Elements of Enchanted Forests: On Writing Child of the Forest
Child of the Forest is a fantasy Novella that explores the parallel stories of 10-year-old Charlotte Aulden and how she came to leave the enchanted forest she once called home, and 20-year-old Charlotte Aulden returning to the forest where she was born to uncover the truth, and to lay it to rest. The stories come together to explain the very event that caused Charlotte to leave her home in the first place, the Fall of Magic, an event that caused a great deal of upheaval in this secondary world. The critical piece expands upon the worldbuilding, supported by the idea of soft worldbuilding and expanding on the world only when the characters knowledge allows it, giving the reader a more intimate experience. In addition, the magic system is also explored, going into ideas on what magic is, and what happens when it is gone, which is an important part of 20-year-old Charlotte’s story. With two storylines to consider, the critical piece dives into how the storylines are made to fit within one another by placing scenes in the correct position and revealing information at precisely the right moment. With the use of two distinct Storylines comes the use of two different main characters. Though they share the same name and memories, younger and older Charlotte are distinct from one another through the elders recent experiences and growth. Covering the more technically challenging aspects of the Novella, the critical piece provides an insight into how the world and the story was constructed.
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