Barbara Eberhard's Blog - Posts Tagged "quest"
Fascinating Fantasy
I've written two fantasy trilogies: Reunion, and Jewels and Gods. Both of those involved familiars and gemstones that enhance magic, and gods for each country in the world. I'm starting now on a new fantasy trilogy - using different fantasy tropes.
This will be a sword and sorcery series. Our heroes will either forge or be gifted swords that enhance their magical powers. At the start, our heroes don't know they are mages - they will learn magic as they learn to fight for both are intrinsic to their being.
The trilogy's teachers are "naga" - which I'm extending to include not only sea-based dragons as in eastern mythologies, but also land-based dragons. In my world, both sets of naga have magic, and both are integral to the quest to restore magic to humans. Which is the quest for this trilogy.
The main driver of the trilogy is dichotomies. The world is half land, half sea. The people have different skills, different beliefs - driven by the "world" in which they live. The two types of people distrust each other deeply.
It's an interesting challenge starting a new world. I remember, by the second book of my first trilogy, the characters were practically writing their own scenes, so immersed was I in this world I'd created. It was in that book that I experienced - for the first time - a character "deciding" her path was different than the one I had originally planned. A fascinating writing experience, to be sure.
The second trilogy was set in the same world as my first, though the quest was among the next generation of mages. This world, however, was slightly different, as magic was different, unified - in fulfillment of the quest of the first trilogy. And so, the world was both the same and different. And most of the characters - the ones on the quest - were different. I had to learn their rhythms and tones. But the gods were the same, and the characteristics of each country's people was the same. To be in the same world - a world I created - and have to find its new patterns was as fascinating as had been the first trilogy. I had somehow assumed that because it was the same world in which I had already written three books, it would be easy to find my way in this second trilogy. It was, and it wasn't.
Now, I have created a whole new world, and its magic is not the same as the magic I have used before. I've only just started writing. But the differences are - well - fascinating.
This will be a sword and sorcery series. Our heroes will either forge or be gifted swords that enhance their magical powers. At the start, our heroes don't know they are mages - they will learn magic as they learn to fight for both are intrinsic to their being.
The trilogy's teachers are "naga" - which I'm extending to include not only sea-based dragons as in eastern mythologies, but also land-based dragons. In my world, both sets of naga have magic, and both are integral to the quest to restore magic to humans. Which is the quest for this trilogy.
The main driver of the trilogy is dichotomies. The world is half land, half sea. The people have different skills, different beliefs - driven by the "world" in which they live. The two types of people distrust each other deeply.
It's an interesting challenge starting a new world. I remember, by the second book of my first trilogy, the characters were practically writing their own scenes, so immersed was I in this world I'd created. It was in that book that I experienced - for the first time - a character "deciding" her path was different than the one I had originally planned. A fascinating writing experience, to be sure.
The second trilogy was set in the same world as my first, though the quest was among the next generation of mages. This world, however, was slightly different, as magic was different, unified - in fulfillment of the quest of the first trilogy. And so, the world was both the same and different. And most of the characters - the ones on the quest - were different. I had to learn their rhythms and tones. But the gods were the same, and the characteristics of each country's people was the same. To be in the same world - a world I created - and have to find its new patterns was as fascinating as had been the first trilogy. I had somehow assumed that because it was the same world in which I had already written three books, it would be easy to find my way in this second trilogy. It was, and it wasn't.
Now, I have created a whole new world, and its magic is not the same as the magic I have used before. I've only just started writing. But the differences are - well - fascinating.
Another Trilogy
I've started writing another fantasy trilogy. This one is based around dichotomies.
A couple of things are going to be different about this trilogy than the others I've written - and from others I've read. Because each book will be the story of one of the main characters, written about their quest. And each book will have the fulfillment of the quest in it, from the perspective of that main character. I've never read a trilogy where the final part of each book tells the same ending from different perspectives. I think it will be an interesting - and difficult - challenge.
So far, I've been writing the books in parallel - taking up the writing in a book each weekend. The first book, about Kymri, has the most chapters, at three. The second book, about Hallas, just got its first chapter today. The last book, about Tyagi, has one chapter, as well. Each of the first chapters is written in first-person narrative, to establish the character's perspective before we move onto an omniscient narrator for the remainder of the books. I like this device - it's different.
I've got the basic layout for each book. I have a map of this world, which is always an important plot device - along with the places each of the main characters will go as part of their individual quest. (The map will be included in the books, though without the overlay of each quest.)
Because the endings will have to all tie together, obviously, I'm considering continuing to write all three books in parallel. At the very least, I probably have to write the end of each book before publishing the first one. To make sure the ends of the stories work to create a cohesive end to the overall quest, albeit one from three different angles. It might behoove me to write the ending from no one's perspective, and then tailor it to each main character? That's an interesting thought, too.
In 2023, I published three books. I've never published so many books in one year before. If I do decide that I have to write all three parts of this new trilogy at the same time, in parallel, then I likely won't publish for at least a year and a half, possibly two. Generally speaking, it takes me about nine months to write and edit a book. So, three books would be 27 months - or more than two years. I'm not sure I could stand to wait that long.
But it's an interesting question. And a heck of a challenge.
Welcome 2024!
A couple of things are going to be different about this trilogy than the others I've written - and from others I've read. Because each book will be the story of one of the main characters, written about their quest. And each book will have the fulfillment of the quest in it, from the perspective of that main character. I've never read a trilogy where the final part of each book tells the same ending from different perspectives. I think it will be an interesting - and difficult - challenge.
So far, I've been writing the books in parallel - taking up the writing in a book each weekend. The first book, about Kymri, has the most chapters, at three. The second book, about Hallas, just got its first chapter today. The last book, about Tyagi, has one chapter, as well. Each of the first chapters is written in first-person narrative, to establish the character's perspective before we move onto an omniscient narrator for the remainder of the books. I like this device - it's different.
I've got the basic layout for each book. I have a map of this world, which is always an important plot device - along with the places each of the main characters will go as part of their individual quest. (The map will be included in the books, though without the overlay of each quest.)
Because the endings will have to all tie together, obviously, I'm considering continuing to write all three books in parallel. At the very least, I probably have to write the end of each book before publishing the first one. To make sure the ends of the stories work to create a cohesive end to the overall quest, albeit one from three different angles. It might behoove me to write the ending from no one's perspective, and then tailor it to each main character? That's an interesting thought, too.
In 2023, I published three books. I've never published so many books in one year before. If I do decide that I have to write all three parts of this new trilogy at the same time, in parallel, then I likely won't publish for at least a year and a half, possibly two. Generally speaking, it takes me about nine months to write and edit a book. So, three books would be 27 months - or more than two years. I'm not sure I could stand to wait that long.
But it's an interesting question. And a heck of a challenge.
Welcome 2024!
Creating Conflict
One of the key elements to any writing is a climax. Usually, a climax involves the resolution of conflict. And then the denouement shows the characters continuing on in their lives.
When I start to plan out a new trilogy, I have an overall plan for the trilogy. In the case of Dichotomies, I needed to figure out what the dichotomies were going to be. I started with land people and sea people - half the human population lives on "islands" created by magic generations earlier. Those islands - called res - are sinking. Whether that's because the sea - or moc - is rising or because the res are sinking, no one knows. All the sea people - the Resani - know is that the change is occurring. They don't know that magic created the islands; therefore, they don't know that they need magic restored to fix the islands.
From the land people's perspective - the Canians - they don't seem to need magic. They get along just fine without it. Except their lands are not as fertile as they used to be. And as a result, the Canian population has reduced. This population decrease has happened naturally; people just aren't having as many children. But towns are being deserted (pun intended) due to lack of population. The governments of the Canians are worried.
The two ethnicities have grown to distrust each other. Each thinks the other is "evil", though specifically how is unclear. I haven't yet decided if there will be some big event that created the distrust in the past or whether it's just the result of distance and lack of communications. People who don't know each other tend not to trust each other.
The two ethnicities have also evolved to have different physical characteristics. This, too, creates some conflict - the continued feeling of "other". Some of the conflict among the three mages who have to save the world comes solely from them not trusting the other ethnicity.
But each book also needs a conflict to create the arc to the climax. The words of the prophecy tells us something of what that arc looks like.
When darkness sees the light, when the silence joins in the song, when pain finds happiness, the truth will be restored.
There has to be more to the story than just finding light, song, and peace.
Today, I figured out the storyline for Hallas. I have the barest of sketches for Kymri and Tyagi. I know Kymri has to learn to be a warrior and lead an army despite being blind. I know Tyagi has to proselytize to all the humans, to get them to believe. Still working on the details.
When I start to plan out a new trilogy, I have an overall plan for the trilogy. In the case of Dichotomies, I needed to figure out what the dichotomies were going to be. I started with land people and sea people - half the human population lives on "islands" created by magic generations earlier. Those islands - called res - are sinking. Whether that's because the sea - or moc - is rising or because the res are sinking, no one knows. All the sea people - the Resani - know is that the change is occurring. They don't know that magic created the islands; therefore, they don't know that they need magic restored to fix the islands.
From the land people's perspective - the Canians - they don't seem to need magic. They get along just fine without it. Except their lands are not as fertile as they used to be. And as a result, the Canian population has reduced. This population decrease has happened naturally; people just aren't having as many children. But towns are being deserted (pun intended) due to lack of population. The governments of the Canians are worried.
The two ethnicities have grown to distrust each other. Each thinks the other is "evil", though specifically how is unclear. I haven't yet decided if there will be some big event that created the distrust in the past or whether it's just the result of distance and lack of communications. People who don't know each other tend not to trust each other.
The two ethnicities have also evolved to have different physical characteristics. This, too, creates some conflict - the continued feeling of "other". Some of the conflict among the three mages who have to save the world comes solely from them not trusting the other ethnicity.
But each book also needs a conflict to create the arc to the climax. The words of the prophecy tells us something of what that arc looks like.
When darkness sees the light, when the silence joins in the song, when pain finds happiness, the truth will be restored.
There has to be more to the story than just finding light, song, and peace.
Today, I figured out the storyline for Hallas. I have the barest of sketches for Kymri and Tyagi. I know Kymri has to learn to be a warrior and lead an army despite being blind. I know Tyagi has to proselytize to all the humans, to get them to believe. Still working on the details.
