Remember back when they first announced they would be making THE LORD OF THE RINGS into movies? Okay, so this was a very exciting time for me. I pulled out my copies of THE HOBBIT and the LOTR and proceeded to read them without stopping. I then bought THE SILMARILLION on audiobook and listened to it non-stop. Then I bought THE HOBBIT and LOTR on audio and listened to them. Then I bought THE SILMARILLION illustrated by Ted Nasmith hardcover and read it, loving all the gorgeous pictures.
Finally, the day came that I’d been waiting for forever. The first movie was out, and I rushed to the theater and saw it. I bought the extended edition and saw the second movie and debated with friends on how much better the extended cuts were since in THE TWO TOWERS the character of Faramir was so much more drawn out. Third movie came out and I was there, loving every minute of it. I re-read the books. I wanted to study the mythology Tolkien had created.
And then I had one of those moments. You know the ones. It dawned on me that I was spending an awful lot of effort studying the world someone else had created. And to what end? There was no real value added in doing this. Sure, I could talk about Hobbits with the best of them, but my life was not much richer as a result. And seeing as how I could never kick back and have an ale with an actual hobbit, what was next?
So I made the decision to create my own worlds rather than losing myself in someone else’s. And that’s when I got very serious about creating my own fantasy worlds and putting them on paper.
What was your turning point for your worlds of spec fiction?
PJ Hoover still wants to visit The Green Dragon.
Parker Peevyhouse
lindajoysingleton
Joni Sensel
Chris Eboch
Nick
Greg R. Fishbone
For me it was reading the Harry Potter books. I started the series right before the fourth book came out. It totally rekindled my love of fantasy and I decided to start a book I had been thinking about. I got hooked.
I totally loved the Lord of the Rings movies too. It’s one of the few movies that I really felt captured the wonder and fantastical elements of the books.
Natalie, Harry Potter has really done that for so many kids. I notice my son wanting to re-read the books and read everything about them.
And so agree on the movies. I love watching them now with my kids.
I’m tempted to say it was when I realized that “Buffy” wouldn’t in first-run forever.
But really, it was probably when I saw on the Travel Channel that there was a living-vampire owned business just a block or two from my apartment at the time. Subtract the “living” and…
That said, the in-depth study you did hopefully made a positive difference in your own writing. I know Whedonverse, “Star Wars” (original trilogy), and Bram Stoker were influential models of mine.
Very true, Cyn. I am still awed when I think about the world building Tolkien did. I found The Silmarillion magical for that reason.
Don’t you love how a spark can develop from something like the Travel Channel show?
I had to laugh when I read this post. I did the same thing. I think I’ve read LOTR at least once a year for ages.
I can’t remember when I first started creating worlds. I think I came that way.
Funny, Leisha! I’m not sure if I came that way, but I love being here now
And PJ you do create awesome fantasy worlds =)
I mean, I think even when we write fiction in today’s world, it’s still kinda like creating a new world. But as for fantasy? For me, it’s my new WIP. I didn’t think I was going to end up creating a new world, because it starts (and I had planned on staying in) our world… But one thing led to another and voila! New world.
Which was SUPER fun to create!
Aw, thanks, Sara! You’re sweet!
It’s true that all fiction is creating new worlds, but how fun that your WIP landed you in a new world! I can’t wait to see the finished product!
I started creating my own worlds because no other world satisfied me entirely.
Lovely post
Thanks, Victoria! It’s so true that I love the worlds I’ve created the most. They are so satisfying
After being engrossed in the worlds of numerous authors (LOTR, Harry Potter), I decided it was time for me to contribute back to the field. I think it’s fine to be obsessed with worlds other people created, as long as you create worlds of your own too.
Great thought, Molly! Like Cyn said, having that obsession, has to help in some way in our own creation.
My own imaginary world quickly degenerated into farce–my sister and I had a great deal of fun with it, but it will never be the setting for a beautiful work of fiction…
too bad, Charlotte. But it does sound like you guys at least had fun with it!
LOTR is a super fantastic way to leave my world and head into another and just, well, live there awhile. I first read them while in the hospital having my first baby. I devoured them. (Between feedings, of course.)
LOL on the between feedings, Robyn! I’d nurse mine to sleep, let them sleep on my lap, and reach for my LOTR books and read
I’ve had so many worlds to disappear into, but I think my earliest memories are of the Little House on the Prairie world. My mother would read those to me when I was so very young and I escaped to that in my play as a child. As an adult, I have those books on my shelf and still like to pull them out to escape into Laura’s world every now and again.
Fun books to escape into, Emily! When I was very young, I think Nancy Drews did it for me. Thanks!
I’ve been creating worlds all my life. I’ve never been able to get as in depth into anything as you all have. I dabbled in Tolkien, wandered through the Whedonverse, got lost in Hogwarts and boldly went where fans had gone before with the Star Trek and Star Wars universes but I never tarried, never spent too much time with any one and never lost myself in any of them. My stories always meant more to me.
Come to think of it there were times when I would ignore reality for my created worlds. That is until I populated the worlds with characters that belonged there more than I ever could and so I would move on to the next.
Thanks for the comment! It is a nice thing when the characters perfectly fit the world we’ve created, isn’t it?