Welcome Guest 

Register

Forum Home » Off Topic » The Prancing Pony » Writers
<< First678910Last >>
Author Topic:
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 08, 2014 01:52
I'm working on another fantasy story. Early medieval type again. I wanted to write a story and work in some themes of my faith. It focuses on a princess and a guy she brings to her country. They obviously have to fight the bad guy. Some of the good guys have pegasi they ride. And there are also dogs which I have dubbed "warhounds" that also have a mind connection with some humans. It's all very exciting. lol!! There is a sword that will help them defeat the bad guy and I've managed to set it up to where I can write a bunch of other stories about the other people through history who will use the sword.
My sisters are usually the first nitpickers, said they liked it, so.. we'll see. I'm in the midst of typing it out, because I hand write everything first.
That's my spheel. How about everyone else? =)
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 08, 2014 03:20
Thanks, Maxie, but I probably ought to wait for that: I'm in the middle of editing my first book and writing the second. Any more distractions from school would probably result in my mother wringing my neck........... XD Thanks tho.

As for what we're writing...............hm

Well, it's an epic fantasy, probably could be likened to the middle and late medieval times, but in its own world. Nation known as the "Twin Kingdoms" goes to war with a country of barbarians known as "Casca".
The main character is a young chappie named Tormald, who becomes a lord of the "Twin Kingdoms" just as the war opens up. But there's a hint through the whole first book that the invading Cascan armies aren't the real danger. Turns out (in book 2) that the Cascans are really fleeing their homeland which has been overrun by runaway dark magic.

@rhodilwen. The "warhounds" sound really cool. How come I didn't think o' that first?
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
Mareth_Ravenlock
Council Member
Posts: 6138
Send Message
Post
on: February 08, 2014 05:00
Michael Gunter said:@Maxie. Very, very cool! I'm learning my own language, though I wouldn't dare to try learning any of the Elvish variants. (I'd butcher them, I'm sure XD)


@Mar. Zackly. Ow, pain, ooh, pain! LOL. Particularly say, the D chord? BTW, what kind of thing do you write?


Well, the high E and B hurt the most on my six stringer. Which actually isn't mine, it's my brother's.

I have a couple of stories that aren't going anywhere. One is a childrens fairy tale book, the other is sort of a fantasy, but it's set in the real world. Would that make it fiction? But it has fairy tale characters in it...I don't know what it would be classified as. And then, of course, there's the odd page or few pages of random scenes from books that probably won't go anywhere. Have you heard of Gale Carson Levine? Well, she's written a lot of books based on fairy tales, but she changes them up. I really love her writing style. I'd like to write books kind of like hers.

Wow, y'all's stories sound awesome! I wish I could write as good as you guys....*sigh*



[Edited on 02/09/2014 by Mareth_Ravenlock]
~Llama Warrior of Nessa~ Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Lewis Carrol
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 08, 2014 06:11
LOL, yeah, they hurt.

Very cool, indeed. Yours would be considered fantasy. If it's in our world or has people from our world in it, it's fantasy. If it in its own world, and ours doesn't exist in the book at all, it's either high or epic fantasy.

LOL. You've only read our descriptions. Maybe our idea's are great, but we're terrible writers. XD
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 08, 2014 06:21
Mareth, i love Gail carson Levine!!! "The Two Princesses of Bamarre" is my favorite. Ever. I also wish I could write like her.
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Mareth_Ravenlock
Council Member
Posts: 6138
Send Message
Post
on: February 08, 2014 10:07
Oh, okay. Thanks Micheal. By the way...do you have a nickname?

You may be many things, but a terrible writer? Nah. I've heard that painters are their own worst critics. I suppose it's the same for writing.

I. LOVE. That. Book. So. Much!!! I bought a copy for one of my sisters and one for me. I also love Ella Enchanted, Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, and A Tale of Two Castles. But Two Princesses and Ella are probably my favorites. I also read Fairest, but I didn't like that one nearly as much.


Weeell....you guys gave a basic summery of y'all's stories. I guess I might as well too (though mine are very much less epic than y'all's).

The childrens fairy tale one is pretty much this: Cinderella's fairy godmother, Mae, babysits Sleeping Beauty's children for a few days. They will have many adventures (and misadventures). And there will be some morel to the story which I haven't quite discovered yet.

It's still in the making. I haven't perfected the story line yet...and it sounds pretty pathetic. :/


The second one I actually started writing for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) but....that didn't go so well. I was really excited about this story, but it hasn't gone anywhere for awhile. I still would like to finish it sometime.

This one is about a couple girls who discover that several fairy tale and Disney villains who either "died" in the ends of their stories or got imprisoned or whatever are banding together to get revenge, and they have to find out how to defeat them.


So perhaps it sounds dumb...I haven't completely figured that one out either...
~Llama Warrior of Nessa~ Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Lewis Carrol
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 09, 2014 12:12
That sounds like a lot of fun, Mareth! Don't give up. Find someone to bounce ideas off of. My sister and I came up with this wild character for the sequel to the published book. He's legitimately crazy and is the product of a late night and lots of giggling. So, the moral here is that sometimes it's ridiculous what you can come up with. =)

It also took me awhile to figure out the point of the story I'm working on right now. But, once again, a sister helped me out, and theoretically I have a logical theme to the story. lol!!!

[Edited on 02/09/2014 by rhodilwen]
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 09, 2014 09:25
@Mar, not really, but you can call me Mako, if you need something short and easy to spell. No, don't ask where I came by that. XD

I wasn't a huge fan of Ms. Levine's, but then, I don't tend to read much in that genre anyway. My sisters liked her though.
I don't know about your children's story, but the one about the Disney bad guys sounds pretty darn nifty. I'd like to read that one.

@rhodilwen. Wow. That sounds..........intriguing. XD BTW, you say it "took you awhile". Do you plot out your books, or do you wing it?

Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 09, 2014 09:41
Speaking of nicknames, Michael, you can just call me rhodi. I've gone by that for awhile now. =)

I usually have the beginning and the end figured out, but sometimes the middle is really hazy until i start writing. Some parts are planned and others just spontaneously pop into my head as I'm writing. So, mix of both, I guess. But sometimes it's hard to tie everything together and not have random parts with no bearing on the story at all.
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 09, 2014 10:20
@rhodi. 'K then. It wasn't too hard to spell, but I guess rhodi IS easier.

Yeah. I don't plot at all, at all. I know the very basic direction of the story, but it's sort of like getting into a boat and saying "I'm going to cross the Atlantic"! So I know I'm going east, but that's about it. XD XD

As I tell my sisters: the reason I write so much and so fast, is because I don't plot. If I want to know what happens next, I have to write it. Otherwise, I never know what happened. XD Works like a charm.

Not that I don't get stuck, tho. o.O
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 09, 2014 05:22
I am currently writing a story that I began 7 years ago. The basic premis of it is that there are nine children (from three different ruling families) who's parents were murdered when they were all little. Their parents, the leading monarchs, deaths, caused them all to inherit their kingdom at a very young age. The nine of them were kept inside of the castle they were born in, and never took a step out of it to be protected, so they could inherit without any questions when the oldest four were of age. During their years in solitude, a cival war started to brew and then exploded, becasue no kings or queens= no rule= no laws= bad. One of them finally sneaks out, sees how terrible the word is, and then spurs the others to leave the castle and get involved in the fighting, which causes more problems I will keep secret.

My main character is named Eliana "Darkness", and she is 17. She was indeed the one to sneak out and see the horror of war, and thus, renamed herself Darkness after all of the darkness in the world.


What'cha think?
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 10:39
@maxie. Interesting premise. I kind of like it. I don't tend to pick that sort of thing up just from looking at the back cover, but that sounds like it has potential. XD But you won't tell us what happens after wards? Shame on you. You've hooked us, but there's no worm. Bad writer! XD



By the way, can I ask you guys a question? It cropped up on another writer's site of which I'm a member and the responses are really bothering me.
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
Mareth_Ravenlock
Council Member
Posts: 6138
Send Message
Post
on: February 10, 2014 11:55
Mako. Micheal wasn't hard, I was just curious if you had a nickname. Most of us here on CoE don't call people by their usernames.

Maxie, that page of the story you sent us in your last letter makes a whole lot more sense now. I was really confused.
~Llama Warrior of Nessa~ Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Lewis Carrol
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 01:35
Lol, glad your better now. Would you like me to send you another page?
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
RodwenAravilui5136
Council Member
Posts: 817
Send Message
Post
on: February 10, 2014 05:14
Maxie you know Sindarin? I though we all kinda gave up on that awhile back.
"While you're doing fine, there's some people and I, who have a really tough time getting through this life so excuse us while we sing to the sky." -Twenty One Pilots
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 06:38
ask away, michael!
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 06:47
LOL. Gracias, rhodi.

Okay, guys, the question was this: "does a writer need to be well read"

Now, the answers to THAT question weren't troubling, so much as the answers to the PERCEIVED question. The question says "writer" but everyone on the forum read it as "author of novels", a story-teller. And the majority of them didn't think a writer did need to be well read.

What do you guys think?

P.S. Rhodi, what do you think so far? Of EBOG?
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 08:53
I think it's good for writers of any kind (stories, poetry, academic) to be well read. That way they have a better grasp on what they are writing. That said, I don't think it's necessary. I wouldn't consider myself well read unless you consider countless historical fiction, adventure, and fantasy stories to be well read.
I guess you just need to have read a fair amount in whatever topic you choose to write in.

Michael- I haven't gotten too to far in your book. But it's really good so far. (I now understand how other people find it hard to read my stuff on the computer. lol!) I need to sit down and read more of it.
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 09:05
Zackly. As I pointed out in the other thread, you wouldn't want to have your car repaired by a mechanic who "only worked on 'em now and then", would you? No, you want the guy who does it every day, for a living.

Same with writing. You want the guy who writes every day. And, like a mechanic, who reads car manuals, you want a writer who reads books.



@Rhodi. Ah, no problemo. XD I just got curious. Was hoping it wasn't so bad you locked it in a de-con chamber before burning it. XD
Yeah, it's tough reading on the PC.
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
Mareth_Ravenlock
Council Member
Posts: 6138
Send Message
Post
on: February 10, 2014 09:31
I agree with what both of you guys said. I don't really want to read a historical fiction book written by some random dude who's never even read about the time period he's writing about, personally. I think, like Rhodi said, you should be well read. But you should be especially well read in the subject you are writing in. Aaaaand I'm stating the obvious.
~Llama Warrior of Nessa~ Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Lewis Carrol
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 10, 2014 09:38
LOL. We don't mind, Mar. Or at least, I don't.

Anyway, one of the people who was on the other site was a self-admitted "rebel". Didn't like 'rules', said they got in the way of "creativity".
So, she insisted that "writers" didn't need to be well read, they needed to 'break the rules' to make interesting books. >.<


[Edited on 02/11/2014 by Michael Gunter]
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 11, 2014 05:38
I totally agree with that, Michael!


And yes, Rod. I finished all of the lessons a while ago, maybe a month? Don't remember. But I translate many many things.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
lotrelessar94
Council Member
Posts: 2545
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 11, 2014 06:10
Maxie, you just told me you started the lessons a couple weeks ago? So how did you do with the stop, nasal, and liquid mutations? It takes a long time to learn a language, and Tolkien himself never finished it. No offense, but it seems pretty unlikely to me that you know enough to translate many things... I've been studying Sindarin since I was in eighth grade (no lie), and I can barely translate words because its such an incomplete language.

Aaaaand back to writing... I do think writers should be well-read. How can they expect to write in our language when they do not fully understand the language or the literary works behind it? However, you don't have to read every great work ever written. It's good to be able to have an open mind towards possible writing subjects
"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!"
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 11, 2014 07:15
@Maxie:


@lotrelessar: I'm glad to find some people who agree with me, anyway. XD But the argument wasn't that you had to read EVERYTHING, just that you had to be well read.

By the way, are any of you guys planning to try to publish your books?
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
Mareth_Ravenlock
Council Member
Posts: 6138
Send Message
Post
on: February 11, 2014 07:35
Agreed Mako. Am I seriously the only one that calls you that? Would you prefer to be called Micheal?

I'd love to publish a book. It's one of my dreams (along with many other things...). Of course, to publish I first need to actually finish a book. And that's proving rather difficult.
~Llama Warrior of Nessa~ Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Lewis Carrol
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 11, 2014 07:48
@Mar: nah, I don't mind one way or the other. I don't have any nicknames in real life, but I don't mind them online.

Yeah, finishing a book is tough. But I've found that there's only one way to do it. Write, whether you want to or not. The shoemakers elves won't come finish it for you overnight. XD XD It seems to bee 5% inspiration, 5% ink, and 90% hard work.
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
lotrelessar94
Council Member
Posts: 2545
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 11, 2014 08:39
I feel like writing is hard for me because it is such a commitment. I don't have a lot of extra time, so I'll start writing in my downtime, get really excited about where a story is headed, then drop it for a couple months and return to it forgetting where I left off and how I should continue. Maybe after I graduate from college, I'll have more time on my hands to dedicate myself to something for good my other dream (off-topic) is to have my own website and blog where I can post my designs, artwork, crochet and videos with tutorials on how to do cool useful stuff. Being a blogger has always appealed to me because it involves writing but only in short bits, so it's a good exercise.

Btw, can someone give me a nickname? I know you guys are tired of typing out my full username, and I don't know how to shorten it
"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!"
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 06:14
We could call you Ele. =) and I totally agree about being in college and not having enough time to write what you want, (and not school papers.)
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
EthelynnGreenleaf
Council Member
Posts: 1175
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 07:08
lotrelessar94 said:Maxie, you just told me you started the lessons a couple weeks ago? So how did you do with the stop, nasal, and liquid mutations? It takes a long time to learn a language, and Tolkien himself never finished it. No offense, but it seems pretty unlikely to me that you know enough to translate many things... I've been studying Sindarin since I was in eighth grade (no lie), and I can barely translate words because its such an incomplete language.


I TOTALLY agree with you!
I've never really tried mush to learn but Maxie, I've seen Sam learn WAY before you and she still doesn't know everything! It's not as easy as you make it seem! I really doubt that you know that much :/

And anyways, I really enjoy writing, it just seems like I NEVER have time!! I have like 3 unfinished books and a folder full of poetry/songs.
"A sprinter learning to wait."
lotrelessar94
Council Member
Posts: 2545
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 08:13
rhodilwen said:We could call you Ele. =) and I totally agree about being in college and not having enough time to write what you want, (and not school papers.)


I like Ele Good choice, thanks! And yeah, someday I will get back to writing more normally :/
"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!"
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 08:47
@rhodi and Ele; yeah, things can get in the way. Fortunately, college isn't a concern for me.

@Ethelynn: actually, it's entirely possible. First, even though Tolkien DIDN'T finish, he DID have it well and far enough along to be perfectly usable. Second, there are sites all over that are dedicated to his languages. I've made my own languages and they don't have to have huge vocabularies to be usable.
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
Mareth_Ravenlock
Council Member
Posts: 6138
Send Message
Post
on: February 12, 2014 10:02
YES. It's about time you got a nickname, Ele!

Oki-doki then, Mako. Yeah, I don't really have nicknames in real life either. Just the weird ones my siblings come up with... Michelle isn't exactly a very nickname-y name.

Agreed Mako. Not that I know much about other languages...

I tried writing a song, more than once...I got about one verse and the chorus. Too bad I don't really know much about music...*sigh*



~Llama Warrior of Nessa~ Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Lewis Carrol
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 01:50
@Mar, I'm good with that.

On a slightly different note, do any of you guys like Wodehouse?
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
rhodilwen
Council Member
Posts: 828
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 06:10
I've only read on of his stories. But if you count watching "Jeeves and Wooster", then yes, I like him.

Side note- my book will be available at Barnes and Noble on March, 11. I don't know about any other stores yet, but B&N for sure. =)And if you do ebooks, then they will be available in three to five weeks. Or on the publishing website. =)
The men of the east may spell the stars/ and times and triumphs mark/ But the men signed with the cross of Christ/ go gaily in the dark- G.K. Chesterton ~Member of the Realm of Ulmo~ http://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/
Michael Gunter
Council Member
Posts: 50
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: February 12, 2014 06:19
@Rhodi: AWESOME!! That's the official release date? Oh-ho! Very cool. I'm thrilled for you, tho I'm sure you're already as thrilled as is needed.

Anyway, I asked about the Wodehouse, because I wrote a short essay a few days ago that I kind of wanted ya'll's opinion on. It's a humor essay, sort of a Wodehousian type, about a page long, but where would I put it?
Authors are extremophiles; in short, creatures capable of surviving in the harshest of environments.
<< First678910Last >>
Members Online
Print Friendly, PDF & Email