Sir Rob's World-Building Workshop

05. Feedback and Setting

Sorry that it's been so long. I've been really busy with preparing my next volume of fairy tales for publication.

Now, to start with, some of you have requested that I give you a little overview of the most interesting suggestions you've given so far, and how they have influenced my plans. I can't go into too much detail, because I don't want to give too much away of the story I plan to write, but I can tell you a little bit. (clears throat).

So, here it is, my dear Lords Ladies and Gentlemen. After careful consideration, I've decided that quite a few traditional Indian and African myths will be incorporated in the story. There will also be various black characters and at least one main character from a fictional nation that resembles India, who is based on a particularly intriguing Indian mythical lady that I found in an obscure volume of Indian mythology from the nineteenth century.

Some of the setting and Pantheon will most likely be inspired by Philipine mythology, and some of the setting as well. For instance, I can tell my Philipine readers that I most likely will be having some of my characters doing the mano po. I hope you approve? ;)

Now, as to what the main setting will be or what peoples the main heroes and villains will belong to—I'm not quite sure about that yet.

Many fantasy stories are set in a medieval kind of world. So many, in fact, that I don't think I should take all my inspiration from that period or it would become a little bit boring.

What do you think? Would your favorite novel be set in a fantasy world that resembles:

a) Antiquity

b) Dark Ages

c) Middle Ages

d) Colonial Period

e) Modern Period (Please, please no! Say no! The historian's soul cries out in pain ;-)

Please leave a comment on whichever one you would prefer! Or should I set the story in a totally different period? After all, the above distinctions are very European. What kind of different periods do you have in your home country?

Also, what ethnicities do you think have been under-represented in fantasy novels? What kind of people from where in the world would make awesome main characters, and for what reason?

I'll do my best to be back with another installment soon!

Yours Truly

Sir Rob