A common theme
Filed under Writing Journal on June 5, 2006
Tagged: Shattered Amulet, themes
As I write Shattered Amulet, I am thinking a lot about the second and third books of the series. They are in need of outlining, but there are still some “big picture” issues to work out. I mentioned a while ago how the story seemed to move away from Logan as the series progressed.
Well, Logan has grown and developed considerable as a character in the last couple months. It’s funny to think that even though he’s been an idea in my head these last ten years, he still needed some fleshing out. The result of these changes is that I know where I want the trilogy to take him now, and it is a theme I find recurring in my writing. The Search for the Dragon Ward trilogy will center on Logan’s journey of faith.
As a Christian, faith and religion are an integral part of my life. Themes dealing with faith or religion are evident in the stories I have written since high school. This was unintentional on my part, but certainly understandable given the old adage “write what you know.”
I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to include these themes in my future literary endeavors. Exploring Ythnel’s faith in Maiden was very satisfying to me. I think the fantasy genre is a great way to examine questions of belief and faith. I’m not sure I’ll resort to obvious allegories (e.g., C.S. Lewis), but I will certainly rely on spiritual concepts and conventions borrowed from the religions and faiths I am familiar with.
Related Posts
- Expansion
- The evolution of Logan Shadowhand
- The ties that bind
- Logan Shadowhand: a retrospective (part one)
- Why I write fantasy fiction
June 6th, 2006 at 11:49 am
I look forward to seeing those themes explored more. Can’t wait to read it.
//H
June 7th, 2006 at 6:56 am
Yep, my characters continue to surprise me, as they grow and evolve. Now, some are right obnoxious about telling me what they would or would not do in a given situation.
Re: Faith
Your core beliefs will seap into the story, whether you’re conscious of it or not. At one time, I vowed not to let my own faith influence my story (ie I was determined not to write an alagory), but my faith is still represented. Some characters have embraced my values, while others most decidedly did not.
And I echo Grimmy. Can’t wait to read it.