Recent content by D. Gray Warrior

It might be tricky to pull off in writing, but perhaps he could use sign language. I recall some Native American tribes would use sign language as a lingua franca to communicate with other tribes. You could just write, "The MC made some gestures with his hands, and the shaman nodded in...

Well, you could make a world encyclopedia for it. It's not essential for understanding the story, but it's there for people who want to learn more about the lore of the world that may not pertain to the story directly.

Well, despite being a frequenter of a fantasy writing forum, I only ever read one novel that could be classified as your standard medieval fantasy literature: Eragon. Maybe also Redwall, since it's also Medieval, but there's nothing "fantastical" about the setting that I can recall aside from...

So, I'm in a bit of a conundrum here. Like everyone else here, I enjoy writing fiction, especially speculative fiction. However, I must confess that I am not an avid reader of books. Idk what it is, I just struggle to finish anything I try to read. I've been told that one cannot be a good...

So, I have this tendency to overthink everything when it comes to creative activities like writing, worldbuilding, conlanging, etc, and it's really holding me back. For instance, I put way too much thought into whether the leader of fictional monarchy of my setting should be a "king,"...

I like the Lovable Rogue archetype: a la Jack Sparrow or Puss 'n Boots. I also like blind characters who can still kick ass despite their inability to see.

I often don't really know what my own protagonists look like beyond a few vague traits (like hair color, a notable article of clothing such as glasses or a coat.) Often, I only have a vague image of their appearance, at best. I prefer to focus on their personality and role in the story, and...

You could have the religion retcon things. Instead of doing away with the old god entirely, they could say that the new god is the same person as the old one all along and merge them. They could then start emphasizing the aspects of the new god while downplaying the old one, thus becoming less...

You could be on to something. Perhaps it is a fear of criticism. That would be ironic as I try not to be the kind of person who can't take criticism. I think I am trying to keep my own ego in check by accepting that what I write more than likely isn't as good as I think it is. I believe my...

I like to write, but I struggle with discipline and issues such as self doubt and perfectionism. While I don't write everyday, I still strive to write fairly often. Usually, it'll be two or three days a week at the bare minimum. Even when I do write, my productivity varies. Some days I feel...

I do this. They aren't always stories per se as they sometimes focus more on slice of life than actual conflict and drama. They're just to get a feel for the characters and the world they inhabit. Or I'll have them go on a standalone adventure completely unrelated to the main story, so whatever...

I agree, OP. People fret too much over original settings when execution is far more important. There are a lot of cliches you can get away with if your writing and storytelling are good enough. That isn't to say I don't appreciate originality and creativity in a story instead of copy-and-pasting...

I'm fond of the tragic hero. Maybe I've been reading too many Greek tragedies and legends, but I like for my MCs to have a fatal flaw and meet a tragic fate. A lot of times, the story ends on a bittersweet note. Or the villain achieved his goal and only later realizes he should have been more...

I don't get writing 10 or 13 novels to get published. I get writing is a skill and it needs practiced, but after my fourth or fifth rejection, I'd rather just go back and keep revising one of my other novels than start a sixth attempt.

I want to have my cake and eat it to: to be able to write what I want, and for it to still sell. I heard that most writers don't get traditionally published until after they have written 3-5 novels. I recall one author who had written 10 novels before she finally got one published. Since I am...