I'm working on a fantasy novel that someone else wrote, and I am at a loss. I didn't realize there was so much I didn't know about the fantasy genre. I thought I'd look up a few things and voila, a book would be finished and publishable. Yeah, I was wrong.
I know almost nothing about witchcraft, witches, pagans, the entire religion/belief system. I thought that knowing the difference between a good witch and a bad witch, white and black magic, natural and unnatural spells, would be enough. There is so much more to it than that. There are witches who believe in using only what the earth has to offer in spells and protection. There are witches who don't believe in casting spells. There are witches who believe only in the spirit world and the help received from the beyond. There are witches who dabble in death and use sacrifices of animals in their magic. There are witches who only feel safe when they call upon the help of nature during a time of solstice.
Now I have to separate what is truthful and bend and shape it into fantasy without upsetting the real life practitioners out there. Not only do I have to concern myself and update myself on witchcraft, but on the supernatural and alternate worlds.
Of course, I have read novels set in alternative universes and worlds. I mean I read the I, ROBOT series by Isaac Asimov, the NIGHTSIDE series by Simon R. Green and the INFERNAL series by Edward Lee, so I know about other worlds and worlds within worlds. The problem I am having it that this isn't just a world within a world, it's a world of fantasy and magic and trolls, which is not something I am familiar with.
I'd like to say I feel confident that I am awesome enough to do this, but there is always something scary about writing, and when it isn't in the genre you consistently write in it can be even more frightening!
Just kinda had to get this out there. As an author I am full of self doubt and concern over if what I write is interesting.
I know almost nothing about witchcraft, witches, pagans, the entire religion/belief system. I thought that knowing the difference between a good witch and a bad witch, white and black magic, natural and unnatural spells, would be enough. There is so much more to it than that. There are witches who believe in using only what the earth has to offer in spells and protection. There are witches who don't believe in casting spells. There are witches who believe only in the spirit world and the help received from the beyond. There are witches who dabble in death and use sacrifices of animals in their magic. There are witches who only feel safe when they call upon the help of nature during a time of solstice.
Now I have to separate what is truthful and bend and shape it into fantasy without upsetting the real life practitioners out there. Not only do I have to concern myself and update myself on witchcraft, but on the supernatural and alternate worlds.
Of course, I have read novels set in alternative universes and worlds. I mean I read the I, ROBOT series by Isaac Asimov, the NIGHTSIDE series by Simon R. Green and the INFERNAL series by Edward Lee, so I know about other worlds and worlds within worlds. The problem I am having it that this isn't just a world within a world, it's a world of fantasy and magic and trolls, which is not something I am familiar with.
I'd like to say I feel confident that I am awesome enough to do this, but there is always something scary about writing, and when it isn't in the genre you consistently write in it can be even more frightening!
Just kinda had to get this out there. As an author I am full of self doubt and concern over if what I write is interesting.
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