ZOMG ZYLAA NaNo

[Zylaa]

Oooh, I suppose they are.

This is true. =D I suppose the relationship isn't actually that complicated... basically all humans came from earth, but at various points in history up to a couple thousand years ago, and then there was a group of English people 400-some years ago. So I was just trying to figure out if the word would survive.

I need to post world history at some point. I've got a pretty detailed history worked out-- and I just discovered yesterday that summoning demons works perfectly as a concept with my world's history and magical system, so that opens up whole new fun areas for history and stories. ^_^

I'm also kinda sad because last night I had an absolutely epic dream that would make a great story, but I want to write the rebel story this NaNo... I'm just kinda superstitious since the only books I've finished have been based on dreams, and if I'm ignoring this one I feel like it's a bad omen.

Oh also, I need to change Carver's name, because it's too close to a new friend of mine named Carter that I've been spending a lot of time with. It's confusing.

[Ebil]

Haha you put genetics in your fantasy novel, Zylaa you're awesome <3

I like this idea a lot! And being in the midst of rereading Bartimaeus, I can say it's really not that all much like it :3 I mean, not at all now that you've shared all the extra details, but even the original premise in the first post was rather distinct.

If you really feel as though ignoring your inspirational dream is a bad omen, perhaps write a few paragraphs/pages (or a simple outline, if that's how you roll) of that one and then shove it on the backburner for after NaNo? Who knows, if this story fizzles out you could even pick it up in the middle.

[Zylaa]

^___^ Thanks. I try.

I'm gonna shove the dream story on the backburner (like most of my ideas... I have at least a dozen) for now. I like this plot too much to ditch it at the last minute.

Modified character names in the character post, because I couldn't remember some of them when I was first writing and gave people the wrong names. XD


Also! Today, inspired by computer programming, I figured out how sorcery works!

So you have magic, which works by thinking about it. But that gets complicated really quick.

Take language as an example. You don't want to think "four legged furry thing with pointed ears that tends to be aloof and claws me when it isn't fed on time buy nonetheless is quite adorable" when you can just think "cat."

So what sorcerers do is create shortcuts in thought-- these shortcuts become spell words. So a very complicated spell, if used often enough, gets its own spell word.

The thing is, spell words are whatever works for you. So there's two schools of thought on this: the conventional school of thought, where everyone should learn the same verbal and mental shortcuts because it's so much easier to learn and convey to others, and the independent school of thought, which says that whatever you want to call a spell, do it.

This means that in theory, a spellcaster could make a house catch on fire every time they focus on the word "Spleen."

But more practically, it means that if anyone is going on an undercover operation, if they have seemingly ordinary words as their spell words, nobody will know. I mean, they'll get suspicious when, say, floods of water rise up into the street, but they won't have any time to react before the spell hits.

People usually don't make any spells for straight up summoning or manipulation, because that's easy. The more complicated things are where words start to come in to play.

[Zylaa]

THINGS I HAVE TO INCLUDE IN MY NOVEL:

-- A ferret tracker. No, I have no idea how that will work, but my friend suggested that as the job my protagonists' parents should have, and although I said no, that idea is way too epic to pass up.
-- References to Firefly, actual fireflies, and flying fire, and the other song "Fireflies."

Dares:
Dare: Work in song lyrics at random parts of your story, so they make sense in context.
-- Bonus: If you can fit an entire song in.

Dare: Put in a scene where one of the characters does a dance number with a lampshade covering their head.
Bonus: If the said character is a normally serious character and is not drunk or under any influences.

Dare: Reference another NTWFer's NaNo in your own.
Bonus Points: if you have one of your characters reading that NaNo.
Triple Points: if the author of said book shows up as an NTWFer cameo.


Dare 1: Reference the current wordcount at random intervals in descriptions, quotes, objects, whatever!

Dare 4: Start one of the paragraphs/chapters with the line "The sun shines brighter on a town that is not already on fire"

[Zylaa]

OMG A TITLE

Carrie thought this up, I can take no credit:

A Certain Shade of Gray

[Tam]

...Nice word count. xD

[Avery]

... ! ZOMG. You're word count buddies! Ahahaha. That is amazing. *easily amused*

[Zylaa]

XD Thank you Carrie for saying that, because I just checked this thread today and was very confused.

*high-fives Tamia*

[Zylaa]

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED THIS YEAR:

Do not get a boyfriend in November. BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO WORDCOUNT.

Also, try not to have a major essay due a week after November. BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO WORDCOUNT

Also, try not to take a physics class fall semester. BAD THINGS.



.... Yeah, didn't finish. :/

[Rikku]

Aww, but hey, at least you tried, right? ^__^ And it's not like you can't finish it later.

[Amneiger]

You should have gotten your boyfriend to help police your NaNo writing. =D *is smacked for idiocy* But yes, the point of NaNo is to get a least something onto the page that you wouldn't have written anyway. So even trying is good. =D