Faedlands: Series Introduction
The concept of Faedlands was one I've outlined a bit in the Origins page of the site but as for how the Faedlands came to be as an idea, that is a different story. This page is dedicated to giving you a look into the conception of Faedlands and what would become the Faedlands series and how the story structure plays into it overall.
When the Faedlands concept came to me, it was not a concept of any one particular story, but rather a concept of a world.
I wanted to create a fantasy world that was unique yet familiar. The idea came out of nowhere (As good ideas often do.) and really caught my interest.
A world stuck within two realms, night and day, summer and winter.
It was a simple enough premise to begin with and soon I began wondering about the types of creatures that would inhabit this land.
Thus, The Faedlands began to form
When the Faedlands concept came to me, it was not a concept of any one particular story, but rather a concept of a world.
I wanted to create a fantasy world that was unique yet familiar. The idea came out of nowhere (As good ideas often do.) and really caught my interest.
A world stuck within two realms, night and day, summer and winter.
It was a simple enough premise to begin with and soon I began wondering about the types of creatures that would inhabit this land.
Thus, The Faedlands began to form
Lore
When writing a fantasy the lore (History) is in many ways just as, if not more important than the characters that live within it themselves. I spent quite a bit of time trying to understand exactly how the world came to its present state of being. I wanted a level of depth to drive the overall story and so it made sense to me that the world had not always existed in the state that it currently rests.
I came up with many ideas and started running scenarios about how it would translate throughout the series arc.
I finally came up with an idea that felt natural to me and added many complexities that could be explored later.
With the idea that the summer realm and the winter realm remaining separate came the need to write two separate histories for the world. This was a land in which no Fae who lived during the summer had ever encountered a being from the winter world and vice versa was such a cool idea and later on the existance of both worlds at once would create this huge culture clash was an idea that I became really excited about.
Later on, as I wrote and more characters emerged the lore deepened and has continuously grown in ways that have amazed me.
I came up with many ideas and started running scenarios about how it would translate throughout the series arc.
I finally came up with an idea that felt natural to me and added many complexities that could be explored later.
With the idea that the summer realm and the winter realm remaining separate came the need to write two separate histories for the world. This was a land in which no Fae who lived during the summer had ever encountered a being from the winter world and vice versa was such a cool idea and later on the existance of both worlds at once would create this huge culture clash was an idea that I became really excited about.
Later on, as I wrote and more characters emerged the lore deepened and has continuously grown in ways that have amazed me.
Character Creation
With a baseline idea of what the lore of the world would entail I started to try and come up with characters to inhabit the world. This is always one of my favorite parts of writing Faedlands and initially over thirty character archetypes were created before initial writing began. Certain characters of the story, like Iferion, existed already due to the lore structure and I knew that he would be a major player in the books, The lore itself created roles for certain characters while others I was free to shape their personal destiny however I wanted.
Vex and Reia initially were grouped together (Being twins) and were not originally my main choice for being the protagonist of the first book but as I continued to create and fill in backstory for the characters all of a sudden they seemed to fit exactly what I wanted for it.
While both of them were initially set as being in a lead role, Vex really began to stand out as the lead while the kind and sweet Reia continued to grow more mysteriously. They really began to separate and become their own characters and I loved both of them. I won't give too much away in case you haven't read it but the huge shifts that they both take in the book really made me realize that this project was the story that I have been needing to write.
In the end, Vex took hold of me and I followed him on his journey, exploring life in both sides of the world.
Many other characters have been introduced into Faedlands that might pop up here and there in the future, some might have their own books even. I always welcome feedback and if people share an interest in a specific character or place I will do my best to shine some light that way :)
Vex and Reia initially were grouped together (Being twins) and were not originally my main choice for being the protagonist of the first book but as I continued to create and fill in backstory for the characters all of a sudden they seemed to fit exactly what I wanted for it.
While both of them were initially set as being in a lead role, Vex really began to stand out as the lead while the kind and sweet Reia continued to grow more mysteriously. They really began to separate and become their own characters and I loved both of them. I won't give too much away in case you haven't read it but the huge shifts that they both take in the book really made me realize that this project was the story that I have been needing to write.
In the end, Vex took hold of me and I followed him on his journey, exploring life in both sides of the world.
Many other characters have been introduced into Faedlands that might pop up here and there in the future, some might have their own books even. I always welcome feedback and if people share an interest in a specific character or place I will do my best to shine some light that way :)
Structured Writing
So with that, I had my concept of the world and of my characters.
But how to put it all together?
In the past I had learned an important lesson.
If you know the way your book begins...
And you know how it ends...
FIGURE OUT THE MIDDLE BEFORE WRITING!
I had recently scrapped a book I had spent several months writing because of this fact. I knew how to start it and I knew how it would end but the journey from point A to point B was just me trying to fill in the blanks, chapter by chapter which left the overall story feeling incomplete and episodic instead of making you feel as if it were moving along towards a climax.
Learning from this mistake I set myself with a structure.
Each chapter would consist of X amount of words,
The book would consist of X amount of chapters to make it to my word count goal.
After this I made an outline of all of the important events that I wanted to establish in the book and how they would all connect.
I then converted my outline into a structure for each chapter. Precise enough that I always knew what I was doing that chapter yet flexible enough that It gave me the leeway to add as much to the scenario as I wished to flesh it out.
Here's an example of a skeletal structure:
Chapter 1
Introduction narrative
Vex is trying to do his chores for the day but is stopped by a bully
Vex tries to fight him but is injured in the fight
Self monolog about his situation as set up for character development.
Vex meets with Reia after she hears what had happened.
Introduction to Reia (Physical descriptions/Show the bond that they share)
And so on and so forth for each chapter. This gives you a reference to keep you focused while giving you enough freedom to write the scenes however you would like.
NOTE: Not an actual structure of the first chapter, merely an example.
But how to put it all together?
In the past I had learned an important lesson.
If you know the way your book begins...
And you know how it ends...
FIGURE OUT THE MIDDLE BEFORE WRITING!
I had recently scrapped a book I had spent several months writing because of this fact. I knew how to start it and I knew how it would end but the journey from point A to point B was just me trying to fill in the blanks, chapter by chapter which left the overall story feeling incomplete and episodic instead of making you feel as if it were moving along towards a climax.
Learning from this mistake I set myself with a structure.
Each chapter would consist of X amount of words,
The book would consist of X amount of chapters to make it to my word count goal.
After this I made an outline of all of the important events that I wanted to establish in the book and how they would all connect.
I then converted my outline into a structure for each chapter. Precise enough that I always knew what I was doing that chapter yet flexible enough that It gave me the leeway to add as much to the scenario as I wished to flesh it out.
Here's an example of a skeletal structure:
Chapter 1
Introduction narrative
Vex is trying to do his chores for the day but is stopped by a bully
Vex tries to fight him but is injured in the fight
Self monolog about his situation as set up for character development.
Vex meets with Reia after she hears what had happened.
Introduction to Reia (Physical descriptions/Show the bond that they share)
And so on and so forth for each chapter. This gives you a reference to keep you focused while giving you enough freedom to write the scenes however you would like.
NOTE: Not an actual structure of the first chapter, merely an example.
Faedlands: Further Travels
The Faedlands is an ongoing series, each book adding in some way to the overall story.
Vex's story is just the beginning, an introduction if you will, to the world.
Aside from Vex's book, several others are already scripted out and awaiting to be written. Some of these include:
Tirys: Most likely coming in with Book 2, Tirys' story will takes place long ago, before the divide. The book will revolve heavily around Tirys and Reia's relationship and the events that occur during the initial stages of the divide.
Fenris: A Werewolf Assassin living and working within the Winter Court, tasked to hunt track and kill his next target. What he wasn't expecting however, was another assassin also tasked with the same mark.
Iferion: The Leader of the Winter Court's Knights, His story takes place several cycles before the divide and it is in his story in which we fully learn what it was that caused it.
Shadow (Tentative name): A small gargoyle that resides peacefully within the forest to the south of the winter court. One day while following a stream he comes across an item that will change his life forever.
These are some of the stories that are planned out so far. As written, Tirys' book is set to be Book 2 while Fenris (At this time) is slated for a third entry. Sadly however, Iferion's story will reveal a huge piece of the lore and therefore will be held off for awhile which is sad since his story is amongst my favorites.
Take a look at the Character Profiles section of the site for more info on these characters and more.
Faedlands Q&A
I wanted to add this here because of the fact that Faedlands is a pretty lore heavy world and I have heard many questions regarding not only the books but certain aspects of the writing process as well. Here are a few questions/answers that I hope will help.
Q: Is there a Timeline within the world that you are following while writing your books?
A: There is a set timeline of events in the Faedlands, The "Divide" as I'm currently calling it happened several hundred years before the beginning of Vex's story. I think if anything I will continue the events of his book along a "Modern Timeline" with subsequent books taking place afterwards but I also want to go back a bit and explore earlier periods of time as well so there is a bit of jumping around in the books but hopefully the narrative will keep it from getting too confusing.
Q: Do you have to read the books from the beginning or could you jump in several books down the road?
A: I have tried to keep that in mind as I write and therefore each book is centered around a different protagonist and each story will be pretty self contained so yes I believe that it's be easy for someone to just pick one up and go. I will say however that there are elements of the greater arc that are present within each so reading them from the beginning would still be the best way to understand them as a whole.
Q: Are there any "Easter Eggs" in the books?
A: I tend to enjoy "Easter Eggs" in media whether it be books, TV, Video Games, or movies. I think adding little fairy tale references into the books are a fun way to add something to what I'm doing.
Q: With so much lore, How can I keep it all straight?
A: This has been a question that I have been putting alot of thought into. Each world has it's own set of lore since the two had never crossed paths before the divide due to the natural laws of the world. Writing each has been great and has given me the freedom to make them very different in many ways while at the same time being careful not to do things that would drastically alter the events of the next cycle.
When I came to a place within Book 1 to explain a bit of the lore i thought "Here's my chance to explain the concept" but in reality I came to realize that had I done it that way all I would have been doing was throwing a ton of information at the reader that there was no way they could receive all at once. I had to find a way to slowly incorporate the important parts and hope that the nuances were there. Even then I ended up with quite a bit of material left over.
So I'm planning on releasing companion books (For Free) along with each book, I think that it would be a cool way to further connect with the reader. It would give me the chance to outline some of the important lore within that book outside of the confines of the story. I can also add in behind the scenes facts and excerpts that didn't make the cut. I think it would add a lot and hopefully be helpful and fun for the readers.
Q: How Long are these Books?
A: Book 1 will be approximately 85,000 to 100,000 words with chapters averaging in at about 5,000.
If you have any other questions you think I should post feel free to send me an Email at [email protected] or leave me a comment on my Blog.
Q: Is there a Timeline within the world that you are following while writing your books?
A: There is a set timeline of events in the Faedlands, The "Divide" as I'm currently calling it happened several hundred years before the beginning of Vex's story. I think if anything I will continue the events of his book along a "Modern Timeline" with subsequent books taking place afterwards but I also want to go back a bit and explore earlier periods of time as well so there is a bit of jumping around in the books but hopefully the narrative will keep it from getting too confusing.
Q: Do you have to read the books from the beginning or could you jump in several books down the road?
A: I have tried to keep that in mind as I write and therefore each book is centered around a different protagonist and each story will be pretty self contained so yes I believe that it's be easy for someone to just pick one up and go. I will say however that there are elements of the greater arc that are present within each so reading them from the beginning would still be the best way to understand them as a whole.
Q: Are there any "Easter Eggs" in the books?
A: I tend to enjoy "Easter Eggs" in media whether it be books, TV, Video Games, or movies. I think adding little fairy tale references into the books are a fun way to add something to what I'm doing.
Q: With so much lore, How can I keep it all straight?
A: This has been a question that I have been putting alot of thought into. Each world has it's own set of lore since the two had never crossed paths before the divide due to the natural laws of the world. Writing each has been great and has given me the freedom to make them very different in many ways while at the same time being careful not to do things that would drastically alter the events of the next cycle.
When I came to a place within Book 1 to explain a bit of the lore i thought "Here's my chance to explain the concept" but in reality I came to realize that had I done it that way all I would have been doing was throwing a ton of information at the reader that there was no way they could receive all at once. I had to find a way to slowly incorporate the important parts and hope that the nuances were there. Even then I ended up with quite a bit of material left over.
So I'm planning on releasing companion books (For Free) along with each book, I think that it would be a cool way to further connect with the reader. It would give me the chance to outline some of the important lore within that book outside of the confines of the story. I can also add in behind the scenes facts and excerpts that didn't make the cut. I think it would add a lot and hopefully be helpful and fun for the readers.
Q: How Long are these Books?
A: Book 1 will be approximately 85,000 to 100,000 words with chapters averaging in at about 5,000.
If you have any other questions you think I should post feel free to send me an Email at [email protected] or leave me a comment on my Blog.
