World Building and Vegetation #OurAuthorGang

By Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

Obviously if you need to create a world for a story or series of stories, you need to have specific locations in mind so you can give the reader a sense of place. Each location can only exist in the context of a larger world and if the world is like ours that means there's vegetation growing about.

Vegetation grows only where conditions are favorable. If your world is a frozen ice planet, you needn't read any further. But for the rest of us, knowing where there are forests, grasslands, farmlands, and the like will help you give your world a sense of realism. Equally important is knowing the type of vegetation that's growing. This is where climate comes in.

Rain forests exists in the tropics, not in temperate zones. Northern forest are all coniferous, Temperature forests can have deciduous trees. Note the amount of water available in each area. Dense forests need more water (more rainfall) than sparingly forested areas. And actually it is the other way around, the more precipitation an area receive, the more densely forested it can be.

Where there's less water available, grasslands are likely. And these can range from tundra to scrublands, to wide plains of grass.

Once you figure out what your settings or world is like, create a map showing the forests and grasslands.

Likely where lands is irrigated, you'll have farms. In a medieval fantasy world like mine, large areas of lands must be set aside for farming to support the cities towns in the region. Otherwise everyone starves.

Note all this on your vegetation map or combine it with the elevation map to create a composite.

With all this done, you're ready to consider other types of terrain like deserts and swamps. We'll look at those next time.

Vorn the Onyx, Book 2 of the Aglaril Cycle

By Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

Evan Pierce, a demon hunter and priest of St. Michael, must match wits with the witch of Martingis when she abducts four orphan girls and attempts a fifth. The witch has been terrorizing the locals for months. Evan, who is on his way to Wrightwood, talks to the town manager about the situation and he charges Evan to rescue the orphans and break the witch’s hold on the town. Events become bleak when an orphan boy is murdered and the fifth girl is finally taken. Evan and his companions must now find the missing girls and free the town from the clutches of the witch before she can complete her evil scheme.

Building an Elevation Map #OurAuthorGang

Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

You want to build a world for a story or series of stories. You have the general points sketched out and you are thinking about the map you need. You can, of course, draw it -- or generate it -- at any time. But let's consider a few aspects of the geography first.

Geography not also defines the shape of land masses, but also an area's climate and resources as well. If your world has a molten core like ours, then volcanoes are possible and the surface is can be made of sliding plates which determine where the mountains are, and the shape of each continent. It will also tell you where there are quakes (usually along fault lines where two plates abut). Make a map of the elevation and the fault lines. It will help you later.

The US Geological Survey web site provides such topological maps of the United States, which can serve as an example. Your maps don't need to be that detailed (remember Tenet 1) but you should note where there are mountains, hills, and flat areas. Remember to provide a transitional area between mountains and flat terrain. Often there are hills in between.

Also keep in mind some mountains have volcanoes hidden among them. And not all hills are grassy knolls. Some of forested and some are barren. You don't need to consider this in the elevation map but it is something to think about for later.

Once you have these detailed sorted out you are ready for the vegetation map. We'll consider that next time.

Elevation from My Fantasy World, showing mountains and lakes

Aure the Topaz, Book 1 of the Aglaril Cycle

By Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

Twenty-five years ago, invaders captured Andropolis, the capital of Thalacia, and ended the rule of King Leonard. According to prophecy, the invaders can be ousted and the royal line restored only by wielding the Aglaril, seven elven gems of unprecedented power. 

However, the circlet in which the gems were set was destroyed millennia ago and the gems lost. At least, that was the common belief. Evan Pierce, a priest of St. Michael, discovers one of the gems belongs to the town jeweler. He also uncovers a plot to steal the gem and does what he can to keep it safe. But it is not enough. 

Now, Evan must recover the gem by relying on a motley group of adventurers for help. Together, they must overcome a series of obstacles or humanity's one hope for restoring the royal line will be lost forever.

From amazon.com: Five stars. Possibly one of the best books I have read so far this year and the best fantasy I have read in a while. This book read surprisingly quick, it is easily appropriated for younger readers even early teens but it still very much so appeals to adults. There wasn't a lot of detailed world building that you normally expect, it just naturally flows and you learn as you read but don't feel lost at any point. There are a wide variety of characters, each with their own clear back story. There are several storylines going on at once but they mesh so well you don't feel you need to keep track of them. This was a very well written fantasy novel and now I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!

To buy: http://manasoftbooks.com/aure.php

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World Building and Astronomy#OurAuthorGang

By Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

When building a whole world, I like to start with the big picture and work down. You don't have to do that, of course. You can start small and work up, but I start at the top and work out the details the way they would be if the world was real. So I usually start with the astronomy of the world. This includes things like:

What is the spectral class of the star the world orbits?

How far from this star is the world? This is another way of asking how many days are there in a year?

And while we are on the subject:

How long is a day? How are months determined? Typically it is based on the phases of the moon. If the world has no moons, you'll need another method to figure that out. You'll also need to think about what, if anything, affects the tides on the world (assuming there are oceans to influence).

What does the night sky look like? What are the constellations? How do they fit in the mythologies of the world? What are the signs of the zodiac?

How many planets are there in the star system your world belongs to? What are these planets like and how far away are they? Are any visible in the night sky from the world?

Some or all of these questions may be irrelevant for your world. Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and Middle Earth do not bother us with these details. And they rarely come into play in my fantasy novels. But they have and it is better to have answers at your fingertips than have to stop and fumble for answers.

Notice all of these questions place the world in a star system. You can design the planets that orbits that star and decide on the number of moons for your world. This can be fun and may even teach you a few things about our own planet.

For my world, I decided early that the sun, Arien, was like our sun, Sol, a yellow G3 star. And that my world was about the same distance from it as Earth is from our sun. The only change I made was I shortened the year by five days so the calendar math came out even. That meant my world was a little closer to Arien but not much. That would affect the seasons and temperatures a little but not by much.

Then I decided on two moons, Ibilik and Ezer. One of the moons affects the planet's tides and the other is too far away to do much of anything. The moons are always fifteen days out of sync with each other and the time it takes for each moon to cycle through its phases is exactly 30 days. That gives me 12 months of 30 days each.

To keep things simple, I kept seven days to a week because I found most people had a hard time if I changed the calendar too much. (My original plans were a 10-day week; the only problem with that no one could remember whether Cooksday was before or after Highday. So I abandoned it that part)

Then I designed the night sky for the northern and southern hemispheres. This ended up being important because my characters stargaze and my bard needs to know what the constellations are called and what stories there are around each. I went this far because the Greeks named most of our constellations and their mythology still surrounds them, if you care to learn about it.

So you can see that these details relate back to important aspects of the world as a whole. You may choose to ignore them, but if you don't you can add real flavor to your world.

Next time another deep dive.

The Arien Star System

Maps, maps, and more maps

by Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

Let's talk about maps and their role is the world building process.

Wait a minute! Why do I need a map? I don't write about fantasy stories. 

Well, first of all maps aren't just for fantasy stories. And second, most stories will benefit from thinking about the locations featured in them and placing them in the larger context of the world in which they exist. You may not need many maps and you may not even have to create them yourself but even a short story about a single location could benefit from a map. It can be a simple floor plan where the action takes but it's a good idea to plan a little so the story can flow naturally around and through the location. 

Of course, some genres scream for maps more than others. Fantasy stories pretty much requires a fair bit of world building and lots of maps. You need maps of towns and the surrounding area and you need area/world maps showing typography, vegetation, resources, political boundaries, wind currents, ocean currents, latitude, roads and, trade routes. You don't need all this all at once and if you apply Tenet 1, then you’ll only build want you need as you need it.

Space faring stories may need maps of planets and star systems.

Period places and historical fiction may benefit from maps of the period.

And if you write some other genre you may find a map here or there beneficial because it helps you describe a location.

Obviously depending on the needs of your story, you may be able to find the maps you need as you research for information about your world. This is most likely for historical fiction and stories involving real life locations. But others genres require you to create your own maps.

How do you do that? Well, you need a graphics program like Photoshop so you can create them. Another option to investigate is random generators. They can create world or area maps quickly if you don't care about the shape or typography of the world. If you do, you need to roll up your sleeves and draw something yourself.

I use Photoshop for my map of Thalacia because the roads are in one layer, the vegetation is in other, and so on. I use a trick from wargaming and place a hex grid on the map so and figure out where to place trees, coastlines, cities,and other objects. Hex grids are used to simulate natural boundaries. The grid is in its own layer so I can hide it easily.

To create town maps, I’m using a new program I found called Cityographer. It does some of the work for you and then I export the map and edit it in Photoshop.

For floor plans I use Dungeonographer and draw what I need.

As you can see there's a lot to do, which why Tenet 1 is so important, only create what you need.

So with a few maps and some general notes on the world, you’re ready to take a deep dive. Actually you'll need several. We'll look at one those next time.

Happy world building!

Tenet 1: Build Only What you Need #OurAuthorGang

By Rich Feitelberg

http://feitelberg.net

So you want to writing a fantasy story? Great. One thing you'll need is a world to set it in. The term for doing this is world building. It's a bit of a misnomer because the world part isn't what you think. It's a frame of reference thing.

For example, the Lord of the Rings and the Wheel of Time and many other stories require a whole world to tell their tales. But Thieves' World doesn't. For that, you need a very detailed city and lots of characters.

Harry Potter, on the other hand, only requires the bits that are different from the modern world. So you need the school he goes to and some idea about magic and potions and the back story of some characters.

My point here is world building varies from story to story and gets me to my first point: build only what you need because building a whole world can take months or years and drive you mad with all the details. So I'll repeat myself: build only what you need.

How do you do that? Well there's no one way to do it. You can read articles online and even a book entitled, Planet Construction Set, which will outline aspects to consider. But all that's not needed to get started. A simpler -- and in my mind -- an easier way is to think of the world as a character in your story. Is the world modern? Medieval? Futuristic? Steampunk? Ancient Greece? Set in a specific period or location? In each case you'll need different information to define the world.

What's the technology level? What races or groups exist? What religions and government? As you answer these questions, you'll quickly sketch out and define the world and provide yourself with a skeleton for the information that will come later. Of course, to answer these question you may have to do some research on religion, government, technology, and so on.

Don't be afraid to do it. I will serve you better later.

That begs the question: how do I know when I've built enough? Answer: you won't. Or more precisely, you can't know, at least unless you start writing. You'll hit points where you need more than you've got. That's okay. You can stop and work those parts out. I don't recommend skipping over that point in the story; it will likely lead to extra rewrites and revision. I also don't recommend that you start writing until you have a general sketch of the world; otherwise, you'll be working without a net and decisions you matter later will introduce inconsistencies, which will lead to rewrites.

Example

Here's how I'd answer these questions for my fantasy world:
Is the world modern? No 

Medieval? Yes with magic thrown in.
Futuristic? No 

Steampunk? No 

Ancient Greece? No, but there are influences of ancient Greece in the world like the name of the country, Thalacia and its capital Andropolis. 

Set in a specific period or location? Specific period, no? Location yes; Thalacia  

What's the technology level? Medieval, no black powder weapons. But magic which can simulate modern technology if I let it. I decided not to because it would ruin the flavor I am trying to achieve. Magic as seasoning, not entree. When I write stories focused on my favorite wizard, then magic can be the entree.

What races or groups exist? Lots of them: elves, humans, dragons, giants, dwarves, gnomes, lizard men, goblins, and other associated fantasy races. 

What religions and government? Religions: several, the christian sect, jewish, muslin, and various pagan religions, plus most other races have their own beliefs. There are also older religions that have died out from humans of past centuries. 

Governments: Most races have some form of government, monarchies mostly. Humans government vary worldwide; in Thalacia, the feudal monarchy prevails. And most other races have a similar form of government with a strong single leader, like a king or thain or tribal chief or matriarch, depending on the race.

Once you know all this, or at least some of it you can think about maps. And that is the topic for the next post. See you there.

Meet the Gang #OurAuthorGang

We are a small group of authors who write various genre books.

What brought us together on this blog:

First and foremost, our shared love for writing.

We like to "hang out" together, helping each another other

by promoting each other's books, blogs, events,

and doing whatever we can to support one another.

We take turns posting about our books,

the rewards as well as the difficulties of publishing and book promotion,

and about things we enjoy in everyday life.

We need your support, please visit our blog often,

comment on our posts and share our posts.

Thank you!

Every hug is greatly appreciated, thank you for your support!

The Authors in this group

Joe Bonadonna

Heroic fantasy and children's fantasy

Read about Joe's books on his PAGE

Hello out there in cyberspace! I write Heroic Fantasy, Space Opera, Sword & Planet Sci-Fi, Sword and Sorcery Fantasy, Children's Books, and I also dabble a bit in Horror stories.

Why do I write?

My Dad gave me not only a love for old movies, but also my love of reading by bringing home children's books and teaching me to read before I was in kindergarten. I've been writing off and on over the years since 5th grade. In my 30s and 40s I settled down and got serious about writing. I retired in 2010, and have not stopped writing since. I can't. Storytelling for me is an addiction.

Erika M Szabo

Fantasy novels, children's books and health related books

Read about Erika's books on her PAGE

I became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to my dad who introduced me to many great books. I write alternate history, romantic fantasy, magical realism novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.

Why do I write?

Writing is my passion and my hobby because I'm not a big talker but because I have a lot to say, I write. I do have as much anxiety about my writing as any author:

Are they going to like what I write?

Am I going to get a lot of criticism?

Will my books become popular?

When I'm in doubt, I always recall the day when we had to do a book report on one of the assigned books back in school. It was the War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Half of our class absolutely loved the book, and half the kids hated it. One girl asked the teacher why he assigned such a boring, stupid book, the other one hushed her saying, “You’re stupid and boring. This book is brilliantly written.”

The teacher smiled and replied, “Now kids, today you’ve learned a valuable lesson. Every reader's likes and preferences are different, but every writer who has the courage to put their thoughts and feelings on paper has something to say. And, eventually, every book finds its reader. If you have something to say, say it. Even if only a few friends and family members will read it, you will leave a mark with your book, 'I was here'.”

Mary Anne Yarde

Historical fiction

Read about Mary Anne's books on her PAGE

Mary Anne Yarde is an award-winning author of the International Best  Selling Series — The Du Lac Chronicles. Set a generation after the fall of King Arthur, The Du Lac Chronicles takes you on a journey through Dark Age Briton and Brittany, where you will meet new friends and terrifying foes. Based on legends and historical fact, the Du Lac Chronicles is a series not to be missed.

Born in Bath, England, Mary Anne Yarde grew up in the southwest of England, surrounded and influenced by centuries of history and mythology. Glastonbury--the fabled Isle of Avalon--was a mere fifteen-minute drive from her home, and tales of King Arthur and his knights were part of her childhood.

Why do I write?

I think, for me, writing is like breathing. It is something that I have to do. It is an addiction that I have no intention of trying to quit.

Mackenzie Flohr

Young Adult fantasy

Read about Mackenzie's books on her PAGE

Mackenzie Flohr grew up in the heartland of America, chasing leprechauns and rainbows and dreaming of angels. Her parents nurtured a love of fantasy and make-believe by introducing her at a very young age to the artistic and cultural opportunities that the city of Cleveland had to offer.

From the time she could hold a pencil, Mackenzie was already creating pictorial interpretations of classic stories, and by the age of nine, she and a childhood friend were authors and reviewers of their own picture books.

While following her love of adventure, Mackenzie found a second home, the Beck Center for the Arts Children's and Teen Theater School. It was there that a world of wonder was only a script and a performance away.

Yet it wasn't until she was on a trip to Indiana, viewing a Lord of the Rings exhibit, that the innermost desire of her heart became clear to her. She wanted to write a fantasy of her own, one that could inspire imagination in others and lead them into a magical world of their own making. She hopes The Rite Of Wands will do just that.

Wherever we live and wherever we come from is our individual heartland. Anything is possible and everything can happen. Pure imagination is in all of us—we only need to discover it, and sometimes story telling helps.

Rick Haynes

Heroic fantasy

Read about Rick's books on his PAGE

I am an author of heroic fantasy and an award-winning Drabblist.

This is my world.

Ever upwards, never stopping, the staircase to the heavens awaits all those wishing to dream. 

And all you have to do is place one foot on the first step. 

Consider the endless possibilities, as you climb higher and higher.

Boredom is unknown in my time and space, for can you not see the stars sparkling bright, ready to enlighten you? 

Is your mind ready to absorb the endless possibilities of a million words? 

And are you ready to join me on a magical journey? 

I will embrace you with open arms.

And welcome you into the realm of my imagination.

N.N. Light

Romance, poetry, YA, and non-fiction

Read about the author duo's books on their PAGE

N. N. Light is the bestselling husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

Subscribe to their author newsletter and you'll be eligible to win $5 Amazon gift card monthly:  http://ow.ly/jWec308TabL

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

Grace Augustine

Contemporary romance

Read about Grace's books on her PAGE

My fascination with the written and spoken word began as a 6th grader. I was like a sponge. I couldn’t get enough spelling, sentence diagraming, and literature. This passion followed me through junior high and high school and into adulthood.

I’m a Jill of most trades: co-owned a weekly newspaper, administrative office work, kitchen design, custom jewelry creation, wedding planning, floral design, preaching sermons, public relations and marketing, designing social media promotions, copy and manuscript editing, and now add the title author to this mix.

I write mainly romance in several genres. The Acorn Hills series is a seven-book series based in the Pacific Northwest and deals with life issues and romance for the over 50 yr. old group. I have written a paranormal romance trilogy, a 40+ yr. collection of poetry/prose, a contemporary romance, and a self-help book. I am currently working on book 1 in a Christian romance suspense series.

Rich Feitelberg

Fantasy and poetry

Read about rich"s book on his PAGE

Rich Feitelberg is a poet and novelist, author of the fantasy series, the Aglaril Cycle. He also has four short story collections and a collection of poetry available at fine booksellers everywhere. 

Rich is an avid map collector, and student of popular culture. Going up on a steady diet of comic books, science fiction, and fairy tales of all kinds, Rich soon began weaving his own tales at a young age. These activities continue to this day, as Rich is working on the next installment of the Aglaril Cycle, and writing more poems and short stories for your enjoyment.

Ruth de Jauregui

Non-fiction

Read about Ruth"s book on her PAGE

I originally studied fine and commercial art, way back when dinosaurs walked the earth and eBooks weren't even a gleam in Amazon's eye. I started my career as a graphic artist as the sign maker at the old Nut Tree in Vacaville, California. After a stint at a print shop (ouch), I began working as a book designer for Bill Yenne at American Graphic Systems. While working for Bill, I wrote my first two books, "Ghost Towns" and "100 Medical Milestones That Shaped World History."

After the book market tanked in the mid-90s, I went on to a government job where I wrote, designed and produced newsletters for in-house and clients, annual reports, and materials for special projects, including the North Bay Stand Down for homeless and at-risk Veterans.

Through the years, I've written numerous how-to, informational and news brief-type articles for websites such as SFGate, AZ Central, DailyPuppy, LiveStrong, PawNation, eHow and more.

Greg Jolley

Suspense and mystery

Read abou Greg's books on his PAGE

Why do I write?

Because of the dance. 

Good and evil out on the floor, under the soft lights, the music varying.

Who will lead? Who will follow? Or will they embrace?

The Danser novels are about individuals and their choices, as well as their instincts, passions, goals and compulsions. 

But always there is the dance, the suspense: Good or Evil?

Background:

I’ve published five of the sixteen Danser novels, each dealing with the tension, the suspense, of right and wrong, good vs. bad. I have a Master of Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco and live in the very small town of Whitmore Lake, Michigan.