"Not the beard!" (Name that movie)

As I said in a few posts down, I have decided to go world building, completely putting Clare aside. I haven't been writing much at all, which is really sad, but I'm happy to be working on this instead of groaning over my other book ideas.

So, what is it about stereotypes? We hear dragons and we think of terrible creatures killing poor helpless princesses who just stand there screaming and crying. Sheesh! And this is only one example.
Dragons. A lot of writers have explored their realm, giving them a better side than they've had for centuries. They're creatures, just like your pet dog, or the cat next door. Of course you don't want to get on their bad side, but what's wrong with them other than that?
And the princess. I am not feminist, thinking that girls need to take charge because the boys are idiots. No thank you. They are perfectly capable to take on the responsibilities (though sometimes they do need to step up to the plate nowadays) and several are very kind and smart. But, I don't think the opinion that has lasted throughout the centuries that girls are pathetic and weak is true either. Both girls and boys are strong, smart (if they'd let themselves be), and able to take out dragons. However, if both the dragons and the princesses are good, than you don't have a problem in the first place.
Then there is the generally accepted belief that dwarves are aggressive. I am not going against Tolkien. I like his dwarves. The fact is that other writers find it hard to write their dwarves being otherwise because everyone pretty much agrees that dwarves are aggressive.

In my world, I've been trying to go against stereotypes (even though they generally work and were brilliant--like middle earth--in the first place). The humans and the dwarves are the ones who have a hard time getting along, not the dwarves and the elves, because both humans and dwarves lack the magic that the other beings have, so, with that similarity, they find themselves on edge with each other a lot. Also, instead of the dwarves working with metals and jewels, the humans do, and the dwarves work with records and wool (sheep). Dragons tend to keep to themselves. You don't want to get them frustrated, but they're, for the most part, peaceful, and if you're a Fire Soul than you are their immediate best friend.
Despite my frequent writers block, I am, at present, writing a record of the reign of Boric, king of the dwarves. And am enjoying it, for the most part.

Shortly after I decided to try writing this world, I drew a map. I'm pretty bad with drawing, so it usually ends up being a bunch of scribbles and notes scrawled in my smallest handwriting. In the car, I pulled it out and showed it to my mom at a stop light. "Mom, does this look like a realistic world?" She laughed, took it from my hand and showed it to me, repeating my question. The fact is, I should have asked if she thought the shape and terrain could be realistic. Asking if all of my scribbles looked realistic wasn't the best question. But we needed the laugh.