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writingonesdreams · 5 years

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Novel Prep Tag Game 2

So I did this one before, but the questions are so great I'm probably going to do this for every important story idea. So here goes the newest one!

Rules: Answer the questions and then tag as many writers as there are questions answered (or as many as you can) to spread the positivity! Even if these questions are not explicitly brought up in the novel, they are still good to keep in mind when writing.

1. Describe your novel in 1-2 sentences (elevator pitch)

A young ambassador tries to keep peace during the tournament where mages from different dimensions use their abilities for sport instead of combat for the first time after the Era of Wars.

2. How long do you plan for your novel to be? (Is it a novella, single book, book series, etc.)

A novel for now.

3. What is your novel’s aesthetic?

Changing dimensions. Big cities. Empty desolated desert. Seascape with scattered rocks.

4. What other stories inspire your novel?

Darker Shade of Magic series from V.A. Schwab, Masaryk movie, Megalo Box anime

5. Share 3+ images that give a feel for your novel

6. Who is your protagonist?

Anise the dimension ambassador. She is one of the strongest mages of her age, mastering the highest level of magic and has been selected by the current ruling mage family to keep peace and contact between her assigned dimensions.

7. Who is their closest ally?

The second prince Cole, who is Anise’s closest friend and also a participant in the games. Later the two get close with Rhys and Oliver.

8. Who is their enemy?

Officialy the participants of the games only in sporting manner. But mainly the prejudices and tension between the mages since the relationships are still strained after the wars and not every magic type is considered equally powerful.

9. What do they want more than anything?

Anise wants to be sure that her life has meaning, that she is living her life and using her talents the best way she can. Rhys wants to prove himself during the games. Cole wants to show his parents and the magic world he isn't a powerful prince just because of his birth, but because he earned the abilities he possesses. Oliver wants to know if he is good enough for the world.

Basically all characters struggle with feelings of worthlessness and how to feel valuable again.

10. Why can’t they have it?

Anise doesn't know what she wants or what she is missing, since she has a meaningful job, but doesn't enjoy her life. Rhys has been looked down upon and mistreated because of his affinity to fire magic (that is considered died out and blamed for causing the Era of Wars in the first place). Cole as the second prince doesn't get as much attention or recognition.

11. What do they wrongly believe about themselves?

Anise believes her job and magic abilities are the only things that make her valuable. Rhys believes he has to fight to feel alive because he doesn't have any real worth because of his magic.

12. Draw your protagonist! (Or share a description)

Anise is tall and slender girl, has long golden-blond wavy hair, grey eyes and ivory skin. She has very delicate features and is rather pale. She likes to wear blue clothes.

Rhys is muscular and tall with slightly tanned skin, black curly hair and blue eyes. He is covered in scars, most notably on his arms and on his right cheek.

Cole is tall, but less muscular then Rhys. He has slightly longer black hair, vibrant green eyes and fair skin.

Oliver has short black hair and dark blue eyes. He looks very similar to his older brother Rhys in features. He is 14 so he is short compared to the others.

Plot Points

13. What is the internal conflict?

Anise struggles with finding passion in her job, that despite being meaningful doesn't make her happy. She never knew what she wanted and followed her talent, because she isn't sure if who she really is, beside her talent in magic and intelligence, is worth anything.

Rhys feels empty and starved, frustrated about his life in a dying dimension with magic that marks him to other people as being dangerous and bad. He doesn't know what exactly he is seeking, but only feels alive when he fights and experiences the thrill of it.

14. What is the external conflict?

Anise wants to prove her competence as the dimensional ambassador. That she's self-reliant, mature and responsible enough and can use her magic for a good purpose and be part of something bigger then herself.

Rhys wants to advance and win in the games to prove himself and his worth. He hates being written off because of something he can't change and that is such a fundamental part of himself. Rhys wants to see how far he can go when he gives his maximum despite the conditions set on him by others. He also hates how he can't provide for his younger brother because of the prejudices and limits put on him by others because of his magic.

15. What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist?

For Anise it would be disappointing the king by failing at her task, and therefore failing as a person in her eyes.

For Rhys to go back to his previous life, being frustrated and letting his self-destructiveness destroy him slowly.

16. What secret will be revealed that changes the course of the story?

What kind of magic is the strongest? What privileges do the most powerful mages deserve? Is it correct and fair to judge someone according to their magic and the level of their abilities? How much does magic actually reveal about the user?

17. Do you know how it ends?

I have a general idea of the direction the story is headed and I know what the resolutions of the character arcs will be, but I don't have a definite ending. I'm trying to not to spoil myself, because often when I know the ending I lose intersting in writin the story.

18. What is the theme?

Self-worth, what people see as valuable in others and in themselves, drive, passion, prejudices, life purpose, direction, meaning

19. What is a reoccurring symbol?

Fire, river, sea, clouds, whirlwind of colours, magical portals

20. Where is the story set? (Share a description!)

It's set in a number of dimensions that mages can travel through. The first half of the story as well as the place for the games is on non-magical earth so no mage would have an advantage of channelling his original world for magic.

21. Do you have any images or scenes in your mind already?

Yes I have several scenes in my head, that I’m working on connecting into a logical plot.

22. What excited you about this story?

Magic as important part of the plot and symbol for the themes, the growing closeness between very different people, sibling relationship, friendship bonds and support

23. Tell us about your usual writing method!

I always start with characters that I stick in different scenarios or in my favourite movies and series or books and let them interact. From those I mostly get inspiring scenes that I try to connect through a plot. Afterwards I work on characterisation, world-building, research details and outline stuff a bit. I also write little snippets that sometimes turn long and can be used as chapters.

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