I know I get a little involved sometimes when I start researching for my writing... and I get a bit obsessed about the details and organisation of every little detail that I have gathered up. The hours that I have spent on the maps and time lines, world-building and historical research is extraordinary! So the question has yet to be answered... Does every Epic Fantasy writer start out like this? Does it get easier? Or has Fantasy infected me with a touch of OCD?
I have calmed my anxieties to a degree by creating a Wikia page to catalogue my research and information, with the added bonus easy navigation.
Now I just have to sort through two years of library books and web surfing scibbled on a mountain of scrap paper, exercise books and note pads! I am extremely motivated however as once I have completed the work my efforts will be available not only to myself, but also to any other writers who chance upon it.
It really isn't hard to see why one may become slightly obsessive compulsive when you think about how much essential detail is needed in an epic saga. An entire world doesn't just create itself. You have to build your kingdoms from the ground up, inventing governments, societies, cultures, religions, histories, laws of magic, Technologies! And then there is the geography, terrain, climate and seasons, commerce and trades, imports, exports ...and so on and so on.... And that's just world building!
Then there is the characters. As I mentioned yesterday the greatest fantasy authors are the ones who are able to bring their characters to life. I would say most fantasy readers out there would have that one special character, or maybe even more. That character that you felt was real, who made you laugh or cry, love or hate. For me it was Jimmy the Hand*, That may have been slightly influenced by the fact that I was 15 at the time that I first read the Riftwar novels.
The point I am trying to make is that while your imagination creates the story and the perfect characters there is still all the extras that are needed to give the final touches to each scene.... What are the terms for the buildings? Whats the name of that tree? How far does that horse have to go? How long will it take? How fast can it go? When to you harvest wheat?
There are those who would question why all that stuff matters... It's fantasy, can't you just make it up? No... and I will explain why ... Tomorrow! :)
