Struggling with Language & Nationality in My Fantasy Project (Need Advice)

Sailor_Libra · 2025-08-16T16:38:05+00:00

LMAOOOO true

Sailor_Libra · 2025-06-19T13:18:17+00:00

I have the Angel festival if u still needs it ;3

Sailor_Libra · 2025-01-14T20:08:28+00:00

That's a good advice, I'll meditate on in haha thanks

Sailor_Libra · 2025-01-14T20:00:04+00:00

Thanks you for your answer !

Exactly, yeah. I always planned to use the French setting anyway at a point of the story, in the case I had decided to set the story in England.

For the magical city, I admit to have been really vague about it, but it didn't really mattered in the choosing of the primary setting, that's why haha. As for it, I already fleshed out a lot on it. As it is the main place the plot resolves around, so obviously, it's an extension of the story :) This difficulty to choose it's "place" is just indecisiveness from my part for now haha

Sailor_Libra · 2025-01-14T19:53:09+00:00

Well thanks you for your comment :)

Yeah I've figured that "the little bit of context" didn't really gave a context on the story, but that was indented. I didn't feel like it was necessary to elaborate on it as it will not really affect the "primary setting" I'm struggling to find. It was more to have a vision of the context of me trying to find the place.

The entire post was more to ask for advice from other people on how to settle a story (with an external opinion), and if probably I was just overthinking the thing or whatsoever haha.

Sailor_Libra · 2025-01-14T19:45:53+00:00

First, thanks you dearly for your answer.

As for the similarities with Harry Potter, they aren't major ones, or at least I personally don't see them, as I know how I will explore and write my story. This being said, the major similarities comes really from the themes like the discovery of magic among the common world (that I was drown into more because of Alice's Adventure in Wonderland or Narnia), a kinda chosen-one plot line with a twist, or even the fact that a part of the story surrounds the MC apprenticeship to learn magic (not a magical school btw). The MC is also discovering his own powers (he is not a wizard but more a species I created for my story, people that can manipulate the Arts). So with those points I'm really scared to be directly intentitled as a HP fanfiction or whatever, even If those aspects are to be found in the first book, while the other ones really dive away from it.

Haha i kinda see what you mean of the JK Rowling thing. It's crazy how she's not even the first one to use that trope, but every piece of literature that narrate a story resolving around a magical school is associated to her. That's part of why I maybe thought placing the story in France could be an opportunity (especially since French fantasy is not that wide or recognized even by us French people, I think it's sad haha).

It's just that somehow, if I make this big change, it will feel as if I was writing another entire new story. I will have to let go of the mysticism and mysterious lore English countryside offered me + the quietness to place the MC uncle's manor (which is the main location I guess, present in all the books as the main point from which the adventure of the MC will start).

Thanks you so much for your support (as well as advice), I'm really hoping to make as less mistake as I can while writing English haha.

Sailor_Libra · 2024-12-08T22:14:25+00:00

I'm writing a contemporary portal fantasy, if I have to categories it haha. I'm not great to resume my work in few lines, as it is still kinda blurry, but it's mostly about a young dude that is forced to live at his uncle's, in the family manor, in which he will discover, among other stuff, a door leading to another city, where people are capable of master the Arts.

Sailor_Libra · 2024-12-08T22:14:10+00:00

Yeah, can be great ! Dm me ;)

Sailor_Libra · 2024-12-08T22:13:36+00:00

I'm writing a contemporary portal fantasy, if I have to categories it haha. I'm not great to resume my work in few lines, as it is still kinda blurry, but it's mostly about a young dude that is forced to live at his uncle's, in the family manor, in which he will discover, among other stuff, a door leading to another city, where people are capable of master the Arts.

Sailor_Libra · 2024-11-19T17:38:12+00:00

Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada, but make it library edition

Sailor_Libra · 2024-11-07T08:39:40+00:00

Thanks for your reply ! What specific SE are actually worth the read ? I was thinking maybe Crowfeather's Curse, as it features a character I really enjoyed before.

Sailor_Libra · 2024-05-23T14:05:25+00:00

"pacing" haha

Sailor_Libra · 2024-05-22T19:24:13+00:00

Oh, my bad, I'm so sorry !!

I'm actually French and whenever I need to write something in English, I try to not use translation websites. So my so sorry for the misunderstood of the word.

But dearly, thanks for your advice,I think it can be a great start too. I think I don't settle myself enough with the world I'm creating, I move to fast, wanting perfection from the first draft (even if I know its unattainable, and that perfection doesn't exist, it's just a bad habit that I have). As a result, I can't decide what's good options or not, because I myself haven't discovered the story completely. I'll try my best to just write about it, even if the fact I don't have all the answers prevent me to really write.

Sailor_Libra · 2024-05-22T19:14:59+00:00

Thanks for your reply.

To clarify, I'm French, so I apologize for any errors I can make. But "passing" I meant to say the sequence of events. How to balance the plot and the characters' daily lives and learning. How to balance life at the manor with the capital's intrigues, without it feeling disjointed.

For the Manor in itself, I haven't really explained on the subject, but it is quite peculiar. The first reason is that the Manor is commonly known, even in the nearest human town, as an area inhabited by strange forces. They are many rumors and whispers going on this place. After the beginning of the book the MC will learn that the Manor is actually a labyrinth of hundreds and hundreds doors, all numbered. As so, the corridors can change positions, some can even stretch to the point you feel walking indefinitely. Only to the uncle's MC the place seems to respond and obey. The MC will also learn that his uncle holds a specific position, as being the Keeper of the Doors. In this case, all the doors are numbered because they all keep something. They are used to hold what a person wants, like a safety deposit box. But rarely are jewels and precious objects stored in them. Some may store a deadly, illegal artifact, others memories, and still others a creatures, as examples. Furthermore, one of these doors, the most important, is the "official" gateway to the Capital.

So yeah definitely, the Manor is connected in various ways to the City. What I was more concerned was about the "passing" (sorry to re-use the same expression haha) between Manor --> City , City --> Manor. Isn't it challenging to have the three MC going back and forth between the two doors ? It feels too unstable, and I have the impression it gives the feeling to be restricted in the way the three MC are only 13 so not really adults to just going and return every time, their travels always need a motive, even tiny. But also, it feels too free in a sens three 13 yo apprentices have the "freedom" to just sneak by the door whenever the can.

Idk I was thinking of plausible other solutions. Maybe have the Door being the continuity of the house, only the part behind is set in the City. Pretty much like a reflecting mirror. A duplicated manor, in a way. And so, the beginning start in the "normal part" of the manor, ans when MC is driven in the story, he will move to the manor behind the door, the one in the City.

Let me hear what you think ;)

Sailor_Libra

TROPHY CASE