After developing many more characters with the same thought process I showed you in the last post, I started thinking about villains. I started thinking, “Who in Lura is strong enough to actually be a threat?”

(ahead is a brainstorm’s worth of minor spoilers) Read the rest of this entry »

To kick off world building month, I thought it would be best to introduce you to the planet itself.

Should planets really be named? An interesting debate. There’s one main reason I decided to name mine:
If you don’t name your planet, your fans will. For example, Robert Jordan didn’t name his world for Wheel of Time, so readers dubbed it Randland (‘Rand’ is the name of the main character). That way, fans could more easily communicate when discussing the ins and outs of Jordan’s creation.
…I don’t think I want the Five Rings world to be referred to as ‘Cirellioland’, so I decided to name my world ‘Lura’.

Lura has a solar system and single, central, normal-sized star much like Earth’s called Sol. No one is sure how many planets there are within the solar system, but astrologists actively study the nearby celestial bodies and stars. (Of course, it’s hard to know much about the universe when even the lands within the surrounding oceans are unexplored.)

If I’m following my five rings system (which I am, of course :P), any planets that can sustain life should be between the second and third ring. Lura is just such a planet, so its elemental makeup is much like Earth’s. 
But there are a few key differences: Read the rest of this entry »

Pull up a chair. Have I got a grotesquely long-winded story for you….

Once upon a time, before this blog came into existence, I was experimenting with software that magically ‘helps’ you write your book.

When I first installed Dramatica Pro v4.0 on my computer, I was shocked to see “What is the title of your story?” as the very first question in the ‘linear StoryGuide’: “The step-by-step process to conceptualizing your story”.

There were no tools to help me brainstorm a possible title, no hints to help, and no tips to figuring it out. Just an old-fashioned blank line with a flashing cursor, awaiting me to enter something to proceed to step two.

After racking my brains for a good hour or two while rolling back and forth on my bed like a human steam-roller, I entered ‘Untitled’ and proceeded.

Step two left me confronted with another dastardly question: “Briefly describe what happens in “Untitled”, including the Beginning, Middle, and End.”.

Another flashing cursor. This time in a great big empty page-sized box. I think my brain was also blank with nothing but a flashing cursor at that point. Although maybe the word ‘error’ made an appearance or two.

One thing’s for sure: Dramatica Pro doesn’t pull its punches. I ran away with my tail between my legs that day. I simply wasn’t ready for it.

But let’s try it again:
“What’s the title of your story?” Read the rest of this entry »

Pull up a chair. Have I got a grotesquely long-winded story for you….

Once upon a time, before this blog came into existence, I was experimenting with software that magically ‘helps’ you write your book.

When I first installed Dramatica Pro v4.0 on my computer, I was shocked to see “What is the title of your story?” as the very first question in the ‘linear StoryGuide’: “The step-by-step process to conceptualizing your story”.

There were no tools to help me brainstorm a possible title, no hints to help, and no tips to figuring it out. Just an old-fashioned blank line with a flashing cursor, awaiting me to enter something to proceed to step two.

After racking my brains for a good hour or two while rolling back and forth on my bed like a human steam-roller, I entered ‘Untitled’ and proceeded.

Step two left me confronted with another dastardly question: “Briefly describe what happens in “Untitled”, including the Beginning, Middle, and End.”.

Another flashing cursor. This time in a great big empty page-sized box. I think my brain was also blank with nothing but a flashing cursor at that point. Although maybe the word ‘error’ made an appearance or two.

One thing’s for sure: Dramatica Pro doesn’t pull its punches. I ran away with my tail between my legs that day. I simply wasn’t ready for it.

But let’s try it again:
“What’s the title of your story?” Read the rest of this entry »

Pull up a chair. Have I got a grotesquely long-winded story for you….

Once upon a time, before this blog came into existence, I was experimenting with software that magically ‘helps’ you write your book.

When I first installed Dramatica Pro v4.0 on my computer, I was shocked to see “What is the title of your story?” as the very first question in the ‘linear StoryGuide’: “The step-by-step process to conceptualizing your story”.

There were no tools to help me brainstorm a possible title, no hints to help, and no tips to figuring it out. Just an old-fashioned blank line with a flashing cursor, awaiting me to enter something to proceed to step two.

After racking my brains for a good hour or two while rolling back and forth on my bed like a human steam-roller, I entered ‘Untitled’ and proceeded.

Step two left me confronted with another dastardly question: “Briefly describe what happens in “Untitled”, including the Beginning, Middle, and End.”.

Another flashing cursor. This time in a great big empty page-sized box. I think my brain was also blank with nothing but a flashing cursor at that point. Although maybe the word ‘error’ made an appearance or two.

One thing’s for sure: Dramatica Pro doesn’t pull its punches. I ran away with my tail between my legs that day. I simply wasn’t ready for it.

But let’s try it again:
“What’s the title of your story?” Read the rest of this entry »

Pull up a chair. Have I got a grotesquely long-winded story for you….

Once upon a time, before this blog came into existence, I was experimenting with software that magically ‘helps’ you write your book.

When I first installed Dramatica Pro v4.0 on my computer, I was shocked to see “What is the title of your story?” as the very first question in the ‘linear StoryGuide’: “The step-by-step process to conceptualizing your story”.

There were no tools to help me brainstorm a possible title, no hints to help, and no tips to figuring it out. Just an old-fashioned blank line with a flashing cursor, awaiting me to enter something to proceed to step two.

After racking my brains for a good hour or two while rolling back and forth on my bed like a human steam-roller, I entered ‘Untitled’ and proceeded.

Step two left me confronted with another dastardly question: “Briefly describe what happens in “Untitled”, including the Beginning, Middle, and End.”.

Another flashing cursor. This time in a great big empty page-sized box. I think my brain was also blank with nothing but a flashing cursor at that point. Although maybe the word ‘error’ made an appearance or two.

One thing’s for sure: Dramatica Pro doesn’t pull its punches. I ran away with my tail between my legs that day. I simply wasn’t ready for it.

But let’s try it again:
“What’s the title of your story?” Read the rest of this entry »

Pull up a chair. Have I got a grotesquely long-winded story for you….

Once upon a time, before this blog came into existence, I was experimenting with software that magically ‘helps’ you write your book.

When I first installed Dramatica Pro v4.0 on my computer, I was shocked to see “What is the title of your story?” as the very first question in the ‘linear StoryGuide’: “The step-by-step process to conceptualizing your story”.

There were no tools to help me brainstorm a possible title, no hints to help, and no tips to figuring it out. Just an old-fashioned blank line with a flashing cursor, awaiting me to enter something to proceed to step two.

After racking my brains for a good hour or two while rolling back and forth on my bed like a human steam-roller, I entered ‘Untitled’ and proceeded.

Step two left me confronted with another dastardly question: “Briefly describe what happens in “Untitled”, including the Beginning, Middle, and End.”.

Another flashing cursor. This time in a great big empty page-sized box. I think my brain was also blank with nothing but a flashing cursor at that point. Although maybe the word ‘error’ made an appearance or two.

One thing’s for sure: Dramatica Pro doesn’t pull its punches. I ran away with my tail between my legs that day. I simply wasn’t ready for it.

But let’s try it again:
“What’s the title of your story?” Read the rest of this entry »