Merlina Rene
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Hello, and Welcome.  I've been asked to share something of myself here so you might become familiar with how I put my thoughts into my writings. In order to give understanding to the heart of a writer, or at least to this writer, meaning me, there are questions I feel a need to ask, some of which I will share my answers along the way. So, here we go. Did you ever want to make your own world? A world where you decide not only the era, but you are responsible to create everything, the people, the animal life and the land itself? Think of the freedom this gives you, but remember the responsibility that goes with it. Would this world be believable? Is its concept fresh enough to feel new, or maybe intriguing, yet traditional, or familiar, enough that the person reading it won’t feel lost, disoriented or cheated? If you say yes, that is the first step for a writer. |
Would this world have good and evil? Do you think one can exist without the other, or do we need both to appreciate the opposite? I think there is never really one without the other. Maybe in my mind, on the logical side, I need balance. Or maybe its the creative (aka emotional) side, demanding to sometimes see the underdog win, or if he loses, the need to pick him up and dust him off while the bad guy sings the songs of victory. In either case, having these two elements can force the reader, and the writer, to take sides. It’s which side we end of taking that can sometimes be quite a surprise.
Can a good person do bad things, and under what circumstance would they do the horrific or unimaginable? Or what about a person or creature that is truly evil, if they experienced something that touched their soul, would they be capable of an act of kindness? Now, if the answer to either of these two questions is yes, would committing an act out of their character change who they are, the way that we view them, or does this vary dependant on whose perspective we are seeing it from?
These are all questions that every writer will ask of themselves at one point or another no matter what genre they have chosen. Their answers, however, may be quite different than yours or mine, but certain standards must be upheld. A historical fiction writer needs the back drop to be accurate to actual historical |
events even if their characters are, for the most part, completely fictional. Sci-Fi writers, such as those favoring futuristic settings, have greater leeway for their backgrounds, but more expectations from their readers on how their characters might react or the equipment used. Of course, each genre has its pros and cons just like everything else in life.
My favorite is Fantasy because in my opinion it offers the most freedoms for the writer to give their readers something new and exciting that rests in a comfortable, believable setting. Now, slip into the sub-genre of Sword & Sorcery and it becomes endless. Here a writer can combine the brutality of war, softened by showing the inner workings and emotions of the hero and/or heroine, add known mythical creatures – or create new ones, season it with forgotten (or new) faiths and deities then spice it up with magic. In blending these vital parts into a storyline around characters that touch us inside, no matter if we hate or love them, is the real key, because if we feel some kind of a connection, the magic comes to life.
This blending is what I have strived for, now, its up to you, the readers, to decide if it has been achieved. So, read on, hopefully from one book to the next. May it be a journey that you never forget, I know I won’t.
Merlina Rene
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