Well, I've never tried writing a book in my life. I've been pushed from my friends and family to start writing a book. I thought about it, and to me it seems like something I want to do. I can still use all the same techniques used in storytelling, all I really have to do is produce some characters, and a plot. Granted, that’s usually easier said than done, but I think I already have a few ideas in mind.
I’ll start the story a modern world setting. A boy who doesn’t know his parents (whether their dead, or missing, or off doing something), and stay’s with a mean older person. This person will be cruel and mean to the main character. This old person will probably have a manson with a wing that’s off limit. This main character will have dreams that will make him wake up sweating. Something happens to the main character, perhaps a fight at school, perhaps he breaks a window at the mansion, and he runs to hind straight into this room that’s off limit.
In this room will be a doorway to another magical world. In this world there will be a brother and a sister who will become friends with this new boy. They will show him new and amazing things in the world.
In this magical world there is a darkness, or perhaps a dark villain who is causing strife amongst the world. The main character will start to piece together his dreams with this darkness. He will assume there is an antagonist who is the main villain and to be honest most of my writing will be implicating the anatagonist. From his dreams and clues from this new world, he will believe the antagonist is trying to find some sort of elixer that will make him immortal.
They will fight threw obsticals and overcome adversity, and then a tragedy will happen. When I’m able to become a good enough writer to make it seem like all is lost, the twist in the ending will come into play, and the main character will save the world.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Why people enjoy Roleplaying
Earlier I wrote about what makes a good written story, well now I want to write about the art of storytelling.
First let me explain some of the different reasons why people would enjoy role-playing.
1) To be with friends – I’ve always found no-matter what’s the setting, or who’s storytelling, the main purpose is to have fun. I’ve almost always had fun when role-playing, and whenever us as a group of friends decided we weren’t having fun, we did something else. Some of the hardest laughs I’ve ever had in my life has been with my friends role-playing. I’ve laughed so hard at times, I had to hold my ribs to stop from hurting. Without the enjoyment of friends, role-playing has very little interest for people.
2) To be someone different – Actors will put themselves in the mind of their character, and so do people who enjoy role-playing. Like a kid playing dress-up, or an actor becoming another person, people sometimes like to imagine what it would be like in different person, or just sometimes live vicariously through their character.
3) Problem solving & sense of accomplishment – Anytime a person solves a problem, usually there is a sense of accomplishment that follows. I find that one of the advantages over “old school” role playing and modern computer RPG’s, is that people are allowed to think outside the box. They have almost unlimited options they can choose to solve a problem, where as in a video game your choices are somewhat limited. Plus if it’s a cleaver solution that wasn’t usually anticipated, it usually gives everyone a good laugh. Although sometimes it puts the storyteller in a bind, everyone enjoys a good laugh. (For example, a few years ago a friend of mine storytelling created a setting in Europe WW2. We, as the characters, were racing against SS troops to find religious relics. We came upon an abandon church, and discovered a book wrapped in dried human skin. When my friend picked up the book, it started to bleed. This was creepy for most of us, and we didn’t know what to do with it. Well, one of the characters decided to drink the blood coming out of the book. This gave us all a laugh for half hour or so, because nobody expected him to do that wild and crazy act.)
4) To gain power – When I speak of gaining power, please keep in mind of what is occurring. Like a “Pick-Your-Own-Adventure” book, or a video game, your character normally starts off small, or un-established in the world (not always, but usually). Referencing above the ‘sense of accomplishment’ issue, a good storyteller will usually reward a player for cleaver problem solving. This could be will powerful artifacts, loyal minions, popularity among the locals, political allies. No matter the situation, being rewarded usually keeps the game interesting.
5) Catharsis – Our lives are often highly stressful, and everyone needs ways of blowing off steam. Storytelling can sometimes provide an intensely cathartic experience, one unrivaled by any other for of entertainment..
First let me explain some of the different reasons why people would enjoy role-playing.
1) To be with friends – I’ve always found no-matter what’s the setting, or who’s storytelling, the main purpose is to have fun. I’ve almost always had fun when role-playing, and whenever us as a group of friends decided we weren’t having fun, we did something else. Some of the hardest laughs I’ve ever had in my life has been with my friends role-playing. I’ve laughed so hard at times, I had to hold my ribs to stop from hurting. Without the enjoyment of friends, role-playing has very little interest for people.
2) To be someone different – Actors will put themselves in the mind of their character, and so do people who enjoy role-playing. Like a kid playing dress-up, or an actor becoming another person, people sometimes like to imagine what it would be like in different person, or just sometimes live vicariously through their character.
3) Problem solving & sense of accomplishment – Anytime a person solves a problem, usually there is a sense of accomplishment that follows. I find that one of the advantages over “old school” role playing and modern computer RPG’s, is that people are allowed to think outside the box. They have almost unlimited options they can choose to solve a problem, where as in a video game your choices are somewhat limited. Plus if it’s a cleaver solution that wasn’t usually anticipated, it usually gives everyone a good laugh. Although sometimes it puts the storyteller in a bind, everyone enjoys a good laugh. (For example, a few years ago a friend of mine storytelling created a setting in Europe WW2. We, as the characters, were racing against SS troops to find religious relics. We came upon an abandon church, and discovered a book wrapped in dried human skin. When my friend picked up the book, it started to bleed. This was creepy for most of us, and we didn’t know what to do with it. Well, one of the characters decided to drink the blood coming out of the book. This gave us all a laugh for half hour or so, because nobody expected him to do that wild and crazy act.)
4) To gain power – When I speak of gaining power, please keep in mind of what is occurring. Like a “Pick-Your-Own-Adventure” book, or a video game, your character normally starts off small, or un-established in the world (not always, but usually). Referencing above the ‘sense of accomplishment’ issue, a good storyteller will usually reward a player for cleaver problem solving. This could be will powerful artifacts, loyal minions, popularity among the locals, political allies. No matter the situation, being rewarded usually keeps the game interesting.
5) Catharsis – Our lives are often highly stressful, and everyone needs ways of blowing off steam. Storytelling can sometimes provide an intensely cathartic experience, one unrivaled by any other for of entertainment..
Saturday, September 15, 2007
History of our Setting "Exalted"
Setting = Hi-fantasy
The First history of reality.
Thousands of years ago Primordials walked the chaotic primordial energies of the Universe. Some of these Primordials decided to take the untamed energy that is chaos, and forge Reality. The youngest of the primordials agreed to use herself as a basis for this new world, this primordial was Gaia. Gaia's body was the land, and the elements of creation; fire, water, wind, earth, and wood. The Primordials were happy with their new creation, but as pridected, the wild forces of chaos (nicknamed simply "The Wyld"), would pick at the edges of reality and try to unravle the tapastry of fate.
Gaia and the other primordials wanted sentient creatures to thrive new world. With other sentient creatures, they could direct them to fight off the wyld, and continue to do as they pleased. The Primordials turned to the great crafter "Autocuthlon". They asked him to create beings of power to help solidify reality. Autocuthlon in-turn created the Gods, and the Dragon-Kings (what modern humans might mistake their bones for a dinosaur).
For ceunteries stayed on Gods stayed on earth as the primordials were in Heaven, playing their games of divinity. For those that don't know, the Games of Divinity aren't games where Gods use mortals against each other, but a spiritual games much like chess. Unlike chess, for a mortal to watch a maneuver of the Games of Divinity, puts him/her into a state of extascy unmatch by any drug, and leaves the mortal hopelessly addicted to watching the games. The Gods became jeleous of the Primordials, but due to their nature they were unable to raise their hands against the primodials themselves.
The Gods knew their was only two Primordials who didn't see them as objects. Gaia, who took on Luna (the moon goddess/god) as a lover, and Autocutholon, who saw them more as children of his than creations. Autocutholon taught the most powerful gods how to make Exalted. Long lived mortals who share the power of the gods.
The Unconquored Sun created the Solors. King and Queen's to rule the realm and all of creation. The Solor had access to some of the most powerful magic to help them rule. Luna, the moon goddess, created Lunars. Werebeast who can change between human, and beasts of great strength. The Lunars became the spouses of the Solars. They were their generals and greatest fighters. The 5 Madiens of fate created the Siderial. They had the unique ability to pridect the tapasty of fate, and had legal right in heaven to change fate as they saw fit. The Sideral became the advisors to the Solars. The only Exalted to be created by a primordial were the dragon-blooded, created by Gaia. The Dragon-Blooded were the foot soilders to the Solars. They were the weaker of the four, but what made them soo beneficial was that their power transfered through the blood rather than the soul. All other exalted would only come into power if another exalted died, and their power transfer to the new vessle, limiting the number of exalted in creation. However the dragon-blooded's power could be breed into their children, allowing ten's of thousands of dragon-blooded to walk the earth rather than mere hundreds.
In their arrogence, the other primordials turned a blind eye to the gods. They were content to play their games of divinity believing the gods can do nothing to change the way things were. The Primordials were taken by suprise, and the Exalted laid seige to heaven and won. Some of the Primordials were slain, others were imprisoned.
Not all went as planned. The complexity of beings such as the primordials were not understood even by the gods. The primordials were never born, therefore they can never die. The energy of the primoridals who were slain, fell from heaven onto creation. Like water being abored by a sponge, so to were the energies aborbed by creation. These energies sliped passed creation and created the underworld. Before this point, all energy and spirits were reincarnated back into reality. Now, some spirits would remain behind, tied emotionally to the world.
Those primordials who were not killed agreed to be imprisoned instead. The gods new enough spirital lore to do such a task, but before doing so, they had to striped the primordials of their many forms. Primordial are too complex to fit into one form, so each primordial usually had hundreds of bodies and shapes they could put their energy into. The gods killed each of the bodies leaving only one body for each primordial. This act in itself bent the prinicples of magic. The energies of the primordials were too much for one form/body, and because of this the primordial bodies turned inside out on themselves, leaving them in agonizing torture for all eternity. The gods threw them into an empty realm, and named this realm after the fallen King of the Primordials; Malfeas.
The solars ruled creation through justice for hundreds of years. This time was known as the Golden Age. It was not meant to last. Before the Malfeans were thrown into their prison, they cursed all of the exalted in secret. This curse took the heroic qualties of the Solars and twisted them. Valor turned into cowardice, compassion turned into apathy, conviction turned into ambivilence, Temperence turned in sadisim. The Solars became monsters instead of heroes.
The First history of reality.
Thousands of years ago Primordials walked the chaotic primordial energies of the Universe. Some of these Primordials decided to take the untamed energy that is chaos, and forge Reality. The youngest of the primordials agreed to use herself as a basis for this new world, this primordial was Gaia. Gaia's body was the land, and the elements of creation; fire, water, wind, earth, and wood. The Primordials were happy with their new creation, but as pridected, the wild forces of chaos (nicknamed simply "The Wyld"), would pick at the edges of reality and try to unravle the tapastry of fate.
Gaia and the other primordials wanted sentient creatures to thrive new world. With other sentient creatures, they could direct them to fight off the wyld, and continue to do as they pleased. The Primordials turned to the great crafter "Autocuthlon". They asked him to create beings of power to help solidify reality. Autocuthlon in-turn created the Gods, and the Dragon-Kings (what modern humans might mistake their bones for a dinosaur).
For ceunteries stayed on Gods stayed on earth as the primordials were in Heaven, playing their games of divinity. For those that don't know, the Games of Divinity aren't games where Gods use mortals against each other, but a spiritual games much like chess. Unlike chess, for a mortal to watch a maneuver of the Games of Divinity, puts him/her into a state of extascy unmatch by any drug, and leaves the mortal hopelessly addicted to watching the games. The Gods became jeleous of the Primordials, but due to their nature they were unable to raise their hands against the primodials themselves.
The Gods knew their was only two Primordials who didn't see them as objects. Gaia, who took on Luna (the moon goddess/god) as a lover, and Autocutholon, who saw them more as children of his than creations. Autocutholon taught the most powerful gods how to make Exalted. Long lived mortals who share the power of the gods.
The Unconquored Sun created the Solors. King and Queen's to rule the realm and all of creation. The Solor had access to some of the most powerful magic to help them rule. Luna, the moon goddess, created Lunars. Werebeast who can change between human, and beasts of great strength. The Lunars became the spouses of the Solars. They were their generals and greatest fighters. The 5 Madiens of fate created the Siderial. They had the unique ability to pridect the tapasty of fate, and had legal right in heaven to change fate as they saw fit. The Sideral became the advisors to the Solars. The only Exalted to be created by a primordial were the dragon-blooded, created by Gaia. The Dragon-Blooded were the foot soilders to the Solars. They were the weaker of the four, but what made them soo beneficial was that their power transfered through the blood rather than the soul. All other exalted would only come into power if another exalted died, and their power transfer to the new vessle, limiting the number of exalted in creation. However the dragon-blooded's power could be breed into their children, allowing ten's of thousands of dragon-blooded to walk the earth rather than mere hundreds.
In their arrogence, the other primordials turned a blind eye to the gods. They were content to play their games of divinity believing the gods can do nothing to change the way things were. The Primordials were taken by suprise, and the Exalted laid seige to heaven and won. Some of the Primordials were slain, others were imprisoned.
Not all went as planned. The complexity of beings such as the primordials were not understood even by the gods. The primordials were never born, therefore they can never die. The energy of the primoridals who were slain, fell from heaven onto creation. Like water being abored by a sponge, so to were the energies aborbed by creation. These energies sliped passed creation and created the underworld. Before this point, all energy and spirits were reincarnated back into reality. Now, some spirits would remain behind, tied emotionally to the world.
Those primordials who were not killed agreed to be imprisoned instead. The gods new enough spirital lore to do such a task, but before doing so, they had to striped the primordials of their many forms. Primordial are too complex to fit into one form, so each primordial usually had hundreds of bodies and shapes they could put their energy into. The gods killed each of the bodies leaving only one body for each primordial. This act in itself bent the prinicples of magic. The energies of the primordials were too much for one form/body, and because of this the primordial bodies turned inside out on themselves, leaving them in agonizing torture for all eternity. The gods threw them into an empty realm, and named this realm after the fallen King of the Primordials; Malfeas.
The solars ruled creation through justice for hundreds of years. This time was known as the Golden Age. It was not meant to last. Before the Malfeans were thrown into their prison, they cursed all of the exalted in secret. This curse took the heroic qualties of the Solars and twisted them. Valor turned into cowardice, compassion turned into apathy, conviction turned into ambivilence, Temperence turned in sadisim. The Solars became monsters instead of heroes.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
What makes a good story?
Week 3: What makes a good story?
I’m going to restart my storytelling, and my originally I thought this would be a great thing to start my blog about. As I’m starting to write, I’m finding I want to write a book one day. Perhaps a high-fantasy book or sci-fi scenario. Through my years storytelling and reading and writing books, I’ve noticed that there are principles that one must follow for a good story. I’ve also notice a lot of stories have a lot of similar premises.
For a story/book, usually these unspoken rules apply (but not always)
1) The story must be about choices and expectations/disappointment.
2) Successful stories are almost always about choices and change. There must be conflict in the choices of the protagonist. Both Pro’s and Con’s in both of the options available to the hero/heroin
3) A story of good vs. evil (but not always) Even if never using these words, stories about right and wrong usually pulls on the heart-strings of readers.
4) Misdirection in a story. Surprise. Stories that are easy to predict leave the reader un-interested in continuing the story. There must be conflict, tragedy, and hope. So the reader feels like there’s a reason to continue reading about the character, knowing that there’s hope in the end of the book. Especially when it has tragedy.
5) Give description of the scene to duplicate the emotion rather than describing the emotions. Never say “He felt angry” instead use words like, “He started to breath heavier, and his forehead frown down onto his eyes.” Or “His skin turned a healthy pink in frustration.”
6) There must be change in the character. Although, I’ve found that change is a byproduct of the writing. If a book is already about conflict and choices of the protagonist / antagonist, change will automatically be written in the mind of the author.
7) The main character is usually brought up to the reader within the first page.
8) An exciting incident happens within ten pages.
9) There will usually be foreshadowing
10)In stories where there are “morals” or “lessons”, the most successful stories will have the lesson be given to the main character in an alternate manner. For Example, in the movie “Finding Nemo”, the father fish had problems of letting his son do things on his own. When the father wish was in the mouth of a whale, trying to find his son, he was told to “let go” of the whale’s tongue, but he could because he was scared of being swallowed. He eventually let go, was sent out through the blow-hole. The foreshadowing of the lesson was in the scenario and the choices of the character, but the choice was in another scenario for the character to decide in. It wasn’t about the choice of letting go of his son, but letting thing go to “chance” in general.
When reading a story, ask yourself
1) What were the expectations?
2) What were the choices?
3) Did the characters change in the story?
4) Did they “Show” the emotion, and not tell?
5) Where their good details? Can you see, hear, taste, and feel the scenario?
6) Was there an interesting beginning and end?
7) Was the Title good or appropriate?
I’m going to restart my storytelling, and my originally I thought this would be a great thing to start my blog about. As I’m starting to write, I’m finding I want to write a book one day. Perhaps a high-fantasy book or sci-fi scenario. Through my years storytelling and reading and writing books, I’ve noticed that there are principles that one must follow for a good story. I’ve also notice a lot of stories have a lot of similar premises.
For a story/book, usually these unspoken rules apply (but not always)
1) The story must be about choices and expectations/disappointment.
2) Successful stories are almost always about choices and change. There must be conflict in the choices of the protagonist. Both Pro’s and Con’s in both of the options available to the hero/heroin
3) A story of good vs. evil (but not always) Even if never using these words, stories about right and wrong usually pulls on the heart-strings of readers.
4) Misdirection in a story. Surprise. Stories that are easy to predict leave the reader un-interested in continuing the story. There must be conflict, tragedy, and hope. So the reader feels like there’s a reason to continue reading about the character, knowing that there’s hope in the end of the book. Especially when it has tragedy.
5) Give description of the scene to duplicate the emotion rather than describing the emotions. Never say “He felt angry” instead use words like, “He started to breath heavier, and his forehead frown down onto his eyes.” Or “His skin turned a healthy pink in frustration.”
6) There must be change in the character. Although, I’ve found that change is a byproduct of the writing. If a book is already about conflict and choices of the protagonist / antagonist, change will automatically be written in the mind of the author.
7) The main character is usually brought up to the reader within the first page.
8) An exciting incident happens within ten pages.
9) There will usually be foreshadowing
10)In stories where there are “morals” or “lessons”, the most successful stories will have the lesson be given to the main character in an alternate manner. For Example, in the movie “Finding Nemo”, the father fish had problems of letting his son do things on his own. When the father wish was in the mouth of a whale, trying to find his son, he was told to “let go” of the whale’s tongue, but he could because he was scared of being swallowed. He eventually let go, was sent out through the blow-hole. The foreshadowing of the lesson was in the scenario and the choices of the character, but the choice was in another scenario for the character to decide in. It wasn’t about the choice of letting go of his son, but letting thing go to “chance” in general.
When reading a story, ask yourself
1) What were the expectations?
2) What were the choices?
3) Did the characters change in the story?
4) Did they “Show” the emotion, and not tell?
5) Where their good details? Can you see, hear, taste, and feel the scenario?
6) Was there an interesting beginning and end?
7) Was the Title good or appropriate?
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Storytelling
Week 2: Roleplaying and Storytelling
For many years, since I was 15. I've been role-playing. No... not dressing up with my girlfriend in the bedroom. That a lot cooler than what I’m about to explain. I’m talking about R.P.G. – Role Playing Games. Before computer games where invented (literally), there have been Role-Playing-Games available for geeks and dorks, like myself, who were unable to socially adjust. (Dungeons&Dragons, Mage, Rifts)
It requires 2-5 people, the main book of rules for the RPG. A sheet of paper to write down your character’s states, dice, and finally one person willing to be the “Game-Master” or “Story-Teller”
The GM or ST creates the world and villians for the other characters to become involved with. The other players in turn, create a character that they will enjoy playing in the story.
For Example, let’s say one of the players may wants to create a character who is an Elf that is good with the bow and arrow. The player writes down statistics for his/her character that comes from the main book. The GM will in turn create a senario where the player could have fun. Like during one of the travels of the Hero/Heroin, the GM might discribe a village being attack by barbarians. The Hero/Heroin would either could decied to help the villagers, to Raid along with the barbarians, or do nothing, and continue traveling along. The decision of how well the characters do, is depended on Dice Rolling, and bonus from your character sheet. I’ve been storytelling for 10 years now. Some of my friends and I still get together once a week and Roleplay. I’ve been complimented on my cleverness to keep my characters on their toes. Always giving them the unexpected, moving the story forward, develeoping character personality.
I’ve taken a break for the last 3 months. A few reasons. 1) I was going back to school 2) I had a 14 hour mortgage broker class to take 3) My business was doing poorly, and I need to spend more time working 4) I had too many friends wanting to play which created problems in the game.
For many years, since I was 15. I've been role-playing. No... not dressing up with my girlfriend in the bedroom. That a lot cooler than what I’m about to explain. I’m talking about R.P.G. – Role Playing Games. Before computer games where invented (literally), there have been Role-Playing-Games available for geeks and dorks, like myself, who were unable to socially adjust. (Dungeons&Dragons, Mage, Rifts)
It requires 2-5 people, the main book of rules for the RPG. A sheet of paper to write down your character’s states, dice, and finally one person willing to be the “Game-Master” or “Story-Teller”
The GM or ST creates the world and villians for the other characters to become involved with. The other players in turn, create a character that they will enjoy playing in the story.
For Example, let’s say one of the players may wants to create a character who is an Elf that is good with the bow and arrow. The player writes down statistics for his/her character that comes from the main book. The GM will in turn create a senario where the player could have fun. Like during one of the travels of the Hero/Heroin, the GM might discribe a village being attack by barbarians. The Hero/Heroin would either could decied to help the villagers, to Raid along with the barbarians, or do nothing, and continue traveling along. The decision of how well the characters do, is depended on Dice Rolling, and bonus from your character sheet. I’ve been storytelling for 10 years now. Some of my friends and I still get together once a week and Roleplay. I’ve been complimented on my cleverness to keep my characters on their toes. Always giving them the unexpected, moving the story forward, develeoping character personality.
I’ve taken a break for the last 3 months. A few reasons. 1) I was going back to school 2) I had a 14 hour mortgage broker class to take 3) My business was doing poorly, and I need to spend more time working 4) I had too many friends wanting to play which created problems in the game.
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