World Ember 25 Homework

  So for the last six months (*checks calendar* oh my it has been six months!), my life has been chaos. I'd really like to pledge 25,000 words. But chaos. So instead I am pledging to write at lease 500 words more than 2024 which would be 11,000 words. This way I can get a sense of achievement instead of being crushed by chaos.   So I have spent many hours dealing with the new category interface. We are not interfacing. I don't like change, and it is a big change. I think the computer I usually write on feels the same way because it has been making things even harder. (She is getting replaced soon, but shhh, that's a secret.)   While I created Tanderia probably nine months ago, the chaos I have been dealing with has meant that I really haven't gotten a lot of work done. (Yes, there is that C word again, but think of it like a chorus :)) Eventually I want to have a separate category for articles designed to introduce the reader to Tanderia. The problem is those articles either don't exist at all or exist as stubs. So instead of creating a new category, I am keeping the four I already had. I did create a couple of new sub-categories and placed all my summer camp articles in their permanent ones.   Next, I worked on my home page. I was dissatisfied with my cover. While it did convey the idea of the four elements, I wanted more detail. So I added the four moons, placing each with its element. Finally, I added the world title. I want to adjust it, but I'm unsure exactly how. So I am going to call it genug until the new year.   Tanderia also got a current world date. There really isn't much more to add the home page at this time. All the articles, a timeline, and the map have been frustratingly delayed. After the new year, there shall be less chaos and more time for writing.   The next square in the bingo chart to tackle was inspirations. For images, I use Pinterest. Tanderia has an extensive board there. However, most of those images are copyrighted and/or lack attribution. So I just added three pictures that seemed representative of the feel I am going for. I also had trouble deciding what to put for books and other media. Like most artists, I am a magpie, happily grabbing ideas from just about everything I read or watch. I don't think it would be entirely wrong to say that everything I have ever read or watched is an influence. But, that wouldn't be useful. So I opted for adding those things that are having the largest impact on Tanderia.   Next, I finished my author's page. I decided for now to use my avatar from Discord. I added my socials this time but .... well, I hope people like crocheted gnomes. It feels strange to me to add stuff about myself, since I can't imagine anyone wanting to know my hobbies. Nonetheless, there must be people who want to see the woman behind the curtain.   Finally my mood board I found this part of the homework the most useful, even if it does look like chaos. The background is basically the same as the world cover. It represents the four elements with a fifth, spirit, at the center since they are the basic building blocks of so much of the world. I added a few things that just felt like my world, such as the unicorn tapestry. After that, I added trade goods. This was especially valuable since it forced me to think about what the different regions would be trading. After rewatching Janet's video on trade, I added items emblematic of trade guilds. It still seemed empty. That got me thinking about how goods were moved. I leaned a little heavy into sea travel. However, it did spark thinking about trade routes, including a magical one. Finally I added money including the oldest one in the Wald, horn coins.   Bingo! So I have managed to fill in my row. After discussing that yes I was sure World Ember was in December, my family has agreed to be considerate of my writing time. The chaos has been shifted enough that I have a desk to work at. So, I'm ready to start writing. Let's light up the forge!     .