So I finally decided to join this forum. Online I like to call myself Fallen and I'm a 19-year-old girl who lives in Finland. Last summer I had an idea for a short novel that later on grew up considerably. Now I'm looking forward to writing three full length fiction/fantasy novels. The process is slow and for the last year I've been mostly concentrating on researching and developing the characters and plot. I'm in no hurry with these books and from the very beginning I've known that it will take years before I can even consider finishing and maybe even publishing them. One of the biggest issues, which also encouraged me to join this forum, is my huge desire to use English instead of my mother tongue, Finnish. Why? Well, simply because from the very first idea, all my ideas have popped into my head in English and it just doesn't feel the same when I try working on the same ideas in Finnish. And since English is my second language, I fear that even my greatest ideas will end up suffering a great deal because of my grammatical errors etc. Anyway, I trust that my deep affection towards my project will keep my spirit up no matter what. I guess that's it. I hope I get to learn something new here now that I finally joined you guys.
Well, your English seems fine to me! I'm always in awe of somebody who speaks two or more languages to a high standard. It opens so many doors. Welcome to the forum! Incidentally, when you read fantasy books, do you read them in English at least some of the time?
Thank you Jannert! Actually I read books only in English. Mostly because I like the original versions better but also to improve my English. At the moment I'm rereading George R.R Martin's A Clash of Kings (Which is in my opinion, fantastic.)
Ooh from Finland? I am quite in love with Finland though I never have been there... (well I'm going to Helsinki for a week in September). I'm writing in English as well and it's also my second (well... technically third) languages, but it feels easier than writing in Dutch and I almost exclusively read in English Welcome to the forums
Thank you Aprella and welcome to Finland! I hope you enjoy your stay! And yeah I realized long time ago that writing in English gives me much more opportunities once I learn to use it properly. Also, Finnish is such a complex language even to a native speaker so oddly, when it comes to grammar I think I know more about English than Finnish. Or maybe I've just somehow managed to screw up my Finnish skills... Haha
Really? Hmm I'd love to learn Finnish... it sounds so nice! The Nordic countries have fascinated me for as long as I can remember and it are actually the Moomins and The Rasmus (such nice guys!) who made me fall in love with Finland in specific. Well my second language is French since Belgium is bilingual (well there is German speaking part as well... but that very small) and I suck horribly at it even though I had it in school for far longer than English hahah
Haha I studied French for 3 years, all for nothing. Now I can't even order a meal in French... But yeah, unfortunately most foreigners find Finnish quite tough language to learn but course, just like any other language, it is possible if one really puts his/hers heart into it. I taught my brother's chinese wife Finnish for a while but since I couldn't explain most of the grammar to her, she finally joined a real class... But it really warms my heart to hear that you're interested in Finland. ^^
I wonder... isn't it hard in the winter? When the sun rises late and sets so soon? That's the only downside I can think of living so far north.
Well it is quite depressing when the sun rises only after 9am and sets already at 3pm and the temperature goes below -25 degrees. So basically, when the sun is up people are at work or school and when they finally get to go home it's already dark. But we get through it every year. And of course the day is this short only in the mid-winter. The day gets longer quite rapidly.
Cool But the summer must be amazing, no? I read somewhere that the sun would only set around 22.30-23.00 during mid-summer and rises very early!
Woa! deja vu! I am writing a fantasy trilogy too! (it's taken me three years thus far and is still going) Sister, just ask and I will help you in any way i can cuz english is my native tongue!
Thank you Trilby! Woah, really? Haha that's great! In my opinion this world will never have too many fantasy stories! And thank you for your help offer, I believe it will come in handy since I sometimes find myself struggling with my text. Haha. But it would be cool to know more about your project since we're working on the same genre.
Is it me or are their a lot of fantasy writers on this forum? I'm writing a Narnia kind of fantasy (as in people getting stuck in a fantasy world where they have to fulfil a prophecy) though no talking animals and a bit too dark for children
Sounds good. I've never read Narnia even though I always wanted to, purely out of curiosity. But I've noticed the same that quite many people here are working on a fantasy novel. Now that I come to think of it, I realize that I can hardly bring myself to describe my story with a phrase or two. Maybe I'm just not far enough in the process so I could do that. But I challenge myself to try. My story is also quite dark and I'm one of those kinds of writers who likes to torture readers with withholding information and playing with the characters I know people tend to like. It also takes place in far future when all the technology humankind used to have is already long gone. In this world people's freedom is reduced to minimum and the main character is supposed to do something about it... : D
Tervetuloa munki puolesta! It's always cool to find other Finns on international boards. KaTrian and I also write fantasy although our current WIP is sci-fi. It'd be fun to read some of your writing some time.
Haha kiitos kiitos molemmille! So are you guys writing it together? If so, that's so great. I've always wondered how that works. : D
I think there're plenty of people here on the boards who write together, though haven't come across a couple yet. It's weird; we can't write alone as such. The moment we started writing together, the stories just started surging out. The process is just difficult to explain... we just write in turns, both have our own characters... maybe it's like RPG? Though I've never role-played per se Our writing styles are compatible as well, so I guess it's just... a match made in heaven I don't know, Stieg Larsson wrote with his wife too, right? The reason we write in English is the same as yours (the Finnish grammar, bleh), though English isn't our second language. We do study it at the Helsinki Uni.
