Snippet Sunday

[wayfaringwordhack]

I feel like I had a pretty mediocre week. I have been brainstorming, but not very efficiently it would seem, about the religious beliefs of my island dwellers. I think they tend toward an animistic worldview, but I don't want to copy existing practices and ideas. There must be some overlap, of course, but I haven't found what makes the beliefs unique to this people.

I have also been pondering whether or not to give more info on how the magic in this world works. One of my POV characters is actually attending a class, but I had previously written it in a way where she got in trouble and kicked out of class before any real information was exchanged. I then got to thinking that a) this messes up my timing [something else is happening simultaneously, and if she gets kicked out too early, it can't plausibly effect the other event]; b) I was not taking advantage of an opportunity to bring the world more fully to life.

What are your thoughts? Do you like to see/learn how magic works in fantasy stories?

Anyhow, this is a rough little snippet that assumes Lelo stays in class long enough to learn a little something:

“One piece of feldspar is not necessarily like another. Your eye may not see these differences, but your ear must hear them. With your songsacs will come this ability. When you sing to the land, it is best to have some idea of what will answer you. This shows respect to the earth’s spirit, but it also keeps you safe.”

Here it comes, Lelo thought, another lecture about the dangers of sresoqo. But instead of telling her favorite story of how an iasree had sung a chasm open beneath her own feet and plummeted into the bowels of the earth, never to be found again, Elamie pulled something out of a pouch tied at her waist.

Comments

[folklorelei]

What are your thoughts? Do you like to see/learn how magic works in fantasy stories?

It entirely depends on context for me. If it's necessary to the story or a deeper appreciation of the world or character, yes. If it doesn't move things along one way or another, I don't absolutely require it.

This is another of those "only the writer can decide" things, I think.

Which isn't a particularly helpful answer. :-)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

*nods* Context is always Queen, isn't she?

[folklorelei]

Empress. :-)

[cafenowhere.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this snippet very much. I like the idea that the peculiarities of physical nature interact with the magic, and that the magic has a musical or song mode. Also, from a storytelling angle, I think mentioning Lelo's (or is it Elamie's?) favorite story, though it doesn't get retold in its entirety, is a clever way to convey more info about the culture to the reader.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input! It chuffs me to know when I can get some small thing right. :P

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

These two weeks I'm having scant opportunities to get online, but I wanted to say that I liked the snippet and that I love magic tied to concrete things (like feldspar)--or maybe it's just that I like concrete things.

Like folklorelei, I like learning things when it's integrated into the story--which it seems to be, in your case.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Have lots of fun at Sirens for me. :D

I like concrete, too. Helps my little brain wrap around big things. :P