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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
The project has gotten a lot bigger and more ambitious since I came up with the idea for it.
I’m considering, since I have other deadlines pressing and cannot be sure how much time I’ll have to work on the WBC as a whole, making the Language section available as a Language Clinic Pack, available separately and as soon as I finish it, and writing the rest of the book in packs that can be written when I get the time, published as they’re completed, and purchased separately, so that writers can pick and choose. (And offering a discount for those who purchase the whole thing, once I get the whole thing done.)
Then doing the complete book in a print version on Lulu (I haven’t yet given up on Lulu; I’ll figure out my problems with it eventually, dammit).
An easy solution would be to have it available in parts, but purchased as a whole.
So so so excited to see you’re including a Create a Language section of the Worldbuilding clinic. Can’t wait for it. 🙂