How to Create a World

The title sounds big and beyond capability but it really isn't. Creating a world is second nature to some authors but it still scares the heebie jeebies out of any writer. It is easier for some to just write what (or where) they know by picking a town they have been to or a forest that they have walked through a dozen times, but to create a place that no one has been can freeze us in our tracks. Why is that? I mean, if no one has been there, there should not be anything to live up to like remembering what bus stop is at what park in the middle of Boston. A Bostonian would know. An author who had never been there? Not so much, and would have more pressure to get facts straight. That is but a small problem and I have learned that it isn't a true problem at all. It is called artistic license. The author is the creator of that world and as such can make it however he or she wants. If I want horses, instead of cars, to be the mode of transportation in modern day New York, that is how it is. If I want magic to be a natural part of life on Earth, that is how I will write it. Do not be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone on this one. Not everyone can create Middle Earth but that is good. I don't want to read about the same world in every fantasy book or follow the same mystery in every thriller I read. I want variety so I know others feel the same. Let your world be unique to you. Invite your readers in through the portal that you create for them. You will find that this new world will grow on its own over time.

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Lottie's Pick-of-the-Week

Scott Whitmore has clearly done it again. The author of "Carpathia" follows suit with "A Devil's Harvest," another stand-alone novel of intrigue and horror with a single question: What if? What if WWII went in another direction? What if key players in the Alliance and Central Powers were different? And most of all, what if both sides had another weapon of mass destruction? Not chemical weapons, not explosives or artillary, but the undead. Yes, I said undead. Vampires and zombies under military control? The possibilities are endless. Mr. Whitmore gives a thrilling, and different, point of view that I enjoyed immensely and the best part is that it is only .99 on amazon.com. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did. Great job, Scott. http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Harvest-Carpathia-Timeline-ebook/dp/B00AFOIWA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378001783&sr=8-1&keywords=scott+whitmore

Adding Flesh to Bones: Character Creation in Fiction

Here you have your great story idea. You have it in your head how it is supposed to go and where its happening. You are set for that million-seller, award winning novel. Now you just have to get it down on paper, or word processor. Boom! You get to writing and the first character comes up. Your face gets that blank look to it and your enthusiasm fades. Who is this person? Where is he from? Do you have any background on him? How did he get to here? EEEEEEK! I will tell you this, sometimes, most of the time, you are not writing about a story. You are writing about a character, or several. Sometimes the character is so obvious that creation is easy. Joe Shmo is a mechanic who wins the lottery, or Jane Whatsherface moves to the beach into an old lighthouse. But is it this easy every time? Not on your life! If you go into your story without some sort of idea about your characters, it is like going cross-country driving without ever opening a map. The journey is slow and arduous. The...

My 10 Quick Tips on Writing

Hello, my fellow aspiring writers, poets and playwrights! First I want to thank all of you for the incredible support that you have given me in my writing and blogging. I have been writing most of my life but only recently decided to go pro. Many of you have decided the same thing. It's a rough road but we can take it. We are tough. It is always helpful (at least it is to me) when others with more experience or just some good ideas share what they know with the rest of us, so here I go with my little bit. Here are 10 quick tips on writing that I have found to be really helpful to learn. 1. Write like a demon! Ignore the format of the page, all of the little writing rules and every bit of writing tips you have been forced to swallow and just write! Let the words flow out like a busted fire hydrant. That first draft is the most important, even with its type-o's, grammar snaffoos and plot holes. It is the heart of any writing process and you can't let over thi...

The Writer's Block

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