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How do you create a realistic fantasy world?

5/22/2015

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Did you ever wonder how Stephen King, J. R. R. Tolkien, J K Rowlings or award-winning Marianne de Peirres created the amazing worlds in their books?

These and other successful fantasy writers found the magic to create realistic fantasy worlds, but they didn't find it in a book. They spent many hours working out what worked best.


Creating your fantasy world means building a world based upon reality and making sure that your reader knows the rules of that world. Your characters must remain true to those rules throughout your story. For your readers to accept and continue reading your story, they have to believe in your world and accept what is happening to your characters.

J. R. R. Tolkien begins his Lord of the Rings series with The Hobbit, by creating a world so real that it has become a classic upon which so many others are based. Tolkien brought us Middle-earth and the lovable hobbits, with incredible description and attention to details. The story contains all the elements of a traditional fantasy with a bumbling hero, an enchanted talisman, dark magic versus the good wizard, and, of course, the quest.

How do you go about creating a reality that readers will accept as readily? There are several things to take into consideration. Your setting must be believable. If magic is involved, you should define the rules of magic and stick with them throughout your tale. Characters should dress appropriately for the period of your story as well as use weapons appropriate to your world.

But there is much more to learn to get right. Take a short-cut in your learning process and get it right the first time. Aurealis award-winning author Marianne de Pierres is willing to share her secrets at the Gondor workshop on May 30th.

On May 31st she will show you how to effectively research and what to put in and what to leave out. You can choose to do both days, or just one.

Get a group of your fantasy and science fiction writer friends together and come to Gondor for a fun and informative weekend.

Can’t make it on the day? Skype in instead. You will still be able to ask Marianne questions and take part in the day.

Phone 54 981 332 to book or go to our bookings page, fill in our form and choose your payment method. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshop-bookings.html

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You'll regret missing this one!

5/15/2015

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Our lovely, light, airy workshop room.

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The view from our large windows. Not a neighbour to be seen!

Just in time for our exciting workshop with award-winning author Marianne de Pierres on May 30th and 31st...

The workshop room is ready! See photos to left. 

Study world building and research with award-winning author, Marrianne de Pierres, winner of this year’s Aurealis Award for best SF novel. If you are into science fiction and fantasy don’t miss this one. Bookings are rolling in. Don't miss out. You can choose to do one day or both. Please advise when you book.

Here's a message from Marianne:

Hiya! I’m conducting a two day workshop in Kilcoy at the GONDOR WRITERS CENTRE on May 30th and 31st. Contact Elaine Ouston to book your attendance. It is very reasonably priced, so don’t miss out.


I’ve been presenting worldbuilding and research workshops for a few years and I’ve learned some great tips to help you make your novels and stories more authentic. I can’t wait to share them with you. Bring a friend and have a fun weekend away!


Marianne's Workshops: Research and World-building:
Research - how to start, where to look and when to stop!
World-building - creating authentic worlds without turning your novel into an indigestible travel diary.
How much do you need to know? Learn what to put in and what to leave out.

Booking are flowing in for this workshop. Be one of the lucky ones and learn from the best. 

Cost:
2 days $160. 10am to 4pm. 1 day $80. Accommodation can be arranged if required. See below for details.

ATTEND VIA SKYPE:
Can't make it on the day... no problem just Skype in.
Please indicate when you book that you want to be linked by Skype and send us your Skype profile. Limited numbers, so book early. You will be sent the worksheets and notes so you can participate along with the attending students.

GROUP DISCOUNTS:
Get your writing friends together and save money.
Group discounts apply to groups of 3 or more for all of Gondor’s workshops.    

Accommodation:
  As our accommodation is not yet ready, we have arranged accommodation at the nearby Kilcoy Motel for those who wish to stay over.

They have 2 and 3 bedroom cabins as well as motel rooms. You can have a look at their rooms on their website http://kilcoymotel.com.au. If you book through us, we can get you a slightly cheaper rate if we have a group booking.

Share accommodation in the 3 bedroom cabins or family motel rooms would start around $70 per person per night and the single room $90.

Optional extras: For two day workshops, we would love our attendees to stay around for a social gathering after the workshop, so we have decided to offer a Barbeque dinner on the Saturday night for $30 per head. Lunch will also be available both days for $20 per head per day. 
 

For bookings
Ph: 07 54 981 332 or visit the website bookings page: http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshop-bookings.html


http://www.mariannedepierres.com/gondor-writers-centre-workshops-worldbuilding-and-research/



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Keep your reader or viewer on the edge of their seat

5/11/2015

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The new workshop room in action!

The first workshop in our new workshop room was a great success. We only had a small group, but we had fun, enjoyed the space and celebrated with a platter lunch and Bubbly.

3 of the attendees are returning students and expressed  gratitude for what they learnt and their desire to come back to further workshops.



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It doesn’t matter whether your story is written as a short story or novel, poem or play, dramatic writing keeps the reader or viewer on the edge of the seat, totally involved in the action.

By using rising conflict and resolution, your characters will come to life. They will become real individuals instead of paper cut-outs. Conflict plants a question in the reader’s mind and helps to heighten suspense. It also helps to identify the characters the reader relates to positively, and the ones the reader ‘loves to hate’.

Conflict must always be resolved. Unresolved conflict is very unsatisfying for the reader. Conflict can be resolved through the death or punishment of the ‘bad’ guy. But it can also be resolved through growth, resulting in mental or behavioural change in a character or group.

The final resolution at the end of the story must tie up all the loose ends and leave the reader with a sense of fulfilment.

The information and writing exercises in Gondor Writers’ Centre workshop, Create Dramatic Writing, on Saturday May 16, will help you to improve your writing by adding excitement and forward movement so that readers will want to keep reading and not put your story down until they reach the end.

Book now to secure your place. Phone 54 981 332 or visit http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshop-bookings.html


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Our workshop room and extra bathroom are almost finished!

5/4/2015

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Our workshop room and extra bathroom are almost finished!

We will be in the room for our next workshop, Writing believable dialogue on Saturday 9th May. Be one of the first to use our new workshop room. If you attend this workshop, we would like you to help us celebrate the opening of the room with a glass of bubbly.


The next workshop Writing Believable Dialogue

It doesn't matter how well a novel is plotted or how exciting the action is, if the dialogue is flat or forced you lose your reader. Learning to write dialogue is a major challenge.

Nothing can kill a character faster than the words they speak. Dialogue is one of the main ways a reader gets to know a character.

There is good dialogue and there is bad dialogue and, depending on which you are writing, it will make or break your story. Nothing engages a reader more than realistic dialogue and nothing disgruntles a reader more than a phrase that is contrived, clichéd and unnatural; it will pull a reader away from your lovingly crafted prose quicker than a flat character or a thin plot could ever do.

Their personality is revealed in every word they speak, and in their actions, and it's the writer's job to make sure the dialogue is appropriate and sounds natural to that character. What to put in and what to leave out, so that you aren't boring your reader with unnecessary dialogue and so your dialogue sounds natural, is also important.

It is not too much of a surprise, then, to discover that writing dialogue is one of the most challenging elements of fiction writing and one which takes time to master. This is a skill that can be learnt.

The next workshop at Gondor Writers' Centre explores ways to make sure you aren't killing your character every time he opens his mouth.

Workshop: Writing believable dialogue: Tutor Elaine Ouston
Making the dialogue suit your character, add depth to the scene, and show emotion is an important part of making your character believable. In this workshop, we will examine how to make your character's voice authentic by examining the speech patterns of people from different walks of life and learning what to put in and what to leave out.
Course cost: $50 One day—10am to 4pm.


Places are filling fast so book now on 54981 332 or go to the website and book and pay there. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshop-bookings.html


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