Tag Archives: ideas

Facebook Launch

And so it began…

So, now the dust settles, the leaflets and business cards have been delivered, myriad forms have been filled out, sent off, sent back, and so on… Press releases have been released, things have been arranged… And the waiting… oh god so much waiting, and some of the waiting is not over with yet.

Yes, Lair of the Nerd v. 1.0a has been live for a little more than a week, and people have been sharing things, liking things… some people have even been ordering things which is awesome.  More information after the jump.

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mapextract

Mappe

So, as you may know, I’m doing my best to write a fantasy epic that I hope to get published properly and be like a real author or something.

All fantasy epics need a map, and that’s what I’ve been working on today.. It’s slow going because I’m effectively making it poster sized (much larger than the cropped extract on the right) and am doing my best to make the quality as good as possible.  Basically I’m a perfectionist..

It got me wondering what other (real) authors do to get their maps worked out.. do they do them themselves? I’m curious.

Another Novel Update

Planning ahead is something some authors find hinders them, and restricts their characters, and prefer to just write from the beginning through to the end with only a light hand on the tiller.

Myself, I am not one of those authors; I prefer to make sure I have a plan as well-defined as I can have from the start, and I would be surprised if most authors did not have at least some kind of pre-defined plan, even a loose one.  I find it hard to imagine how anyone could produce anything coherent without one.

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The Founding of the Ministratum Cycle

My story concept for my current novel began about a year ago as a table-top role playing game (RPG) scenario. Set in a pseudo-medieval fantasy realm, the concept focused on a patriarchal theocratic society where what would often be considered normal freedoms would be oppressed.

It began with three main characters, who were somewhat fantasy clichés to begin with. There was the burly, lecherous blacksmith, the innocent nature-loving herbalist, and the young fresh-faced lad. In our RPG sessions these characters were portrayed by my good friend Phil, my other half Anna, and my good friend Tony, and I was the GM – games master – essentially the one who controlled the story.

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Pinning Ideas Down

Sometimes trying to be creative when being me, with this anxious, easily distracted but difficult to steer mind, is difficult. At times, I feel a little like a child walking into the greatest toyshop in the world, and being unable to move because so many urges and so many bright shiny colours are trying to drag my mental state in so many different directions.

“Ooh! Oooh! Over here!” shouts a fascinating concept for a webcomic.

“Pick me! Pick me!” cries an innovative idea for a social networking website.

“I’m the one you want!” the shrieking voice of a videogame concept echoes around my head.

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Bargaining With The Muse

Where to start… perhaps with something that looks like a quote, but is actually written by me… yeah that’ll do.
The muse cannot be ordered, or tricked, for she comes when she will.
She can only be cajoled, persuaded, or bartered with, and any bargain may both weaken and strengthen he that makes it.
Creativity is a difficult pursuit, and a difficult goal, for simply expressing a desire to be more creative is no more conducive to actual output of ‘stuff’ than wanting to learn to drive is conducive to becoming a racing driver.