Maps: The Galaxy Edition

So when I first started writing, I had no desire to place my stories on earth. So I would create maps (See previous posts) of places, and then make a planet for that map. And then came the big question;
Where is this planet?
That was when I decided that all of the planets that are home to all of my stories were in a Galaxy together, The Galaxy of Wonders.
Very cliche, very predictable, but still it sticks. It is a galaxy teeming with life and marvels. And then I mapped it out. It was a simple process.
All I did was take a piece of paper, gel pens, a pencil (outline everything so I could organize it), and a little bit of time.
Add a few special things, notable stars or what-have-you and you have a galaxy.
So, if you find yourself in the same boat as me, try it out. Map out a galaxy and remember, you make the rules for this.
In one of the galaxies I made their sun is a blue star!
There is no sky to limit you. Just the endlessness of space.
You aren't held back by science, or history, or even math! You get to create whatever you want.

Also, you can totally rewrite what science says. Don't be daunted by it! Put life on Mars! Or Uranus! Say that Pluto isn't nearly as cold as what scientists believe! Say there's a planet that nobody has ever seen because it is always exactly opposite of Earth!
Have fun.
Be Creative.
Let me know what you think!
A bientot!

Opinions

So, today we are going to talk about opinions in characters. But first, the definition as known by Merriam-Webster:

opin·ion

 noun \ə-ˈpin-yən\

: a belief, judgment, or way of thinking about something : what someone thinks about a particular thing

: advice from someone with special knowledge : advice from an expert

: a formal statement by a judge, court, etc., explaining the reasons a decision was made according to laws or rules

There are billions of opinions in the world, and your fantasy world is no different. But sometimes things seem easier if everyone is of the same mindset as you main character.
But this presents a different problem.
The Clone Complex. Every character is similar to the last, because all of the opinions are the same. This makes things seem unreal and can pull a reader out of the story.

There is also the problem of having too many conflicting opinions that everyone must be right about. If you have this, you better hope you wrote in a neutral character to break up the fight.

But we can't disregard opinions. They are a part of each beings personality.

So I challenge you to write about two characters fighting over their different opinions.
Have fun, don't be too hard on yourself, and let me know how it goes.
Until next time!

On Elves...

My trusty Computer Dictionary Definition:

elf [elf]

(plural elves [elvz])

n

1.	small supernatural mischief-maker: in folklore, a small lively imaginary being resembling a human with pointed ears, often considered to have a mischievous nature and magical powers
2.	small mischievous person: any small person, especially a child, who plays pranks or tricks

To Me:
Elves are some of my favorite magical creatures. Depending on the type of elf you think of.
My favorite kinds of elves are tall, strong, and filled with beauty and knowledge. They seek in books, and in history, and present to find answers to questions that will further aid them in life. They are warriors of great skill. Their lives are longer lived than other's.
They Can be mischievous, yes, but I personally think J.R.R. Tolkien's Elves are very close to my idea of elves. Solemn, wise, beautiful.

But, everybody's ideas differ from another's.

Then there are always Santa's Elves. Which personally I would have to say I like the elves in The Santa Clause.

That's just me...I think...

Elves are experts on gleaning supplies from their surroundings. I would say they also take the most pleasure in books...but that would be lying, and you really don't want a centaur on your back. That could become painful.

Until Next timewhen I don't know what the topic will be.

The Problem with Magical Creatures

In almost every book you read you will find that the magical creatures are depicted as either Vain or proud.
I'm not saying that yours need to be, but it is good to keep that in mind as you think about them.

Description is everything. The way you describe things will always be different from the way others describe things. Take the above picture. How would you describe it? What is it? What isn't shown in the photo? What colors are shown? Describe one thing, what adjective is the first that comes to mind?

That's your description.

Not let me tell you my answers.

Mushrooms were closely packed together, like a tight little village of Pixie homes. Hiding away in their elusive houses, they peek out their windows at you as you pass. The roof's deer-like color stands neutrally against the green life surrounding it. Easily destroyed are their delicate homes, so watch your step.

Quite different, right?
It doesn't go into intricate details, but it gets the point across; that there were some mushrooms bunched together and that the writer thinks of mushrooms as little fairy homes. (Which they totally are!)
Though Mushrooms also make people think of:
http://images.wikia.com/nintendousatitle/images/1/19/Shroom1.jpg

So take some time to think about what types of homes your creatures live in.
Do they live in mushrooms? Or enchanted tree houses? A cave? A mine? A castle, a hut, a farmhouse? Do they have a home? Or is the Creature a wanderer?

Practice Describing.

On Pixies: Part 2; Winter

Winter Fairies. Snow, ice, cold, barren land, bare trees; all the elements that make up winter, that is what these fairies are all about. Now it is not necessarily those weary things, they could be obsessed with the beautiful things of winter too like frosted windows, beautiful landscapes, sledding hills, frozen ponds for skating on, wintery clothing, and each little snowflake that must be woven uniquely.

They are passionate, but sometimes very chill in their relationships with other people. The Shadow, the night fairies, and them get along mostly in all ways, except that which I have already told you, and even then I will touch some more fairy differences when I get to night fairies to show you what I mean.


One example of a Winter fairy would be Winterlynn. Winterlynn is as her appearance portrays her; Cold, icy, unfriendly, deathly beautiful. She only loves certain people, she is only friendly with certain people. Her general rule is if you are like her, you are her friend, if you are a winter fairy, you are her friend, if you are family, depends on your relationship.


Another example of a Winter fairy would be Gavin Frosty-foot. He got the name Frosty-foot when saving a little girl from frostbite when he was really too young to be doing any magic, as a result, his foot is practically dead, and his foot is forever frost-bit. He loves children, he would spend whole Balls just playing with them, and singing them to sleep, tucking them into bed, and watching them sleep peacefully in the flickering candlelight. He is shy because of his foot, and blushes blue when a girl talks to him.


These two types of winter fairies clash, and would usually end up killing each other, but some keep the peace. They do their jobs, and get as much joy from it as possible. They are always working on new projects for winter.


When winter isn’t in season, they still make snowflakes for next year, they do the frost in early spring and in late fall. They rest for the most part. They look to expand their family, and they visit family.