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Want to write a Story for EL?? Read this first!

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Ok here are some notes that Lyanna wrote when she was the storyline editor. Please read and keep these things in mind if you are interested in writing stories for EL!

The only difference is now, you won't be sending any stories to her. And sending them to me won't help too much either as I do not have time for it atm :P

So just keep posting your stuff on this forum..and eventually I, or someone else, will get around to it-that's a promise :)

 

 

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Hi people!

 

I've read through all of your stories on this forum already, and some are good, some (sad to say) aren't. Remember, we're trying to create a background and history for the Eternal Lands, so all stories MUST include something related to the places or people here.

 

When you submit your stories or story ideas, please indicate which part of the library you are writing for. eg. (Histories, Short Stories, Legends, Myths, etc.) The library can be accessed at http://www.eternal-lands.net

 

Also, if you can, suggest ideas for WHEN you want to set your story. I've compiled a general outline for the main backbone in the thread called: "Trying to pull the major stories together" : http://www.eternal-lands.com/phpBB2/viewto...opic.php?t=4990

The full details of my calendar system is at http://www.eternal-lands.com/phpBB2/viewto...opic.php?t=4926

 

Feel free to add-on or comment on them, since it's not fixed in stone, and can still be changed. Oh, and please DO read everyone else's stories, so that you can work with whatever they've got and bounce ideas off each other.

 

Thanks,

-Lyn-

 

 

Lyanna's 3 Rules for Writing a Good EL Story

 

1) Stay in Context

That means:

- Reading up on other people's stories FIRST before writing your own, so that you have a general overview of what's been happening and where you can fit your story into.

- Making sure that your story refers in some way to the places, events, or people of Eternal Lands.

 

2) Allow for Development

That includes:

- Not being afraid of or defensive about comments made about your story, as we are honestly trying to help you improve it.

- Keeping aware of the development of the game itself by reading through the rest of the forums and the website, so that you don't accidentally write a irrelevant story.

- Being very careful about using NPCs in your story, since they may be changed suddenly. (Case in point: Bakart, Granny, Faris and Garis no longer exist)

- Making sure to leave certain parts open for others to be able to tell their own stories - don't try to answer ALL the questions and tell everything there is to know about EL.

 

3) Use Your Imagination

That means:

- Experimenting with different ways of telling a story, working with different genres (ghost story, war epic, love story, plain fantasy, etc) or formats (diaries, narratives, dialogues, flashbacks, etc). Variety is GOOD.

- Being original and not just copying ideas/names/concepts from other games, books, or real-life that you think would be nice to fit into EL.

- Bending the above rules a little, if you think you're good enough to get away with it. I might just like your story well enough to modify things to fit. It had better be very impressive, though.

 

 

The Road to Fame

 

I'll be working throughout this period to help you all refine your stories and get them ready for publication. However, actually getting them put up on the EL website will be a long process, and it goes something like this:

- Write your story and post it up on these forums. Myself and the other writers will comment on them and help you improve it here and there.

- Once it's good enough, we'll add it to the calendar of events on the other sticky ("Trying to pull the major stories together"), and then go through a second round of modifying as we try to integrate it with all the rest of the stories.

- Once we've got it integrated properly, I'll let it hang for a while, so that we can adjust it if any new stories come into the picture, and so that when I look over it again, I might see some things we missed.

- Then, I'll ask you to send me a master copy on a Microsoft Word file. I'll go through it one more time before I pass it on to Roja.

- Roja will read it, and SHE will make the final decision on whether to post it up on EL.net or not. It's all up to her, so don't blame me, guys, if your story gets rejected finally. I've given my best to help you polish it. :)

 

Having said that, please keep in mind that I'm not planning to actually pass anything to Roja so soon. Most likely, there will be quite a lot of changes during this Beta period, all the way until the game goes gold and the P2P version comes out. We may have to continuously adjust the stories to allow for the changes. Only once the game is "finished" and her workload is lightened will I start giving out the stories to Roja. However, in the meantime, we can be preparing the entire background and history of EL, so that she gets the whole package of what we've done so far - all giftwrapped, in sync with one another, and ready for the new players to read. :D

 

-Lyn-

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Okay, to update: You CAN send stories to me again. I'm back to work as Storylines editor.

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Just to give you a rough idea of the types of stories we're looking for.

 

Story Categories:

 

Histories: Comprehensive accounts of major events or series of events that took place in the EL world. Usually, these have fixed dates and places, and involve large amounts of people. Examples would be Tumaros' Great War stories, and Saii's Battle of Portland

 

Legends: Stories that focus on one particular place/person in the distant past. They usually have some basis of fact, but are a little vague as to the exact details. There are some minor fictions or exaggerations that grew as the story was told and re-told over the years. Examples would be Arafin's story of Fingolfin, the Vermor Castle stories, and Kayliana's Dragon stories.

 

Myths: Stories that explain how the world as we know it came to be, or why certain places/things are the way they are. Very little facts, but more of explanations of the things we observe in EL life. Examples would be the Master_Templar's Founding of Tirnwood, and Tumaros' explanation of the Grues (not found on these Forums).

 

Short Stories: Stories that are set in the EL world of the present, or of the near past. Usually based on people and events that are in the game at the moment. Includes a lot of Roleplaying stories.

 

Misc.: Anything that doesn't fit into the above categories, but is a very good story nevertheless, and has something to do with EL. Example would be Geelef's Diary of A Common Man.

 

 

For beginner writers, I suggest you start off writing either Legends or Short Stories. Those are easier to do, because they are more specific, and allow you to focus on a single topic. Myths and Histories are slightly more complex and difficult, and usually need a fine grasp of the EL storyline as a whole. Nevertheless, if you're up to it, feel free to write anything you like.

 

-Lyn-

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Very Important Notice:

 

Don't EVER, EVER start a thread/story with the title "Storyline", "Story Suggestion", "What do you think of this?" or some similar title. It's very hard to reference later if we decide to include it.

 

Always include a proper title or name your subject, so that we know what it's talking about and how to find it quckly.

 

-Lyn-

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Please note that the above categories of stories are not the only sort of fiction you have to write.

 

If you can write poetry, plays, ballads or other forms of literature, they are also most welcome (provided they relate to Eternal Lands).

 

Heck, even EL limericks would be fun! :D

 

-Lyn-

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