A First-Person Fantasy

[Zaphkiel]

I'm writing a first-person fantasy that will most likely be posted in two to three hours. This is my second work that will be posted in YWO, and I've already made it clear that I can't let everyone show me up. The book that was chosen by you guys is called "Flowers in a Raging Tempest" (For those who voted).:cool:

This is my first "first-person" novel, so any thoughts or advice would be welcomed by anyone, especially those on the site who know me and my style well.

[Shaun]

Thoughts or advice on what? Writing first person? Writing fantasy? Writing both in the same thing? Or your novel in general?

[Rafael Domination]

Here's one: aim for a particular genre. It doesn't matter what anyone else says (except if it has something to do with the grammar). I mean, it doesn't matter if a Sci-Fi fan doesn't like Carrakas work. It wasn't for them anyway. If they do (i.e. me) like Carraka's work, it's an extra bonus. BUT, you've only truly failed if you fail to please the audience you were shooting for. ^^

(Your book appeals to anime-ish, action-loving, Japanese-Fighting fans like me, FYI) :D

[Zaphkiel]

I'll take advice on all your questions Shaun, since you seem like a literary intellectual, I'm sure you wouldn't mind.;)

P.S- Thank you Raff, I'll keep that in mind.

[Rafael Domination]

I'll take advice on all your questions Shaun, since you seem like a literary intellectual, I'm sure you wouldn't mind.;)



Wooo! Shaun's got quite a reputation around here! Yes...do enlighten me too. I'm actually considering writing a 1st person novel, and I might need advice from you too! :D

[Shaun]

Okay, well, since I don't know anything about your novel I can't really comment on that, but as for writing FP, writing fantasy, and writing both...this will take a while...so I'll do one part for now and come back tomorrow and do the other, cause I unfortunately am horrible an managing my time and I'm way behind on things tonight.

Writing First Person:
Okay, the object of FP is to, basically, be inside the head of a character in the most direct way possible without being annoying. Yes, 2nd person is more directly in the head, but very few people can do that well and practically anything novel length that isn't a choose your own adventure book will likely make someone vomit and go on a violent rampage. 2nd person is, for the most part, evil and should be avoided on a professional level unless you have managed to practice it to the point of making yourself vomit and go on a violent rampage. It's just a horribly difficult POV to make work or do well (even if you are the most talented writer in the world, and if you are I don't recommend going with 2nd).
Anyway, FP is the "I" form of things. You use pronouns like "I, my, mine" and any "he, she, them, they, their" are written in the context of the audience looking through the character's eyes at those people rather than looking above, like in third person.
Something you have to be careful about when writing FP is overusing your pronouns. If you have more than two sentences in a row that start with a pronoun, you need to edit. Hearing I I I I I my my my mine I I I over and over and over is bad and annoying. Think of this as being a more extended rule from 3rd about overuse and repetition.
The great thing about FP is that it you have a wider range of ways to deal with information. In 3rd you generally don't want to get into loads of exposition and telling (in novel length fiction you can get away with it more, but not as much in short fiction), but in first you can get away with it a lot more. Why? Because you are in the head of a character and, well, characters think about the thinks that go on in their world. So you can babble a bit more, within limitation.
You also have more freedom with how you approach the language. In third it's a lot harder to deal with giving your character a prose-based voiced, as in a voice based in the prose rather than in dialogue itself. Yes, it can be done, but most people don't try because if you screw up it becomes exceedingly annoying. In first, you have a bit of freedom to fiddle with how your character relates. For an example, look at Rolling Thunder by John Varley. His character (Podkayne) has a distinct voice in the narration, because, well, first person is almost like the character is talking the whole time anyway (with minor exception, since you do have to have dialogue too, in which the 1st person is presented as speech).
So, first, you should think about how you want to relate your story. How you want your character to speak will determine how you present the narration. If you want an example of first person fantasy you might want to look at Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, which is supposed to be a superb book. I haven't read it, but it has received raving reviews and has been hailed as the best fantasy book from last year. Dunno if it is, but it's in first person.

Now ask questions before I lose track of the discussion. I don't know what else to talk about without rambling and I'm losing my focus. Do you have specific questions regarding 1st?

[ScottyMcGee]

FP Fantasies are unique. Fantasy is such an objective world most of the time. My novel, "The Eighth Continent," is FP, while having some TP parts here and there.

I guess Shaun said all the stuff I wanted to already. Just wanted to throw in my little comment.

[Zaphkiel]

Thank you very much, Shaun. This should help me a lot.:)

[Carraka]

-also thanks Shaun-

I really considered switching to FP for EC, because sometimes when I wasn't thinking, I would slip into FP. So that was probably a sign. But then, when I looked at the enormous differences between the two perspectives, I decided that it would be too much work. x.x

I wrote a short story in FP, and I was going to submit it to $B$, except some friendly lawyers are supposed to be checking things out just in case.