Am I in the right place?

[Mary Faerie]

Hello everyone. I'm new. I've decided to be more serious about writing a story I've been toying with so joined Chronicals to, hopefully, learn lots of the useful info in other people's heads.

But I'm checking, as my novel involves mythical beings but is set in the very real and current world, am I in the right place? My story's central theme is about the existance of mythical beings but it's main character is an ordinary man from an ordinary English town, who does and feels otherwise ordinary things.

I'm more than a little daunted by the whole process of going beyond my imaginings and private scribblings; learning, making connections for critique, drafting, editing.... so I just wanted to make sure I'm in the right place to get started.

Thanks in advance

 

[Mouse]

Hello. Welcome.

In the right place how? I'd say yes. I write fantasy set in the real world too, it's not all faux-medieval stuff. Thankfully.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Welcome!

As Mouse says, fantasy can take place in a variety of settings, including our contemporary world. The main character can be anybody: someone as ordinary as your next door neighbor, or someone as exotic as a demigod, fairy, or dragon. He can be an accountant, a car mechanic, an alchemist, a king, a magician, a beggar, or the kid who works at your local pizza parlor.

We have readers and writers here who love every kind of fantasy you can imagine.

So, yes, you have definitely come to the right place!

 

[The Judge]

Absolutely the right -- and write -- place! (Possibly also the rite place -- but you're probably a bit young to hear about the dreadful things we do at Samhain...)

Any up, I see you've settled in already with a smashing 75 worder, so that's an excellent start. There's lot of advice floating round here in General Writing Discussion so have a mooch through the threads. If you want any help with specific issues like punctuation and point-of-view, this is the place for it. We've also got various exercises in Workshop if you want to test your skills with short pieces. And we have Critiques -- it's not open to you to put work there, as you need 30 counted posts, but go along and see what other people are putting up, and have a read of the critiques themselves, and see if you think the same.

And Welcome to the Chrons!

 

[TheTomG]

Greetings.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hello everyone. I'm new. I've decided to be more serious about writing a story I've been toying with so joined Chronicals to, hopefully, learn lots of the useful info in other people's heads.

But I'm checking, as my novel involves mythical beings but is set in the very real and current world, am I in the right place? My story's central theme is about the existance of mythical beings but it's main character is an ordinary man from an ordinary English town, who does and feels otherwise ordinary things.

I'm more than a little daunted by the whole process of going beyond my imaginings and private scribblings; learning, making connections for critique, drafting, editing.... so I just wanted to make sure I'm in the right place to get started.

Thanks in advance

You should get plenty of support here - writing for publication is often a long and difficult road, but we have members here who have successfully done so since they joined which is great.

As for mythical beings - I think you need to make a point to read much more widely, so that you're more comfortable with a)what has gone before (ie, classics), and b) what publishers have presented over the past few years.

For what you're writing, you may want to consider reading Neil Gaiman, especially American Gods, which is all about the modern world impacted by beings from the world's mythologies.

Hope that helps.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Hi, Mary Faerie, welcome! I'm wrestling with a modern world - fairytale blend (sort of). You're definitely in the right place.

 

[Mary Faerie]

Aw, thank you all for the lovely welcome everyone
I'm pleased it's the right place!

Ooo, thanks for your comment on my 75 worder Judge. The theme just got me going and when I realised there was only a few hours left I got down to it. I haven't decided which I'll vote for yet but the list is shortening.

I've read lots already... including posts by all of you... in fact the mind boggles. It's hard to relate so many new concepts and considerations to what I've already got down. I'm really not very technically knowlegable and others seem so on the ball. The critiques are a bit scary. And so differing!... Would it be appropriate for a noob to comment there? But I can see me being much more of a reader than a writer here to be honest....



Yey!

Oh.. I do love a good Samhain celebration as much as anyone (but thanks for calling me young

 

[The Judge]

It's hard to relate so many new concepts and considerations to what I've already got down. I'm really not very technically knowlegable and others seem so on the ball.

Take things slowly, is my advice. Don't try and understand everything, but pick one thing and once you've got to grips with it, move on to the next. And ask plenty of questions!

The critiques are a bit scary. And so differing!... Would it be appropriate for a noob to comment there? But I can see me being much more of a reader than a writer here to be honest....

Of course you can comment there! You're a reader, so you can say things like "I really enjoyed this -- I loved the characters and I want to buy the book" (that's if it's my work you're critiquing, of course) or "I got a bit confused in the third paragraph and I wasn't sure who was speaking". You don't have to pick nits, or refer to specific ideas like pace and flow. Just say what you think (but nicely!).

Oh.. I do love a good Samhain celebration as much as anyone

That's this year's victi- ... er... volunteer sorted, then.

(but thanks for calling me young

To me, my dear, even HareBrain is young...

 

[Abernovo]

Aw, thank you all for the lovely welcome everyone
I'm pleased it's the right place!...
...I've read lots already... including posts by all of you... in fact the mind boggles. It's hard to relate so many new concepts and considerations to what I've already got down. I'm really not very technically knowlegable and others seem so on the ball. The critiques are a bit scary. And so differing!... Would it be appropriate for a noob to comment there? But I can see me being much more of a reader than a writer here to be honest....

I'll add my welcome, Mary Faerie. I think you're in absolutely the right place. There's a lot of us in the same boat, trying to get our ideas out, and people here are a helpful bunch. And, don't worry about not being 'technically knowledgeable': we're all still learning new ways to do things -- there's always something new to learn.

 

[stygianelectro]

Welcome to the fantasy haven, Mary Faerie, and may your imagination ever flow.