Link-a-Day: World Generator

Last week, I posted about time wasters.  Well, how about something that can both fun and helpful.  If you write in a speculative genre that isn't set on our world, you have to create your own world.  There are tools out there to do just that.  The one I like in particular is Fractal World Generator.  Not only can you pick the type of map, but chose criteria that affects the world you get--like percentage of ice and water.  Then you can save the map it generates.  Neat-o.

Link-a-Day: Time Wasters

Last week, I posted about an online Victorian ettiquette game.  That reminded me of other games I used to play online.  Some have since disappeared, but there are others out their to tickle the fancy, eat up time, or provide a some fun research.  I haven't tried all of them out myself, but here a few that caught my eye:

• Zynga - My favorite is the Fishville, although the FarmVille is fun too (reminds me of SimFarm).  The vampire game is fun too.
  
• Neopets - Used to play this one.  Addicting but very time consuming.
  
• Arcadia Sim - Never played it, but it reminds me of a horse game I used to play.
  
• Girls Go Games - Simulations - Played one.  Neat concept.

PS--Sorry this late.  For some reason it went from scheduled post to draft and never posted.

Link-a-Day: History Games

Last week, I posted about some science sites, good for inspiration or research.  One of those links was a top 100 site, and gave more options, like museum sites.  That reminded me of an old game I played online at a museum that dealt with Victorian manners.

Well, I found it again.

It's a little Monty Pythonish history lesson, where you are in the role of either a man or woman from the Victorian era.  It's just as much fun to guess wrong as it is to guess right.  While there, check out the other games available, such as the photography one.  It's a little tougher, but still neat, especially in the role of the photographer's assistant.

Link-a-Day: Science and Fact Sites

Last week, I posted about sources for weird.  How about regular science and fact sites?

• National Geographic Feature Hub
• Science/AAAS
  
• How Stuff Works
• Ref Desk
  
• 100 Top Science Sites

Link-a-Day: Weird Science

Last week, I posted about Tagfoot.  From that site I found Strange USA, where you can find the weird or supernatural stuff near you in America.  Just click on a state and a county, and it pops up hauntings and other unusual things available to check out. 

Since we are on the topic, how about some other sources for weird facts and weird science?

• Strange Science at Atlas Obscura
• Strange News at LiveScience
• Strangest Science News

PS:   Sorry, this was posted late.  I thought I had it scheduled; turned out, I only had a draft of it on my computer.

Link-a-Day: Bookmarks

Last week, while looking for more demographic generators, I ran across this site which I posted about.  It was included on a list of demographics at the site called Tagfoot. 

According to their help page, Tagfoot is "social bookmarking on steroids".  Basically, it's one giant link page that was created not by one person, but an entire community.  The site is full of interesting tools, research, and art that is bound to spark an idea or two for a writer's use. 

Enjoy!

Link-a-Day: Demographics

Last week, my post was on story or idea prompts. One of the links was a story idea generator on the Seventh Sanctum site. On that site, they had a forum with a thread about a useful site and I hoped they would list one I used to love to play with.

They did.

Enter in a few criteria, and it pops out not only what medieval population is sustainable on those conditions, but what type and number of occupations your population can support. Nifty, huh?

If you like that one, you might like the Medieval Kingdom Generator too.

Link-a-Day: Prompts

Last week, I delved into word origins for research and inspiration.  How about another type of inspiration?  Prompts.

These can be words, scenarios, or pictures that are meant as warm-ups, to get your creative energy flowing.  But more importantly, there is no weight attached to them.  Just as warm-ups for your body won't get you fit, writing exercises won't get you published, but they do get you ready for the real deal.

Here are a few more resources, from other prompt sites to places where you can find or make your own: 

• Prompt Romp
• Picture Prompts
• Flickr:  Last Seven Days
• The First Line
• A Word A Day
• Think Map Visual Thesaurus
• Quick Story Idea Generator 

Enjoy!

Link-a-Day: Etymology

Last week, I mentioned obsolete words as a source of muse inspiration.  So can word origins, or etymology.  The best site?  Etymonline.  Another source for etymologies is M-W.com.  Not only can you look up how anachronistic a word would be for your novel's setting, but you can also find a name for characters or objects that hold deeper meaning.  Or it's a good way to help you see how a word changes through time, and will provide a model or inspiration for inventing your own languages.

There's so much you can do there.  So, what are you waiting for?

Link-a-Day: The Thinking Place

Last week, I posted about a neat word, or rather, a neat word play:  peccavi.  I said I found it the other day.

Or rather, I re-found it.

Originally, I came across it on a favorite word list at The Phonistery.  Other cool words on that list?  Growlery and redivivus.  Other neat areas on that site include lost words and unique glossaries, such as types of government, phobias, and divination.  That site is brain and muse candy.

Oh, and what is a phonistery, you might ask?  That's explained there too.

Link-a-Day: Words and Play

Last week, I posted about the King of Wolves's site.  On that web page, there is a motto at the top:  "Quid est veritas? Est vir qui adest."  Out of curiosity, I Yahooed it and came up with this site.

Which reminded me of another word play, in a different form, which I came across the other day.

Interesting, huh?  Well, while you are there, check out the word of the day or sign up for the newsletter.  Or cross reference some English to Greek and Latin at the other site; definitely helpful as my nano novel involves an Romanesque culture, and a non-nano a Grecian inspired one.

Link-a-Day: Creepypasta

Well, since it's the month of horror--as if one needs any excuse to dip one's senses into the dark for a while--here are some interesting, or should I say, delectable sites all revolving around one concept.

Creepypasta.

First time I heard the term. Wikipedia doesn't know about it. I remember hearing about it through the Nanowrimo forums a year or so ago, but it was never called that. Maybe it was newer back then. But anyway, before we give you a definition, how about a sampling?

Once you are done with that, you get the idea behind the term. For more, more info, more fright, head on over to Encyclopedia Dramatica, where there is a nice definition:

Creepypasta are short stories designed to unnerve, disturb, elicit a negative emotional response from, and scare the reader.

Not to mention, the pictures really add a certain flavor to the reading experience. Anyway, there all styles of these stories, from urban legends to walk-throughs. Creepy as all hell, but inspirational too--for writers. That is why the Nanoer posted the link in the first place, to the site that started it all for me and I'll use to close with you.

So have fun, get inspired, and try not to get too creeped out in the process.