs.

Bangsian Fantasy: a fantasy genre which concerns the use of famous literary or historical individuals and their interactions in the afterlife. It is named for John Kendrick Bangs who often wrote it.

Fairy Tale Parody:A fairy tale parody is a genre of fiction which parodies traditional fairy tales.

Fairy Tale Fantasy: Fairytale fantasy is distinguished from other subgenres of fantasy by the works' heavy use of motifs, and often plots, from folklore.

Fantastique: The Fantastique is a French term for a literary and cinematic genre that overlaps with science fiction, horror and fantasy.What is distinctive about the fantastique is the intrusion of supernatural phenomena into an otherwise realist narrative. It evokes phenomena which are not only left unexplained but which are inexplicable from the reader's point of view. In this respect, the fantastique is somewhere between fantasy, where the supernatural is accepted and entirely reasonable in the imaginary world of a non-realist narrative, and magic realism, where apparently supernatural phenomena are explained and accepted as normal. Instead, characters in a work of fantastique are, just like the readers, unwilling to accept the supernatural events that occur. This refusal may be mixed with doubt, disbelief, fear, or some combination of those reactions.

Fantasy of Manners: a subgenre of fantasy literature that also partakes of the nature of a comedy of manners (though it is not necessarily humorous). Such works generally take place in an urban setting and within the confines of a fairly elaborate, and almost always hierarchical, social structure. The term was first used in print by science fiction critic Donald G. Keller in an article, The Manner of Fantasy, in the April, 1991 issue of The New York Review of Science Fiction, although author Ellen Kushner has said that she suggested the term to Keller.[1] The subgenre, or a close relative to it, has also been called mannerpunk, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the cyberpunk subgenre of science fiction

Gaslamp Fantasy: Gaslamp fantasy (also known as gaslight fantasy or gaslight romance) is a sub-genre of both fantasy and historical fiction. Generally speaking, this particular realm of fantasy employs either a Victorian or Edwardian setting. The gaslamp fantasy genre is not to be confused with steampunk, which usually has more of a super-science edge and uchronic[1] tone. Gaslamp fantasy also differs from classical Victorian/Edwardian faerie or pure fantasy in the J.R.R. Tolkien or Lewis Carroll style or from historical crime-novels in the Anne Perry or June Thomson style by the supernatural elements, themes, and subjects it features.


And yes I copy and pasted from wikipedia. Sorry. ]]> Writing Questions Addison http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-questions/8498-sub-genres.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/world-building/8497-how-draw-map-after-youve-written-your-story.html Sun, 19 May 2013 02:53:09 GMT I posted this on my blog a while back and thought I would post a link to it here in case anyone else finds it helpful. Basically, I had written... I posted this on my blog a while back and thought I would post a link to it here in case anyone else finds it helpful.

Basically, I had written out a plotline and a rough first draft and then decided I needed a map. But I had river crossings and travel back and forth across a valley and mountains etc, and needed to make sure the map jived with the path my characters were taking. I came up with what I call the "Subway Plot Method".

If it helps anyone out, I'd love to hear about it!

Create a map for a fantasy novel using the Subway Plot Method ]]> World Building CL Frey http://mythicscribes.com/forums/world-building/8497-how-draw-map-after-youve-written-your-story.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/world-building/8496-winter-coming.html Sun, 19 May 2013 02:47:46 GMT Winter today seems like just a change of season, with nothing that spectacular coming with it, however back in medieval times if you weren't prepared for winter, you died. As simple as that. In the world of my current WIP it is a harsh, cold land where it snows about six months of the year, and where food is easy to come by in the summer months, but hard to find in the winter. Basically my Main character and another thousand people are stuck in a city without food stores and winter has only just begun. I need to find a way for her to feed these people so that they can last the winter. Any ideas? I've thought about there being cattle in the city that they could eat when the time comes, but even a hundred or so cattle wouldn't feed a thousand people through winter. Would it have been possible to graze large herds of animals during winter, even in the ground was covered in snow?
I guess most people don't realise how many provisions a large number of people would need, huge armies of twenty thousand men were impractical if you didn't have food to feed them, finding food for let alone a thousand people is a mammoth task, especially if you have no way of trading for it. So any suggestions on how I could feed a thousand people so that they could last another, say, three months of winter? ]]> World Building TheokinsJ http://mythicscribes.com/forums/world-building/8496-winter-coming.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-questions/8495-stashing-my-darlings.html Sat, 18 May 2013 23:38:21 GMT The Dead Darlings (http://mythicscribes.com/forums/challenges/8118-dead-darlings.html) thread and some recent discussion about working towards a... The Dead Darlings thread and some recent discussion about working towards a specific (endig) line gave me an idea that has helped me in my current project quite a bit.

Right now I'm taking my Figurative Origami idea a bit further, and am working on a piece of flash fiction / short story length. This style means stringing one clever line after the other while still creating a compelling narrative and also making sure I don't repeat myself.

it's not so hard to come up with witty lines as such (sometimes it's actually hard to stop, but that's another story). The trick is to make them all fit together, and fit the story-line. More often than not I'll have a killer line, but it won't fit the place I'm at in the story just then.

So what I do is: just jot the line down anyway, below the current story, stashing my darlings for later use. Every time I get stuck with the narrative, I'll scroll down and see what is in store. I've even cut lines from the text I had finished and put them in the stash. Later I actually found a far better place for the particular line.

Well, sometimes darling-o-cide is overkill and a waste of skin.

The line I'm working towards? You might have guessed it: "You kill me, darling." ]]> Writing Questions Guru Coyote http://mythicscribes.com/forums/writing-questions/8495-stashing-my-darlings.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/cover-design/8493-should-i-change-my-cover.html Sat, 18 May 2013 16:42:35 GMT So I'm wondering, does the cover of this novel of mine not jive well enough with the genre/blurb?

Saving Fate by Billy Wong - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

I've been thinking of replacing this with this cover instead,

CCR Book Cover Design | Eden | Online Store Powered by Storenvy

although that would mean I'm down the money for the original cover and I also don't know if the old cover designer might take offense (it is a nice looking cover IMO, but if it isn't genre suitable...) What do you think, does the cover I have now look okay or not? Reason I'm thinking about it now BTW is because I'm planning to do a big advertising push of the Iron Flower series soon and even though this book isn't part of that, I still want all my novels to look nice and alluring (don't care as much about my short stories although I think most of their covers look decent). ]]> Cover Design glutton http://mythicscribes.com/forums/cover-design/8493-should-i-change-my-cover.html http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8491-greetings.html Sat, 18 May 2013 13:20:08 GMT Just wanting to introduce myself...new to the forum and looking forward to chatting with everyone. I've been writing for a while and am now trying to make a serious run at it, indie pubbing a few novels and novellas. Looks like this forum is just what I needed! Cheers. DK ]]> Introductions dkwriter http://mythicscribes.com/forums/introductions/8491-greetings.html