Discover Top Posts Tagged with #cloudybookash

Everything but 5 and 10 for the OC ask thingy, thanks boo

yas. ill do remy from my scifi wip

1. Have they ever brought home a stray animal? If so, how did that go?no, hes not much of an animal person :o i know. he can barely take care of himself let alone an animal

2. What is something that your OC and their best friend knows about one another that no one else would know?that remy used to actually be scared of flying, and that seth’s real hair colour is dark brown

3. How does your OC greet their best friend in public?assuming theyre ever apart, remy usually does some sort of hollering, running and jumping scenario, mildly injuring seth in the process

4. How does your OC greet their partner in public?tries to be slick and come up next to them, slide a hand over their shoulders of around their waist. partners who were more jittery often lashed out unintentionally lmao

6. What song does your OC goes absolutely wild to? Describe how they get wild.party rock anthem by lmfao. yes, he was that motherfucker who shuffled back in 2011

7. Your OC is running from the guards, why are they most likely running from them?breaking some sort of law, probably stealing

8. How would your OC describe their best friend using three words to a stranger?nerd, uptight, bitch

9. Your OC decides they can dye their own hair, with their very little knowledge about hair, how does this go? Do they have their friends with them, supporting them? Do they do it when they are alone? Do they do it before a big and upcoming event?lmao he did dye his own hair. he wasnt sure about going all purple so he did the ends and decided he liked it like that. he helped seth with his hair as well, mostly just to get the parts he missed since seths pretty competent like that

11. Your OC decides to dress as their best friend for Halloween as a joke, what do they do to look like their best friend?he’d get a shitty bright blue costume wig, wack it in a braid, put on their paragon uniform and then strut around with a frown and his arms folded like ‘dont talk to me im EmoTM’

12. What is something completely random about your OC that even you, as the writer, find confusing?he doesnt like killing people but he loves weapons /shrug

13. How does your OC celebrate their birthday? What is their wildest birthday story?idk his birthday so i dont think him or seth would typically celebrate. maybe when they were kids. i think now, if seth was feeling particularly generous, hed get him a cupcake with a candle on it. and then remy would blow out the candle, take it out and shove the cupcake in seths face dlfkbdfbd

14. Your OC and their friends decides to go to a restaurant at 3am, what restaurant are they going to, and why are going to a restaurant at 3am?the planet they live on is literally awake all the time. there is no sun so its always night time, but remy and seth hardly sleep anyways. their restaurant of choice would be some shitty diner-style place where theyre regulars but the owner doesnt like them bc they annoy the poor younger employees mopping the floor. or theyd go to tanyas, but she usually closes early.

15. Your OC now gets to strut around in a cape, what colour is the cape and what do they accessorize the cape with?he’d choose some obscenely bright one, parade around for a few hours, get bored then dye it black and give it to seth to ‘match his aesthetic’

#writing #if u havent already guessed #we reblog these qs just to ask each other #bc we dont get anons haha #cloudybookash

Book Review: Ancillary Sword by Anne Leckie.

Genre: Sci-fi.

Goodreads rating: ***** (five stars).

Read: 06/04/2017 – 10/04/2017.

The Review:

I couldn’t get enough of Ann Leckie’s world from Ancillary Justice so I picked up its sequel. And I was not let down.

Warning: Could contain spoilers for the previous book – Ancillary Justice.

Synopsis: Following immediately from the events of Ancillary Justice, Breq – now captaining Mercy Kalr and its crew, travels to Athoek Station. She so desperately wants to set right her wrongs by apologizing to Lieutenant Awn’s little sister. But, Atheok station – long since annexed and its population brought to civilization is not as tranquil as it seems.

Following the very determined and goal orientated Breq of the previous book, Ancillary Sword is more character driven. Moved less so by Breq’s need for revenge but by her remorseful need to bring equity to Athoek. Intertwined with this is her personal objective of removing the Lord of the Radch’s influence.

This book gives us a more in depth look into the characters – Breq and Seivarden. And introduces us thoroughly to the crew manning Mercy of Kalr. It also opens up avenues for the AI taking on more leading roles later on in the book.

As its predecessor – Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword continues the pattern of referring to everyone with female pronouns (as is culturally appropriate in Radch Space). This provides interesting thoughts with speculation on the outward appearances and/or genders of the characters. Whilst few are explicitly said to be one or the other, most (including Breq) are never addressed. Personally, I really enjoyed this. I was given the freedom to speculate and gender characters as I saw fit without the commitment of being correct. To me, it’s a new concept explored in a book and, I think, takes away the distraction of gender conforming or non-conforming characters. They didn’t have to break through sexist barriers for me, the reader, to get to know them.

Like I said at the beginning of this review, this book is character driven. From a negative vantage point one could say this book has no relevant plot. Merely, things to be done that come up in sequence to one another. I understand some people don’t find this interesting, and some even hate it. I think the reason why I loved this book so much was simply because I loved the world and the characters in it rather than its original plot line. So, I could ‘stomach’ the ongoing inactivity in terms of big plot changes.

The book is interspersed with moments of tension and action in the form of accidents or ‘unseen-up-until-the-moment-of’ conflict. In relevance to the plot these could be seen as annoying by those who actually want more plot in this series. But, if you enjoy the characters and seeing Breq change Athoek for the better – these moments are immensely likeable.

Loved it so much, I picked up the third and final book – Ancillary Mercy, immediately.

And lastly, 76-100 ❤️❤️

last one!!

What memory does your character want to forget the most?when she was betrayed...dun dun dun

If your character had to multiclass into a class they currently aren’t the next time they level up, what would it be and what reason would they have for doing so?skip

What television/book/video game/etc. character would your character be best friends with? (Or: what media character is your character the most influenced by/similar to?ooooh idk everyone writes so well i could never compare my shitty work to theirs

What unusual talents does your character possess?she doesnt have any unusual ones really...she can fish, use magic, use a sword, speak more than one language, was formally educated, has a high pain tolerance? lol

How does your character feel about receiving/giving orders? Are they more of a leader, or a follower?shes a leader. she doesnt like authority and will only “follow” orders if shes had some input and agrees on the course of action

What does your character’s name represent to them? (Or: why as a player did you choose your character’s name?)her name was from a generator. i remember a while back i created her mothers and grandmothers name and made some bs about how nobility always had a certain play of the same suffix of a name but now her name just is what it is

Is your character more of an introvert, or an extrovert?introvert. shes blunt around people, which can make things awkward. she likes to be alone a lot or with close trusted friends. in our age, she wouldnt be one for social media

How far is your character willing to go to pursue the “greater good”? Do they believe in a greater good at all?well in book 1 she sees doing the greater good as a means to an end for her own personal gain, but shes not a bad person, she does believe in following a moral code and upholding justice

What does your character want to be remembered by?she wants for her parents memories not to continue being tarnished, she doesnt want her mistakes to reflect on them

What would be your character’s major in college?oh idk shes not really academic. i guess shed go into sports or something to do with her hands, like crafting.

Does your character consider themselves a hero, villain, or something else?she just thinks of herself as a person. in that sense she’s a little selfish, she doesnt care what the rulers are doing or anything political. she wants to do what she wants and what upholds her moral code.

What major arcana tarot card best represents your character?judgement

Where does your character see themselves in 20 years?relaxing by the beach somewhere

What is your character’s relationship with magic? Are they scared of it, wish to know more about it, indifferent to it?her magic is a part of her, like a limb. she uses it as a tool and it makes her feel safe and powerful

Who is your character’s biggest rival?rival is a strong word, there are multiple, unclear antagonists in book 1. maybe rhen or the king

What is your character’s guiltiest pleasure?none of her pleasures are guilty. if u could call casual drug use guilty well thennnn

What does your character hope for the afterlife?does she believe in the afterlife? she’d love to see her parents again.

Who in the party does your character trust the least?caena, more out of premature judgement then anything else.

What is your character’s biggest flaw?she doesn’t take other people’s feelings or needs into consideration

How did your character learn the languages that they speak?okay well she knows PR bc its the language of the city she grew up in, and she knows SYB bc her dad is from there and taught her.

What is your character’s favorite school of magic/type of weaponry?a sword! any kind, shortsword, longsword, broadsword, scimitar, rapier

What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness?happiness

What advice would your character give to a younger version of themselves?“you’re gonna go through a lot. but i promise you, you will be happy in the end. just keep going.”

Are there any social or political issues your character feels strongly about?big plot point in book 1 is the battle over a holy sword and who deserves to have it. she thinks no one should have that kind of power, as absolute power corrupts and most of them are corrupt already anyway.

What, currently, is your character the most curious about?the world she lives in. a lot of stuff she was taught is a lie and she’s curious to know about where she actually lives and what’s beyond.

#long post #writing #cloudybookash

Constellations Ask Game: Andromeda, Aquarius, Aries, Corvus, Draco, Gemini, Hydra, Libra, Lyra, Pyxis, Taurus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Canis Minor, Crux, Indus, Lupus, Puppis, and lastly Virgo <3 have fun b

hehe <3

Project Asks:

Andromeda - Describe your main charactersahhh im so bad at thisary: scarred, pstd-ridden, 25 year old mage. cold, calculated, a compulsive liarcyri: my bby sunshine, naive and kind, living up to unrealistic expectations set by his fatherash: a kings daughter, confused between whats right and what she has to uphold, snarky, gaycaena: old, short and angry about it, princess, last of her house, thinks herself above all other rulers Aquarius - Who’s your least favorite character to write?ash because i havent explored her as much as the others. like i know her, but since i dont know a lot about politics or royal happenings shes hard to figure out. i have a lot of qs about her in my notebookAries - Share a line that you’re proud of!i have to open my fuckn docs grumblegrumble“Z looked extremely young for her age, as though she had spent the last decade soaking in a bath and eating fruit instead of leading her men into battle like the warmongering tyrant she was.”Corvus - Who or what is the villain of the story?there are multiple, everyone in any sort of power tbh. rebel!Draco - Who’s your favorite character to write?i have a soft spot for cyri bc his softness and kindness is so rare to find in real life and i jus wanna protect himGemini - What inspired you to write this project?well, i was sitting at the dining table eating back when i was 17? and i was thinking about prisoner tropes. then i thought how it would be cool to have an opening scene where the mc is released from prison. and there u go.Hydra - Tell us why you love your project.ive been working on it for 5 fucking years now if i didnt love it id be crazyLibra - Which relationship dynamic do you enjoy writing the most?ary and cyri. originally they were lovers and some of that instant close connection still lingers with them, ary is v soft with him lmao but so are the rest. those damn green eyesLyra - Give us a few songs that fit your project!unbecoming-starsetmasquerade-tokio hotelblue-troye sivanPyxis - Are there any major themes or messages you’re writing to show?i mean theres the typical writing themes, but ive never been able to write messages or morals. maybe just that ‘the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb’Taurus - Tell us why you hate your project.it just keeps evolving and has so many subtleties and nuances that i dont think im good enough to write ughUrsa Major - What scene are you looking forward to writing?some bonding moments between the crew! i dont have friends so idk how to write group friendships but im gonna try Ursa Minor - What’s the setting?high-fantasy, medieval inspired

Writer Asks:Canis Minor - Share an excerpt of old writing and new writing to see how far you’ve come!oh shit ok okokokone of the earlier drafts:They packed, for they would not return. Ary shovelled everything in messily, while Cyri took his time. They tramped down the stairs after Cyri had insisted straightening the beds to look neat. The bar was empty, as it was midmorning, only the barmaid stood wiping the bench. She glanced up once, caught Ary’s eye and looked away fearfully.Ary’s heart skipped in her chest. Had the beggars frequented The Badger’s Inn and told tales of what had transpired? Would soldiers rain down on them? Yet nothing came. Cyri opened the door and gestured for her to go first, with nothing but a pleasant expression. She nodded thanks and slipped into the bright daylight. The city had not changed.new stuff:In the centre of the city, visible from all angles Ary guessed, were three huge obsidian towers, knife points against the sky. The Queen’s towers. From what she had heard by Arch prisoners, was that she never left those towers, appearing only through a balcony for celebrations of worship. Gargoyles littered buildings, cracked and weather-beaten. As they walked, they came across numerous churches and places of worship, all depicting Queen Z in various poses suggesting dominance, power, and wealth.The fountains were iced over, overgrown vines dipping into the water and stuck there. Debris and rubbish covered the ground to the point the group had to pick their way across the street, jumping over things.ive tried so fucking hard to improve my description sobCrux - Villains or Heroes?uh both, both can be done well. i dont really have a preference anymore, especially since anti-heroes are so big rn. its more about the character than the archetypeIndus - Are there any characters or stories you miss writing? Tell us about them!lmao well my ol girl cara who was in a comic when i was 13 never stopped pestering me so i put her with some other newer extra characters from another project into a new project but idk what that is yet.Lupus - Have you abandoned other WIPs? Tell us about some and why you abandoned them?what HAVENT i abandoned holy fuck. i had several vampire things, dystopian things [i started writing regularly when those themes were popular], a lot of contemporary things??? i dont write contemporary the fuck.Puppis - Give us a piece of advice! (about anything)anything you say?????? youre always overestimating the consequences. theyre always less than u think. now go commit arsonVirgo - Describe your favorite tropes.uhhh do i have any? lol. hmm i like the found-family, ensemble cast trope. i like characters with an established reputation before the book starts. i cant think of any ahhhh

#writing #cloudybookash

1-50 of the writer’s ask thing, go!

BITCH UR RUDE AF

The Basics1. Do you listen to music when you write?mostly yeah but it depends on my mood2. Are you a pantser or plotter?both, i was a complete pantser up until recently but ive been trying to outline big scenes so i know where im going3. Computer or pen and paper?computer for drafting. pen and paper for outlining/planning4. Have you ever been published, or do you want to be published?not published, dont wanna be5. How much writing do you get done on an average day?none but yesterday i wrote 2k /shrug6. Single or multiple POV?usually single but ive been trying multiple!! its hard!!! idk what voice is!!7. Standalone or series?ugh again mostly standalone, but ive been dabbling in series8. Oldest WIPmy spies one which went though a fantasy and scifi phase and was originally dystopian9. Current WIPmy mages! i have no titles bc who10. Do you set yourself deadlines?nup

The Specifics11. Books and/or authors who influenced you the mostuhhhh to be fair im v easily influenced so if i read a book and really like it i subconsciously try to implement that style of writing or try out that genre in my own work12. Describe your perfect writing spacea desktop next to a big open window where i can play music without headphones13. Describe your writing process from idea to polisheduhhhh i dont have a finished wip yet so idk lol usually: idea→ characters→ plot→ spur of the moment 10k word vomit→ more planning, outlining→ more words→ repeat planning and drafting until finished14. How do you deal with self-doubts?i just take a break, read some bad books, read some good books, look at writing tumblrs and just marinate for a bit before going back in15. How do you deal with writer’s block?i perpetually have it and since i dont have deadlines or a publishing contract i just ride it out, writing is strictly a hobby for me16. How many drafts do you need until you’re satisfied with a project?i edit as i go, im onto draft 2 of my mages but its technically a rewrite bc i changed most of the plot17. What writing habits or rituals do you have?i have none atm, but i usually pick a time where i know i wont be disturbed/distracted so usually at night18. If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be, and what would you write about?idw collab sdkksdlkbnsd die19. How do you keep yourself motivated?i just really really like my worlds lol conceited 20. How many WIPs and story ideas do you have?i have!!! 5?

The Favourites21. Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write?oh mannngggg i like all my protagonists, ary is the easiest bc shes the one i work with the most, but its super entertaining to be in remy’s head, and i like calyp’s bc hers is so different AAHH22. Who is/are your favourite pairing(s) to write?remy and seth orrr red and kieran. if im answering this correctly? or do u mean types of pairings lol idk23. Favourite authorhummm idk every author i really like have books i dont like so i cant say24. Favourite genre to write and readfantasy25. Favourite part of writingworldbuilding *.*26. Favourite writing programgoogle docs. it would be word but im too poor to buy it lol27. Favourite line/sceneidk if this is my favourite but“I am at least trying to be civil.”“I am being civil. You want me to yell at you? Turn into a wolf and fight it out like you’d want?”Kieran closed the file and stood. “I don’t—rem—”“Remember.”“I don’t remember you being so—” He searched for a word, but gave up and growled instead. Red got the idea.“Angry? Callous? I ought to reteach you the English language.”“I know how to speak,” Kieran blurted. “Remember, I spent twenty-four years a full human.”“And look how fast that’s disappeared.”28. Favourite side characterwhat are side characters lol ENSEMBLE CASTS29. Favourite villainossssshhhh probably michael bc i love him30. Favourite idea you haven’t started on yetive started on all my wips im one of those bastards who can multitask

The Dark31. Least favourite part of writingactually drafting lmao32. Most difficult character to writeprobably christine bc shes meant to be relatable and down to earth and thats boring smh33. Have you ever killed a main character?yes, not a pov one though34. What was the hardest scene you ever had to write?probably any scene that requires a lot of research on a topic i know nothing about, like hacking or sword fighting or whatever35. What scene/story are you least looking forward to writing?bridging scenes suck theyre necessary but they SUCK

The Fun36. Last sentence you wrote“My plan would go smoother with you involved, but I can find others. Many want his head.”37. First sentence or your current WIPShe squinted in the harsh light.38. Weirdest story idea you’ve ever hadugh this girl who could see deaths coming and she worked for the fbi but she was like 15 so she still had to go to highschool lol39. Weirdest character concept you’ve ever hadprobably her, only bc i was 13 when i created her and was reading this banshee series but somehow didnt connect??? and didnt realise she was a banshee?? without the screaming40. Share some backstory for one of your charactersomg all of my characters have purposefully murky backstories bc i find that trope cool af lol. i guess ary has that typical woe-is-me backstory where her parents were killed, she spiraled and got involved with the wrong people and then was betrayed and arrested lol

The Rest of It41. Any advice for new/beginning/young writers?literally i swear by: trying anything out. fiddle with pov, tense, perspective, genre, character identity, hell take a story you like and try to put your own spin on it. writing as a craft only gets better with practice and my best work is when im going outside of the box/my comfort zone42. How do you feel about love triangles?is this even a debate anymore, this trope got flamed so hard i havent seen it in ya in years. i dont really care about it43. What do you do if/when characters don’t follow the outline?good lol my outlines are usually done on the spot and i come up with more creative plots/scenes if i can think on it a bit44. How much research do you do?i edit as i go so i research as i go. my pre-drafting research extends to saving links on things i might wanna write about and thats it lol. i would say i dont do as much as i should45. How much world building do you do?a lot lol i LOVE worldbuilding. but i find it hard to incorporate it into my draft naturally so a lot of minute details get cut 46. Do you reread your own stories?all the time lol i forget what i wrote half the time47. Best way to procrastinatetwitter–OR if u wanna seem “productive”, writing blogs are a good way to get distracted48. What’s the most self-insert character/scene you’ve ever written?bitch there was a time where i only wrote self insert characters lol49. Which character would you most want to be friends with, if they were real?im too lame to hang out with any of my characters. they would be nice to me but i wouldnt get to know them like how i know them from an author perspective50. [Other question—ask me anything]u didnt ho

#writing #cloudybookash #sorry for the long post

1-50 of the writers ask thingy, tell me everything :D

1 : What age-group do you write?adult! ive always written characters my age or a few years older

2 : What genre do you write?sff, mostly fantasy

3 : Do you outline according to big ideas or small details?hmmm, i guess small details? when i get an idea, i get an idea for single scenes or pieces of dialogue or a certain character, so i piece together an outline from that. but i have trouble with a overarching plot lol

4 : Which do you prefer–line-editing or plot-revisions?line-editing, i love editing. revisions suck bc it takes me 10,000 yrs to come up with an idea and now i have to replace it with another??? blasphemous

5 : Do you write better with or without deadlines?ive written my whole life without deadlines except for when i tried nano last year and failed. so without i guess, but then i dont have anything to convince me to write more lmao

6 : What would be the biggest compliment you could hope to receive on your current WIP?idk probably that its someones favourite book, or to see fanart *.*

7 : How long is your current WIP?26,305 words, its a rewrite heh

8 : What author would you be most excited to be compared to?hummmmmm,,,idk when people call new fantasy books “the next game of thrones” it sounds so fake lol but idk who my favourite author is...

9 : What do you struggle most with as a writer?writing

10 : Do you brain-storm story ideas alone or with others?mostly alone but YOU, ASH, help sometimes. its good to get an objective ear

11 : Do you base your characters off of real people?nah lol, im not good at characters

12 : Is your writing space clean or cluttered?clean

13 : Do you write character-driven or plot-driven stories?plot-driven. my writing is extremely fast paced, and i dont tend to like reading character-driven works

14 : Do you have a favorite writing-related quote?ive answered this in previous ask. the 'drunk on writing’ one by ray bradbury

15 : If you transport your original characters into another author’s world, which world would you choose?everyone else’s worlds are so harsh lol maybe id put them in atla so they can fuck around w bending

16 : Would your story work better as a movie or tv show? Why?miniseries ﾟ*｡(･∀･)ﾟ*｡ but it would lend itself to a movie yeah

17 : Do you make soundtracks for each story?nah, lazy ass

18 : If you could assign your story one song, what would it be?unbecoming by starset

19 : Would you rather live in your characters’ world, or have your characters come live in our world?honestly? i wanna escape capitalism and wield a sword

20 : What book would you love to see adapted for the big or small screen?zero world by jason m hough!!!! its a pretty big book i think a movie duology or a tv show would work!

21 : Do you finish most of the stories you start?no

22 : Has your own writing ever made you cry?no lol

23 : Are you proud or anxious to show off your writing?anxious cz im bad

24 : When did you start considering yourself a writer?i meannnnnnnn do i even now thoooooo

25 : What books are must-reads in your genre?sff is so broad, read whatever tf u want

26 : What would you like to see more of in your genre?diversity, not just in race gender sexuality but in fucking plots like damn give me something w a twist

27 : Where do you get inspiration from?real life, books, movies

28 : On a scale of 1-10, how much do you stress about choosing character names?about a 2, i just search on a generator until i find one i like im not a stickler for names nd i dont usually have placeholder names or anything

29 : Do you tend to underwrite or overwrite in a first draft?chronic underwriter hence the only 20k words

30 : Does writing calm you down or stress you out?calm me down, i have no control over my own life so its good to have complete control over my oc’s lives. i dont tend to have the ‘characters run away from me’ thing, but probably bc i dont see it like that lol

31 : What trope do you actually like?ride-or-die, charas who are knowledgeable and badass from the beginning, i hate following the character learning to do something lmao im impatient

32 : Do you give your side-characters extensive backstories?depends on the side character, every character is fleshed out to an extent but i dont do a massive family tree or anything

33 : Do you flesh-out characters before you write, or let their personalities develop over time?i tend to create characters before plot so i would say i know them pretty well before starting but i do let them develop naturally within the story without forcing them into any box

34 : Describe your old writing in one word.tryhard

35 : Is it more fun to write villains or heroes?mmm both have their merits, i went through a phase where i loved villains but a warped heroes journey or a morally grey/anti-hero can be super good too

36 : Do you write with a black and white sense of morality?nah, murky

37 : What’s one piece of advice you would give to new writers?try anything. anything it doesnt matter if ur nervous or you ‘dont write in that genre’ or you dont even like that genre. its good to train yourself and go out of your comfort zone, makes u a better writer imo. also dont read this and think ‘im not writing an entire historical romance novel bc i hate it’ i mean just one shots. a paragraph or two. try out writing prompts, it really flexes ur skillsalso dont feel like everything u have to write will be published, thats what i mean by try out little paragraphs or prompts. let go of this idea that any of this work will see the light of day [unless u rly want it to] and just have fun, go wild, go crazy, go stupid

38 : What’s one piece of writing advice you try–but fail–to follow?its mostly those ones that help u have cleaner, more beautiful writing. i write really beige-like and its hard to be poetic or flowery

39 : How important is positive reinforcement to you as a writer?probably super important

40 : What would you ask your favorite author if given one question?when ur next book out

41 : Do you find it distracting to read while you’re writing a first draft?nah

42 : Do critiques motivate or discourage you?ive never really had many, so i would say discourage bc i dont have a thick skin with my writing

43 : Do you tend to write protagonists like yourself or unlike yourself?unlike myself, i like to write bold, confident characters and im not that lol escapism much

44 : How do you decide what story idea to work on?whichever interests me the most at the moment, i can jump between projects easily so i dont have a problem

45 : Do you find it harder or easier to write when you’re stressed out?harder, i cant look at my writing if im stressed else ill absolutely hate it and might do something drastic like delete it all lol

46 : What Hogwarts house would your protagonist(s) be in?ary is slytherincyri is ravenclawash is gryffindorcaena is slytherin [i dont know how to spell the house names]

47 : Where do you see yourself as a writer in five years?still writing id hope

48 : Would you ever co-write?nah

49 : Are you a fast and rushed writer or a slow and deliberate writer?i used to be fast and rushed bc i was so impatient i just wanted to see the end product but i realised that i really love being in the world of my wips as long as possible so i draw it out and really mull everything over

50 : Would you rather be remembered for your fantastic world-building or your lifelike characters?both lol? i do love worldbuilding but i think characters make a greater impact

#writing #answered-ask #cloudybookash

Book Review: Spera: Ascension of the Starless, Vol.1 by Josh Tierney, Giannis Milonogiannis, and Cecile Brun.

Genre: Graphic Novel.

Goodreads rating: ***** (5 stars).

Read: 28/03/2017 (one sitting)

The Review:

Who doesn’t want to read about two adventuring princesses? Not going to lie, I was concerned. In most of the books I’ve read with female leads â€“ the story line tends to be getting into danger and being damsel’s in distress. This book exceeded the expectations I’d begun to form on adventure stories with female leads and set a new, high bar.

Synopsis: In this spin-off of the original Spera series - Princess Lono’s mother, Queen of the Starless, plans to invade Spera. Against this, Princess Lono and friend Princess Pira travel to Spera to warn its King. Together with a warrior cat, Chobo and fire spirit Yonder they travel high and low, fight off monsters, spy and strategize a way to bring peace.

The diversity amongst the characters is astounding. Firstly, our two mains - Lono and Pira. Thankfully not heeding any female protagonis bullshit and getting straight to 3D characterization. Lono is solely focused on not only warning the King of the impending invasion but also keeping her friends safe along their travels, and strategizing to take her mother down. Pira, who appears not as fearless or as experienced as Lono, is nonetheless capable. There are also hint to her being bisexual with love interests from both genders. It would be great if this became a canon characteristic because, hey! Inclusion is fucking cool guys.

Excluding the mains, we have a colorful troop of side characters. From Chobo the cat kicking more ass than anyone else in the story, to a powerful-mixed raced witch who might also be canonically bisexual, to the leader of a village who (in the last pages of the book) hints heavily towards being canonically transsexual, to the King of Spera and his son themselves both being Black. There wasn’t any stereotyping or coding of these characters of which I’m grateful for.

The novel was written in a way where each new chapter was drawn and written by a different author/artist. At first this confused me with switching art styles that could, at times - make the cast appear younger and therefore make me think we were witnessing a flashback when we weren’t. This confusion was the only negative thing I took away from the book and I can blame it almost solely on my inexperience with graphic novels.

The pacing was good, exposition and action intertwined. The characterization was brilliant. And the separate art styles were very appealing. Looking forward to the next volume and maybe picking up the original series at some point in the near future.

k b 1-25

100 Warm Up DnD Character Questions

1. If your character wasn’t an adventurer, what livelihood would they lead?

Well she’s royalty so I guess she’d go on to be Queen if she stays in her country, but if she forfeits her rule and moves - maybe she’d like to be a politician.

2. Who in the party would your character trust the most with their life?

hmm… to be fair I don’t think she’d willingly trust anyone with her life, a real ‘I’m in charge of me and you’re in charge of you’ type. Though she does on numerous occasions rely on others to save her life one way or another.

3. What are your character’s core moral beliefs?

I would say before her character arc she firmly believes in Good vs. Evil trope, where she believes you’re either good or bad - there’s no moral middle ground. Go big or go home I guess. The only thing I know that over rides this belief is her loyalty, but I’m not sure that’s a moral belief.

4. What relationship does your character have with their parents and siblings?

I think I’ve answered this question before, loves her mother, admires her father, cherishes her older brother, one-sided love with her little sister, and wary but unconditional love for her younger brother.

5. Does your character have any biases for or against certain races?

I would say yes, before her character arc I think she internalises a lot of negativity towards her own people, and others that come from her planet. As well as a select few others that she meets on the new planet. obviously after he character arc, this changes.

6. What is your character’s opinion on nobility? On authority?

As nobility herself I would assume (lol, I say like I didn’t create her tf??), she would firmly believe in being knowledgeable in places of authority or leadership to better the community, country, and/or the people. She’d be very, VERY against corruption in political/authority areas. But otherwise, I think she’d outright assume all people in a position of power are there to do the best they can by the people they serve.

7. Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc.

This is actually the hardest thing to me, I have no idea what this bitch wears unless its armour or ceremonial but she’s on a new planet and needs to hide her identity so can’t walk around in clothes more suited to her country and the title she has there. I honestly default her to some type of shorts (probably board shorts for the quick drying) and a t-shirt or singlet with some type of covering garment for when it gets cold. BITCH DOES SHE EVEN WEAR SHOES? idk.

8. What location encountered in the campaign has your character felt the most “at home” in, or just generally liked the most?

… Actually haven’t thought about this… it’s because i’m a shit writer.

9. What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship?

I think, due to her home-planets current political sphere that she doesn’t have or believe in any deity. However, her friends on the new planet have like a million religions. I think broadly speaking she’s accepting as she does know what religion/worship is and its personal importance but doesn’t KNOW know. And then it’s just a lot of confusion having never been taught any religion or worship outside of royal gossip. So confused, but happy about it.

10. If your character had time to pick up any artisan’s tools, game set, instrument, etc., what would it be?

A flute maybe? idky, coz I said so, I guess.

11. Describe your character’s current relationship with the player character sitting to your right.

Not applicable?

12. What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence?

Bring peace.

she’s the avatar, apparently.

13. Does your character ever want to “settle down” with a spouse, children, house, etc.?

I guess, maybe faaaaaar in the future though.

14. Has your character ever been in love?

Ya, the kind of love you don’t realise until the person is gone.

15. What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character?

I’m translating this for a book so I’d say maybe the first battle that’s fought on page, just because so much goes wrong and that’s where she finds out who/what she’s really facing. Either that, or whatever ‘battle’ went on off page as she was previously banished and I’m just trying to figure out ‘exactly’ what happened, did I mention i’m a terrible writer yet?

16. If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead?

So like, if they weren’t born into royalty?? Ah, I guess the bitch would be poor then… or a soldier, though I guess still poor.

17. What is your character’s favorite season?

Think I’ve answered this before and said winter, so … Winter!

18. What would your character’s Zodiac sign be, following stereotypical astrology?

Okay, so I just had to read through a list of personality traits for the zodiacs to answer this question and now want to answer for all five mains, so:

Z: Gemini.J: Ophiucus (he’s that bitch).ME: Scorpio. (surprised? same.)HH: Pisces. Though he acts like a Leo most of the time.M: Aquarius.

19. Where in the world does your character most want to visit?

Travelling is like a really easy thing to do in my book so... I wouldn’t know... maybe the Pixie Palace (it’s not as cliche as it sounds I just can’t figure out a better name).

20. What is the biggest mistake your character has ever made?

oooooooh, idk fuck, I’M SUCH A BAD WRITER!

21. Does your character have any noticeable scars? If so, what are their stories?

Her eye? fucked up ‘transport’ during escape.

22. What animal best represents your character?

am i allowed to say idk, idc? coz - idk and idc.

23. If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be?

I feel like this is a question I’ve already answered but I can’t remember... Maybe she might change her banishment (so she doesn’t get banished) although I feel like whatever she got banished for would have to have something to do with her immovable morals so?? Man, idk i’m a crappy writer who doesn’t think about the characters enough to know all this. Maybe she’d take back the fact that she screwed up the transport during her escape which got almost a hundred of her allies killed for nothing, or change who she brought to the first battle/how she went about preparing everyone for that moment so even more meaningless death didn’t happen (ooh, did I just answer q.20 on accident???)

24. Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with?

I think she’s very different to the other characters, both in upbringing and personality. Of course there’s some intersecting like being as aggressive as ME, or being immature and prone to lapses in judgement like HH, or wanting nothing more that to help everyone like M. I would say the easier(/better?) question would be who she has the least in common with being Julian, I just think they don’t really have a lot in common, age is diff, hobbies are diff, perspectives on life are diff, goals are diff etc...

25. Does your character regret any particular choice the party has made?

Everything that took place before the first ‘battle’, just because they didn’t screen their inductees better, didn’t teach them properly or make sure everytone was on the same page and communicating with one another, lots of logistics problems before the first battle and the cost of those mistakes were pretty big so, I’d say she regrets that.

#writing #writing ask #wip #cloudybookash #booklr #bookblr #sorry for the long ass wait mon #I dont know how to prioritise my shit