C.L. Wilson's Blog, page 12

Worldbuilding 101 – Histories and Lore, Legends and Myths

All those of you who have been waiting (so patiently) for the next installment of the worldbuilding series, here it is! Our topic today, gentle writer, is about fleshing out the history of your planet and various peoples, their lore (body of knowledge about particular subjects) and their legends and myths. Of the three, I personally find legends (even more than myths) to be one of the most powerful tools in the worldbuilding arsenal. Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

History

The history of your planet, your various cultures, and key events on that planet and in those cultures are vital to everything that happens on that planet and in those cultures. We are all a product of our upbringing, and everything that is now is a product of something that came before.

Your world has a timeline too. The more you know about it, the more fully-realized your world is going to be. Does this mean you have to sit down and write out acres of historical data before you can begin your story? No, of course not, but it does help to document a few key “major” events — things that the people in your story will know about, that will have had some effect on the events in the story. A great plague, for instance, or a terrible war, or the death of someone important, or a king’s coronation.

There are some timeline generators you can use to give you ideas. One that’s fairly fun to play with is http://www.fantasist.net/timeline.shtml. I like it because it gives a range of “world events” that can spark your imagination.

If you don’t like that idea, just consider earth’s own history. I love history. Not the boring bits about dates of battles and wars, but the stories behind those battles and wars. I also love seeing how certain events change the course of the world. THOSE are the events you would document in your timeline.

In the novels of the Fading Lands, I started with two key historical events: The Mage Wars and The Scorching of the World (caps for emphasis). I knew the Scorching had occurred 1,000 years prior to the story start. I knew my hero was 1200 years old at the story start. Even now, I’m still not exactly certain how long the Mage Wars raged, but I’ve pinned it down to approximately 4-5 years, give or take a year or two. My reasoning: that much devastation can’t go on for too long before there’s no one and nowhere left to fight. I also had a vague idea of several important historical events: “Time before memory” and a key event that will be revealed in QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS.

The rest of my timeline grew as the story developed, and as I discovered things, I added them to my “History of the World” file. The assassination of Marikah and Dorian I and the Vengeance of Gaelen vel Serranis, which kicked off the Mage Wars. The Great Plague which occurred 300 years prior to story start and re-initialized trade between Eld and Celieria. I have also made reference to the Demon Wars and various legends and events (Lissalukai breathes magic into the world, Fellana the Bright meets Sevander, Shannisorran v’En Celay meets his truemate, Elfeya), but I haven’t placed them exactly on the timeline. I’ve found myself backtracking now and trying to pin those events down, because I’m at the point where timing of historical events is becoming more and more important and my references to those events needs to be solid.

Being an excel nerd, the easiest way for me to create and track a timeline is to create an Excel spreadsheet file. I love the sortability-by-date feature which makes it easy to add things and just re-sort.

Oh, and if you are REALLY nerdly and do something goofy like build a planet with two moons (like I did) and tie power to the revolution of those moons (like I–Bonk! Bonk!–did), I just discovered a really cool calendar builder… http://www.gamewyrd.com/archives/cale... … where you can create a calendar (with full moon tracking for up to 5 moons). I was in nerdling heaven when I discovered this. The only down side is it doesn’t actually track the NEW moon phases (which was the part that was important to me). So I use…you guessed it…Excel.

Lore

Lore is really a collection of knowledge (or stories) about any topic. It can be factually based (herb lore) or less so (folklore). Factual lore may be documented by the knowledge-keepers, herbalists, medicine men, etc. Factual lore is, essentially, the seeds from which science germinates. It’s helpful to have some idea of what has been remembered and passed on–and what has been forgotten or changed. The last, most especially, can be a wellspring for the imagination.

Prior to the invention of the written word, knowledge and traditions were passed orally through tales and songs. As you can imagine, stories changed over time. Facts became blurred. Lore became legend, and eventually legends became myths.

Legends and Myths

I adore legends and myths. They bring such rich layers to a story and offer nearly endless depths to be plumbed for dramatic purpose.

Legends bring instant emotion to any scene. For any story to become legend, it must be extraordinary; therefore the mere fact that someone or some occurrence has passed into legend imbues the legendary person or event with great and supernatural power. And because legends are generally well known, you can show legends are significant by the way people react to the mention of them.

As a tool for storytellers, legends can be used in a variety of powerful ways: to highlight certain aspects of your story, give a sense of “prophesy” to the events or to specific characters, and even heighten dramatic tension, build suspense, or create fear. Think of how well the tale of the Headless Horseman works in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Think of how many horror movies (Halloween, Friday the 13th) use “legends” to instill fear–”They say that you can still see her ghost walking the halls.” Think of how romances use legends and myths to assign supernatural properties to events, people or places: “They say if you lean backwards over the well, you’ll see the reflection of your true love.” (Whoever “They” are…they are great nameless characters for storytellers!)

Think of all the End of the World prophesies there are, and how much they fascinate us.

I adore legends.

Sometimes, however, some of the best effect comes not from what is remembered but from what is forgotten. In the prologue of Peter Jackson’s fabulous Lord of the Rings movies, remember the voice of Galadriel (Cate Blanchette) saying, “Much that once was was lost, for none now live who remember it…and some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And…the ring passed out of all knowledge…” Oh my.

There is enormous potential in the value of lost knowledge and the rediscovery of it. The phenomenal bestseller, The DaVinci Code, revolves entirely around the investigation and rediscovery of lost religious secrets. Rediscovery of lost knowledge / disproving accepted fact / proving legend to be truth are all powerful dramatic tools a writer can use to great potential in their works.

In another example of how well legends can be used, consider Dragonflight, the first book in the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. There are many legends that McCaffrey uses to great effect in the book. Most of those legends are told through songs sung by the Harpers: The Ballad of Moreta’s Ride, the songs about Thread (crack dust/black dust), and The Question Song about what happened to all the Weyrs of Pern four hundred years earlier. (You can find a terrific compilation of them here.) These songs (legends) are vital to key scenes in the book. The Moreta’s Ride song is what pushes Lessa to admit she can talk to all dragons. The crack dust/black dust song lets F’lar realize what is happening in the cold regions as black dust falls from the skies. For the first time in 400 years, Thread is falling again, and the dragonriders must fly. And the Question Song…well, that is the key to the climax of the entire book.

Keep in mind: legends don’t have to be about ancient events or dead people either. Great heroes can be famous (legendary) in their lifetime for the great deeds they have done.

To sum it all up, if you are worldbuilding, every culture in your world will have histories, lor, legends and myths–a common knowledge store they all draw from. Those legends and histories can come out in useful places to move your story forward, raise tension, set expectations, increase the stakes, etc.

That’s all for now. I’ll be back again later with the next article: customs and taboos.

Worldbuilding 101 – Making Magic

Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble…

~Shakespeare’s MacBeth

 

In this long-delayed (and for that I do so apologize. Deadlines, you know) continuation of my Worldbuilding 101 series, we’re going to talk about creating credible magical systems for your world.

 

Because magic is by definition the most fantastic element of your created world, creating the specifics of your magic system can either fascinate readers or destroy all suspension of disbelief. That’s why it’s imperative you devote appropriate time, attention, and detail to the creation of a plausible and well-defined magic system.

I’m big on “discover as you go” but the basics of the magic are the one concrete foundation I absolutely MUST establish from the get go. Don’t do this, and woe betide you.

 

The Magic Must Make Sense

The number one rule when creating magic is this: create your rules, then follow them.

It doesn’t so much matter how your magic works but that it works the same way, every time. In other words, be consistent.

This does not mean you cannot have surprises or have your characters learn new magical techniques. But don’t have “The Door That Cannot Be Opened” suddenly be opened at will, without effort or struggle or some logical explanation.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to begin building rules for your magic system:

What can your magic do?
What can your magic not do? As always, limitations are just as important as capabilities.
Does your magic require totems, wands, potions, or other paraphenalia, or can your conjurers work their magic at will, without accoutrements?
Is there a limit to how much magic someone can wield? A physical, mental, or other price to using the magic (or particular types of magic)?
Where does the magic of your world come from? Is is inherent in all living things? Is it a gift from the gods (or devils?)? Is it a byproduct of some other activity? Is it passed genetically?
Who can wield magic and how do they get it? Is it a genetic trait or something that is studied? Do they use it instinctively? Must they train to use it? Do different races wield different kinds of magic?
Can a person lose his / her magic? How? Once lost, can the magic be regained?
Can magic be counteracted? Spells be broken? Often times, particular environmental / physical “nullifiers” cause particular magics not to work.
Are there specific dangers / vulnerabilities magic wielders possess? Think the evil witch in Wizard of Oz who melted when water was thrown on her. Garlic holds off vampires; silver bullets kill werewolves. What are the threats to your magic wielders?

One trap to watch out for (and it can be easy to fall into) is the lure of creating “all powerful” beings. Do not! Be sure even the most powerful magic wielders in your world have a vulnerability. (Remember from my earlier post: Bambi v. Godzilla. No contest.) Your magic wielders should not be gods — unless, of course, you’re writing a story about gods (but in those cases, the antagonists are not likely to be mere mortal).

 

Types of Magic

There are many different types of magic. when you are choose what type of magic system to use, consider what your story is about, consider the theme of your story, and chose a magic system that will help you illustrate that theme. If all you do is throw cool magic into your book, you’re missing half the value and purpose of using it!

Many vampire novels, for instance, are really books that explore the themes of humanity and godhood, sin and salvation, redemption and damnation, life and death, light and dark. For that reason, most vampire magic throws those themes into conflict. Vampires have eternal life, but in a dead body.

Here are a few ideas for types of magic:

Elemental Magic. Earth, Water, Fire, Air. This could be the ability to manipulate nature (ie., control an existing fire, make a river suddenly roar up like a herd of racing horses, etc.) or it could be the ability to use the elements and “create” something that doesn’t exist (make water fountain in the desert, raise mountains, start fires, etc.).
Demon / Djinn Magic. Magic worked by summoning demons or djinns. Ofetn involves knowing “names” of demons/djinns and using some sort of summoning spell to enslave them. The demon/djinn is often collared or cuffed (with magical enslavement manacles) and often tied to some physical device.
Witchcraft/Wizardry. Usually involves spells, potions, wands etc. Typically considered a “craft” in that study improves abilities, but most witches/wizards are born with magical ability.
Psy Talents. “Magic” worked through mental powers. Includes telepathy, telekensis, teleportation, precognition, etc. Genetic manipulation, some sort of “awakening event” (ie, near death experience, radiation, etc.) or hereditary influence are three common causes for psy talents.
Weather Magic. Ability to control or manipulate wind, storms, rain, lightning, etc.
Beast Magic. Often involves communication or control of animals, birds, and/or fishes. Sometimes includes shapeshifting. Sometimes merely allows the user to see through the eyes and senses of animals. Some forms of “beast magic” take the form of “totem animals” where a particular beast spirit guides the magic-wielder or has some sort of psychic connection to him or becomes the type of animal a magic-wielder can shift into.
Rock/Crystal Magic. Ability to wield magical powers using crystals. Often used for healing, scrying, etc.
Metallurgical Magic. Magic tied to specific types of metal objects (often swords, mail, sheilds, etc have special magical properties. Typically, metallurgical magic is embued by special forging / smelting techniques. (Dwarven axes, Elvish swords, etc.
Astrological/Planetary Magic. Magic tied to the movement of the stars, moons and planets in the heavens. Often used for precognitive events and for “special days” where certain magical events can only happen during specific planetary/solar/universal alignment events.
Blood Magic. Blood is frequently used as a vital component in performing magical rituals. As, literally, the liquid of life, blood frequently has inherent magical abilities. Often used for “sacrificial” magical spells.
Necromancy. Magic associated with the ghosts and spirits of the dead.
Bone/Relic Magic. Runes are frequently etched on the bones of animals, witches, saints and used to fortel the future. Holy relics collected and presumed to have “holy” magical abilites were bones of saints, bits of cloth from clothes they wore, splinters from the cross, etc.
Creature Magic. Magical creatures often can transfer certain of their magical powers to individuals who have/use part of the creature. Dragon scales, for instance, could be used for an unbreakable shield, Dragon’s teeth for a poisonous sword or dagger, the pelt of a griffin might be impervious to flame, for instance. Creatures can also have special magical powers of their own that characters can use/covet. Unicorns horn is said to purify waters, for instance, and as we all saw in Harry Potter, phoenix tears have death-defying healing powers.
Divine Magic. Gods can impart gifts to their favorites. Such gifts, however, usually come with a high price. Prayers/miracles and direct diety-intervention are also possible forms of magic.
Mirror Magic. Mirrors have long been considered as having magical properties. They could be windows to the past or future, scrying devices, even portals to another world
Time Magic. The ability to manipulate time, time travel, etc.

As you can tell by just the (actually very SMALL!) list above, the types of magic are limited only by your imagination.

 

Consequences of Magic

If there is magic in your world, there are consequences of that magic. Because necessity is the motherhood of invention, technology (science) is far less likely to thrive in a society where magic is prevalent. Why invent a computer when a wizard can create magical implements that do the same thing? Why worry about telegraphs when psychics can just send thoughts zooming at light speed?

Now, if magic is not ubiquitous, its perfectly reasonable to expect that non-magical beings will turn to science as a counterbalance and as a form of self-defense (or find some other way to “control” the magical ones. Ooh…loads of opportunity for conflict there!).

This is not to say it’s impossible to create worlds where science and magic blend. Star Wars (laser guns vs. light sabers and “The Force”) did it quite nicely, and Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series combine the magic of dragons (telepathy, teleportation) with science as well. (Though in her books, the more advanced society lost a vast amount of their scientific advances and reverted to a more “medieval” society before engaging in a renaissance of scientific discovery and exploration.)

Whatever your magic, you should consider how it fits in (1) the context of your story and story themes and (2) the context of your world. And don’t forget: take your time to create thorough, well-thought out rules for your magic, and be sure to follow them!

Happy writing!

Announcing the Tairen’s Lair

Ever since I began the C.L. Wilson book launch countdowns and started giving away art, mugs, shirts, and more to help celebrate the release of my novels, I’ve had readers asking where they could purchase the Fading Lands merchandise I was giving away during the countdowns. Well, at long last, after years of false starts, delays and technical difficulties, I am thrilled beyond words to announce the grand opening of my online store, Tairen’s Lair.

The Tairen’s Lair is the online site for official C.L. Wilson merchandise, featuring art, gifts, t-shirts and more based on scenes and characters from the Fading Lands novels. The Lair is the culimination of a joint effort between me and my dear friend, artist Heather Carr, who has literally plucked my vision of the tairen straight from my head (and the pages of my novels) and brought them to life both in full color oil paintings and delightful pencil sketches.

Follow any of the links in this post to pop in and look around our store. Or, from my clwilson.com site, just click The Store menu and follow the links. In addition to Fading Lands merchandise, the Lair also showcases a selection of Heather’s other original fantasy art. We hope to add more new products and more fabulous fantasy artists in the coming months, so keep checking back.

To celebrate our grand opening, from now until December 31, 2012, all orders over $50 will automatically recieve a 10% discount at checkout.

You can also visit Heather and I in person each year at the Tairen’s Lair booth we host at Atlanta’s premier fantasy & science fiction convention, DragonCon.

As always, miora felah and beylah vo for being a friend of the Fey!

Join C.L. Wilson at the Barbara Vey Reader’s Appreciation Luncheon

I’m thrilled to announce that I will be joining NY Times Bestseller James Rollins and 36 other fabulous authors at the 2nd Annual Barbara Vey Readers Appreciation Luncheon to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 27 2013.

The event will be an afternoon luncheon filled with fun, gift bags full of books, door prizes, and raffles for all sorts of fabulous donated treats. Not only will you enjoy lunch at an author table (those who register early can chose the author they’d like to lunch with), but all attending authors will be participating in a book signing open solely to luncheon attendees.

This luncheon has been the brainchild of Barbara Vey’s for a long time and proceeds from the event will benefit local libraries. Enjoy a girl’s day out with a room full of your best friends who love books.

Tickets are on sale now. Visit http://barbaraveyreaders.com for details.

New C.L. Wilson Author Website Launched

I'm so thrilled to announce the launch of my new, updated author website!

Thanks to the talents of friend, fellow author, and web designer extraordinaire, Lisa Paitz Spindler, I have a gorgeous new home on the web! The URL is the same, www.clwilson.com, but the site's had a major overhaul and a truly professional beautification. I hope you pop in to check out my new digs.

What's new and different beside the look:

A map of Eloran
A reader's resources area
A bookseller's resources area
One-click links to my twitter, Facebook, myspace and goodreads accounts
A new and improved News and Events section
A website search feature to make information on my site as easy to locate as possible

For me, administratively, the new site allows me greater control over content, so I'll be able to update information much more quickly.

And I'm not done yet! I've got several new exciting additions to the website in the works, including a Members Only section that will be chock-full of great info, so do check back.

As always, beylah vo! And thank you for your continued support.

NaNoWriMo Starts Tomorrow - Are YOU Ready?

Tomorrow kicks off the 2011 National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).  I'm accepting the challenge again.  Maybe THIS will be the year I actually complete a 50,000 word rough draft of a book in one month!


Are any of the rest of you participating in NaNoWriMo? 

NaNoWriMo Starts Tomorrow – Are YOU Ready?

Tomorrow kicks off the 2011 National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I'm accepting the challenge again. Maybe THIS will be the year I actually complete a 50,000 word rough draft of a book in one month!

Are any of the rest of you participating in NaNoWriMo?

New German Cover for LORD OF THE FADING LANDS

My German publisher, Bastei Lübbe, has just re-released the German translation of Lord of the Fading Lands ( Im Bann des Elfenkönigs) with a new cover to match the others. It's beautiful, and 1,000 times better than the original German cover!

Check it out:



Old German Cover New German Cover


The Tairen Soul quintet now looks like this:


Lord of the
Fading Lands Lady of Light
and

New German Cover for LORD OF THE FADING LANDS

My German publisher, Bastei Lübbe, has just re-released the German translation of Lord of the Fading Lands ( Im Bann des Elfenkönigs) with a new cover to match the others. It's beautiful, and 1,000 times better than the original German cover!

Check it out:

Old German Cover
New German Cover

The Tairen Soul quintet now looks like this:

Fan Letter Blog Crawl - Fabulous Tairen Soul Love from Leontine's Book Realm

Leontine Roodakker is without a doubt one of the most passionate supporters of romance novels in all the Netherlands.  She and I met in cyberspace in the summer of 2007, just before the first book in my Tairen Soul series, and we've been friends ever sicne. 

Very active on Goodreads, a delightful blogger, and just an all around wonderful person, Leontine contacted me yesterday to let me know