 Fantasy: May 18, 2011 Issue [#4403] |
  Fantasy
This week: Time as a Medium Edited by: Jay's debut novel is out now!  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
| This newsletter is geared towards readers and writers of all kinds of speculative fiction. |
| ASIN: B07RKLNKH7 |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 0.99
|
|
I've been reading a lot lately-- I suppose that's always the first sign of trouble with me.  In my notes and observations I've been obsessed with a few different questions about time and how we express it in worlds that may not have the same precision about time as we 21st century humans of Earth might have.
Time is a dimensionality that we all take for granted; we each get a finite quantity of it and we spend it in many different ways. How does the passage of time affect the characters in a fantasy story, though? It'e easy to assume we all experience time in the same way, but of course that's impossible.
There are of course lots of questions to be asked, and many have been asked over and over again. Immortality, for example-- a quintessential what-if question tackled from many different angles. What happens to someone who can never die? Is their immortality linked to everlasting youth? How do immortals live among mortals? Can a mortal being become immortal, and at what cost to themselves?
And then there's time travel-- a science-fiction oriented topic, but one that's been addressed in fantasy as well. Is it possible in your world to stop or alter the effects of time? How does this affect the present-day conditions of your story?
How about the ways that we mark time? While our calendar has changed little in many centuries, it's easy to imagine other ways to count the time that has passed. Weather, astronomical findings and seasons are common factors used to meter time in worlds without a typical "year" cycle, but surely there are other ways. Some may be more precise than others-- what effect might this have?
With time comes history, too-- how do the ages add up to form culture and civilization over time? Do the populations of your fantasy world have an accumulation of recorded history? How has their civilization grown and changed as time has passed? What knowledge is lost and gained as time passes in the history of your world?
Until Next, eh, Time,
Take care and Write on!
~j |
Items of interest for fantasy readers from all over Writing.Com...
|
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
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: B000FC0SIM |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 12.99
|
|
| I won't be able to print your comments right away as this is a guest newsletter, but I'd love to hear your feedback! |
| ASIN: B000FC0SIM |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 12.99
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
This printed copy is for your personal use only. Reproduction
of this work in any other form is not allowed and does violate its copyright. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
