Author Topic: Ask a Writer! This Week - an unmatched sock!  (Read 41055 times)

Joveus Molai

  • Bear the Word, and the Word will bear you.
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Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #30 on: June 11, 2014, 12:57:37 AM »

As for recommended books, do you mean books about writing or books that are so awesome they inspire people to write?

Q: How about both? What are some books you'd recommend for tips on writing, and what are some books you think are so awesome they inspire people to write?

Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #31 on: June 11, 2014, 01:01:09 AM »
What are you reading/have read recently?  (fanfic, tradpub, or indie)

hungrybookworm

  • Shipper On Board
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #32 on: June 11, 2014, 04:49:15 PM »
Q: How about both? What are some books you'd recommend for tips on writing, and what are some books you think are so awesome they inspire people to write?
Hmm, for tips on writing, I think it's best to read a wide variety of how-to books. They tend to contradict each other (which is normal, writing is an art not a science!) so you can cherry pick what does and doesn't work for you. Personally I like Stephen King's On Writing and Russell T Davies' The Writer's Tale. For books that are so awesome they inspire people to write... I guess that depends on your taste, but Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy never fails to get me motivated (and cry tears of frustration because I will never write anything that amazing).

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What are you reading/have read recently?  (fanfic, tradpub, or indie)
I just finished reading Haruki Murakami's Sputnik Sweetheart (in English). Before that was John Buchan's The 39 Steps. The best thing I've read recently was Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, which is a literary British time loop story. In Japanese I've been making my way through the big pile of doujin novels I got from Reitaisai. I'm currently on 或いは愛さえも暑い夜の夢のような現のような (not gonna try translating that title sorry...) by my favourite circle 四面楚歌 (Surrounded by Enemies). It's a super short Yukari/Reimu story set during the Forbidden Scollery chapter where Reimu has a fever. Reading Japanese prose takes forever because there's no furigana, so I have to look everything up by radicals.

Kimidori

  • Undefined Fantastic Girl, Nue
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #33 on: June 11, 2014, 06:25:12 PM »
Reading your answer, I think you might like the Monogatari series. Have you read/watch Bakemonogatari? if you did, what do you think of its writing?


"No matter what, cute is justice. If you're watching shows without moe, you should really be questioning your life decisions. The creation of 2D anime girls is the pinnacle of human achievement." -Logan M

hungrybookworm

  • Shipper On Board
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #34 on: June 11, 2014, 08:40:53 PM »
Reading your answer, I think you might like the Monogatari series. Have you read/watch Bakemonogatari? if you did, what do you think of its writing?
I've watched the first season of Bakemonogatari, and I read the short xxxHOLiC tie in story NISIOISIN wrote. I won't comment on the anime's writing because a) it was an adaption and b) I can't remember enough about it to have a concrete opinion, but when I read the short story it gave me a literal headache. I enjoyed watching the anime, but mostly because of the visuals and cinematics. I don't really feel an urge to watch the second season. When my Japanese is better I might try reading his stuff in Japanese just to see if my brain can handle it, but I'm not in any hurry.

Sorry if this answer disappoints you, lol

Joveus Molai

  • Bear the Word, and the Word will bear you.
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Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #35 on: June 13, 2014, 10:10:36 AM »
  And that wraps up this week's show on...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

  Let's have a round of applause for hungrybookworm for being with us this week.

*Thunderous applause, cheers*

Good luck with writing and everything else, hungrybookworm!

---

And now it is that time of the week.

Yep! Time to pick our next guest from the audience!

Indeed. So, if you'd like to be the next guest on....

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

...please post your request here on this thread.

Akyuu-chan, you still haven't explained what this "thread" you're talking about is.

Kosuzu-chan, if you keep going off-script the writing team will get very angry...

Anyways, if you'd like to be the next guest on our show, let us know! Remember, first come first served! So the next person to post their request will be the next person interviewed!

Let's find out who our next guest is on...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

---

Joveus' note: Thanks very much to hungrybookworm for participating!

IMPORTANT NOTE: I will be on a trip from June 14 to June 25, where I may or may not have computer/internet access. If I do have internet access, I will make a post here indicating such as soon as I am able. If I don't make such a post by, say, June 15 or so, then you should assume I don't have internet access.

What this means is, if I don't have internet access then I will not be able to PM the interview questions to the next guest. In such a case, the next guest is free to either answer the general questions themselves (those questions that don't directly ask about specific works or writing habits of the guest), or wait until I get internet access.

But enough administrativa, step up and be interviewed!
« Last Edit: June 21, 2014, 05:10:29 PM by Joveus Molai »

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
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  • blub blub nya
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #36 on: June 13, 2014, 03:44:17 PM »
This is as close as I'll ever get to being on TV, so I'll take it! :V

capt. h

  • Only sane townie
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #37 on: June 13, 2014, 06:39:52 PM »
@Rou - What is it about dolphins that inspires you?

Have some restraint and wait until the next one to before trying to wheedle a spot.

[Moriya]And don't edit out mod comments.[/Moriya]
« Last Edit: June 14, 2014, 03:36:22 AM by Kilgamayan »

hungrybookworm

  • Shipper On Board
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #38 on: June 13, 2014, 08:27:51 PM »
I just wanna say thanks to Joveus Molai for organising this, and thanks to everyone who asked me a question. It was a lot of fun!

Now to think up a question for Rou...

Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #39 on: June 14, 2014, 03:58:35 PM »
What inspired you to write DRK?

Do you often talk to Sango in your head, even when not writing things that are about her?


Thanks to GreenVirus for the Siggy.
My TF2 Backpack of DOOM

Hello Purvis

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  • Hello Jerry
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #40 on: June 14, 2014, 06:00:48 PM »
What are some other sea-lifes that you enjoy?

Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - hungrybookworm!
« Reply #41 on: June 15, 2014, 08:16:02 PM »
Is Koishi a menace to life everywhere?

How is the work on that novel coming along?

Joveus Molai

  • Bear the Word, and the Word will bear you.
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Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #42 on: June 15, 2014, 11:22:20 PM »
Joveus' note: Well, I seem to have internet access at this particular hotel. Huzzah!

However, I'm not sure if my next hotel will be the same. Since our new guest is Rou, I'll just post the general questions here and let Rou answer them at his leisure:

What got you into writing fiction?
 
What sources outside of Touhou do you draw inspiration from?
 
Which Touhou character is your favorite to write? The most difficult write?
 
Out of all the stories you've written (Touhou-related or not), which one is your favorite?
 
Outside of Touhou fiction, what other works have you written fiction for?
 
What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of writing? The most challenging?
 
If there is one aspect of your writing you would want to improve, what is it?
 
When writing Touhou fiction, how do you usually approach official canon material? Do you build on top of it; do you go around it; or do you try and stay within it as much as possible? Something else?
 
What are some of your favorite things to read, including but not limited to books?
 
What particular genres do you enjoy reading? What particular genres do you enjoy writing?
 
Do you have any big projects we can look forward to on the horizon?
 
Is there a word of advice you'd like to give to aspiring fiction writers?


Normally I'd pm these to the guest and let him or her take their time in answering them, but this trip has had some...complications.

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
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  • blub blub nya
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #43 on: June 16, 2014, 06:57:56 AM »
HEY GUYS LET'S ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS

Brief introduction before I start. I'm Roukanken, and I've been around on MotK for several years now. I've written a lot of smaller stories in that time but the one I'm probably best known for is Dolphin Rider Koishi, a long-running magical girl/action hybrid that finally spiraled to a close about nine months ago. In terms of more recent work I recently put out a small comedy visual novel called In Miko We Trust, where I took a silly mental image of Miko being the president of the USA and I ran with it.

Anyway, enough introduction. To the questions!

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What got you into writing fiction?
A potent combination of English class and a friend introducing me to FF.net. I started with awful crack fiction and worked my way up from there. In terms of making it something I seriously pursued, that came a few years later when people started telling me I had some talent with the art. Knowing you've put so much work into something makes it a lot more rewarding when people compliment you for it.
 
Quote
What sources outside of Touhou do you draw inspiration from?
Sadly I don't read as much as I used to (I'm way too picky with my literature), so a lot of my inspiration comes from video games and television. DRK, for example, has extremely large and obvious inspirations from the Persona series, with some pinches of Sailor Moon for a little zest.

For a broader answer, inspiration is something you should try to find in everything. Rather than getting your ideas explicitly from books or even from traditional media, you should look for ideas from pretty much everything you do. Keep an open mind and don't be afraid an idea is stupid before you've thought it out. As I'll explain with DRK later, sometimes it's even a good idea to get inspiration from yourself!

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Which Touhou character is your favorite to write? The most difficult write?
My favourite character to write is probably Patchouli. Whenever she's involved, it gives me a reason to come up with scathing, painful wit, and that's always great fun for me to write. She's got a fun personality too, ranging from bored disinterest to slightly-neurotic obsession depending on the day of the week.

Hardest character to write, hands down, is Koishi. It says a lot that I made the DRK version of Koishi nothing like the original very deliberately. My early attempts in stories like Pure Lotus of the Sunken Stars pretty much reduced her to a one-dimensional LOL I'M SO RANDOM character. I'm really unhappy with that portrayal but after stuff like SoPM and Hopeless Masquerade I've got no real idea how I'm supposed to write her. :V
 
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Out of all the stories you've written (Touhou-related or not), which one is your favorite?
DRK. Hands down. They say when you're writing you're putting a little bit of yourself in the story, and in DRK's case that's definitely true. This probably sounds quite corny, but writing Koishi maturing and getting over her problems made it a lot easier for me to grow as well. It even shows in the writing itself - I'm not a fan of the early arcs looking back on them, too much angst and too little action, but again the story 'grows up' as it progresses. Based on the amount of time that went into it, the response it's received, and my general enjoyment of the concept itself, it's definitely my favourite piece I've ever written.
 
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Outside of Touhou fiction, what other works have you written fiction for?
I got my start, back when I was 13, writing fanfiction for Tales of Symphonia. It has not survived the test of time. (Spoilers for ToS, I suppose?) I dabbled in other fandoms like Phoenix Wright briefly, but it wasn't until I got into Touhou that I really found some momentum.

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What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of writing? The most challenging?
Writing for me is a system of having an image in your head, and trying to turn that image into words for other people to understand. The most rewarding feeling I can get is that sensation I've done the image justice, that I've written something that'll make a reader think of the same thing I am.

The hardest part is getting through a slump. Writing in general is a journey of ups and downs - sometimes you're raring to get something written, but other times you'd rather set fire to the keyboard than face a blank page. You need to know yourself pretty well to keep a coherent schedule...which is why DRK took three years to finish. :V

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If there is one aspect of your writing you would want to improve, what is it?
I feel like my descriptions are awfully vague. Looking at published work I see people come up with beautiful metaphors and mental images that I can't really replicate. A lot of this might be down to redrafting, but in general I wish I was a bit quicker on the button when it comes to imagery.

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When writing Touhou fiction, how do you usually approach official canon material? Do you build on top of it; do you go around it; or do you try and stay within it as much as possible? Something else?
It depends on the nature of the story. If it's a short or a comedy piece I might be willing to waive one or two materials in order to make things work. (This is why so many of my characters can get their hands on wetsuits and dive gear in a universe where they probably don't even exist. :V)

If it's more serious and long-running, I'll try my best to stick with canonical interpretations above all else. Unfortunately because of this there are a lot of characters I'm unlikely to touch. For example I've really taken a shine to Miko recently, but the rest of her crew have been made more and more reprehensible since SoPM. Futo's appearance in IMWT basically depended on me turning her entirely into a caricature rather than something realistic, since the 'real' Futo is a character I don't care for and don't really want to write.
 
Quote
What are some of your favorite things to read, including but not limited to books?
And here's where I spit in the face of everything I just said!

When it comes to reading I pursue in my own time, I have a bile fascination for the terrible. Some of you may know I've done Let's Plays of horrible, horrible VNs in my spare time. When I make an LP like that I'm aiming for two things: firstly to embrace the awfulness of the original piece, and secondly to make something entertaining out of what would otherwise be a trainwreck. It's a fine line and one I've put a lot of practice into treading with care.

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What particular genres do you enjoy reading? What particular genres do you enjoy writing?
It doesn't show in my writing, but I'm a big fan of murder mysteries. I've tried a few times to write my own, but it really doesn't gel with my normal writing style, unfortunately. Maybe some day. :(
 
Quote
Do you have any big projects we can look forward to on the horizon?
I'm actually working on a novel right now! It's a project I've been dabbling in since before 2014 - no real relation to Touhou, although Jozu (an OC I use quite often) does make an appearance in it. I'm about two thirds of the way through a first draft, but progress has been kind of rocked by the fact I've moved out of the house and got myself a job. In fact, as I write this, I'm getting ready for my first day at work!
 
Quote
Is there a word of advice you'd like to give to aspiring fiction writers?
Don't be afraid to suck. No-one is born the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. The only way to get good at writing is to write. You will make mistakes; that's inevitable. But the only way to get those problems out of your writing is to make them first. A great quote I heard about this came from the comic book writer Brian Vaughan: 'Every writer has 10,000 pages of shit in them, and the only way your writing is going to be any good at all is to work hard and hit 10,001.'

-----

What is it about dolphins that inspires you?
Initially it was entirely accidental. I will admit I am a fan of aquatic scenes in general and have been since I was a kid, but dolphins weren't that big a thing for me. Then I happened to have a mental image of Satori swimming with dolphins, and figured it would make a good short. In true Rou fashion it spiraled horribly out of control and then Sango happened, but by then I'd actually become quite attached to her as a character.

Dolphins are fun, and consequently fun to think about when life gets stressful. Other 'factoids' about dolphins will be willingly ignored and considered slander in my presence. >:<

What inspired you to write DRK?
I know I've said this several times already, but DRK was a happy accident. In the story I mentioned earlier (Pure Lotus of the Sunken Stars) I had Koishi as the one-dimensional maniac. However, there was a running joke where she was convinced she was a magical girl, riding Sango to victory against some evil crab king monster. The image stuck in my head and I decided I wanted to run with it, but add a touch of my personal style as well. The rest, as they say, is history.

Quote
Do you often talk to Sango in your head, even when not writing things that are about her?
Not as much as I used to. Maybe it's because DRK is over, but Sango is less of a presence in my head and more of a character. Alternatively it's because she'd have to vie for attention with every other character I've got rolling around in there. :V

What are some other sea-lifes that you enjoy?
I've been meaning to try and write a proper jellyfish youkai for a while. Maybe an eel, as well. (Yes, Iku's an oarfish, but that doesn't quite count.) More than anything though I feel like people are losing interest/patience in that sort of stuff, because I'm far more into it than anyone else. So I guess it'll have to wait for now.

Is Koishi a menace to life everywhere?

How is the work on that novel coming along?
Only you

Like I said I'm in a bit of a slump with all the real life things going on. Moving out, starting work, dealing with my loving and supportive family, and so on. I'm hoping once I get into a regular routine with work I'll be able to start writing properly again.

-----

Alright, let's open the forum. Fire away, ladies and gentlemen other ladies!
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 07:11:01 AM by Rou Can't Even »

Alfred F. Jones

  • Estamos orgullosos del Batall?n Lincoln
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  • y de la lucha que hizo por Madrid
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #44 on: June 16, 2014, 08:21:04 AM »
What kind of research do you do before/during the writing of a story, or do you just dive right in?

What's the most amount of research you've ever done for a story?

Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #45 on: June 16, 2014, 09:24:11 AM »
Has a dream (while sleeping) ever inspired you to make a short fic? If so, what was it?


Thanks to GreenVirus for the Siggy.
My TF2 Backpack of DOOM

UnendingEmpire

  • Jack of all trades
  • Cultured Tastes Since 1994
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #46 on: June 16, 2014, 03:05:31 PM »
How did you decide to make IMWT's Futo so hilariously maniacal?

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
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  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #47 on: June 16, 2014, 04:25:34 PM »
Story outlines. Yes/no? If yes, how much do you plan? Are your outlines more like thumbnail sketches, skeletons, or elaborately woven Persian rugs?

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

KaiserKnuckle

  • You better stop,
  • and think about what you're doing
    • Music interests and whatnot
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #48 on: June 16, 2014, 06:10:21 PM »
Do you listen to music whilst you write to get the mood right? If so, then what kind?

What is your most satisfying reader reaction to Completed!DRK?

Do you have any particular interests in others' Touhou fanworks?
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FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #49 on: June 16, 2014, 08:43:20 PM »
What kind of research do you do before/during the writing of a story, or do you just dive right in?

What's the most amount of research you've ever done for a story?
The simple answer is that I'll research something if I'm not fully confident I can produce a believable equivalent. The best example of research for me would probably be the Komachi arc in DRK, where I made a point of looking up the specific law system for a variety of reasons - both to ensure the trial scene was believable while still readable, and that Komachi's position as a prosecutor made sense.

The most research I did was for that Sango novel that went nowhere, Delphini Sanctimonia. Along with reading a bunch of Latin and Greek stuff for flavour I made a point of getting the Izu Islands down pat for when I wrote them. Then I lost momentum because there was a lot wrong with that story that research wouldn't fix. :<

Has a dream (while sleeping) ever inspired you to make a short fic? If so, what was it?
Sadly no :< My dreams tend to be either the dull sort that's so ordinary you barely realise it's a dream, or just plain unpleasant. I'm jealous because I know people who can go lucid and have awesome dreams. I tried a flotation tank once to see if I could get a similar experience, but that went poorly.

How did you decide to make IMWT's Futo so hilariously maniacal?
Futo was not a character treated kindly by SoPM. One of the main character traits that's mentioned for her is she's something of a pyromaniac - Miko says she would claim to be scared by the sight of Buddhist statues and retaliate by burning them down. When I came up with the concept of Miko as president, it seemed natural for Futo to be a slightly psychotic Secretary of Defense, but I had to really make her into a caricature of her actual self. Futo as an actual character is literally a murderer and I just didn't like her, so I had to turn her into something entertaining that I could enjoy writing while still staying within some semblance of a 'canon' interpretation. Hence, crazy warmonger.

Story outlines. Yes/no? If yes, how much do you plan? Are your outlines more like thumbnail sketches, skeletons, or elaborately woven Persian rugs?
My story outlines are like game design documents. You plan out everything from step one and decide it's all awesome, then as you go through you suddenly realise half of what you planned was utter garbage and start making things up on the spot. Then you redraft and try to pretend the first outline never happened. Maybe don't try that at home. >.>

Do you listen to music whilst you write to get the mood right? If so, then what kind?
Depends on the story. I generally try to find something suiting the atmosphere, typically from an RPG or something similar. For example I'm pretty sure I was listening to Meaning of Birth during one of the final fights in DRK, because it just felt right for the
Spoiler:
Koishi vs Satori
showdown.

Quote
What is your most satisfying reader reaction to Completed!DRK?
Probably Esi's contribution. He'd been one of the forefront supporters since day one, so his opinion meant a lot to me. When he gave it his seal of approval I just felt really content with how everything had gone.

Quote
Do you have any particular interests in others' Touhou fanworks?
Less than I should~ I've not been as active in the fandom in general of late, ever since DRK really finished. Mainly I read and proof a lot of Iced's stuff, and I really like some of the sappier shorts he puts out (like the one where Hatate and Satori go on a date outside the border).

Hello Purvis

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  • Hello Jerry
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #50 on: June 20, 2014, 05:22:12 AM »
Why am I the best writeman?

What kinds of ideas have you wanted to write, but could never really find a way to make them get into proper words? Like, you mentioned that story about the Izu Isles?

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
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  • blub blub nya
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #51 on: June 20, 2014, 09:41:22 PM »
Why am I the best writeman?
One day, as a small child, you were pulled over by a police officer for stealing a toy car. He read you your writes, and you took them to heart for every aspect of your daily life.

What, that's not what you meant?

Quote
What kinds of ideas have you wanted to write, but could never really find a way to make them get into proper words? Like, you mentioned that story about the Izu Isles?
I have had a few ideas for stories I really wanted to try because the concept seemed great, but I could never turn into something workable. The biggest is a fiction idea that has stuck in my head for a while - basically it's a world where medical science and other technology falls under copyright, and if the creator dies without naming a successor the work is summarily pulled out of use. Cures are found for major diseases, then pulled off the shelf when the copyright's expired. There's a booming black market for what are known as the Dead and Buried medicines - or D&B for short. The plot would involve the protagonist, a young doctor, discovering a valuable cure for a potential epidemic, only for his mentor to steal it away in the name of gratuitous profit. This convinces the hero he needs to change the system for the better...or something like that.

Yeah I really liked the setting idea but I couldn't make a proper plot or characters from it. :(

Esifex

  • Though the sun may set
  • *
  • It shall rise again
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #52 on: June 20, 2014, 10:05:47 PM »
Probably Esi's contribution. He'd been one of the forefront supporters since day one, so his opinion meant a lot to me. When he gave it his seal of approval I just felt really content with how everything had gone.


Esi's Seal of Approval.

I really need to get back to MotK more than I have been, don't I? I miss you guys.

That said! What was the toughest story, genre-wise, for you to whip together? Including Weekly Writing Challenges. You've said murder mysteries appeal to you but you have trouble and haven't put many of them together; what is your favorite story that you've done up, despite feeling like it wouldn't be able to stand on its own?

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #53 on: June 20, 2014, 11:28:17 PM »
I would also like to know what you make of the William S Burroughs quote from earlier, "If you've just finished writing something and think it's brilliant, tear it up immediately and throw it into someone else's garbage can."

Burroughs always had a point. What do you think his was with this?

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #54 on: June 21, 2014, 01:04:34 PM »
What is your favorite art of Sango?


Thanks to GreenVirus for the Siggy.
My TF2 Backpack of DOOM

Joveus Molai

  • Bear the Word, and the Word will bear you.
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Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #55 on: June 21, 2014, 05:12:19 PM »
Posting from phone...

Alright folks, it's been about one week. After Rou answers this last round of questions, we'll be picking our next guest, who will be whoever first posts their request after Rou makes his last post.

A big thank you to Rou for being this week's guest!
« Last Edit: June 21, 2014, 05:25:42 PM by Joveus Molai »

Esifex

  • Though the sun may set
  • *
  • It shall rise again
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #56 on: June 21, 2014, 05:29:04 PM »
S'long as there's no recent activity requirement for volunteering, I reckon I can ride on Rou's coat-tails.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #57 on: June 21, 2014, 09:09:44 PM »
I really need to get back to MotK more than I have been, don't I? I miss you guys.
I miss you too, Esibro. <3

Quote
That said! What was the toughest story, genre-wise, for you to whip together? Including Weekly Writing Challenges. You've said murder mysteries appeal to you but you have trouble and haven't put many of them together; what is your favorite story that you've done up, despite feeling like it wouldn't be able to stand on its own?
Probably an old story I put together a while back called Succession. When I write proper canon I have to work hard to do the character justice, and I was trying to write a serious single piece for Youmu as a character. Looking back on it it's melodramatic and doesn't stand, but it was a satisfying read and write for me at the time.

I would also like to know what you make of the William S Burroughs quote from earlier, "If you've just finished writing something and think it's brilliant, tear it up immediately and throw it into someone else's garbage can."

Burroughs always had a point. What do you think his was with this?
I think it's saying 'if you think your work is fantastic, you're not looking hard enough'. Basically no work is ever perfect, and a writer is always the worst critic of their own work. This is why some people get stuck in an endless cycle of redrafting - they keep finding little tweaks and changes to make, but the final product never fits the bill. Anyone who looks at their work without finding niggling issues with every redraft is either a genius or isn't looking properly. Ultimately there comes a time when you have to accept a draft as 'good enough'.

What is your favorite art of Sango?
This might seem like a bit of a copout, but it's probably the first fanart Sango ever got. When I write characters I'm actually really bad at getting a visual image of them in my head and I usually need a picture to really get them in my head. The picture that really brought her to life was by an artist called Nwbi who hung around at the time of the first Sango story, Third Eye in Pure Waters. Sadly I've lost the original image over time, but I do have another lovely sheet by the same artist that basically became the go-to reference for Sango.
(Sadly Nwbi hasn't really been around for a couple of years now. ><)

Anyway, that'll just about wrap it up for me. Thanks for letting me take the floor, Joveus! Hope my answers were enough to satisfy the audience. :3

UnendingEmpire

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Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #58 on: June 21, 2014, 10:45:05 PM »
I don't mind taking a few questions.  I don't write nearly as much now as I used to, but...ah well ^_^; I volunteer for the next week of Ask a Writer :)

Tengukami

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Re: Ask a Writer! This Week - Roukanken!
« Reply #59 on: June 21, 2014, 11:27:35 PM »
I miss you too, Esibro. <3
2nd

I think it's saying 'if you think your work is fantastic, you're not looking hard enough'. Basically no work is ever perfect, and a writer is always the worst critic of their own work. This is why some people get stuck in an endless cycle of redrafting - they keep finding little tweaks and changes to make, but the final product never fits the bill. Anyone who looks at their work without finding niggling issues with every redraft is either a genius or isn't looking properly. Ultimately there comes a time when you have to accept a draft as 'good enough'.
Exactly right. Thank you. Man was a total genius, I recommend any writer check him out.

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."