Check out FF&P’s
upcoming workshops:
CONFLICT OF MYTH
03/03/2014 – 03/16/2014
Myths have been called collective, shared dreams, and come to us from virtually all civilizations which have existed for the last 7,000 years. This workshop, influenced by the philosophies of Joseph Campbell and Manly Hall, will focus on selected Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Celtic, and Native American myths to understand their esoteric themes and conflicts, which still ring true to the modern heart.
We’ll first look at the structure and components of myths and their meanings. Then, we’ll compare classical mythical conflicts to contemporary movies to develop a better understanding of how these ancient conflicts can play out on a modern stage. Finally, we’ll study how to incorporate these conflicts into our current work to resonate more deeply with our modern readers.
About the presenter, Susan Sipal
S.P. Sipal is published in fiction and nonfiction through articles, short stories, and a novel and is an editor at Musa Publishing. Best known as an analyst of the Harry Potter series, she’s spoken at numerous fan and writer conferences at the national, international, and online level. Her most recent release is a short story entitled “Lighting the Sacred Way,” set in ancient Ephesus, and included in Journeys of Wonder, volume 2.
For more info, click here.
DRAGONS ALONG SILK ROAD
AND BEYOND
03/03/2014 – 03/16/2014
Here, there be dragons! No matter where you go in the world, take a look at the folktales and the myths in the culture you’re in, and more likely than not you’ll find a mention of a dragon or two. Some of them will be described as green or gold or red, some of them will be described as having wings and some won’t, some of them will be described as having five claws, some four, some only three, some even have more than one head. The details don’t matter, though, because it’s clear that there are legends of dragons wherever you go.
Ranging from the dragons that play an important part in Chinese culture all the way to the legend of Quetzalcoatl found in Central American culture, they are all around us, whether or not we recognize them by name. Stories about dragons have been around as long as human society itself, and they reflect the society in which they reside. The term “dragon” itself is of Greek origin, meaning “a serpent or python,” and it can also mean “to see clearly.” Wherever the legend of the dragon appears, they represent society, culture, and wisdom (thus the “seeing clearly” part), since dragons are often referred to as having spiritual qualities.
Join Eilis Flynn and Jacquie Rogers as they take a trip around the world in search of dragons. Whether you make use of the legend of the dragon in your own stories doesn’t matter, because you’ll find that examining the legend of the dragon up close is really an examination of yourself and your story.
About the presenters, Eilis Flynn and Jacquie Rogers
Jacquie Rogers’ first burning desire was to be a baseball announcer, but that didn’t work out so she decided to write romance novels. Her latest novel is the third in the Much Ado western romance series, Much Ado About Mavericks. Faery Merry Christmas is her latest fantasy release. Jacquie is owner of Romancing The West, a popular western blog, and teaches online classes on various writing topics.
Eilis Flynn has spent a large share of her life working on Wall Street or in a Wall Street-related firm, so why should she write fiction that’s any more based in our world? She spends her days aware that there is a reality beyond what we can see … and tells stories about it. Published in finance, romance, and comic books, she lives in verdant Washington state with her equally fantastical husband and the ghosts of spoiled rotten cats.
For more info, click here.
To see FF&P’s full workshop schedule, click here.
To propose a future workshop, please contact me.
JILL ARCHER 
Interesting!! I’ll have to pass this along to some author I know will snatch these up. Thanks Jill!
Sounds great, Megan! 🙂
Dear Jill,
I came across your work on NA Alley and thought you would be an appropriate person to ask. I am a writer and think that my work is more NA than YA, but I’ve noticed that most NA fantasy focuses more on romance than anything else. I’m trying to feel out the genre for myself and I wanted to ask you…do you think there’s a place for NA fantasy that centers on a girl (18) and her adventures in apprenticeship? There is a love story in the series, but it’s not the focus. What are your thoughts?
I’d like to think that there’s always room for well written fantasy stories in the current and future market. And I, of course, love the idea of a fantasy adventure featuring an 18 year old apprentice with romantic elements. But I also think, if you present your story as “new adult” versus “fantasy” you’ll face some challenges. First, there’s the fact that even with all the attention new adult fiction has had, some people still don’t get it. Second, many of the books that have generated that attention have been contemporary, college romances, which may bear little resemblance to your story. So in using the label you risk disappointing some readers and missing others.
What stage are you in with the project? If you are still writing it, focus on craft. Make it the best story it possibly can be and be familiar with both fantasy and new adult reader expectations. If you’re searching for an agent, find out if they represent new adult fiction as well as fantasy.
Even if the new adult label doesn’t stick or it gels into a label that applies to only contemporary set stories, it’s made people sit up and take notice that readers want – and are willing to buy – genre fiction with 18-25 year-old MCs who struggle with “new adult” issues such as choosing a career, first real romance, self-identity, path in life, etc. Before new adult fiction began making headlines, pitching a story like that, and figuring out where to place it in the market, was incredibly difficult. Now it still is – but at least we’re having discussions like this and you have more options than you did in the past!
Good luck with your story. Your comment has got me thinking and I may do a follow up post. I hope you’ll stop back and keep us posted on your work!
Thanks for the thorough reply. I’ve been hearing varying degrees of your answer and I still haven’t quite decided to make the leap to NA. My series (I’m already writing the third novel) was originally intended for a YA audience, but as with any series that follows a character’s growth and progress (especially in fantasy) it’s gotten a lot darker with themes I’m not sure are appropriate for a YA audience. At least I’m not sure if the gatekeepers will be okay with sex. I think my best bet now is to continue researching this genre and discussing it with people like you. I just started your book and I look forward to learning more–it’s great.
Appreciate you checking out Dark Light of Day and glad to hear you’re enjoying it so far.
Have a great night!
[…] we’re going to be discussing is some specific advice for a writer who left a question for me here in the comments last month. (A big shout out and thank you to Fairytale Feminista, whose question served as partial […]
[…] Jill: Last month, a writer left a comment on my blog, which is paraphrased below. I’d love to hear your thoughts. (You can see her original question and my answer here). […]