Boarders writing a Novel Part 12.

[The Marquis de Leech]

Am 36,000 words into a story I never actually planned to write - and have somehow managed to swap genres too. Writing can be such an awesome adventure of discovery.

ETA: If you don't listen to what your characters want and force them to follow a pre-existing outline, you will find they are making unmotivated decisions, just the type of thing that makes readers facepalm.

If you find your characters commenting that action X was strange or stupid, it's a good idea to listen to your characters.

[Spockydog]

There's a world of difference between 'unmotivated' and 'stupid'. I know plenty of people IRL who seem to be motivated by nothing but their own stupidity. :P

[The Reckoner]

If you present magic as something encoded by the human genome, the human race having come into existence on a world in which magic became necessary for mankind's survival, can you still call it magic? I mean, you explain it in terms of genes encoding the presence of receptors that are bound by chemical messengers released during the fight or flight response. Once the receptors bind the genes, it triggers the production of specialized cells in the immune system that produce spells shaped by one's thoughts, provided enough of the specialized cells are present to fuel the spell. Naturally, the various government agencies around the world have a tight handle on access to stimuli responsible for the production of especially destructive or deadly spells, and these are restricted to military personnel. Breaking the skin triggers the spell's release, so if one uses the magic too much, their blood vessels will dissolve, and that would be bad...very bad. Metals found in the volcanic northern lands is the source of an injectable alloy that coats the vessels, preventing the vessels' tissues from breaking apart as the magic-carrying cells diffuse across the vessels.

The world where this takes place has developed similar to our own, except with the presence of various alien races (alien in the sense of being entirely unrelated to mankind) and more familiar fantasy creatures: therosaurs, dragons, sea serpents that dwell in the remote places of the world.

I presented this elsewhere, and was told that it "ruined what makes magic special." What's your take? Any questions are welcome, as I find they help me in revising concepts and ideas.

[protar]

If you present magic as something encoded by the human genome, the human race having come into existence on a world in which magic became necessary for mankind's survival, can you still call it magic? I mean, you explain it in terms of genes encoding the presence of receptors that are bound by chemical messengers released during the fight or flight response. Once the receptors bind the genes, it triggers the production of specialized cells in the immune system that produce spells shaped by one's thoughts, provided enough of the specialized cells are present to fuel the spell. Naturally, the various government agencies around the world have a tight handle on access to stimuli responsible for the production of especially destructive or deadly spells, and these are restricted to military personnel. Breaking the skin triggers the spell's release, so if one uses the magic too much, their blood vessels will dissolve, and that would be bad...very bad. Metals found in the volcanic northern lands is the source of an injectable alloy that coats the vessels, preventing the vessels' tissues from breaking apart as the magic-carrying cells diffuse across the vessels.

The world where this takes place has developed similar to our own, except with the presence of various alien races (alien in the sense of being entirely unrelated to mankind) and more familiar fantasy creatures: therosaurs, dragons, sea serpents that dwell in the remote places of the world.

I presented this elsewhere, and was told that it "ruined what makes magic special." What's your take? Any questions are welcome, as I find they help me in revising concepts and ideas.

It does make it more science fictionony, but that doesn't mean it isn't a cool idea. It sounds more a long the lines of super powers though, which are generally just magic explained via genes. I mean there is no real explanation for how genes can let you control the weather say but that's the trend - if it's magic it's a wizard, if it's genes it's a mutant. That doesn't mean you can't break trend and call it magic though.

The general rule with how magic is treated is that even if when it has rather in depth rules and regulations for how it can be used, it still has an air of mystery about it. The source of where magic comes from is rarely completely explained and I can't think of a series where it is explained. Magic just is. But the lines are very blurry. I mean Harry Potter's magic has a genetic component, but because this isn't expanded upon, and because the magic itself remains nebulous, it doesn't end up feeling like superpowers.

[The Reckoner]

@Protar: The magic used by humans is essentially a ramped up immune response: fire from the inflammatory response, for example, rather Lovecraftian-looking macrophages that attack enemies, lightning from action potentials fired along genetically-augmented nerves terminating at the fingertips. The rather physical toll from all of this magic is my attempt at an homage to Moorcock's Elric/Stormbringer relationship, as a wizard would need to find a way to keep his neurons and viscera fresh and intact...so the setting also has room for a seedy black market organ trade.

@Jack Stern: Absolutely, I've had the same experience. In my case, its that I had some vague idea of theme. Usually I can get a better sense of where the writing needs to go after having let it air out a bit. In the meantime, I do more world building and short character exploration pieces.

[Seasick Shrimp]

Just wanted to say hi to everyone, have recently picked up the writing of my first novel again after putting it on hold in a year of heavy depression and crippling ocd, have been looking forward to starting to write again and I don't really have much to say about my writing or my book, just wanted to introduce myself to the 'boarders writing a novel'-gang, haha. I write in swedish and of course I'm the next big thing in the literary world, just haven't been discovered yet. Like many others here my story has kind of a fantasy-setting, and I don't count words like a lot of you here seems to do, basically cause I don't know how and am to lazy to find out haha, but I'm 150 pages in to the story, and are hoping to get some daily writing routines set before my university course starts this spring. For those of you that's interested in how writers and other smart/creative people (scientists, painters, etc) spends/spended their days and what kind of routines they had, I recommend the book 'The daily rituals' by Mason Currey, a great and fun read! :D cheers!

[protar]

@Protar: The magic used by humans is essentially a ramped up immune response: fire from the inflammatory response, for example, rather Lovecraftian-looking macrophages that attack enemies, lightning from action potentials fired along genetically-augmented nerves terminating at the fingertips. The rather physical toll from all of this magic is my attempt at an homage to Moorcock's Elric/Stormbringer relationship, as a wizard would need to find a way to keep his neurons and viscera fresh and intact...so the setting also has room for a seedy black market organ trade.

It sounds pretty cool. It's not traditional but that's good. It sounds as though it has a very visceral feel to it, and it has an element of sacrifice to it. And I agree with GRRM that magic generally needs to have some sort of sacrifice if it's of the powerful sort at least. Energy, sanity, life etc.

[Starkess]

Welcome, SS! :)

I just finished editing the second draft of my most recent novel today. It's still too short (58k), but it feels SO good to have that done. Now to track down some betas, hopefully reach that 65k threshold, and send it off.

As far as my last manuscript, I've started querying again. Nothing yet (I still have a full out from earlier this year), but it feels good to be back in the query cycle. There's zero chance of getting an offer if I'm not asking!

[The Reckoner]

Explaining the presence of reptilian and winged-reptilian races in my story is accomplished by looking at the evolutionary lineage, tracing it back to the earliest chordates and forward to the split in the therapsid lineage that ultimately led to the common ancestor of the greater and lesser apes...apparently this makes my setting science fiction...and screwing around with the audience expectations for a setting are also a bad thing?

[protar]

Explaining the presence of reptilian and winged-reptilian races in my story is accomplished by looking at the evolutionary lineage, tracing it back to the earliest chordates and forward to the split in the therapsid lineage that ultimately led to the common ancestor of the greater and lesser apes...apparently this makes my setting science fiction...and screwing around with the audience expectations for a setting are also a bad thing?

Who has told you that? A publisher? If so, keep in mind that a lot of the people in the business side of the industry, whether that be publishers or the execs at Hollywood are often reluctant to be non-conventional. Those who actually are passionate about fiction will tell you different - I love having my expectations screwed around with. Genres are just marketing labels. It's perfectly fine to blur and transcend genre.

[The Reckoner]

Nah, gent on another forum. His sharp question tend to be excellent revisionary tools, though bringing in my overwhelming love of immunology and evolution seem to be hitting brick walls. It isn't enough for me to say something "just is," when I can provide somewhat of an explanation...and sure enough, as is the case with evolution not having every transitory skeleton to prove itself beyond a shadow of a doubt to the skeptics, I could not tell you why these creatures still exist, except to say that they outcompeted their fellows and have since persisted.

[protar]

Nah, gent on another forum. His sharp question tend to be excellent revisionary tools, though bringing in my overwhelming love of immunology and evolution seem to be hitting brick walls. It isn't enough for me to say something "just is," when I can provide somewhat of an explanation...and sure enough, as is the case with evolution not having every transitory skeleton to prove itself beyond a shadow of a doubt to the skeptics, I could not tell you why these creatures still exist, except to say that they outcompeted their fellows and have since persisted.

Well either way, feel free to screw with audience expectations. I think it's a sign of a good author.

[Frank Fitzpatrick]

I always find the topic of outlining very interesting. Some people are architects and outline heavily and thoroughly and others are gardeners that like to cultivate along the way (like myself). My issue with outlining–and I can only speak for myself here–after outlining extensively, you lose the hunger/ desire to write and if writing your story isn't exciting you then more often than not you won't cross the finishing line.

[Spockydog]

Each to their own, of course. However, it is much better to learn that your story is a turd before spending weeks and weeks carefully digging it out of the ground.

[Frank Fitzpatrick]

Each to their own, of course. However, it is much better to learn that your story is a turd before spending weeks and weeks carefully digging it out of the ground.

:P Well there is that, I suppose...

[Spockydog]

Two prominent gardeners: Stephen King and GRRM.

As I've already said upthread, King's refusal to outline is likely a factor in his crappy endings. As for GRRM, as the TV show races towards it's seventh and final season, with the Winds of Winter nowhere near release, I bet he's wishing he'd been a little more judicious with the old secateurs. :P

Architects FTW!

[The Marquis de Leech]

Gardeners have more fun, I think. We get to discover stuff as we go along, never knowing what might pop up next.

[Spockydog]

You can still have fun outlining. For my latest project, I'm working from a 34k word outline, spread over 82 MS Word pages. Some sections are no more than a handful of bullet points, while others could be considered a very rough first draft. But during the outline process I made plenty of discoveries, and the characters did plenty of things I didn't expect.

[The Reckoner]

It is still outlining if you decide where characters need to end up, but leave the rest vague, right?

[protar]

It is still outlining if you decide where characters need to end up, but leave the rest vague, right?

That's what GRRM does and he calls himself a gardener. It's more of a continuum than two strict categories. I outline my work but I'm more of a gardener than an architect.