Next year - Themes for the anthology - Suggestions?

[Doctor_Chill]

I like Outlaws It's general enough it leaves a very large range of possibilities. Plus, outlaws are always fun

I agree. Always more fun to write from the evil guy's perspective.

[Elfy]

I like Outlaws It's general enough it leaves a very large range of possibilities. Plus, outlaws are always fun

I agree. Always more fun to write from the evil guy's perspective.

Outlaws don't have to necessarily be evil. In fact many of them that I'm thinking of like Locke Lamora and Darian Frey are the exact opposite. They're definitely outlaws, but they're often heroic and not the bad guys at all, despite being somewhat morally ambigous, whereas you have other characters such as Joffrey Baratheon who is unredeemably evil, but he's not an outlaw.

[Doctor_Chill]

I like Outlaws It's general enough it leaves a very large range of possibilities. Plus, outlaws are always fun

I agree. Always more fun to write from the evil guy's perspective.

Outlaws don't have to necessarily be evil. In fact many of them that I'm thinking of like Locke Lamora and Darian Frey are the exact opposite. They're definitely outlaws, but they're often heroic and not the bad guys at all, despite being somewhat morally ambigous, whereas you have other characters such as Joffrey Baratheon who is unredeemably evil, but he's not an outlaw.

Locke Lamora's not evil? So stealing's right? But I understand what you're saying. My morals are more black and white, which is why I hate the favored term 'morally ambigous.'

[Idlewilder]

Locke Lamora's not evil? So stealing's right? But I understand what you're saying. My morals are more black and white, which is why I hate the favored term 'morally ambigous.'

Evil is a big word to use! This could be a really interesting discussion to have in the main board, actually.  Can a character be as "morally ambiguous" as Locke Lamora - would they survive as a loveable rogue in the real world, or would they be scorned as a villain?

[Phil Norris]

Locke Lamora's not evil? So stealing's right? But I understand what you're saying. My morals are more black and white, which is why I hate the favored term 'morally ambigous.'

Evil is a big word to use! This could be a really interesting discussion to have in the main board, actually.  Can a character be as "morally ambiguous" as Locke Lamora - would they survive as a loveable rogue in the real world, or would they be scorned as a villain?

Its a good point, when does a character tip from being Robin Hood to being Al Capone? Interestingly I watched a program about the Great Train Robbery last night. In it, it was said how the gang were seen by many to be heroes of sorts, comparing them with Robin Hood and his gang. But dig below the surface and most of the train robbers were lifelong criminals, some pretty brutal criminals at that, plus the robbery itself was no soft robbery with the guards given a good beating - resulting in one dying soon after, not because of his injuries but they could have been a contributing factor.

[Jian]

Locke Lamora's not evil? So stealing's right? But I understand what you're saying. My morals are more black and white, which is why I hate the favored term 'morally ambigous.'

Evil is a big word to use! This could be a really interesting discussion to have in the main board, actually.  Can a character be as "morally ambiguous" as Locke Lamora - would they survive as a loveable rogue in the real world, or would they be scorned as a villain?

Its a good point, when does a character tip from being Robin Hood to being Al Capone? Interestingly I watched a program about the Great Train Robbery last night. In it, it was said how the gang were seen by many to be heroes of sorts, comparing them with Robin Hood and his gang. But dig below the surface and most of the train robbers were lifelong criminals, some pretty brutal criminals at that, plus the robbery itself was no soft robbery with the guards given a good beating - resulting in one dying soon after, not because of his injuries but they could have been a contributing factor.

They actually used that angle quite nicely in Public Enemies. Criminals such as Baby-Face Nelson were applauded by the common people at one point, even though he was reputed to have killed the most F.B.I. agents in history. John Dillinger, in particular though, specifically catered to the people's admiration.

[Charlemagne]

I feel like we may be onto something with the outlaw idea. There could be such a variety of stories built into that, in all kinds of worlds, with all kinds of different characters. It could be a steampunk, pirate-themed, "epic" fantasy, or really anything. And the characters could be such a wide range also: bankers or lawyers, as suggested by Lor and Jian, or thieves, bullies, thugs, assassins, falsely accused, or something more like a Western like A Red Country. I feel like I, as an author, would love all the choices provided by the Outlaw theme.

[Jian]

If we do go with the Outlaw theme, we have to go with this theme song:

Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead Or Alive

Either that or:

Firefly Theme

Voting begins now. 

[Richard Ford]

Perhaps this is a bit of novel idea - but one that might be quite cool: wouldn't anyone like to see an anthology which featured short stories by writers set in other writers' worlds? A Joe Abercrombie short set in Westeros? Brandon Sanderson writing a Malazan tale? Brent Weeks writing a Wheel of Time short?

Obviously there's rights issues, but all authors own the rights to their own worlds so I guess it's just a matter of gaining permission. Lots of authors are already friends too, Peter Brett and Myke Cole for instance, I'm sure they'd have no problem with playing in each other's sandpit.

[Jian]

Sounds like a great idea.

Imagine if Sanderson wrote a short in Brent's Night Angel and Lightbringer world, and if Brent wrote a short set in Roshar or Mistborn. That'd be one helluva ride. 

[Charlemagne]

Sounds like a great idea.

Imagine if Sanderson wrote a short in Brent's Night Angel and Lightbringer world, and if Brent wrote a short set in Roshar or Mistborn. That'd be one helluva ride. 

Shut up and take my money.

[Yuan François]

Love & Loss?

[Evazorek]

Will there be a new anthology this year?

[Maxfield]

Well, as an action / dragon fanboy - I instantly thought 'Guns and Dragons' !!!!

I love this with the fire of a thousand burning suns.

hi I'm new to this site and sorry not sure if I'm too late for this as I'm just getting to grips with everything and this is the first page I came across.

I think Guns and Dragons is a very good idea, you could take that in many directions. Here's a quick idea I have for the start.

    The dragon warriors had been living in peace for over six years. They thought that they had found their sanctuary. They were hidden from the rest of the plagued lands, they thought that they were safe...they were wrong.
    By the time the dark riders had clouded the skies above the silver lake where the children played, it was already too late.
    Jaxan may have been young, but he still remembered his dad ordering him back inside the caves, instructing his mum to stay hidden.
    Abrose, Jaxan's dad was the leader of his people and the greatest dragon warrior of all time. Jaxan idolised him, and watched in empathy as his dad grabbed his twin firearms and headed down to the forest edge with the other dragon warriors, ready to mount their dragons and take to the skies.
    Jaxan wanted to follow his dad, but his mum pulled him back into the caves. That was the last time he saw his father...that was the last time anyone had seen a dragon warrior...until now.

I though it would be a good idea to follow Jaxan as he grows up, learning how to ride a dragon, gun slinging and finding allies along the way as he battles to bring down the dark evil dragon riders.

I'm not sure if that would work or if that's the kind of thing you are looking for?

kind regards

Maxfield

[Maxfield]

whoops think I missed out by a year lol.

Should have read the site a bit more before jumping in...but when you get an idea you just have to write.