I'm writing a Fantasy novel. It must include dragons, Elves etc and new languages. Can you help me start it?

Question

I'm 12 and I really want to do this. It must include Elves, dragons, Dwarves, a new race, some new languages, and a heroine or hero. It must be unlike anyone before. Please help me! Thanks for your time.

Answer 1

I suggest looking at blizzard games for inspiration. They make tons of rpgs with necromancers, priests, paladins, elves and monsters. I LOVE THEIR GAMES.

Answer 2

I apologize in advance for coming off sounding negative about your project, but there is an irreconcilable paradox in your question. You want your novel to include elves, dragons, dwarves, etc., but you also want it to be "unlike anything before."

No can do.

The whole elves-dragon-dwarves thing is totally played out. Tolkein is the supreme example of this literary convention at its best, Terry Brooks is the most horrific example of the convention at its worst (BY FAR!).

To be original, you're goint to have to stop worrying about the framework of "accepted" fantasy. That's a tall order, I know, which is why so many fantasy writers just schlep along and write mediocre stories.

Here's the trick--figure out what you're trying to write. Why is the story important to the reader? What's the point? Not that you have to write it like an Aesop's fable, but the characters and events of the story should give the reader something to think about, a glimpse at a truth that is deeper than the surface of the page. If you do that, then the format of the story doesn't matter--give it dragons, or hard-boiled detectives, or lonely fishermen, or all of the above. If you DON'T do that, then the format is just window-dressing on an empty house--pretty from a distance, but empty and meaningless upon closer examination.

A final tip: One of the things that make fantasy authors like Tolkein or Ecco (yes, I count him as a fantaly writer) so great is their capacity to make you believe that you're already familiar with the "story behind the story". Without being explicit, both authors allude to episodes and characters outside of the work at hand. These allusions are made so frequently and skillfully that you start to feel like the particular story you're reading is really a redaction of a much larger work that you've read before. It's a neat trick, and one seldom done well. Give it a try.

Answer 3

Just start writing. Write at least one page every day and they will add up faster than you can believe. If you are having trouble with inspiration, read a lot. Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, CS Lewis, McCaffrey, etc., are all great authors, but don't feel restricted to fantasy novels - all books will help expand your mind and give your own books a solid foundation, even non-fiction. A good source of inspiration could be a mythology encyclopedia - almost any Borders or Barnes and Noble will have one in their bargain books section. For a new language to be convincing and not just gobbledegook, it must have structure that is not necessarily all included in what your readers have access to. To develop these skills, I would start by studying real languages, maybe Russian or Spanish, and when you have access to such a thing, classes on linguistic theory. If you read a book on linguistic theory now, you'd be killing two birds with one stone.

Don't feel like you have to start at the beginning of your novel and write through to the end. Perhaps you could start with a conversation between two characters, even if you don't know what race the characters are. The story will start to flow, just write. Good luck.

Answer 4

The best advice is to read a lot of the type of book you want to write. See what other authors are doing and study how they're doing it, then figure out what will make your story different. People write differently. Some start with a story idea and then figure out the most interesting person to solve the problems in the story, others start with a character and decide what story to tell about them. Both methods work well, it's just a matter of deciding which one fits your style and thought process best. You can also get some good books on writing and character and plot creation from the Writer's Digest series. Maybe check your library for any of them. Good luck.

Answer 5

The first thing to do is decide on a storyline. Obviously, you don't want to do a rip-off of Tolkein, but you should take some of his ideas and build off them. There is also Mercedes Lackey and Andre Norton and Anne McCaffrey. All of these writers have created new worlds, some with new languages, etc. At 12 years old, you will only have the language skills to begin this work...but that is fine. I suggest starting by writing a short story to introduce your characters and set the scene for your later work. If take this project slowly and in small chunks, it will be easier to do. If you haven't already, take some courses in novel writing, it will show you how to develop plat and characters, settings, etc. Good luck.

Answer 6

okay. here are some "helpful hints" from a 14 year old girl who is in love fanasty books.

1. do NOT make it about some girl who is a princess who goes on a quest to prove to her widowed father that she can be better than the wanted son he always wanted and never got. NEVER!!! I have read that same story 4 times in one year!

2. do NOT make it about a farm boy.
2.1] he finds an object and suddenly he is special (Eragon, Frodo/Bilbo Baggins, etc.)
2.2] He is sent off to war (Booorrrrrrinnnggggggg.......zzzZZZzzzZZZ)
2.3] he falls in love an elf--if he is a human (have you noticed almost ALL fanasty books are like that??)

3. Who said Elves, Dwaves, Faries, etc. has to be in Middle Earth....? *wink wink*
3.1 Not every modern day book needs to be cursing/sexy script. As long if the story gets through

4. If you are a boy, then make it about a boy. If you are a girl, make it about a girl. Relate the character to yourself or to someone you know. It gives it a realistic flavor.

5. Truthfully, I have never read a book when the main character is a boy farie/elf. How interesting

6. EVERY FANTASY BOOK NEEDS A MAP!

7. Don't write it for the sake of fantasy stories. You don't want to be like JRRTolken or whatsnot. Your just a copycat. Be yourself.

8. You must have a point to your story. A theme. Moral. Lesson. Whatever.

9. Every story needs:
a>characters
b>setting (time, place, etc.)
c>a plot (very importent! Dont be like Spykids...)
d>irony? (verbal, dramatic, situation)
e>point of view (first person, third person, etc.)
f>suspence
g>complications
h>climax
i>conclusion
j>conflict (internal/external)


Thats all I could think of right now. ^_^

making a book aint easy right? hehehe...

Answer 7

As it was said before, it's your story, and maybe this could be an interesting way of starting it: trying to decipher how to start this novel!
A suggestion: read "The never ending story" by Michael Ende, the 6 Harry Potter, the Narnia Chronicles, and so on. I bet you have plenty of great ideas for this amazing project. Even more, some excellent writers don't start necessarily by the beginning of their stories. Write anything that comes to your mind and then create the appropriate links for your ideas. I'm sure Goddess Success will come to inspire you... ;)

Answer 8

actually, made up languages are not my renowned because they are hardly ever done nicely and hardly ever upload something extraordinarily major to the tale. you've justified your use of a made up language nicely adequate and that i'm keen to believe you recognize what you're doing, so as it truly is solid. basically keep it to a minimum and use it basically the position you imagine you should. i really don't like interpreting wide translations or communicate that each and each and every one must be translated through yet another personality line through line. what's worse is at the same time as that's sumarized for the MC later. As a reader, it makes me experience somewhat cheated. Tolkien is a good party of utilising made up languages that worked quite nicely.

Answer 9

The dark was overpowering. I could not even see the tip of my nose. I kept walking though. I had been traveling for days throughout this wet cave searching for the exit. How did I get into the maze?...It's a long story.

I was gazing at the clouds in the sky, laying on my back in a field. I was playing my childhood game of making shapes of the clouds, when a short man stumbled across me... He must've been running. I sat up quickly. He layed in the grass faced down and rushed to stand up. With a squeaky voice he bowed and quickly said, "I am sorry." He then turned and ran off. The man...he wore a strange green hat, rather pointy at the top. He wore green clothes...I thought rapidly, "Was that...a leprechaun?" I launched to my feet and after him I ran desperately hoping to find a pot of gold.

I know it depends on exactly what your story line is, but this may help. It can branch off into several types of mythical creatures.

Answer 10

heres a unque answer for you if you have ever gamed ( dungeons and dragons, gurps, and games like that) or ever played any final fantasy style games try to think on the order of thoughs. if not ask someone at a game store that sells thous types and ask if you can watch them play. most likly if you ask nicely and stay quiet and observe how it's played you might get a good idea of how to start your story. just a little side note not all dragons are bad. and be unque in your story dont just take ones like the hobbit or lord of the rings ok. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 11

You already have a good start by naming the people/animals you will use.

Draw on more of that creative force you have already demonstrated, and let your imagination soar. Close your eyes and visualize the wondrous land where all of this will happen, and let your fingers write it all down as it unfolds in front of your mind.

I like many of the suggestions others have given about structure and planning. Make use of what others have given to you and go for it. You can do it.

Good luck.