R.M. Archer's Blog, page 14

Book Review: Air Awakens by Elise Kova

I decided a few months ago that I wanted to do a series of reviews covering books that I expected to have similar styles or content to Calligraphy Guild, as a sort of extended comp titles list and a way to support other authors in the process of promoting my own release. This means that my blog posts will mostly be book reviews for the next few months, but writing posts will resume sometime around or after Calligraphy Guild‘s release. Air Awakens was the first book I read for this potential comp titles list, and while it doesn’t bear much resemblance to Calligraphy Guild, it was a solid read.

Synopsis

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond…

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world.

Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

Review

I liked the characters, first off. Even the ones I didn’t quite trust to begin with were still likeable, and all of the characters were engaging to read. I feel like Sareem wasn’t treated quite fairly; his behavior later in the book felt out-of-step with his behavior in the beginning, which might have just been my perception or might have been an effort to make him less likeable for the sake of the love triangle (which… as someone with a soft spot for the best friend character… might have been a just concern, lol. But I do hope that’s not the case, since there are better ways to handle that). But Fritz was fun, Larel was cool (I might have liked to see more of her, and hopefully she gets more page-time in future books), the princes were both great (even if I didn’t like Aldrik at first), the library master was great… My only real complaint with the characters is that some of them didn’t get as much page-time as I would have liked to get to know them.

Vhalla’s arc was really well-done, overall. I feel like I experienced her changes of heart alongside her. (Minor spoilers ahead) I was annoyed at first that she was going to eventually leave the library when she so clearly loved it and was comfortable there (just as she stubbornly wanted to stay), but then at some point that irritation fell away and the transition felt natural when the time came. (End of spoilers) Her character felt consistent throughout, despite the changes she went through, so… it was a very well-done arc.

The worldbuilding was also cool. I would have liked to have seen it fleshed out a little more, but I think that’s due more to my desire to explore every fictional world I come across than due to any neglect on the author’s part. The magic system was well-explained where it needed to be, the setting was clear… It was a fairly familiar setting, but with enough unique elements and focus on them to not seem too boring. (The purpose and setting of the library, for example, was one of my favorite elements of the world.)

The prose wasn’t especially notable. There were some odd grammatical choices that carried on throughout (a habit of putting commas where periods might have served better and a habit of putting one character’s actions in the same paragraph as two parts of another character’s dialogue, which made it slightly hard to follow), but they were consistent enough that they didn’t hinder the flow too terribly once one got used to them. And there were a few quotes I noted as I read:

“I’m very proud to be a man. Men have duties, honors, which we can stand behind and take pride in.” He raised his eyes to look at them. “Abusing a women—abusing anyone—violates all of those.”

(My favorite.)

“Alone, she was left with her thoughts and the demons that lived there.”

**

“I wanted to see you well and happy. I wanted to see you flourish, and I wanted only a small piece. To know that, in you, I had made something good. And I truly wanted to keep you from pain.”

Overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit. (I read the first quarter in one sitting and then I stayed up until 2am reading the last three quarters in another sitting, lol.) I’d give it a solid four stars. It did have more casual references to sexual topics than I’d prefer, and it was just missing that special something to bump it up to five stars, but I enjoyed it and I look forward to reading other books in the series.

General rating: 4 stars

Similarity to Calligraphy Guild: .5 stars (generously)

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Sunshine Blogger Award #7

Today’s Sunshine Blogger Award is courtesy of Saraina Whitney. Thanks, Saraina!

RulesThank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blogAnswer the questionsNominate eleven bloggers and ask them eleven questionsQuestions

What would be on your bucket list if you were invisible?

Ooh, interesting question. I think I’d sneak onto flights and explore all over the world. It would be a bit of a bummer to not be able to interact with locals, being invisible and all, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.

What word do you overuse?

“Theoretically.” Which I didn’t realize until one of my co-workers pointed it out at camp last summer, so thanks Ethan. XD Now I notice pretty much every time I use it, lol.

Would you like having a child named after you?

Maybe? I’m not sure. It might depend on which name of mine was used and who it was naming their kid after me?

What’s the dumbest way you’ve been physically hurt?

*cracks up laughing* Um… I have a handful of contenders. I can think of three or four off the top of my head from last summer’s camp alone, lol. Arrogantly trying to catch the biggest horse on the farm, running full-tilt into a friend’s face because we went the same direction trying to get out of each others’ way, agreeing to be flipped off a teeter-totter by a different friend, poorly catching a football and jamming my finger… I got hurt a lot over the summer, and it was pretty much always for dumb reasons. XD XD

Which word would you use if you could only use one for the rest of your life?

“Please” could be a surprisingly versatile word, I think. But I had to sit here staring into space for several minutes to come up with that one, lol. Using only one word would be practically impossible. I’m a writer. XD XD

How many times a day do you have to ask people to repeat themselves?

On the average day, not a whole lot since most of my interactions take place online/over text or involve loud siblings. But when I’m out more… more than I would like. ;P

What song is playing in your mind right now?

“Don’t You Want to Thank Someone” by Andrew Peterson, because I’m actually listening to music right now, lol. If you’d caught me with no music running (ha), of late it would probably be “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” (Everyone keeps using it in Instagram reels, so pieces of it get stuck in my head and now I’m trying to listen to it more in full so that I can play through all of it instead of just one piece on repeat. :P)

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun do you have actually writing blog posts vs brainstorming ideas for them?

Hm… Brainstorming is probably a 5 or 6 lately, but when I’m in more writing/reading discussions it shoots up to an 8 or 9 because I get lots of inspiration from other people and things we talk about. (Give me a blog post and I can probably tell you who inspired it.)

How much I enjoy writing blog posts can fluctuate wildly, lol. It can be anywhere from a 3 on days I’m really not feeling it to a 10 on days I’m really excited about the subject matter.

Bubblegum or pistachios? (Randomness alert )

Pistachios.

Which is less risky, in your opinion: choosing truth or a dare?

Truth. I’m a pretty open person, if and when I think you’re interested in hearing about me, so there are few things someone could ask me that would make me really uncomfortable. Dares, on the other hand, tend not to be my thing, lol.

If you were a color, which color would you be? (Be as specific as you want!)

Ooh! So I actually have a really fun answer to this question. I actually asked my friends a few months ago what color they associate with me, and I got kind of a variety of answers, some of which made sense and some of which I found a bit odd. Burgundy was a relatively common choice, since that’s the color I wear most often and therefore it’s ended up pretty tied to me. And I’ve had friends say it suits me personality-wise, which I guess I can kind of see.

But ANYWAY. One of my friends pulled a very specific shade of yellow: #ffd45c

It made my day, because it’s exactly the color I want to be. Sunshiney but soft, bright and happy but not over-the-top (not that over-the-top is bad; it’s just not usually me, lol), able to make people smile… So yeah, I’d be #ffd45c. ^-^

(If I weren’t yellow, though, I think I’d be a green similar to my blog’s new accent color. Soft, peaceful, refreshing… still happy, but in a different way.)

New Questions

1. Who is your favorite musician right now?

2. What is your favorite color and why?

3. What are some of your favorite words?

4. What would be your dream book to find on the shelf? (Be as specific as you’d like!)

5. Do you play any video games?

6. What book are you most excited to read this year?

7. What’s something you find restful that a lot of people don’t enjoy?

8. If you gave a TEDtalk, what would the topic be? (If you want, write up a preview. )

9. How many books are on your TBR?

10. Libraries or bookstores?

11. What’s your favorite piece of classic literature?

NomineesGrace JohnsonLibby at Thoughts From a Stumbling SaintSarah at The Sarcastic ElfLavender BleuEdna at Bleeding InkPauline at Maple Quill Penning MagicL.E. MorganKristianne at Whimsical WanderingsEden at The Happy HedgehogMiranda at Virtual PaperTasha Van Kesteren

The post Sunshine Blogger Award #7 appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

My Anticipated Releases of 2022

Okay, so “anticipated releases” might be an inaccurate title for this post since my version of looking at new releases is going “Oh that looks super cool!”, adding them to my TBR, and then watching them sit there for years and years afterward. Plus… a lot of these have already come out by now, since it’s the end of March already. But, all the same, here are some of the coolest-looking books coming out this year (because there are a lot of awesome-looking books coming out this year).

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

So as it turns out, a lot of the coolest-looking books this year also have some of the coolest-looking covers. I mean… all of these are stunning.

And a lot of them are inspired by various Asian cultures, which is super cool. I’m very excited to be releasing an Asian-inspired fantasy among such lovely company this year. ^-^

Anyway, Daughter of the Moon Goddess came out in January and it looks amazing. The mother-daughter dynamic and the inspiration from Chinese mythology are probably the two biggest selling points, for me. But I’ll let you check out the synopsis yourself:

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

Sounds cool, right? This one got added to my TBR real fast.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

I actually ended up with an ARC for this one, unexpectedly! (Or a review copy, anyway; I guess it’s not technically an ARC since A River Enchanted came out on February 15th.) I signed up to Harper Voyager’s mailing list in hopes they’d send me Daughter of the Moon Goddess and they ended up sending A River Enchanted instead, which I’m pretty okay with considering A River Enchanted was also high on my TBR (and I didn’t realize it was an upcoming release until they sent me the ARC!).

The whole vibe of this one just sounds so cool. Plus, music. Music is always a good selling point. I’m anticipating sort of a mix of To Best the Boys and The Scorpio Races in terms of vibe? But we’ll see. Whatever the case, I’m eager to dive into this one.

House of Earth and Blood meets The Witch’s Heart in Rebecca Ross’s brilliant first adult fantasy, set on the magical isle of Cadence where two childhood enemies must team up to discover why girls are going missing from their clan.

Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t stepped foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind, plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instill fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

With unforgettable characters, a fast-paced plot, and compelling world building, A River Enchanted is a stirring story of duty, love, and the power of true partnership, and marks Rebecca Ross’s brilliant entry on the adult fantasy stage.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

(Look at the detail in that cover art. I am in love.)

The mythological flavor of this one sounds really interesting to me, and I’m very curious about the settings to be explored.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Maps are cool and I get fantasy vibes from this book. And, to be honest, I really enjoy the “relative leaves behind a secret for their heir to figure out” trope. And the cover is books, so that’s another point in its favor. This one came out on the 15th!

From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history.

What is the purpose of a map?

Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.

But why?

To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps…

Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and V.E. Schwab, The Cartographers is an ode to art and science, history and magic—a spectacularly imaginative, modern story about an ancient craft and places still undiscovered.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

Okay THIS ONE. This one is probably TOPS on my list. It looks AMAZING. Tea magic? Accidental poisoning? Family dynamics? AND the whole thing is Asian-inspired? Yes please. I might actually buy this one closer to the time it comes out (a week from today), because it just looks so cool. (And look at the cover.)

Judy I. Lin’s sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

Also coming out on March 29th, we’ve got A Forgery of Roses. Art magic is always interesting, and I have to admit I’m intrigued by the “redheaded poet.” This looks like it will have a really solid atmosphere and an intriguing plot.

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

From Sing Me Forgotten author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

This one gives me Aladdin vibes. The Arab worldbuilding here sounds really interesting–I haven’t seen a whole lot of Arab fantasy I’ve enjoyed, yet, but I’m still looking–and this plot seems intriguing.

Neither here nor there, but long ago…

Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land.

With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

Calligraphy Guild by R.M. Archer

You know it had to make the list. Exactly a month after The Stardust Thief comes out (May 17th), we’ve got Calligraphy Guild (June 17th)! I am so thrilled to finally release this book (relatively) soon!! I have so much planned to celebrate Calligraphy Guild and its release. I’m just super excited to finally be able to share Calligraphy Guild with more readers and to share this world and these characters and the heart of this story with all of you! I cannot wait. ^-^

Dragon ink gives calligraphers the power to set history in stone—or to change it.

Lai Duyên’s dreams are realized when she’s admitted into the ranks of the calligraphers, authors considered trustworthy enough to defend time from those who would change it. She’s thrilled at the opportunity to record her country’s history, and to work with the other calligraphers in her village.

But when Duyên’s guild is set upon by ancient dragons demanding a time-changer be destroyed, her world is flipped upside down. Her guildmates turn on each other, suspicion coloring their every move. To make matters worse, she’s begun hearing the dragons in her head and finds them impossible to block out: a condition that rendered her grandmother insane.

With the calligraphy guild in turmoil and Duyên’s ever-present fear of madness clouding her vision, will the group be able to discover which of their guildmates has altered time before the dragons pass judgment on them all?

Add on Goodreads

Pre-orders go live on Thursday, so be sure to keep an eye out! I have a limited supply of pre-order goodies and they’ll go fast!

Harbinger of the End by Nicki Chapelway

Coming out in August, we’ve got Harbinger of the End by Nicki Chapelway! To be honest, I’ve followed Nicki for years and I have yet to read any of her books. *hides* But this one is based on Norse mythology, which means it has grabbed my full attention and is unlikely to let go. Plus, look at that cover! What did I tell you about this year’s cool-looking books looking cool?

There’s pretty much no information about this book yet, but it’s “a tale of Loki and Sigyn” which means I’m sold; Loki is a fascinating character in just about any iteration, and I can’t wait to see what Nicki does with this story!

Add on Goodreads

Once I Knew by Victoria Lynn

Victoria Lynn is another author I’ve been following for a long time and haven’t read any books by yet. In the past year or so, though, she’s been posting more and more content that I really connect with (or else I’ve been paying better attention, lol), and her newest project sounds like it will be right up my alley! Fantasy about a character who tries to avoid politics and finds them unavoidable? …Yep, sounds about right. Plus, I’m super excited to see how Victoria’s worldview comes through in her writing, since we seem to have so many values in common.

The cover for this one was only revealed TODAY, so happy cover release day to Victoria and Once I Knew! I’m super excited to take this opportunity to show y’all the cover. ^-^

And here’s the blurb:

Violet lives her quiet little life in her sleepy village. Trying to remain as dead to the politics that are threatening their world as possible. She follows the rules, stays out of trouble and does her best to remain out of sight of the dreaded and overbearing Kingsmen.

With the new regent on the throne, the country has been thrown into a turmoil. Unlike the kindly king before him, the new ruler is overbearing, frightening and tyrannical in his rule. Taxes are bleeding the people dry and without the money or goods to pay, they have been forced into penal servitude and imprisonment by the Kingsmen, who know no mercy. The despair and fear that has taken over their lives has ruled out any level of hope.

When Violet stumbles upon an unconscious and injured Kingsman in the woods, despite the consequences, she cannot help but take care of the injured man. When he wakes and has no memory of who he is, she takes the only precaution that will keep her and her grandmother safe; she destroys the evidence of his past life.

If Violet’s lowly Kingsman regains his memory, will she be able to live with the consequences? And will the Kingsman be able to live with his past life?

Add on Goodreads | Pre-order the ebook | Pre-order in print

There are some awesome pre-order goodies—including a limited edition hardcover—so definitely check out Victoria’s site for the print version! Pre-order extras are limited and likely to go fast, so be sure to look sooner rather than later!

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

This one is coming out in September and I am stoked! I’ll buy just about anything Nadine puts out; she’s an incredible author and person and I look up to her so much. But this one is a straight-up fantasy, and it sounds amazing. Tears that grant wishes? Curses? Reluctant-allies-turned-lovers? The whole thing sounds awesome. And if you haven’t added it to your TBR yet, you need to.

She didn’t ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. It’s a big secret to keep. When a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life–and before the king’s militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan’s powerful–and rare–Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. When he locates Myrthe, he agrees to take her to the Well in exchange for a wish. Once she’s fulfilled her end of the deal, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish–the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Amazon

What books are you most excited for this year? Did any of the books on this list catch your eye? Let’s talk books!

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The post My Anticipated Releases of 2022 appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

Why I Chose Traditional Publishing – Guest Post by Rachel Leitch

Hey everyone! I know this week’s post is going up on an odd day, but that’s because today I have the pleasure of hosting a guest post by Rachel Leitch! She’s already written a solid intro, so I’ll go ahead and turn it over to her without further ado.

Hello, adventurers! Today, I’m swapping posts with R. M. Archer. If you’ve followed her for a while, you know that she’s interested in independent “indie” publishing, which is truly a fascinating world. Luckily for you, she’s written a lovely guest post about why she chose indie publishing that you can catch over on my blog: https://racheljleitch.weebly.com.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I’m interested in traditional publishing. That’s what I’m here today to talk about—why I chose traditional publishing.

There are lots of pros and cons to traditional publishing. Many people’s decisions are influenced by one or more of these.

Pros

-Once you make it to the publishing stage, you have a bigger chance of your name getting out there. Don’t get me wrong—there’s still the same amount of work involved, but it’s a different kind of work. With traditional publishing, you’re putting the work into making sure your book can be the best it can be, while others handle copyediting, cover design, marketing, etc. In indie publishing, you have to do that all yourself (or hire someone really reliable out of your own pocket).

-You are generally guaranteed to have professional people working on your project, whether that be editors, marketers, or cover designers.

-Instead of having to build your readership from the ground up and get your books into stores, etc., you will have an audience already built in at that publishing house. You generally will have the chance to reach a wider audience.

Cons

-You’re less in control of your project. Final decisions are given to you as much as possible, but sometimes it’ll be up to marketers and editors instead.

-It’s harder to break in. You usually have to get an agent, and then that agent has to get a publisher on board.

-You really have to have something that will sell or that people believe in. Niche market type books won’t go well here. (Please don’t hear me saying indie published books are all niche market books! Some amazing books, including some of my favorites, are indie published and are very widely read.)

-You need a lot of platform. Your blog numbers, email newsletter, and social media stats are going to be important. Publishing houses have to make money, so even if they love a book, they’ll have to pass if they can’t sell it.

 

So I’ve established that traditional publishing is a hard world to break into. (So is indie publishing, but for different reasons.) Why would I purposely choose this road? Because I want to go big or go home? Because I want to be rich and famous?

I’m going to lay out two reasons.

One: It’s a challenge.

By choosing traditional publishing, I’m forcing myself to truly craft something brilliant.

Okay. Not every traditional published book is brilliant. And many indie published book are just as brilliant as well. Indie publishers are incredibly disciplined and know themselves well—to be able to tell for themselves when a book is ready.

I want to develop those disciplines as well. For some people, indie publishing is the best way to do that. For me, the challenge of creating something that will win over an agent and a pub board helps me develop that grit.

Two: And here’s the most important one.

I feel called to it.

Early on in my writing journey, when I had completed my first novel, someone I trusted told me they believed my novel would find a niche market and that was where it would stay.

I was like, “Niche market. Great.”

Niche markets are great, you know.

But I didn’t like the idea that I couldn’t do any better than that. That I wasn’t capable of creating something that could be traditionally published and appeal to a broader audience.

When I got that hurtful comment, my momma told me that God would take my book wherever He wanted it to go.

Since then, I have grown SO much. I really can’t believe how much I and my stories have grown. As I’ve grown as a person and experienced real life and broken out of some of the isolation of my teen years, I discovered a rich, vibrant world with so many sides and facets to be represented.

My mission has also grown. The same person repeatedly emphasized that I should indie publish with an extremely conservative publisher.

I didn’t feel called to it. I never have. When I thought about it, I actually felt anxious, like I was missing where I need to be. Like I’d driven for hours and gotten to the wrong place.

My heart is to find other young adults who are hurting deeply and be the story that reminds them there is light in the darkest night. Like the stories and people that were there for me. That still are.

Those people are not likely to look to an extremely conservative publisher.

I feel like I’m meant to reach a broader audience—stretch across church denominations, cultural lines, and maybe even the line of Christianity all together. To bring people of all kinds to the light.Traditional publishing looks to be the best way to get to both those audiences.

I feel like I’m meant to write quality stories. To not just settle with whatever I churn out (which I personally may be tempted to if I indie published). To not just skimp by with faulty mechanics or a blah plot.

In that light, traditional publishing seems to be the best option for me with the mission God has placed in my heart.

 

So if you came to this post wondering whether traditional publishing is for you, I hope I’ve been able to lay out some of the pros and cons. And I hope no matter who you are, that my journey can encourage you maybe a little bit in your own journey.

Whether you traditionally publish or indie publish, it boils down to what you feel God has called you to do. He calls each of us to different things and He places us exactly where we and our stories need to go. Trust that.

Thank you, Rachel, for your insight into traditional publishing!

Readers, don’t forget to check out my post on Rachel’s blog to see the “other side”—indie publishing. (And go ahead and check out some of Rachel’s other work, while you’re there!) But I’m curious: Are you interested in indie publishing or traditional publishing, or are you still deciding? Or do you want to go hybrid and do both? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Why I Chose Traditional Publishing – Guest Post by Rachel Leitch appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

7 Time Management Tips for Authors

Time management is something I’ve been asked about multiple times. I get a lot done and pour a lot of time into my writing, so people assume I must have a handle on time management. Which is understandable, but to be totally honest… I mostly just don’t have a lot of things eating up my time, so I don’t have to manage my time as well as some people do in order to get a lot of writing stuff done. (I consider myself blessed.)

That said, in answering specific questions on this topic I have discovered some time management tools and patterns that I use, which do help me get things done and not waste all of the time I’ve been blessed with. And since time management is something I’ve been rediscovering the importance of recently, I figured it was as good a time as any to compile my tips and tricks into a post.

Set Large-Scale Goals

For starters, you’ll need to know what it is you’re spending time for. Do you want to get your book drafted? Build a course? Set up a side business? Get your newsletter under control? Engage with a particular number of social media posts each week?

Once you have this bigger goal (complete with a way to measure progress and a time frame to shoot for), you can work toward it with intention. Breaking this goal down is what will give you the pieces you need for the rest of these tips.

Set Session Goals

This is particularly helpful if you have a limited amount of time to write each day. Session goals are great for those seasons when you have to fit writing into margin spaces and balance it with other activities. They’re also great if you often find yourself with pockets of free time to fill.

Setting manageable goals for each session gives you something specific to shoot for in these free periods. You’re more likely to sit down to write for ten minutes or until a chapter is done than you are to just write with no end goal in sight. And if you make sure that your goals are things you can reasonably achieve in the time you have, then you’ll be more likely to work on them than if you consistently set goals that you can’t tackle all in one time frame.

As an example of setting a manageable goal, say you want to set a word count goal. If you consistently have 10-minute blocks of free time and you can only write 200 words in that amount of time, then setting a 500-word goal for each session is likely to leave you frustrated. You’ll end up discouraged from spending those ten minutes writing, because you can never hit your goal. Setting your goal to 200 words per session, or maybe trying to stretch yourself to only 300, is more likely to leave you with a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to keep using those time slots productively.

Patterns vs. Schedules

I personally struggle to start and finish things at set times. I’d rather start Thing A when I’m free, spend as much time on it as it needs, and then start Thing B when I finish Thing A. With specific time frames, I feel stuck.

So, I use patterns instead of schedules. Instead of saying “I’m going to write from 1 o’clock to 2 o’clock and then blog from 2 o’clock to 3,” I have a general list of tasks to get done and projects to work on. I try to work straight down the list, but I have the flexibility to take them out of order if that works better for my brain on a particular day.

If I find myself procrastinating, it’s easier to have grace for myself with a list and just go back to whatever was the next thing. There’s no artificial deadline for a particular task, so I don’t feel guilty for missing a “cutoff.”

Habit Stacking

My habit stacking doesn’t quite match the traditional idea of attaching my writing to an existing habit. Instead, I established a set of habits that lead to writing. My stack looks like this: When I need to get myself to write, I start by taking my mug and tea into the kitchen, washing some dishes (either with my mug or while my tea steeps), preparing my tea, and then sitting down at my desk with the proper document. Having a whole writing routine helps me get started easier than if I just jump right in.

This is what works for me, but you might find that setting up a playlist, closing your internet browser, and opening your working documents is all you need. Or maybe you like to take a walk before you write instead of doing a chore.

Eliminate Interruptions

What are some frequent interruptions to your writing time? Do siblings ask you to play with them? Are you interrupted around dinnertime because the dishes haven’t been washed? Obviously, not all interruptions can be eliminated, but you can minimize interruptions by identifying them and brainstorming ways to prevent them: Telling your family when you start working, having a hanger on your doorknob, getting chores out of the way upfront, etc.

Washing dishes ended up a part of my writing habit for two reasons: First, because I need something to do while my tea is steeping, and the dishes are right there. Second, because I kept being interrupted around 5 by siblings telling me the dishes they needed were still dirty. Washing dishes before I sit down to write gets the chore out of the way, minimizes distractions, and gives me a habit to set me up for writing.

Work in Waves

I’ve had people ask me how I do “everything.” And I understand; I have a lot of projects and somehow manage to mostly keep up with them (emphasis on the “mostly” XD). But the secret is that I don’t do “everything.” Not all at once, anyway.

Sometimes I get really into blogging and schedule three months of posts in three days. I set my book-writing aside while I focus on that, which then lets me focus more thoroughly on book-writing once the blog focus fades. Or I set aside book writing in between drafts to focus on my social media presence.

I try my best to work with my current interests, which sometimes means achieving small goals in a lot of different areas and sometimes means focusing on one project for a particular period of time. This means I don’t have to wrestle my focus away from one project and onto another, killing my productivity, to get things done. I don’t force my productivity to be linear.

Now, obviously there’s a balance to this point, and sometimes it is necessary to work on something that you’re not entirely in the mood for. But I find that those tasks are also easier when most of my work is interest-driven while still enabling me to accomplish all that needs to get done.

Don’t Forget to Schedule Rest

This is one I’m learning I need to do better, lol. It’s great to focus on your writing work, to get a lot done, to make progress in different areas. And, for me, writing is a full-time job. I work six days a week and don’t have a whole lot else demanding my time. But that means I have to work extra hard to build in buffer space, or else I burn out. Rest is just as important to your productivity, so don’t forget to make time for that, too!

Set aside days off, set “work hours,” make sure you’re focusing on relationships, throw in other hobbies and activities for variety… Don’t neglect to balance your writing work with other things, even if some of those other things might seem like a different kind of work.

You might not find all of these tips to work for you. You might need more structure, or more frequent variety, or whatever. This is just what I’ve found works for me. But hopefully some of these points help you, too!

What’s a time management trick you’ve found helpful?

The post 7 Time Management Tips for Authors appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

3 Tips for Making Helpful Book Recommendations

While we’re on the topic of getting people to read books (after last week’s post about requesting reviews), let’s talk about making book recommendations. This is another thing I see a fair amount, especially being on Goodreads, and it’s something I quite enjoy—when it’s done right. So let’s talk about how to make helpful book recommendations and bring other readers into our favorite fandoms. ;)

Why to Make Careful Book Recommendations

First, why is it important to make helpful book recommendations?

1) For the sake of the reader.

You don’t want to offend a reader by recommending something they aren’t comfortable reading, and you do want to recommend books they’re likely to enjoy. After all, we read for entertainment (among other things), right? And if we share books that aren’t likely to be enjoyed by the other party, then we’re likely to have friends who dislike the things we like. Better to share what both parties are likely to enjoy and keep friendships intact. ;)

2) For the sake of the authors.

When recommendations are made, books are read. This is generally good for authors, especially if those books are purchased. But books are also often reviewed, if not officially then by word of mouth. And reviews lead to more readers—or fewer. By making recommendations that fit the recipient, you’re getting your favorite books to the right audience… at least to the best of your ability. This leads to more positive reviews. Whereas recommending books to the wrong audience can lead to more negative reviews. So by making quality book recommendations, you’re not only helping the recipient but also the authors of the books you’re sharing. (We indie authors particularly appreciate this. ;) )

But now that you know why to make helpful book recommendations, let’s look at how to do so!

1. Keep a List

If you don’t already have one, start a list of your favorite books! I find it’s easiest to reference this list to give recommendations if it’s separated by genre, since most people read by genre. But you can divide it however you think will be helpful. By age range, by subject, by genre, by author…

If you have books with differing levels of mature content (language, violence, romance, etc.), you might find it helpful to make note of those things for each book as well (especially if you’re like me and have a faulty memory of particular things).

Keeping a list and adding to it as you finish more good books will make it much easier for you to retrieve recommendations when other readers ask.

2. Know What the Other Reader Wants (& Doesn’t Want)

This could mean a couple of things. If you’re responding to a specific query, then you likely know from the outset what the reader is looking for. If they’re asking for fantasy, you’ll know to grab your fantasy recommendations. If they’re asking for YA, you’ll know to leave out your adult or MG suggestions.

Of course, in some situations you might include a book or two outside the request for particular reasons. If, for example, a reader is looking for YA fantasy with similar flavor to LOTR and you happen to know of a MG series that has a LOTR-esque flavor and reads older than MG, you might still recommend it (with the note that it’s technically MG). But by knowing what the reader is looking for, you’ll be able to make those exceptions intentional and ensure that they are exceptions.

In other situations, you might not be responding to a specific request. Maybe, instead, you’ve just finished a book and you want to recommend it to other readers you know. In this case, you’ll want to know what your friends normally read. No matter how good that historical romance novel was, it’s unlikely to interest your friend who reads romance-free spec fic; and if the book you just finished had a couple swear words in it, it’s not going to be a good fit for the friend who thinks cussing is unacceptable. Know what your friends read. And if you don’t know, then either withhold the direct recommendation or else recommend a book with whatever caveats your friend might find helpful.

3. Direct Book Recommendations vs. General Book Recommendations

Some books are perfect to recommend to someone directly, while some books are better for recommending in general and allowing readers to look into for themselves.

You might recommend a book directly for a few reasons. Perhaps they asked for particular recommendations. Perhaps you saw a book and immediately thought “So and so would love this” (based on the subject matter, the author, the genre…). Perhaps you read the book and decided it would be a good fit for a reader friend. Perhaps you had it recommended to you and decided it wasn’t a good fit for you, but you wanted to pass on the recommendation. Perhaps there was a reason you wanted to make sure a recommendation was seen.

As an example, I recently recommended Lani Forbes’ books to a couple of specific friends I know enjoy fantasy and Aztec history. Lani’s books don’t look like they’d be a great fit for me, but I wanted to support Lani’s family in the wake of her passing and recommending her books to people I thought would enjoy them seemed like a good way for me to do that.

I also have a tendency to recommend heart- or medicine-related speculative fiction to my best friend, since she’s studying in cardiology and enjoys spec fic that ties in with her interests.

But sometimes, it’s better to recommend a book more generally, be it through a book review, a blog post list, a social media post, a recommendation in a group, etc. You might prefer to do it this way in order to reach more readers, or in order to reach the right readers when you don’t know who will or won’t enjoy a particular book. Some of these means of general recommendations also support the author more effectively by adding a review to their list or by enabling the recommendation to be shared by other readers (if they share a review or a recommendation list).

So there you have it! Three tips for making helpful book recommendations.

What are a few books you’ve recommended over and over?

The post 3 Tips for Making Helpful Book Recommendations appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

Cover Reveal: Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

Y’all, I am SO excited to help share the cover for Nadine Brandes’ latest book: Wishtress!!

Nadine Brandes is one of my favorite authors, and I am so excited about this new book! Though she’s written historical fantasy in the past, this is her first “straight” fantasy and it sounds amazing!

I’ll give you a blurb, and then we can get into the suspense of the cover reveal. ;)

She didn’t ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. But when a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life—and before the king’s militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan’s powerful—and rare—Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. He gains Myrthe’s trust by promising to take her to the Well, but once he gets what he needs, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish—the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.

Sounds epic, right?

Let’s see the equally epic cover, shall we?

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Well…

After a bit of a delay to build up suspense, of course.

Because these things can’t be easy. ;)

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Drumroll…

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Are you drumming?

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BAM!

 

Doesn’t it look awesome? The mixed fall and winter vibes, the ring of tears, the swirlies… This is going to make an awesome hardcover, y’all. I can picture it already.

You know what else is awesome? You can already pre-order Wishtress!

Wishtress comes out in September, and it’s one of the books I’m most excited for this year! (More on my anticipated releases in a few weeks, because there are a LOT of cool books coming out this year!)

Pre-order, share the cover, follow Nadine… And let me know what you think of the cover! Are you as stoked as I am? Have you read any of Nadine’s other books? Let’s chat in the comments!

The post Cover Reveal: Wishtress by Nadine Brandes appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

5 Steps to Requesting a Book Review

Today we’re going to be discussing something that I’ve seen a fair amount as a fairly experienced writer/blogger: requesting book reviews. So we’re talking about when you have a book and you’re reaching out to bloggers, asking if they’ll review it for you. I’ve been on both sides of this exchange, and there are some steps I’ve seen missed (or missed myself) that I’ve found are a key part of the review requesting process. So today I’m going to walk you through the five steps of requesting a book review.

1. Know Your Target Reviewer

First of all, make sure that the reviewers on your list make sense. If you’re releasing a Christian book, you’ll likely want Christian reviewers. If you’re releasing a middle grade novel, you’ll want to make sure that the reviewers on your list read middle grade.

While this applies to most of the reviewers on your list, you may want to have a couple of outliers who don’t normally read your genre or age group or whatever the case may be. These bloggers will be harder to “sell” on your book, so be sure you have a compelling reason to put them on the list. Maybe they don’t normally read middle grade, but your book is about mythology from a Christian worldview and you know they’re really interested in both of those topics. (If this is you, please contact me. That sounds amazing.) Or maybe sci-fi isn’t normally their genre, but you know they’ll resonate with the pro-life themes in your book. These reasons are no promise that the reviewer will say yes (there’s no promise even with reviewers who seem like they’d be a perfect fit), but they’ll give you a decent chance and they’ll get your book to a somewhat wider audience.

This is also where you’ll find out what you and your target reviewer have in common. What connection points can you mention to show 1) that you’ve done your research and 2) that you value their input specifically? For example, you might find that you’re both in your young twenties, or you both love Spider-Man, or you both drink tea. Do try to keep these things relevant to the book you’re getting reviewed—if you’re releasing a superhero novel, your shared love of Spider-Man might be relevant; if you’re releasing a fantasy novel, you might instead want to focus on your shared love of Tolkien—but these bits of connection will show that you chose this reviewer on purpose and you’re looking at them as a fellow author, reader, and person rather than solely a blogger that can review your book.

Sometimes, a mutual friend can be a good connection point! If you learned about this reviewer from another author who spoke highly of them, feel free to mention that. It will make the reviewer feel good, it will give them a bit of context to place you into, and the reviewer will likely trust you a little more if they can connect you to someone they already trust.

2. Introduce Yourself

You’ve done your research, you have your list of reviewers to contact, and now you’re ready to send out emails. Start out by saying hello and sharing a little bit about yourself! Who you are, why you’re contacting them, and perhaps a relevant link to your site. This is also where you’ll pull out those shared points of interest and/or mutual connections. You don’t want to go too long with your intro, but you want to use it to connect with the reviewer and get them interested in you and your book.

This section will likely transition right into…

3. Introduce Your Book

Now that you’ve introduced yourself and connected with the interviewer, you want to introduce your book and get the reviewer invested in that. Give them a title, a brief blurb (this can be a back-cover copy or something more like an elevator pitch), and anything else you think they’ll want to know about your book. If it’s similar to something else they like, draw that similarity. If there’s content you think they ought to be aware of (either as a selling point or a warning), mention that. If there’s something that particularly makes your book stand out, that makes it perfect for this reviewer, mention it.

Again, don’t get too wordy, but try to put in whatever information will be relevant to this reviewer so they’ll be more willing to invest their time in your book. (And yes, I am saying you’ll want to tailor each email to its own individual recipient. You can rely on a core template with all of the general information, but put in the time and care to fill out around that base for each reviewer.)

4. Include Any Crucial Details (deadline, etc.)

Besides information on what your book is about, don’t forget to include information on what you’ll need from the reviewer. What is the time-frame in which you’re looking to get reviews up? Do you have physical review copies or only digital? Where do you want them to post reviews (their blog, Amazon, Goodreads)?

5. Thank them for their time

As a final point of etiquette, be sure to thank your target reviewer for their time! Whether they agree to review or not (or if they don’t have time for a review but offer some other help), thank them for the time they’ve invested in your request and/or your book.

Bonus: Make Notes for Next Time

If they seem interested but don’t have the time right now, maybe make a note to reach out to them for your next book. If you find they’re not into your genre, make note of that. If they’re just really busy, maybe consider asking them for a spotlight next time rather than a full book review. Try to keep track of what authors you want to work with, and respect their time and preferences so that your partnership—whether now or in the future—will be fruitful for both of you and you can build up a relationship. Who knows; maybe down the road you’ll be exchanging reviews on the regular!

Have you reached out to reviewers before? Which step of this process is the hardest for you? Which do you enjoy the most?

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Family Roles in Fantasy Cultures

Last week we talked about courtship and marriage customs, and this week we’re carrying on the family thread by discussing family roles as a whole. What role do families play in the culture of your world, or in the lives of your characters? And are they such that you can get away with not killing your teen protagonist’s parents? Well, let’s find out.

Is Family Important to This Culture?

The first thing to ask is whether or not family is appreciated in your culture. If your culture values individualism, family might be considered inconvenient. If your culture values community, family might be seen as the ultimate community or it might be seen as an obstacle to chosen community; it would depend on how your culture defines the community that they value.

But whatever your culture values, those principles will shape what family roles are considered important and which are disregarded or even seen as inconvenient. An individualistic culture might make children a matter of choice and ailing or elderly relatives a nuisance. A culture that values family highly is more likely to see children as a joy and the opportunity to care for older relatives a privilege.

What Family Roles are Expected?

What is the expected family structure in this culture? A married couple? Simply a couple that’s together? Are children expected or considered optional? Are parents or grandparents part of the equation, or are they left behind when a new family is shaped? What about aunts, uncles, and cousins?

Do families encompass only blood relatives, or are others adopted in (either officially or unofficially)? What does it mean for those adopted to be treated as family? Do families share their resources? Are families responsible for the education of their members? Do families share work and business? Do family members protect one another? This is also a good place to ask how families might influence the culture around them. Families educating their own and sharing in similar work is a powerful means of shaping a whole culture, or at least a sub-culture, by raising up whole generations with a consistent worldview.

Once you know what structure is expected, ask what happens when families break the mold. Are people scoffed at for looking after their parents? Or, at the opposite extreme, ostracized for neglecting the elders in their family? Are couples without children pitied or admired? Are unmarried couples a scandal or a norm?

How Does Law Affect Family Roles?

Are families influenced by governmental or religious input? Do religious couples view children differently from their neighbors who adhere to a different faith or no faith? Is building a family desirable for the sake of lower taxes?

And what laws are in place for the sake of families? What protections are in place to defend families from being split? At what point do those protections cease to apply? Are these protections just, or do they overprotect abusers or enable an excess of interference from a government or religious power?

How does adoption work in your culture? Is it a legal matter, a religious matter, or none of the above? Who can be legally adopted?

How Are Children Viewed?

Do the families in your culture cherish their children or consider them an inconvenience? Or do they perhaps see children as a commodity, to be sought by those who want children and discarded by those who don’t? Are children valued for their own sake as people, or does this culture believe the value of children differs based on their proficiency in a particular area? Are children with special needs looked down upon, while “normal” children are praised?

Sadly, this is a topic ripe with worldview conflict, and your world might not be as idyllic as you wish it were. But it’s also an area where positive contrast can be powerful with the use of disagreeing cultures and sub-cultures.

A culture that values growth and life might place great value in children of all sorts, while a militaristic culture might see only their potential as future warriors and a religious culture might cherish the opportunity to share their faith with a new generation (for good or ill).

What Are the Family Roles of the Elderly?

Are the elders of your culture’s families considered wise and worthy of respect? Or as weak (in, say, a militaristic society) or inconvenient (in an individualistic culture)? Are elders trusted with tasks like teaching and management, are they forced into retirement, or does it differ from family to family and elder to elder? Are elders appreciated for their knowledge of past ages and their ability to caution against history’s repetition, or are they considered traditional and over-cautious?

Related Post: How to Write Fictional Families

Do your books often feature families? Are those families in keeping with your culture’s values, or are they more counter-cultural? (I often enjoy writing a mix, personally.) Let’s chat family in the comments!

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Creating Character Titles

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post about the most important elements to develop in a fictional language to make the most impact on your readers with the least amount of effort. One of those elements was character titles, and I accidentally wrote a whole second blog post explaining those. I ended up having to backtrack and relocate half of what I’d written. XD Thus, this post was born, all about character titles.

I’ll be looking at the several types of titles that I briefly mentioned in “The Lazy Worldbuilder’s Guide to Conlang“: titles of address, titles of reference, titles of relation, and titles that substitute for a name.

Disclaimer: Links to my WorldAnvil articles have an affiliate tag, meaning if you register for WorldAnvil through one of those links and subscribe to a paid tier within fifteen days, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.

General Principles

Before we get into specifics, there are some principles that can be applied to any manner of character titles. (If you’ve read my previous conlang post, these may sound familiar since I included them in my character titles summary for that post.)

If a particular title is especially important to your culture, you might want multiple translations for it. For example, Virilia has a word for “grandmother” (“Lonpia-Meuma”) and a word for an honorary grandmother (“Dachia-Meuma”). Matriarchal types are respected for their wisdom and considered to bear similarities to the overseeing goddess Chiean, so “grandmother” is an important title to Virilens.

In titles that are commonly used, you can also consider how it might be shortened or adapted over time. “Lonpia-Meuma” is the technical term for “grandmother,” and some use the full title, but many Virilens shorten it to “Lonpaia” (more akin to “Grandma”). A small child might shorten it even further to “Lona,” giving it yet another variation that adds realism to your world without a whole lot of effort.

Another element to consider would be the format of your titles. Do titles stand in for a name, or do they accompany it? Are they paired with the first name or the last name? Do they come before or after the name? Are they hyphenated to the name (e.g. “Zen-Misonh”), abbreviated before or after the name (e.g. “Mr. Smith”), written in full before or after the name (e.g. “Monsieur Du Lac”)?

Titles of Address

The first step to creating terms of address is determining who will use them and who they will be attributed to. Do characters under a certain age refer to their elders by a title? Are titles earned by merit of class or accomplishment? Are titles used for everyone until a certain point of familiarity? If so, is there a certain age at which characters receive their title? Do titles help to show familiarity, with a formal version and a more casual version?

Titles in Virilia are used by pretty much everyone, for pretty much everyone. There are different titles for women depending on marital status, and different titles for both genders depending on formality. For example, “Merasona” refers to an unmarried woman you’re not very familiar with, while “Mera” refers to an unmarried woman you are familiar with (perhaps a friend, a sister-in-law, or a particularly close co-worker). You don’t drop someone’s title unless you’re family or nearly family (for instance, a courting couple will drop each other’s titles). The same formality modifier (“sona”) applies to all feminine titles, and the same formality modifier (“sonh”) applies to all masculine titles.

As a couple of different examples, titles in Eilis are given by class—members of a lower class must refer to those in upper classes with their titles; and titles in Alger are given by accomplishment—stronger warriors are referred to with titles, while less experienced warriors have no titles to speak of.

Titles of Reference

With titles of reference, the starting point is to ask what positions are worth referencing. Does your culture have kings? Nobles? The criteria for reference-based titles usually come down to respect and scarcity. If one or the other is lacking—if the position is one that few people hold, but it’s not held in high regard; or if it’s held in high regard, but there are many characters in the position—it won’t usually warrant a title.

For example, a particular culture might hold gardeners in especially high regard. If this leads to the position of gardener requiring a lot of specialized training and gardeners being a novelty, then that culture might develop a title for its gardeners. If, however, the respect for gardeners leads to an abundance of gardeners (amateur or professional), then they might not have a title at all, or they might only have a title for professional gardeners because those are fewer and farther between.

Once you’ve considered what positions are respected by your culture, based on their worldview and values, you can develop titles of reference.

Titles of Relation

When developing titles of relation, consider your culture’s views on family. Are they likely to have titles for different levels of cousins, or are they more likely to limit their titles to immediate relations? Are aunts and uncles valued in this culture? Are grandparents? Siblings? A highly family-oriented culture will likely have more titles, while a culture with little care for familial ties will likely have few.

You can also ask yourself whether this culture emphasizes blood relations or found family (or both). A culture that values blood relations might be strict about its use of relational titles, while a culture with more ideas about found family might extend those familial titles to non-relations or even give them only to non-relations (or to blood relations who have somehow “earned” a title). And relations of adoption might fall anywhere on the spectrum, depending on your culture.

To pull an example from the real world, we refer to our parents’ legal siblings as “aunt” or “uncle,” but a close family friend might also be “Aunt Dotty” even though she’s not technically an aunt.

Another point to consider would be whether titles serve as replacements for names or are attached to names. Often, titles that can apply to more than one family member will be attached to a name (e.g. aunt, brother), while terms with only one potential application are substituted for a name (e.g. father, mother), with obvious exceptions such as grandparents.

In Virilia, siblings are given titles that attach to their names (e.g. Sakura-Lana, Sinh-Lanh, Duyên-Ana), while parents have substitute titles (“meuma” and “alachi,” respectively). Siblings in Virilia have different titles if they’re an older vs. a younger sibling (hence both “Lana” and “Ana” for sisters).

Substitution Titles

Titles that substitute for a name are a little bit weird, because they can really overlap with any of the other categories. Titles that take the place of a name are often alternatives to another kind of title, or the second-person equivalent for a third-person title (e.g. “Your Majesty” as the substitute for “King Julen”).

I also have less direct advice for these. They’re usually terms of respect, so consider what your culture values and respects. A king might be addressed as “Your Majesty,” or your culture might think nothing of “majesty” and instead call him “Your Vitality” because growth and health are more important to them.

With titles like “sir” and “ma’am,” you might have something separate from your other titles, or you might drop the name from a hyphenated title (e.g. “Misonh” instead of “Zen-Misonh”), or you might look to another area of respect (e.g. “sir” was a title because of knights, and its use has carried on even though we no longer have knights; what position might your culture have held in respect in the past and retained a title from?).

Have you created character titles for your world before? Which of these categories do you find most interesting?

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