I haven't worked on Hellfire Catharsis in forever.

Chagen

My book series is still lying in a notebook, not published. I haven't even sent a manuscript in yet. What happened? I used to ge in trouble last year in school, because I was writing instead of doing work. I always got at least 3 pages done a day, and I would show my friend, and we'd have kickass fun coming up with crazy ideas and trying to make them work and not mess up the story (I'm going to credit him if I ever publish it). By the end of 8th grade last year, I had writteb about 200 pages in this little green notebook. Then I rebooted the series, started writing in this small black one, and got about 100 pages in. Then I stopped. I don't know why. I just lost my motivation. I just stopped writing at the incredible pace I did last year. I haven't picked it up again. I need to soon. Not like it would be that popular anyway. Most publishing companies would probably reject it, for a few reasons: 1.The characters are mostly European, not American. The main character is French, and his girlfriend is Saudi Arabian. 2. The series is heavily anime-inspired-it's pratically a light novel series. 3. The plot is kinda complicated and the books are written for a more nerdy audience than most Young Adult books. 4. The books contain a lot of things that conservatives would slam like crazy--mostly european characters, HoYay and LesYay, magic, the main characters is a sort of anti-hero who has no problem with killing, one of the character's family summons demons from hell to fight for her (she's also one of the few american characters, they'd probably say I was trying to call all Americans evil and demons), etc. I still would like to publish it, though. Maybe I'll start work on a manuscript soon.

Vorpy

3. The plot is kinda complicated and the books are written for a more nerdy audience than most Young Adult books.

That's usually not a problem if you can add things that can appeal to a wide audience as well. Like fanservice, action or drama.

4.
The books contain a lot of things that conservatives would slam like
crazy--mostly european characters, HoYay and LesYay, magic, the main
characters is a sort of anti-hero who has no problem with killing, one
of the character's family summons demons from hell to fight for her (she's also one of the few american characters, they'd probably say I was trying to call all Americans evil and demons), etc.

That seems to be quite normal for most shows, no need to worry about the political side of a fiction story.

nohaynicklibre

@Point 4

If Game of Thrones got published, I don't think your book will have any problem

Ponicalica

I'd say your biggest problem is writing a series called «Hellfire Catharsis».

All Nines

"I haven't even sent a manuscript in yet."

Good. You're only fifteen. You shouldn't bother worrying about that now, especially since no respectable publishing company would take a manuscript from a fifteen-year-old anyway.

Anyway, as for a response that actually means something and can help you: that is how imaginative thought and creativity work; they're always shifting and evolving. If you lose interest in the idea and can't find the will to write about it, that might mean that you really weren't enjoying doing so anyway.

As for your reasons why a publisher wouldn't take it:

1. Considering how popular the Harry Potter series is in America, I'm not sure how much bearing the nationalities of the characters will have on a publishing company's decision, as long as your series is actually well-written and entertaining. I wouldn't know, though, so don't take my word for it.

2. As long as you don't have your characters spouting off weeabooisms, you should be fine.

3. Then it can probably be advertised as such. Better yet, don't aim it at a specific age group. Or give your audience more credit, especially if they're going to be reading fantasy.

4. You can't, as an aspiring writer, let the opinions of groups like that get to you. The audience you would be aiming at would not have any problems with it, which is what matters.

^^ Yes, but Chuggles would rather pass it off as Young Adult, which Game of Thrones most certainly is not.

Chagen

Poni:Blame Disgaea 3. Also, the title simply means "a purge of hellfire". And only the first book is named that.

Everest:I was enjoying it a lot. But then I just stopped. I really don't know why.

All Nines

That's the other thing about creativity and imagination: there's no logic to it. One day you might think that an idea is hot shit; the next, you'll move on to something you think is better. It happens to everyone.

Chagen

Except I still love the series, given that I've spent the past few weeks dreaming up a fighting game for it.

And if I ever make that animation company, animating all the books will be one of my top projects.

All Nines

The fact that you have time to hang around here, but not the time or motivation to work on this series, tells me that you simply have more fun doing other stuff and have yet to accept it. Just calling it as I see it. And there's still no logic to the imaginative process. That was my main point; I was merely providing an example.

Chagen

I can't work on the series right now because I'm at school.

I put a lot of work in this. I'm not giving it up.

All Nines

Then when you're at home, take a break from IJBM and write the damn thing, if you care about it so much. Or, since this is such an important project, save it for a point in the future where you are a more fluent writer, if you want it to meet the standards of publication. Going back to it after a long time of not doing anything might be reinvigorating.

Just a few suggestions.

Vorpy

inb4 Edmania goes "sunk cost fallacy"

I put a lot of work in this. I'm not giving it up.

Make sure to carefully budget your time and KNOW what the process is before you reach the climax.

I made that mistake with my story writing all of the awesome/dramatic/heart-wrenching shit first then realizing it had no build-up, and people did not want to be bored for so long before the characters they don't care about shock and awe them.

Make them interesting throughout the entire story.

Chagen

I know what you mean.

One of the problems with the series as of know is that it drags on and on and on. The prologue for the first book was really bad for this--it toom forever to get to the interesting part, and that part doesn't even make sense or is explained until the fifth book.

But I did like subverting The Dumbledore. This series shares some similarities with Harry Potter due to both having Wizarding Schools, but there are a lot of differences.

Trash_Vortex

"Hellfire Catharsis" is a brilliant name for a band, though.

Yeah, that's really all I came in to say.

Please start a band. I want Hellfire Catharsis' first album. I don't even care what it sounds like.

Stormtroper

...fifth book?

May I suggest thinking smaller for your first projects?

Nyktos

4. The books contain a lot of things that conservatives would slam like
crazy--mostly european characters, HoYay and LesYay, magic, the main
characters is a sort of anti-hero who has no problem with killing, one
of the character's family summons demons from hell to fight for her (she's also one of the few american characters, they'd probably say I was trying to call all Americans evil and demons), etc.

Dude, lots of books have stuff like that. Have you read any American urban fantasy at all? Just so long as you don't become popular enough that a significant amount of the fundies' children start reading you, they aren't even going to notice you.

Chagen

Well, assuming that against all odds and all the lights in the sky align and I do become famous, having to deal with the stupid from the right will get annoying very fast.

IanExMachina

@Chagen

1.The characters are mostly European, not American. The main character is French, and his girlfriend isSaudi Arabian.

Why are their nationalities in italics?

DYRE

Scare italics?

Also, what happened to the captial "F" in "HellFire"?

Vivi

What about the stupid from the left Chagen?

FrodoGoofballCoTV

@Chuggles:

There are some who would try to discourage others from writing, on the theory a true writer / artist needs no encouragement.  I will offer something different:

Don't look at Hellfire Catharsis (which I'll call "HC") as an old shame because you have left it unfinished for a long time.  Look at as an opportunity to create something for your own enjoyment.

• If you'd rather be doing something else, than just leave HC as it is, uncompleted, and move on.
• If you'd rather continue HC, then work on it and don't worry about what other people think about the basic concept.  Instead, focus on making HC as good as it can be, given what you choose to make it.  If it is truely good, people will enjoy it even if it offends them.  But even if it isn't, you'll enjoy it, and that's why you should be doing it in the first place.
• Maybe you want to do HC as something different than what it is currently, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Chagen

Ian:It was to point out how they were not just not Americans, but also two ethnicities that Americans mock (French) or hate (Saudi Arabians).

And we know Conservatives flip out when books for teens don't have pure wholesome Christian freedom-loving Americans Aryans for the main characters.

Chagen

Okay, I think I just made this story a lot better.

I added this plot element that really changes up the series--not completely, but definitely a lot.



I've added this "Magic World (still need a good name for it)" to the
series. Before, Hellfire Catharsis was an Urban Fantasy--our world, but
with magic dropped in. This, however, was odd--if they had magic, why
did everyone use things like cars and computers? So, I've altered it.



There are now two Earths in the world of Hellfire Catharsis. Ours and
another one. This other Earth is distinctly magical--in fact, combat
level magic can only be done in it (barring the use of an item which lets you maintain a "tether" to this other Earth, but it's hard to make, extremely expensive, and very draining on the body). As such, almost all magical fights
happen in it. The map of this world is the exact same as ours--their
America is where ours is, and so on. However, this world is filled with
many different magical things--think High Fantasy mixed with Cyber Punk
and Gear Punk (with some Diesel Punk thrown in for good measure).



This other Earth is accessible only through portals in our world. They
either occur naturally (rare) or can be built--this is done by linking
the two worlds together with magic. Any respectable town has a few of
these portals for use at any time (literally, all you have to do is
jump in them and you're off).



Portals can also be force made by one person, but they're weak and and
die very quickly--usually one a few people can get in it before it
closes.



(By the way, given that a portal can lead anywhere one wishes, it's
possible to make a portal to the other Earth, go in it, then make a
portal to another place on Earth and go through that, making traveling
long distances take less than 10 minutes. This requires so much energy
that it's impossible for any group larger than about 2-3 people,
however)



So far as we know, humans are the only creature capable of accessing these portals. All humans
in Hellfire Catharsis can use magic, but given that most don't really
have any need to be in this other Earth, very few excercise their
combat abilities often.



There are many links between the two earths, and some intelligent
people have abused this. For example, it's possible to hide something
by placing a lockable chest in a room on one Earth, and then putting
its key on the other Earth. Items traveling between each Earth are
destroyed. The trick to opening it is using a item (still don't have a
name for it yet...) that "crosses over" the two worlds (basically, you
see what's in both worlds at the same time)--the key and chest will
appear at the same time, so you can safely open the chest. Given how
difficult crossing-over is, it's unlikely most will be able to do
this--if they can even figure it out.



----



This is the basic idea. I have a few things to finalize:



1) I had the idea to make it so that going into a portal to the other Earth can cause you not only to go to a different place, but also to a different time as well. I'm uneasy about this because then we involve time travel and the whole thing might become a mess.

2) I'm not sure whether or not to have people living in this other Earth. My original plan said no, but having this huge planet and not having a single person inside it is....strange. Still not sure.

TheConductor

Number one rule for aspiring authors: Don't talk about your book. The more you talk about it, the less likely you are to actually write it.

Fact.

Chagen

I've heard that many times.

TheConductor

I'll tell you why for; See as you talk about your story, you build it up. And the more and more you build it up, the harder it gets for you to write it!

Chagen

That is a problem.

I find having to wait and not tell anyone what happens (so they read it for themselves) to be the hardest part, though.

TheConductor

Oh I understand, I've been in the very same position.

Forzare

I tried to write a book once.

I got like 20 pages in.

That was only like a month ago, though. Maybe I should try to start that up again.

Chagen

I got about 200 pages into Hellfire Catharsis's first book, actually.

But this new idea I have will require completely scrapping them, so it's not like it helped much.

IanExMachina

Whilst it is your idea etc.

I feel the idea of a second magic earth a bit underwhelming, I feel you could come up with something more unique to explain why cars and computers were being used.