Timewaster's Guide Archive

In a fantasy world, different races/species would likely have as much variety as we do in our single species, in the real world.  You never even see that implied in most speculative fiction.

It woudn't really be Tolkienesque if the dwarves are only ever mentioned as short-reclusive-little-money-grubbers that live way over there and have very little to do with us, if at all.  And there are some elves who think the whole fascination with music and dancing and "light" is effete and stupid.

Now, if all the stories you want to write in your world are about heroic strongmen dwarves who make unlikely friendships with elves who are really good with a bow, then you're in trouble.

while I realize you're only disagreeing with implications, I would still choose to phrase it EUOL's way, had I made the point originally. The problem with "pet worlds" is that they're pets. YOu want to tell everyone about them, and it's very difficult NOT to info-dump or add too much world building into the narrative. In fact, it's often difficult to realize that you're even committing that sin.

Yeah just don't copy paste, in general, and that will solve the problem.

I see myself in a little bit of a position to give advice on this matter.  Don't take anything I say too harshly--I'm partially just playing devil's advocate here.

Your take on Tolkienesque fantasy will not be original, and it will not sell.  You've spent years working on a world.  Good job.  Write a book (one) in that world, and do it quickly, then move on.

Almost everyone who wants to break into this genre has a pet world they've been working on since they were fourteen.  The problem with these worlds is twofold.  First, it will be TOO big.  You'll have too much you want to show--and because of that, your narrative will get laden down with your worldbuilding and the whole thing will sink.  Secondly, you are putting all your eggs in one basket.  If this world isn't good enough to catch an editor's eye, you won't get published, no matter how many books you write in it.

I think that if you force yourself to write consistently in new worlds, you will get better at writing much more quickly.  You will force yourself to be more original so that you don't repeat yourself, and you will get practice starting new plots, worlds, and characters from scratch.

I guess the short answer to your question is: Yes, writing a book with elves and dwarves will seriously hamper your ability to get published.  People are tired of reading those stories (no matter how clever your take on them) and editors are tired of reading them.  

You want to think yourself an exception?  Well, I truly wish you good luck.  Exceptions get published all the time.  However, why start yourself out of the gate so far behind everyone else?

(By the way--most current fantasy I read has very few, if any, non-human races.  Also, remember that Robert Jordan--the last big Tolkienesque writer--started fifteen years ago.  The genre has changed a lot since that day, even though he has enough momentum to keep selling large numbers.)