Creative Writing

Gallandor: The High Kingdom of Eldoria

/ Detached / Leave a comment

Every world has its crown — the place where history, destiny, and power converge. In Eldoria, that place is Gallandor. Known as the First Kingdom, Gallandor was born out of victory in the First Sundering, and for a thousand years it has stood as the guardian of prophecy, the jewel of Arathia, and the seat of the High King and Queen.

It is more than a kingdom. It is the beating heart of Eldoria.

The Land of Arathia

Gallandor lies in Arathia, the fertile heartland of Eldoria. Its rolling plains are rich with crops, its rivers glimmer like silver threads, and its roads carry travelers from all corners of the realm. Yet at the center of this abundance rises something far greater — Ashrathal, called Emberhold in bardic songs.

This mountain was not born of nature alone. It rose from the scar of the First Sundering, a peak forged in ash and fire when Malakaroth, the Dread King, was defeated. To the lords of Gallandor, it is Ashrathal, the Throne of Ash. To the common folk, it is Emberhold, the Keeper of Embers. Both names are true. Both carry weight.

Upon its slopes and around its base, Gallandor was built — a kingdom of stone and memory. But beneath the mountain lies a darker truth.

The mountain itself is a tomb.

At its core rests the chained body of Malakaroth. Gallandor is both protector of the world and reminder of its greatest wound. To live in Gallandor is to live in the shadow of vigilance, knowing that peace is not guaranteed but guarded every day.

The City of Arathia

At the mountain’s foot sprawls Arathia City, Gallandor’s capital and the jewel of Eldoria. Its white-stone walls gleam in the sun, its spires rise toward the heavens, and its streets hum with knights, scholars, merchants, and pilgrims.

Notable Landmarks

  • Caer Thalion – Royal citadel of House Galanor, where the High King and Queen sit the throne. Its banners fly high above the city.
  • The Great Library of Eldoria – Vault of prophecy and history, where the Whispering Stones are kept under guard of the Keepers.
  • The Hall of the Dragon Riders – Monument to Gallandor’s proud order of dragon riders, now faded but never forgotten.
  • The Spindelum Vault – Hidden deep beneath the city, where the Spindelum of Time was once locked away.
  • The Whispering Stair – Tower where seers climb to glimpse visions. Its steps echo with voices not of this world.

Arathia City is not only the seat of kings. It is the memory of the First Sundering, the guardian of prophecy, and the heartbeat of Eldoria itself.

House Galanor: Blood of Kings

At the center of Gallandor’s story stands House Galanor, the ruling family whose line stretches back to the Age of Ashes.

  • King Alric Galanor – A wise and battle-hardened High King, patron of the Keepers and defender of prophecy.
  • Queen Elenara Galanor – Regal and compassionate; scarred forever when Morgathra, sister of the Dread King, attacked her during pregnancy.
  • The Brothers Three – Torin, Kael, and Eadric. Triplets born in a single breath of fate, scarred in the womb by Morgathra’s curse. Each bears a fragment of shadow, and each is bound to destiny.
  • Galen Galanor – Brother to Alric, a retired general and secret leader of the Keepers, sworn to guard the Spindelum of Time.

House Galanor is not just a royal bloodline. They are guardians of the world’s hope. The fate of Eldoria itself is tied to their scars.

The Burden of the Crown

Gallandor’s rulers carry more than crowns — they carry the weight of a tomb. Every monarch of House Galanor swears the same oath:

“As long as Gallandor stands, the tomb remains sealed.”

It is their glory, but also their curse. To be High King or Queen is to watch over the wound of the world, never free of the shadow it conceals.

The Culture of Gallandor

Gallandor’s people are proud and resilient, shaped by both plenty and vigilance.

  • Farmers tend the fertile fields of Arathia, their harvests feeding much of Eldoria.
  • Knights uphold ancient codes of chivalry, carrying lances and banners that trace their lineage to the First Sundering.
  • Scholars of the Great Library dedicate their lives to understanding prophecy and recording the lore of the past.
  • Common folk live with quiet pride, knowing their kingdom is the shield of Eldoria.

Gallandor is also haunted by memory. Every festival, every song, every monument whispers of the war that shaped the world. Its people live with hope, but also with scars.

Legacy of the Dragon Riders

Gallandor was once home to the legendary dragon riders, warriors who forged bonds with dragons and carried fire into battle against Malakaroth’s legions. Their order has all but vanished, but their spirit remains.

The Hall of the Riders is lined with statues. Songs still tell of Riven and the others who rode flame across the skies. Some believe their bond is not gone — that when the world needs them most, dragons and riders will rise again.

Gallandor in the Brothers Three

For the Brothers Three, Gallandor is not only their birthplace. It is their burden.

Born in Caer Thalion, beneath the banners of House Galanor and above the tomb of Malakaroth, their scars tie them to Gallandor’s destiny. Their journey stretches far across Eldoria, but all paths lead back to Ashrathal — to Emberhold — the mountain that holds both ash and ember, ruin and hope.

If Gallandor falls, all Eldoria falls with it.

“The crown of Gallandor guards the tomb,
If the crown should fall, the world is doomed.”

Behind the Writing

Gallandor has always been one of my favorite creations. From the beginning, I knew I wanted a kingdom that felt both majestic and haunted — a place of light and glory, but one forever built upon scars.

Tolkien’s Gondor inspired me, but Gallandor became something heavier. Not just a city of stone, but a city built on a tomb. Not just a line of kings, but a bloodline bound to prophecy. For me, Gallandor embodies the tension of fantasy itself: light built over shadow, hope born of ruin.

Crafting Gallandor has been my escape — a place to explore, to build, to return to when life demanded too much. It’s been years of sketches, notes, maps, and songs. And now, opening its gates here is a joy, letting you step into the world that has lived in my head for so long.

Until Next Time…

Gallandor is the First Kingdom, but it is only the beginning. Soon, we’ll step into Silvermoon — the hidden realm of elves — and Greenwood — the torchlit dominion of druids and forest spirits. We’ll descend into Ironclad’s glowing forges, sail with Stormwatch’s storm-driven fleets, march across Durhaven’s frozen plains, and walk the haunted halls of Barakthûn.

But it begins here, in Gallandor.
The First Kingdom. The guardian of the tomb. The heart of Eldoria.

If the crown of Gallandor falters, so too does the world.

The Age of Ashes: Remembering the First Sundering

/ Detached / Leave a comment

Before the Brothers Three, before the Spindelum of Time, there was the war that nearly broke the world. The old songs call it the First Sundering. The people remember it as the Age of Ashes.

The War of All

It began over a thousand years ago, when Malakaroth, the Dread King, rose from the shadows. His power was unlike anything the world had faced before — a hunger not for land or gold, but for the very soul of creation. His armies moved like a tide across Eldoria, burning, corrupting, consuming.

This was no simple clash of kingdoms. It was a war of the world itself. Every people, every race — elves in their silver towers, dwarves in their deep halls, men in their fledgling kingdoms, halflings in their quiet valleys — were drawn into the struggle. Even creatures now lost to memory are said to have taken part, their names surviving only in half-sung songs.

It was the one time in all of Eldoria’s history when unity became a necessity. The banners of Silvermoon, Greenwood, Ironclad, Stormwatch, and countless lesser realms flew side by side. Differences were set aside, though not without struggle — the proud dwarves distrusted the elves, men fought among themselves even as they fought the shadow, and many wondered if peace among allies was possible at all.

But the greater darkness left them no choice. The War of All had begun.

The Shadow’s Legions

Malakaroth’s strength was not only in his will but in the armies he summoned. Songs speak of the Blackened Hosts — men twisted by shadow, their eyes hollow, their voices no longer their own. There were beasts as well, some born of fire, others carved from stone, still others crawling up from pits of endless night.

Legends tell of the Revenants, generals of dread who could not be slain by steel, for death itself seemed to serve them. Others whisper of forests corrupted into armies of thorn and root, moving at Malakaroth’s command.

The war was not only fought on battlefields but in the very fabric of the world. Storms raged unnaturally. Seas rose higher than before. Mountains cracked, and entire valleys were swallowed by shadow.

The First Sundering

The war stretched across generations, its cost too great to measure. Some say entire kingdoms were erased from history — not conquered, but sundered, their names carried only in fragments of song.

The final battle came at the foot of the greatest mountain in Eldoria. There, the armies of light and shadow clashed for the last time. The ground shook. The skies burned. The rivers ran red.

Malakaroth was at last defeated — but not destroyed. For evil such as his does not die easily. He was bound in chains of flame and entombed deep within the heart of the mountain.

And so Gallandor, the First Kingdom, was founded above that tomb. It rose not merely as a seat of kings, but as a guardian, a living fortress built to watch forever over the prison of the Dread King.

The Age of Ashes

The victory did not come without ruin. Eldoria was left scarred, its beauty marred by the long shadow of war.

  • Forests, once lush, were burned into wastelands.
  • Dwarven halls cracked and caved beneath the earth.
  • Valleys became swamps, poisoned by shadow’s residue.
  • Ruins littered the land — silent reminders of what was lost.

The people called it the Age of Ashes, for even in victory, the world seemed broken, covered in the soot of its suffering.

Though thousands of years have passed since Malakaroth last walked the earth, the dread of his reign lingers. Whispers cling to the ruins. Old wounds ache in the land itself. And there are places in Eldoria where his shadow still festers, waiting.

The Scars That Remain

The First Sundering was not just a battle — it was a breaking.

  • The elves of Silvermoon still sing laments of those who never returned.
  • Greenwood bears trees twisted black, remnants of corruption.
  • The dwarves of Ironclad carry deep grudges, for they lost more halls than any people, and many never forgave their allies for failing to hold the lines.
  • Stormwatch’s cliffs are said to have risen higher during that age, carved by waves whipped by Malakaroth’s storms.

Even the smaller folk — halflings, nomads, wanderers — carry tales of ancestors driven from lands they never reclaimed. The Sundering touched all, and none escaped unchanged.

This is why Eldoria feels heavy with memory. Every ruin whispers of the Age of Ashes. Every kingdom carries scars, both visible and hidden.

A Living Legacy

For the Brothers Three, born in Gallandor, this history is no distant myth. It is their inheritance.

They live above the mountain that sealed the Dread King. They breathe the air of a kingdom founded not on peace but on vigilance. They are the sons of prophecy, their birth echoing with scars that tie them to that ancient darkness.

The Spindelum of Time itself may be bound to the Sundering. Some say it was forged in those days, others that it was uncovered in the aftermath. Whatever its origin, it has become a thread woven through Eldoria’s fate.

Why I Build Histories

As a writer, the Age of Ashes has been one of my favorite parts of shaping Eldoria. I’ve always been drawn to the way Tolkien built his worlds — how The Silmarillion gave weight to The Lord of the Rings, how ancient wars and forgotten heroes shaped every page of the stories that came after.

I wanted Eldoria to carry that same depth. Not just a surface story, but bones beneath the soil. The First Sundering may not be the tale readers follow page by page in The Brothers Three, but it shapes every corner of their world.

Writing history into fantasy is more than lore for me. It’s restoration. It’s a way of giving my story roots that go deeper than the characters themselves. It’s also been one of the most life-giving parts of my creative journey — an escape, yes, but also a place where my imagination finds purpose and breath.

Until Next Time…

The Age of Ashes has ended. The First Sundering is long past. But the scars it left still shape Eldoria — and perhaps the battles yet to come.

If the world was once broken, who is to say it cannot be broken again?

And a question, for you:
Do you love when fantasy dives into ancient wars and legends, or do you prefer to discover the story only in the present?

Years in the Making: A First Look at The Brothers Three Series and the Journey of Storytelling

/ Detached / Leave a comment

Welcome back to A Hobbit’s Journey.

It’s been a little while since I last wrote here, but this season feels like the right time to begin again. For the past few months, I’ve felt the pull to return to this space — to share stories, reflections, and the worlds I’ve been quietly building in the background. Today begins a new chapter of writing, one I’m excited to walk with you.

If you’ve read my blog before, you know I love to explore Tolkien, myth, and the beauty of fantasy. That passion hasn’t changed. But alongside those reflections, I’ll also be sharing something very close to me: my own novel series, The Brothers Three.

Over the weeks ahead, I’ll be writing about the fantasy world I’ve been building for over eight years — the lore, the kingdoms, the songs, the villains, and the brothers at its heart. I’ll also share the process behind the words: how stories are mapped, how characters are shaped, and how world-building grows from sparks of inspiration into living, breathing realms.

This is the next step of A Hobbit’s Journey — not just reading and reflecting on fantasy, but creating it, together.

The Brothers Three Novel Series

It begins in Gallandor, the First Kingdom of Eldoria, built into the mightiest mountain in the land. For centuries, it has stood as the seat of the High King and Queen — a place of power, politics, and history. But beneath its grandeur lies a deeper truth. The mountain itself holds the sealed tomb of the Dread King, who was defeated in what the old songs call the First Sundering, a war so vast it drew every race and kingdom into its fire. The era itself is remembered as the Age of Ashes, when the world burned and nearly broke under his shadow. His body was entombed in the mountain’s depths, and Gallandor rose above it — both protector and reminder of the darkness that once sought to unmake the world.

It is here that three brothers were born together, in the same moment, under the same breath of fate. Triplets. A rarity even in our world, but in Eldoria, it is almost unheard of. Their birth sent whispers through the kingdom — whispers that destiny had not chosen one heir, but three.

Yet they were not born unmarked. Before their first cries echoed through the halls, Morgathra — the Dread King’s sister — had laid her curse upon them. Each bore a scar, etched before birth, a reminder that darkness had not forgotten.

And so their lives began not as princes in peace, but as sons of prophecy, tethered to a storm that has yet to break.

A World Called Eldoria

Their story stretches far beyond Gallandor’s mountain citadel. It unfolds across seven kingdoms, each with its own crown and song.

  • Silvermoon, hidden high in mist-shrouded mountains, where the High King’s palace glimmers faintly in the moonlight.
  • Ironclad, carved into the mountainside, its forges glowing red against the night sky.
  • Greenwood, a city grown into the colossal trees of the ancient forest, alive with torchlight and elven grace.
  • Stormwatch, clinging to jagged cliffs above a raging sea, its towers lit by lightning and battered by endless waves.
  • And others still, each carrying scars from the age of shadow, each holding secrets that will one day test the Brothers Three.

Eldoria is not merely a setting. It is a land heavy with memory. Every stone remembers the wars that came before. Every ruin whispers of glories and griefs long past. And in its silence, something stirs again.

The Spindelum of Time

At the heart of their first tale lies a relic — the Spindelum of Time.

Neither jewel nor crown, it is older than the kingdoms themselves. Some say it was forged by the Keepers. Others claim it fell from the stars. All agree on one thing: it does not serve lightly.

The Spindelum does not bend to men’s will. It tests them. To glimpse it is to see past, present, and future threaded together in fragile strands. To wield it is to risk shattering them all.

The Brothers did not seek it. But it has called to them all the same.

Songs Already Sung

And here is where the story blurs with myth. Across Eldoria, bards sing fragments of it already — not as prophecy, not as history, but as echoes.

They sing of The Forge Beneath the Veil, where fire was first kindled in darkness.
They mourn with The Whispering Wastes, where silence holds the voices of the lost.
They tell of oaths, of stars, of flames that would not kneel.

And if you’d like to hear those songs brought to life, you can. Over the last several months, I’ve been sharing them through a project called The Ambient Bard — a YouTube channel where the tales of Eldoria are sung out in bardic style, weaving lore and music together. It’s been a joy to take pieces of this world and give them voice, letting the songs of Eldoria echo outside the page.

Why I Write

Writing, for me, has always been more than words on a page. It’s an escape — a way of stepping outside the weight of the world for a while and breathing in another one. Some people find relief in music, others in long walks or painting; for me, it has always been stories.

When life has been heavy, the page has been a place to lay it down. When the world has felt too loud, the act of creating another has been quiet enough to hear myself again. Over the years, that practice of world-building, character-making, and plotting stories hasn’t just been about books — it’s been about restoration.

And that’s part of why I’m sharing it here. Not just to say “here’s my novel,” but to open the process, the joy, and the love of fantasy that’s carried me since I was a child. If you’ve ever felt that pull into a book that made you forget the clock, or if you’ve ever longed for a story that gave you space to breathe — you already know why I write.

Why This Story Matters

The Brothers Three isn’t just a book I’m writing. It’s the culmination of a lifetime of loving fantasy, of fifteen years of blogging, of eight years of world-building, character-making, and story-weaving.

It’s about brotherhood. About scars that become strength. About the fragile hope that even in a world overshadowed by darkness, light can still break through.

And maybe that’s why I want to share it here. Not because it’s finished — it isn’t. Not because it’s perfect — it won’t be. But because stories aren’t meant to be hidden. They grow brighter when they’re shared.

Looking Ahead

So what can you expect here in the weeks ahead?

  • Lore & World Building — more glimpses of Eldoria’s kingdoms, heroes, and villains.
  • Writing Reflections — behind-the-scenes looks at process, inspiration, and creativity.
  • Fantasy Explorations — my ongoing love of Tolkien and other works that shaped this journey.
  • The Brothers Three — teasers, tales, and moments as the saga continues to take shape.

This blog will be a blend of both my world and the craft of writing itself. A place where the songs, the lore, and the process meet.

Until Next Time…

This is only the beginning. In the weeks to come, I’ll be sharing more glimpses of Eldoria — its kingdoms, its heroes, its ruins, it’s shadows, and my writing process of how I look at creating a fantasy world and more.

For now, I’ll leave you with this:

The Brothers, Born as one, scarred as three, bound by the turning of time.

And a question, for you:
What draws you most to fantasy stories — the characters who carry the burden, the lore that breathes beneath the world, or the landscapes that make you long to wander?

Creating a Fantasy World & Plotting a Novel Series

/ Detached / Leave a comment

BlaugustRebornLogo2018Ok, so I know this week was supposed be about generating topics for your blog that you can sustain yourself for the rest of the event.  So far I haven’t put out but one post outlining topics like this.  My brain has been focused largely on writing fantasy over the last few months and it has been hard to break out of that.  Here is what I’ve done for this post though is slap together eleven tips I’ve learned about writing fantasy and writing in general.

Have you ever asked yourself what it’s like to write a novel, or how one goes about it?  So have I, and I’ve learned that each has to find there own way of bringing the inner creative writer to paper.

I’ve been working on a novel series for several years now, upwards of the last seven years but I haven’t spent all of those years just writing.  I’ve currently finished two books in my Brothers Three series and I’m currently half way through the third book.  This is a high fantasy novel series that honestly started almost twenty years ago with a note I wrote down.  It was just an idea, and it’s morphed and changed over the years into an actual book.  One day I do hope to be a published author and will continue to strive for that dream.

One thing out of this process I learned a long time ago was planning goes a long way in being successful when plotting a story, or any thing you write.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion and love for writing, and seven almost eight years ago was when I really started pushing to one day have my material published.  Honestly, I can’t even take credit for the idea of seeking a publisher, as my wife is the one who talked me into it.

Currently I am doing a lot of character development for book three and as I said before…..it has been a lot of planning, character plotting, long nights of staring at a blank screen with nothing other then a hot cup of coffee, or twelve that gets accomplished. One might ask, after so long do you ever feel like giving up or even quitting?  The honest answer is YES and NO….yes it’s hard to find time to write when you work in another full time job, have three children, a wife, and other responsibilities that come before a hobby. At times it is frustrating when you hit a wall and have absolutely no words, direction, or even a faint hint of where you need to go next in the story you so passionately want to get finished.

The biggest thing that helps keep me grounded in the perspective of writing, is my wife and three children!  My wife continually gives me feedback on my writing, both good and sometimes BAD, and these stories were originally birthed for my children as bedtime stories.  This idea kept in mind has pulled me through frustration, and the itch to quit at times and has allowed me to plot out the first five books in the series.  Having finished two of the books so far I have noticed the light at the end of the tunnel syndrome…..and getting to see this story come to life on the pages is quite overwhelming!

So, I write all this to say, if you are a writer of whatever genre then here are some writing tips I’ve learned along the way.  These have come from my own mistakes, my successes, and even mentors I’ve had over the years of how to put things in perspective and keep yourself on track!

Evaluate the Writing Style

If you have a love for writing, then you may find yourself slave to the writing itself. Remember you are the one doing the writing, and it is possible to create a schedule that doesn’t engulf your entire life around writing.  You do have a life, so go live it!  If writing is a job you wish to pursue and have as your job in life, then dedicate time to it, learn new ways of writing, evaluate how you come about writing.  Try writing in different areas away from the home.  A change in scenery can be a world changer for a writer as it helps open the creative flow.

Getting Ideas on Paper  

Do you have some good ideas or a potential story brewing in your head?  Sit down and make sure you write those ideas out on paper.  Typically you would have a character, or character in mind and a place in which these ideas would evolve over time.  They would be centered around some major events, like a war or even someones death.  Once you have the main ideas or plot of the story written out, start asking simple questions, like, “why?” “when did this happen?” “how?” and move onto more detailed questions like, “How did this affect the lands?” “Who is to take blame for this event?” etc…. Once you have these ideas sorted out, pass them onto a friend, fellow writer, etc to pick apart and ask them for a honest opinion.  In the end, this process can help you determine the the major plot lines of the story, where will the main focus of characters and development be, and even sub-plot lines.  All these things added together help you make the story become whole.

Making Your World and Places Come to Life

Where will your fantasy creations live? Is this a made up world that you’ve created, or is this some parallel universe with mystical creatures full of big tales to be told?  There are absolutely no limits on what the imagination can create.  Decide what places your story will be centered around and take into note the previous of letting another review your ideas. Go into detail when creating your world….the races, animals, plants, rivers, lakes, you name it and make sure you list it.

Keep a Notebook and Write it All Down

Never ever leave the house without your notebook.  You never know when you will have this amazing idea pop into your head for the fantasy novel to come.  Write it all down: Your main character, the major events, the kind of world it is, you name it, because all these ideas will come together and firm the story up.  Trust me it’s awful to have this fantastic idea pop into your head and find that you have absolutely nothing to write it down on.

Don’t Be Afraid to Change Things 

Always, Always, Always, take a look at the major underlying plot that everything centers around. Make sure that everything you’ve created centers around this plot because it’s easy to wonder off into a wild rabbit hole. Look at the major event or events and don’t be afraid to mold it, change it, as you have to make this event believable to the readers.  This is what your entire novel hinges on and if the plot line doesn’t make sense, or doesn’t hold the readers attention… well… I think we know what happens next.  Work on other characters who help build the plot line and your protagonist on his/her journey. Not every hero needs to be a loner and he/she could vary in anyway you want.  They may have a family, they may be cold at heart and emotionless until someone comes along they care about.  You name it! Don’t make your story revolve only around your character. Show the feelings of the people around your protagonist and how their decisions affect them. Don’t make a story of one person; make a story about the journey of one person.  Learn how to join sub plots and other events to the major plot line. These could be a birth of a child, or as in my book the birth of multiple children based around a prophecy.  These events will cause your story to have a sense of feeling, emotion, and building that brings the reader closer to the characters and story.  Make sure your characters grow over time in the stories, as the experiences should help mold and make them into who they are to become. After pulling things together, don’t be afraid to make changes (subtle or drastic) to your characters, and story. Make obstacles in your character’s life. Not everything will be easy for him/her. Make sure you’re writing a fantasy novel, not a walk in the park that becomes boring to read.

Creating Your Visual Fantasy World 

This is one of my favorite things to do in bringing a story to a visual understanding!  Grab a piece of paper and a pencil. It’s time to start drawing out what you see in your head. Do a ton of research on land, rivers, map creation etc… If you’re planning to build a world from root, start drawing simple lines. You can make seas, oceans, lakes, mountains, and other strange factors in your world. Draw the lines of kingdom’s lands and empires. Put post-its and other notes on your map to locate some events. Remember: your map doesn’t have to be well made. Be free to use any materials you like, and have fun!

Deep Rooted History 

Do you plan on having a deep history and timeline in your story? Plot out a chronology of your story as this could help aid the reader and bring them closer to the events going on. Plot out the events that appear in your book, or just stories of other events that will indirectly explain the ones in your plot. Don’t think it’s a waste of time to build a world which, for the most part, won’t appear in the book. It’s important for the reader to know that the writer knows what he’s talking about and isn’t putting random things on the pages of his/her book. Make your characters tell a legend or mention some event that you have carefully planned out. As the writer, you have to know something that the reader’s don’t….and always make sure you know what you’re talking about.

Character Development 

Make sure you know the main character or characters, don’t just make a place holder in the story with a random name laying on the pages.  Plan everything about your character. This is where you put some deep well thought out time and attention into the story. Does he/she have fears (death, darkness)? Where/when was he/she born? Under which circumstances? Do they have siblings? Do they have someone they love? Be free as this is your story!

Things About your World 

Remember that chronology planning you read about earlier?  Not it’s time to take it a step further…. Be as detailed as you possibly can with the imagination you have!  What kind of homes do people live in? Jobs? Types of clothing? Government systems? Do they have schools, or some type of training grounds soldiers are sent to? Family bloodlines that rule the kingdoms, is there magic in the land, or some dark evil threatening the lands?  Can women fight in war too, or is it only for men? Are there any fantasy creatures roaming the lands? Don’t leave anything out as this will probably be the biggest step in your story. The base will be here. Everything you’ll come up with needs to be here. Don’t worry if you’re taking too long writing everything out. A good story needs to have a solid foundation that covers every base you could think of.

Plotting and Planning

This is one of the most time consuming and sometimes frustrating step in the process. Making the chapters of your story, and tying everything into itself. Define what kind of writer you will be. What will be the length of your chapters and book or books? Will you write in third or first person or take on the challenge of both?  Will you describe your characters and surroundings to make the story more personal to the reader, will you not care and just want to make an epic legend? This is one of those steps you can’t be afraid to change and touch multiple times, and sometimes with a very critical eye!  Reverse the roles at times and look at it from a readers standpoint!  I think I have spent more time plotting my books out then writing the stories and honestly that is what makes for a deep and rich story.  I spent the first few moths plotting out a simple book chart that lists (Years, Major Plot, Minor Plot, Characters, Etc…)  It is my go to before I ever even think of writing at times. Remember don’t be afraid to create, change, and plan!

Let Others Review 

Don’t forget to reach out to others and let them read your work. Print out your finished product and hand out multiple copies to people who may enjoy reading your novel. It can be a few close friends at first, but once you start getting feedback and start building confidence, you might want to consider trying to publish.  Accept any criticisms, good and bad as they will make you a better writer in the future. Fix anything that your editor tells you. Believe that you can be published if you put your mind to it, but try not to hope too strongly for your book to be published, since you could end up very depressed if all doesn’t go to plan. If your work is rejected by one editor, edit the story or send it to a different publisher.  Remember what drives you to write, and don’t lose sight of why you love doing this.  It’s easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel and get caught up in the moment of a job, instead of the passion for writing!

Writing Something a Bit Different – Stranger Things Season 2

/ Detached / Leave a comment

BlaugustRebornLogo2018Hello again fellow bloggers!

I can’t believe we are almost wrapping up with our first week of Blaugust already.  Today’s post is a bit off from my normal advice type write up as I just felt like doing something different.

This post may not be completely directed towards making a better blog, or writing in a more creative way….but it’s about something I love and have a passion for and that’s great quality Sci-Fi / Horror that sucks you into the show!

My best advice for you all is if you want to write about something then jump in and do it.  Don’t worry about whether you think someone will read it or not, because I can almost guarantee you someone out there will enjoy it.  Stepping out and writing something you enjoy and are passionate about makes a world of difference as the readers pick up on that.

I meant to do a review of this show months ago when it came out, and completely forgot about it……so here is my review of Stranger Things Season 2!  If you have never seen the show then you are missing out!

Stranger Things Season 2 Trailer

 

With the Sci-Fi / Horror genre it is already a tough market and the first season of Stranger Things did it beautifully.  Click here to see my review on Stranger Things season one.  Even though season one was a massive success it doesn’t guarantee that the writers can reproduce that for future seasons.  With excellence and a massive crowd following comes the pressure and expectation to deliver something not only equal but surpass what you did the previous year.

With all the perfect that season one was, it was hard to believe that season two could ever live up to that standard or even come close to being better.  Stranger Things Season 2 had so many things working against it, including some saying that the ambiguous ending in season one was the perfect place to end the show.

The Duffer brothers had a huge task ahead of them and they chose to ignore all the naysayers and jumped right in and started working hard.  They have an insane universe they have built and one that the fans can’t get enough of and that is what make this show so good.  Stranger Things Season 2 was an absolute hit with the fans as it continues to build upon the rich story, incredible cast and expands the world of Hawkins into an epic great of it’s time.

What has made this show a success so far and why do the mix of kids they have playing these parts work so well?  It’s extremely rare for a series like this, especially one dealing with kids, to dive deep into the mental aspect of what going through a traumatic event really looks like.  The Duffer brothers do this so well though as from a shows standpoint it would just be easier to pretend like the events with the Demogorgon, Eleven’s disappearance, and Barb’s lack of justice didn’t happen; forgetting all of those essential stories would have been simpler, but not nearly as compelling.

The writers did an amazing job of adding a ton of depth to the story and characters this season.  Right from the beginning, we know that there’s something not quite right with Will…one of the main characters, who was stuck in another dimension for most of Season one. His classmates call him “zombie boy,” since they all believed he was dead and now he is just the weird kid that got lost in the woods. For a kid who went through what Will did, this isn’t an easy thing to hear or live every day at school now.

All the boys are back in season two again with a lot more screen time which is always great as we get to learn a lot more about each of them this season.  Dustin is still my favorite character out of the crazy boy club and a close second is Mike’s character.  Though Mike this season is really struggling with Eleven’s disappearance and the actor does a great job of showing the mental wear and tear it’s causing him.

It wouldn’t be a new season of the show without some new blood added to the mix and Maxine (Sadie Sink) or Max as she calls herself in the show is just what the show needed.  She gives the boys a tussle for their money in this season and quickly becomes a part of the group.  They added a few others to the mix but Max is really the one that stood out to the most for the story and character development.  Eleven also makes her return and the Duffer brothers didn’t disappoint one bit with her entrance back to the screen. Again, the Duffer Brothers are expanding the Stranger Things universe beyond the confines of Hawkins, so expect to journey to new locations.

So what about that giant monster in the trailers….what the heck is that thing?  Yeah, it’s scary and huge and makes the season one Demogorgon look like a teddy bear. This ominous shadowy demon is the main antagonist, and let’s just say the gang has their hands full in dealing with this crazy creature. The Upside Down is alive and well here, but with a villain this big, more of Hawkins is getting pulled into the madness.

One of the great parts of this season that makes it so captivating is it’s not just physical dangers lurking around every corner.  It’s the mental aspect that draws you in that are played so well by the kids and parents….it’s all the stress points in the show that make you sit on the edge of your seat and wonder whats next.  Though this season is a massive success it also has it’s faults as well, and there are moments when the tone of the show changes abruptly which I thought hurt certain episodes.  Even though the show does have some hiccups and strange pace in places it was overall a favorite in my book. I can’t wait for season three and what the Duffer brothers are bringing to the screen.

Writing Foundations of Fantasy Characters

/ Detached / Leave a comment

When you think of fantasy novels, most people think, epic battles, magical worlds, filled with creatures and mysteries to solve. Those worlds have to have must be populated with engaging characters, and instances to grab the readers attention.  Strong characters are important to fantasy fiction for many reasons:

  • Fantasy often tells the story of events on a grand scale, and having characters the readers can connect to and care about makes that story tangible, and more enjoyable.
  • Fantasy often has an element of wish fulfillment about it, so readers want characters they can identify with and understand.
  • Engaging characters can help readers feel as though they get pulled into the story, and feel comfortable in an otherwise unfamiliar invented world.

The most popular fantasy fiction tells us that enduring characters influence how much readers love a work of fiction. Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione, and a whole host of other amazing and enduring characters throughout fantasy history are all amazing examples of iconic fantasy characters.

Several of the characters listed above are protagonists, but the surrounding cast to the protagonist must be engaging as well. No reader will feel suspense if the antagonist is unbelievable and lacks the luster to engage the readers. If the love interest in the story is one-dimensional, readers aren’t likely to be interested.  A mentor adds gravity to the protagonist’s quest, and sidekicks make the protagonist more likeable by bringing in the chance of humor and good laughs. This creates a broad contrast, and wholeness that a protagonist who is busy defeating evil throughout the book might otherwise not have the opportunity to show.

Characters are the heart of your fantasy novel, and without strong characters, the reader ultimately won’t care what happens between epic battles, how the hero of the story grew and challenged evil, or ultimately how the book ends.

One way to create memorable characters is to begin with set types and add depth to each of the specific characters.  No matter what approach you take to creating and developing characters it has to work for you.  This is definitively a formula based way to create characters, but fantasy character types are no different then how the framework of a plot outline works. If you think about some of the characters listed above, there are several types.

Hermoine Granger is the smart girl, Harry Potter is the orphan boy with secret magical powers, and Bilbo Baggins is the reluctant adventurer. All of these are stock characters from literature and the fantasy genre in particular. Yet if you are familiar with these particular versions of these characters from your own reading, you know that this stock description only scratches the surface of who these characters turn out to be: it doesn’t fully convey their strengths, weaknesses or story arcs.

Here is a list of five different fantasy character types you can develop and make into memorable characters for your readers! 

The Protagonist – aka “The Hero”

 

Up to this point, we have mostly discussed the protagonist, but there is a reason for this. This is the most important character in your story. If the protagonist doesn’t work, it won’t matter how well-developed the other characters are as no one will care or even stay engaged enough to finish the story.

Here are a few points to consider as you develop your protagonist:

  • Is your protagonist an ordinary person or do they have some extraordinary powers that help them fulfill their destiny?
  • Is your protagonist more of a traditional hero or is he/she an antihero? In other words, does your protagonist display typical qualities such as courage, loyalty and goodness, or does the protagonist have a dark side?
  • What are some of the defining characteristics of a protagonist? This will definitely help you put together an initial frame for developing this character.

The Antagonist – aka “The Bad Guy”

One error some writers make is creating an antagonist who is purely evil. Their reasoning may be that a more evil character is more likely to create suspense for the reader.

The problem with this approach is that the character may become so over-the-top evil that the reader disengages. A story is often more interesting when the antagonist has motives that are clear and understandable, even if the characters logic or actions behind their motives are wrong.

Another approach to making your antagonist more attractive and enjoyable to read is giving the character a connection with the protagonist.  If you have ever read any of the great fantasy novels of our time, then you get to see these connections come to life very clearly.  Look at Voldemort in Harry Potter or Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe.  In The Lord of the Rings, Sauron is not relatably human, but Saruman was the mentor of the good wizard Gandalf, so when Saruman switches allegiance to Sauron, the betrayal increases a sense of threat and helps the reader understand the emotional roller coaster this has on it’s characters.

The Great Mentor 

This is one of the greatest categories of characters in a fantasy novel ever in my opinion! Like so many stories before this write up we saw such greats as, Frodo Baggins has Bilbo and Gandalf, and Luke Skywalker has Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Each of these great mentors are absolutely invaluable to the protagonist’s development. The main function of a mentor is to educate or train the protagonist, but the mentor can bring a very powerful and emotional component to the story as well.  One of the most interesting things over the course of a fantasy novel, is it’s almost inevitable that at some point the mentor and protagonist must part. Whether this means the death of the mentor or simply the mentor’s departure, this is usually a very emotional and dramatic turning point for the growth of the story.

Here are some points to consider when developing the mentor:

  • Does the mentor have any unusual abilities such as magical powers, or is their primary purpose to impart wisdom and teach?
  • What is the relationship between the protagonist and the mentor? Is it positive from the beginning, or is it a rough and bumpy ride?
  • How do the mentor and protagonist part? Is it sudden and tragic, or is it planned? How does the way the relationship ends affect the protagonist and overall cast of characters for the story?

The Sidekick

Protagonists can sometimes seem incredibly heroic, and sidekicks can help humanize them as well.  At times you will even see the sidekicks overshadow the protagonist.  This is not a fail on the part of the writer, but instead just a natural progression of the roles in the story.  In fantasy fiction, a protagonist often becomes so much larger than life that as the story progresses it becomes increasingly difficult for the reader to relate and engage. Meanwhile the sidekicks are often characters who are more ordinary and perhaps more likable or similar to the reader, which helps them enjoy and engage with this character. What is most important about the sidekick is that the writer remains in control and keeps things cohesive! It’s very easy to derail yourself when writing a character type like a sidekick, as you can pull the focus away from the main plot and protagonist so easily.

Sidekicks often offer wisdom, comic relief, or commentaries that match the reader’s perspective more closely than that of the protagonist. We’ve seen some very memorable and fond sidekicks but some of my favorites to date are still R2D2 and C3PO from Star Wars. Sidekicks are frequently invaluable, and often a protagonist cannot succeed without them.

 

The Famed Love Interest

Much like the sidekick, the love interest helps bring a level of humanity to the protagonist that is needed. The love interest also provides additional opportunities for conflict, suspense, and engagement with the readers. To create an effective love interest, writers should make this character multidimensional and not simply a perfect reflection of the protagonist’s — or the writer’s — wants, needs, and desires.

The love interest will usually be setup in such a way they challenge the protagonist by seeing or doing things in a different way. This character may also raise the bar for the protagonist which helps orchestrate their relationship.  This type of character opens up so many different paths you could take with the protagonist, such as a cause they can be committed to, or even a vulnerability the readers relate with.

One of the most important things to keep in mind while developing this character and the relationship, is that creating any relationship in a fantasy based novel should be no different from any other type of fiction. Writers in the fantasy genre will find it most effective and best suited to portray the growth of the relationship in real and concrete ways, as it makes it easier for the readers to engage and relate.

Protagonists, antagonists, sidekicks, mentors and love interests may seem like basic characters of fantasy, but they are the foundations of a well developed, and very complex set of characters that readers have fallen in love with for ages throughout the fantasy genre.  Have fun and enjoy the wild ride you get while creating the characters in your novel, as they will be the unique attraction points readers engage with!

Newbie Blogger Initiative 2016 – Writing With Focus

/ Detached / 1 Comment

1464077259935

 

Starting a blog is easy for the most part as the tools you can get now days makes the startup pretty seamless.  What isn’t so easy is staying focused while writing as it takes time, and time is the killer for most writers.  Either we don’t have enough of it, or we lose focus over a period of time and get frustrated with what we were trying to accomplish.  I’ve been down these paths quite a lot before but over the years it’s helped me learn how to stay focused, or at least narrow it down so I can enjoy writing.

One of the questions I hear a lot from new bloggers is am I doing this blog thing correctly?

That question is very broad but when you break all those pieces down into why you started your blog and even why you started writing…..that question becomes pretty easy to answer.

Doing this blog thing comes down to personal preference overall but be willing to focus your material and niche so you can reach an audience.

These are just a few things I’ve stumbled over and even sometimes fallen on my face while writing and blogging.  I’m no professional by any means, but I enjoy what I get to do with my little corner of the internet and I want to make it the best I can.

One of the ways to improve your blog is step back and examine all of the aspects of what your blog brings for readers.  Do you have a vision for the blog, or at least an idea of the direction you want to go?

The more you narrow your focus, the more you broaden your audience.  This is where vision and an idea of where and what the blog will look like helps.

Before you begin writing, consider your subject (what you want to write about), then figure out the the theme (your angle and area of focus), then put it into action and figure out what you want to accomplish.

What subject or subjects are you writing about, and what are you passionate about?  If you can bring those two ideas together then you’ve made a huge step as that’s something most writers struggle with for years.

Take a look at the theme of your site and writing style as well.  Think of it as a subset of your main topics and figure out what that looks like for you.  Ask yourself: What will my writing “VOICE” be? Will it be tackling the humorous side of things, or maybe you take a more practical approach to writing.

Lastly, take a look at what you want your blog to accomplish overall.  This is the main goal of this little exercise so take some time and look at what impressions you want to leave the readers with.  Ultimately the question is why am I blogging and how does it bring enjoyment to my life?

For me writing is a passion but connecting with people is a bigger passion and that is where my enjoyment and focus comes from.

One of my writing mentors gave me this little nugget years ago and quickly became a favorite quote and one I stuck to when I was struggling with writing.

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”         – Louis L’Amour 

 

 

Newbie Blogger Initiative 2016

/ Detached / 1 Comment

 

1464077259935Time has absolutely flown by as it seems just yesterday I was writing my first post ever for NBI and my blog.  It was two years ago that I first got involved with the Newbie Blogger Initiative. I wasn’t able to participate much last year due to my schedule and this year it almost seemed as though NBI was going to be postponed.  But that is not the case as Doone himself was lurking around Twitter and low and behold an announcement from him that June would be the month for NBI.

Once again we get to see the Dragon and already we are seeing new faces joining the blogosphere realm asking questions about NBI.

For those who aren’t quite sure what the Newbie Blogger Initiative is, here’s a look back to it’s origins.  The Newbie Blogger Initiative is an annual event created by Syp of Bio-Break back in 2012. His main goal was to bring writers together and hopefully start an MMO blog of their own.  It was a place to rally bloggers alike and have encouragement, advice on topics, and overall help with getting traffic to the new bloggers sites.

Why does the NBI exist?

NBI exists to help encourage bloggers (Gaming) bloggers to be specific, but all in all it’s here to help writers, and content creators.  This event has a large group of veterans who have helped over the years and they have a wealth of information to share.  It’s one of the reasons we “Veterans” enjoy this event as we get to pass down the torch of knowledge to anyone who wants it.  NBI exists to help new bloggers get their blog started off in the right direction, and to give any advice we can offer to anyone willing to write and create material for such a blog.

Are you Ready to Participate?

Are you questioning if you can participate in this event, well don’t as all are welcome here. But to be counted as a “Newb” in the Blogosphere you need to have just started blogging within the last year.  That doesn’t mean any of the oldie but goodies are excluded from the event as our “Veterans” as I mentioned above are a huge key to this event as well.

How do I get involved? 

You can follow any of the links below to get started and see all the chatter going on about the event.

 

 

NBI Forums 

NBI on Twitter 

Discord Invite Code: https://t.co/bZLA0YGZSk

 

 

If you’ve ever tossed the idea of blogging around then I hope NBI is what kick starts that fire and helps get you going.  I’ve been writing for years and even today after setting down and looking back, it’s not been an easy journey, but it’s been a very satisfying challenge.  Writing is a passion and just part of who I am, and I hope that passion rubs off onto the next generation of writers.  I hope you all take the challenge and enjoy the 2016 Newbie Blogger Initiative!  Can’t wait to see you all around!

scr.ee tags:

Writing