1. Marcelo

    Marcelo Member

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    magical and non-magical population

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by Marcelo, Jul 26, 2009.

    Hehe, this is my third thread, but I'm having this creativity block where everything I come up with sounds unoriginal. Right now I'm trying to name the magical and non-magical populations in my story. The magical population was to be called "Legends", but it was to the term "Fables, used in Bill Willingham's comic Fables. I'm at a loss here, and even more when it comes to the term used for the non-magical population. Help here, promise this'll be the last one of my threads! :p
     
  2. Rumpole40k

    Rumpole40k Banned

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    First of all, have you begun writing the story yet? It is a common mistake to try and get everything nailed down before putting pen to paper. Why not try this instead, write your story. Call your magical people, magicals. Call your non magicals, non magicals (always liked the term "mundanes"). Write the story, focus on bringing the characters to life and make sure the plot develops in such a way as to stay true to them. Sooner or later, a proper name for your two sects will organically appear within the context of the story. This isn't nearly as mystical as it might sound. The simple fact is, as your conscious mind hashes out the plot, your subconscious will be hardat work trying to solve the naming issue. I once knew a friend that wanted to be a writer. He had more books on the craft than anyone I have ever met. One day I asked him how the writing was going and he complained how me was wracking his brain looking for a title ... all this before writing a single word of the story. The moral? Plot and character matter more than titles. After all, the word "wookie" doesn't sound like that great of a term, but place it in an epic sci fi movie and you have the recipe for success.
     
  3. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Call them the Magifolk and the Mondanes. Those names suck, but they will be easy to do a global replace on when you come up with something better.

    Don't worry too much now. As Rumpole says, it's important to dive in and start writing. Overplanning is a form of procrastination.
     
  4. Marcelo

    Marcelo Member

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    You're right! But I have this... Like this need to have everything in place and perfect. I hate it, but I'll fight against my instincts. :)
     
  5. ArckAngel

    ArckAngel New Member

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    Don't name them anything. I've always found labels like that kind of cheesy.
     
  6. Faith*Hope*Love

    Faith*Hope*Love Banned

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    I always finding the weirdest names, once I called a group gang 'Stakethorns' *rolls eyes*
    Just write and then google and do research. it will all pan out eventually. ;)
     
  7. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Most labels are not made upo by members of the labelled group. They are labelled by those outside the group, to emphasize the "not us" nature of the group. So don't expect the names to be overly flattering.
     

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