A Farewell to Narnia’s Best

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It’s true this is the last time any of the Pevensies will set foot in Narnia, but that’s not quite what I meant by Narnia’s best.

It’s no secret that I greatly prefer the Narnia movies to the books. They have more character development and depth, and aren’t nearly so black and white.

Unfortunately, Andrew Adamson’s absence is greatly felt in the latest installment, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The script was much weaker than those of the first two movies. You may remember my rant on Edmund’s sudden greedy nature. The inner demons of the main characters were also overdone. (Yes, Lucy is jealous of Susan. We get it.)

In the first movie, I didn’t mind the similarity between Aslan’s sacrifice and Jesus’. But here, the over-bearing message of Christianity was unbearable. There’s a white bird flying down into the darkness with a ray of light. There’s Aslan’s table, all set for some Last Supper. And then there is Aslan’s very obvious “In your world I am known by another name.” Apparently Jesus likes to spend his time as a lion.

Granted, I never read Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I love the Pevensies, and the end of Caspian made it seem like none of them would ever return. I couldn’t bear a book without them. Plus, the writing in the first chapter was terrible.

I probably won’t see the next Narnia movie; at least, not in theaters. But I welcome different opinions on Dawn Treader, either book or movie. For those who finished both, is there one you prefer?

Don’t Be Afraid of Your Story

Filed Under Tales from the Author's Desk | 1 Comment

If this little kid were J.R.R. Tolkien, we wouldn’t have the grand epic Lord of the Rings today…

No seriously, you can’t be afraid of your story. Writers have too many other problems without adding self-doubt to the list. Or at least story-doubt.

Too many writers I know are afraid to write. They kill their stories before they even have a chance to write them.

Don’t ditch your story because you think it’s terrible. First drafts won’t be perfect, so you shouldn’t judge it based only on what you’ve put on paper.

Besides, if you’re afraid of every story you imagine, you’ll never write another paragraph. You have to face your ideas head on, even when the words don’t flow, and the plot’s a tangled mess. You can work past it.

You are the first hurdle your story will ever face. Don’t slam it down before it has a chance to jump.

Tried and True Idea Sparkers

Filed Under Creativity | 2 Comments

I think it’s safe to assume that one of your new year’s resolutions involves writing. Whether it’s to write more, or finish a first draft, or improve your craft, in some way you want to get serious about writing.

One of the most common complaints I see is the inability to come up with a story idea. Of course, nothing comes of trying to force it. You can’t sit in a dark corner, press your hands against your temples, and hope to come up with something.

Instead, why don’t you try these tried and true idea sparkers?

  1. What if? A classic. It can work in any situation.
    • What if a girl disguised herself as a boy to become a knight? (Alanna by Tamora Pierce)
    • What if the most evil wizard in the world created the one destined to destroy him? (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling)
    • What if a girl won a “create a wedding” contest but the guy hadn’t planned to propose? (idea sparked by listening to the contest ad on the radio)
  2. Why? This is similar to What If, but can be used in different ways.
    • Why would a rich and self-assured young woman who doesn’t want to get married change her mind? (Emma by Jane Austen)
    • Why would five children who imagined a fantasy world suddenly find themselves in an altered version of it? (The Secret Country by Pamela Dean)
    • Why would a war goddess not help her people during a war? (one of the many problems in my Fragment of the Moon)
  3. How? I think this works best when you’re not sure how the answer would turn out. Your story is a way to figure that out.
    • How do fairy tale princesses deal with their “happy ever afters?” (The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines)
    • How does one man solve a centuries old puzzle? (The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown)
    • How would a theme park with real dinosaurs turn out? (Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton)

So get out there and start asking questions. You’ll be surprised how the ideas start flowing!

Any other idea sparkers you’d like to add to the list?

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  • Welcome

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    Hi, I'm Jenn, new grad student and old YA fantasy writer. I've long dreamed of being a novelist, and I bet you have too. I hope you find my blog helpful, inspiring, and maybe just a little bit fun. (But not too much fun. Writing is serious business, you know.)

    You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or email me at:
    jennifer.a.johnson7 at gmail dot com

  • Official Progress


    4/21 segments

    A narrator hijacks a cliche fantasy story, much to the chagrin of its characters.

    Status: Second revision



    1,639/70,000 words
    A young noblewoman with strange powers must choose: her king or her soul.

    Status: First draft



    1,087/70,000 words
    When a girl's heart is stolen, she's plunged into a world of magic and shadows - but can she get her heart back before she loses it completely?

    Status: First draft





  • All writing, unless otherwise specified, is the property of
    Jennifer Johnson © 2010