Hello everyone! I'm new here, and I still haven't written anything but I am working on my first story—or at least the structure, characters, and world-building for now. I would love to know your opinion about realistic world-building, especially in a European medieval style. I want interesting places in my story... interesting kingdoms, villages, etc. What can you advise an amateur writer who approaches his first story ..read more

Hi Everyone, Sorry not to be around for a long while, I was writing something that didn't go as planned and then I became really ill and writing became unfeasibly hard. Finally got myself back on track and then I was working on the computer when our cat leapt on me, I was holding a large glass of coke and it spilled across my laptop which turned my lovely computer into a stone. However, as an early Christmas present, my husband bought me a brand new laptop and I've been able to restore... Read more ..read more

The kind of stories I tend to write, tend to be the sort that are 'mostly' serious in nature, but have the occasional levity, sometimes (due to the level of self awareness the characters have) in the form of an 'off script' interaction. Depending on if these sorts of tone changes are established on outset, this can be fine and work well. But what about when you want to write a more serious story throughout? Or even in the stories I typically write, where I want to have a shift in tone but... Read more ..read more

Calligraphic Flourishes! Per the title. Are there any sources that are your go-to for adding black and white calligraphic flourishes to your publications that are free to use commercially? I used to have a crapton of them, but...​ Read more ..read more

Here's another one for the military specialists (I know you're there, I can see you behind those bushes). I was reading a history of the 30 Years War and came across one expedition where the numbers given were 22,000 soldiers and 20,000 cavalry. That gave me pause, though not hooves. First, let's just pretend the numbers are accurate (they're likely higher than actual). 20k horses must translate to more horses than that, for replacements must be ready to hand. Does anyone have a sense of... Read more ..read more

In my years of trying to actually finish my stories, I've found that inspiration has been too fickle of a resource to depend on. I can do great work if I draw upon it, but it's availability shifts of it's own accord, thus making it quite difficult if one plans to write more than once or twice a semester. On the other hand, the times I've forced myself to write haven't been the most fruitful either. Setting aside a time to write every day, regardless of it all, of my tiredness... Read more ..read more

Thought it was time to join like-minded lovers of the fantasy genre ..read more

Hey! I'm glad I found this forum. I'm working on my first fantasy story, I'll ask a few questions here about it. Always glad to receive and give notes by the way, English is not my first language...I hope I'll write something decent enough ..read more

Hello! I was just writing a scene with 3 characters all in a room together. One character is the POV character. One of the other characters goes to another room and I described what she saw and what she did when she went in the room. And then I described the 3rd character's emotions and thoughts. That's head hopping isn't it? I should probably cut those bits out of the scene, right? I should only describe things from the POV character's view point, right? Other than through dialogue... Read more ..read more

Romance (the actual 'business' part of it I mean) is something I don't mind watching in movies and other media. But sometimes, especially in spy films, it's one of those things that personally I roll my eyes at. I understand why it's there, narratively, but especially in a serious movie like say james bond, where the plot is about potential national threats. I tend to roll my eyes and I'm like 'really, we're doing this NOW? I mean ok, I approve, but why tho' lol Sometimes I'm like 'finally... Read more ..read more