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#1 2012-01-07 16:29:19

Garr8
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Registered: 2011-08-10
Posts: 1000+

im a fantasy writer and i need advice

hello, i write fantasy stories (my current world i made is a parallel to the native americans). I want to make a world similar to medieval england, but how can i do it while avoiding cliches and overused ideas.

I was thinking of making my characters practice a religion similar to christianity, like england, and i was thinking of using motte- and bailey castles.

Any other advice is welcome.


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#2 2012-01-07 16:35:52

Kileymeister
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

The important idea is to not keep stressing that they are in a medievally-england setting, have that as simply the background that loosely changes their speech and actions, but subtly.

Remember to have to characters speak and act as if the setting is natural to them.  For some reason I see plenty of writers who don't do so.


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#3 2012-01-07 16:37:55

soupoftomato
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Kileymeister wrote:

Remember to have to characters speak and act as if the setting is natural to them.  For some reason I see plenty of writers who don't do so.


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#4 2012-01-07 16:48:36

Garr8
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

what i mean is the what are considered anachronisms that are often found in medieval european fantasy. I also want them to have a feudalism like england, but i fear its too cliched. Is it? Or is there a government type that could work just as well for the setting.   DO NOT suggest monarchies, they've been cliched


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#5 2012-01-07 16:51:04

soupoftomato
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

what i mean is the what are considered anachronisms that are often found in medieval european fantasy. I also want them to have a feudalism like england, but i fear its too cliched. Is it? Or is there a government type that could work just as well for the setting.   DO NOT suggest monarchies, they've been cliched

If it's your own make up your own political setting.
A Democratic medieval area could be an interesting change in the genre, but it's what you want.


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#6 2012-01-07 16:53:30

Kileymeister
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Registered: 2008-04-17
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

You could use primitive communism (no, not socialism, not communism, primitive communism), but you would have to shrink your society down to individual, independent  cities/villages.


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#7 2012-01-07 16:55:10

my-chemical-romance
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Registered: 2011-04-24
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Well, rich cities had castles, poorer villages had motte and bailies, check out Wurm online for the whole medieval theme.

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#8 2012-01-07 16:55:42

Garr8
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

thanks, i have nothing against monarchies and feudalisms, i just think they've been cliched. I have considered a twist where king arthur is evil and Camelot is full of greedy slobs instead of a utopian society.

i also thought about making knights and paladins to different warrior classes. Knights ate knights, while paladins are elite, and  like to show individualism and are hired out like mercenaries.

Last edited by Garr8 (2012-01-07 17:03:25)


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#9 2012-01-07 17:04:45

bananaman114
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Registered: 2010-03-15
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

thanks, i have nothing against monarchies and feudalisms, i just think they've been cliched. I have considered a twist where king arthur is evil and Camelot is full of greedy slobs instead of a utopian society.

i also thought about making knights and paladins to different warrior classes. Knights ate knights, while paladins are elite, and  like to show individualism and are hired out like mercenaries.

Ok
Well that entire thing is, in my opinion, cliche but I would read it because I like the genre and theme so it doesn't really matter to me

I think you have some good ideas!


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#10 2012-01-07 17:06:43

Garr8
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

actually i'd like to steer entirely away from king arthur  and maybe  create a society that is ruled by a democracy or theocracy.


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#11 2012-01-07 17:08:40

Kileymeister
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

actually i'd like to steer entirely away from king arthur  and maybe  create a society that is ruled by a democracy or theocracy.

I still say primitive communism, because then you can have a twist where someone tries to transform it into a monarchy.  Plus I've never heard of a fantasy story using that economic/political system.


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#12 2012-01-07 17:12:47

Garr8
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

what's the difference between a communism and a primitive communism?


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#13 2012-01-07 17:19:40

Kileymeister
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

what's the difference between a communism and a primitive communism?

Primitive communism is basically when you have a small group of people, usually hunter-gatherers, who share everything they have, and no one competes for a profit.  People economically and politically are equal although occasionally you may have a leader who directs the actions of the group.  Basically communism, but shrunk down to a tiny group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_communism

Last edited by Kileymeister (2012-01-07 17:20:03)


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#14 2012-01-07 17:21:43

Garr8
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

primitive communisms sounds similar to a tribal society to me


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#15 2012-01-07 17:23:15

Kileymeister
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

primitive communisms sounds similar to a tribal society to me

True, it isn't that advanced, but it is slightly more advanced.

I dunno, I would just be interested to see it utilized anywhere besides political arguments.


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#16 2012-01-07 17:26:22

Garr8
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

i could use it as an economical system


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#17 2012-01-07 17:34:10

soupoftomato
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

i could use it as an economical system

No money just sharing economically?


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#18 2012-01-07 17:37:43

Garr8
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Registered: 2011-08-10
Posts: 1000+

Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

soupoftomato wrote:

Garr8 wrote:

i could use it as an economical system

No money just sharing economically?

i dont want to use the traditional gold and silver standard. Since equestrians are expensive, i think i could make it to where your wealth is determined by the healthiness, cleaniness, and the number of horses you own. I could use it to make an aristocratic society where the rulers have the best horses.


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#19 2012-01-07 18:12:01

Appaloosa
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Registered: 2011-05-26
Posts: 100+

Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Yay, another fantasy writer!!!  big_smile 

Develop you character(s). Make sure that your family members can easily see early on in your story how each character feels, what their personality is, ect.

Make your characters natural. Instead of having a character say, "My mother has decided that I must give every family member a certian amount of food rations to keep us from dying a terribly hungry death," say "My mom says I've got to give the little kids lunch or they'll be mad."

smile


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#20 2012-01-07 18:15:51

Garr8
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Registered: 2011-08-10
Posts: 1000+

Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Appaloosa wrote:

Yay, another fantasy writer!!!  big_smile 

Develop you character(s). Make sure that your family members can easily see early on in your story how each character feels, what their personality is, ect.

Make your characters natural. Instead of having a character say, "My mother has decided that I must give every family member a certian amount of food rations to keep us from dying a terribly hungry death," say "My mom says I've got to give the little kids lunch or they'll be mad."

smile

im currently making the outline for another story about an empire based off the Aztecs.
Oh, and to make my characters natural, i made my protagonist unattractive but not ugly. He is also rascist and is terrified of ghosts.


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#21 2012-01-07 18:38:26

Appaloosa
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Registered: 2011-05-26
Posts: 100+

Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Garr8 wrote:

Appaloosa wrote:

Yay, another fantasy writer!!!  big_smile 

Develop you character(s). Make sure that your family members can easily see early on in your story how each character feels, what their personality is, ect.

Make your characters natural. Instead of having a character say, "My mother has decided that I must give every family member a certian amount of food rations to keep us from dying a terribly hungry death," say "My mom says I've got to give the little kids lunch or they'll be mad."

smile

im currently making the outline for another story about an empire based off the Aztecs.
Oh, and to make my characters natural, i made my protagonist unattractive but not ugly. He is also rascist and is terrified of ghosts.

Good!  big_smile


:3 Whipped cream is the essence of happiness.
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#22 2012-01-07 19:14:14

my-chemical-romance
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Registered: 2011-04-24
Posts: 1000+

Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

I can post some Wurm logs from my raid here if it helps.

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#23 2012-01-07 19:21:12

deathofdemons
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Registered: 2011-04-21
Posts: 100+

Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

In my stories, I usually avoid clichés by doing something that would disturb the majority that are linked to it (eg Communist America). I'd suggest you create a society in the medevil times that almost defies modern standards, that usually hooks people in good.


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#24 2012-01-07 19:31:17

flamekyle
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Registered: 2011-03-18
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Try researching, how things were at that time.


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#25 2012-01-07 21:20:13

Earthboundjeff
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Registered: 2010-09-28
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Re: im a fantasy writer and i need advice

Put Elves in.


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