Fantasy world Many fantasy worlds draw heavily on real world history, geography and sociology, and also on mythology and folklore. Plot function[edit] The setting of a fantasy work is often of great importance to the plot and characters of the story. The setting itself can be imperiled by the evil of the story, suffer a calamity, and be restored by the transformation the story brings about.[3] Stories that use the setting as merely a backdrop for the story have been criticized for their failure to use it fully.[4] Even when the land itself is not in danger, it is often used symbolically, for thematic purposes, and to underscore moods.[5] History[edit] Early fantasy worlds appeared as fantasy lands, part of the same planet but separated by geographical barriers. Even within the span of mere decades, Oz, which had been situated in a desert in the United States when first written about in 1900,[6] was relocated to a spot in the Pacific Ocean.[8] Common elements[edit] Constructed worlds[edit] Examples[edit]
The Five Rules of Writing Flashbacks Tips for effectively writing flashbacks into your scenes. Please welcome author Stuart Horwitz with a guest post on writing flashbacks. “Flashback” is a term that we are all familiar with, even if its definition has grown a little vague. In other words, what are we flashing back from? There are good reasons to leave the reading present: by flashing back we can deepen characterization, create suspense, or introduce other characters and events that will eventually matter a great deal to our outcome. To assist with this quandary, I offer the following five rules of writing flashbacks: The first rule of flashback is just that, when we flash back, we do so for a reason. For a great example of the reading present (or the viewing present, in this case) and some fabulous use of flashbacks, watch the film Slumdog Millionaire. When we talk about flashbacks, the reading present, chronologies, and multiple timelines, we are talking about the general category called order, right?
Fantasy: Getting Started By Sandra C. Durham © 2003, Sandra C. Durham his is a newcomer’s guide on how to get started in the genre of fantasy writing, from one newcomer to another. Writing fantasy, whether in the form of short stories or novels, does not necessarily follow a set pattern or formula. Contemporary and Urban Fantasy – Stories taking place in the real world, but with an element of magic or fantasy. The best approach to writing in any genre is to know your field. Once you have your book collection, read them carefully. A next logical step in progressing as a new fantasy writer might be to pick up a few good books on the subject. How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card The Writer’s Complete Fantasy Reference, from Writers Digest Books. The first book gives an overview of the field from a writing perspective. A critical step in writing fantasy is a concept called world building. Each step in the world building process is crucial to providing a cohesive background to your story.
The Best Story Structure Tool We Know By Glen C. Strathy Of the various story structure models or theories that exist, we have chosen to focus mainly on Dramatica, which was developed by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley. We chose to work with this model because it is the only one that... 1. 2. 3. 4. What's more, Dramatica embodies certain insights into story structure that no other theory does. The aim of this website is to present practical tips and exercises to help writers, while avoiding a lot of theory. Finding A Roadmap For Creating Your Novel The most important thing you need from any story theory is help creating a good roadmap for your novel. Specifically, you want help creating a plot that will keep the reader engaged and bring the story to an emotionally satisfying conclusion. You especially want a clear story structure that will guide you through those times when you get stuck and haven’t the faintest idea which direction to head next. Traditional Story Theory Is Too General 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Genres
How to write an excellent first chapter for your novel - Writing Tips From philosophy to literature to learning a new language, Humanities 360 is a veritable fountain of knowledge on everything you’d like to know about the humanities. Resources for every level of writing Here at Helium Publishing, we pride ourselves on knowing a thing or two about writing. We are, after all, one of the largest online writer communities. The grand world of poetry and literature There’s nothing quite like opening up a great piece of literature. Journeying across time and history If the old adage is true that history is bound to repeat itself, then find out what’s coming by boning up on what’s already happened. Learning new languages The intricacies of learning a new language can leave you tongue-tied, but in our Languages section, you can find out language learning tips, and discover the origins of new words you encounter. From exploring worlds of old to writing about what’s to come, you’ll find all the help you need at Humanities 360!
The Secret of Writing Funny Writing funny Do you want to learn the secrets of writing funny? Check out the five tips below. Laughter has instantaneous health benefits including relaxation, lowering blood pressure, curing male pattern baldness and increasing immune system response. Almost all of these health benefits can all be obtained by making your reader giggle, laugh, guffaw or otherwise shoot beverages out an unexpected orifice. Before I share a few of the methods you can use to add humor to your writing, I’d like to digress for a moment by predicting and addressing your objections. “I’ve just never been a very funny person.” Humor isn’t one-size-fits-all, but there are several techniques you can use to drag a smile out of almost anyone.Tip #1: Be the joke. Tip #2: Be specific. Tip #3: Use comedic timing. Tip #4: Use a thesaurus. Tip #5: Use a swipe file. Tip #6: Edit the crap out of it. When you see the crinkle, start breathing again. Author: Annie Binns Click here to read the article: How to Write Funny
How to Avoid Plot Cliches: Tips for Writers on Increasing Their Chances of Publication | Suite101.com Nobody ever said plotting was easy. And because it's not easy, an alarming number of writers settle for so-called 'plot cliches'. Although the cliched situations that follow can appear in any story, some are more likely to be seen in a particular genre. For example, romance writer Francesca Hawley's blog has an amusing post on Heroines Too Stupid to Live. For those who enjoy fantasy (or any writer who just likes a good laugh) Peter Anspach's "The Top 100 Things I'd Do if I Ever Became an Evil Overlord" shows the dumb mistakes that allow the villain to be killed or captured. What is a Plot Cliche? A cliche is an idea that has been overused to the point of losing its original effect or novelty, especially when at some stage it was considered to be 'different'. Four Examples of Plot Cliches How Can Writers Avoid Cliched Plots? It's all very well knowing that writers should avoid cliches, but how easy is it to come up with something different?
How To Tremendously Improve Your Writing Style - SylvianeNuccio.com Do choice of words matter at all when you write? Stupid question, isn’t it? Of course they do. This past weekend I was watching a very famous French play that they’ve made into a movie, called Cyrano of Bergerac. I’m sure many of you have heard about it. Your Choice of Words is Important In this play, you can appreciate how Edmond Rostand, the author (and I’m sure the translator) has chosen each word very carefully, not only to rhyme but to make sense, but to create one of the most beautiful plays in history. When you write, yes, words do count. After all, no matter what master piece you’re reading, it’s all about using the right word at the right place. Another thing that made me think about the importance of words this past weekend is another beautiful French story which plot takes place during the mid 1600’s. In this case again, the writers of the script had to be very mindful of the words they chose. 1 – Don’t’ be a Passive Writer, be an Active Writer Don’t let writing happen to you.
Writing Tips - Publishers list of phrases for writers to avoid | authonomy writing community We have all met people who have the extraordinary ability to talk in clichés: Y’know, not to beat around the bush or hedge your bet, this section is a must-read because it calls a spade a spade and in a nutshell leaves no stone unturned to pull the rug from under those off-the-cuff, old-hat bête noires called clichés. These are the people who’ve given the cliché its bad name. We all tend to use them, of course. Sometimes that familiar phrase is the neatest way of expressing yourself and most of us can, in a flash (cliché), unconsciously call up a few hundred of them to help us out in writing and conversation. But how aware are we of the irritation (or worse, sniggering) that the overuse of clichés can cause? Most clichés begin life as someone’s incredibly neat, timely or witty way of expressing or emphasising a thought. Many clichés are centuries old. The grammarian Eric Partridge identified four kinds of cliché. However we haven’t yet rounded up all the usual suspects (cliché).
Every story you love can be retold with one of eight sentences You will know Kurt Vonnegut as a renowned author, but in addition to his books, he left behind a theory of stories that he’s less famous for, but that is still very interesting. He broke down stories that are told worldwide in all cultures into just a eight simple shapes. For example, shape #1, “The Man in Hole”… Somebody gets into trouble, gets out of it again…. People love that story! Every story that speaks to us on a deeply human level fits into one of his categories. A couple years ago, graphic designer Maya Eilam took Vonnegut’s story shapes and synthesized them into a simple infographic… (via Boing Boing) You can hear him explain the basic principle and discuss three classic story shapes here, if you want to. Think of your favorite book or movie… What shape is it?
How to Cut the Waffle From Your Writing – and Grab Readers’ Attention (Image from Flickr by Unhindered by Talent) Have you ever read a book that was way too wordy? (For me, Stephen Covey’s otherwise excellent 7 Habits of Highly Effective People comes to mind…) The content itself might have been good – but the substance ended up buried beneath a froth of unnecessary words. Perhaps you found it hard to stay focused, or you simply stopped reading. When you write – especially if you’re writing online – it’s important to avoid waffle. So, how do you go about cutting the waffle from your writing? Step #1: Get Clear About the Topic Whatever you’ve written – whether it’s a novel, an ebook or a blog post – you need to figure out what belongs and what doesn’t. Have you included a chapter in your ebook that should really be a separate blog post? This isn’t about how good your writing is. Do It: Write down a one-sentence summary of your post/book/etc.Skim through and ask yourself does this fit? Step #2: Cut Out Any Paragraphs That Don’t Belong At the start of your piece.
Creative Writing For Dummies Cheat Sheet Rewriting and editing helps to tighten up your work. But it can be difficult – what to chop and when to stop may not be clear, and you may change your mind more than once during the process. Ask yourself whether you need to take out: Unnecessary information and explanation. Passages of dialogue that go on too long. You may need to add or expand: Something you know but have forgotten to tell the reader; perhaps the age of the main character. You may need to move: Dramatic sections to make a stronger opening. In your final edit: Check for grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes. 500 Cliches to Avoid in Your Creative Writing Cliches (properly spelled clichés, with the acute accent) are words and phrases, once interesting, which have lost their original effect from overuse. They are considered trite and should be avoided in writing unless used purposely for effect. We all use them without thinking, sometimes because they fit the bill or are just the ticket (both cliches), but usually because they're metaphors, idiom, or truisms that have become so common we no longer notice them. Writing that relies heavily on cliches is considered poor or lazy writing. The list of cliches below is not meant to be comprehensive, but should help you catch some of the more common cliches in use. If some cliches slip by you and your editor, it's not the end of the world. Cliche list A-K:
Twain's Rules of Writing 1. A tale shall accomplish something and arrive somewhere. 2. The episodes of a tale shall be necessary parts of the tale, and shall help develop it. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. An author should 12. More on WritingHome