The Mechanics of Role Playing Games Part I

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AD&D, Blog, Books, Creativity, D&D, DICE, Inspiration, Internet, RPG, Terry Pratchett

A resource I used for this series of blogs: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page

Also special thanks to gamers and inspiration – Kris, K Noel and Greg Ivy, but especially to one of my favorite gaming partners and fellow blogger Richard Asplund Jr. – catch https://rasplundjr.wordpress.com/  and https://randompimpage.wordpress.com/

 

In many ways using my blog on creative writing on this particular subject might be pushing it. But I honestly think all types of creative writing, in multiple forms, counts and is useful to the whole creative process.  I think immersing yourself in this type of practice helps you on other projects.

Starting off as a player in Role Playing Games eventually led me into running games, and I know that helped me in my “real” writing because I’ve started putting plots and stories together. I’ve talked about that in past blogs.  But I actually want to get into a particular aspect that’s more mechanical but in the end led to creativity.  Thus bringing up another thing I mentioned in previous blogs: mechanics can have a practical hand in writing.

Think about it, if you cannot write a correct descriptive sentence or organize your thoughts in a way that conveys your message, you will not be able to put together a cohesive story outside of your mind that can be shared.

Now another point and a warning: I am talking about this from a point of view that you might be unfamiliar with – RPG’s (Role Playing Games,) so bear with me. But if you are familiar with this process, please read it as well, so if I missed anything you can correct me, because as of most of this is from memory or using online guides.

Note: One of the reasons I’m writing this stems from a previous blog about character creation and the classes you can play, and it got so rule heavy that I felt it distracted from the concept of character development so I thought I would move that aspect to this blog.

(Another note [sorry]: Keep in mind I write these things in advance so quite a little bit of time might pass before I post it, but after writing this blog I received a generous gift of 5th edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons books for my birthday and I’m reintroducing myself to this gaming system – life is strange).

Please be patient as it’s a long ride. As I mentioned before, perhaps it’s not writing in the traditional sense but if there are any people who run games, and are creating their own adventures i.e. developing RPG modules, this can be considered a form of writing, so it could be used in this forum as well.

I mean I’m pretty sure the people who develop the storyline for video games are considered writers, so how about the table top enthusiast? I know guys who spend days developing their gaming world and their stories…plus they have to deal with swerves and curveballs that are thrown at them by their players.  So these guys and girls are royalty.  But we’ll go into that later, for now we’ll deal with the mechanics of the game and how it influences the writer.

The other thing is if you never played before, or were thinking of getting into roleplaying games, I think this blog will help. Even better, it’s for those who’ve heard of these gaming systems but are confused as to how they would go about using them.  By reading this blog you can learn and if you like, perhaps this might inspire you to try out a Role Playing Game with a group of friends, or venture out into strange territory and find an established group and ask to join them.

They’re fun, different from conventional board games, and if you’re a writer who runs the game, or a player who is into the actual role-playing a character aspect of the game, I think this will stimulate your creative side.

So let’s go into the game and stats:

The game is Dungeons and Dragons (or as I call it, D&D) – actually the version I’m talking about is Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D – but I’ll stick with just D&D for simplicity). The general premise is that you play a character you create that explores and goes on adventures in a fantastic world of myth and legends.  This character usually joins a group or party of other adventurers as they explore.  They are played by others who created characters like you are about to.

Now if you’re a stringent player like I was (yeah I know, weep for me) know that I’m pulling mostly from memory – sadly a lot of my gaming books are in America. Next trip, I’ll pick them up.  So in terms of the rules I’m using, let’s just say I’m pulling from a combination of 1st and 2nd editions.  As gaming systems evolved, the rules have too, but I’m just using what I remember.  So if you’re a current player and I’m straying from what you know, please cut me a little slack.  The ultimate intent is the same.

In Dungeons and Dragons, to create your character takes several steps. Often the type of character you end up using depends on how you roll the dice.  And ultimately, I think that’s cool.  Depending on the rolls you might have to play, even if you’re a hard core gamer, something new and unexpected.  Thus taking you out of your safety zone, which makes for more interesting play time.

Using the tried and true method of character creation from Role Playing Games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons, I’m going to help you – the writer – who never played RPGs create a character that you never thought you would make, much less care about. I think it would be best if I take this moment to give you some abbreviations I’m going to use in this and the next blog.  When you understand the terms and why we use them, it will make for easier reading.

RPG is short for Role Playing Game – various gaming systems and in-game worlds where a player will be adventuring. (A)D&D stands for (Advanced) Dungeons and Dragons, a popular gaming system set in mythical realms with…umm dungeons and dragons.  DM/GM stands for Dungeon Master/Game Master.

We’re the guys who come up with the story the players will be involved in. We are also the ones who make sure the characters follow the rules set up by whoever created the games.  We create the conflict, but we also control the non-player characters that you, the player, interact with, perhaps a villager with information or the town magistrate who asks that you perform a quest in order to save the town.  We are also the antagonists that oppose you so that you might not succeed at a quest.  So beware.

Now you will need some physical tools and imagination to succeed. Here’s a quick list: A blank piece of paper – grid paper if you have it and want to go old school.  A pencil with a good eraser, not the kind that’s smears the paper.  Better to have a mechanical pencil with a draftsmen eraser in my opinion.  You also want to get a set of gaming dice, so take a look at this pick:

Actually, in the long term you will need a complete set of gaming dice. Not just for AD&D, but other gaming systems if you become a fan.  Now I was a hard core player so I actually own several sets.  The reason I did was because sometimes you need multiples of a certain die.  At the very least you need 4-6 6-sided dice and 2 10-sided dice of different colour.  The reasons for the 6-sided ones are coming up in the next paragraph.  But why 2x 10-side is because of rolling percentage.  One die is the 1 to 100, the second makes up the second set of numbers.  You pick one die in the 10’s and the other as the 1’s.  Example: you have a blue and a red.  The blue roll is 4, the red is 7…and when you present that number to others its 47 or even 47%.  Does that make sense?  You sometimes have challenges, and depending on how skilled you are you have a number to beat.  The better you are the lower the challenge number.  To open a door you need to roll 10% or higher.  That’s part of the game, you get challenges and you take a chance on winning or losing.  Hence the dice; different dice are used for different challenges. I promise I’ll get to that a bit later.  For now we’re just working on creation and how you use the most common set of dice to build your character that you’re going to use to play.

Initially you’re going to start with what most consider conventional dice, so you want 4x six sided dice. You know these dice because these are usually what you use in most conventional board games and for playing craps at the casino. The style I’m showing you is tradition for me.

So let’s start putting all this together.   We start with the stats for your character.  It’s usually divided into physical and mental.  From there you can go into the use of dice for stats.  And as you progress you flesh out what they can do and also not do, which for storytelling is important.  Because giving limitations to your characters help advance the plots and adds tension and suspense.  More on that later as to how that helped me advance as a writer. (Sorry if I keep putting you off, I promise it will all come together eventually).

Depending on how high or low a particular stat is, that could determine the kind of character you will be playing. Obviously if you have higher stats in one area you’ll be better with them as the type of character that you will play. Higher physical, like strength, means you’ll probably be a good fighter.  If you’re quick and nimble you’ll be a thief, or very smart, perhaps a wizard.

After step by step you pick a race, then a character class. As you progress through the games you develop your skills and get better.  That’s life.  But let’s start with stats.

Before I go on, and this is strictly for the hard core player, I know there are other systems. This is the one I used so I’m sticking with this.  So let’s start, take the four dice and roll.  Of those you take the top three highest dice.  You can now also use a random roll generator that you can probably find online (here is one I picked out of a hat: https://rolz.org/).  Then you do it a second time for the same stats and take the higher of the two, and yes I know I am being generous.  But when it comes to game playing and storytelling, you want to go epic every time.  Also I had a house rule (as in each house has their own rule and you just go with it) – if you rolled a one, you get to re-roll it.  Again, your character is supposed to be anything but mundane.

Next I need you to write down on the paper on the upper left hand side the following – and it’s best three of four rolls of the 6-sided dice:

STR     (Strength)

INT     (Intelligence)

WIS     (Wisdom)

DEX    (Dexterity)

CON   (Constitution)

CHR    (Charisma)

With me so far? Most of the stats are self-explanatory, strength and constitution is how strong and how tough you are, perfect for a Warrior type.  Intelligence and Wisdom, ie: smarts and wit, are better suited for a magic user or a thief type.  Next dexterity, how nimble and swift you are, again a good thing for a thief or someone who likes to use a bow and arrow.  Lastly is charisma, how inspiring you are to other characters and also to the non-player characters you meet.  Will you woo them to your side, or repulse them so much they keep their distance?

So you put down the highest stats per each stat. You know what, I’m going to do this with you so we can have a shared experience.  Of course taking out my dice bag makes me realize that this blog is now probably going to extend into three parts.  Also I have some dice so old they are worn at the edges.

And of course I now have to go into this kind of humor. Your dice is so old that your first dungeon master was Lazarus.

Hey don’t go talking about my dice…let’s get on with this.

So for STR I have on the first roll 10 and then second roll 16 – so the best is 16

So for INT I have on the first roll 11 and then second roll 15 – 15

So for WIS I have on the first roll 10, that roll includes a 1, so I reroll and get an 13 and then second roll 17 – 17

(Btw this is where we introduce the rule that you can reroll 1’s on a die roll – again going epic).

For DEX I have on the first roll 16 and then 14 – 16

For CON I have on the first roll 15 and then 14 – 15

For CHR I have on the first roll 12 and then 14 – 14

I’m thinking his stats are not overly physical or mental, but a great wisdom, so I’m thinking Cleric and Druid. You can use the book to determine which best suits you.  I mean you can still try for a certain character class, but one of the aspects of the game is that they give you limits and minimums for what you want to try and play.

From here you pick your race. It’s a fantasy world we are in, and this is borrowed heavily from Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’.  Now here is the thing, depending on the race, you might get a plus or minus on your rolled stats.  That’s right; you might still get the class you want by using a certain race to up your stats.  Cool.

Let’s go into the basics. So we have the humans – I think it goes without saying being a human means you neither have advantages or disadvantages on your stats.  That’s right; depending on your race you might get pluses or minuses on your attributes that you rolled, thus meaning you might be able to shift your stats to eventually sway what class you will be.  But as a human you don’t get this.

The next race we have are Elves. They are an ethereal species who are wise and beautiful.  They exist in forest cities and depending on the world, they may only tolerate humans, but they can be great allies.  They are also long lived and can exist for centuries beyond centuries.  So here are some of the following racial traits that Elves possess.  It includes +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.  Thus the change in physical stats.  They also have an immunity to sleep spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.  They have low-light vision, allowing them to see in near dark.  Also they have weapon Proficiency: Elves are automatically proficient with the longsword, rapier, longbow, composite longbow, short bow, and composite short bow.  Next are the languages they speak…another subject of gaming development.  Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.  Favored Class: Wizard.

I already have a weak constitution, and my dexterity is pretty high. So no to the elves.  At least not for this one.

By the way, I know this is getting gaming term heavy. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me either via this blog or PM.

So next is the dwarf race. Short in height but not in ability.  They are stout warriors, proud and strong.  They prefer mountains and are minders and craftsmen.  On physical stats their Constitution score increases by 2.  Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.  Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order.  I think this is a good way to start out a character for me at least, as most of the games I run are heroic in nature.  So now we get to size.  There’s a reason they are called Dwarves.  They stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds.  They are not as fast as Elves, but one advantage of the constitution increase, when wearing heavy armor they are not encumbered.  They have something called dark vision.  Because they are accustomed to life underground, they have superior vision in dark and dim conditions which means they can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.  So they see a little better than even the elves.  Now as to special racial advantages, beyond, or because of, higher constitution they have Dwarven Resilience.  So they get an advantage on saving throws against poison.  Also because of the nature of their culture, at a young age they go through Dwarven Combat Training.  They prefer battle-axe, hand axe, light war hammers, and heavy war hammers.  Not many distance weapons as they prefer hand to hand.  They also are skilled using tools and are great Stonecutters.   As to their languages, they speak, read, and write Common (a universal language shared by all races including humans) and Dwarvish.

So far I’m liking the idea of a Dwarf character.

Now next is a the race called Halflings; they were of course inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic story ‘The Hobbit’ and they appeared in the ‘Lord of the Ring’s’ trilogy. The unique thing about Halflings is that unlike elves or dwarves, there was no lore in mythology about them.  Tolkien created them and the gamers wanted to put them into D&D, so not to abuse copyright they were dubbed Halflings.  Basically they are short, many shorter than dwarves, but not as stout because they are half-humans really which is why they were called…exactly.  Because they are very nimble, Halflings have their Dexterity score increased by 2.  They are a little longer lived than humans but really closer to humans than all the other races.  A Halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century.   With Halflings we go into the concept of alignment (which I will get into later – but basically you choose an aspect of your character and how they will act).  Most Halflings are lawful and good. As a rule, they are good-hearted and kind, hate to see others in pain, and have no tolerance for oppression. They are also very orderly and traditional, leaning heavily on the support of their community and the comfort of their old ways.  And again, one of main aspects of Halflings is their size; they average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds.  Now here is the cool thing, and even I never realized this, but the race of Halflings is very lucky. When a character you play rolls a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, they can re-roll the die and must use the new roll.  And despite the fact they are small in size they are also brave. They have an advantage on saving throws against being frightened.  They can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than them.

Quick note – Halflings (i.e. Hobbits) were very instrumental as well as the works of Tolkien in helping to get this genre of games started. Also from my studies they have no analogy in myth and thus are Tolkien’s invention (hey if you know better please let me know, I love learning new things).  Perhaps you might refer to fairies, but honestly that’s stretching it.  I like to think of Hobbits/Halflings as the ideal that Prof. Tolkien wanted to return home to after World War I.  England as it was and should be.  But alas, romance.

I don’t really have an interest in a thief nor being a Halfling, nor a human, or Elf, so I’m going to go with Dwarf. Okay I think that’s enough this week.  We’re going to break here and give your eyes a rest.

When we return we will go into character class i.e. what you do in the fantasy realm to survive. We are going through that process next and more – like some of the core concepts to develop a fully formed character that when you finally play, even though it’s on paper, it will seem 3-dimensional.

 

Filler Blog

Improvise.  Adapt.  Overcome.

People watching

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Art, Books, Characters, Creativity, Fiction, Humor, Inspiration, Novel, Poems, Poetry, Research, Writing

Several months ago I wrote a blog about the concept of character creation. I talked about my process on how I created and developed the various characters in my stories.  I talked about the evolution of that process.  What I may not have mentioned, is part of that comes from observing my fellow human beings.  Yep, I’m a people watcher.

I believe that most artists (I’m going to include myself in that list, c’mon, indulge me) like to people watch. Not just writers, but painters, photographers, anyone with an artistic soul actually.  That or I’m just a pretentious prick; either way I’m good.

Back to the concept of artists as people watchers. I think they are interested in the outside world and the people who inhabit it, or perhaps I’m just being a romantic.

As a writer I look at people and if someone catches my interest then I keep internal notes for later. Honestly when I think about them I try to imagine their story; of course I’m probably off by 1000%.  But that’s the cool thing about being a writer, even when you’re wrong no one cares as long as it’s a good story.

But still I use my initial instincts as I think about them and their lives and wonder who they are or who they want to be. Odd, yet a safe way to be a stalker, unless it gets dangerous…oh story idea!

*evil grin*

Okay, all jokes aside, back to what I’m actually trying to say…

I know that some of my friends who have artistic skills also like to people watch. I think even the introverted artists observe from their silent perches.  I think introverts have something special to contribute because they look beyond the noise and the rush.  And when they do contribute, their insight is astounding.  What do people say about the quiet ones?

A while ago I wrote several blogs about character creation/development. I went with the whole aspect that they come from people you know, yet I didn’t want to come off saying that’s the only way you can create characters.  As a writer I evolved and so have my abilities to create characters, and as I’ve grown as a person I have learned to not just internalize my world.  I look around and observe, and take things as they come.  I see someone interesting and my imagination takes off, sometimes in different directions at the same time.

I think I have had a privileged life because I have worked or lived in two of the greatest cities in the world, Chicago and Toronto. A lot of people, hence a lot of watching.  And yeah with my headphones and either a book or newspaper in my hand it looks like I’m not observing, but I often watch and think about the people around me.

Now to the interesting (and by interesting I mean messed up) part. It’s funny that while I love to watch people, I also have to confess something.  As much as I love people I also hate them.  It’s one of the weird ironic conflicts that rage in my minds.  So I sit, I observe, I record.  And I judge.  Yep it’s one of those weird things that might make me come off a little petty.  But you know what, I’m okay with that.  I’m human, just like those I spy on.

So I observe and think of a story to carry with me. But again as you create an arc for them and perhaps take it away and put it in your writing, you’re going with what you think you know of them, not the real them.  And that’s okay, because it’s called fiction.

I often have an idea of what a character looks like to me – I visualize from people I know personally, but also celebrities, or even pictures in a newspaper or magazine. I have pictures saved in my files that I refer to from time to time. It helps me visualize better and thus it also helps me write better because I have a grasp on what they look like and it makes it easier to write them.  I hope that makes sense.

Once I have the concept or the character developed, I then use visualization to help me keep hold of that. So by watching and observing you see the world and then translate it into words.  So people, paintings, or a picture sometimes helps me keep it in place.  The end result, I’m writing.  Hopefully good writing.

Am I correct in the concept that artists are avid people watchers? If I’m wrong, why?  For the writers or others artists that read this blog, what do you get out of people watching?

No Blog This Week

Goodbye Stephen, and damn these kids do me proud:

Finding the right proof/copy editor for your book

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Blog, Books, Creative Writing, Creativity, Fiction, Inspiration, Motivation, Novel, Platform, Research, Writing

Now I am at a loss. I have done a final sweep of my first novel and I know before I submit it I need help, a lot of help.  So what do I do next?

I’m thinking of looking into finding a professional to proof read my first novel before I send it to a potential publisher. I want to make sure that what I have is prepared and good enough that when I send it out, it’s actually taken into consideration.

But I’m not sure where to start, where to look. What can I do to find someone that treats me seriously?  Also I don’t want someone who will just take my money and run.

So now I’m looking into securing someone who is reliable, but as I’m still rough around the edges with something like this, where does one find someone with that skill?

How do I negotiate a reasonable price for their services?

What happens if they come back to you to say, quite plainly, you have no talent and regardless of what your aunt tells you…you have no talent, kid?

So that is where I am at, and I’m a little frightened. Who knew work actually went into writing?

What experiences have you had…anyone? Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?

Yep this blog is one big question.

How I work on a novel, well a part of it: breaking it down to manageable pieces

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Art, Blog, Books, Creative Writing, Creativity, Fiction, Inspiration, Novel, Research, Writing

Just so we’re all on the same page, this isn’t a complete “end all be all” of writing a novel. I’m just going to go into one of the many ways I think that works for me.

Mainly, I’m presenting these ideas in hopes of stirring up a conversation. I’m also looking for alternative ideas.  If you’re reading this and you have something to add, I’d love to hear about it.

But to get to the purpose of this blog: how I work on a novel.

I start by breaking it down into manageable pieces. Previously I talked about using an outline as a foundation; now I’m talking about using a frame.  In other words, I build the outside walls as I slowly fill up the inside space.  And the way I initially do this is as I work on a chapter I make it its own separate computer file.  That way I can compartmentalize and go back and work and rework it separately.  Re-write and complete.

So I don’t put it all together until the end when I’m getting ready to form a proof copy.

I work on it chapter by chapter; again, each one is its own separate file. Then I go into a working/first draft and I work on each file separately until I’m ready to move onto the next and then the next.

As I go along I make notes for future chapters and place them in the appropriate file. Also if I have a flash or an idea for a past chapter I write that note down and then it’s easier to go back and fix or revise it.

I’ll still keep them separated after the put it away period and work on them two or three more times until I’m satisfied. I think it’s easier to work with them that way.  Oh, a warning, as I complete each full draft I will send them off to my readers this way.  But I don’t stop there.

I do this until I have a completed rough draft. Then I will do one last read as I merge it into a mass document and work with that, and prepare it for a proof reader/editor.  But how I work with this is another blog.

How do you do it? If you like let me know why?  If you don’t, please also send notes.  I’m curious; what is your working process?

The drive to continue, the drive to finish

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Blog, Books, Creative Writing, Creativity, Humor, Inspiration, Research, Writing

So I feel I’m at a creative impasse and it scares me.  Lately the work on my current novel has been driven to a halt and I haven’t worked on it.

Now two things, one…yes I have excuses.  Good excuses.  And number two is that I still have been writing.  Mostly poems and blogs (I know I have not been posting but I have been writing them) but I have been writing every day, just not on my novel.  So even if it’s only a single line I am creating or putting things down on paper so I don’t think I’m a complete lost cause; yet.  And lately I’ve gotten back to plotting the novel.  But plotting (while is a form of writing if I put lines down) isn’t what I want to do.  I want to write this damn book and move forward, move on.  Be finished and work on the next big project.

It’s frustrating. I think part of why I’m stalled is because I have a new job that I’m trying to get a handle on and it can be draining at times.  I’m trying to balance that with having a life with my wife (not intentionally trying to rhyme – sorry, traditional poet fans) and make time for her and our cats when I get home.  I’m working long hours and am a little exhausted.  So (and yes I know I’m going after the title of cliché procrastinator with the next pronouncement ) it’s harder to be inspired on a book that I’m using to prove I’m more than just a one note wonder.

And also some of my classic procrastination tendencies are creeping back up. That upsets me, and when I’m upset, I start to pity myself.  Never a useful thing for someone trying to get something done, self-pity is self-destructive.  I might have said that before.

Now back to my good excuses, yes I know, they’re still excuses, because even a good excuse isn’t good enough. I know it’s time to get back into the fold.  I’m just wondering how.  I feel like I’m standing in my way again.  But the good news, writing this blog means I’m still writing tonight, just not the type I want to be writing…my novel.

Have you ever stalled on a project? So much that you’re afraid that you might not complete it and that you’ve failed yourself and your objective?  Ever fear you’re not the writer you thought you were?  Because that’s where I feel I am at right now.

Any words of encouragement are welcome.

What do you love about the genre you write in?

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Art, Blog, Books, Characters, Creative Writing, Creativity, Fiction, Humor, Inspiration, Internet, Mages, Magic, Motivation, Movies, Novel, Poems, Poetry, Publishing, Research, Short Stories, Writing

In a previous blog I wrote about leaving a genre because it wasn’t a good fit for me. So now I’m going to write about why I chose my primary genre and why I love it.

I still write straight fiction (mainly in the short story realm but I think I have a novel or two in my head waiting to launch) and poetry, but the concepts of urban fantasy/sci-fi are what really drive me now and what I want to be known in if and when my time comes.  If my time comes.

I think it’s the desire to mesh ideas and concepts and evolve them into a story. The basis for why I became a writer is there – the fantasy element.  But there is also something more.  Get a group of friends, hell, get a diverse group of people, and you will come up with a range of different personalities.

When you put them together you have different ideas and concepts coming together. Maybe some are in agreement, but there is also conflict, which can lead to drama (which on various levels can be entertaining).  If a possible resolution or at least respect comes from this then a new alliance is formed and you suddenly have an adventurous group that as time goes by become friends or family in an Urban Fantasy world.  At worst you have two or more people part ways never to entwine (at least until fate intercedes and you have more stories filled with people or groups who can’t stand each other but will work with each other for the greater good*).

I’m not saying picking a particular genre is restrictive, though doing a fantasy novel and having a Gatling gun appear out of nowhere might seem odd. But add a steampunk element and then you have a gender bending genre that takes you to a new level.  It’s like in our world where magic doesn’t exist until altering the fabric of reality happens in a way never seen before and the characters involved realize, yes magic does exist and it always has, and now we have to make our way in our world with a new…twist.

Comic books have been doing that for over a hundred years. It’s your world, but now we have supermen and vigilantes dressed like bats or spiders righting wrongs, and that comforts us.  They have even done the reverse…a world where gods are supermen and wonder women and then they disappear…now what?

And that is what the urban fantasy genre is to me. A world I know, meshed with a world I don’t.  And the reverse can be true too.  The familiar connecting the world I want to exist but doesn’t, so I create it.  In some ways it can be seen as a place where I combine fantastic aspects with the realm of the mundane and make a new universe.  And if I’m lucky and I make it work I might get published and I get to share my story.

I love to write…period. And I love urban fantasy because it’s a world I want to write about but I’m happy I don’t have to deal with it here and now.

What is your favorite genre and why? Have you ever thought of a radical way of mixing it up?  Do you want things to stay static?  Why?

 

*As always two points.

Your style changed and you fell out of love with the genre you originally devoted yourself to…

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…and that’s not a bad thing.

We advance and as we mature, we change.  How we change starts to affect the things around you.  Part of that factor of maturing is that the relationships you are in also change.  Sometimes you and the relationship evolve and you become something better, stronger.  You stay together and you make magic.

Unfortunately, sometimes that doesn’t happen.  Instead things end and you and the one you were in this relationship with go your separate ways.  And you know what, when that happens and things end, that’s not necessarily bad.  If you’re lucky you part amicably and wish each other well.  And when you think of each other in silent moments, you do it with a smile and hope they are happy.

Hell I should be so lucky when it came to ex-girlfriends. For the record, I was not.  So let’s move on.

I’m not going to mention that I still have the scar from the time I was stabbed in the arm with the fork as she told me she loved me. If she really loved me she would have stabbed me with a spoon.*

If you’ve read this blog before, it’s no surprise. And if this is the first time you’ve read this blog, thank you and spoiler alert.  The genre I wanted to make a successful living as a writer was the fantasy genre.  I wanted to write about realms of magic and myth and show you a world worthy of J.R.R. Tolkien.  I was in love with the concept of fantasy, until I wasn’t.

Now before going forward I want to preface that I’m not insulting or knocking anyone who writes in that genre, or if they have stayed with it, I’m not saying that they have not matured.  That is not what I am saying.  What I am trying to state is this is my journey, my path.  It doesn’t make me better and I’m not trying to make myself superior to other writers.  That just could not happen.  This is just about how I developed and changed.  If I might be bold, my evolution is what worked for me and has made me not only a better writer, I think, but a better Vince.  Of course that doesn’t make me a nice guy either, but I’ll let you judge.

In high school and early University I wanted to be a writer and I always thought if I succeeded it would be in the fantasy genre. I could not get enough of it.  Tolkien, Dennis L. McKiernan and the series of books that TSR (the original company that created Dungeons and Dragons) published in the Dragonlance realm.  I devoured fantasy and I wanted to live it, which is probably why I got into Dungeons and Dragons (yes I’m repeating myself, I know, sorry, it could be worse you could live with me – just ask my poor wife Beverly) or just DnD, as I will reference it as.  I started developing my world where my character would live and fight in.  I came up with quests and magic and kingdoms.  I even had some of my players beta test my world so that as I developed it they would help.  And also some of the more serious players I collaborated with had played in other more established worlds.

Sometimes I feel a sense of loss because of what I left behind, especially when I think about the unfinished stories I started, particularly my first attempted novel The Dragon’s Heart (for what it’s worth it was cliché ridden crap with a horrible surprise ending that would have not surprised anyone, alas).  But there were cool aspects that with time could have led to better stories.  And I did base my fantasy gaming world on that, and vice versa.  I guess I’m just a sentimentalist, but I will admit those feelings are akin to how I feel when I think of the friends I had and we drifted.  Some by distance, some changing attitudes, and one or two I distanced myself from because of my own mental health.  So it goes.

But you know, that’s the past, and I’ll always feel a sense of whimsy and romance. But it’s time to move forward and explore and expand the future.  These things are left behind for a reason.  Good or bad, I made my choice and I’m happy.  And I think that is what matters.

Strange thing is I gained some of my friends back, thanks to social media, mainly Facebook (in particular, shout outs to Rich and Revia). We’re in contact again and who knows maybe we can get a game going using this marvelous new invention: Tthe wide world internet thingy.  Best use it quickly, I hear it’s a fad that might go away.

As a writer I fell out of love with the fantasy genre, not so much as to rid my whole self of it, but because I didn’t love it enough to keep writing that type of story, so I moved away. I found me and in doing so I found a new way of writing and what stories I wanted to tell.

But you never forget your first love.

What genre did you start writing in? Do you still write in that genre or did you move away from it?  Perhaps you’re a talented writer who can write in different genres and transcend them.   If so, I’d like to hear about that.  And what do you love about the genre you write in?   I’d like to know.

*Two points if you get the reference

Writers or Artists who eventually disappointed us

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I’m going to get some hate on me for this. Oh well, it happens, but today this blog is not about me being a writer, rather it’s about me being a critic for this blog.  You see, being a writer and exposing an intimate part of yourself means that you also open yourself up to criticism.  Yoda knows I expect to have people tell me what they like about my writing, and also what they do not like.  And with the internet you have an explosion of everyone having a voice, having an opinion, so today I’m going to use this venue to voice my opinion on a critical level.  But at least I’m doing this in a way that exposes who I am without hiding my identity.

Most times it seems that when people voice their opinion online they do it while hiding or they do it with intent to distract without purpose other than to hate. Online that’s called trolling and with many trolls, hating on people without having to give a reason why and then disappearing into the inter-ether is their reason for living.  See the funny thing about trolling and true criticism is that it’s one thing to say anonymously, “that sucks”, or “it bites”, but it’s quite another to voice an opinion and explain why, then expect feedback and review or reply as necessary.

So if you have someone who voices an idea or a critical thought on other people’s work and they are open about who they are and even ask others that if they disagree to tell them why, that’s a good thing.  Perhaps you might even change their minds.  If you consider yourself a critic and want to be taken seriously, you have to be open and willing to take your own lumps; it’s only fair.  Being that type of critic shows commitment to the exchange of ideas and that by giving feedback, good or bad, it can be a constructive process.

Look at me sounding all smart and stuff. And you’re all like, oh Vince, but you are smart!  And handsome too, and trying to add humor just before you take shots at other artists who are more established than you and have great success all the while leading me to suspect that you’re a jealous hater.  Thank you for the compliment, I think I have my moments.

Okay so I’m am definitely going to take some lumps for my first subject. He has a rabid fan base that go out of their way to defend him and even he has been known in the past to go after his critics, I’m talking about writer/director Kevin Smith.  Now I want you to know I started out loving this guy.   I loved his movies Clerks and Chasing Amy, I thought Mallrats was underrated, and to this day think Dogma is one of the truly great films of my generation.  It’s a beautiful film that needs to be watched over and over again, and I think it’s probably one of my favorite Ben Affleck performances.  I love his character and I’m just going to come out and say it, I like Ben and think he’s a terrific performer and has done a hell of a job as writer/director in his own right.  Vastly unappreciated, he takes a lot of hate that he honestly doesn’t deserve.

Ironic words considering my next course with this blog.

Now I don’t think Kevin Smith is a bad person, or a douche; I don’t know the guy.  I would like to meet him, shake his hand and chat him up; of course if he ever reads this he’ll probably punch me out.  But I think the quality of his work has gone down and as a writer I think it’s because he became lazy. I don’t want to believe he peaked with Dogma (it does happen).  I hope that’s not true.  I honestly thought he would be my generations’ David Mamet: prolific with his words, biting satire.  Then nothing.  At least in my opinion.

Perhaps he decided to focus his energy on his comic book store and just his directing. But I think he’s a better writer than director (and I think he’s a good director, I’m not harping on that aspect of his career – but also there are tons of talented writer/directors who do both jobs wonderfully like Robert Rodriguez and Quinten Tarantino) and if he would refocus on the writing I would be happy, and that makes me a douche because I’m making it about me and what I want.  But still I think he’s a better writer than what he’s been producing lately.  He’s clever, he’s funny, and he’s the guy who has talent and a way with words, he’s just not showing that now.  I enjoyed his work.  I still enjoy his work, well, his past work.  Perhaps my problem is thinking, ‘so what’s next that’s not another Clerks revival?’

Perhaps he’s someone that can find that spark again, at least for me.

Oh and I have one more problem that has nothing to do with Kevin Smith, but I’m going to complain anyway: why the fuck is Jeff Anderson not a better known actor? The guy delivers lines like Pizza Hut delivers pizzas…hot and delicious.

Another writer I have lost my love and respect for is Frank Miller. My dislike, I think, is more transparent than with Smith because I think he’s become stale, hateful, and just plain misogynistic.

I loved Batman Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, and of course his magnificent Daredevil runs: his original that introduced Elektra, and, while he did not create the character he certainly brought him to the forefront of prominence, Bullseye, (he was actually the creation of Marv Wolfman and John Romita Sr. in 1976) one of the most prominent Daredevil villains – his Joker or Green Goblin so to speak. Quick note, he was not the first Marvel character to use that name, there was another character called Bull’s Eye and he was an assassin hired to kill Nick Fury and he made his one and only appearance in Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D #15.  Then there was Miller’s second run on Daredevil and some would say it was the best run (well I would) – it was called the Born Again saga.

But I digress, because since that time I feel Frank Miller’s writing has given way to hate-filled and ugly storytelling. He comes across as mean and vindictive.  I hated his sequel to The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again.  It was awful and the ending made no sense.  I understand one of the conditions of the book was that Frank did not want long time Batman editor/writer Denny O’Neil to be a part of the project, and it shows.  Behind every good writer is an even better editor.  Maybe this is a personal opinion but I feel that O’Neil understands Batman better than Miller.  I think that if O’Neil were an editorial part, Strikes Again wouldn’t have been the train wreck it was.  Another point that goes into that school of thought is the critically panned All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder staring the “Goddamn Batman!”  Yeah that line was in the book.  Also there was the development where Batman habitually tortures his young ward – Dick Grayson aka Robin.  Not one of his finer moments.

Next from Miller was Holy Terror, a trite Islamophobia filled graphic novel that was originally supposed to be a Batman comic.  From what little I read and from some remarks from critics, not only was it a bad comic book, but it failed as a bad piece of propaganda.

How could someone so talented become so ugly? I’m not even sure I’m interested in reading anything else Frank Miller produces now, including the third Batman in the future book: The Dark Knight III: The Master Race.  I think in terms of a reader I want to keep my memories intact and move on to someone else.

Hell I used to enjoy Peter David, but some of his later stories have become stagnant and uninteresting to me, and I don’t think he’s done anything wrong. He’s just the same with his storytelling.  He hasn’t evolved, and I think with everything, growing as a writer is important.

Here’s hoping Garth Ennis or Neil Gaiman don’t sour.

Before I close I just want to say that some of the inspiration for this blog comes from this very cool blog: http://cafebookbean.com/2016/01/28/im-sorry-i-just-dont-love-you/)

What writers have disappointed you later on in their career? What can a writer or any artist do to insure they do not become a pale version of themselves?  As a writer ages does he begin to wane?  What do you think?