Our panelists got their start writing in shared worlds. Sometimes it's a great avenue for getting your name on the cover of a book. Shared world fiction sells well. But how do you get your foot in the door? Is it satisfying enough to write in a universe someone else created? What are the challenges and advantages? We'll point out a few of the disadvantages, too.
A short story is not a novel in miniature. We'll discuss how to approach short fiction, including point of view, dialog, and characterization . . . and how to sell your material.
Would Lord of the Rings have been better if Frodo lived happily ever after? Do the animated movies from Pixar and Disney have it right? Or should we put more darkness in our fiction? Most fantasy and science fiction books have happy endings, but not all of them. Join us for a discussion of the benefits of tragic versus happy endings, and to pull the former off without losing your readers.
Why recreate the wheel each time you create a story, character, or world? Yes, you can build your knighthood or priesthood or religion or society from scratch, but taking what's historically known and warping it might fit the proverbil bill and depth and believability. Join our panelists for a discussion on how we can mine our own rich history for characters, backgrounds, worlds, cosmology, scenery, and more.
No, this panel is not about Robert Heinlein, although his name might come up. Have you ever lived in or visited a foreign country where the change in culture was striking? Well, that's the feeling you need to give your character if he "isn't from around here." We'll discuss the "fish out of water" aspect of characterization, and how to use it for drama and comedy.
Switching Gears--Game Writing to Fiction and Back Again
Description:
The genres require different styles of writing, and if you want to work in both industries you have to be able to switch gears . . . and don't let them hear the dice rolling when you do it.
You've got the novel, or at least a great proposal. Now all you have to do is sell it, and that involves writing the all-important query letter and maybe searching for an agent. What does it take to get the editor and agent to want to read your book? We'll share our success stories and provide sources for improving your chances.
There's nothing wrong with writing just for yourself. But most of us also want to get published. Join our panelists for a discussion that may help get your manuscript out of the slushpile and into an editor's hands.
Horses can play a big role in fantasy fiction. Learn how to weave real details about horses into your story to make everything more believable and accurate. Panelists discuss reference material and how to add an element of the fantastic.
"The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss was propelled to the New York Times Bestseller list and has won numerous awards. Meet the author, who will discuss the elements that went into the story, and what he's working on next. Patrick Rothfuss is Gen Con's Author Guest of Honor for Indy 2009.