The Guardian of Destiny by Dawn Ross (work in progress)

In my previous two posts, I gave you tips on ways you can come up with your own story ideas and tips on how you can create your own fantasy world. Now, I’m going to tell you how I implemented my own advice to come up with the story for my novel-in -progress, “The Guardian of Destiny”.

How My Character Came to Be

I was daydreaming as usual. I realized I kept daydreaming the same characters from The Dukarian Legacy and was getting bored with them. I needed a new inspiration and a new story. It was about the time the movies for the Lord of The Rings had come out. I’ve always loved J.R.R. Tolkien and his stories on Middle Earth. So it is not surprising to know I watched the movies with great fascination. No, I didn’t dress up and wait in line in the middle of the night just to see the first showings. But I would have if I had the money for a costume and a friend with the same passion.

One of my favorite characters was Eomer of Rohan. “I would cut of your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a bit higher from the ground.” “I do not doubt his heart, only the reach of his arm.” *swoon* Seeing him, I knew he was going to me the person I pictured as the hero in my next book. Incidentally, I also remembered Karl Urban from the television series, “Xena” where he played Cupid and Julius Caesar.

Karl Urban as Eomer in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.

Karl Urban as Caesar in Xena the Worrior Princess series.

Karl Urban as Cupid in Xena the Warrior Princess series.

Developing My Character and His Story

Now that I had an image of a person in my head, I needed to develop his character. I did not use Eomer’s character. I wanted one all my own. Without having an actual story in mind, I daydreamed this character from his childhood. I knew I wanted him to be an elite soldier with humble beginnings, so how does such a lowly child come to be such a soldier? What if he was born into the military somehow? His mom was a camp follower. His father is unknown but can be guessed.

Only two things could give a soldier a high rank… being born into nobility (easy to move up) or having exceptional skill (difficult to move up). Since my character had humble beginnings, only his skill could exalt him. I love it when heroes rise above adversity to become something better. So what were his skills and how did they end up being noticed? I daydreamed my character’s childhood, from his upbringing in a soldier camp, to his love for his mother, to his desire to be recognized by his supposed father, and to his adversaries who did not think it was right for a bastard to be anything more than a camp servant.

Naming My Character

In the process of developing my character, I had to give him a name. I don’t remember how, but I thought of the name Galavan. Perhaps because it reminded me of the phrase ‘gallivanting around’. Although I do not intend for my character to be the kind to ‘gallivant’, the name stuck. And once a name sticks to a certain character, it is difficult for me to change it.