Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Personal: October Mini-NaNo Overview

So, for my October Mini-NaNo, I wanted to combine two things I love dearly- being a lazybum and fantasy. Now, anyone who writes fantasy novels knows that it is very hard to be a lazybum while doing so. There is worldbuilding, racebuilding, townbuilding; there is so much building involved in fantasy that I might as well be a contractor. So, to make my load a little lighter (especially since I'll be worldbuilding for November DURING October Mini-NaNo), I decided to do a modern fantasy, something set in the real world but also not. I also thought it might be nice to set this story in the town I currently live in, primarily because I've never heard of anything being set here. So, while this will end up being a bit of a self-insert (I'll give hints as time goes on as to which character is based on me), I'm excited to present, the plot of October's Mini-NaNo!

Our main character is a senior at small town SUNY Geneseo. She is double majoring in history and creative writing and decided, for her thesis, to do a paper on the history of magic in literature. As she researches, she comes upon hints and information that the world is not all that it seems. Academic at heart, she decides to determine what this means, unintentionally launching herself into a world just below the surface of reality, where magic is real and nothing makes sense. 

 

Pretty vague, huh? Well, that's because I'm not really sure where it's going. But it'll be easier to write knowing I don't have a world to build! ;)

My first question to you, community of possibly existent readers and definitely existent friends and family, what is your favorite kind of magical creature? The one who gets the most replies, by October 1st, will get a large role in the story ahead.


The story will be written in 750words, so I can get some badges and maybe defeat the October Challenge. However, I will also post what I've written on fictionpress.com (primarily because it is an easy to use platform that I have experience with). The fictionpress account tied to this blog is aptly named "the Capstone" and can be found here.


Edit: Obviously, my own replies don't count. 

18 comments:

  1. Well, the one that poses all kinds of threat and is just cool beyond belief, is the Mind flayer. Creature created by the awesome dudes of DnD, this horrible monster is basically a small Cthulhu. It's mouth tentacles strike an opponent and draw it's brain out to then devour it. Also capable of stunning large amounts of targets, doing more damage the higher their intelligence is. Underneath SUNY Geneseo seems like a fine place for mind flayers to hide.

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    1. This one sounds very interesting and reminds me of a very intimidating professor :)

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  2. How about selkies? They could be the monsters in Conesus Lake. :)

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    1. THERE ARE NO MONSTERS IN THE LAKE DAMMIT

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  3. CENTAURS <3 They're sexy.

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  4. Sirens. I think it'd be interesting to use hidden, invisible sirens as pupetmasters (you could totally include a love story somewhere in there with cupid/sirens playing with the protagonist/her love interest).

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  5. Nobody has said dragons. What is wrong with all of you?????? I want dragons. They must be sentient, and more a la Tamora Pierce than The Hobbit. That said, if I can't have dragons, I will settle for unicorns.

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    1. Also, they should live in the library. In the children's lit section where they keep the good stuff (aka Harry Potter & Beka Cooper).

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  6. Ents. Like, the living trees and shit. DO THAT

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  7. Talking Bears
    Virgin Sorority Sister
    Succubus

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  8. DAGRONS
    mermaids
    butterflies
    ghosts
    demons
    werewolves
    succubi (...pretty believable creatures to be sneaking around a college campus)

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  9. Gnomes. But ones that move, not like the expedia Gnome he is to stiff.

    If not Gnomes than Elves

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  10. From Emily Jordan, of GPS, we also have "SHAPESHIFTERS"

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  11. Dragons. Dragons, dragons, dragons.

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  12. " I also think shapeshifters (called 'Skinwalkers in Native American legend, where the skinwalker usually seeks to impart his revenge on a single person or family) would be cool. I like the idea that a wild squirrel/feral cat on campus could actually be a shapeshifted person (perhaps one student with thoroughgoing Native American heritage).

    Also, I read through your blog a bit; I lol'd at the "Hipster" rating on the review stuff :p"

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    1. I love this idea (especially the squirrel bit), but I'd be a little afraid to write a Native student. I wouldn't want to characterize or stereotype because I'm not familiar with the culture, especially since I don't have a lot of time to research.

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  13. It can be anything as long as it talks, or just says one word for everything (e.g. "Hodor"). I'd go with something that could also protect the character and bring her places in this fantasy world. So something like a phoenix, gryphon, dragon, or Pegasus.

    ....or a direwolf (because Game of Thrones)

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