Worldbuilding and A Call Out For Stories

“We must build a new world, a far better world..." - Harry S. Truman

I'm switching horses, not exactly mistream, but just prior to the stream. I've changed my mind about my NaNo story. (Yes, I'm still planning on participating in NaNo. Yes, I'm crazy) There's this fantasy story I've had rattling around in my brain for...oh... a couple decades or so. And, I just got something in my inbox about somewhere that's looking for that type of story and I thought -- what the hay. Easy, peasy right? I mean, I've been moodling it over for years. I know my heroine inside and out. No problem.

Except, when I originally moodled this -- it was a science fiction novel taking place on four different planets. But I decided I'd rather write fantasy. It's more along the lines of what I like to read. Great. But, that kind of messes up the whole conflict (not to mention the title, "Galactic Assassin", is no longer applicable. Dang it -- I hate thinking up titles).

So, I brainstormed with Judy this morning about some stuff, and we got some good ideas (incidentally, Judy is just as crazy as I am, because SHE'S going to do NaNo this year, too) and I decided I needed to do some world-building. Still thinking -- yeah, easy. And I found this great article on world building, and started copying the questions down to answer over the next week or so (because it shouldn't take that much longer, if I apply myself, right?) and I got through the first page, and clicked "next". Got the second page, clicked "next". And again. And again. And again. Holy COW! There are EIGHT pages of terrifically complex questions. I don't need to answer all of them before I start writing, but still...

Wow. After I cut and pasted them into a word document -- it turns out there are THIRTY-TWO pages (half inch margins, Arial 12 pt font) of questions. As of this writing, I am on page three. And I've skipped some of the questions.

Yanno, this seemed like a good idea at the time, even though I have a perfectly good light romance already worked through, character sheets done, scene cards brainstormed, beginning scene figured out.

But, Noooooo. I have to do a fantasy.

**shakes head**

Wish me luck. I'm going to need it!

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It's that time of the year -- holiday after holiday on the horizon. Halloween. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Fall. Winter. Valentine's Day. Easter. You know what that means?

Seasonal Stories...

In case you didn't know, The Long and the Short of It offers a free romance story every Thursday. Well, we'd like to offer ones appropriate to the season. Do you have a great holiday (ANY holiday!) story to offer? Send it in. And, because we aren't a paying market (yet!) we're going to sweeten the deal by offering one free month of banner/book cover advertising to every author who has a story or writing article accepted by us through the end of 2007. Is that deal?

So, check out our submissions guidelines and send in your stories and articles. We want YOU!

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What Kind Of Music Are You? Country You are a respectable, simple and kind person. You're an American classic who enjoys fishing, hunting, and driving big trucks. You're deeper and smarter than most people think and the highlight of your year is Countryfest. You're not bound by love, sex, or any other kind of commitment. You just plain enjoy life. Myspace Quizzes

Yay for me! And I get Kenny Chesney on my webpage, too. Isn't he a cutie? I love his grin. Yep... country works for me - except, well -- I don't hunt or fish or drive a big truck (a small SUV). And, well, I'm kinda all about committment on all fronts - home, business, friends.

But still. I get Kenny. *G*

Have a great day!