Daily OpusEverything I write is freely rebloggable. Just keep the source and tell people about my books :D [Until I decide otherwise, my pronouns are Ze/Hir/Hirself. As in "Ze went to the shops to get hir medication hirself". Thank you for the respect.]
Anonymous asked, "18,22 24,27 please"
18 : If you could assign your story one song, what would it be?
I have so many stories, it’s not funny. My current novel-in-process doesn’t have any theme music, but I spent a large amount of Clockwork Souls listening to my Steampunk collection. There are some stories that get theme songs, but this time… I don’t have any.
Sorry.
22 : Has your own writing ever made you cry?
Frequently. I’ve also been angered and scared by my own writing. If I don’t feel it, then my audience won’t either.
24 : When did you start considering yourself a writer?
It took me a while. I started doing that when I started writing stories unrelated to fanfic a few years after I left High School, so… around 1992.
27 : Where do you get inspiration from?
90% Spite, actually. I end up yelling at screens about all kinds of things. Some of that list includes: articulated skeletons, daft protagonists, any of the tropes I despise, plot holes as big as a barge, and silly things that make no actual sense that play well on the screen [aka the planar wave in zero-g explosions, the teacup being the first thing that detects danger, etc.] Then I read things on Tumblr and think… that might be cool, let’s try it.
Which one? I’ve cleared 102K in my current novel, I’m almost up to 22K in my most-active fanfic, and there’s 53K, 38K, and 6K in a few stalled fics I have waiting on the back-burner for ideas.
9 : What do you struggle most with as a writer?
Being culturally sensitive/politically correct/woke. I am a creature from a bygone era and staying tuned to the pulse of modern thought is something I have to work with.
10 : Do you brain-storm story ideas alone or with others?
Absolutely nobody but @dualityandsuch can stand me, friendo. I keep my novel BS to myself and anyone who cares to read about it in my blog and Patreon.
11 : Do you base your characters off of real people?
Bits and pieces. I tend to stitch together parts of people I know, meld them with attributes I need, and come out with a whole person on the other end. It’s kind’a fascinating.
13 : Do you write character-driven or plot-driven stories?
I like character development. The plot kind of happens around them.
I honestly try to. Some just end up in a nebulous state of Schroedinger’s Ending. There, I may have already written an end, or I might have more. I don’t know.
Novels, I definitely finish. I’m good there.
28 : On a scale of 1-10, how much do you stress about choosing character names?
12. Some are easy, some require good research. Some are whatever collection of syllables feels good in my mouth that day.
46 : What Hogwarts house would your protagonist(s) be in?
Hufflepuff. Every last one of them. All of my OC’s are “and the rest”. Some would leave little treats (not clothing!) for the House Elves.
Well. Maybe the psychopaths are Slytherin. Barely.
50 : Would you rather be remembered for your fantastic world-building or your lifelike characters?
Both, please? I like to put the effort into some degree of realism in everything I write. Realistic people - even if they’re technically birds - living in worlds that make sense, if only to me.
I want to write stories you could step into if only there wasn’t that darned book/screen in the way. I want you to feel for my peeps. I want them to be alive in your heads as you read the words I put together. That’d be brilliant.
3 : Do you outline according to big ideas or small details?
A little from column A, a little from column B. Usually, I have the vague shape of the story in my head and, when I get into actually writing it, I get little scenes that just HAVE to be in the thing. For fanfic, the reverse happens. I get a Scene and the fic has to happen around it.
4 : Which do you prefer–line-editing or plot-revisions?
Can I say ‘neither’? I hate editing. It is the bane of my existence. I usually try my best to make certiain my whole story is coherent first before I write a line. That way I don’t have to re-tool a plot. Fixing minor errata is better by far.
8 : What author would you be most excited to be compared to?
Sir Terry Pratchett (GNU), Lois McMasters Bujold, Douglas Adams, and possibly Terry Nation. They’re my heroes.
17 : Do you make soundtracks for each story?
Nope. If I was that organised, I swear I’d be further along in my alleged career. Or I’d have more bonus content for my Patrons on Patreon.
maemi324 asked, "For the writer challenge post, numbers 1,2,16,20, and 31 I'd that's alright "
1 : What age-group do you write?
Since I write swears and pseudoswears into my narrative [I’ve been cutting down though] I would have to say “young adult”… but I’d much prefer that everyone reads my stuff. If they happen to enjoy it, then my writing has no real age limit. [I do advise the grownups read first and judge as to whether their littles can withstand the contents]
2 : What genre do you write?
I can potentially write every fiction genre but Romance. There’s something about Romance as a genre that is largely dependant on all parties being inexplicably dense about things way too frequently for my liking. That said, I adore science fiction and keep returning to it like a bad smell.
16 : Would your story work better as a movie or tv show? Why?
Serialised television is kinder to the contents of the books than movies are, but… No matter what, there’s things you can do in prose that just won’t translate to the screen no matter what you do. If I were to pick, I would much rather my works be messed with by Studio Ghibli if they had to be a movie. Similarly, I’m pretty sure someone in Netflix-town knows what’s up.
20 : What book would you love to see adapted for the big or small screen?
I’d most like to see Clockwork Souls adapted. It’s something I’ve written, but haven’t passed through the editing cycle for lack of feedback. First: it’s the only actual novel I’ve written where my mother(nit-picker extraordinaire) has said she liked it. Second: 90% of the main characters are on one spectrum or another. Third: I really really really really [x 20000] want to see what folks would do with that noise. Mal-adaption or no, the end result would be entertaining as hell.
31 : What trope do you actually like?
I’m not too certain of the names, but I can give you the patterns in no particular order:
Kick-ass ladygal - woman in a ballgown or other fancy duds rips through the opposition. Trashed ballgown post-fracas optional. [Heavily sexualised trashed ballgown is a no-no]
Shrinking violet, hidden badass - formerly assumed milquetoast gets angry and goes Hulk on the opposition. Instantly resumes former innocent facade after the last villain falls.
I’m made of weapons - Character is forced to disarm and produces increasingly illogical weaponry from increasingly unlikely places into an increasingly alarming pile. Bonus points for “All of your weapons…” followed by even MORE of the same.
The Gilligan Cut - “What do you expect, [Highly Improbable Situation]?” [swish-cut to the selfsame situation].
NARRATIVELY DEPENDENT PUNS - Gods bless you Sir Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and all of the Goons. I wish I had but a fraction of your artistry.
Expecting an argument and getting an agreement - bonus points for half the counter-argument and a “Wait, what?”
Rule of Funny - screw the established rules, if it’s funny, it wins.
Musical Mayhem - fights with excellent timing and pop music.
That Tribble Scene in Star Trek - if I could have more of that happening, that would be so much fun.
The One Sane Person - The lunatics are almost running the asylum, but this person has to keep them running in the same direction. [See: Kermit the Frog in the Original Muppet Show]
They Fight Crime - unlikely duo works like a well-oiled machine to fight and win against the bad guys. Good romance between them for super bonus points.
jordemme asked, "Hi! I loved When We Were Us, and I was wondering something, I love your world building a ton but I was curious, What did St Vingos do if they came across half elves while raiding dragon's dens and such?"
Half-Elves were “reformed” in the same manner as the full-blooded Elves, but with a generous heaping of “you’re not worthy” type brainwashing on the side.
They were, unfortunately, usually sold off as servants to less than ethical peoples.
Saint Vingo’s was a blot on history for many, and left some lingering scars. Like a lot of lingering scars. An unconscionable amount of lingering scars.
recklessprudence asked, "Trying to explain to people that no, autistic people do not need 'curing', and if you actually did so you would actually be killing the person that is there and getting a new person that retains the memories of the person you killed, instead. That the real hardship of having autism is not the autism itself, but that society is not willing to make even the most BASIC of concessions towards people who are different. That we are autistic people, not people with autism, and they can FUCK RIGHT OFF."
(cont) And it is so TIRING. It’s not really that hard to grasp, is it? That we’re people and should be granted the basic respect everyone deserves? That perhaps instead of listening to Autism Warrior Mums, you should listen to AUTISTIC PEOPLE when trying to determine their wants and needs? That we shouldn’t be ‘cured’, and there shouldn’t be foetal screenings to ensure that people like us aren’t born in the first place? I just… it’s not that hard, right?
I can honestly say I have the good fortune of not encountering that much horseshit. My peeve is the Anti-vax mothers who swear that autism is a fate worse than literal death.
[I’m sure we’ve all seen the one about the kid who caught the first case of tetanus in Ohio because they didn’t ‘need’ a vaccine 9_9]
There’s people alive today who have no idea that tetanus is a thing. There’s people who don’t recognise that some “harmless kids’ diseases” are only harmless because vaccines exist. I lived through the era when people would pray for your kid if they caught measles.
Yeah. You can’t ever convince me that vaccines are more dangerous than Autism. One: I predate the MMR vaccine that started all the fuss. Still have Autism. Two: I remember the days when some of these diseases were deadly. Three: The leading cause of death in autistic kids is… (drumroll) Their fucking parents.
So yeah. Enough of the Burden Porn that centres around the entire autistic demographic.
Have you heard about “puppetgate”? There is an actual play that contains a non-verbal autistic character who is portrayed by an actual freaking puppet. The illogic behind this choice is bending over backwards to degrees unseen outside of a pretzel factory.
There is a sharp divide between autistic people who fucking HATE this bullshit, and the nypical, can’t-get-enough-burden-porn theatre reviewers who think this is the best thing since sliced eggs.
I’m willing to bet money that if these peeps could abort an autistic kid, they would, simply because of all the Burden Porn out there.
We need to end Burden Porn.
If I could sponsor a Hallmark Type movie showing parents how to interact with their autistic kids, I would. Intensive Interaction etc, etc. Show all these Burden Porn arseholes that there are other ways to view autism.
Even if I could write scripts, I wouldn’t have the wherewithal to get it out there. Alas.
What say all of us Autistics gather together and make our own anti-burden porn production?
Rules: Answer 11 Questions, Ask Eleven Questions, Tag Eleven People!
1. What’s your favorite genre of scene to write (action, fluff, angst, etc)?
Fluff and comfort stuff. That’s my favorite to write, as much as I joke about torturing my characters and giving them a proper beat down, I love giving them moments of joy much more.
2. Would you tell anyone that you write, or only a select few?
I’m actually, really open about my writing. I don’t share EVERYTHING with everyone, but when people ask me what I do for a living I say “author” now.
3. Do you ever read your work out loud?
Yep! It’s great for editing sessions, cause then you can find clunky dialogue and fix it, if it’s awkward or weird sounding. I don’t do it EVERY time, but it helps.
4. Which are you more interested in, character or plot? Or is it pretty equal?
Equal, definitely. A great character can make a good plot, even better, or a great plot, can develop a good character. The plot, I consider it’s own character in and of itself.
5. What’s your favorite type of relationship to read about in fiction?
As much as I love and write about romance… I actually love reading about families the most. Siblings who have each others backs, a parent and their child, I love all of that and those are my favorites to read about… Buuuut their so rare sometimes, that it’s now made me determined to fill the genre MYSELF if I must!
6. Have you ever used an OC for roleplay?
All the time! It’s fun for developing certain OC’s… and I play DnD too, so I got my brand new DnD character to roleplay with too.
7. Which do you have more fun writing: characters who are the most like you or least like you?
Hm… Is it cheating to say both? All characters have pieces of me in them… It’s just a matter of how much is in them or what’s in them.
8. What are some names you haven’t used yet, but would love to give to a character one day?
Bianca, Matilda, Hiroto, Suzume, Genevieve, to name a few.
9. What time of day are you most motivated to write?
Either the middle of the afternoon… Or in the middle of the night, when I’m trying to wind down, but then I get an idea I have to write so badly I either jump out of my bed, or forego sleeping until it’s partially jotted down.
10. Do you prefer large scale or small scale stories? (ie: characters saving the world vs character who lives fairly normal life dealing with personal struggles)
Hm… Both? I enjoy writing both types of stories, I like to write slice of life a lot of fanfiction but even that, sometimes has an overarching plotline.
11. What are you reading right now? Has it inspired you in any way?
Right now, I’m reading:
Iron Man: The Gauntlet by Eoin Colfer, it’s part of a set of novels that Marvel’s hired popular YA authors to write, I also own the book Black Widow: Forever Red… So far it’s inspired me to give poor Tony a break! (Howard Stark is such an ASS!)
Animorphs by K.A. Applegate - I’ve been reading them for the first time, actually and I’ve been really enjoying them. It honestly inspired me to refine my own teenage characters a bit more and it made me want to write sci-fi stuff more too. I got some sci-fi projects in mind, so it’s good ‘research’ (and I LOVE the world building so much)
My questions are:
1. Have you ever based a story on a dream you’ve had?
2. What do you do, when you hit a wall with a story?
3. What kind of characters do you like to write best?
4. What do you read, to get inspired?
5. Do you listen to songs/any sounds while writing or do you need utter silence?
6. What is your favorite author?
7. There’s a zombie apocalypse and the CDC issues that the only way to kill the zombies, is to hit them with your least favorite book. What book, do you use to kill some zombies?
8. What do you think is going to be the next big “monster trend” in modern day literature? We’ve had Vampires, werewolves and zombies, what do you think is next?
9. Which wip of yours is the favorite child? If you only have one WIP, which character is the favorite child?
10. What kind of things do you like to use to get in the writing mood?
1. Have you ever based a story on a dream you’ve had?
No, not yet. Most of my dreams, while they do have an actual plot, make very little sense while I’m awake. Or aren’t something I want to write about.
2. What do you do, when you hit a wall with a story?
Switch to a different story or chapter, bounce ideas or do character development questions with a friend, or abandon it. Sometimes for a week, or sometimes forever depending on how much it’s fighting me.
3. What kind of characters do you like to write best?
The happy, nice ones who may not be particularly strong or brave at first, but will step up when they need to and will fight to protect the people they love.
4. What do you read, to get inspired?
Depends on what I’m writing. If it’s fanfiction, more stories from that fandom. If it’s an original piece, I stick to the same genre. Pick out things I like, note tropes I don’t.
5. Do you listen to songs/any sounds while writing or do you need utter silence?
I used to write with music but now not so much, particularly if I’m writing a really intense scene. I need to drop myself fully into the characters’ heads and in that case music is distracting.
6. What is your favorite author?
Oh several! Tamora Pierce, Gail Carriger, and Erin Kinsella are in my top 3.
7. There’s a zombie apocalypse and the CDC issues that the only way to kill the zombies, is to hit them with your least favorite book. What book, do you use to kill some zombies?
Hm…. Uther by Jack Whyte would be a good weaponized book. It’s thick as a brick and is filled to the brim with male wish fulfillment characters and misogyny.
8. What do you think is going to be the next big “monster trend” in modern day literature? We’ve had Vampires, werewolves and zombies, what do you think is next?
Cryptids? Or aliens. Like I hope not, but we’ve gone through all the above, plus demons and angels for a small time. What else is left?
9. Which wip of yours is the favorite child? If you only have one WIP, which character is the favorite child?
Currently A Year in the Life, the fic I’m writing for the Coco fandom. I’ve got so much written and more planned for it, and I love writing Nell. me and @perlogannwyl have come up with so many au’s for her and her friends (and Perlog’s characters as well).
10. What kind of things do you like to use to get in the writing mood?
Not much. The writing muse hits when she hits. Sometimes I just have to sit down, read through the last few pages, and I’m ready to go. Other times I like to settle in with a pot of tea and a fuzzy blanket.
11. Outline or no outline?
Outline. Mostly point-form. Depends on how elaborate the plot is and how much world-building I have to do. But it keeps me on track and I get to save conversations and bits of dialogue that I want to use later.
Now more questions!
1) What was your favourite book when you were in school?
2) What authors would you credit as having had the biggest influence on your writing?
3) Do you read any independent/self-published authors? If so, who? What do they write?
4) What does your planning process look like? Do you write really in-depth outlines or do you wing it?
5) What artists and songs show up most often on your WiP playlists?
6) Have you ever written a character that was supposed to have one or two short appearances but you liked writing them so much, they became a recurring character?
7) Do you roleplay? Have you ever found yourself writing full novel-style backstories for them?
8) What is your favourite writing snack?
9) Do you have other people proof-read your work before you post it?
10) Do you ever do sketches of your characters? If so, please post some below and let us see them!
11) How do you choose your characters’ names? Do you have a particular site that you use?
1. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Actually Daniel Handler)
2. Darren Shan, for how all his books get outlandishly complicated but still have a beating heart. JKRowling for foreshadowing in the actual HP book series (I have been unimpressed since)
3. Yes! Maddy Lanslot, Romance which explores class differences
4. Uhh… Mostly I start screaming my ideas at people until things makes sense in my head. Then I try to write them down.
5. Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy
6. Yes. As Calliope would tell you I blame her for this. Case in point: Arturo and Mateo. Mateo was meant to have a small role in story 1. Arturo was meant to be a cool/ cute OC that only was supposed to be in our chats. Not in several stories including his own staring story (If I ever get to that point) you heathen! (To be fair… I adore him so I know I am to blame too)
7. Yes, I do role-play. I play D&D twice a week. I have never come up with novel length backstories for my own character, but I have a few pages full (not including world-building notes) for my players.
8. Cookies and Oreos are great, but Peanut M&Ms
9. Calliope proofs what I write, and usually You Lucky Barstool starts iving me the death glare if their things are going off the rails
10. This is Arturo Campana. He likes science, and in this photo I think he just drank 3 cups of coffee:
Here is Abbie Rogers from MCU daemons:
11. I look at their nationality, then go from there. If I can I either try to name them after one of my pets, (Arturo is in this category.) or after a trait they highly exemplify (Mateo is in this category).
Questions: 1. Where is the weirdest place you have ever written?
2. Have you ever based a character on someone you know?
3. Have you ever been inspired by a mental image? What was it?
4. Choose an OC. What animal and colour best represents them?
5. Have you ever left a plot point decision to a dice roll/ coin toss?
6. What’s the longest you have gone between writing a story?
7. Out of context what is the weirdest thing you’ve ever had to google for a story?
8. Have you been ever too tired to research something so made it up?
9. What type of scene do you find the most difficult to write?
10. Is there a book/ scene that you have read that has inspired you, because it was so bad, and you think you could do it better?
1) I write everywhere. I’ve written on public transport, I’ve written in the passenger seat of a car, I’ve written in the smallest room in the house -if you know what I mean- and basically anywhere I was free to sit still for five consecutive minutes. The statistical outlier has to be -for me- on a plane during a 12-hour trip across the Pacific Oceans
2) Never directly. I’ve had characters slam the name of someone who was the worst at being a friend (long story) but other than that, my characters are amalgamations of traits I’ve absorbed info about via osmosis.
3) Frequently. Most recently - Taako attempting to cram a Woolies’ Mud Cake into his maw in a hurry. More on that later today :D
4) I think my brain just fused. I can’t do it. So many characters of mine don’t fit this mould. Sorry.
5) No, I usually have an idea about the drama before I get around to writing anything. One day, I may DM a bunch of imaginary people, but today is not that day.
6) I think I was in a slump somewhere long about 2012/2013. That was when I started the daily challenge thing I’m currently procrastinating on.
7) “Eye pupil shaped like a fidget spinner” No results worth using FYI
8) Frequently. I paid in full via the comments from internet smartarses everywhere though.
9) Fights. I can’t write a good fight scene to save my soul.
10) See: 5th Season Deep Space Nine. That’s what got me going on the idea of wanting to go pro.
11) NEVER! Well. Very rarely. I don’t have the skill nor the patience to do anything truly cool and I’ve yet to encounter any cheap software that could help me with that endeavour either.
My eleven questions for you whomst I tag:
Have you ever had a bad idea that seemed like it would be fun to write/make, and did you do it?
Is there something you’ve created that you loved a lot but nobody seemed to give a fig about?
Do you have any past works that have come back to haunt you?
What is your recipe for success(assuming you have success)?
If you could pick any work you’ve done to become a blockbuster movie - which is it and which studio would make it?
Do you have ‘downer’ days and what’s your best cure?
What’s an indulgence you can’t resist?
Best genre of music according to you?
Best genre of TV according to you?
Top five people on your “To hug” list?
What’s the part of creating that you despise the most and would rather pay someone else to do?
I tag: @neil-gaiman (I doubt you’ll waste time on me, but I love you) @zarla-s (same) and @dualityandsuch because we’re butt-waffle buds :D Also, any of my lovely followers are free to do this thing if they want.
