Sunday, April 5, 2009

Methodology of Fictional Worlds and Their Discovery. (in short)





















The problem is this.

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When I sit at my desk and set about to put down some sort of fictional bit of never-mind, I can rarely find where to start. There is always a time before the time where I start, and this time before always seems so vital to the whole. For example in the case of The Princess: I have yet to establish where this kingdom really is, where is the queen, when is this, what language do they speak, what is the shape of this people group, what is the work they attend to, are they at peace, etc? I mean, how can a story be put down properly without a history, yet when does (or should) the history start? You see now how Lewis had to start his worlds in the Wood, you see how The Silmarillion takes shape…they had to be born for the rest of it to exist.

The myth was actually fact; in myth, fact is merely a matter of viewpoint. (Within the context of the construct)

The logical question, logical to me at least, is how do I get there? I know that it, the history of this myth’s world, already exists; the map has simply to be recovered

What will my methodology look like for discovering this lost civilization? Do I start with a history and write forward, or do I do what I am more inclined to do, create a story and postrationalize a history? By postrationalize I mean, write the past, based on the now.

If I opt for postrationalization as my method, the later date main point story is difficult to construct because it is a house built upon sand. Yet building a cold-start history for a world is something I do not believe is within my skill set upon a multitude of fronts. I haven’t the linguistic background, the sociological concepts or world experience to attempt such a climb. (Or potentially I am just frightened to venture into it…?)

Perhaps a highbred exists. Begin the construction of the myth…when presented with an enigmatic portion of the journey, discover the required history to inform the story.
-Does history dictate a myth?
-I think not…or should I say, ‘I think it needn’t, yet it more than likely will, for all we have, we have learned from history, therefore, it will intrinsically sculpt the myth.’ Therefore, I think it will, regardless of whether it should or should not. After all, most ‘Great Stories’ are merely thinly veiled recreations of Real Actual World History.
-How is history to help said issues for the characters?
-I don’t know exactly…but perhaps I can find it or perhaps it is as simple as myth tellers of older days who again, thinly veiled the successes and failures of thinly veiled Historical Characters?

I have always held that storytelling is in the making. One does not sit down with a clear vision of the events, outcomes, and finale of the story…not in a true story leastwise. (In my not humble enough opinion) When one is dreaming…do they get a memo prior to departure into the dream that tells them of the outcome? When one is born are they issued a syllabus informing them that they will be nominated chair of American Literature at Yale. Which will undoubtedly lead them to live a celebratory life that could potentially involve being hit by a bus while stagger home in a drunken stupor only to completely negate the original syllabus…thus a paradox is revealed, but I digress.
Why do we assume that the story will be clear at the outset? Why do we assume that we will not go through valleys as dark and triumphs as grand as our companions? We shouldst. It has been said we create because we wish to be little gods, I find this not only heretical but a dangerous ground to venture into. Perhaps some do create for said reason, I am sorry for their state. I offer this contention; perhaps we create to educate?

(30 minutes later)
I retract portions of this statement. When this earth was created I do not feel that Lord God was ‘hoping for a good outcome.’ I do understand that He is perfect and divine and I am far from that…I will not hold my entire tale in my head and often I will lose my way. Writing this is akin sanctification. We approach wholeness day by day, we are not whole now, and we will not be until we are done.
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Aim for a final target, do not expect failure, but accept it. Seek excellence daily.
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Eternity is a decision one makes a day at a time.

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