Boarders Writing a Novel, Part 9

[The Grey Wolf]

You could look at a list of your favorite book titles and mix and match them to form an original one if you're having a hard time coming up with one on your own.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

Cool. In the first novel I'm writing I switch between POVs by paragraph rather than chapter but I want to use the 1 POV-per-chapter structure in some future works. [i like the names Meiko and Itami but Markuxia instantly reminds me of Marluxia from Kingdom Hearts.]

LOL! The funny thing is that it's supposed to be Marluxia. It's a typo.

[The Grey Wolf]

LOL indeed!

[Jaime's Wench]

I google search all my made up names to make sure they're unique. Only way to be sure.

[Myrddin]

I google search all my made up names to make sure they're unique. Only way to be sure.

That or nuke them from orbit.

[The Grey Wolf]

The hard part is coming up with the unique names. At least to me it is. On the other hand when you find a name that really clicks, the satisfaction is indeed palpable. Hope you find success Jamie's Wench as well as everyone else writing.

[Francis Buck]

Has anyone ever written an autistic character before? Or at least someone in the autistic spectrum? I'm working on it right now and it's pretty tough. For starters, it's a fantasy that takes place in a world vaguely analogous to Antiquity, so the concept of "autism" does not exist in the way we think of it now. This forces me to show rather than tell, which is a good thing of course. But it's also a really fine line. I've done a lot of reading on the topic, trying to learn about symptoms and such, as well as some first-hand accounts of "what it's like to be autistic", and I have an autistic cousin that I'm drawing some influence from. Obviously I want to avoid making it too blunt, and I certainly don't want it be offensive in any way (the character isn't like the stereotypical autistic genius type deal -- in fact it's almost incidental to the greater story, but it is of course important to his characterization). At the same time, I don't want it to be so subtle that no one even gets it. I definitely want people to realize what his deal is, but again, I don't want to be offensive or bash people over the head with it.

Just curious if anyone has some experience in this area.

[The Grey Wolf]

I don't have first-hand knowledge or experience with autism [though I do with disabilities] so the best advice I can give is to show the reader both the physical symptoms and the thought process/emotional hurdles such a person would have, especially when you consider how society and family would treat him/her. Also, since its going to be in antiquity think of how people at the time with the knowledge/beliefs they had would have described it [autism] and thought of it. In medieval ages for example if someone had visions or started walking and talking at night in their sleep, people thought it a result of witchcraft, the devil, or God himself, which reflects simultaneously the people of that time's deep faith in religion and their lack of knowledge [compared to us].

[Weeping Sore]

first and foremost, thank you for the well wishes. :) to answer your question, yes, these are in order. I see your point about the last two titles, particularly Natures Wrath. I'll try to think up something that fits the mold of the first two.

If you want to read the plot, go here and scroll down:

I put a fair amount of details in it. Maybe it'll help you help me.

It sounds awesome. It seems like you didn't really get into the plot of the 3rd and 4th books in that thread though, unless I didn't read far enough. As for how to tell your back-story, have you considered having one of the original God-making scientists survive to the present to tell the story (longevity tech)? Maybe he/she has lived to regret their work?

[First of My Name]

snip

I haven't but it sounds like an interesting challenge.

One of the things I try to do in the Ensekyrai books is to involve all kinds of people, for example homosexuals. You dont see a lot of those in fiction (so thanks to GRRM) and that annoys me. Some of my main characters are now gay or bisexual. One's asexual.

And Littlefinger Baelish, I now recall reading your premise all those months ago, and when I reread it just now it sounds as interesting as it did then. But I'm afraid I can't help you with the titles, nothing pops into my head.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

It sounds awesome. It seems like you didn't really get into the plot of the 3rd and 4th books in that thread though, unless I didn't read far enough. As for how to tell your back-story, have you considered having one of the original God-making scientists survive to the present to tell the story (longevity tech)? Maybe he/she has lived to regret their work?

the plot will carry across the entire series. And yes, I have considered that possibility. I think the believability would cease to exist though, even in an alternate universe. I was thinking of having thesis and research papers be scattered across the world, gradually found and eventually pieced together to discover what Adrastos really is.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

I haven't but it sounds like an interesting challenge.

One of the things I try to do in the Ensekyrai books is to involve all kinds of people, for example homosexuals. You dont see a lot of those in fiction (so thanks to GRRM) and that annoys me. Some of my main characters are now gay or bisexual. One's asexual.

And Littlefinger Baelish, I now recall reading your premise all those months ago, and when I reread it just now it sounds as interesting as it did then. But I'm afraid I can't help you with the titles, nothing pops into my head.

it's okay, I'll just make sure you're my first paying customer when the first book is released :)

[Myrddin]

Deus Ex Machina

The Hand of Adrastos

Or some other play/reference on a common phrase referencing God.

[Jaime's Wench]

Has anyone ever written an autistic character before? Or at least someone in the autistic spectrum? I'm working on it right now and it's pretty tough. For starters, it's a fantasy that takes place in a world vaguely analogous to Antiquity, so the concept of "autism" does not exist in the way we think of it now. This forces me to show rather than tell, which is a good thing of course. But it's also a really fine line. I've done a lot of reading on the topic, trying to learn about symptoms and such, as well as some first-hand accounts of "what it's like to be autistic", and I have an autistic cousin that I'm drawing some influence from. Obviously I want to avoid making it too blunt, and I certainly don't want it be offensive in any way (the character isn't like the stereotypical autistic genius type deal -- in fact it's almost incidental to the greater story, but it is of course important to his characterization). At the same time, I don't want it to be so subtle that no one even gets it. I definitely want people to realize what his deal is, but again, I don't want to be offensive or bash people over the head with it.

Just curious if anyone has some experience in this area.

Hey, FB. I work/have worked with teenagers who are either mildly or moderately on the autistic spectrum. If you send me a chapter or two, I'll give it a crit. Also, read Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie - his POV character Friendly has a typical case of autism.

[Ebenstone]

I haven't but it sounds like an interesting challenge.

One of the things I try to do in the Ensekyrai books is to involve all kinds of people, for example homosexuals. You dont see a lot of those in fiction (so thanks to GRRM) and that annoys me. Some of my main characters are now gay or bisexual. One's asexual.

And Littlefinger Baelish, I now recall reading your premise all those months ago, and when I reread it just now it sounds as interesting as it did then. But I'm afraid I can't help you with the titles, nothing pops into my head.

Richard K Morgan's A Land Fit For Heroes has two protagonists that are gay. (Maybe one is bisexual, been a while.)

Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series has gay character featured prominently as well. (YA, too.)

Involving all kinds of people is the best way to do it, but don't just make a character gay, or anything for that matter, just for the sake of it. It has to fit the story and the world you've built. It's been a temptation for me to write a gay character in some of my stuff, but it feels forced and a novelty for the story I'm writing. Think of Renly and Loras. It serves a purpose for the story, even in though it is only implied.

[First of My Name]

the plot will carry across the entire series. And yes, I have considered that possibility. I think the believability would cease to exist though, even in an alternate universe. I was thinking of having thesis and research papers be scattered across the world, gradually found and eventually pieced together to discover what Adrastos really is.

I like that idea.

it's okay, I'll just make sure you're my first paying customer when the first book is released :)

As the story sounds now, I just might give it a try in any case :)

Also, in the TvB, what are the beasts? Those weren't mentioned in your summary, or does it refer to the acolytes or brigade?

Richard K Morgan's A Land Fit For Heroes has two protagonists that are gay. (Maybe one is bisexual, been a while.)

Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series has gay character featured prominently as well. (YA, too.)

Involving all kinds of people is the best way to do it, but don't just make a character gay, or anything for that matter, just for the sake of it. It has to fit the story and the world you've built. It's been a temptation for me to write a gay character in some of my stuff, but it feels forced and a novelty for the story I'm writing. Think of Renly and Loras. It serves a purpose for the story, even in though it is only implied.

True, but I found that the bi/a/homo sexual characters fit right in. Everything just clicked.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

I like that idea.

As the story sounds now, I just might give it a try in any case :)

Also, in the TvB, what are the beasts? Those weren't mentioned in your summary, or does it refer to the acolytes or brigade?

beasts has a double meaning in the context that I'll let you figure out.