RightingWrite by Fadran - Fantasy

[Condensation]

So... next lesson? I'm enjoying this.

[Frustration]

I hope @Channelknight Fadran doesn't mind but I'm giving todays lesson

or Mini lesson

So I recently discovered this lifechanging stratagy that has made my productivity skyrocket, 

So I was stalking u/Mistborn on Reddit, as you do, I only rarly get on there so the fact that I found it is rather remarkable. And He had am amazing suggestion

Use spreadsheets

He told another user to use spreadsheets to keep track of his word count, I tried it out and found myself looking forward to writing, it was amazing.

anyway had to get that out there professional tips onto the next guy.

-Frustration 

[Channelknight Fadran]

Eek! Sorry, frens. Someone gimme something to give a lesson about, and I'll try to write one out tomorrow. Maybe we can go Q&A style?

5 minutes ago, Frustration said:

I hope @Channelknight Fadran doesn't mind but I'm giving todays lesson

or Mini lesson

So I recently discovered this lifechanging stratagy that has made my productivity skyrocket, 

So I was stalking u/Mistborn on Reddit, as you do, I only rarly get on there so the fact that I found it is rather remarkable. And He had am amazing suggestion

Use spreadsheets

He told another user to use spreadsheets to keep track of his word count, I tried it out and found myself looking forward to writing, it was amazing.

anyway had to get that out there professional tips onto the next guy.

-Frustration 

How are your spreadsheets formatted and whatnot? I'd like to give this a shot.

[Frustration]

3 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

How are your spreadsheets formatted and whatnot? I'd like to give this a shot.

So I have the Date along the x axis and overall word count as the y axis, set it to line graph in google sheets and I get a cool visual along with it.

[Forms of mind]

On 2/8/2021 at 5:19 PM, Frustration said:

So I have the Date along the x axis and overall word count as the y axis, set it to line graph in google sheets and I get a cool visual along with it.

That is probably general trend (line of best fit) R^2 can vary depending on day to day situation

Edited February 18, 2021 by Forms of mind

[Frustration]

Wow another guest lesson by Frustration?!

it's amazing.

 

Lesson: magic system synergy and how the Metallic arts are a(n almost) perfect example.

So let's say you've made a world, built it's cultures and kingdoms, but it's various magics feel disjointed and seem to connect in all the wrong ways? Well fear not young mortals for I have come to aid you in your time of Frustration.

Synergy of magic is the term I'm using to define how magic systems interact, and as a walk-through we will use the metallic arts from Mistborn as an example.

What tends to happen early on in drafting is that your various ideas for magics tend to grow constantly added to and shifted, but they don't work well together and it ends up becoming a chaotic mess. to solve this we have a few basic tools to help us.

• Similarity in use
• Similarity in source
• Similarity in power
• Opposites in Use
• Opposites in source
• Opposites in Power

Using just one or multiple of these can greatly simplify the magics in your world both for yourself and your reader

When looking at similarity in use the best example for the metallic arts is the difference between Hemalurgy and allomancy, with Hemalurgy you insert metal into your victim, with Allomancy you place the metal inside yourself.

Similarity in source is even easier as we see metal consistently being the key to accessing the various powers, but used slightly differently each time
Similarity in power, we will look at the links between Allomantic and Feruchemic Pewter, as well as tin from all three arts,(and find one of he flaws in the synergy of metallic arts as Iron steals strength not pewter) the similarities these metals bring in the arts helps link them together, showing that even though they are different they are still largely the same, as strength and senses hold throughout the arts with few, but noticeable differences. (for additional reference see differences between The One Power, and the True Power in WoT)

Opposites in source comes from Preservation and Ruin's polar relationship, the way that the mists are repulsed by Hemalurgy, and that Atium Geodes break under allomancy lets them display there difference, but also shows them interacting with clear and definitive rules.

Opposites in power requires us to look at the synergy on the arts singularly rather than the arts as a whole, the pushing/pulling storing/tapping, and spiking/spiked divide Synergy to take place, internally rather than externally.

 Opposites in use doesn't really come into play, as someone doesn't turn powers back into metals(though that would have been an awesome addition I must say) but that's fine, only one method is really needed, the others just make it more complete.

Now if you find the magic feels to similar, remember that it says Similarity, not sameness feel free to make tweaks to suit the story you are writing.

Synergy of magic done.

[Aspiring Writer]

On 2/8/2021 at 5:06 PM, Frustration said:

I hope @Channelknight Fadran doesn't mind but I'm giving todays lesson

or Mini lesson

So I recently discovered this lifechanging stratagy that has made my productivity skyrocket, 

So I was stalking u/Mistborn on Reddit, as you do, I only rarly get on there so the fact that I found it is rather remarkable. And He had am amazing suggestion

Use spreadsheets

He told another user to use spreadsheets to keep track of his word count, I tried it out and found myself looking forward to writing, it was amazing.

anyway had to get that out there professional tips onto the next guy.

-Frustration 

Oddly enough, I ended up doing this recently also partly because of Brandon, though it was from him saying you need to find a way to keep yourself motivated in a vid, and also my friend and I have calculated how much I need to write to finish my current work in a year, which I need to work on doing to improve my pace. 

[Channelknight Fadran]

...so what if instead of just doing regular lessons like I was doing, I just take request lessons?

[Frustration]

39 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

...so what if instead of just doing regular lessons like I was doing, I just take request lessons?

Meaning having me do it?

In all seriousness I'm not sure what you mean.

[Mat]

13 minutes ago, Frustration said:

Meaning having me do it?

In all seriousness I'm not sure what you mean.

Like, "Hey Fadran, do a thing about this" And then Fadran does a thing about that

[Channelknight Fadran]

34 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Like, "Hey Fadran, do a thing about this" And then Fadran does a thing about that

Exactly.

[Flaming Coinshot]

I've been struck with Worldbuilder's disease. I have no less than 7 (7? 8? maybe 9?) semi- or unused worlds lying around. The farthest I've got is 12433 words on one of them, and I wrote it all wrong. @Channelknight Fadran, you're my only hope. (Who gets the reference?) How do I get my ideas on paper? (Of course, if I'm being too general, or if it was something you were saving till later...um...completely ignore this.)

[DramaQueen]

11 minutes ago, Flaming Coinshoot said:

I've been struck with Worldbuilder's disease. I have no less than 7 (7? 8? maybe 9?) semi- or unused worlds lying around. The farthest I've got is 12433 words on one of them, and I wrote it all wrong. @Channelknight Fadran, you're my only hope. (Who gets the reference?) How do I get my ideas on paper? (Of course, if I'm being too general, or if it was something you were saving till later...um...completely ignore this.)

[Frustration]

18 minutes ago, Flaming Coinshoot said:

I've been struck with Worldbuilder's disease. I have no less than 7 (7? 8? maybe 9?) semi- or unused worlds lying around. The farthest I've got is 12433 words on one of them, and I wrote it all wrong. @Channelknight Fadran, you're my only hope. (Who gets the reference?) How do I get my ideas on paper? (Of course, if I'm being too general, or if it was something you were saving till later...um...completely ignore this.)

Well the answer ultimately comes down to you.

I have a similar problem, and I'll tell you my story.

I was 10,000 words in when a change in worldbuilding made the story no longer fit into the world I wanted, Brandon Sanderson says to just write, because the exspirience was important, but I decided that I wasn't going to write if I didn't enjoy it.

So I suppose you have to ask yourself, what is causing the problems, and are you willing to fix it.

[Flaming Coinshot]

Aight. Thanks for the advice.

[Channelknight Fadran]

43 minutes ago, Flaming Coinshoot said:

I've been struck with Worldbuilder's disease. I have no less than 7 (7? 8? maybe 9?) semi- or unused worlds lying around. The farthest I've got is 12433 words on one of them, and I wrote it all wrong. @Channelknight Fadran, you're my only hope. (Who gets the reference?) How do I get my ideas on paper? (Of course, if I'm being too general, or if it was something you were saving till later...um...completely ignore this.)

To be completely honest, the best advice that I can give is to write it out until you burn out. Not every world you build--and especially the many you create with Worldbuilder's Disease--have to get themselves a full novel. All that you really need is to hammer through any new inspirations you get until you get bored.

[Flaming Coinshot]

Aight.

[Kureshi Ironclaw]

4 hours ago, Flaming Coinshoot said:

I've been struck with Worldbuilder's disease. I have no less than 7 (7? 8? maybe 9?) semi- or unused worlds lying around. The farthest I've got is 12433 words on one of them, and I wrote it all wrong. @Channelknight Fadran, you're my only hope. (Who gets the reference?) How do I get my ideas on paper? (Of course, if I'm being too general, or if it was something you were saving till later...um...completely ignore this.)

What works for me is to not do any super specific world building until after I've started writing and the story has a trajectory. From there it is easier to maintain the momentum and it will be easier to tell which worldbuilding elements you actually need to flesh out in-depth for the story going forward. By the end of the first draft you'll have a fair amount of relevant worldbuilding and it isn't too hard to make small adjustments to the earlier parts of the story where you were still figuring things out when you go back through on the edit.

[Flaming Coinshot]

Aight. I might try that. Thanks for the advice, y'all.

[Trutharchivist]

I never really figured out if there is a good, simple way to build characters. Should I just base them off on people I know? Should I try to invent a whole new characteristics for every one? Or perhaps I actually better start off from typical characters and then add interesting quirks of my own? Can I get help with that? (Should I tag someone?)

[Channelknight Fadran]

Whenever I can't come up with a good RP character I just steal someone from Fire Emblem

[Kureshi Ironclaw]

11 hours ago, Trutharchivist said:

I never really figured out if there is a good, simple way to build characters. Should I just base them off on people I know? Should I try to invent a whole new characteristics for every one? Or perhaps I actually better start off from typical characters and then add interesting quirks of my own? Can I get help with that? (Should I tag someone?)

A simple way could be to just randomize some traits and features to get the ball rolling and flesh them out more from there. Or you can think of character archetypes and roles within the story as a starting point and add detail to make them unique. I know Brandon has spoken a few times in his lectures about creating characters that are in conflict with their setting and I think that can work pretty well because it is often a precursor to a strong motivation.

For little quirks and mannerisms I think it's fine enough to base things off people you know, but there also has to be a purpose for it in the story otherwise it can come across as a random quirk for the sake of a quirk. I have a character that compulsively adjusts her hair and touches her ears, but she does this because her elven heritage makes her uncomfortable and she wants her hair to cover her ears so she looks human. She's been doing this since she was young so now it's unconscious and can come across as a nervous tick.

I also think it's fine to take inspiration from other characters or real-life for things like attitude and temperament. This is especially useful for side characters where you need them to have a bit of personality but don't want to or don't need to fully flesh them out. There's a character in my current DnD campaign whose personality is basically a copy paste of Princess Scorpia from She-Ra and another that is based off David Mitchell.

Really it's whatever works to get you started and then depth will come as you spend more time with a character. I also don't like building a character from one single life-defining event because that can come across pretty one-dimensional. It's important to sprinkle in a few events to define how a character behaves and how they see the world. 

[Channelknight Fadran]

7 hours ago, Kureshi Ironclaw said:

For little quirks and mannerisms I think it's fine enough to base things off people you know, but there also has to be a purpose for it in the story otherwise it can come across as a random quirk for the sake of a quirk. I have a character that compulsively adjusts her hair and touches her ears, but she does this because her elven heritage makes her uncomfortable and she wants her hair to cover her ears so she looks human. She's been doing this since she was young so now it's unconscious and can come across as a nervous tick.

I personally think that this is a misconception. Why can't a person just be some way because they are that way? I wear a hat because I want to; no other reason. I don't have some incredibly debilitating hair disease that makes me want to cover it up with all that I am. I'm not saying don't have reasons, I'm just saying that you don't have to have reasons for everything.

[Kureshi Ironclaw]

10 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

I personally think that this is a misconception. Why can't a person just be some way because they are that way? I wear a hat because I want to; no other reason. I don't have some incredibly debilitating hair disease that makes me want to cover it up with all that I am. I'm not saying don't have reasons, I'm just saying that you don't have to have reasons for everything.

Fair point. There's nothing wrong with including little things like that to add texture to a character. If your character is that way because they are that way, that means you've already got a clear image of who the character is and probably don't need little tricks to build them. A character wanting to wear a hat is a perfectly valid reason for them to wear a hat (also valid for real people, sorry to use you as an example). I have a character that likes to wear a hat, but he also likes how much his hat annoys everyone around him, and I use this in the story to generate conflict and humour.

The danger with this can come with little mannerisms and traits being a stand in for actual characterization and personality. It can turn characters into caricatures and becomes especially noticeable in a cast where you'll end up with "here's the character that is always fidgeting" and "here's the character that doesn't speak with contractions". Really I'm talking about not characterizing a character with a single mannerism or trait. I like to treat mannerisms and traits like effects of personality, rather than causes of personality, so they give a bit of a hint to a character's inner life. 

[KyL]

hot in the hat