Writing A Book!

**anyaka21** · 2012-07-02, 09:01 PM

first points:

If you are creating a world, create the world. It needs to have it's own structure, magic, how magic works, etc... I'd suggest a quick read from Orson Scott Card, "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy". Another suggestion, read Brandon Sanderson, his books are a complete fantasy 101 in terms of worldbuilding.

Then, I'd focus on the Characters. I'd write out at least a page or 2 on each central character to the book. Describe them, in their own words, so you can get yourself in line with how the character will think and act. Essentially an autobiography from that character. If you can do that, you're on your way.

After that, I start to plot a course. Map out where you want to start, and where you want to end. Then fill in the blanks inbetween.

From there, I'd write the opening prologue. Make sure it's gripping and page turning, because if you can't capture most peoples imagination in the first 5-10 pages, you've lost them. Then, I'd write the final chapter and epilogue. Sure this can change, but again it will give you an idea of where you want to go and how you want to get there.

As an example: JK Rowling had written the Battle of Hogwarts in Book 7 before the first Harry Potter book was even published. In other words, she knew where she wanted to go.

As a side note, I'd also recommend having a story that could be continued. Publishers like the idea of a continuing story or multiple books as opposed to a 1 hit wonder type book.

Edit: last points: Write. Write when you don't feel like it, don't just just write about your book, just write. Refine your craft. A good exercise is to find a local newspaper. Find an article, write a story about the article, a work of fiction around the article to attack it in a new way, or a way that would fit your world.

In terms of Worldbuilding. Every world must have a system of magic. Magic usually has laws on how it works and ways in which it works. Otherwise you can just make something up as you go and your readers will know this and you will lose credibility and probably reader loyalty. Every world must have a structure, cities, towns, continents, etc... Granted, it only has to entail the area of the map you are focusing on though, you don't necessarily have to build an entire planet...unless of course your scope is the planet. Next, every map/world, etc.. will have a history. People that rose and took power, wars, famine, disease, etc... Every world will have it's heroes from the past as well.

**Valort** · 2012-07-02, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Talokami

First and foremost: write for yourself and then for an audience!

Aye, we don't need more Hairy potheads, sparkling vampires or manhunt reality TV shows...

As for the guns and magic setting, it is quite a difficult one, because it mixes something that changes from writer to writer depending on their creativity, to something that is quite accepted as general knowledge, and any deviation from the norm will cause uneasy feelings on people. Also, mixing 2 contradicting powers usually doesn't work, reason most steampunk settings drop the magic part eventually, or tune it down, so people wont ask "Why are they using coal and gears to push a train when they could have that awesome wizard simply push it with his mind??!" or such.

But seriously, write what YOU wish to write. If an alternate version of the battle for Leningrad with zombies and chainsaws rocks your boat, go for it.

**Pesthos** · 2012-07-02, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Anjerith

In order to create a meaningful fantasy world, expect to spend the vast majority of your time developing the civilizations, cultures, and other things that create a backbone and give fantasies lives.

Is it a good idea? I've spent around 12 years developing my personal world and haven't regretted it. It is a time investment that is really only meaningful if you truly enjoy doing it.

Good Luck!

I must say it's pretty awesome what you're doing. It's been a wile since i wished to start compiling all the stuff i have in mind to do the same (wich i regret everyday not doing.) I'm sure i would deeply enjoy it but still i never put myself to it.

**Noxiye** · 2012-07-03, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Valort

Aye, we don't need more Hairy potheads, sparkling vampires or manhunt reality TV shows...

As for the guns and magic setting, it is quite a difficult one, because it mixes something that changes from writer to writer depending on their creativity, to something that is quite accepted as general knowledge, and any deviation from the norm will cause uneasy feelings on people. Also, mixing 2 contradicting powers usually doesn't work, reason most steampunk settings drop the magic part eventually, or tune it down, so people wont ask "Why are they using coal and gears to push a train when they could have that awesome wizard simply push it with his mind??!" or such.

But seriously, write what YOU wish to write. If an alternate version of the battle for Leningrad with zombies and chainsaws rocks your boat, go for it.

I've considered your suggested issues with the modern magic society and I'm just more excited about it now. I was already going to make it a world where magic is strictly forbidden by law on punishment of death, due to the god(s) I described that absorb life-force of the ones who use it (not everyone knows this, of course, and a revolution breaks out). With this setting, there won't be any issue with logical roadblocks such as the one you described, and if the spell-casters ever get their own vehicles, they'll likely be their own people in which case it's not a problem to have them actually driven by magic.

@anyaka21, somehow your post scares me - I'm in no way against writing a ton, but re-writing articles and reading about how to write seems excessive. :P
However, you do make sense, so I'll probably do that anyway.

Thanks for you guys' input, but I'm still not seeing what I originally created this thread for. I want to know what you like to read about in a book, I don't want you to lecture me on how to write one properly (although I don't really mind that either)!

**Runeforged** · 2012-07-03, 07:59 AM

Personally, I don't really like the rotating points of view approach some people put into their books. In my opinion, it stops the reader from getting attached to the main character. But again, this is just my opinion. I wish you the best of luck in writing your book, I could never write more than a few pages before becoming bored and giving up.

**Noxiye** · 2012-07-03, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Runeforged

Personally, I don't really like the rotating points of view approach some people put into their books. In my opinion, it stops the reader from getting attached to the main character. But again, this is just my opinion. I wish you the best of luck in writing your book, I could never write more than a few pages before becoming bored and giving up.

To a certain degree, I agree. However, I believe that's up to the skill of the writer to allow the reader to become attached even with multiple points of veiw. I will have three or four different PoVs in order to have multiple main characters without spreading it too thin. I want all three (or four) to have strong reasons to be liked.

**Kirse** · 2012-07-03, 09:02 AM

My husband is a writer of very unique fantasy/sci-fi stories, which I love. We often bounce ideas off one-another even though I'm not a writer. I help him out with the psychology/philosophical ideas.

I like the idea of your book, but it's very general. High-fantasy/magic settings tend to detract from true plot and character development, so be careful of that. If you want the book to be about the characters, you may want to tone down the magic somewhat. This also makes magic seem more special. Take Robin Hobb's books or George RR Martin for example. This also makes magic seem more exciting when it actually happens.

If you want to go high-magic, make sure that it's truly wondrous. Think of unusual manifestations of magic, and unusual uses for it.

Avoid fitting a fantasy mold. Give your characters some unexpected or juxtaposed traits so that they don't become simply an icon of their "class" (the wise wizard, stupid barbarian). Corruption via magic is a very used idea. Be sure to make your version unique somehow.

Just because it's fantasy, it doesn't mean that it has to drive the plot/theme of your story. It could happen to be in a fantasy setting, but the book itself could be a psychological thriller, a mystery, a political novel, it could play with time (like terminator, run lola run, memento, the fountain), be a surreal art piece, or make a statement about society (some examples: how people fit or diverge from stereotypes, insecurities and in which ways they make us err or make us better people).

Just because it's in a fantasy setting, the action doesn't have to take place in a typical fantasy setting. It could take place in an inventor's home, in a rainforest, the tropics, the desert, a war camp, a gold mine, in a hostage-takers mansion.

Just some things to think about in making your story unique and fit your personality.

---------- Post added 2012-07-03 at 02:08 AM ----------

What I like in a book is to be surprised, avoidance of cliches, attachment to characters, weird personality/character traits with lots of depth. I like something that makes me think deeply about a subject, daydream about the setting, and ponder the cultures from which the characters originate. I like to see that the author pulled details from throughout the novel, that bring them together somehow (using foreshadowing/clues, drawing similar experiences between characters)

**Kipling** · 2012-07-03, 09:09 AM

As already said, the most important thing is to catch my attention straight away, if you will, the blurb on the back needs to convince me to buy the book, then the first chapter has to grip me enough to get me to carry on reading. Start with something exciting.

Finish chapters on a bit of a cliffhanger, make me want to know what happens next, so I'll either carry on reading way later into the night than I should OR spend all day tomorrow looking forward to getting home to read more!

As for content, its your story, I'd say you want characters to have different personalities, they should clash a bit, give them all flaws, nobody is perfect, those flaws could create clashes between characters etc. And the classic protagonist having a major flaw that he has to overcome to win the day is always fun

oh and make one of your warrior types use something other than a sword or an axe, they're incredibly over used imo =p

**Kirse** · 2012-07-03, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Kipling

A
oh and make one of your warrior types use something other than a sword or an axe, they're incredibly over used imo =p

This is exactly the kind of thing that you should think about as a writer. Good suggestion.

**Brangh** · 2012-07-03, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Kipling

As already said, the most important thing is to catch my attention straight away, if you will, the blurb on the back needs to convince me to buy the book, then the first chapter has to grip me enough to get me to carry on reading. Start with something exciting.

Usually the publishing house has people do that and it pays well, too!

Having a friend who writes fiction (non-fantasy) and poetry while working part-time with me, it really is a demanding task if you want to commit to it. I managed to hold on to a few early drafts he has and have compared it to what the final product is and you would be amazed how different it is.

I suppose the best thing is to get cracking on short stories of people you have in mind, even minor characters, locations or plot points. Keep writing on those and eventually you will start connecting these individual people, places and events into a larger world and from there you should have enough background material to put it in motion.

Oh and please, please do not do book titles like -"A" is for Amazonian, "B" is for Barbarian"- that crap still makes me cringe when I see them at a newsstand.

**Noxiye** · 2012-07-03, 09:43 AM

Good input going on here, especially from Kirse.

I've been thinking about what you've said and I think I'm already avoiding most of those issues. As I've said, the original mind-map was very generic, and I'm still working on changing it. Currently I'm working on having a near-modern society where magic is common but highly illegal and punished with death.
It's meant to be a brutal society versus those who use magic, as to get the reader to *want* a revolution. When the revolution finally happens, it should feel good, but there should also be ways in which you can tell that the revolution isn't all good and dandy either. All characters will have their good and bad sides.

The first book will take place mostly in the capital city (Neleen). I will of course not limit to ONLY the city, but it will be centered there. It will be about how magic is treated with non-tolerance with a law that dictates that anyone who uses magic will be put to death, and how this causes the city's magical populace to begin amassing for a revolution.
The law is explained to exist due to a god-like creature of pure magic that gives the mages their power, but at the same time feeds of their life-force when they use it.
In the past, magic was used commonly for every-day life, which eventually resulted in the god rising up to power and enslaving the world, but was defeated somehow (working on the god stuff, it's fairly super generic at this point). However, this is a secret to most people of this age, and the law is enforced mostly due to the "normal" people's fear of magic (there are some who knows, and there are some who hide it).

There will be guns. Primitive guns, not automatic rifles. There will be cars, trains, and possibly planes. There will be corruption, there will be politics, there will be plot twists and surprises. Characters will be deep and I'll do my absolute utmost to not make them generic.

**Kerath** · 2012-07-03, 10:14 AM

I mainly read sci-fi and fantasy, but I do branch out quite frequently into other genres.
I'm really not too fussy when it comes how big or epic the story line is - as long as the prose is well written, the story is engaging and the characters are well developed, I could read a 200 page stand alone novel, or a massive epic spanning a dozen books and be happy.

Nothing turns me off a book faster than very poorly written prose - it just makes reading feel like hard work. If I wince when I read a sentence because it's unintentionally clumsy or clunky, or if I'm amending sentences in my head, I know that I should just put the book down.

**Velox** · 2012-07-03, 10:19 AM

I judge books by their covers... unfortunate, but honest.

**Noxiye** · 2012-07-03, 10:32 AM

I've always been a natural at writing. The way I write here is the same way I write when I play games (minus the full stops at the end of sentences, I only include those if I write multiple sentences at once), and they're both a far cry away from how I write when I write novels/stories. With such a mindset I'm sure I could please you at least, Kerath.

**Kirse** · 2012-07-03, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Noxiye

Good input going on here, especially from Kirse. [

Well I am awesome

Currently I'm working on having a near-modern society where magic is common but highly illegal and punished with death.
It's meant to be a brutal society versus those who use magic, as to get the reader to *want* a revolution. When the revolution finally happens, it should feel good, but there should also be ways in which you can tell that the revolution isn't all good and dandy either. All characters will have their good and bad sides.

I really like this. Think about what kind of death sentence would be most fitting of that culture. Think about what type of political structures are in place, and how they will bring about a revolution (will people fight in the streets, will it be carried out by a secret society and involve bribery/blackmail, will violence be involved, what kinds of demonstrations may you see?). Draw inspiration from good causes with bad forms of protest or acts committed (cruel signs to make a point, lies about the other side, crime to silence those who disagree, etc). Think about the legal repercussions of taking part of the revolution.

The first book will take place mostly in the capital city (Neleen). I will of course not limit to ONLY the city, but it will be centered there.

Think about the architecture of the city, climate, appearance of the people, clothing, types of jobs, currency, wildlife, family structures, local laws, what motivates societies members to take on certain roles

The law is explained to exist due to a god-like creature of pure magic that gives the mages their power, but at the same time feeds of their life-force when they use it.

It's workable, but you'd have to have a unique take on the magic-eating fiend. I hate to say it, but magic eating life force is a pretty used idea at this point. A great one though, if you take the right angle on it. Think about the experience of having magic stolen from you, and describe it great detail. How do many authors deal with this? Characters aging or becoming evil is done a lot. Would people intentionally seek to have his/her magic removed, perhaps due to prejudice, or using magic being painful or have repercussions?

In the past, magic was used commonly for every-day life, which eventually resulted in the god rising up to power and enslaving the world, but was defeated somehow (working on the god stuff, it's fairly super generic at this point).

It is, but again you can work with it. Dragons usually fill this role.

the law is enforced mostly due to the "normal" people's fear of magic (there are some who knows, and there are some who hide it).

Yeah that's probably what would happen

There will be guns. Primitive guns, not automatic rifles. There will be cars, trains, and possibly planes. There will be corruption, there will be politics, there will be plot twists and surprises. Characters will be deep and I'll do my absolute utmost to not make them generic.

You are heading in the right direction, with intentions that should make this story your own.

Read up on poetic/story terms, you may find yourself inspired by a particular technique. Read short stories by your favorite authors. Brainstorm with friends and steal inspiration from their strangest stories or behaviors

**Noxiye** · 2012-07-03, 11:28 AM