The Problems of Fantasy Realms

As an author, I spend a ton of time coming up with story ideas in my head. From my LOTR Parody to my Alternative History of the Civil War (which both are on sale on Lulu.com), there are hundreds of ideas that swim through my brains and dozens of stories that litter my laptop, desktop and PC tablets. Most of my published works, which I've done through the self-publish website Lulu.com, are of a historical nature as I stated in the second sentence of this post.

Too bad my name isn't a bit easier to read on the cover.

Only a tad easier to see on this cover. Oh well. Perhaps next time.

My main focus of my writing has sadly shifted to fanfiction. Don't get me wrong, I love it to death. Exploring my own ideas of how series should have gone or what would have happened in my mind after the movies were over. All one has to do is read my eight-book Babylon 5 Alternative Universe series on Fanfiction.net to see that.

But the true measure of an author is the ability to create their own worlds. And when it comes down to it, I rise to the occasion in the realm of fantasy. I also fall hardest in it.

A Series Like Another

In the fifteen years I have been a writer, I have explored a diverse amount of fantasy worlds. Fantastic Earth which became Masse Aaddee is perhaps the greatest one I explored. Too bad though it was nothing more that Middle Earth. I wrote a whole parody series of Lord of the Rings, one which received mostly bad criticism but got some good reviews, especially by my co-students in high school.

I even followed up the original series by creating a sequel that took place seven hundred years in the future. But it became a parody of the Inheritance Cycle, which was in itself a parody of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Heck, he even makes a Doctor Who reference in the third book!

Don't believe me? Reread the last book. Then tell me I'm wrong.

I even once attempted to take the best (actually original) ideas of the two stories and make a more original story. I eneded up having a story about a halfling who is taken from his family, after his uncle returns with a magical diamond that is full of evil and the dark lord of the land pursues it, to reclaim it. Yeah, in summary, still a Lord of the Rings knockoff.

To Travel to Distant Lands

While I was serving a mission for my church, I first came across Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon series. Children would watch it when we'd show up, and elements of the story transformed themselves into an original fantasy story idea. I forget the name of the story now, but the story took place on an island continent. Three kingdoms divided the island in peace. The story followed a single family, the Imperial family of the human-run Empire, and after the mother is killed in an accident within the Imperial Palace, the father goes mad and declares war against the "assassins" of the peace-loving Elvish kingdom. The son decided to join the rebels against his father and eventually defeats him and his sister to restore peace to all the lands.

While this story was good, I lost the original three chapters. But not to worry. Other stories awaited me.

There came the world of Adnar. Adnar was the home of five kingdoms, coming out of a long thirteen year war. And it followed four people of two of the kingdoms. The good King of the Kingdom of Poroma. His faithful Chief Captain of his armies. A sell-sword of the rival nation. And a boy from the southern edge of the rival kingdom, who on his wedding day loses his beloved wife to Imperial inquisitors. This story not only got published on Lulu, but I also started working on the second book. But then....it's been roughly two years since I really worked on the story.

Pity too. It had a really strong beginning few chapters.

My latest venture into the realms of fantasy is based in the Kingdom of Vonderhelm. It's one of three kingdoms. It's actually based on two dreams I had. One as a teenager of a fall of a nation to demons and a followup dream when I was 24 of the oldest princess being banished from the realm by the conquering witch. That also has stalled, but not from lack of enthusiasm.

The Difficulties of Fantasy Writing

Part of the problem I find with writing fantasy is just how much stuff is required into building the worlds that these fantasy realms are made of. It's too big a task to do just out of your butt type of thing. Real efforts have to be made, even more so than even sci-fi stories.

Part of Tolkien's majesty when it comes to LOTR is just how much attention he paid to the details. I have read Christopher Tolkiens' History of Middle Earth, which is a massive series which goes into the various stages of the story that became the Lord of the Rings. There would have been no way for the series to be made without efforts being taken to reign in everything.

Let's face it. To create a fantasy realm, you need to create a whole world. These worlds need continents, and whole nations. In these nations there has to be towns, and landmarks. The towns must be filled with people, all with a rich history. And you need to make sure they stay true to what you establish for them.

And that's not even starting on creating languages for the people. Or what type of clothes they wear. Are they magical? Are they religious? Are they not? What types of laws are there? Do they have laws at all?

It's too big a task to do off the fly.

Like the Greek God Atlas, you really have a whole world that is on your shoulders.

Easing the Load

Here are a few things I've learned in my various stories (both history, fantasy and sci-fi). These will help as you go about your writings.

1. Have an encyclopedia. Christopher Paolini has perhaps one of the largest series in recent fantasy history, with thousands of characters. In an interview, he admitted he got so bogged down with names and details, that he forgot what the color of a certain characters eyes were and actually oopsed on it. To fix this, he compiled a list of names and basic information for each name.

Having an encyclopedia goes a LONG ways to keeping you on your toes. I have done two different types of encyclopedias. One is an alphabetical encyclopedia I did for a Star Trek fan fiction series I've been writing for three years. I still add more entries as I go throughout my series, which I am currently in season 3.

Another was a categorical one. I created it in three different categories. Legends, geographical and national. If there is a legend that's spoken, I add it to legends. If my characters approach a river in a certain land, I add that to geographical. If a character talks to a man in a certain kingdom, I add the man to the appropriate nation.

2. Maps. Maps are perhaps the easiest things to do. I have dozens of maps, and I make them in such a way I can add new information to them as time goes by. Especially if you story covers a whole continent, you want a map to keep you oriented to distances.

Don't feel like drawing them? There are several map generators online.

3. Drawings. If you can, draw the items you most certainly want to have an idea of what they look like. Like your swords. Crowns. Castles. Having a visual image can go a long to to not only keeping you from making mistakes, but will also help you describe them. Can't draw? Don't worry. Use images from the internet. They can help form the ideas you need in your head.

The Last Words

Writing fantasy is both rewarding but also challenging. But believe me, it's worth the effort. So go out there and put your mental powers to it.

Thank Goodness for the Day Off!