  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: Crys-not really here  
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| In my newsletter today: A look at what it's like to be new to this Fantasy thing. |
| ASIN: 0996254145 |
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Expanding Your Idea of Fantasy
I first rolled my dice in a Dungeons and Dragons game over a year ago. My boyfriend Mark had been eager to teach me how to play since we first got together, but had assumed that I would have no interest in it. In truth, I didn't. I bought into all of those stereotypes about the game: It's a game for nerdy guys, it involves acting like a knight slaying dragons, and one must speak and understand a strange series of words involving weapons and attacks to understand it. I had very little experience with dragons, gnomes, knights and the like. I had never read Fantasy, or even written anything I would remotely consider Fantasy. In fact, I had never read any of the Harry Potter books. I refused to read them not only because they were super popular, but also because I had assumed that they would be of no interest to me.
The first rule of life should be “do not assume.” The more I learned about D&D, the more similarities I saw between it and writing. I could create my own character, give her kick-butt qualities, and have her take on any obstacle in her way. Shandara, an elf rogue with fire red hair and affection for cute little gnomes, was born. I’m still very much a newbie when it comes to D&D. I don’t get to play very much, and when I do I still feel timid and dumb. What if Shandara attempts to do something that she’s not allowed to do? Will everyone judge me or make fun of me?
Slowly but surely, I came around to this Fantasy thing. Once I learned that D&D could take place in pretty much any world one could create, it really opened my mind to the game. My definition of “Fantasy” has broadened significantly from playing D&D and having a boyfriend who enjoys reading and writing Fantasy. I even read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and absolutely loved it. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I may be ten years behind on my reading material, but at least I’ve given it a chance.
Aspects of Fantasy have even been creeping into my writing. I’m currently working on a novel for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) called The Famous Rose People of Briarwood. The storyline is vaguely magical: a family who is forced out of their home by fire moves into a cabin in the woods, where they discover magical roses that have various adverse effects on the entire family. Eventually the family must drink tea made from the roses in order to survive a plague, with strange consequences-- they stop aging. The novel takes place in a dystopian society sometime in the future, involves a couple of witches and a school for botanists much like Hogwarts in Harry Potter. Would Fantasy writers consider it Fantasy? I have no idea. Do I? Of course! After all, a basic definitions of Fantasy is “fiction with a large amount of imagination in it.” If that’s true, then many, many stories could be considered Fantasy.
Being a newbie to something like D&D or writing Fantasy is not easy, especially for someone used to writing reality-based young adult novels like I am. But if you embrace your ability to use your imagination, you may be surprised at what comes out. And if you expand your beliefs of what the Fantasy genre is, you may begin to believe, as I do, that just about anyone can write Fantasy if they give it a try.
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I tried to choose Editor’s Picks this month that show the many different sides and types of Fantasy. Enjoy!
 My special picks:
Perfect for know-nothing newbies like me!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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I'd love your feedback about this newsletter! Let me know what you consider Fantasy. Fairy Tales? Sci Fi? Shrinking? Sea serpents? Fables? Fan fiction? Knights and dragons? Space cowboys? The Paranormal?
And as always, don't forget that you can send in your Fantasy items to be considered for the newsletter!
Who knows, your items and comments may end up in an upcoming issue! |
| ASIN: 0996254145 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 12.95
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Fantasy: November 18, 2009 Issue [#3389]
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