talysmanadotcom be a character in talysmana contest entry - lena

8/9/2019 Talysmanadotcom Be a Character in TalysMana Contest Entry - Lena

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Be A Character In TalysMana Contest Entry -- http://TalysMana.com


Lena Champlin

The all-knowing They have proclaimed that dreams are people’s way of

dealing with situations and ideas that are too complicated to face in

waking life. While dreams might prove an effective coping mechanism for some people, writing is my dreaming. Life’s changes, struggles, and joys

infuse my writing.

The written word gives me the ability to

put circumstances in focus, to experience

the luxury of stepping back andexamining the world from the perspective

of an outsider. Through the eyes of my characters I experience

common and familiar situations anew. And from their strugglesand successes I gain encouragement and insight.

In my characters’ fantasy worlds I can influence events and see

the cascade of repercussions for actions. I can change the fate of nations with the turn of a phrase, and I may doom or deliver a

people with a word.

But just as in real life, no matter how I try, there are many

things I cannot control. Though these new realms may hold

dragons or fairies or magic, fundamental laws of cause andeffect remain. While I may frolic in these worlds and shape them to my will to a point, the

realms and the lives in them will always take turns even I did not expect. Many times I feel as

though I am only a conduit through which the story can flow and unfold. Writing is never and

will never lose its thrill for me, for as I write, I am just as unsure of the exact end as are myreaders.

The unexpected that appears even in what I believe to becontrolled and sterile is almost enough to convince me that

there is a dimension where the Story is real and takes on a

life of its own. Loose ends connect themselves in ways Ihad not planned and that are far more interesting than those

I did design. Characters act contrary to my desires but in

agreement with their natures. Evil always encroaches, but

Light, with its subtle maneuvering and plans, will ever

emerge victorious.

The people who live and die, mourn and rejoice in “my”worlds embody the evolution, diversity, and intelligence

that mold their realms. The villains are never entirely evil;

the heroes possess darkness and flaws within. Everyone possesses the capacity for good and evil, but those nouns follow definitions that spring from the people themselves. An antagonist may

view his fanaticism as patriotism; a hero may see his loyalty as naivety and possess a dark past.

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Black and white often mingle into gray, and it is through this fog that my characters must find

their ways.

The worlds, cultures, and peoples that spring from my imagination feel like they are a part of me,

for they pulse with my loves and hates. My interest in history and different cultures provides a

base for the people of my worlds. Weapons, tactics, and combat will appear heavily throughoutthe story, as will religion and politics, reflecting my obsession with said topics. An extensive

knowledge of animal life, beginning from my earliest memories, means characters often possess

traits of certain animals, the ability to transform into beasts, or at least a respect for the world’s

creatures. And my fascination with supernatural lore and phenomena leads to creatures and powers not usually seen in fantasy worlds. These loves mingle with my many other passions.

As for my dislikes, they manifest as antagonistic forces. Corruption, selfishness, and treacheryusually make appearances. Occasionally even protagonists possess one of these elements as a

flaw.






My age, 23, means I have experienced the rise to popularity of such things as computers and

anime. While older generations view these with little enthusiasm, my age group has incorporated

them into art and life. My experience with computer programming has taught me the value of logic, while computer gaming has shown me how to keep an audience interested in a story. As

for anime, or Japanese animation, it has influenced my writing in innumerable ways. Through it I

learned to think far outside box to create characters that are both unlikely heroes and unlikelyvillains.

While my favorite genre is fantasy, replete with magicand strange creatures, I also hold a love for many other

genres. Like a bowerbird gathering material for a nest, I

pick what elements I like from styles and genres andadd them to my writing, my nest. Battles and sorcery

are entertaining, but a paranormal mystery in a fantasy

setting can be even more diverting.

Just as I am interested in many subjects, I am also

interested in many art forms. While I do not know what

I want to be when I “grow up,” I know my career mustinclude art. To this end I have experimented with many

art forms. (Lego bricks, models, music, computer

graphics, felting, leatherwork, beads, weaving, chain mail – the list goes on!) My second-favoriteform, after writing, is drawing. It helps my very visual brain better picture my worlds and

characters. Some of my concept sketches are scattered throughout this essay.

While I have yet to publish any novels, I have written a number of them. I have sworn to myself

that my books will be published, no matter the effort it requires on my part. And as a rule, when I

latch onto an idea, I do not stop working until I’ve reached my goal.



talysmanadotcom be a character in talysmana contest entry - lena

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