I love ancient history and mythology. Like, a lot. I'm a little bit obsessed with Ancient Egypt in particular. And thus history and mythology is a huge inspiration for and influence on my writing and my worldbuilding. What worries me is this:
Is it an influence to the point where I am just rehashing history and mythology and not being original at all?
This has been a concern for me for a long time. It's always there under the surface. For some time I thought I had defeated it. But recently I read a book with tips for writing fantasy where the author made the argument that if you are taking names from history and mythology and not making up your own names for your fantasy world, then you are a hack. And thus all the old insecurities reared their ugly heads and yelled, "We're baaack!"
Names are a difficulty for me, I admit. I love names. I appreciate a well turned name, made up or no. But I've never been good at inventing them. I'm no Tolkien. So I've been appropriating names from history and from mythology to use in my world. Akhet, the name of one country in my world, is the Egyptian name for the horizon. Another land is even less inspired, Breizh is simply the Breton language name for Brittany. The island of Palis I adapted from an early name that Tolkien made up but never ultimately used. (Which was an intentional homage to his influence on me.) Character names are no better. Narmer was the name of a very early Egyptian king as was Menes. Sollon is Solon, the Greek politician and philosopher, with the oh-so-clever addition of an L.
But of course names aren't the only problem. I am also concerned that I am following cultures too closely. Since the beginning I intended Akhet to take much from Ancient Egypt. But I intended to pick and choose how much of real Egyptian culture I wanted to use and make up the rest. The problem is that I love almost everything about Egyptian culture and now I'm concerned that Akhet will be little more than an obvious and shallow copy.
Ultimately, am I taking too much from the real world, and not making my world original enough? The thought haunts me. Tolkien is my role model as a worldbuilder and it's clear that he took his inspiration from northern mythology and literature. Yet he took it and somehow made it wholly his. I worry incessantly that I will fall miserably far of this ideal.
So there you have it, ISWG. Any words of encouragement for me?
Awww, *hugs* I'm sure it's not as bad as you think it is. Everyone gets ideas, names, places from real life.
ReplyDeleteReal life inspires fiction.
But if it makes you feel better, I just read Kerrelyn Sparks' new Love at Stake book and she had a were-dolphin. Guess what his name was. Finn and he was a marine biologist who lived in Hawaii and looked like a surfer. I had to put the book down and say "Come on!" A best selling author couldn't be just a little bit more original?
A were-dolphin, huh? I admit, that's a new one to me. Maybe originality isn't all its cracked up to be. ;)
ReplyDeleteTolkein had an advantage in that he was working in a fairly open field, one that's since been thoroughly plowed (though apparently he had his own predecessor - Eric Eddison's THE WORM OUROBOROS). He created a patchwork of cultures, visible through Hobbits, Men, and Elves (a little), and by extension we can imagine further richness among the Dwarfs and Ents. Maybe one rule of thumb is go into great detail a little and suggest a lot?
ReplyDeleteTolkein borrowed heavily from Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, religion, and mythology. Part of a writer's mission is to create resonance. Readers want something new and exciting, but still familiar and approachable. If your writing resonates with Egypt and other works that included Egypt, that is not a bad thing. You will make it your own. Don't worry.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kurt and Charlie. I've read quite a lot about Tolkien's influences, I've been researching the Kalevala in particular recently. Still, though he obviously draws from many mythologies, I maintain that Middle-earth is really wholly his. Particularly the Elves, though you'd have to read the Silmarillion to see that. I'm not sure if I'm achieving the same.
ReplyDeleteBut, do you really need to compete with Tolkein? I understand he's your inspiration, but he spent years and years crafting the world and languages. He also got stuck a few times too, waiting for inspiration to strike. I'm sure you can find a way to make Akhet your own and I'm sure you have some great crit partners who will help you along the way. Then you have your blog followers to encourage you.
ReplyDeleteI love Egyptian stuff. You have my permission to borrow as often as you like if it makes for a good story.
ReplyDeleteSo all those people who set their books in Chicago, or Sherwood Forest or Avalon or Atlantis or the moon are all hacks? I disagree strongly. It's about what you do with that setting, who you put there and how they behave that matters.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, I am not in competition with Tolkien, but I have, I think, the same goal that he had. A goal he ultimately succeeded in and which of all the many who have attempted it after him I have seen none that succeeded as well. This is why I worry.
ReplyDeleteMichael, good to know!
Sarah, that's not at all what I am saying. You see, because I am not actually using a real world setting, I am using an imaginary world setting. Yet my imaginary world is strongly influenced by the real world. I worry that creating an imaginary world that is so close to the real world is unoriginal.
If it's all too different, it will be more difficult to relate to or have a point of reference. A little borrowing is cool.
ReplyDeleteAnd another blogger buddy of mine is a writer with a degree in Egyptology - Jamie at Mithril Wisdom. Maybe he could help?
Thanks, Alex. I've been following and enjoying Jamie's blog for some time. The question really is how much borrowing is too much? And I'm not sure that's something anyone CAN answer for me, alas.
ReplyDeleteI love using ancient history and mythology, too. I struggle with whether I'm original enough or not, too. Sometimes, I tell myself I'm a hack. then I tell myself to shut up. :) Keep going.
ReplyDeleteThanks, M Pax. "Just shut up and write" is generally the best advice for everything. ;)
ReplyDeleteI actually like familiar names--I mean that's the point of myths, to keep them going and add to the mythology, right?
ReplyDeleteOriginality is in the eye of the beholder. New twists on the old is what inspires me to read.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
...a were-dolphin, huh? Okay then.....
ReplyDeleteC.S. Lewis re-worked the story of Cupid and Psyche in Till We Have Faces, and he considered it one of his best works...imagine that! I happen to love mythology also, so I can only say that I, personally, enjoy tales written with threads and themes woven into them from ancient lore. (Not that my opinion is worth a buck-fifty...Ha!)
I joined the Insecure Writer's Support Group, too! Great to meet you. ~ Nadja
I'm a little biased, but I think the Ancient Egyptian angle is the way to go (if you want any help on the mythology/religion side of things or the language, let me know. I need to put my degree to good use, hehe).
ReplyDeleteAll stories ultimately take their inspiration from the stories of old. The fact that you've mixed Egyptian culture with others immediately makes your work more original. The setting may not be original, but what you make of it will be.
"I read a book with tips for writing fantasy where the author made the argument that if you are taking names from history and mythology and not making up your own names for your fantasy world, then you are a hack."
ReplyDeleteThat's...Well, offensive. Plenty of major fantasy writers use mythology and/or history. Maybe most do. And they're all hacks? Who decided that and on what authority? Historical fantasy is an entire genre, and arguably, mythic fantasy is too.
Sorry if this comes off a little strong, but as a historical fantasy writer, and one that bases his work almost entirely on reinterpretation of mythology, it's offensive to hear my entire genre is made of hacks.
Nadja, good point. I did love Til We Have Faces.
ReplyDeleteJamie, watch out! I may take you up on that!
Matt, I should have been more clear in the post that the author was specifically talking about "imaginary world" fantasy, where the author is making up a different world to write about. He was not talking about historical fantasy or any fantasy that takes its setting from the real world. I think you can make a good argument that if you're making up a totally separate world, it should have its own names. Though, of course, that's not what I'm doing.
Sarah, I can understand the point a little more with that clarification. However, I still don't think I really support the claim.
ReplyDeleteFantasy is still inspired by history and mythology, and if an author wishes to be transparent in their inspirations, that doesn't make him or her a hack in my opinion.
Indeed, while it's certainly okay to make up some stuff whole-cloth, having a plethora of made up races or words can be a turn off.
No, I didn't really buy into his assertion either. (I was not actually reading his book for the writing advice, but for the part where he talked about the history of fantasy.) But then there was a voice in my head that said, "That's all well and good, but are you a successful author, editor and critic in the fantasy field? No? Well then maybe you shouldn't judge." And thus the doubt gained a foothold. You know how it is.
ReplyDeleteI think you've already taken an important step - being aware of what you're doing and why :-) Er, you know, as opposed to C S Lewis who pulled names willy-nilly from all mythologies and even from Tolkien. Sorry, Jack, don't mean to criticise!
ReplyDelete