This week: Levels of Expertise Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Fantasy Newsletter by Dawn
Taking a look at different activities and how, even in fantasy, there might be levels one can aspire to while learning the craft. Sort of like, how someone becomes a knight. It takes time and effort to become worthy of the title. |
One of the common commercials that I've had to hear this month has been for a food competition that also included the help of pumpkin carvers. Baking and horror sounds strange but with all of the different types of cake and cupcake competitions, any holiday or movie could become magical confectionary displays. Halloween is included and this show has "elite pumpkin carvers" to help create the haunting displays.
What really caught my attention was the elite pumpkin carver factor, if that wasn't obvious by the title. It is sort of interesting with all of the different jobs and skills out there, that such a thing exists. I am a beginner because well, I never really try to deal with pumpkins. But there are people out there who manage to work their way up in the levels each season to now be considered the best.
This brought me to start pondering how, in fictional worlds, there are probably different levels of skill from terrible to elite, or whatever it is that comes after that. It's a topic that should come up because you don't want the main character or even secondary characters to be amazing at everything. That might seem cool but ends up being more boring, instead. You don't want everyone to be a master swordsman, elite chef or an expert butter maker. Could make a fun combination in one person but as you might know already, readers do appreciate characters with flaws. This means that our characters have to be at a variety of levels, not just the elite.
I did end up doing this in my own standard, epic fantasy story. While there is one elf very good at weaponry and magic, there is another that well... not so good. In his defense, magic isn't taught because people fear those that can use it. But for the other things, he has had lessons. He is terrible with a sword and only mildly okay with a bow and arrow. This gives him a chance to get closer to the other elf, who tried to teach him so that he can at least protect himself, or not risk hurting himself instead.
It might be where the whole master training a student aspect comes in handy, which some use in fantasy. This is one way to show a character who doesn't know everything yet and needs help getting better. And the character can improve during the story. But they don't all need to become experts and perfect at a task.
Another option is to use the terrible or not great at something aspect as a method of help when the big conflict scene arises. Sure, an expert fighter or someone who knows everything about mechanics might help but then there is that moment where a knife gets let go by accident and it ends up helping out of sheer luck. Granted, we can't have that happen all of the time. But there is a time and place for sheer luck, just like everything else. And it doesn't have to always be about battle and weapons or even for the end of the novel.
The conflict could start with a mismanaged spell or the character attempting to act like they were better at something than the skills they actually possess. It all depends on the trifecta in writing these: character, conflict and setting. And even if someone is really good at something, that doesn't mean others around them understand or appreciate that fact. Some might be jealous. Others just have different interests. Like, there are people who are really good at American Football. I don't get the appeal. Never have and doubt that I ever will but other people will find watching that sport very entertaining. Same can go in a magic world with different topics and levels of disinterest. It's all in how you write things.
So, if you are bored and not going crazy preparing and starting to write a novel in November, I suggest trying this out. Pick out three characters from your sci-fi or fantasy world. Write down some things they are really good at but make sure it's a variety and not all just in one category. Now, come up with a few things they are very bad at on a detrimental level. Next comes the story writing but make sure to mix one mid-range thing into the mix that they do without really even thinking about it, like reading while walking or something else on the mundane side. You just might come up with an interesting scene.
And if you are novel writing. Good luck! And listen to this in the voice of Dory from Finding Nemo: just keep writing. 
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| |  | Tiki (E)
An Earth tourist on an alien world buys an unfortunate souvenir.
#2348759 by Chris24   |
| | The Write-A-Thon (ASR)
A walkathon fundraiser... but for writers and those who want to sponsor writers' efforts!
#1546312 by Jeff  |
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Do you have characters with different levels of expertise in certain activities or skills?
Last month, I discussed recycling and trash aspects that might be relevant for fantasy and science fiction stories. Here is one comment sent back over that topic:
Comment by BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  :
If there's a scavenger society - of any sort - all three options are possible. For instance, in my John Wrangler saga, Feral Humans will steal items from werewolves and vampires that they beat - clothes, weapons, and anything else that they can utilize - winter coats and jackets tend to get repurposed as armor akin to a Medieval Gambeson, with additional hide and cloth padding, which helps protect the humans in fights with other enemies.
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Fantasy: October 29, 2025 Issue [#13421]
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