FicML (Fiction Markup Language) is an XML format for fictional stories (short stories, novellas, novels, etc.). Originally conceived of by multiple contributors, it is an initiative and is in the process of forming its first specification.
The speculated XML elements in a typical FicML document are:
<ficml version="0.2">
This is the root element. It must contain the version attribute and one
head and one
body element.
<head>
Contains metadata. May include any of these optional elements:
title,
dateCreated,
dateModified,
authorName,
authorEmail.
<body>
Contains the body of the story, the contents of the narrative. It must have one or more
story elements.
<story>
Represents the general text of the fictional story. It may contain any number of arbitrary attributes. Common attributes include
tense (as in past, present),
voice (as in first or third person), and
view (as in omniscient or limited).
<character>
Represents where characters appear within a narrative. It may have several attributes such as
name,
surname,
nickname, and
role.
<setting>
Represents where sections of a narrative take place. It may have several attributes such as
name,
type,
alt. Setting tags can appear within other setting tags in order to illustrate a relationship. The setting of an apartment would be within the larger setting of a city or building.
