Well I did promise... I think. · 5:59pm Nov 12th, 2013
To write you all, I mean. My adventures outside of the community have thus far been fun. It's been almost a month, and while I can't say as I've gotten a lot of writing done, I have made a lot of progress in my writing. Don't ask how that's possible, I don't want to confuse myself.
I'm not going to use my blog to plug my own shit, because that's just silly. Plus after my stirring farewell as Razorbeam I think a lot of people are going to see any and all blogs from here on out as pointless. They're pretty much right.
Anyways, despite not plugging, I'm more than happy to let interested folks look at what I've done, and inform them of what I am doing. Most recently I completed the prologue for Cavalry Studios' first decided-upon project, and I am certain that it needs polishing. Anyone interested in helping me out by reading it and offering feedback is more than welcome to PM me, and I would love to send them a copy in reply to look over.
In addition to being a big help to me, it would also be a sneak peek into what the Studio is working on. In the words of Cave Johnson, we're not just banging rocks together out here.
It should by now, of course, be known that I will only respect constructive criticism, so if you can't formulate any, don't PM saying you want to read the prologue thing. Also, as usual, any and all feedback is subject to being widely unimplemented. It's not that I don't care, it's just that if I happen to get feedback, not all of it is necessarily good for the whole of the project, even if it might be good for moments in time in the prologue.
So don't get butthurt.
Anyhow, I'm not going to make a habit of putting my stuff on display chapter by chapter like this, but since the prologue for this project is incredibly important to its overall success (in my opinion), I want to ensure that it is good, and I happen to know that I can find readers here who know what they're looking for, and whose opinions I can trust.
In other news, some of you asked upon my departure from fanfiction if I would ever try to work Visionary into a true-fiction story. I did a lot of thinking about that, and I do mean a lot. I ended up with folders upon folders of remade lore, an edited version of the map, new characters, and all sorts of other whizzbang shit on Google Drive.
So the answer is yes. At some point, I will take Visionary and rebuild it entirely.
Most of it is not going to look anything like the old Visionary, which is both a blessing and a curse. After all, I could not make it too similar if I really wanted to separate it from MLP. I won't divulge any of the greater details on what I am doing with it, but let's just say that certain characters are still around... Like Gearrick, Aurus, Korrick, Aria, a shinier and more usable version of Chrysalis (under a new name), and many more.
You will, however, notice a distinct lack of the Mane Six, or anyone like them... except perhaps for Twilight, but when you find out how this new fictional world works I think you'll understand why there's a character vaguely similar to her.
Anyways, I'm not going to spoil anything else unless you PM me about it, because like I said at the top, I figure now that I'm just a normal dude most people don't care about these blogs, so PM me with questions, or just leave comments or something and I'll PM you with answers. I hate when shit gets lost in the comments, almost as much as I hate when shit gets lost in my inbox.
I might make touching base a monthly thing,
Aaron.
*raises hand for a question*
o/
Will you be attending Bronycon 2014 August 1-3?
I would like to know where I can follow your works in the future
1502746
Highly unlikely, I couldn't afford it if I wanted to, lol.
1502750
Unfortunately I don't really have a medium at this point. It'd be nice to have my own site or something, but currently that's a ways off yet.
1502762
Well if you ever do manage to figure something out will you tell your followers here? Because you are a great writer and I'd love to see what comes from you in the future
1502767
I would be certain to let everyone know.
1502769
Actually a Twitter account or something could probably work now that I think about it
1502801
With the amounts I tend to write, I feel as if that would be incredibly inconvenient.
1502806
Ah well I tried
Hopefully you can figure something out that works for you
HAHA! Yea right, when I die, then maybe, and I'm not planning to die before I've read at least one book of yours.
Yet sadly, this is not something I'm good at.
i8.photobucket.com/albums/a5/BigMastadon/mindblown.gif
HO MY FUCKING JESUS!!!
*runs away screaming*
Don't give a shit, still fucking awesome...
At some point maybe... actually right away, you'll notice it. And I'm too lazy to write another message as private so I'll just get into the question.
I like the whole idea how you're changing up pretty much with the Visionary. Of course the elements have to be changed a lot etc. like seriously, no shit, but what I want to know is that are these new characters really even friends, or are you planning on making them meet somehow? Of course introductions have to be there and stuff like that, but that doesn't mean they couldn't be friends already... or? I don't know, I'm not a writer, how ever, I think some things a lot more than is needed, so I can come up with at least something intelligent... -ish... But yeah, so my guess is that you're not going to just throw them in as friends immediately? Unless you have a plan on them-
Wisdom: "Of course he does, dummy... ain't that right?"
...
I hope so.
But I think you got my question(s?). Anyways, the main thing is still, that when you publish something, considering you can actually do this, I want you to INFORM THE SHIT OUT OF M-mmfbl.
Adult me: "Yes it would be nice if you could inform us, your stories are probably going to be the only books in near future I'm going to read with gusto."
Artist: "You in need of cover-art etc.? I think I could maybe provide you some when the time comes."
MMF!
Anger: "Stop squirming!"
MMFUCK YOU! *gets free* Sorry about that. One last quest-
Anger: "WRITER! Stop quoting us! You piece of-"
Writer: "K, sry!"
-ion... question, when do you think that your books might be published? Year, two years, five years? I'd like to know that too.
Please, do that will ya?
If you would like, I can try to help with grammar and such. I can help with descriptive and prescriptive aspects of Modern Standard English and Early Modern English. I am also well versed in Dutch, Italian, Old English, Old Norse, Latin, and Attic Greek, so if you wanted to put some kind of obscure text type thing in the writing I can help with that.
1502973
Oddly enough we're using many Nordic elements, though we're trying to keep them limited to names and plot elements only, so as far as text types go I think we're just sticking to plain english.
Outside of that, grammar's always a plus, since I have a nasty habit of, using commas, I don't need.
Realistically, though, what I need to know is that the prologue is clear (for the elements I mean to present clearly) and intriguing (for the elements that I allude to, but don't explain in detail, because prologue). Seeing as how I very, very rarely have ever done a former prologue, and normally just launch into the thick of it and start world-building, this is a bit of a new take on my own writing for me.
So any edits are certainly welcome, but what I need to know, more than anything, is if the prologue is compelling and makes for a good hook, or if there are things that are executed poorly or missing that should probably be there.
1502960
Your questions will be answered. I know and see all.
As for the characters and throwing them willy-nilly together as friends, no. That will not be happening. I will be rebuilding and redefining all inter-character relationships as I go. Some may end up friends, some may not. My darker universe isn't quite as jazzed on friendship as MLP's is.
What you all know as Visionary is more than likely going to be the second in a string of three books. The first book will be developing the absolute major characters in the series, which were previously the Mane Six, because MLP. MLP just throws those characters at you and you clap your hands and watch the colors, but I'm going to have to try much, much harder to make my characters believable with nothing but black and white text at my disposal.
There will be no direct replacement for the Mane Six. You'll notice this leaves a distinct lack of Applejack, which means that certain romantic elements are, at first glance, completely broken. Not to mention that most of the planned stories that revolved around the individual Mane Sixxers have been completely nixxed. I cannot, for obvious reasons, copy the Mane Six, and in my Visionary universe they were all pretty bland anyways, so I would never bother.
I will be making new unique characters as I need them, introducing them to one another or not as situations call for, and generally making everything more complex than it needs to be. MLP is this one big ball of friendship in which all the characters totally know each other, and that's great. But that's not how my universe works, because it doesn't really make any sense.
Anyways, as for your second question on when I will publish something, I'd love to say in the next five years, but I don't really know. I tend to be a procrastinator, and publishing is an intensively competitive thing. I'll have to brush up on my current skills much, much more before I can say with confidence that I can, in fact, write something and see it published.
That won't stop me from writing all kinds of things and hoping to see them published, though. So maybe I'll get lucky sometime, like I did here on FimFiction with HoaD.
1503013
That reply ended up being even better than I expected! Hahaa!
Second in trilogy?! Holy moly this just got so fucking good.
And the characters. That was just the answer I was waiting, just like it should be.
Just know, that me, and surely many others are here to support you. So it'll be for sure amazing to see how it all will end up.
There is the Writer, and then there is the Readers, we are in between these as those who support you all the way through, we, are part of the Friends.
:)
1503032
Couldn't have said it better myself. Looking forward to giving you all something worth supporting!
Non fan-fiction Visionary? That'll be interesting to see.
Ofc, its not 'true-fiction' as fan-fiction is still fiction
1503118
True fiction not being based on someone else's work.
1503125
I know what the term meant. It doesn't mean its correct though. Because if non fan-fiction is 'true' it means fanfiction is not true, which is simply insulting
1503146
Take it how you prefer, chief.
1502998
I can definitely help with that as well. And on the Nordic elements, I am a big fan of both of the Eddas and have read a few of the Sagas, so if elements of those are present I'll recognize it
1503193
We're trying to use the elements, but not necessarily follow the Eddas or Sagas as pure references, so a lot of it is going to be missing or purely nominative. It wasn't our goal to rewrite any old Nordic myths, but more to use some of the themes and greater symbols from them as we go along.
Point the former: Monthly reports, yes please :D
Point the latter: I would totally buy a book made from Visionary with original characters and setting. Where do I input my credit card codes?
1503214 Cool, cool. I'm sure it's going to be awesome
1503282
The same place I upload my finished product someday, lol. I plan to have my own website at some point, as well as one cooked up for Cavalry Studios.
Regardless, even if it turned out well, unless it passed through legitimate publishing then I would never sell it. The way I see it, if I get bold enough to take an idea to publishing and get shot down I'd be able to spit in the publishing company's eye by turning around and releasing whatever I wrote for free.
So, really, anything I write from this point forward will either be as free as the air you breathe, or cost seven bucks in paperback.
1503319
It's the digital age. You could self-publish your book through the Humble Store or something similar as a .epub or .pdf at a dollar a pop. It's what I'll probably do if I ever get around to writing original somethings.
1503434
Yeah, but I'm a classicist and a weirdo.
1503465
In a similar vein, I've heard from several people that Amazon Publishing is easy to work with.
1503477
Hmmmmmm...
1503512
So long as you don't mind a significantly decreased chance of physical sellers carrying your books.
1503515
Doesn't Amazon publishing require you to use a dedicated app? Or (brrrrrr) buy a kindle?
Another thing to note: The Humble Store is a very new thing and only sells games, but there's been Humble eBook Bundles before. You might be able to be their first book published
1503952
I'd feel so fancy. And so dirty.
You've stated that you'd be keeping a character similar to Twilight. Will there also be a character similar to Tinkermane? I'd ask for more details on these two but that would wade into spoiler territory.
And just to be sure, this Visionary world will be magic and steampunk-ish? Kinda like what I've already fallen for here on FIMFic?
A last note would be that I would like to be a prologue reader. I don't have the best plot-hole-pointing-out skills (unless glaringly obvious), but I prize myself on spelling, grammar, and sometimes expanded vocabulary. Though I might over use the ellipses and dashes on occasion. And improperly use the words "and" and "but" by using them to start sentences. But that's just because they are post thought additions to previous thoughts-andI'mfreakingramblingagain.
SO! Whatever's clever! I'm shutting up now.
1504021
Razorbeam: So classy he makes dirt look fancy!
Oh well.
We bid thee of a most fond farewell.
Now then.. Better start downloading.
1505054
As for original characters of my own like Gearrick Tinkermane, I have no issues recycling them into almost identical characters. They were mine to begin with, after all, and I will continue to use them that way. So while his last name might no longer be Tinkermane, you will certainly be seeing Gearrick "Somebody" in this new Visionary.
The story series itself will not likely be called Visionary anymore either, though. Names change, but some things are constant.
In reference to your comments about steampunk, the world I plan for is roughly as modern, though you'll see magical-based technology playing a bigger role as well. When you begin to understand the history backing this particular universe's modern age I believe it will make sense as to why both are incredibly active, and I think that the differences between steamtech and magitech will be much, much larger... potentially even to the point where it's cause for conflict.
Regarding the prologue, send me a PM here and I will get you a copy of its current version. It's worth noting that the prologue in question is not part of the new Visionary project, but is part of a completely different thing.
Anyways, it doesn't matter what you think you know about grammar, whether it's a lot or a little, or anything like that. I am more interested in finding out if it is clear, compelling, and, above all else, enjoyable. It doesn't take a master editor to know what he likes in a story or what he doesn't, and that is what I am on the quest to find out about this short prologue.
Hope this answered some of your questions without spoiling too much!