Ask A Writer!

[Volrath]

Do you become attached to your characters and find it difficult to 'write them' (for lack of a better term) in emotional or physical pain?

Yes. There are certain scenes in Master of the Wind (Wumpi, you know which ones...:D ) that were almost agonizing to write. I'll take that a bit further and say that I sometimes get a little anxious even watching those scenes again because I know what will happen.

In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts?

Definitely. This is an aspect of storytelling that most people don't seem to get. If the characters are always miserable, chances are the player is miserable. They're always sad anyway, so who cares what happens to them? Laughing at the antics of a person makes you more attached to them. So when they're put in danger, you feel more protective affection.

Do you think that because you're making an RPG,it limits the plot?

Not at all. To me, the RPG classification dictates gameplay more than story. Any kind of story can be molded into an RPG.

Does a writer needs to have good ideas or a very good use of the language?

A writer? Yes. A storyteller? Not necessarily. But it certainly helps.

Do you see your characters as human beings or as symbols/allegories?

I'm a huge fan of allegory, but it should never compromise the characters. I won't say "human beings" because my game features a lot of non-human characters, but even if they do play a part in the allegory they should be realistic characters in their own right. Don Kovak in MotW is meant to represent corporate crime in today's world, but I worked hard to make him a distinct personality with his own traits and layers.

 

[Rubytyr]

The Questions
I will be editing questions asked as I go along...

1. Do you think writing is underrated in the RMXP community? (Lene)
2. Is writing an intended career path for you? (Lene)
3. How long do you sit and just write? (Lene)
4. What is your opinion on fanfiction or fangames to be more specifc? Do you write fanfiction? (Lene)
5. Do you become attached to your characters and find it difficult to 'write them' (for lack of a better term) in emotional or physical pain? (Wumpi)
   [*]In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts? (Wumpi)

1. Underrated is a subjective term, but from what I have seen from posts and the few demos released I would say the authors find it an important part to their games.

The real question to pose is how much writing is desirable - and at what point does it make the gamer impatient or bored? Personally I beleive that is a individual basis, even well written and acclaimed pieces of littature receive negative critiscm, and thus the author should do as best he/she can - but to not be pressured to please the whole.

2. Yes, and I have previously written non-fiction pieces for various magazines and compilation books.

3. Depends on my mood - I can go for almost eight hours sometimes, and other time I can only sit down for thirty minutes.

4. I avoid fanfiction as best I can, I have a initial visualization of my favored characters and prefer to leave them as they are. Anything I may write about them might change my own feelings - for the worse.

5. Sometimes I do grow an attachment, but never has it made it difficult to involve them in tragic or emotional situations - after all, pain and emotion are part of human nature. And help us - let alone the characters we write - grow from the experience.

6. Depends on the kind of readers you are aiming for - and your own needs for the story. I myself find constant dark to be melodramatic and filled with too much angst, unless written well.

Lightening up the story here or there gives the reader some relief from the tension for at least a short while - and can even be used to help hook the reader deeper into the darkness of the story, from a sense of dissapointment or loss.

A good example (I guess) from a reaction perspective, would be the movie: "Man on fire" for as dark as it was, what made it work was the small parts of light brought in as the bodyguard became close to the little girl.

(Of course, that's under the assumption you have seen the movie, and if you have not - well it is dark and violent, and becomes brainless action halfway through, but does have a good story and character development)

 

[Norris]

Do you think writing is underrated in the RMXP community?
I like to say that I also support Despain’s sentiments. A strong consideration towards writing a good story properly is there. Seen not only through the numbers of writer request threads, but also through the sheer amount of tutorials and advice given from others, which delve deeper into the technicalities of storyline design. People understand that there is more to writing than with the simple creation of an idea. How that idea is to be shaped and how it is conveyed, many people want to express their own opinions of what a good story requires.

With this, I don’t see the appropriateness in the word ‘underrated’. ‘Uninformed’ seems more befitting. Practically everyone appreciates a good story, but too few people have the faintest clue in how to take this appreciation beyond the realm of consideration. Most people do not have what it takes to be a truly capable writer as most people do not have the capacity or drive to get to that stage of true competency.

“I’ve created my characters, but how do I make them feel believable?â€ÂÂ

 

[Lene]

Got another couple of questions.

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge?

Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no?

 

[Alan.]

I have a couple of questions.

Are your stories based on real events and people?

What advice to you have to aspiring writers?

 

[BlackStaticWolf]

In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts? (Wumpi)

That's tricky. You can't have the mood of the characters be sullen or angry all the time... that's one dimensional and alienates the audience from them. So you have to lighten the mood sometimes and include some humor.

But...

The humor needs to fit with the overall mood of the story and with the personality of the characters. Totally zany humor doesn't fit and feels forced and unfunny when delivered by characters that take themselves seriously. The humor needs to fit the theme.

Do you think that because you're making an RPG, it limits the plot? (cos)

Not really. There are some limitations, but truthfully, a good author creates rules and limits for their reality and adheres to them strictly. If they don't, it breaks the audience's suspension of disbelief.

Does a writer need to have good ideas or a very good [command] of the language? (cos)

Preferably both, but you don't actually need good super original ideas to be a good writer. Being a good writer and a good storyteller are two different things.

Do you see your characters as human beings or as symbols/allegories? (cos)

I've never been a fan of allegorical characters. My characters are what they are and represent nothing beyond that. I do my very best to make them believable and human... but they do not represent the plight of man or anything else that I high school english teach wants a character to represent.

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge? (Lene)

I've heard of it, but never participated. Never will either... I write for my own personal pleasure when my muse strikes... I don't force it, and for me such an exercise would force it.

Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no? (Lene)

They can be a lot of fun. I wrote a collaborative piece with my closest friend a long time ago. We alternated chapters and did edits for continuity and voice during compiling sessions.

Are your stories based on real events and people? (Alan.)

Yes and no. They're not based on real events or people... but elements of their personalities are based on people I've known.

The RPGmaker project I'm working on is actually based loosely on a two year DND campaign that I was involved in.

What advice do you have to aspiring writers? (Alan.)

Read for pleasure. It's one of the best ways to improve your own writing and your vocabulary. Likewise... outline your story before writing it. It makes it much easier to avoid continuity errors.





Here's a couple more questions:

What published authors have influenced your writing style and themes the most?
Who is your favorite published author?

 

[Volrath]

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge?

It sounds neat, but I really doubt I have the time to participate. If I did, I would have to put my game on hold and I don't really want to do that.

Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no?

Though I tend to have sole writing credit for MotW, ArtBane has come up with several excellent story ideas. Brainstorming is a really great and productive thing, though sometimes creative differences can get a little tense. If you don't have a co-writer, I would recommend at least regularly talking to someone about the story just to get some good input.

Are your stories based on real events and people?

Small elements of real people and events do find their way into my stories, yes. You may recall that in MotW, people frequently say that just because Shroud and Stoic are opposed to Equipment King that they must "hate business." Believe it or not, I hear this argument used seriously all the time in regard to criticism of Wal-Mart, McDonalds or whatever other huge corporation is misbehaving. That may seem a bit snide, but I can't help but enjoying making my points by pre-emptively mocking questionable arguments that usually come from those who would disagree.

What advice do you have to aspiring writers?

I'll second what BlackStaticWolf said. Read. Expand your horizons. Find additional interests. The more you know about the world around you, the more authority you will have when you write.

What published authors have influenced your writing style and themes the most?

Well, that depends on which game/story we're talking about I guess. For Clean Slate, I was influenced by ancient epics like Virgil's Aeneid, as well as historical accounts of ancient conflicts like the Peloponnesian Wars. As far as Master of the Wind, the influence has mostly been from comic books, especially 80s Spider-Man. I know we tend to poke fun at anything that come out of that decade, but those were some damn fine comics. The 90s cartoon "Gargoyles" has also influenced me, particularly in regard to handling the game's backstory.

Who is your favorite published author?

Yikes. I'll keep this within the scope of the game, too. The Spider-Man comics written by Roger Stern are some of the best I've ever read. I can't even begin to describe how much I learned from his style.

 

[Marcus]

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge?
I tried participating once but I have a full time job as well as many side projects so I simply don't have the time.

Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no?
As in writing with other people? Oh God, no! I share an incredibly different vision and style from most people and every time I join a project as a writer I end up clashing with the creator or other writers because I simply have a vastly different style. This happens in the professional world as well where different writers have to come to an overall agreement or see their own work get cut for the sake of consistency. I personally wouldn't be able to stand this so I just can't write with someone else unless they like the same things I like.

Are your stories based on real events and people?
Sometimes I'll throw a reference to a real event or person but in general my stories are never based on an event unless the game takes place in the same time period. Even then, I don't like conforming to history's telling and I'll write my own "alternate" history to mold the story to my liking.

What advice to you have to aspiring writers?
Read books, watch movies, play video games, but for the most part EXPLORE. Don't watch the same style of anime or sitcom you're used to; watch a drama or action show. If you're used to reading Harry Potter, read a Phillip K. Dick novel or Terry Pratchett. If you play Final Fantasy, branch off and play Baldur's Gate or Dragon Quest. Sticking to what you know best is great but to me you never really understand yourself until you explore something you're not completely used to even if you don't ultimately like it or understand it. It's things like these that make you a good writer IMO.

 

[Rye]

Do you become attached to your characters and find it difficult to 'write them' (for lack of a better term) in emotional or physical pain? (Wumpi)
Not really. I find writing them in pain helps my mood. XD Instead of taking my anger out on someone, I take it out on my characters. :3

In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts? (Wumpi)
I like to add a few lighter parts because I don't enjoy reading a whole story that's dark and depressing with no light side to it.

Do you think that because you're making an RPG, it limits the plot? (cos)
No, it doesn't limit the plot, you just have to know how to mold your story in an RPG format. (Which can be hard in some stories).

Does a writer need to have good ideas or a very good [command] of the language? (cos)
I think they need both. You need good ideas to draw people in, and you need a good command of the language to keep them entertained.

Do you see your characters as human beings or as symbols/allegories? (cos)
Since I suck at writing symbols and allegories, I think of my characters as human. Some characters, however, I have made into a symbol (but that was by accident really.)

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge? (Lene)
I've heard of it, but I have yet to actually try it. I haven't really had all that much time.

Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no? (Lene)
No because I like having complete freedom with my stories. If I had to work with someone, that limits the freedom to what the other person wants or does not want.

Are your stories based on real events and people? (Alan.)
Nope, not a one.

What advice do you have to aspiring writers? (Alan.)
Read lots of books. It helps to learn how to write better and it can give you some ideas for writing.

What published authors have influenced your writing style and themes the most?
I don't have any that I think have influenced me. My writing style is an odd one and I have yet to find where I picked up the oddness from.

Who is your favorite published author?
Holly Black cause that's what I'm into right now. My favorites always switch depending on what I am reading or not reading.

 

[Alan.]

Two more questions.

What is your opinion on cliches?

Do you prefer a series of short stories, or one long story?

 

[Volrath]

What is your opinion on clichés?

Oh dear God. Let's not open that can of worms.

I suppose it depends on the strength of the overall story. If it feels like the writer is just going through the motions trying to create what he thinks is the preferred story arc, then they're annoying. But if the storytelling is otherwise well done, they can be fine.

Do you prefer a series of short stories, or one long story?

As long as it's a good story, I don't really have a preference.

 

[Breeze_Arkayne]

1. Do you think writing is underrated in the RMXP community?
I think that writing is very largely underrated in the RMXP community. Sure, there are a few great examples of where writing meets gameplay, but many developers are completely clueless on what writing can do for their game. On the other hand, there are people that want a 'masterpiece' but just want the whole story written out for them.

2. Is writing an intended career path for you?
Possibly; I am interested in a video, game design, or music career, and all of those take writing talent.

3. How long do you sit and just write?
I can write for hours on end, but generally do much better in quick bursts where I just brainstorm ideas. On the other hand, when I start to type on the computer just about nothing can pull me off.

4. What is your opinion on fanfiction or fangames to be more specific? Do you write fanfiction?
Fanfiction is a very interesting topic, beacuse although writers can not immerse themselves into the game culture nearly as much, they do have a charm of their own. Everyone, at one point or another, wants to make a fanfiction, its just about getting the right 'feel' and story to the game to make it work. I find that there are two types of fangames, the very poorly written 'Hey, who needs to be original? Let's just copy and release' ideas, and the 'Well, Alagork descended the throne, and then was killed by Verillin the 3rd, which was when the nation Valos went into chaos and Darun came to its aid and...' ideas. One is just ridiculous, if you don't add on to the game then you won't be 'creating' anything new. You can't really feel for a project unless you do that. The other is cluttered with terms and events that many people just don't know about. This makes it very hard to approach and stick with.

5. Do you become attached to your characters and find it difficult to 'write them' (for lack of a better term) in emotional or physical pain?
Not at all. I believe that every writer always invests a lot of time into specific characters, to make them seem 'larger-than-life', but sometimes that just doesn't work quite so well. You need to put the characters through painful situations to truly understand them and have them express themselves.

6. In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts?
It truly depends on what kind of feel you are going for. A constantly dark game will seem very depressing but that may happen to be the exact atmosphere that you are going for. Epic tales or more realistic ones should have 'a little bit of everything' in my opinion. I design my characters into dark settings, but there are plenty of different moments throughout the course of the story. I believe that this adds so much more to the story.

7. Do you think that because you're making an RPG, it limits the plot?
Not at all, although I believe that it may limit certain aspects of the game itself.

8. Does a writer need to have good ideas or a very good [command] of the language?
I think that being able to think out ideas will be a much more useful skill in game writing than language. Being able to think good ideas will help the writer express himself in scenes much better, though grammar skills are usually a must for those that want to express their views to the public.

9. Do you see your characters as human beings or as symbols/allegories?
It depends what projects I am working on. Like movies, there are some that you watch and afterwards ponder, and then there are others that come together in the end for a complete meaning and an amazing finish. In some of my projects I'll want to make my characters human beings and the game will have a very clear meaning. In others I design the whole atmosphere and characters to have one true meaning, and a more powerful effect. My current project plans to incorporate both of those techniques.

10. Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge?
I haven't heard of it before now. After searching I decided I wasn't really interested in the event.

11. Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no?
Sure. I believe that collaborations can be a very fun experience, oftentimes either very diverse ones or epics. Sometimes it's hard for a writer to take on designing a huge world on his own, or maybe they just need some feedback.

12. Are your stories based on real events and people?
Not really, although I obviously get an influence from them.

13. What advice do you have to aspiring writers?
Keep writing and expand your abilities, if you have trouble with certain categories then set projects for yourself based on those categories. You'll only get better with experience and challenge.

14. What published authors have influenced your writing style and themes the most?
Skip for now :P .

15. Who is your favorite published author?
I'd probably say Robert Jordan, his writing in the Wheel of Time series really captures the readers' imagination and attention.

16. What is your opinion on clichés?
Eh... That's 'bout it. Sometimes it's acceptable to have cliches, sometimes it can just kill the whole game. You see, but sometimes the reason that people enjoy the older SNES-era games so much is because they don't have to immerse themselves. They can just sit down and enjoy, and sometimes that is a very hard atmosphere to achieve in a game.

17. Do you prefer a series of short stories, or one long story?
Either. Short stories capture my attention in a much different way than long stories and will usually get me hyped a lot quicker on. Many times, short stories offer different perspectives and expand on the culture of already likeable games. Long stories are generally more laidback and let the player sit down and experience everything throughout long sessions. Long stories do have more fulfilling endings by far though.

 

[Lupin]

1. Do you think writing is underrated in the RMXP community? (Lene)
Yes. Yes. YES! Do you realise, HOW MANY little children come here, and make games about. Ok. So. There's this good guy. And there's this bad guy. And the bad guy is going to destroy the world, the good guy is going to save it. YAY! NO! Most RMXP games are set in medieval-fantasy settings too, INCLUDING MIND. So its underrated. Overrated. Bad.


2. Is writing an intended career path for you? (Lene)
Very much so, I hope to become a successful author of the world; Terrah


3. How long do you sit and just write? (Lene)
I write every single day, for around more then 5-12 hours


4. What is your opinion on fanfiction or fangames to be more specifc? Do you write fanfiction? (Lene)
yeeee-no. Ok. This is more of a depending question. Fangames off of things like Final Fantasy. MAINLY FF. Are bad. But they can be good. Fanfiction is meant to be for fun, so I never really take my fanfics for the serious take apart, although in the future I do plan to do a script for a Lion King 4. Or the likes. When I write fanfiction, I always try to be has loyal and original as possible. But personally, I only write fanfiction for a PURE, TRUE love of concept and/or character. Not like many who just think there work will rock cuz its a based on a good game or movie. To me Fanfic is just for fun.


5. Do you become attached to your characters and find it difficult to 'write them' (for lack of a better term) in emotional or physical pain? (Wumpi)
Personally, I love my characters, I ADORE them. Do I find it difficult to write there pains. No. As sadly and sickening as it sounds I subconsciously enjoy it, since I know them so well, I can use there best weakness against them. And are kidding. CONFILCT IS KEY! Its FUN to torture your main character, its what we do :P.

6. In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts? (Wumpi)
Horrible question, there isn't a light part or dark part. Its whatever makes the story more whole and better. So it depends.

7. Do you think that because you're making an RPG, it limits the plot? (cos)
No. RPG is a game, If I had the patience I would make the game into an RMXP movie. A game should not define your plot. HELL. My freaking game is BASED on my novel. But its true that its harder to invoke action.

8. Does a writer need to have good ideas or a very good [command] of the language? (cos)
They need to have there style and make there work has fluid as possible, improvement is key. Increase criticism, unless of course the guy is being an asshole and saying stupid ridiculous non sense making comments.

9. Do you see your characters as human beings or as symbols/allegories? (cos)
My characters are part of me, every-single one of them, there human but they can emotions or symbols. There humans basically.

10. Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge? (Lene)
Nan-what?

11. Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no? (Lene)
Secret Wars is a collaboration. You want to right with me. COME! I'm eager to have fresh meat! ^_^

12. Are your stories based on real events and people? (Alan.)
Most likely somewhat influenced. But what isn't?

13. What advice do you have to aspiring writers? (Alan.)
Practice. And Dream Big. Also, take criticism, and show them that you can be better. Get a strong will. Patience and determination.

14. What published authors have influenced your writing style and themes the most? (BlackStaticWolf)
Dan Brown. JK Rowlings. John Flanagan. That's just what I can put off my head, there's much more.

15. Who is your favorite published author? (BlackStaticWolf)
Dan Brown

16. What is your opinion on clichés? (Alan.)
There isn't a good story without Cliches, there like air. There needed but should be avoided best you can.

17. Do you prefer a series of short stories, or one long story? (Alan.)
I like long series, something you can pour yourself into.

 

[Marcus]

What is your opinion on clichés?
Nothing is completely new or original but there are certain things that are constantly overused and should be avoided unless you're going for a particular style. For example: good guy vs. evil guy is old but give the good guy a physical defect like a missing eye and the evil guy a psychological disorder like schizophrenia and you're on the path to creating something that's just a touch bit more unique than any other story.

Do you prefer a series of short stories, or one long story?
I got interested in writing with short stories especially by Philip K. Dick and Kurt Vonnegut so I prefer them over anything else but a long story can be good if it's captivating enough. The problem with long stories, though, is continuity and even grand epics like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings suffer from odd continuity problems because the writer made a small mistake in his/her timeline. Yea, it is an easy way out but it adds to the quirkiness of the universe. That, and it's much better than the "Bilbo Baggin's was drunk when he wrote his story" excuse that I heard which explained Lord of the Rings or something.

This is why I mostly enjoy absurd or comedy works like Terry Pratchett. If you ever screw up on your continuity you can simply say "a wizard did it" and not have to worry about fixing things.

 

[Draken]

1. Do you think writing is underrated in the RMXP community?

Yes, I see many people calling games cliche at the sight of an evil character, or a god of some sort without properly reading the story or sometimes they don't realise it isn't the actual story nor plot, but just there for backing.

2. Is writing an intended career path for you?

Well, it depends. If it is included in Game Design, then most likely

3. How long do you sit and just write?

To tell the truth, not very often. I write a few stories to myself. The reason I stopped writing a bit was that I wrote a sort-of post-apocalyptic future story, which I was told was great. But in my english class it was confiscated for just sitting on the desk!

What is your opinion on fanfiction or fangames to be more specifc? Do you write fanfiction?

Yet again, it all depends. I've seen some rather bad fan-games and some really good looking ones (Final Fantasy Legacy anyone?). Fanfiction? Naa... I prefer to come up with my own stuff... But I use ideas from my favourite programmes and games.

 

[Norris]

What is your opinion on clichés?
Cliché writing is and will always be an ineffective form of storytelling. I say this because I believe that for writing to be effective, it should always subject a person to NEW experiences so that it results in them being ‘better off’ in the end, that what they had subjected themselves through, enabled them to somehow grow as an individual or at least ‘benefit’ from them in some form. Good stories are those where it results in those previewed to it feeling a little more wiser, a little more open. Basically involving the expansion of ones own insights towards life. We write so that we can ENRICH those reading it.

Cliché writing fails to address these things (that is the growth of an individual) at all. How can the player be ‘better off’ if what they play offers little to no opportunity for them to grow? Like how does a professional boxer really improve if all his opponents are mere 6-month amateurs, how does one ‘grow’ if what they are subjected to are things they already are familiar with? They can’t, and that is why clichés should never be seen as a successful form of storytelling. We live so that we can learn. We can't learn what we already know.

Monotony is the death of growth.

 

[Elijah von Bose]

My answers are as follows:

Spoiler

1. Do you think writing is underrated in the RMXP community? (Lene)
I think it is severely underrated in the RMXP community, as I've only found a few games to have a good story, and they are suffering serious other flaws.
Me, I am lucky to have such a wide array of skills, because I would never be accepted into a team due to the fact that most projects that are started are by people that have finalized their story already, making writers essentially useless in those situations, and also, a writer must have critique, and not a lot of people seem to read every detail and delve into a story-wise mindset. We just see pretty graphics, then check the story. Also, writers cannot make the
game finish, and if the writer finishes the story, even if the mappers read every letter he/she wrote, they would not have the same understanding. Writers are so very underrated.

2. Is writing an intended career path for you? (Lene)
Yes, but not as a main career choice. I would like to become a writer as a past-time, making money a side attraction. Science-Fiction/Fantasy/Horror are my strong points.

3. How long do you sit and just write? (Lene)
Enough to write what I want to write. 136 pages of story and maps for my current project. Expect it to be around 100 hours long.

4. What is your opinion on fanfiction or fangames to be more specifc? Do you write fanfiction? (Lene)
Fanfiction? It's good for hardcore junkies, but doesn't appeal to mainstream unless extremely well written. If you write it, but don't be like: 'And so
Hargpttthzxx the Destroyer went back to Maregthz' when, to hardcore fans, that repairs some deep mentally disturbing storyline. Make them have a flash back for those who don't the story, and it will be good. Fangames? Sure, just try to explain enough to make people who don't like the original game understand it, and not too much to make hardcore fans get bored and be constantly saying : "God, I know this, get to the good part!" It's a delicate balance that each and every writer must find."

5. Do you become attached to your characters and find it difficult to 'write them' (for lack of a better term) in emotional or physical pain? (Wumpi)
There are certain characters I do become attached to, cue my character Jol, a beggar who attacked a noble and through a chain of events, found himself on a quest to save the kingdom. Also, no, I don't believe that it's difficult to write them in pain. The more difficult thing to do is base a character on a
real person and then write bad things about them. That's hard.

6. In darker stories do you find it more effective to have the mood constantly dark or to add a few lighter parts? (Wumpi)
I find it effective to have something light during the darkest parts, because I believe heavily in karma. Although sometimes, if they're about to be
killed, in not going to have them find a candy bar.

7. Do you think that because you're making an RPG, it limits the plot? (cos)
I feel it limits the plot in some ways, and allows you to expand it in others. You have to adapt the plot to be practical, because there's no way you're
fitting nine thousand screaming fans onto one screen, while you swing your sword around majestically. You could do that in 3d, sure, but it wouldn't be the same imagery, which brings me to the other point. A picture's worth a thousand words, a movie worth 1000x how many frames? And an interactive movie would be worth so many words.

8. Does a writer need to have good ideas or a very good [command] of the language? (cos)
Depends. A writer doesn't need anything. Good ideas help, a good command? Sure. That doesn't help the writer any. Just helps the reader, but, it does help a hell of a lot for imagery. "A man behind a bush" is much less interesting than: "She heard the faint rustling of leaves atwitter in the forest and turned
to see, just slightly, the form of a man from behind the small shrub of what looked to be blueberries."

9. Do you see your characters as human beings or as symbols/allegories? (cos)
Yes, sometimes I do often create characters that are symbolic for emotions and other things. One character, is representative of hatred, one of irritation, one of temptation and such.

10. Ever heard of NaNoWriMo and have you tried, or do you plan on ever trying to attempt the challenge? (Lene)
I have never heard of NaNoWriMo, but now I am interested.

11. Story/Writing Collaborations, yes or no? (Lene)
Yes and no. You have to have similar views on things, but you can't be exact. It's all about balance. Two points of view instead of one means twice as many people will be attracted to the story. Because one person can have a story that's amazing to them, and maybe 200 other people, due to their relative personal experiences, but if you vary the story, 400 people will be interested from the varied experiences.

12. Are your stories based on real events and people? (Alan.)
Sometimes, but never completely about reality. Sure, I might write in a character that has very obvious hints to someone's personality.

13. What advice do you have to aspiring writers? (Alan.)
Advice? This is going to be so cliché, so I'll try and counteract it with a different idea to contrast it. One, and get ready for the cliché: Read. Read, a
lot. Read the novels/stories you like, and find what's similar in them, and find the qualities you like, and represent that in your work. Inherit, don't
copy. My other set of advice. Everything is good, when it comes to writing. My cousin just died of cancer? That inspired me to write my story: "The
Puppeteer." Of course, I later translated it into a terrible short story for school. I don't know how it did, but it did. You're depressed? You'll write a
thousand times better when the theme of a story is depressing. You'll find it harder on a day when you're feeling blue to write about things that are akin to rainbows and dewdrops of sunshine.

14. What published authors have influenced your writing style and themes the most? (BlackStaticWolf)
Published authors? I'd have to say: Stephen King, Isaac Asimov and R.A. Salvatore. And sadly, every writer has been influenced by Tolkien in some shape, form or matter these days.

15. Who is your favorite published author? (BlackStaticWolf)
My favorite published author? Stephen King.

16. What is your opinion on clichés? (Alan.)
Cliché. The definition is as such: "A threadbare or trite expression. Examples: hard as steel, hot as a poker, burning with desire." on clichés? They're

familiar. That's good, but not always. Everybody knows the story of the four boys who came together, each a crystal in hand, and managed to fight off the giant dark force impeding on the entire world. Sure, they have no connection to the King, but he treats them as royalty. Sounds familiar, right? Expanding on

a cliché story can produce interesting results. Sure, you've heard: "Hard as a rock" But have you heard "Hard like a rock that's been toughened by spending
it's days wasting away in the depths of hell, fending off hordes of evil creatures.

17. Do you prefer a series of short stories, or one long story? (Alan.)
I like one large story that has multiple plotlines within it, that all combine and create an amazing climax. When all the storylines are resolved, it

leaves a feeling of: yeah, I know how it went. Cliffhangers are not as good as some say. You start off in a: "Wait, it's over?" mood, then progress into a
"that sucked, what the hell happens?" and eventually into forgetting and loathing the story.

 

[Lupin]

Heheh, Nice Paradox

 

[Despain v.1]

And sadly, every writer has been influenced by Tolkien in some shape, form or matter these days.

Maybe every fantasy writer, but come on. :\

 

[Lene]

Random, but I've never read Tolkein and I love the fantasy genre. Just not him. Shock shock shock! (Strangely I tend to read a lot of fantasy written by women...so weird!)