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decapitate Neccs
Acolyte
3 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 03:07:54
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How is it going everyone? Well im new here, and new to the Forgotten realms, D&D gaming, rpg stuff, but im begining to take great interest in it. I have'nt actually played a game yet, Not truly understood how to, and not knowing anyone in my area who does play. I have the players handbook 3.5v, and I have read 9 R.A Salvatore books in the past month.
Im thinking of writing a novel, or just a story just to give me something to do. I dont think ill be any good at it, but i would like to get my facts right atleast. So Which books from amongst the many books are needed for such a task. Im thinking A players guide to faerun would be a good place to start?
Now the question is, which maybe a bit newbie-ish. But How does one choose a place in time, or does every author start at the current time? Or is there no current time because its fiction?
And lets say one does start at the same time as someone else, then lets say author x says so and so-a is the king of such and such land, then how did he arrive at this information? Is it well known, or did he make it up? and wouldnt it conflict with author z saying so and so-b is the king of such and such land?
I guess this could be said for many things, Including town leaders, guild leaders, famous mages, warriors, theives, gods ect ect ect..
So is this information readily available and formatted for all times for all authors?
Are there certian rules to writing, Such as you cant kill certian people who are well known because it would cause to much conflict in the realms, or is everyone in each novel made up according to that authors imagination.
Much appreciated.
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 04:16:44
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Well,
If you are doing a fan story, then you can do whatever you want. However, if you plan on sending your tale to WOTC, well... good luck on that. WOTC doesn't accept unsolicited FR material.
As for finding info, sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's hard depending on what area you are setting the tale. Also, it's always better to ask on the boards because many of us are FR addicts and we find things even game designers/authors forget or didn't know about. We be walking FR encyclopedias.
Hate to say it, and I don't want to come off as sounding like a arse, but spelling and grammar are important. I know, I'm not the best at either of those but I'm just bringing it up.
I'm not sure what other help you want because your post is a bit hard to give an answer to because it's such a large request. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 02 Feb 2007 05:26:35 |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4689 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 04:43:45
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Hmm, the idea of writing a novel about a place you barely know is rather hard.
As for authors it appears that it is a give and take about what time they write about. It appears that sometimes WotC pitches the basic idea to a recognised auther and at times a reconised auther pitches an idea to WotC. Thus the chance of a new author getting a book contract is low. http://ww2.wizards.com/books/Wizards/default.aspx?doc=main_faq provides the guidelines for trying to become an author for WotC. I do not believe thee are any open calls at this time.
As for learning the realms, clearly accessing every source book you can find (some are free downloads) will help you learn the realms. Novels add flavour and sometimes source material as well. Souce material tends to provide facts and novels tend to provide what it feels like to be in the Realms, however both do often provide a little of the other. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 05:02:32
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To the above (which is pretty accurate), I'll simply say that you can kill established FR characters in fiction (I've done it), but the publisher has to approve it. Of course, they have to approve of every other aspect of your story, also.
They're not going to approve of it if you're whacking guys from the sourcebooks every other page for no valid reason, if only because this has the effect of making the sourcebooks less accurate and valuable, and they want to sell copies of those as well as copies of your book. But sometimes they'll let you get away with it if it serves an important dramatic purpose.
The way the process works is that you submit an outline for approval before you actually write the text of your novel. If you want to croak somebody you didn't make up yourself, that's when the publisher is going to find out about it and say yes or no. Which is good, because you don't want to write the whole book and then find out that a crucial plot point won't do. |
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decapitate Neccs
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 05:48:52
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Well I realize that I need to know the realms in and out before i even attempt to write anything about it. However, In general I feel as though a story line, character developement, ect can be done before hand. And I was'nt hoping to get anything published, it was more of just something I would like to see my self trying for my own enjoyment.
I'm sure spelling and grammar are extremely important, I mean its a book. So I would have to brush up on those things, along with my vocabulary, and continue on learning and getting better at those aspects as time goes on.
So basically i guess the question i was asking is which source books are the best to start with, and which novels give a good representation of the realms. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 06:35:06
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Like I said, that's a broad question because there's so much lore for the setting. It's easier to answer if you narrow down where you are going to write the tale and then we can give you a better answer.
Otherwise, I'd grab the 1e and 2e campaign box sets as well as the 3e Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. All three have broad info but a lot of other material has more specifics.
There's no novels, except for Ed's, Elaine's, and a few other authors, that give good representation because the setting is a whole planet.... |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Kiaransalyn
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
762 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 09:02:09
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My advice on writing is to interview your main character. Sit him or her down and ask them detailed questions. At some point in this process you'll discover your story.
quote:
Originally posted by decapitate Neccs
it was more of just something I would like to see my self trying for my own enjoyment.
Bravo! A fine motivation.
quote:
Originally posted by decapitate Neccs
I'm sure spelling and grammar are extremely important, I mean its a book. So I would have to brush up on those things, along with my vocabulary, and continue on learning and getting better at those aspects as time goes on.
Grammar and spelling are important and don't rely on software to do it for you. I don't have Word on the PC which I use to write. Instead I keep a few books on grammar and the Oxford English Dictionary.
quote:
Originally posted by decapitate Neccs So basically i guess the question i was asking is which source books are the best to start with, and which novels give a good representation of the realms.
I would refer you to the Forgetten Realms Campaign Setting. To avoid clashes with established works look for regions which are not written about so often. I'd advise you to set your story in the present because that way you don't run into timelines. |
Death is Life
Love is Hate
Revenge is Forgiveness
Ken: You from the States?
Jimmy: Yeah. But don't hold it against me.
Ken: I'll try not to... Just try not to say anything too loud or crass. |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 15:20:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
To the above (which is pretty accurate), I'll simply say that you can kill established FR characters in fiction (I've done it), but the publisher has to approve it. Of course, they have to approve of every other aspect of your story, also.
They're not going to approve of it if you're whacking guys from the sourcebooks every other page for no valid reason, if only because this has the effect of making the sourcebooks less accurate and valuable, and they want to sell copies of those as well as copies of your book. But sometimes they'll let you get away with it if it serves an important dramatic purpose.
The way the process works is that you submit an outline for approval before you actually write the text of your novel. If you want to croak somebody you didn't make up yourself, that's when the publisher is going to find out about it and say yes or no. Which is good, because you don't want to write the whole book and then find out that a crucial plot point won't do.
In one case I actually contacted the creator of a character whom I wanted to kill and asked permission (in fact, I earlier asked this same game designer's permission just to use the character), and got it enthusiastically. I thought this was an appropriate professional courtesy.
There's something rather odd about the experience killing a character who's the creation of somebody else's mind though, don't you think? |
Edited by - Murray Leeder on 02 Feb 2007 15:24:17 |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 18:06:21
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Murray: For me, it depends. If a character only ever saw the light of day as a couple sentences and maybe a stat block in a single out-of-print sourcebook, I can whack him with a song in my heart. But if he's a more prominent figure, I take killing him more seriously, and if someone else has written fiction about him before me, I take it most seriously of all. I guess that's my bias as a fiction writer coming out.
But still, you do what you think you oughta do to tell the most powerful story, right? |
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decapitate Neccs
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 20:34:17
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| I'm thinking of zakhara which i suppose would be from the al qadim source, And since i have some experience with arab culture it seems a good place for me to start. |
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 20:38:17
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To borrow from a joke on the old Benny Hill show (which probably borrows from an even older joke) :
Elminster's dead - Fred
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Fred's dead. - Elminster |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2007 : 22:29:00
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quote:
Originally posted by decapitate Neccs
Im thinking A players guide to faerun would be a good place to start?
No, it's mainly just a rules update, not a real player's guide. As mentioned, get the book called Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. For novels to read, see this thread and this one.quote:
Now the question is, which maybe a bit newbie-ish. But How does one choose a place in time, or does every author start at the current time? Or is there no current time because its fiction?
There's a current time in as far as Wizards tends to set its books in an advancing timeline. You can set your work in any time, and there are pros and cons to using the 'present' and other times.quote:
So is this information readily available and formatted for all times for all authors?
The published authors refer to the many published sources and also consult Ed Greenwood and other experts.quote:
Are there certian rules to writing, Such as you cant kill certian people who are well known because it would cause to much conflict in the realms, or is everyone in each novel made up according to that authors imagination.
Combination of ideas and briefs from the in-house editors and authors' imagination, usually with at least half an eye on what's good for the setting in the longer term.
Most authors will tell you that the only way to become one is to write.
Zakhara has the advantages of having a much more finite body of lore, and holding to more widely familiar norms than Faerūn's unique and idiosyncratic ones. Though it's a blend of legendary, historical and, especially, Hollywood Arabia rather than just one of those. |
Edited by - Faraer on 02 Feb 2007 22:32:41 |
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How much information is needed to write a novel?
