Fantasy Art and Fiction - How to Get Inspiration Whilst Living in a Young Country

"My country is young and doesn't have a history, how can I get inspiration?" is a question asked often.

Firstly, your country is really only young in its current form. All countries have a past, just not the traditional history that many European countries have.

If your country is a young country only colonised in a few hundred years, far from that being a disadvantage use it to your advantage. It gives you a unique perspective that is not readily available to people living in countries with a more traditional past.

Your country may have had a native peoples living there. Tap into their myths and legends, superstitions and culture to produce something unique.

Use your landscapes in a similar manner.

Background Research Books

Books hold so much knowledge, and ideas for inspiration that can be used as stepping stones as ideas for your own art and fiction. Immerse yourself in fantasy fiction, art and traditional history of all types. Learn as much as possible.

Other artworks

Obviously, you cannot just copy other peoples works as that is copyright theft, but there is nothing stopping you looking at peoples work for inspiration to see how they put it together, how they use lighting, posture etc. Or how did the author build their world, what are the rules within it etc.

Location

"Again, without the history and legends how do I create a traditional fantasy landscape?"

You don't. You can, but why do that when you can use the world around you to create something unique? The US in particular lends itself to this with its vast unique and diverse landscapes. Elves would fit into the Redwood forests. Imagine the unusual Castles that would be in places like the Arches National Park for instance. Or perhaps your world doesn't even have the traditional trappings of fantasy?

Research your background information thoroughly so you know what works, and then use that as a guide to make it up.

"I don't have a castle?"

What is important in a castle? Location, Defence, weapons, water, position etc is important. The most important thing about a castle or fantasy building in art is they look as though they could stand - are they architecturally sound.

Get out there!

What does dawn look like rising over the mountains or caressing the desert sands. Can you feel the sand brushing your face, getting into your eyes? Does the desert absorb sound leaving you feeling alone?

How do you feel alone in a dark forest? What do you imagine lurks in the darkened waters?

Go take a look, there's no substitute for the experience and beauty of our own world.

Naturally, always take all safety measures necessary. You want your fantasy characters to do the bear fights and getting lost in the desert etc. You want to get back safely so the world can share your unique art or story!

Use your imagination & Inspiration

Your greatest tool is your own imagination. Develop and use it. Learn to visualise your world.

Different artists and writers will have different ways to gain inspiration. Some will do gardening, others listen to music and others walk. Find out what works for you. Free your mind and welcome images and ideas that 'intrude' on your conscious thoughts. Take notes so you will remember them later.

Conclusion

Have fun!

Fantasy is a fantastic genre to be enjoyed and shared by everyone. So what if your elf has round ears or your redwoods have gone purple! Maybe there's a reason; you decide.

The Happy Ending - Love Conquers All Or Thoughts on Fiction Writing After Dialoguing With My Dog

Fact or Fiction? Ask Phoebe

Recently, I was considering the question of peace, which doesn't happen often while writing fiction. There's all that drama, love, hate, desire, envy and so on. Peace, with any luck, comes at the end of the novel. I was considering this aimlessly as I lay with my head on Phoebe's warm flank. Phoebe, being the sensitive, intuitive creature she is, immediately tuned into my musings and suggested we consider the question of love instead, which she quite rightly observed was a precursor to true peace. As she is an expert in both, I decided to go with her feelings.

"It can't be mushy love, all slurpy with wet noses and such," I reminded her. "Not that I don't love your slurpy, wet nosed kisses, but these are writers. Love, hate, war, peace, birth, death-the human drama-we can't be too obvious."

She turned away and began to slowly, lovingly lick her paw.

"Characters," I went on, scratching her behind her ear so as to get her attention. When I finished scratching, she glanced back at me with, well, the only word I can think of is love. I got all gushy and warm and silly and put my arms around her. We rubbed noses and I buried my face in her warm fur. She stretched out and I laid my head on her warm neck.

"Struggle," I went on. "Writers struggle a lot. It's not a dog's life, you know, being a writer. We write, we struggle, our passion ignites, unleashes the white heat that drives the pen without thought. But then, the door closes, we struggle again, scratch a bit, make tea, feel sorry for ourselves, maybe take our dog for a walk in hopes of inspiration returning."

WALK! She sat up, her tongue lolling with a the giddiest of grins. WALK! It was the rapid tail wagging that gave her away.

"Calm down, sweet girl," I told her. "I have an article to write my newsletter first. Then a walk."

The tail wagging wound slowly down. She collapsed on the floor with a groan and I lay my head on her neck again, stroking her soft, sweet tummy. It was then that true inspiration passed between us and I exclaimed, "That's it! The emotional roller coaster ride of being a writer. The waxing and waning of inspiration!"

Phoebe yawned, as if I were waxing-a bit too poetic for her taste.

I explained, "The answer is both simple and complex, Phebes. Because, so long as we write and take risks with the writing, the journey never ends..."

She was beginning to snore. I knew I'd lost her. Kissing her softly, I returned to the computer and began to write:

For the writer, where life ends and fiction begins or where fiction ends and life begins is never quite clear. And that is, I find, one of the great joys of writing fiction. For the life inside me, the possibilities of experience, adventure and understanding that lie in the depths of my imagination, just waiting to step forth, are not only endless but endlessly exciting, mystifying and enriching.

    Who will be my next cast of characters?
    To what new landscape will they take me?
    Who will step forth as my darkside character this time?
    With whom shall I battle?
    With whom shall I fall in love?

Falling in love-it always comes back to that! (Phoebe is right, you see!) How we writers love our characters, the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly! Love is the beginning and the end: love of the characters, love of the process, love of our self that comes when we journey inward to discover a person we never knew we were, whether it be a hero, voyager, dragon slayer, shaman, or storyteller.

WE'RE TALKING TRUE LOVE, NOT A ONE NIGHT STAND

Taking your time developing the romance between writer and characters, writer and story, is pivotal. It takes a lot for this romance to flower. Because we're not talking about a one night stand. Writing is not about instant gratification. No writer I know escapes without struggling with characters, story and most of all, self. But the payoff is better than anything you might imagine. For writing is a life journey. Unlike athletes, we never grow too old to excel in our chosen field. We never grow too old to imagine.

Why So Many Authors Are Writing Inspirational Books

There was a time when fiction was categorized in just a few main categories, the most popular being science fiction, horror, romance, and the western. Today's readers, however, have taken on more complex tastes, giving writers more freedom when writing their stories. One of the most popular "sub-genres" of fiction that authors like Karen Kingsbury and Beverly Lewis are taking advantage of, is Inspirational Fiction. Much like Stephen King's work in the eighties and nineties, authors who are writing inspirational books are flying off the shelves in record numbers.

So, what is causing the current popularity in inspirational fiction as opposed to horror or Sci Fi? Many would argue that it is a return to faith in the aftermath of recent global events like the World Trade Center attack and the Myanmar cyclone. This may very well be the case, as people struggle to make sense of events that are happening around them-they need something to give them hope. Others would say that, perhaps, the old genre favorites are simply running out of steam. After all, there is only so much to be said for werewolves or space aliens. The average reader is naturally thirsty for something different, and inspirational or Christian fiction fits the bill. Whatever the reason behind its current popularity, writing inspirational books has proved a profitable endeavor for many aspiring authors.

If you are looking for a little pick me up, or you want to delve into a book that is sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside; you may consider picking up a book by one of the following authors.

- Karen Kingsbury is, at the time of this writing, the number one inspirational author in the country. She has been deemed "The Queen of Christian Fiction" and her books are now a name brand: Life Changing Fiction. Her stories generally revolve around God's grace and redemption-even if her books don't always have a fairytale ending. Her most recent work is "Sunset", which is the latest installment in the popular Baxter series.

- Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen are probably names you recognize. They are the overwhelmingly successful creators of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. On the off chance you have never heard of their work, the Chicken Soup books are collections of true and inspirational stories sent in by readers. The books cover a variety of topics; from love and romance to the death of a loved one.

- Ted Dekker draws his inspiration from the darker sides of spirituality in his book Adam. His own experiences of fear, after watching Dark Shadows, led him to reveal the true darkness that lies on the other side, and the powerful grace of God that can deliver us.

This is but a sampling of the throngs of Christian and Inspirational books and writers that are available.

Five Tips on How to Make Your Fictional Characters Engaging

So you've begun your novel and perhaps you've already had lots of ideas for your characters. They will probably be a composite of different people you've met in the past, or even different aspects of yourself. But how do you make them engaging? And not just the hero, but several characters? - and dare I say it, even the main antagonist or villain? Because no-one is completely good or completely bad; and for a villain to be truly convincing there must be some elements of the character which the reader can either recognise, relate to, or even empathise with - yes, even Gollum and Voldemort!

The same things that make you like people in real life are the things which make fictional characters engaging. We don't like people who are self-appointed; people who are hard and impregnable; people who are (or appear to be) boring and predictable, and people who refuse to ever freely share anything about themselves with anybody else.

To make things simpler, when I refer to "the hero" I also mean "heroine" and will use "he" although I mean both he and she.

So here's how to make your fictional characters engaging (from my own experience):

1) Your character must not be self-appointed - this means that if you want your reader to like the hero, that hero must not appoint himself to the task he ends up doing, or the quest which he ends up fulfilling. Before the hero sets out on the quest, he must have been tested, and changed; he must have died (to his default expectations of himself) and been reborn; and he only takes on the quest because he is tested again and again, and succeeds. He does not set out on the quest because he thinks he's good and big and clever enough to do it.

2) Your character needs to show vulnerability - this is vital. We cannot like people who are hard and impregnable. Even Gollum touches our hearts. He was once a warm, sensitive human being - he was destroyed by lust for the Ring - Frodo chooses to believe Gollum can be redeemed. (And actually, he can - but he ultimately chooses not to be).

3) You must explore your character inside and outside. The reader must be intrigued by the gap between what the character says of himself, and what other characters say of him - very few of us have 100% self-knowledge, and if we did, we probably wouldn't be likeable. The same principle applied to the gap between what the character says or thinks of himself, and what he actually does.

4) You must know your character's backstory - what happened before he came to enter this story? Why? How? Where? When? What is his motivation?

5) You must defeat the reader's expectations - and your own - in real life, we can never truly fathom each other. This is the joy of writing fiction, in which the author can play God. You can let the reader into the inmost hearts of your characters, if you choose. And yet, you must always defeat the reader's expectations. Defeat your own too. That's when your characters become as real as they can be, in fiction. That is where inspiration, intuion and originality lies. And that comes from the unconscious mind - as anyone who has studied the writings of Carl Jung will know.