Comments on: Dr. Frankenstein, or How World-Building Gets Messy http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/ Hard to Intimidate, Too Damned Drunk to Care Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:18:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: terrio http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5278 terrio Thu, 01 May 2008 20:24:51 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5278 You know, I was thinking that would weird if those two came together. NO pun intended. LOL! But as you point out, truth is always stranger than fiction. You know, I was thinking that would weird if those two came together. NO pun intended. LOL! But as you point out, truth is always stranger than fiction.

]]> By: Kathy http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5277 Kathy Thu, 01 May 2008 19:54:18 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5277 What about sex and dismemberment? I seem to remember the Bobit's. *snarkety snark* What about sex and dismemberment? I seem to remember the Bobit’s. *snarkety snark*

]]> By: Marnee Jo http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5276 Marnee Jo Thu, 01 May 2008 17:28:36 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5276 I think Shelley was a little disturbed prior to Frankenstein. The book just clarified her disturbia. :) I do wonder about Stephen King. I wonder if he sleeps like a babe while giving everyone else nightmares. I read somewhere that a romance author, when asked why she wrote romance, responded by saying, "I'd rather write about sex than dismemberment." Soooo true.... I think Shelley was a little disturbed prior to Frankenstein. The book just clarified her disturbia. :)

I do wonder about Stephen King. I wonder if he sleeps like a babe while giving everyone else nightmares.

I read somewhere that a romance author, when asked why she wrote romance, responded by saying, “I’d rather write about sex than dismemberment.” Soooo true….

]]> By: Kathy http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5275 Kathy Thu, 01 May 2008 17:23:21 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5275 Marnee, I heard Shelly had moments of hysteria until she died after writing Frankenstein and thought the monster was after her. She could never get it out of her mind. What a scary thought! When you create something, build a world, does it follow you the rest of your days? I'm left wondering how Stephen King sleeps at night. Marnee, I heard Shelly had moments of hysteria until she died after writing Frankenstein and thought the monster was after her. She could never get it out of her mind. What a scary thought! When you create something, build a world, does it follow you the rest of your days? I’m left wondering how Stephen King sleeps at night.

]]> By: Marnee Jo http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5274 Marnee Jo Thu, 01 May 2008 16:40:42 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5274 Ter - Harry definitely does jump from the real world to the fantasy. I think it is part of what makes him so appealing. He's a dork in the "real" world, then one day, he literally finds out he is extraordinary. It's everyone's dream; elevation from the normal to that bit of greatness inside. Janga - thanks for the recommendations. I've read some of these (love LeGuin and Lewis) but not all. Ter - Harry definitely does jump from the real world to the fantasy. I think it is part of what makes him so appealing. He’s a dork in the “real” world, then one day, he literally finds out he is extraordinary. It’s everyone’s dream; elevation from the normal to that bit of greatness inside.

Janga - thanks for the recommendations. I’ve read some of these (love LeGuin and Lewis) but not all.

]]> By: Marnee Jo http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5273 Marnee Jo Thu, 01 May 2008 16:37:31 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5273 Kathy - you're so right that feelings/emotions are universal and it's just tapping into that universal. :) I love Frankenstein too. Though, that whole crowd, the Shelleys, Byron, etc, a bunch o wackos. LOL! Lis - Personally, I think building the world around the character has to be the hardest part. It's making things believable that really presses in on me. Keeping them consistent. I always think that once a character acts out of character once, the reader starts doubting their authenticity. It's frustrating. Kathy - you’re so right that feelings/emotions are universal and it’s just tapping into that universal. :) I love Frankenstein too. Though, that whole crowd, the Shelleys, Byron, etc, a bunch o wackos. LOL!

Lis - Personally, I think building the world around the character has to be the hardest part. It’s making things believable that really presses in on me. Keeping them consistent. I always think that once a character acts out of character once, the reader starts doubting their authenticity. It’s frustrating.

]]> By: Marnee Jo http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5271 Marnee Jo Thu, 01 May 2008 16:32:05 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5271 Hellion - The whole three things a character wouldn't do is definitely helpful in world building. Sin just mentioned that to me last night. I still haven't figured it out, but I'm working on it. :) Ter - I think Rowling's world is believable too. It's basically our world, but the wizards and witches live around us and we never know. Sort of like rats in the sewer, but not quite so skeevy. I love the idea of telling a big lie, Cap'n. I suppose that works too! Irish- the Bat Cave! LOL!! I think, though, that she might just be that imaginative and smart. I'm sick with jealousy. Hellion - The whole three things a character wouldn’t do is definitely helpful in world building. Sin just mentioned that to me last night. I still haven’t figured it out, but I’m working on it. :)

Ter - I think Rowling’s world is believable too. It’s basically our world, but the wizards and witches live around us and we never know. Sort of like rats in the sewer, but not quite so skeevy.

I love the idea of telling a big lie, Cap’n. I suppose that works too!

Irish- the Bat Cave! LOL!! I think, though, that she might just be that imaginative and smart. I’m sick with jealousy.

]]> By: Marnee Jo http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5270 Marnee Jo Thu, 01 May 2008 16:28:02 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5270 Janga - thank you for the site! That is a very comprehensive list of questions and information to think on! How fun!! Sin - I was thinking this morning about your email and how it related to my blog. LOL!! I've read Gena Showalter before and I like her voice a lot. She write's very hot stuff. :) Jewel of Atlantis, I think? It was good. Irish - Isn't it funny that you think you know someplace and then when you start to describe it, somehow it feels like you really don't know as much as you thought? LOL! Janga - thank you for the site! That is a very comprehensive list of questions and information to think on! How fun!!

Sin - I was thinking this morning about your email and how it related to my blog. LOL!! I’ve read Gena Showalter before and I like her voice a lot. She write’s very hot stuff. :) Jewel of Atlantis, I think? It was good.

Irish - Isn’t it funny that you think you know someplace and then when you start to describe it, somehow it feels like you really don’t know as much as you thought? LOL!

]]> By: Janga http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5269 Janga Thu, 01 May 2008 16:16:36 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5269 I love the Harry Potter Books and have read them all several times, but I can think of other writers that I think are better to study for woeld building. Lois McMaster Bujold--The Spirit Ring. Susan Cooper--Dark is Rising series. (Over Sea, Under Stone; Dark is Rising; Greenwitch; Grey King; Silver on the Tree.) Barbara Hambly--Time of the Dark, Walls of Air, Armies of the Daylight Diana Wynne Jones--Dalemark books (Cart and Cwidder; Drowned Ammet; The Spellcoats; Crown of Dalemark) Howl's Moving Castle. Archers Goon. Dark Lord of Dernhelm. Ursula LeGuin--Earthsea trilogy. (Wizard of Earthsea; Tombs of Atuan; Farthest Shore; Tehanu) C. S. Lewis--Narnia series (which I won't name since I am sure that you have all read them). Robin McKinley--Hero and the Crown; The Blue Sword Tamora Pierce--Tortall-set books (Song of the Lioness, Immortals, Protector of the Small, Daughter of the Lioness, and Provost's Dog) I love the Harry Potter Books and have read them all several times, but I can think of other writers that I think are better to study for woeld building.

Lois McMaster Bujold–The Spirit Ring.
Susan Cooper–Dark is Rising series. (Over Sea, Under Stone; Dark is Rising; Greenwitch; Grey King; Silver on the Tree.)
Barbara Hambly–Time of the Dark, Walls of Air, Armies of the Daylight
Diana Wynne Jones–Dalemark books (Cart and Cwidder; Drowned Ammet; The Spellcoats; Crown of Dalemark) Howl’s Moving Castle. Archers Goon. Dark Lord of Dernhelm.
Ursula LeGuin–Earthsea trilogy. (Wizard of Earthsea; Tombs of Atuan; Farthest Shore; Tehanu)
C. S. Lewis–Narnia series (which I won’t name since I am sure that you have all read them).
Robin McKinley–Hero and the Crown; The Blue Sword
Tamora Pierce–Tortall-set books (Song of the Lioness, Immortals, Protector of the Small, Daughter of the Lioness, and Provost’s Dog)

]]> By: terrio http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/05/01/dr-frankenstein-or-how-world-building-gets-messy/#comment-5268 terrio Thu, 01 May 2008 15:44:04 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=211#comment-5268 But Rowling doesn't make it as if everyone is on another planet, I don't think. Harry does sort of jump from *real* world to the *wizardy* world, right? And I never think of what can be done in the world, I think of the physicality of the world. Another example of my non-para thinking ways. LOL! But that makes sense. I need to stretch my imagination. The rules of what is and is not possible are a part of the world. Though I don't think is as much of an issue in contemps. Historicals probably have a harder time with that issue since there were so many strictures in society. Makes the parameters of the story even more narrow. But Rowling doesn’t make it as if everyone is on another planet, I don’t think. Harry does sort of jump from *real* world to the *wizardy* world, right?

And I never think of what can be done in the world, I think of the physicality of the world. Another example of my non-para thinking ways. LOL! But that makes sense. I need to stretch my imagination.

The rules of what is and is not possible are a part of the world. Though I don’t think is as much of an issue in contemps. Historicals probably have a harder time with that issue since there were so many strictures in society. Makes the parameters of the story even more narrow.

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