Elanalue Windthorn (Alue). An elf and one of the three protagonists.
I’m about 40 pages from completing my 2nd draft of a new trilogy… Unraveling the Veil. It’s been a bumpier ride than usual, my laptop jouncing on my knees as the story’s wheels plunge into plotholes on the long and winding road to publishing.
A few of them required me to rock the old tale back and forth while gunning the engine. A couple of times, I had to back up and try again, turning in a slightly different direction to get around a sinkhole. I’ve been known to add an extra gallon of coffee to the tank in order to jack up the imagination and fill in a whopping crater.
Magic is a big part of the problem.
Fantasy authors can easily find themselves mired by their magic. To be honest, I’ve struggled through a lot of “oh, shit” moments where I’ve put a character in a treacherous situation, and then realized (on the second draft) that they can easily escape. Yes, you guessed it, by using the powers I granted them.
A shapeshifter who can turn into a beetle can escape most confined spaces. Uh oh.
A shapeshifter who can transform into a bird can just fly away from a dangerous situation. Darn!
A pyrokinetic elf doesn’t have to worry much about being stuck in an ice storm. Duh.
A goblin who can rearrange earthen matter should be impossible to keep locked up in a stone cell. Gah! Rats!
The list goes on and on.
My characters aren’t all-powerful, but they have talents. And their abilities change over time, so I have to keep track of where they are in their magical evolutions.
The point is, writing, rewriting, and editing fantasy requires a unique analysis of every action scene. We, the creators and purveyors of magic, have to question our logic in order to keep the story plausible. Can my characters use their magical abilities to get out of this terrible situation?
If the answer is “yes,” it’s time to put on the brakes and check the old map. Then fix the road or plot a detour. The journey must go on.
WIP working cover
Myths of the Mirror 
Sounds like an amazing book, Diana. The working cover is beautiful!
Would love to read such an amazing book from an amazing author! 💕
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Your comment made me smile, Jess. Well, I still have tons of work to do, but I’m getting there. With so much time at home, perhaps sooner than later, but still months away. Happy Reading and Writing!
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I’m very excited to read it! Good luck! 🌌💙
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You must have great fun, Diana,besides the obvious pitfalls…creating such magic. But you are one clever cookie, so I’m sure you’ll soon have all those little niggles ironed out…Onwards! Hugs x
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Thanks, Joy. The plotholes are mostly filled – the big ones anyway. Now I’m onto draft 3. A slow slow go, but I don’t mind. It’s fun. 🙂 Thanks for the visit and Have a Wonderful Day!
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Wow, congrats on being so close to finishing the 2nd draft! And love your description of potholes and plotholes. That is how it feels so often, false trails, a convenient talent to aid escape, and more revision. Happy Writing!
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Thanks, Julie. Part of my problem was that it took me so long to finish my first draft, I couldn’t remember what I’d written! Lol. All fixed now and off onto the third!
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Wow!
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Ha! Thanks for the visit, Jennie. I’ve started draft 3! A long long way to go. 🙂
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My pleasure, Diana. Very exciting!
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Congratulations!
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Thank you. Only 6-20 drafts left to go!
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“A pyrokinetic elf doesn’t have to worry much about being stuck in an ice storm,” that made me laugh .. until I thought “what happens when he gets soggy, like a box of matches?”
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Lol. All these worries! Her skills are actually pretty mediocre and she’s more likely to burn her hands than warm up. Ha. Thanks for stopping by, Joanne. Happy Writing and Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤
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