Today, Language and HAWKSPAR

This morning, I’m starting on the Worldbuilding Clinic, specifically the Create a Language section. I finished outlining that section yesterday, and already I’m seeing a problem with the Worldbulding Clinic — as outlined, the Create A Language section is going to be really big, and full of charts and diagrams and print-out-and-use sheets and illustrations.

For e-book download purposes, I’m limited to a file size of about 2 MB per book, with 1 MB being optimal ( a lot of people are still on very slow dial-up connections, and I’ve maintained everything on the site to keep it accessible to as many people as possible).

I’m looking nervously at this this as it’s going together, and thinking that the Language unit alone could go 2 MB in PDF format, and the Worldbuilding Clinic is going to include not just language development, but my techniques for mapping worlds, continents, cities, towns and wilderness; creating sentient nonhuman species; creating cultures; creating religions; building weather and disasters; developing flora and fauna; developing transportation; designing magic systems; developing political landscapes; and a handful of smaller things, like costuming and warfare design and making buildings fit climates and creating jobs for low-tech civilizations.

All of these are chart-and-illustration-heavy processes.

I’m seeing some logistical issues here.

This afternoon, I’m editing HAWKSPAR. By comparison, that’s going to be pretty simple.

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By Holly

Novelist, writing teacher, on a mission to reprint my out-of-print books and indie-publish my new ones.

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klharrds
klharrds
16 years ago

I’m so glad you haven’t given up on the hard copy idea! Our connection at home is so slow I haven’t tried down loading an e-book for ages, since that pre Winters Heart Robert Jordan thing. I don’t think it would have improved with age. The one at work blocks downloads like that. Plus I’m not very savvy with these things. I can’t even get the pod casts to work! I look forward to a day when I can hand over my credit card details and a wad of paper will drop through my letterbox.

shawna
shawna
16 years ago

Available separately both as you go along, and when you’re done, and later at a discount for the completed set sounds like a fantastic idea…

Chassit
16 years ago

Oh thank you Holly! Thank you, thank you, thank you! For every fantasy story I’ve ever written I’ve relied on the “letter salad” method, resulting in some really corny names for places, spells, people, and just phrases. Thank you again, this will help so much.

ca.bookwyrm
ca.bookwyrm
16 years ago

I would be all for the “purchase seperately” idea. While I do eventually want all the pieces, some have more importance for me at the moment than others. Also, splitting the cost up to a little now, and a little later – even if it came out to more than you originally intended – would suit my budget better.

slpenney
16 years ago

An easy solution would be to have it available in parts, but purchased as a whole.

heather
16 years ago

So so so excited to see you’re including a Create a Language section of the Worldbuilding clinic. Can’t wait for it. 🙂

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