Andrew Moore's Blog, page 104

Happy Thanksgiving

Have you remembered to include holidays that pressure people into eating food they don't like that much in your setting? Here's your reminder if not.

Liven Up Your Descriptions

Worried about colors? Here are the important colors to know in fantasy:

Red
Crimson
Scarlet

That should do it.

On Urban Fantasy Adaptations

They should be radio shows. An hour per episode, twice per week, most of them two-parters. Desired advertisers: antacids, boxed wine, vacuum cleaners.

Unconventional Legal Strategies

Whatever crimes ex-governor Letenlo committed during his administration of his province, and no observer doubted there were many, the dignity with which he bore the haranguing of the city's greatest orator who had both technique and the facts on his side resembled that of the statues of his ancestors or the very gods so that everyone watching felt a lump in his stomach that whispered, oh, what a loss that a man suited by nature for every kind of excellence devoted himself to iniquitous gain, oh, what an age this is, what a grievous world.
Letenlo's serenity deepened during the trial. No doubt the certainty of his approaching conviction that promised at last to terminate his misspent career satisfied his soul within that yearned for the right. So far did his mood improve that when at last he delivered his final defense, he smiled as easily as an innocent man. Nor did he resort to lies about the character of his prosecutor as the guilty often do, thereby proving what before had only been suspected, that their quality was the same as the vermin that skulk and steal cattle and chickens.
Indeed, so intricate was his address and with such clearness did he deliver it that he got a skill point in the middle. Observers joked that he might put it in Oratory and improve his position in that manner, but of course ten points would not make up the gap. And yet, Letenlo paused when he earned the point. To say he paused understated the situation, for he stopped entirely, smiled wider than before, slammed the point into Acrobatics, and bounded out of the court. The orator who brought the suit on behalf of the mistreated province attempted the chase despite having 0 Acrobatics, but no less certain could be the result of that contest than that of the legal one which had proceeded so well for him.
Finis

Score Tour

Q. What sort of music should a Mistborn adaptation have?
A. Drum and bass.
Q. Dragon Riders of Pern?
A. Trance with a harp in it.
Q. Starfishers?
A. 90s dance.

If You're Looking for a Hot Reveal

Wait till near the end of the story, then reveal in a casual aside that every single person in the setting is a redhead. Readers will recommend it to all their friends.

Kind of Tone Deaf

How can Owlcat make Rogue Trader with all these rogue traders causing problems right now? More importantly, I don't think that's a good way to say "xenos."

Addender

Or Postumus, but that's a little depressing. Use that name to achieve a darker, grittier feel.

Addendum

Don't worry. They're all named Gaius, Caius, Cnaeus, Publius, Marcus, or Lucius. You're a third of the way there already!

A Fun Calendar to Try

Instead of having your story take place in 937 After the Dark God's Descent, why not do it like the Romans and name it after whoever's consul that year? You'l only need to come up with 937*2 consuls to fill in the backstory!