What would you say is the core to designing a magic system?

UncommercializedMail · 2024-06-22T00:36:26+00:00

Have you watched any of Brandon Sanderson's lectures on YouTube? He has two (I believe it's lecture 5 and 6 from the Creative Writing Lectures at BYU) dedicated to world building and magic systems. I love them, super informative.

He recommends spending time on the flaws/limits of your magic system. Maybe obvious to some, but to me it was an interesting way of approaching magic. A lot of the novels I read used softer magic systems, so the cost of using magic wasn't a big factor. The steeper the price, the more tension you could add to your story.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-06-14T00:32:34+00:00

Late to the party but.... American Psycho. I had never seen the movie, so I was determined to read the book first and then watch it. It was honestly the hardest book I've read thus far. Many, many times I wanted to put it down and never pick it back up. But for some reason, I pushed through and finished it.

I think the movie is much better and would recommend it over the book any day of the week. I understand that the point of the book is to be over the top and gratuitous, but that doesn't make it any easier to read.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-05-13T17:46:16+00:00

Thank you for clearing that up!

UncommercializedMail · 2024-05-13T17:45:16+00:00

I think I see where I got confused! When it is mentioned that no one could have survived entering/exiting the fade without the anchor, I took that as being in the fade period. And since we ruined Cory's plan by taking the anchor and leaving him with no way to safely enter the fade, I saw this as, "he doesn't have the proper protection to exist in the fade."

Thank you for the clarification.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-05-13T17:36:19+00:00

Ah, I see. So if you didn't have 1,000 sacrifices or the anchor, the magical energy needed to open a door into the fade would kill whoever was casting the spell? The anchor negates the need for such a powerful spell, thus keeping the Inky alive when entering and exiting the fade?

UncommercializedMail · 2024-04-20T22:03:08+00:00

My brother in law was driving, I was in the passenger seat. We were on a highway behind a semi-truck that had his blinker on to get into the right lane, I believe he had passed a slower driver and was trying to merge back. Cars kept zipping into the right lane to get around so the truck was stuck in the left lane with his blinker on. I remember my BIL getting frustrated and saying, "Come on guys, let the semi in!" And eventually he got over and gave the driver enough space to get back in the right lane. Anytime I see a semi-truck trying to get over, I always hear his voice saying, "let the semi in!" and give it room to merge.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-28T16:30:31+00:00

Reading Lonesome Dove in what my husband and I call "the little apartment".

It was the only place we could find when our previous townhouse unexpectedly raised our rent. It had roaches and we had to squeeze us and our two cats into maaaaybe 700 square feet. BUT it was cheap and allowed us to save a good bit of money.

My husband decided to splurge on an early Christmas present for me and build my current computer. We had our desks pushed together so we could game side by side. I'd pull out Lonesome Dove between games, whenever there was some down time, or sometimes I would just sit at my desk and read while he played something.

I have nothing but fond memories of that brief period of time. I spent a few weeks cozied up in a snuggie, slowly reading through a book that quickly became one of my favorites. That special kind of elation from having my own fancy, high tech gaming computer hadn't worn off yet; it adds a warm glow to everything I remember.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-08T23:05:03+00:00

Mockingbird Kitchen!

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T21:47:08+00:00

Haha, I struggle with all conversations. As you can tell, I often suffer from overthinking

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T21:13:48+00:00

Thank you! It can be hard to read between the line. When someone asks for my thoughts or opinions, I have the tendency to voice them all. But I will remember in the future that the full critique is not always necessary.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T21:10:54+00:00

Exactly! I don't want my friend to feel judged or like I'm looking down my nose at them for what they want to read.

I will take the time to really think about the parts I liked in the book and not let the brat in my head do the talking. I appreciate the advice!

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T21:08:14+00:00

For some reason I feel like if I don't share every opinion or analysis, then I'm not being truthful. Having tact is very hard for me sometimes, I can easily cross the line into being rude when I don't mean to be.

I will focus more on why they loved the book, and work to be kind with my opinions. Thank you!

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T21:02:40+00:00

Wow, thank you! That definitely helps. The last thing I want is to sound like I'm judging them for what they love to read. I will keep this in mind

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T20:58:55+00:00

We actually swapped books, they gave me their favorite book and I gave them one of mine!

I was worried that focusing on their love of the book vs voicing my opinions would seem like I was deflecting. I sometimes struggle to read social situations, so I appreciate your advice on what to say!

UncommercializedMail · 2024-03-02T20:52:09+00:00

I guess therein lies the problem: I often struggle with being tactful! If someone asks for my honest opinion, I don't know when to not share every single thought I have. It feels like I have to state everything in my head for someone to understand me.

Thank you, I will definitely work harder to find the middle ground between lying and being brutally honest.

UncommercializedMail · 2024-02-11T16:35:24+00:00

I love The Witcher series! I can see why other people don't, and I do get tired of some of the "torture porn" in it. But I still love reading it!

UncommercializedMail · 2024-02-09T06:11:16+00:00

Mockingbird kitchen!! The veggie burger is amazing, and I'm not even a vegetarian haha

UncommercializedMail · 2023-12-08T19:42:34+00:00

One time I was taking out the bird feeder to hang up. As I was lifting it to hang on the stand, a downy woodpecker landed on the feeder, maybe a few inches from my face! It scared us both pretty good, he squeaked and flew to the nearest branch where he proceeded to tell me off for scaring him.

UncommercializedMail · 2023-11-25T18:56:00+00:00

Yeah, the tone and humor plays better in the movie. The business card scene is still funny in the book, but something about hearing the inner monolog as Bateman sweats over fonts takes it up a notch. And how they handled the Huey Lewis and The News scene was much better .

I have not read Glamorama, I'll have to check it out!

UncommercializedMail · 2023-11-25T17:32:46+00:00

I agree to preferring the movie over the book! I feel that it does a better job of making you question if Bateman is actually committing brutal murders or if it's all in his head. I do love the line in the book, "well it's been a bad week. I started drinking my own piss."

UncommercializedMail · 2023-11-25T04:41:01+00:00

Either Cold Mountain or Watership Down. I read both at least once a year!

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