In the last installment, I gave a hypothetical story called "Running the Gauntlet" to show how by applying "What if" techniques to the 'Lord of the Rings' you could come up with a unique foundation for a new story. I even bemoaned the fact that after thinking about it, my new story sounded pretty cool and here I had just given it away.

After reading the last newsletter, Siece, an online newsletter reader, wrote and said: "I agree...this does look like a good idea. Why not use it anyway? Allow me to explain. According to your newsletter, you're going to show us over the next several issues where ideas come from and how they develop, so, instead of giving away another idea at every stage, why not follow this same one all the way through? This would give readers a better idea of exactly how an idea changes over time, and, as an added bonus, might give them an special fans-only intro which could lead into a new series."

Well, Siece, I quite agree. So here we are going to develop and explore our exciting, new, non-existent epic, "Running the Gauntlet."

Before we get into the creation of things, however, it is time for me to drag out my handy bag of tools and dust them off. I need these tools to create and I consider them as much a part of my craft as saws and hammers are to a carpenter. I'm going to take a few minutes today and share them with you. They may not be the tools that you need to do your creation but they are the ones that I use repeatedly.

(For the record, I receive no endorsement compensation from any of the companies whose products I mention here. The only exception to this might be Screenplay Systems who occasionally sends me free updates for being so kind about their product in public -- but I purchased their products originally out of my own pocket -- and out of my own need for their capabilities. I just want you to know where I stand with all of this up front.)

On the top of my toolbox is my word processor ... no surprise there. Every writer needs one these days. I use MS Word to create my books. I've used Word for every book I think I've ever written. Its outlining capabilities come in very handy and I like that it tells me when I cannot remember how things are spelled. Over the years Word has actually IMPROVED my spelling (not all together, mind you, but it HAD improved). It is an old friend.

Some tools, however, I have just found they are VERY useful indeed. I like to think of them as the power tools in my toolbox.

The first powertools that I use is Dramatica . Once I have a story outlined, I reach for Dramatica to test its internal story structure. For me, it is indispensable in testing the foundation of my story structure and character relationships before I start writing. Most people also have the wrong idea about this program: it most definitely will NOT write your story for you. What it can and will do is show you where the holes in your story are, where your characters are weak or missing and where you need to consider revising the basic story to build a stronger structure.

Dramatica is an expensive program and it may not be for you at all. The folks over at Screenplay Systems know that ... which is why you can download a trial version of the program free from their site. The only difference between this demo and the full program is that you cannot save or print from the demo ... but you certainly can see all the tools it provides you.

All of this is also based on the Dramatica Theory of Story ... which you can also explore at http://www.dramatica.com.

Once I have an idea, I like to make it more concrete. General story concepts are fine but, as you may have already guessed, the world setting in very important to me.

Why should it be? Does it really matter to the story whether the doors are round and green? Who cares why some ancient empire died out and left a bunch of monster-laden ruins for us to tromp about in? Does any of that really matter to the story?

Perhaps not so much to the story but it certainly DOES matter to the characters -- and characters are what the story is all about for me. It is not so important that there is a musty old tower on the hill that is important ... it is how the characters feel and think about that musty old tower on the hill. The truth is that characters perceptions and motivations are inseparably connected to the society, mythology and world in which they live. For our characters actions to make sense, they must spring from motivations ... and those motivations often are given context and meaning by the world in which they take place.

So we need a believable world. The next powertool I reach for is Fractile Terrain, a tool that I am using to shape the world for my new series with Laura -- and which we will use to shape our "Running the Gauntlet" world.

Anthony, one of our newsletter readers, asked: "Are maps necessary? Do I have to have one if I plan to create my own world in which to place my stories in? And if so, what's the best way of making a believable one? World Building is hard work and as yet, that's the only problem I've run into, aside from building large cities that aren't shaped like the oh-so-convenient 'grid'."

Fractile Terrain is an easy to use and yet extremely dynamic tool for whipping up worlds in a hurry. Not just worlds, mind you, but fully functional and detailed worlds.

I once attended a seminar with Orson Scott Card. Scott said that his biggest problem with fantasy and sci-fi worlds was that their maps actually always looked like a "map of my summer vacation." The worlds lacked detail, scope, realism or epic scale. If you think about the maps even in Tolkien from this perspective, it does rather seem like something you might have drawn concerning a weekend drive.

Fractile Terrain generates WORLDS ... worlds which can be examined in increasing detail from global down to just about any degree of intimate detail. Climates, temperatures, rainfall, vegetation ... they are all mapped automatically for you from parameters you can either default or change. You open the program and can INSTANTLY start creating worlds.

The true power of Fractile Terrain, however, is found when it is used in conjunction with another Profantasy product, Campaign Cartographer 2. Fractile Terrain actually has the ability to output its maps into CC2 format ... allowing you to generate incredible, full color atlas maps of your world (which are even dynamically linked) in VERY short order.

Once generated, you can then go into your Atlas and modify it, label it and generally make the most amazing collection. This combination is truly amazing for visualizing a world.

There are a host of other tools that I use ... Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator help considerably in the visualization phase as well. I also have a tendency to use a sketchbook sometimes and have even resorted to pencil and paper to help my ideas flow better.

Still, it is always handy to have some tools around when you need them..

Tracy Hickman has written or edited more than thirty novels, had ten of them ride on the New York Times Best Sellers list, designed role playing games and modules, created his own role playing game and in recent years begun to write screenplays. He may be reached through his web site: www.trhickman.com.

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