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Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/9769
Fantasy: September 25, 2019 Issue [#9769]




 This week: Preparing a Novel
  Edited by: Robert Waltz Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

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

About This Newsletter

You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are.
         ― Joss Whedon

The trouble with writing fiction is that it has to make sense, whereas real life doesn't.
         ― Iain M. Banks

Writing - the act of one person giving a piece of their soul to another.
         ― J. Spredemann


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Letter from the editor

Whether you're planning on participating in NaNoWriMo or not, if you plan to write a novel, it pays to plan to write the novel.

The cornerstone of popular fantasy is the novel-length work of fiction - and often, the even longer epic fantasy series. To read one seems daunting enough; how in this world or infinite others are we supposed to tackle writing one?

Fantasy can be one of the most complex genres to plan and write. With more realistic fiction, we already have a world that we know to some degree. Even with science fiction, the tendency is to extrapolate from what we already know. In fantasy, though, often the milieu is straight out of the author's mind - and that takes work. Even if it's modern, or "urban," fantasy, the fantastical elements need to be internally consistent to hold a reader's attention.

I've written before about world-building, and you can find many ideas about it on the internet, so I won't cover it again here. But with most works of fiction, especially in the fantasy genre, it pays to do your homework first.

Now is a good time to start if you're planning on doing NaNo. You can take all of October to flesh out settings, characters, and other features unique to the world in which you'll live in November. While the idea is to begin writing on November 1, there's no reason not to work up some backstory beforehand.

Any longer work of fiction benefits from this sort of planning, but with fantasy, extra work is usually required. You might even have a setting in mind, having thought about it for some time - if so, take the time to write down the details. Chances are, you're forgetting something, and you don't want to interrupt the flow of words while writing the novel to work on some detail you've neglected. For stories taking place on other worlds or imaginary realms, maps help too; you need to know where different places are in relation to each other, and you won't have Google Maps as a resource.

To be honest, sometimes the planning process works for me, and sometimes it doesn't. But failing to plan never works for me. If you were going to do this anyway, let this be your reminder; if not, maybe give it a shot?


Editor's Picks

Right here on Writing.Com, we have an activity that helps you prep for your NaNo work:

FORUM
October Novel Prep Challenge Open in new Window. (13+)
A month-long novel-planning challenge with prizes galore.
#1474311 by Brandiwyn🎶 Author IconMail Icon


This forum has been around for over a decade now, and the techniques and exercises are useful whether you're doing NaNo or not. Just remember, fantasy novels might take extra work - in some cases, a lot of extra work.

And now, some shorter works of fantasy:

 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor


 Seasonal Spirits Open in new Window. [18+]
The spirits need to team up with each other and creatures they despise to defeat Zira.
by Jackie Watkins Author Icon


 
WINGS Open in new Window. [13+]
Short story written for "What a character"
by Jellyfish in Morocco Author Icon


 Death's Platoon Open in new Window. [18+]
From ---- The Chronicles of Death
by T.L.Finch Author Icon


 
The Skeletal Corpse Open in new Window. [18+]
a woman frantically tries to free herself
by Lyn's a Witchy Woman Author Icon


 
Ma's Special Seeds Open in new Window. [E]
Thomas plants his mother's old seeds and finds they grow something special!
by Genipher Author Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor

 
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Word from 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!
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Ask & Answer

Last time, in "Nature" Open in new Window., I discoursed about what makes nature... nature.


BIG BAD WOLF is Howling Author Icon: [Submitted Item: "Animals' Afterlife Includes Humans" Open in new Window. [18+]]
What about stories where Humans aren't at the top of the Food Chain? There's plenty of things that deal with that kind of stuff.

         I don't think we're at the top of the food chain. It's more of a food circle. A Circle of Life, if you will.


And that's it for me for September! See you next month. Until then,

DREAM ON!!!

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