Whoops, yep, that's my error! I accidentally attached the photo to the other post I was trying to upload at the same time. I fixed that one but not this one, it looks like. Here are the character sketches!

~Starseeker 

Wow, I loved that epilogue! And I loved the drawings too, especially Sterling and Silvyre. Your art style is so good!! (Sorry for the excess of exclamation points XD)

My question is, how do you plan out a short story like this? I vaguely feel like I might have asked this before, but I'm asking again because I'm working on a short fanfic myself and I feel like I need an outline of some sort. I'm usually much more of a pantser, but I think something of this length--longer than a vignette and shorter than a novel--probably needs more planning, and I'm stuck.

Hey y'all! Sorry this is a bit later than I wanted; it's been a rough week for me and I'm actually still procrastinating on schoolwork by writing this, but it's fine. 

I couldn't help but notice that the names of the two cities you put in (Morrowmist and Chamarys) are the names of the dragons in your novel. Did you name the cities after the dragons as a tribute, or the dragons after the cities? (asked by the anonymous topper)

That is a reference to the original dragons, you're right! I didn't mean it as two cities; I pictured them more as, like, pawnshop owners, or people who illegally take stolen gold and melt it down so that it's unrecognizable. I did leave it pretty ambiguous, though. I named the cities/pawnshoppers(?) after the dragons, pretty much just because I was fishing for a name and remembered them as two influential characters that I hadn't put in yet. Based on the fact that this story is based off the part of the novel where Zoey is with the Eagles, and not with the dragons, I probably should have picked different characters, but whatever. I like them.

How do you stay committed to one story? (asked by the anonymous topper)

Well, truth is, I don't! I have a handful of stories that I toggle between. And actually, that does help me stay focused; when I get burned out on one, I switch to another. Another tip I have is to post it somewhere, like the CB, and announce an update schedule. That way, you're sort of gently peer-pressured to keep writing. Despite my track record, this does work decently well! My last tip is to aim for shorter stories. My novel took me about 4-5 years to write in full, because I wasn't able to stay focused or motivated. Shorter stories like these take anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on my irl schedule; and I can churn out a short play in a few hours. I think a lot of people gravitate away from shorter stories because they think it's more difficult or not as fulfilling; but I'd say the opposite! If you try to write a full-length 100,000 word novel, you might be more likely to get burned out because it just seems so daunting. This of course is just my opinion and experience, but don't overlook the value of a shorter story! If even one like this (about 17,000 words) seems like too much at first, try challenging yourself to write a story in 1,000 words. Or 5,000. It'll go by quicker than you think, and it's a good exercise for worldbuilding, character development, and just exercising your writing skills!

Does the "imposter king" have a counterpart from the original book? Or was he there solely for the AU? (asked by Quill)

Well... yes and no. There's supposed to be a sort of concurrent plotline in the original novel that the reason the Eagles were formed at all is because Sterling's gathering support for her return to the throne after it's been taken over by the imposter, Fane Zul. However, I just re-read and that's literally only mentioned three times in the whole novel? That's my bad. I've included some quotes in italics that are from the original novel, to hopefully clear that up a bit. The number in parentheses after the quote is the page of the original novel thread that the quote appears on, if you want to go find context.

"Some of the nobility, led by Baron Fane Zul, banded together and killed our father. [...] Now, with Fane Zul as the ruler, Avalon is a dark place-- hence the need for a band of vigilantes to carry out justice that his men will not.” (11)

And although the Elites had an army, they had no cause. Nothing worth fighting for. Nothing, that is, until the Renegades came with a proposition. Fight for them, with them, and support the shadow king on his throne. Fight the rebels that were throwing the country into chaos, and the Elites would be rewarded. [...] I woke up and told (the Eagles) about the shadow king that was sitting on my father’s throne, and how I now knew that his face was my own-- my twin brother Zorinth was the very enemy I had to destroy. [...] Finally the throne was taken and my brother deposed. When he was relieved of the state ring on his left hand, however, his mind was freed from an enchantment. (19)

Clarification on that last bit: When Fane Zul killed Zoey's parents, Zoey, Sterling, and their third sister escaped the palace, but Zoey's twin brother, Zorinth, was captured. Zorinth is who is officially on the throne, but he's been put under an enchantment and it's Fane Zul in control.

How do you plan our [your stories]? (asked by Kitten)

On man, I wish I had a good answer for this! Alas, I too am a complete pantser. I get inspired by one particular moment and then write my way up to it. In the case of Pirates, the moment I envisioned was Zoey leaping off the boat and revealing herself as a mercreature; the rest of the story was basically context for that, though the first few lines were a writing prompt I found somewhere. As for planning a fanfiction, I'd say a similar thing applies. I don't know what your exact plan is-- if you're taking the same characters and writing a new story, or doing an AU rewrite like this one-- but I think the theory is the same ish! Know where you want to take the story and build up to it. If you want to do an outline, I'd recommend a bullet-point list. It gives you some flexibility with what happens when you're writing, but also provides a basic structure for you to follow.

I'll post more of a comment later but that's it for now.

~Starseeker 

Thanks for the advice, Star! (ik I didn't ask any questions, but still) When will you post the epilogue?

You know, Aza, that's a good question. "Is this the end?"

Is this the end of Pirates?

Yes. Definitely. (Probably.)

Is this the end of what I'm going to post on here?

...For now. I'm swamped with school work-- I'm taking 5 college level classes at age 16-- and the majority of my writing now is in a play format, since I'm involved in an irl playwriting group that provides an audience for my work, and plays don't transfer well to the CB, format-wise. If I write and finish another short story, I'll top this thread. If this thread ever ends up on the first page of the Inkwell, it means I have more work to share. But that won't be for a while yet, unless my plans change.

Is this the end of my time on the CB?

Honestly? Kind of. Y'all are a whole new generation. It's your time to shine. I'll be around for a while yet, but my "hiatus" is pretty permanent. I'm not really coming back from it full-time. I'll never be as active as I was, and I'm okay with that. I'm going to wrap up all my unfinished business here on the CB and make an official announcement sometime. Y'all are just the first to know. I'm not "leaving", per se. But I haven't been very active in a long time, and I'd just like to formally announce that I don't intend on ever being that active again. 

I don't want to end on such a solemn note, so how about a joke?

Q: What do planets like to read?

A: Comet books! 

~Starseeker 

It makes us nostalgic, but we understand, Starseeker, that Chatterboxers grow up and move on. May you find the stars you seek!

Admin