How to write fiction
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Why to watch out with words!
Maybe you think words are not something to be wary of. Watch out! The traitors. Sometimes the complaint is hidden among them. They can be a quick peek into the horrible inner world of the character. And they’re easily misunderstood. Pick them with care. Or let them ooze without regard. As unworthy as they seem, they can change a character’s world. In consequence, be wary of words and in awe too. Pasto kalo.
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From the fly-man to the man-fly, are magic system reversible? p2
Determining the time our story is taking place we can imagine clothes, culture, tech and… resolve the question about society behaviour. How are men and women to behave? It also helps choosing the way we’re bending the usual plot lines known for fantasy in order to create something different.
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From the fly-man to the man-fly, are magic system reversible? p1
Once we have these three elements (limitation frame around the magic to be used, abundance or lack thereof and the beings working out the magic system or against it) we have enough to discuss story seed. What Michael Alwill calls seed story (I’d call it magic bean) is: Where? When? What's society like? Main character? We need to choose a place for our story to make sense
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How to box a character into a corner in magic systems… p2
What's the media shooting the bullet? Meaning: wand, spell, runes? How many spells can be used at a time, do runes lose charge as batteries? Are candles needed? What’s the duration of a potion? Magic is the same for every human being and it is not at the same time. We all expect fantasy genre to fulfill our expectations.
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How to box a character into a corner in magic systems… p1
In order for us not to get into closed back alleys regarding the use of magic, we must have our magic system defined in terms of use. The way it is used, limits the possible actions to be taken by characters. The magic system has to be self-contained. Yet, at the same time we exploit the limits of magic so our character needs to recur to something extraordinaire to save the day.
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Does anyone play magic cards? p2
Whilst it is impossible for novels to play more than one action line per character and that’s a great characteristic of movies; theater can’t display as much, given budget and the stage real time convention. And despite comics being able to, drawing economy is a must. We have to be thrifty with time and resources (unless we’re working for a publishing house with the money and the power). The emotional investment of a magic system based upon the alternation, is one in which we have more time of stage scene for our antagonist and protagonist like in a chess duel Kasparov vs computer.
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A web of words
From the fly-man to the man-fly, are magic system reversible? p1
Get ready to write fiction
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Does anyone play magic cards? p1
Magic systems can be as simple as playing chess. One move at a time. Protagonist vs antagonist.
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Wand dares and magic systems p2
Magic system definition is about answering or not every raised question by your magic system. Is the magic something to be pursued or is it something that exists there and there’s nothing to explain? Plus this definition, abundance and scarcity can bring up the problem of discrimination, persecution and differentiation.
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Wand dares and magic systems p1
A magic system responds to how much magic is there. Is it abundant or scarce? If it is scarce, who can use magic? The norm is for magic to be scarce; let there be too much and we fall into a boring proposition: everybody is the same… Scarcity can be easily turned into the quest by the chosen one.
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Double, double, toil and trouble
«Un escritor nunca toma vacaciones. Porque una vida de escribir consiste ya sea en escribir o pensar acerca de escribir» / «A writer never takes a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.» Eugène Ionesco The original title was the Spanish translation to that Shakespeare’s lines that would literally be: «Don’t stop, never cease the work, taxing or not»I’ve never read this mister but I agreed with him as soon as I read the entry. Thus. Have fun being a workaholic. Pasto kalo.
