Lynn Dalton asked Christopher Paolini:

Did you invent the ancient elvin language that riders use to talk with their dragons? If so is this a copy right issue? I am a new writer and I am writing my first novel about dragons. If have any suggestions for a new author let me know. I was told by a magazine publisher that I wrote very well, so I thought I would give it an honest effort. I have read almost every book in print in the genres I like.

Christopher Paolini Glad to hear you are writing your own projects, Lynn! Yes, I did invent the ancient language. I regret to say that it’s protected by copyright, so if you were thinking of including it in your story, you will need to create a language of your own instead. Try typing "invented languages" into a search engine online. You should find some great web sites that will get you headed in the right direction. Another idea is to find an existing word or language that you like the sound of and use it as the foundation for yours, as I did while writing Eragon. (When I was working on the book, I needed a word that meant fire. I flipped through a dictionary of word origins and eventually found an Old Norse word, brisingr, which meant fire. I loved it so much that it was an easy decision to base the rest of my language on Old Norse, so I went online and dug up dictionaries and guides to learn more. I invented words based on what I found, and then formed a system of grammar and a pronunciation guide to fit my world. Developing this was probably the most difficult part of writing the books.)

In terms of writing advice, you might find this section of my website helpful: https://www.paolini.net/writers-corner/. It's full of tips and resources for new writers. Also, be sure to check out the guest interviews section to get other authors' input as well: https://www.paolini.net/stuff/guest-a.... Hope that helps!

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