Welcome, travelers, to Færspell!

Why Færspell?

For those of you who have known me elsewhere on the internet, you probably know that for a while I always used Faerwalder Press as my online branding. I started using that, or at least, Faerwalder in various forms sometime during high school. I don’t remember specifically when, but it was from a writing project that I was convinced would be my magnum opus (I no longer think I’ll ever return to that project, at least not in any recognizable way). When I ran across the name, it was touted as an Old English name meaning some form of ‘far traveler.’ My project at the time, a science-fantasy epic set across multiple realities, seemed to fit well with that concept.

Fast forward many years later, and I started working on learning Old English and being able to use Old English dictionaries (namely the Bosworth-Toller dictionary). I realized that Faerwald was not exactly the name I had thought. Additionally, it was long and, while evocative, had become more of a hindrance than anything else. So, for this site, I began searching for something new while I explored my writer’s branding through the Storytelling Collective’s Marketing 101 for TTRPG Creators. In the past, it had been K.C. Kramer or Faerwalder Press— stories from beyond the horizon.

What does the prefix Fæ- mean, linguistically?

I liked the idea of keeping the aspect of journeying, as that works well for what I write— namely fantasy and science fiction of various flavors. These were also alluded to with the tagline “tales from beyond the horizon”. You can never really go beyond the horizon, of course, so that created the impression of the stories having some essence of liminality (take a sip of tea every time I mention liminality like a proper academic). They were from a place that did not exist and could not be reached, but it was possible for stories to reach us. As a writer of imaginative fiction, I found that image very powerful. Plus, as a writer of science fiction (especially space opera), going beyond the horizon in a straight line takes you into space, adding an element to the word’s meaning.

I decided to keep the prefix, more accurately rendered as Fær, as it does mean journeying, expedition, or travel. When one considers the word ‘fare’ as in wayfarer, that makes etymological sense. Bosworth-Toller defines fær as “a going, journey, way, journeying, expedition.” Those words were all excellent aspects of what I hope to capture when people consider my work. I want it to take people on journeys, both within the story and within themselves, as a form of experience on the path to wisdom. We have only one life to live and learn from, but stories give us chances to step into the lives of others and learn from those experiences.

What about -spell?

Spell, after all of that, seems oddly modern. However, the word spell is an Old English word, meaning story, narrative, or tale told in prose. Gospel, as in the New Testament, is a derivative of this, with the prefix derived from gōd –spell. That originally meant ‘good story’ but later evolved into being God-Spell, literally meaning God’s Story.

We associate the word spell with magic and wizards, and especially their primary school institutions, especially with the term ‘magic spell.’ Translated, that would be a magic story. I quite like that meaning in how it touches on the power of narrative to shape reality. Magic, as a word, is not Old English and supplanted the Old English equivalent terms, gealdor and dwimmer. But in this case, we can settle for the Latin term instead. This second aspect of the name has double meanings- both spell as in magic and spell as in story. Since I also write fantasy, that fits.

Between the two, we create this word that loosely means ‘travel story’ or ‘journey story.’ Say, perhaps, something like recounting the time you went beyond the horizon (or into Faerie, depending on your genre of choice). Of course, we can also go deeper than that. Life as a journey is a common, but rich, metaphor that people have used for centuries (Pilgrim’s Progress and “Life is a Highway”). The name riffs off that motif, as the stories we tell about ourselves are often journey stories. Maybe not about physical travel, but a journey between who we used to be and who we are while telling the story, a journey of growth, not unlike the growth the protagonist of a story undergoes.

What’s the goal?

What am I doing here though? I’m trying to centralize and professionalize my internet presence as a writer. This will be my primary internet home to keep track of writing projects, new publications, TTRPG design projects, and a hybrid creative/academic approach to genre fiction. The blogging gurus I’ve been reading would say this brand identity is too broad, but I’m quite eclectic and fare poorly when it comes to fitting into boxes, even self-imposed ones. The plan, for now, is two posts per month as I get up and going. If I get more, I’ll schedule them ahead of time to ensure that there is always a post ready to go.

More than that, my goal is to begin building a community. I’m not the only one who takes imaginative fiction seriously as an art form, as both a scholar and a writer. Nor am I the only person with eclectic interests and a relentless curiosity. The world wide web is a wild place, so I would like to form a refuge, where these interests are encouraged, educated, and celebrated. Communities, of course, are interactive and supportive, so that sounds like an excellent way to begin.

Where to start?

Well, this is a great place to start! After which, check out my About page and my portfolio. If you want to check out worldbuilding, visit my World Anvil profile. After that, toss in a comment and introduce yourself! What interests you? What are you curious about? I’d love to know!