WEBVTT 1 00:00:11.380 --> 00:00:17.759 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Welcome everyone. If you can see and hear me, please drop your name and location in the chat. 2 00:00:19.370 --> 00:00:22.349 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: and I am going to drop some links for you now. 3 00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:35.930 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Hello! I see Florida, New York, Indiana, Canada, DC. UK. Illinois, Tennessee. 4 00:00:36.530 --> 00:00:38.160 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Wonderful! 5 00:00:39.150 --> 00:00:42.489 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: It looks like everyone is in 6 00:00:42.690 --> 00:00:49.959 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: and seeing me and hearing me. Just fine. I'm going to drop those links for you again, and we will begin in just a moment. 7 00:00:50.220 --> 00:01:00.389 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Welcome to another fantasy writers. Week session. I'm Michelle with pro rating aid. We're so glad to have you back with us. Just a few quick housekeeping notes before we begin with Danny. 8 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:27.589 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: So your replays are on the fantasy writers. Week Hub. The first couple of replays from today are already there for you to watch at your convenience. They will be posted as soon as Zoom is done processing them, and then it's also where you will be able to find your session slides the schedule for the week. Your special offers, everything that you need will be on that hub page. So that link has been dropped in the chat for you, and you should also have it in your email as well. 9 00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:42.850 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Those replays will be available for you to view Monday through Thursday for everyone to view. And then after that they will be in the parading and community for all members to view after May third, so you can view them over there. 10 00:01:43.540 --> 00:02:13.470 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: and Friday is our premium day. So that will be for premium and premium pro users of pro writing aid. If you are not sure if you have a premium or premium pro account. We can. We're happy to take a look that is just a paid pro rating aid account. And those sessions will be on in a separate area. So please check your email Friday morning for instructions on how to access those sessions that will come in an email Friday morning. So make sure you are watching for that. 11 00:02:13.980 --> 00:02:43.950 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: If you would like to upgrade your account so that you can join us for premium day, we do have a special offer for attendees for 25 off your first year of prorating aid, premium, or premium pro. If you were thinking about upgrading soon, this is a great time to do so to get that 25% off the discount link is on the Hub page for you, and if you have any questions about that feel free to drop them in the QA. For me today. Or you can email Hello, at prorating Aid Com, and that offer ends on May tenth. 12 00:02:44.880 --> 00:03:10.909 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: If you would like to keep talking fantasy writing, we would love to have you over in our private online community. For writers. We do have a live event, chat where we are talking about all kinds of fantasy, writing things and topics related to the sessions this week. So you can log in using this link here, and you can log in with your prorating aid account information, and then, you can access the live event chat, and then the replays that will be there as well by May third 13 00:03:11.950 --> 00:03:38.240 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: reminders for our session today. If you have a question for our speaker, please use the QA box. As you can see, the chat does move very quickly, and we don't want to miss any of your questions. If you would like to use the chat to talk with each other. That is totally fine. You'll just want to make sure that in the Dropdown Arrow menu next to 2 you select everyone, because otherwise your messages by default will just come to the host and panelists. 14 00:03:38.480 --> 00:03:46.450 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: So with that being said, I believe we are ready to begin. So today we are joined by Danny Abernathy. 15 00:03:46.470 --> 00:04:04.489 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Danny is an Enneagram teacher and book coach who helps novelists write the stories they need to tell, so their readers can feel, seen, and can see others specializing in fantasy, soft Sci fi and Ya Danny merges how story works with how people work creating books that help. Readers have more empathy for themselves and others 16 00:04:04.640 --> 00:04:19.769 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: through her rooted writers, mentorship. She helps novelists embrace plan and write books they're proud of. Danny is a Capricorn, IN. Fj. And Niagram, type 4. Who believes that stories can change the world. One reader at a time. Welcome, Danny. We're so happy to have you back. 17 00:04:20.970 --> 00:04:24.267 Dani Abernathy: Hi! Thanks for having me. I always love 18 00:04:24.730 --> 00:04:30.970 Dani Abernathy: I always love being here. So I'm glad to be with you guys today. Let me share my screen. 19 00:04:33.090 --> 00:04:36.129 Dani Abernathy: and then let me get myself set up. 20 00:04:36.690 --> 00:04:41.049 Dani Abernathy: Can you just give me a yes in the chat if you can see my screen? 21 00:04:43.100 --> 00:04:54.810 Dani Abernathy: Yes, great. Thank you. All of you. Okay. So today, we're gonna talk about world changing world building, using your world to challenge the status quo. 22 00:04:55.141 --> 00:05:15.398 Dani Abernathy: This is something that I think is really exciting, especially for fantasy writers. So I'm very excited to dive in with you before we get into all of that, let me tell you a little about myself. There's me when I was 8, getting my glamor shot down in Texas, and that cowgirl will cut you, so do not cross her. 23 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:23.630 Dani Abernathy: So I am an author, accelerator, certified book, coach, and a book coach means that I help you 24 00:05:23.970 --> 00:05:48.349 Dani Abernathy: during the process of writing your book so normally. An editor comes in at the end after you've spent months or years and thousands, hundreds of thousands of words writing your novel, and they help they assess your novel, and they tell you what needs to be changed. And sometimes what they tell you is, hey? You need to start over. And so I want to help you write a book that works as much as possible, and so that you can know that you're moving in the right direction. 25 00:05:48.570 --> 00:05:51.479 Dani Abernathy: That's why I love to start with you from the beginning. 26 00:05:51.710 --> 00:05:58.520 Dani Abernathy: I'm also an enigram teacher. The enigram is a personality system that teaches you 27 00:05:58.940 --> 00:06:08.430 Dani Abernathy: how people work and we use it in my group coaching program. The rooted writers mentorship to help you understand yourself and your characters. 28 00:06:08.750 --> 00:06:24.620 Dani Abernathy: The rooted writers. Mentorship, as Michelle said, is a year long group program to help you discover plan and write a book you're proud of. It's full of wonderful bookish weirdos, and it's just the best little community I love it so much. 29 00:06:25.090 --> 00:06:35.470 Dani Abernathy: I live in Northwest Arkansas and Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Fayetteville has the best library. So if you ever come to Fayetteville, please go to the library. It's amazing. 30 00:06:36.060 --> 00:06:48.779 Dani Abernathy: I love books obviously, and rainy days, and deep conversation. And all the things. I love all the personality things. I'm an enigram, 4 iron of J. Capricorn and manifesting generator. 31 00:06:49.010 --> 00:06:58.069 Dani Abernathy: Okay, so my mission is to help novelists like you write the stories you need to tell, so that your readers can feel seen, and can see others. 32 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:05.500 Dani Abernathy: I believe stories can change the world. One reader at a time, because they teach us to have more compassion for ourselves and others. 33 00:07:05.910 --> 00:07:17.470 Dani Abernathy: And I think stories are one of our most powerful tools for having less war and more love, and I don't know about you, but I really feel like we could have less war and more love right about now. 34 00:07:18.930 --> 00:07:25.929 Dani Abernathy: So today you're going to learn how fantasy can change the world. You're going to discover your connection to your novel. 35 00:07:26.200 --> 00:07:28.939 Dani Abernathy: identify what your book is really about. 36 00:07:29.606 --> 00:07:32.939 Dani Abernathy: understand how to build a purposeful world. 37 00:07:33.180 --> 00:07:43.570 Dani Abernathy: You're gonna gain practical tools for doing all those things, and my hope always is that you feel empowered to write your novel and today to write a world-changing book. 38 00:07:44.070 --> 00:07:49.316 Dani Abernathy: So before we dive in, I have a workbook for you, I'll put the link in the chat. 39 00:07:50.770 --> 00:07:58.080 Dani Abernathy: so normally in my presentations for providing aid. I always include questions to help you actually implement what we're going to talk about. 40 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:19.197 Dani Abernathy: And because I have so much to say today? I don't actually have the questions in the presentation. The questions are in the workbook. So if you go to Danny abernathy.com slash fantasy week 24, you'll be able to get the workbook, which has all of the step by step, questions to help you implement what I'm gonna talk about today. It also has some additional resources for you. 41 00:08:19.833 --> 00:08:36.549 Dani Abernathy: When you get that workbook you will be signed up for my newsletter if you don't want to hear from me. Of course you can unsubscribe, but I do recommend going to get the workbook, so you can actually have the questions to help you implement. I will also give you this link later again. 42 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:41.089 Dani Abernathy: Okay, so let's talk about the power of story. 43 00:08:41.470 --> 00:08:42.916 Dani Abernathy: Unpopular opinion 44 00:08:43.870 --> 00:08:49.160 Dani Abernathy: fiction is more effective is a more effective T-shirt than nonfiction. 45 00:08:49.250 --> 00:08:52.510 Dani Abernathy: Fiction is a more effective teacher than nonfiction. 46 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:59.800 Dani Abernathy: When we encounter a fact, we gauge how it compares to what we already believe 47 00:09:00.380 --> 00:09:05.850 Dani Abernathy: facts confirm or threaten our worldview. They don't teach us 48 00:09:07.098 --> 00:09:21.210 Dani Abernathy: we get defensive when we hear facts, because we're thinking about whether it aligns with what we know to be true. We're not. We're not learning. We're not open to fax. We're just gauging how it intersects with what we already believe 49 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:29.890 Dani Abernathy: when we encounter a story. Our brains think that what is happening to the protagonist is happening to us. 50 00:09:30.390 --> 00:09:32.290 Dani Abernathy: So back in the day 51 00:09:32.510 --> 00:09:37.249 Dani Abernathy: I don't know. A long, long, long time ago, when we, you know, lived in caves and stuff. 52 00:09:37.260 --> 00:10:03.300 Dani Abernathy: We didn't have classes and news articles, and like 8 million of fax to factoids coming at us on social media all the time we had story we didn't have a news broadcast. We had the stories that our uncle told us about how he was attacked by a mountain lion, and that is how we learned our brains evolved. To learn through story story is biologically our teacher 53 00:10:03.630 --> 00:10:13.109 Dani Abernathy: story allows us to experience what we haven't in real life, so that we actually don't have to encounter the mountain lion ourselves. We can learn about it through our uncle's story. 54 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:15.579 Dani Abernathy: So when we hear 55 00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:17.140 Dani Abernathy: a story. 56 00:10:17.250 --> 00:10:24.679 Dani Abernathy: parts of our brain light up as though we were actually doing the thing. So if we read about a protagonist who is doing something. 57 00:10:24.930 --> 00:10:32.300 Dani Abernathy: Whatever parts of your brain would be engaged when you actually do that thing. They are engaged. When you read the story. 58 00:10:32.780 --> 00:10:36.989 Dani Abernathy: our brains experience story as if it were real. 59 00:10:43.090 --> 00:10:49.700 Dani Abernathy: so facts strengthen our preexisting ideas, and stories teach us new ideas. 60 00:10:50.460 --> 00:10:52.440 Dani Abernathy: If you want to change, people 61 00:10:52.590 --> 00:10:54.390 Dani Abernathy: tell a story. 62 00:10:55.480 --> 00:11:12.860 Dani Abernathy: we tend to think that like we've got these big brains because they're very logical. But actually, emotion is our driver, and we make choices through emotion without emotion. We can't. We actually can't make decisions. And you know, there have been cases of people who have brain injuries and they 63 00:11:12.870 --> 00:11:33.429 Dani Abernathy: don't experience emotion anymore. And they? They can't make choices. They can't make decisions, because emotion is actually what drives us. So when we tap into our readers emotions through a story, when they empathize with what our character is experiencing. We impact how they see the world and potentially change the decisions they make. 64 00:11:34.210 --> 00:11:39.140 Dani Abernathy: This is why writing can be a form of resistance and revolution. 65 00:11:39.650 --> 00:11:41.790 Dani Abernathy: This is why people ban books. 66 00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:51.690 Dani Abernathy: This is why people burn books. This is why people get riled up about books, because instinctively. We know that stories are powerful. 67 00:11:52.370 --> 00:12:02.690 Dani Abernathy: We know they can change things. I don't know about you, but more than anything else in my life, story has changed the way I see the world, and helped me grow as a person and become 68 00:12:02.780 --> 00:12:04.580 Dani Abernathy: what I think is a better person. 69 00:12:07.150 --> 00:12:14.570 Dani Abernathy: So fantasy, in particular, has a secret weapon in storytelling, and that is world building. 70 00:12:14.570 --> 00:12:40.220 Dani Abernathy: We have this additional layer of story to use to create these really engaging, immersive worlds and stories that allow us to sort of bypass these walls of defensiveness or bias that come up when we talk about something directly through fantasy, through our worlds. We can help readers to engage with difficult topics. 71 00:12:41.090 --> 00:12:43.600 Dani Abernathy: A purposefully designed world 72 00:12:43.680 --> 00:12:47.620 Dani Abernathy: pulls the reader even further into the story. 73 00:12:47.670 --> 00:12:52.509 Dani Abernathy: and allows them to engage with difficult topics in less charged ways. 74 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:00.620 Dani Abernathy: So I wanna just state that not everyone wants to write a novel that changes the world. And that is okay. 75 00:13:01.261 --> 00:13:05.189 Dani Abernathy: Writing a book that challenges what is 76 00:13:05.520 --> 00:13:08.980 Dani Abernathy: what exists takes courage. It's hard. 77 00:13:09.090 --> 00:13:14.380 Dani Abernathy: It opens you up to criticism. It takes a lot of thought and effort and intentionality. 78 00:13:14.810 --> 00:13:18.469 Dani Abernathy: So it's okay. If you don't want to write this kind of book, not everyone does. 79 00:13:18.590 --> 00:13:24.280 Dani Abernathy: But today we are talking about world changing, world building. We are talking about books that change 80 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:38.140 Dani Abernathy: the world. One reader at a time when I say world changing, world building I'm not talking about like you have to have a book that is the best seller of all bestsellers. But by by changing one reader at a time we change the world. 81 00:13:38.660 --> 00:13:44.139 Dani Abernathy: So this presentation is for you. If you want to say something through your fiction. 82 00:13:44.570 --> 00:13:51.999 Dani Abernathy: if you like, stories that make you think that linger with you, maybe because they made you kind of uncomfortable 83 00:13:52.495 --> 00:13:58.030 Dani Abernathy: and they show you someone else's way of being that you haven't experienced yourself. 84 00:13:58.210 --> 00:14:02.819 Dani Abernathy: This presentation is for you. If you're tired of oppression and fear and hatred. 85 00:14:03.180 --> 00:14:07.770 Dani Abernathy: And if you want to challenge harmful ideologies and systems and practices. 86 00:14:08.570 --> 00:14:13.833 Dani Abernathy: and this presentation is for you. If you know, when you see all the things that are happening today. 87 00:14:14.588 --> 00:14:19.790 Dani Abernathy: And your heart hurts. The best thing you can think of to do is to write a story 88 00:14:22.780 --> 00:14:31.959 Dani Abernathy: before we go any further, I just want to recommend this book story or Die by Lisa Cron. All of Lisa's books are amazing. She I think she's probably my favorite 89 00:14:32.650 --> 00:14:39.419 Dani Abernathy: writer on writing and story or die, really talks about the power of story, to to change people and to 90 00:14:39.460 --> 00:14:41.520 Dani Abernathy: to persuade. 91 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:48.670 Dani Abernathy: Okay, let's dive in to how we can create world changing worlds. 92 00:14:48.890 --> 00:14:53.859 Dani Abernathy: So the change begins in you. And this probably doesn't mean what you think it means. 93 00:14:54.190 --> 00:15:03.530 Dani Abernathy: Let me introduce you to the story tree. If you've heard me speak before, you are familiar with the story tree. This is how I work with writers in developing their novel. 94 00:15:03.870 --> 00:15:33.740 Dani Abernathy: When we grow your story. We start from the ground up. So phase one of the story tree process is about embracing your story, and the first thing we do is we strengthen your root system. You, the author, are the roots of your story tree, because everything in your story comes from you. So that is, you know that is the characters, the plot, the world, but also the meaning, the impact. The ability to finish all of that stuff comes from you. 95 00:15:33.830 --> 00:15:38.059 Dani Abernathy: And so the first course in the rooted writers mentorship is all about 96 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:46.549 Dani Abernathy: embracing yourself and knowing yourself cause, I think the more you can accept and know yourself, the the more brave you can be in your writing. 97 00:15:47.410 --> 00:15:52.489 Dani Abernathy: So once we've established this really strong root system, then we grow your tree trunk 98 00:15:52.530 --> 00:16:04.010 Dani Abernathy: and your tree trunk is made up of a few different things. It is your genre. It's who you are writing to. It's how you want to publish. But the most important part of your tree trunk is your point. 99 00:16:04.160 --> 00:16:08.740 Dani Abernathy: and your point is kind of what your book says about the world and how to live in it. 100 00:16:09.370 --> 00:16:24.560 Dani Abernathy: So once we've established your root system and grown your tree trunk, then we move on to phase 2, which is planning your story. This is where we figure out your protagonist antagonist conflict, cast, world plot, series, character, rock. All of these story branches 101 00:16:24.640 --> 00:16:29.289 Dani Abernathy: grow from who you are and what you want to say about the world. 102 00:16:30.260 --> 00:16:52.079 Dani Abernathy: and then, and only then, we move into phase 3, which is writing your manuscript or revising. If you already have a completed manuscript, and we do these things in this order. So that, like me, like I've done more than once, you don't spend months and hundreds of 1,000 words and potentially thousands of dollars writing a book that isn't doing what you wanted to do. 103 00:16:52.617 --> 00:17:09.800 Dani Abernathy: I want the writing you do to be effective and efficient and to take you toward the story you really wanna tell. Yes, you're still gonna have to revise. Yes, you're still gonna learn things as you move forward. But I want you to be moving in the right direction toward a story that works and that you want to write. 104 00:17:10.589 --> 00:17:12.030 Dani Abernathy: Okay. So 105 00:17:12.329 --> 00:17:18.619 Dani Abernathy: your novel's purpose begins by embracing the you in your story. 106 00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:38.690 Dani Abernathy: We need your story. You're the life. You're the power. If we cut you the roots off from your story tree, your story tree is gonna die and fall over and crush your reader. That is not what we want. We want a living, thriving, strong, beautiful story tree, and that can only happen if you are connected to your story. 107 00:17:39.350 --> 00:17:42.310 Dani Abernathy: You are the most important part of your novel. 108 00:17:42.550 --> 00:17:44.830 Dani Abernathy: because you are the roots of your story tree. 109 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:48.590 Dani Abernathy: I think you are the most important part of your story. 110 00:17:49.590 --> 00:18:06.409 Dani Abernathy: What you care about determines what you write. So if you've been writing for a long time you will probably have noticed that the same themes come up over and over and over again. I know that for myself, I can look back at writing from third grade, and I'm always writing about the same stuff. 111 00:18:07.210 --> 00:18:13.450 Dani Abernathy: And so you will write about the same circumstances and characters and challenges over and over, and that is not bad. 112 00:18:13.790 --> 00:18:17.279 Dani Abernathy: That means that you're tapping into what you care about. 113 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:27.119 Dani Abernathy: It means you're tapping into your roots. You've identified something that is important to you, and it's also going to be important to your reader. If it's not, they'll just read another book. 114 00:18:27.190 --> 00:18:31.190 Dani Abernathy: But the people you are writing to are going to care about the things you care about. 115 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:37.889 Dani Abernathy: So the first thing I want you to do is to think about what themes drive your writing. 116 00:18:37.930 --> 00:18:53.919 Dani Abernathy: This is one root of your story tree. So finding your themes is, gonna give you clarity about your current work in progress, but also all everything you write, and probably everything you create, and even just how you live your life. 117 00:18:54.580 --> 00:19:01.999 Dani Abernathy: And it's going to give you confidence that you're writing some writing a book you want to be writing writing something you're actually gonna finish because it matters to you. 118 00:19:02.140 --> 00:19:05.819 Dani Abernathy: So ask yourself, what do you want to change about the world? 119 00:19:06.130 --> 00:19:12.390 Dani Abernathy: What's your vision for the world. If you could design the world, what would be present, what would be absent? 120 00:19:13.560 --> 00:19:19.100 Dani Abernathy: So here's some examples of themes. There are a lot of them here. These are not. 121 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:21.597 Dani Abernathy: If you care about all these themes. 122 00:19:22.110 --> 00:19:51.779 Dani Abernathy: we probably need to go a little deeper. So some examples gender equality, human rights, racism, imperialism, trans rights, love, freedom of information, income, equality, mental health, neurodiversity, ethical business practices, body, body, positivity or neutrality, colorism, religious tolerance, racial stereotypes, abortion, rights, political systems, education, family housing and security, capitalism, climate change, ableism, animal rights. 123 00:19:51.790 --> 00:19:55.830 Dani Abernathy: so many things, and of course there are so many things that are not on this list 124 00:19:56.440 --> 00:20:04.810 Dani Abernathy: when you see that your driving themes are showing up in your story. That is an indicator that you are on the right track 125 00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:10.709 Dani Abernathy: that this book matters to you right? That you're writing your story and not someone else's story. 126 00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:30.459 Dani Abernathy: So if you haven't already grabbed the workbook, there are questions to help you find your themes in the workbook@dannyabernathy.com slash fantasy week 24. Danny spelled Da and I so go grab the workbook so you can get these these questions 127 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.720 Dani Abernathy: all right. So 128 00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:39.529 Dani Abernathy: the next thing we're going to do is name the change you want to see. 129 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:45.589 Dani Abernathy: So if we revisit the story tree, this is where we grow your tree trunk. 130 00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:47.799 Dani Abernathy: This is where we develop 131 00:20:48.030 --> 00:21:00.710 Dani Abernathy: the trunk of your story tree. So the point which is the most important part of your tree trunk. The point is the bridge between you, the roots, and your story, the branches and the leaves 132 00:21:00.850 --> 00:21:05.309 Dani Abernathy: the point gives direction to every part of your book. 133 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:11.739 Dani Abernathy: I think the point is the most important thing you can know about your book. If you're going to take one thing away from this talk. 134 00:21:11.930 --> 00:21:14.791 Dani Abernathy: It is the point. That's what I want you to take away. 135 00:21:15.365 --> 00:21:28.189 Dani Abernathy: It's gonna be the most helpful to you. So in the rooted writers mentorship the question I ask all the time the most often is, what's your point? What's your point? What's your point? Because it informs every other choice you make. 136 00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:30.590 Dani Abernathy: So what is a point? 137 00:21:31.050 --> 00:21:36.230 Dani Abernathy: A point is what your novel says about the world and how to live in it. 138 00:21:37.510 --> 00:21:41.859 Dani Abernathy: So some elements of a good point. It's one or 2 sentences long. 139 00:21:42.270 --> 00:22:00.501 Dani Abernathy: We do not want your point to be 500 words long, or even like 5 sentences. If it's 5 sentences Long and I were to coach you, I would. I would ask you how those elements inform each other. How do they connect to each other, because likely there's one or 2 thoughts that are driving all of those ideas. 140 00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:09.529 Dani Abernathy: It's so easy to get lost in the hundreds of thousands of words you write in your manuscript, and in all the backstory, and all the planning and all that stuff 141 00:22:10.320 --> 00:22:34.109 Dani Abernathy: that's so many things to hold on your head. And so it's so easy to just lose the story. Lose what we're really writing about. And so the point distills all of those words down into one or 2 sentences that can ground us. It's like an anchor, or a map, or a rubric, so that we have something to gauge our choices against. 142 00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:45.909 Dani Abernathy: So a good point is clear and powerful. I'm gonna give you some examples in a minute of clear and powerful points. It sums up your worldview or your message. 143 00:22:46.190 --> 00:22:49.579 Dani Abernathy: and it reminds you of why you're writing this book. 144 00:22:54.270 --> 00:22:57.359 Dani Abernathy: When we are in the long process of writing a book. 145 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:14.860 Dani Abernathy: it's so easy to get discouraged and to feel like maybe we should just quit. Maybe we can't do this and knowing your point and coming back to it is gonna help remind you like, Oh, yeah, that's why I'm doing this. This is why I should keep going because this matters to me. 146 00:23:15.620 --> 00:23:33.410 Dani Abernathy: So let's look at some examples of points from my clients, people who are in the rooted writers, mentorship. So all of these people have given me permission to use their points, and I tried to pick points that say something really clear about 147 00:23:33.590 --> 00:23:36.919 Dani Abernathy: the world, and what should or shouldn't be. 148 00:23:37.270 --> 00:23:41.380 Dani Abernathy: So, as we're looking through these points. I want you to 149 00:23:41.390 --> 00:23:49.270 Dani Abernathy: look for first of all, what the writer wants to change about the world. See if you can find that in their point. And then, second. 150 00:23:49.750 --> 00:23:55.696 Dani Abernathy: see if you can get an idea of what their world and their story might look like just from their point. 151 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.859 Dani Abernathy: Okay, so first one. 152 00:23:58.380 --> 00:24:09.089 Dani Abernathy: When darkness comes to claim us, leaders have the responsibility to stand in the light and stand firm even to their own detriment. 153 00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:13.929 Dani Abernathy: So can you see what the writer wants to change about the world. 154 00:24:14.650 --> 00:24:30.270 Dani Abernathy: And can you imagine, start to get an idea of what their world and their story is? Gonna look like you can also see. This is clear. It is concise, it it describes the world view. And this writer feels really passionately about this thing. 155 00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:38.040 Dani Abernathy: Next, love is the only thing powerful enough to bring down empires. 156 00:24:38.550 --> 00:24:41.039 Dani Abernathy: Very simple, very clear. 157 00:24:42.690 --> 00:24:51.900 Dani Abernathy: queer people are not disposable. The fight to live as a queer person is worth it, and queer love is worth sacrificing for. 158 00:24:54.280 --> 00:25:02.759 Dani Abernathy: Only when you accept and embrace your own form of messy magic can you rally others and dismantle systems of oppression. 159 00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:15.190 Dani Abernathy: and then the last one. When people transform virtuous beliefs into dogma, it can lead to judgment, and even the kind of cruelty that becomes evil. 160 00:25:15.710 --> 00:25:22.090 Dani Abernathy: having the humility to recognize the limits of our understanding, allows space for compassion. 161 00:25:23.170 --> 00:25:42.639 Dani Abernathy: So when you look at these, I don't know about you, but I get a. I can see what the writer cares about, what they want to be different in the world, what they're saying about the world. And I I get an idea of what the story is gonna be like, what the flavor of the story is. You know what the plot might be, how the characters gonna change and grow. 162 00:25:48.620 --> 00:25:50.700 Dani Abernathy: So your point 163 00:25:51.270 --> 00:25:55.220 Dani Abernathy: should be bold. Let your point be bold. 164 00:25:55.530 --> 00:26:01.210 Dani Abernathy: If you want to change the world through your novel. If you want to change a single person through your novel. Speak to them. 165 00:26:01.350 --> 00:26:07.880 Dani Abernathy: You have to know what you're trying to say about how things are and how they could be 166 00:26:08.470 --> 00:26:11.070 Dani Abernathy: your point should make a statement. 167 00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:15.839 Dani Abernathy: You are not trying to write a novel that is inoffensive. 168 00:26:16.170 --> 00:26:18.073 Dani Abernathy: Now let me clarify 169 00:26:18.710 --> 00:26:22.069 Dani Abernathy: when I say that you're not trying to write a novel that's inoffensive. 170 00:26:22.110 --> 00:26:31.039 Dani Abernathy: I fully believe that you should get cultural sensitivity. Readers, I believe you should ask yourself, do I have the right to tell the story that I'm trying to tell. 171 00:26:31.560 --> 00:26:44.770 Dani Abernathy: You should consider how your story will impact marginalized communities. You should do. I'm I'm trying really hard not to swear. Y'all you should do a lot of work 172 00:26:46.560 --> 00:26:53.019 Dani Abernathy: to be thoughtful and intentional in how you write your book, because we do not want to write books that harm. 173 00:26:53.570 --> 00:26:57.579 Dani Abernathy: However, we are not writing a book for everyone. 174 00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:00.850 Dani Abernathy: If you try to write a book, write a book for everyone. 175 00:27:00.950 --> 00:27:02.590 Dani Abernathy: No one is going to care. 176 00:27:03.940 --> 00:27:05.420 Dani Abernathy: Can you guys hear me? 177 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:10.089 Dani Abernathy: I feel like my, sound just went different. Yes, okay. 178 00:27:10.560 --> 00:27:12.209 Dani Abernathy: Something weird happened. Okay. 179 00:27:13.711 --> 00:27:22.980 Dani Abernathy: if you write a book for everyone. It is gonna be boring. And no one is gonna care about your book. So it's okay to have an opinion. 180 00:27:23.040 --> 00:27:25.809 Dani Abernathy: It's okay to take a stand. 181 00:27:25.930 --> 00:27:31.070 Dani Abernathy: It's okay. If some people hate your book because other people will love it. 182 00:27:31.830 --> 00:27:34.299 Dani Abernathy: and the better your story is. 183 00:27:34.310 --> 00:27:38.510 Dani Abernathy: the more likely it is that those people who might hate your book. 184 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:40.450 Dani Abernathy: based on what it's 185 00:27:40.540 --> 00:27:47.180 Dani Abernathy: speaking about speaking to, will be able to engage with it in a meaningful way and be 186 00:27:47.230 --> 00:27:53.480 Dani Abernathy: be changed. Be challenged. Be able to consider the issue from ways they haven't before. 187 00:27:53.650 --> 00:27:58.679 Dani Abernathy: so don't be afraid to say what you really think in your point. 188 00:28:01.770 --> 00:28:13.379 Dani Abernathy: Again, there are questions for finding your point in the workbook. Normally, I put them in the presentation, but I have so much to say. They're in the workbook 189 00:28:15.690 --> 00:28:17.449 Dani Abernathy: all right. So 190 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:20.080 Dani Abernathy: finding your point is hard 191 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:23.449 Dani Abernathy: and you are aiming for a good enough point. 192 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:31.539 Dani Abernathy: it can take a long time to find your point. And we in the mentorship, we spend a lot of time 193 00:28:33.320 --> 00:28:48.500 Dani Abernathy: trying like circling around, getting closer and closer to what the point really is. Most of the time when people find their their point sort of their final, truest point, it like you feel it in your body. 194 00:28:48.580 --> 00:29:02.799 Dani Abernathy: and you wanna like tattoo it on your body or paint it on your wall. It resonates in you, but it can be hard to find that thing, especially if the book you are writing is deeply personal to you. 195 00:29:03.100 --> 00:29:10.929 Dani Abernathy: because when you write that kind of story, when you write from your lived experience, you have to answer your own questions. You have to dig through your own trauma. You have to like 196 00:29:11.750 --> 00:29:15.479 Dani Abernathy: find the courage to say the truth, right? 197 00:29:15.900 --> 00:29:17.470 Dani Abernathy: So 198 00:29:17.930 --> 00:29:18.930 Dani Abernathy: you. 199 00:29:19.120 --> 00:29:22.320 Dani Abernathy: This is something I tell my clients all the time we're aiming for good enough. 200 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:49.369 Dani Abernathy: We want good enough to move forward onto the next step because your point is living. It is part of your story tree. It will grow with your tree. So in all parts of writing, as we move forward we will learn more, and we will gain clarity about what the work we've already done. Okay, so you're aiming for a point that feels right, ish, so that you can move forward. And then, as you work forward, you will find more clarity about your point. 201 00:29:51.040 --> 00:29:52.960 Dani Abernathy: Okay, so 202 00:29:54.290 --> 00:29:58.239 Dani Abernathy: how do you create a world that changes the world? 203 00:30:00.950 --> 00:30:09.360 Dani Abernathy: The purpose of world building is to give your protagonist an environment in which they experience the point. 204 00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:14.420 Dani Abernathy: So world building in in a world changing book 205 00:30:14.490 --> 00:30:19.796 Dani Abernathy: is not just about having fun and making cool stuff. Right? It's not about just 206 00:30:20.726 --> 00:30:26.670 Dani Abernathy: making things that people can like cause play as in in a book, that 207 00:30:26.890 --> 00:30:29.220 Dani Abernathy: that's goal is to change people. 208 00:30:29.540 --> 00:30:38.450 Dani Abernathy: We want to build our roles on purpose. So we want to build the world so that our protagonist has an environment in which they can experience the point. 209 00:30:39.730 --> 00:30:48.739 Dani Abernathy: Well-built world can strengthen your point, it can support your themes and concepts. Every book has multiple themes. It can hook your 210 00:30:49.030 --> 00:31:02.810 Dani Abernathy: reader, challenge your readers, perceptions, assumptions, and biases and deepen your protagonist arc. So a really great world is gonna play an integral role in how your character changes and in how they 211 00:31:02.850 --> 00:31:07.640 Dani Abernathy: achieve victory or failure, depending on what kind of book you're writing. 212 00:31:09.590 --> 00:31:14.360 Dani Abernathy: You do not need to know every detail of your world, to write a good book. 213 00:31:15.030 --> 00:31:27.258 Dani Abernathy: I know that for myself. So there's generally 2 kinds of of writers right? You're either the kind who just loves row building and could just live in row building, or you're the kind that gets super overwhelmed 214 00:31:28.020 --> 00:31:44.470 Dani Abernathy: and feels like it's a mountain you have to climb. I tend to fall on the overwhelmed side. I have writers who love world building and could spend all their time there, and if that is you, then go for it like, write your Tolkien. You know books about the world, the histories, all that stuff. 215 00:31:45.120 --> 00:31:55.219 Dani Abernathy: But you don't have to have a world that is developed in every possible way in order for your story to be good. What you need are a few areas that are well developed. 216 00:31:55.230 --> 00:32:00.509 Dani Abernathy: So you need to know, know the core components of your world and spend a lot of time on those. 217 00:32:01.560 --> 00:32:08.839 Dani Abernathy: So what are core components? These are the parts of your world that most directly support your point 218 00:32:09.010 --> 00:32:10.712 Dani Abernathy: and your story. 219 00:32:12.170 --> 00:32:18.009 Dani Abernathy: You can spend a lot of time developing the score components and less time on other parts of your world. 220 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:23.090 Dani Abernathy: So let's look at some examples of core components. Again, there's a lot of things on this list. 221 00:32:24.990 --> 00:32:34.919 Dani Abernathy: you're not gonna focus on all of these things. I recommend that you focus on 2 or 3 core components, and then you can fill out the rest of the world as needed. 222 00:32:35.810 --> 00:32:45.119 Dani Abernathy: So some possible core components, physical characteristics of your creatures, your species, your aliens, your magical creatures. 223 00:32:45.160 --> 00:33:10.249 Dani Abernathy: gender roles, social roles, sexuality, family structure, ethics, education, physics, topography, climate, flora, fauna, natural resources, government, politics, economics and trade, medicine, technology, transportation, architecture, religion, war, art, fashion, beauty, food, logic, language, music, something else. 224 00:33:12.010 --> 00:33:14.390 Dani Abernathy: There are many possible core components. 225 00:33:15.060 --> 00:33:28.570 Dani Abernathy: And if I were to look at this list. If I were researching real building, and I saw this list, I would think, well, I'm gonna stop writing because this is too many things to figure out. You don't need to figure out all these things. You need to focus on a few of them. 226 00:33:28.800 --> 00:33:34.030 Dani Abernathy: So let your point inform your world. Let your point inform your world building. 227 00:33:34.730 --> 00:33:41.817 Dani Abernathy: Now, depending on your point, there may not be clear core components. So, for example, if your point is, love conquers all. 228 00:33:42.340 --> 00:33:49.429 Dani Abernathy: I mean. There are a few things on this list that maybe speak to that like gender roles, sexuality, family structure. 229 00:33:49.550 --> 00:33:58.789 Dani Abernathy: but, like love, conquers all can cover so many stories. Right? So if you have a point that doesn't sort of lend itself to specific 230 00:33:59.560 --> 00:34:00.730 Dani Abernathy: components. 231 00:34:01.300 --> 00:34:05.979 Dani Abernathy: what I recommend is is to decide which components you'd most enjoy developing 232 00:34:06.090 --> 00:34:11.820 Dani Abernathy: and then shape those to support your your point. So let those be a big part of your world building. 233 00:34:13.510 --> 00:34:29.109 Dani Abernathy: So let's talk about magic for a minute. Magic is a huge part of world building, especially in fantasy. Right? It's not a fantasy novel if it doesn't have some element of of magic, and by magic I mean something that that cannot exist in our reality. 234 00:34:30.290 --> 00:34:35.600 Dani Abernathy: So if you're writing a world-changing book, make your magic mean something. 235 00:34:36.590 --> 00:34:41.379 Dani Abernathy: You can design a magic system that is integral to the story you tell. 236 00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:45.270 Dani Abernathy: So when you're thinking about your magic system. 237 00:34:45.540 --> 00:34:49.769 Dani Abernathy: how can your magic function in relation to your point? 238 00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:54.559 Dani Abernathy: What makes magic function correctly or incorrectly? 239 00:34:54.820 --> 00:35:08.220 Dani Abernathy: What don't your characters know about magic that prevent them from using it correctly. And what do they need to learn to make it function correctly so that they can be victorious so that they can achieve their goals? 240 00:35:12.050 --> 00:35:20.129 Dani Abernathy: Okay, I'm gonna look at some examples with you, cause I know I've been giving a lot of like abstract theory. But let's look at a few examples together. 241 00:35:20.700 --> 00:35:27.380 Dani Abernathy: So Babel by Rf. Quong. I listened to the audiobook. What it which is in British 242 00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:36.120 Dani Abernathy: Elisa Narrator, is British. I don't know if she's British or not, and they pronounced it Babel. So that's how I'm going to pronounce it. If you are American, you might pronounce it, Babel, and that's fine. 243 00:35:36.671 --> 00:35:43.218 Dani Abernathy: This is the book jacket copy. If you speak Italian, I apologize for how I'm get about to pronounce these words. 244 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:51.090 Dani Abernathy: Tadu Tore Tadu tore. An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 245 00:35:51.530 --> 00:36:00.510 Dani Abernathy: 2028. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera and canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor level. 246 00:36:00.700 --> 00:36:13.749 Dani Abernathy: There he trains for years in Latin, ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day. He'll enroll in Oxford University's Prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel. 247 00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:18.289 Dani Abernathy: Babel is the world's center for translation, and, more importantly, magic 248 00:36:18.510 --> 00:36:27.109 Dani Abernathy: silverworking the art of manif manifesting the meaning lost in translation, using enchanted silver bars. 249 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:31.090 Dani Abernathy: has made the British unparalleled in power 250 00:36:31.140 --> 00:36:35.780 Dani Abernathy: as its knowledge serves. The Empire's quest for colonization. 251 00:36:36.540 --> 00:36:41.829 Dani Abernathy: For Robin Oxford is a Utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. 252 00:36:41.970 --> 00:36:51.459 Dani Abernathy: but knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving. Babel means betraying his motherland 253 00:36:51.870 --> 00:36:58.629 Dani Abernathy: as his studies. Progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society. 254 00:36:58.680 --> 00:37:02.819 Dani Abernathy: an organization dedicated to stopping Imperial expansion. 255 00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:15.010 Dani Abernathy: When Britain pursues an unjust war over China with China, over silver and opium, Robin must decide. Can powerful institutions be changed from within? 256 00:37:15.140 --> 00:37:18.560 Dani Abernathy: Or does revolution always require violence? 257 00:37:21.250 --> 00:37:22.639 Dani Abernathy: So that's 258 00:37:22.670 --> 00:37:26.179 Dani Abernathy: kind of basic overview of the story of Babel in case you haven't read it. 259 00:37:27.024 --> 00:37:41.150 Dani Abernathy: The themes that I see here are imperialism, oppression, academics, and revolution. The point that that I get is imperialism only exists 260 00:37:41.310 --> 00:37:43.910 Dani Abernathy: through oppression and exploitation. 261 00:37:44.180 --> 00:37:50.969 Dani Abernathy: When you remove the oppression, the system fails. So basically, imperialism cannot exist 262 00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:52.580 Dani Abernathy: without oppression. 263 00:37:52.710 --> 00:38:00.395 Dani Abernathy: And there's also probably good argument that violence has some. This, the point has something to do with violence. 264 00:38:01.700 --> 00:38:02.860 Dani Abernathy: but 265 00:38:02.950 --> 00:38:04.410 Dani Abernathy: this is the point I got. 266 00:38:04.660 --> 00:38:12.850 Dani Abernathy: So the core elements of the world building for Bable are economics, academia and technology specific, this silverworking magic technology. 267 00:38:13.010 --> 00:38:14.610 Dani Abernathy: So in this book. 268 00:38:14.630 --> 00:38:15.710 Dani Abernathy: Kwang. 269 00:38:16.330 --> 00:38:20.659 Dani Abernathy: she takes us really complicated up to so kind of like 270 00:38:22.700 --> 00:38:27.100 Dani Abernathy: system of imperialism and colonialism. 271 00:38:27.160 --> 00:38:33.600 Dani Abernathy: and she she distills it down, she concentrates it into one element. 272 00:38:33.670 --> 00:38:40.599 Dani Abernathy: So she concentrated the effects of imperialism into one thing which is silver, working 273 00:38:41.060 --> 00:38:56.079 Dani Abernathy: so all of society in this book. It's an alternate history is built on the magic of silverworking, and that magic only functions through the oppression and appropriation of other cultures, it cannot function without that oppression. 274 00:38:57.150 --> 00:39:00.899 Dani Abernathy: So by taking down this, one system of silverworking 275 00:39:01.220 --> 00:39:03.019 Dani Abernathy: imperialism goes down. 276 00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:10.980 Dani Abernathy: So she's giving us a clear way to think about and see imperialism, and to see this. 277 00:39:11.270 --> 00:39:20.280 Dani Abernathy: this issue that feels so big and complex and can be hard to wrap your mind around in the real world. She's making it easier for us to see 278 00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:30.279 Dani Abernathy: by taking something that is kind of abstract and complicated and making it more concrete in this silverworking in focusing it around Oxford University. 279 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:36.050 Dani Abernathy: so that we can better understand this theme of imperialism and revolution. 280 00:39:37.410 --> 00:39:44.709 Dani Abernathy: Okay, next example is strange world. This is a Disney movie. It came out in 2,022. It wasn't very well promoted. 281 00:39:45.091 --> 00:39:50.879 Dani Abernathy: Lots of people didn't like this movie, but I really loved it because of the world building. 282 00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:57.379 Dani Abernathy: Also, I think it was the first movie we'd seen in theaters since Covid and I was very emotional. So 283 00:39:58.087 --> 00:40:19.889 Dani Abernathy: here's a description. Strange world follows. A legendary family of explorers, called the Clades, who must set aside their differences as they embark on a journey to a mysterious subterranean land inhabited by surreal life forms in order to save a miracle plant Pando, that is their society's source of energy. 284 00:40:21.548 --> 00:40:26.979 Dani Abernathy: I am going to give spoilers to this movie. So if you do not 285 00:40:27.120 --> 00:40:31.349 Dani Abernathy: want to hear how this movie ends, go ahead and mute. 286 00:40:31.450 --> 00:40:35.070 Dani Abernathy: mute your audio until I get to the next example. Okay. 287 00:40:36.070 --> 00:40:40.690 Dani Abernathy: okay. So the themes of strange world are environmentalism. 288 00:40:40.860 --> 00:40:43.540 Dani Abernathy: the interconnectedness of all things. 289 00:40:43.740 --> 00:40:46.610 Dani Abernathy: family legacy and self-determination. 290 00:40:47.130 --> 00:40:58.409 Dani Abernathy: The point that I find in strange world is. Humanity's wellbeing is dependent on the earth's wellbeing for humanity to prosper, the earth must also prosper. 291 00:40:59.120 --> 00:41:06.199 Dani Abernathy: and the core world building components. Here are ecology. So what the world actually looks like and functions like 292 00:41:06.280 --> 00:41:08.140 Dani Abernathy: economy and technology. 293 00:41:08.540 --> 00:41:10.999 Dani Abernathy: Okay, so here's where we get into spoilers. 294 00:41:11.661 --> 00:41:15.190 Dani Abernathy: So the characters in this book, they live 295 00:41:15.540 --> 00:41:27.610 Dani Abernathy: on their on their world, and they've discovered this source of energy, Pando, that that sort of allows their society to advance really rapidly and makes them more prosperous. It's changed things so much. It's like electricity. 296 00:41:28.475 --> 00:41:41.969 Dani Abernathy: And something is is impacting Pando. It is sort of attacking it. And so they trace back, and they end up going into the earth and finding this whole subterranean world. 297 00:41:42.310 --> 00:41:43.295 Dani Abernathy: and 298 00:41:44.940 --> 00:41:47.949 Dani Abernathy: what they don't know, and what they learn 299 00:41:48.060 --> 00:41:55.260 Dani Abernathy: is that they, their world is actually a giant creature. They are living a top. 300 00:41:55.300 --> 00:41:56.849 Dani Abernathy: a giant beast. 301 00:41:57.260 --> 00:42:10.020 Dani Abernathy: And so when they go into the subtranian world, they're actually inside the body of this beast. And so what's so cool about the world building is that it mimics the internal anatomy and internal systems of of a body. 302 00:42:10.770 --> 00:42:18.499 Dani Abernathy: And so they're going to try to protect this power source of Pando and keep it from being destroyed because their whole world now is built around it. 303 00:42:19.161 --> 00:42:32.469 Dani Abernathy: But as as they are, they think that the world these creatures are attacking Pando. And so they're trying to kill off these creatures. But what they don't know is they're actually attacking the immune system of their world. 304 00:42:33.320 --> 00:42:47.539 Dani Abernathy: And so in the end they realize it's a creature they're living on a living thing, and they have to sacrifice Pando, which has made them prosperous. They have to sacrifice what has made them prosperous for true prosperity. 305 00:42:47.840 --> 00:42:52.490 Dani Abernathy: They had to kill Pando, the source of their power and prosperity and wealth. 306 00:42:53.010 --> 00:42:57.139 Dani Abernathy: because it was a virus attacking their world. Panda was actually the virus. 307 00:42:57.820 --> 00:43:00.409 Dani Abernathy: and so they had to let that thing die 308 00:43:00.440 --> 00:43:02.950 Dani Abernathy: so that they could preserve their world. 309 00:43:04.930 --> 00:43:05.480 Dani Abernathy: So 310 00:43:05.550 --> 00:43:12.780 Dani Abernathy: and without the world building, this story would not have existed. You couldn't tell this story apart from this world building. 311 00:43:13.960 --> 00:43:24.025 Dani Abernathy: Okay. Last example. All the rotten wishes. This is my latest work in progress. I'm not writing right now, but this is the last book I was working on so 312 00:43:24.520 --> 00:43:28.149 Dani Abernathy: brief summary here in Queen Valley's land. 313 00:43:28.280 --> 00:43:35.789 Dani Abernathy: What someone most needs for their personal growth becomes real through a magical projection called a pretense. 314 00:43:36.140 --> 00:43:41.439 Dani Abernathy: But Valley, as people have forgotten this truth and view pretenses as sinful abominations 315 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:53.040 Dani Abernathy: when a monster threatens the long-planned wall that will seal the kingdom away from pretense lovers. Vehia must make peace with who she really is to save her people and herself 316 00:43:53.890 --> 00:43:57.207 Dani Abernathy: so spoilers. Again. In this story 317 00:44:00.270 --> 00:44:27.679 Dani Abernathy: pretenses reviewed is bad. And so there, there, this magical manifestation of what's happening inside you, and if you have one, it's bad. So they're doing all they can to suppress their pretenses, but actually their pretenses are what they need to grow and to learn. And so what Vellia has to learn and embrace through the story is that this monster who is threatening the kingdom is actually her pretense, and so she has to make peace with what is going on inside of her, with the darkness inside of herself. 318 00:44:27.680 --> 00:44:34.019 Dani Abernathy: in order to stop this monster from destroying her kingdom, which is actually her own shame. 319 00:44:34.830 --> 00:44:35.790 Dani Abernathy: So 320 00:44:36.670 --> 00:44:44.209 Dani Abernathy: the themes of all the rotten wishes which are the themes of my writing all the way back to when I was 8, are identity. 321 00:44:44.390 --> 00:44:50.500 Dani Abernathy: self-discovery, self-love, religion, and societal expectations and roles. 322 00:44:50.770 --> 00:44:56.310 Dani Abernathy: The point of this book is, you can only accept your power once you accept yourself 323 00:44:56.600 --> 00:45:05.880 Dani Abernathy: so you can see clearly how the pretense mirrors this point. Right. It gives an opportunity for Valia to learn this point. 324 00:45:06.310 --> 00:45:15.220 Dani Abernathy: and the core elements that I chose to focus on were religion, government, and like personal development through this magical thing. So 325 00:45:16.910 --> 00:45:20.950 Dani Abernathy: yeah, this idea of self self actualization. I had to put a lot of thought into. 326 00:45:21.680 --> 00:45:23.549 Dani Abernathy: So let me tell you a story. Oh. 327 00:45:25.520 --> 00:45:27.952 Dani Abernathy: let me tell you a story about 328 00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:50.750 Dani Abernathy: the process of writing this book. So I was working on this book. I was in a critique group, and I had a there's a person in my critique group who I greatly admire, who's a wonderful writer, and I was working in my world building and kind of struggling with it, trying to figure out how this magic worked and all that kind of stuff, and he suggested that I tie the world, the the earth 329 00:45:50.750 --> 00:46:06.159 Dani Abernathy: to the magic, and that I established the symbiotic relationship between the earth and the people. So, as as the people suffered, the earth would suffer, and vice versa. As the people prospered and were healthy and and nourished the earth. 330 00:46:06.210 --> 00:46:08.560 Dani Abernathy: it would come back to them positively. 331 00:46:08.660 --> 00:46:22.569 Dani Abernathy: So I I was like, oh, my gosh! This is such a great idea. And I admire my friend so much, and he's such a good writer. Yeah, I'm gonna take this idea. And so I developed my book and my world and my magic around this idea. 332 00:46:23.200 --> 00:46:27.669 Dani Abernathy: and I got like all the way through. I got through plotting and everything, and then I 333 00:46:28.020 --> 00:46:32.199 Dani Abernathy: I send it to my book coach, and I was like, I don't think this is right. 334 00:46:32.730 --> 00:46:37.770 Dani Abernathy: cause I don't think this is actually the story I wouldn't tell, and I realized 335 00:46:37.950 --> 00:46:45.350 Dani Abernathy: I had been developing my world around my friends themes I had been developing. I'd been creating 336 00:46:45.630 --> 00:46:56.039 Dani Abernathy: their book, not the book I wanted to write I'd be been creating the book they wanted me to write, and it's not like my friend intended to lead me astray or anything. It's just that 337 00:46:56.190 --> 00:47:02.620 Dani Abernathy: I needed to get clear about what was important to me in the story and why I was writing it. 338 00:47:03.260 --> 00:47:13.509 Dani Abernathy: So that's why it's important to know your roots and your tree trunk because it will help you write the story you want to tell, not the story someone else wants you to tell. 339 00:47:15.360 --> 00:47:21.080 Dani Abernathy: Don't build your world in a vacuum. Build your world around your point. 340 00:47:23.010 --> 00:47:29.710 Dani Abernathy: Okay? So again, I have questions to help you think about your world building in the workbook. 341 00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:34.000 Dani Abernathy: There's questions for finding your themes, your point and developing your world. 342 00:47:34.633 --> 00:47:41.846 Dani Abernathy: You can get that at Danny abernathy.com slash fantasy week 24. You can also scan that QR code. 343 00:47:43.910 --> 00:47:47.690 Dani Abernathy: So I want to remind you that we're aiming for good enough 344 00:47:47.950 --> 00:47:53.710 Dani Abernathy: with all these elements. We're aiming for good enough perfection is going to slow you down, and it's going to hold you back. 345 00:47:54.331 --> 00:48:04.940 Dani Abernathy: You do not have to know every detail of your world to move forward, you will discover more as you write and revise. So what do you need to know right now? 346 00:48:06.000 --> 00:48:10.889 Dani Abernathy: How much do you need to know right now what are the most important questions to answer? 347 00:48:11.960 --> 00:48:15.270 Dani Abernathy: Do what you can, and then take the next step 348 00:48:15.300 --> 00:48:17.249 Dani Abernathy: and expect to come back. 349 00:48:17.800 --> 00:48:22.589 Dani Abernathy: Okay. It does not mean you are failing when you have to go back. It means that you are 350 00:48:22.610 --> 00:48:27.339 Dani Abernathy: doing the work you're you're progressing. You're doing things well 351 00:48:27.580 --> 00:48:31.629 Dani Abernathy: because you were learning more. And you were strengthening your story as you learn more. 352 00:48:32.830 --> 00:48:36.952 Dani Abernathy: Okay? So we're gonna do some questions. That was. 353 00:48:37.450 --> 00:48:45.713 Dani Abernathy: that was the end of my presentation, but I would love to stay connected with you. So here are a few ways you can stay connected. 354 00:48:46.480 --> 00:49:08.160 Dani Abernathy: I'm having a pop up coaching call on May third. So this is free to everyone who's on my email list. And you will have the opportunity to ask me questions about your book and get some coaching from me. Coaching is my favorite thing to do with writers, so if you would like to get the information for that call. You can get the workbook or sign up for my newsletter, and you'll get that in a week or so. 355 00:49:08.580 --> 00:49:12.620 Dani Abernathy: I also have an untapped writing superpower quiz on my website. 356 00:49:12.690 --> 00:49:19.190 Dani Abernathy: And this helps you figure out your untapped writing super power, and where you what strength you need to grow next. 357 00:49:19.400 --> 00:49:23.139 Dani Abernathy: you can follow me on Instagram at Danny Abernathy, author. 358 00:49:23.610 --> 00:49:25.249 Dani Abernathy: I'm also on Pinterest. 359 00:49:25.370 --> 00:49:28.908 Dani Abernathy: I can't remember what my name is. There something like that? 360 00:49:29.610 --> 00:49:39.576 Dani Abernathy: And if you've been during this presentation if you've been like. Yes, yes, yes, and you've been feeling like that tingly kind of nervousness like, Oh, my gosh! 361 00:49:39.970 --> 00:49:45.949 Dani Abernathy: Is this the person I need to work with. Please go check out the rooted writers mentorship on my website and just 362 00:49:46.850 --> 00:49:51.939 Dani Abernathy: see if it might be for you I love to. I would love to talk to you about whether it is for you. 363 00:49:52.660 --> 00:49:53.520 Dani Abernathy: Okay. 364 00:49:54.490 --> 00:50:00.159 Dani Abernathy: so let me stop sharing my screen here. I'm gonna open up the Q. And a 365 00:50:04.500 --> 00:50:05.380 Dani Abernathy: okay. 366 00:50:07.390 --> 00:50:14.199 Dani Abernathy: how helpful are world building techniques and travel writing? I mean, they're helpful. 367 00:50:14.821 --> 00:50:21.219 Dani Abernathy: It depends on whether you're writing nonfiction or fiction like memoir. 368 00:50:21.576 --> 00:50:27.119 Dani Abernathy: So the way you approach it, you're obviously not gonna have all the aspects. And your your 369 00:50:28.650 --> 00:50:36.569 Dani Abernathy: you're writing off of what is actually exists versus something you make up. And so the way you approach it will be different. But you can still sort of 370 00:50:36.760 --> 00:50:40.720 Dani Abernathy: builds the world if if there's a common thread. 371 00:50:40.810 --> 00:50:44.489 Dani Abernathy: you know that you're following in your travel writing, you know you can 372 00:50:45.130 --> 00:50:48.839 Dani Abernathy: choose the world building aspects. That kind of reflect that thread. 373 00:50:49.850 --> 00:51:01.990 Dani Abernathy: Joshua. The ancient Greeks understood that story was a driving force of education for teaching the next generation to the extent that Plato argued that the bad poets who told stories 374 00:51:02.300 --> 00:51:04.760 Dani Abernathy: of the gods being human-like. 375 00:51:04.910 --> 00:51:13.239 Dani Abernathy: IE. Sin should be banned, and children should only be fed. Stories of moral justice and good in order to raise moral children. What do I think of Plato's argument? 376 00:51:13.630 --> 00:51:20.770 Dani Abernathy: I think that there's nothing wrong with stories that are just for fun. I think we need stories that are just for fun. 377 00:51:20.850 --> 00:51:25.600 Dani Abernathy: And I think we need both right. So we need stories that 378 00:51:26.430 --> 00:51:27.710 Dani Abernathy: challenge us 379 00:51:28.400 --> 00:51:32.529 Dani Abernathy: that show us someone else's world. And we need stories that are comforting. 380 00:51:33.515 --> 00:51:35.339 Dani Abernathy: Yeah, that's what I think. 381 00:51:35.760 --> 00:51:41.679 Dani Abernathy: What happens if you're a pancer and you don't plan out your books. Yeah. So Lj, 382 00:51:42.160 --> 00:51:53.780 Dani Abernathy: I've got pancors in the mentorship, and what I recommend is that you know a few pieces of your book. So, for example, your point know your point. If you can 383 00:51:54.402 --> 00:51:58.110 Dani Abernathy: know how you want your protagonists to change and 384 00:51:58.630 --> 00:52:01.069 Dani Abernathy: potentially a few plot points 385 00:52:01.080 --> 00:52:09.579 Dani Abernathy: and then go into your story just so that you have a direction, and you have an idea of what you want to write about. The other option is, pants. 386 00:52:09.790 --> 00:52:11.409 Dani Abernathy: pants your heart out. 387 00:52:11.460 --> 00:52:15.550 Dani Abernathy: and then come back and assess your story and apply all of these steps. 388 00:52:15.700 --> 00:52:27.349 Dani Abernathy: You have to. If you want your book to be impactful and to speak to people, you have to be purposeful about it at some point. But the time at which you are purposeful can change. 389 00:52:28.490 --> 00:52:30.480 Dani Abernathy: Okay, let's see. 390 00:52:32.610 --> 00:52:35.070 Dani Abernathy: Muhammad, how can we engage 391 00:52:35.320 --> 00:52:46.979 Dani Abernathy: in the process of world building. If our story has excessive fantasy elements, when does adding too much magic or fantastical elements risk breaking the reader's suspension of disbelief and detract from the story we're trying to tell. 392 00:52:47.020 --> 00:52:50.047 Dani Abernathy: So that might be a question of 393 00:52:50.620 --> 00:53:02.279 Dani Abernathy: for example, this is a really great great question for Beta readers. Right? So what we don't want is we don't want to give so much world building or so much detail that we're no longer in the story, and we're just learning about the history of the world. 394 00:53:02.630 --> 00:53:20.799 Dani Abernathy: Now, different readers have different tolerances for world building. How much world building you give them, how much history you give them. You know, I'm thinking of someone in my community who I know is all about the world building, and is happy to just go into all the details. I less so. I'm like. 395 00:53:20.820 --> 00:53:28.040 Dani Abernathy: I don't care about 7 generations of kings, please. Can we stay with the story? So it's really about knowing, first of all. 396 00:53:28.490 --> 00:53:33.100 Dani Abernathy: What kind of writer or reader you are writing to, and then 397 00:53:34.340 --> 00:53:42.819 Dani Abernathy: assessing for yourself and having other people help you determine. You know what is necessary for the story. 398 00:53:42.900 --> 00:53:49.450 Dani Abernathy: And where does my world building actually distract from the story and pull the reader away? 399 00:53:50.560 --> 00:53:56.530 Dani Abernathy: Can escapism be a theme or method? Yeah, I mean, if you want to write. 400 00:53:57.040 --> 00:54:03.239 Dani Abernathy: just to give your readers a good time or a break, or to help them relax like that is totally valid. 401 00:54:03.772 --> 00:54:08.199 Dani Abernathy: And so in that case you might build your world 402 00:54:08.560 --> 00:54:22.994 Dani Abernathy: just to find all the cool things you can, you know. So the way you build that story might be different now. You could also be saying something about escapism, as your point. Like you could be saying, we need escapism or 403 00:54:23.660 --> 00:54:28.890 Dani Abernathy: We shouldn't have escapism, and in that case that would look different. That would be more 404 00:54:29.060 --> 00:54:32.460 Dani Abernathy: more of building your world in relation to your point 405 00:54:33.910 --> 00:54:40.979 Dani Abernathy: is the point of the story, the same as the theme, or more like a log line premise. So the point is 406 00:54:41.260 --> 00:54:45.569 Dani Abernathy: so a log line premise often speaks about plot. 407 00:54:45.580 --> 00:54:47.419 Dani Abernathy: and the point 408 00:54:48.010 --> 00:54:52.340 Dani Abernathy: is like a theme. So let me give an example. 409 00:54:52.800 --> 00:54:59.289 Dani Abernathy: Let's say you're writing about the theme of environmentalism or the theme. Let me think of something else. 410 00:54:59.630 --> 00:55:06.299 Dani Abernathy: Let's say you're writing about AI artificial intelligence. That is a theme that you were writing about. 411 00:55:06.710 --> 00:55:20.910 Dani Abernathy: The point is what you are saying about that theme. So it is more specific. It is your opinion you are. You are taking a stance. You are making a statement about AI, and that is the point. 412 00:55:21.240 --> 00:55:27.190 Dani Abernathy: So there are lots of points possible points under the theme of artificial intelligence. 413 00:55:30.860 --> 00:55:32.620 Dani Abernathy: Let's see. 414 00:55:35.780 --> 00:55:39.439 Dani Abernathy: how does the point differ from theme? I hope I just answered that question. 415 00:55:39.972 --> 00:55:44.500 Dani Abernathy: can a bold point be emphasized in a bold character? 416 00:55:45.450 --> 00:55:55.080 Dani Abernathy: So I'm not sure I totally understand the question, but the way I teach character formation. Is that your protagonist, for example? 417 00:55:56.218 --> 00:56:10.879 Dani Abernathy: They learn a version of your point. So in the beginning they believe something that is not your point, and by the end of the book they have learned their version of your point. And so you will, you will. Your character will demonstrate the point. 418 00:56:13.090 --> 00:56:15.629 Dani Abernathy: yeah, I don't know if I quite answered your question. 419 00:56:15.710 --> 00:56:17.600 Dani Abernathy: but you can let me know in the chat. 420 00:56:17.660 --> 00:56:37.980 Dani Abernathy: Should you use your point in the blurb you certainly can. In the Rudy writers mentorship. We write a version of book jacket copy that's for us as the writer, and as our community to know what the story is about, and we do include the point in that. But I think it's good to at least hint at the point 421 00:56:38.270 --> 00:56:39.619 Dani Abernathy: in the blurb. 422 00:56:39.980 --> 00:56:43.650 Dani Abernathy: but whether you use it explicitly or not may depend. 423 00:56:44.100 --> 00:56:47.860 Dani Abernathy: How do you identify your target, reader? Should your points come first. 424 00:56:48.380 --> 00:56:49.720 Dani Abernathy: I 425 00:56:50.690 --> 00:56:52.659 Dani Abernathy: I think it can come either way. 426 00:56:53.130 --> 00:56:57.379 Dani Abernathy: and it might also change as well. So like. One writer in the mentorship 427 00:56:57.760 --> 00:57:00.200 Dani Abernathy: realized that 428 00:57:00.280 --> 00:57:07.759 Dani Abernathy: they weren't speaking to someone who already knew their point. They were speaking to someone who didn't, and so they wanted to adjust their points a little bit, to kind of 429 00:57:07.810 --> 00:57:11.900 Dani Abernathy: embrace and include where that person was starting. 430 00:57:12.885 --> 00:57:18.210 Dani Abernathy: In the order that that I go in in the mentorship, which is flexible is 431 00:57:18.310 --> 00:57:22.040 Dani Abernathy: is, we think, about who you're writing to first. No, do we? 432 00:57:22.954 --> 00:57:28.095 Dani Abernathy: They come about the same time. They're both port of your tree drunk, and so they kind of inform each other. 433 00:57:30.370 --> 00:57:33.099 Dani Abernathy: so there's not. There's not a single way to do it 434 00:57:33.270 --> 00:57:36.100 Dani Abernathy: as long as as long as 435 00:57:36.340 --> 00:57:40.509 Dani Abernathy: your point speaks to your target, reader, either way is fine. 436 00:57:42.090 --> 00:58:07.340 Dani Abernathy: My point in my novel would be similar to a cliche. Lisha Kron's idea. You are only as worthy as you believe you are, or everyone has a different version vision of self worth your point is almost always gonna be be cliche, and that is because we are distilling 100,000 words down into like 10 or 20 right? It can't help but be cliche, and that's on purpose. It doesn't mean that your book is, gonna be cliche, or that you should find a different point. 437 00:58:07.763 --> 00:58:11.209 Dani Abernathy: You just want the cliche to resonate with you. 438 00:58:12.390 --> 00:58:19.564 Dani Abernathy: If we write a series, does the point change for every book in the series? Or does the point stay the same? That's a great question. So 439 00:58:19.870 --> 00:58:23.699 Dani Abernathy: in the mentorship, when we talk about series, I have a whole excel sheet. 440 00:58:24.240 --> 00:58:46.569 Dani Abernathy: I also have a non excel version, because I know some people don't like excel sheets. But so we wanna find the point for your whole series. It so, assuming that your series has an arc, a story arc and is not like, for example, a murder mystery, where your characters, just solving a different murder. Assuming there is an arc of change throughout the whole story, which in most fantasy series. That's the case. 441 00:58:47.270 --> 00:58:55.759 Dani Abernathy: Your series will have a point, and then each book will also have its own individual point. And so the points of the individual books 442 00:58:55.890 --> 00:59:04.330 Dani Abernathy: are either a facet of your point or a step toward your ultimate point. So they're each going to have their own points. 443 00:59:04.540 --> 00:59:05.435 Dani Abernathy: That 444 00:59:06.740 --> 00:59:09.110 Dani Abernathy: connect to the series. Point. 445 00:59:11.732 --> 00:59:15.250 Dani Abernathy: Okay, what time is it we are? 446 00:59:15.840 --> 00:59:19.590 Dani Abernathy: I think maybe we've got point for one or time for one or 2 more questions. 447 00:59:19.830 --> 00:59:27.780 Dani Abernathy: Do you have any advice for writing point of views that explore the same point, but from totally different sites. Yes, so this is 448 00:59:28.120 --> 00:59:40.589 Dani Abernathy: one of the ways we develop our cast of characters in the mentorship. And so once you know your point, your protagonist. Usually, if they're if they have a positive character arc where they learn 449 00:59:40.910 --> 00:59:49.219 Dani Abernathy: the point they will learn the point, and but then your other characters, especially your antagonist. Your antagonist is going to have some. Usually 450 00:59:49.290 --> 00:59:55.840 Dani Abernathy: they're gonna believe, some something that is the opposite of your point, and then you can also know. 451 00:59:57.407 --> 01:00:10.520 Dani Abernathy: you can figure out how each of your secondary characters views the point. What do they think about the point? So if you're writing about love. For example, what do they think about love? This is also a place where we bring in the enigram, because it's really helpful. 452 01:00:10.670 --> 01:00:12.370 Dani Abernathy: Okay, last question. 453 01:00:13.320 --> 01:00:21.379 Dani Abernathy: what if your point is to entertain? What if I don't want to have a point to my book? Just tell a story, IE. The moral of the story is, they had a good time. 454 01:00:21.390 --> 01:00:22.900 Dani Abernathy: So, Michael. 455 01:00:24.760 --> 01:00:30.409 Dani Abernathy: a lot of times. It's not uncommon for people to be like, I don't want to have a point that's gonna make my book 456 01:00:30.610 --> 01:00:36.169 Dani Abernathy: terrible right? Like I'm gonna be preaching at my reader. Why would I want to do that? So 457 01:00:36.600 --> 01:00:42.039 Dani Abernathy: if you don't know your point. It is hard to know what choices to make in your book. 458 01:00:42.200 --> 01:00:50.100 Dani Abernathy: and having a point is going to help, you know. Does this belong, or does this not belong? So your point may be 459 01:00:50.890 --> 01:00:55.810 Dani Abernathy: we deserve to have a good time, or zombies are bad. Let's kill them all, or something like. 460 01:00:56.580 --> 01:00:58.260 Dani Abernathy: what am I trying to say? 461 01:01:01.980 --> 01:01:04.990 Dani Abernathy: If you don't have a point, it's hard to know if you're going in the right direction. 462 01:01:05.240 --> 01:01:08.540 Dani Abernathy: and whether the point comes across as like a 463 01:01:08.620 --> 01:01:11.219 Dani Abernathy: sermon or not is about how you write it. 464 01:01:11.500 --> 01:01:13.479 Dani Abernathy: and not about whether you have a point. 465 01:01:14.084 --> 01:01:22.735 Dani Abernathy: So I encourage you to at least play with the idea of having a point almost. I mean, I haven't found a piece of writing or a story that doesn't have a point yet. 466 01:01:24.530 --> 01:01:26.230 Dani Abernathy: so yeah, that's what I think. 467 01:01:27.110 --> 01:01:33.050 Dani Abernathy: Okay, thank you all so much. This is so lovely. It's always wonderful being with you. 468 01:01:33.280 --> 01:01:50.189 Michelle @ ProWritingAid: Thank you, Danny. This was a great session. Thank you. To everybody who attended the special links that we shared today are on the hub. The slides and the replay will be up shortly. So we will see you in just under an hour for our next session. Until then have a great time. Bye, everybody.