Thanks, you too! :D <3

Good luck on the raffle... Sorry I made an opposition for you, I was told to enter by a friend!

Aww, it's alright. XD

You deserve it just as much so I'll be happy no matter the outcome. :3

Good luck with your quest though! Lots of really nice items you are looking for!

Thanks. XD I haven't made any progress since I started really, but I'm apparently not very good at saving my money. I keep spending gold here and there on new CIs or art.

*kicks to revive* I'll actively try to keep this thing afloat this time, darnit! D:<

Well I didn't win despite having the best odds I could hope for, but I'm actually in a pretty darn good mood! I just discovered a new artist on dA who does beautiful artwork of pretty much my only fandom "obsession" (i.e. Fire Emblem 9 & 10).

I've abandoned dA for the sake of my pocketbook since attending university since I can no longer afford making RL commissions that I so wantonly accrued during the last few years. Going back today I see I have 10,056 Deviations and 7,253 Messages waiting for me, which is no surprise since I watch 1,196 people and haven't cleared my inbox (aside from polls/news) since the end of December.

I was glad to see some new work from my top-favorites and I'm considering sending a note to someone I was potentially commissioning since I want her art so bad I'm willing to make hers one last special treat for myself. XD

*end random rant*

*pokes at Ferra*
I'll help you keep this alive! :'D <3<3
And random rants are awesome, btw. =P

Speaking of DeviantArt, I'm actually browsing through it right now. xDD;; I have no account though, but I still love looking through the site, trying to find inspiration for drawing. ^^;; <3<3

Yay, thank you!

I have an account even though I don't draw. I needed it for communication for artists and I used to favorite/add people to watch all the time. I probably should go through and clear out my list of people I don't want on there anymore, but even for artists who were so-so before have in many cases improved a lot.

I don't know why I love art so much. XD I'm a visual person, but I focused on writing instead of drawing.

Ohh, I see, I see. =O Cool then. :> I never thought of getting an account as a way of keeping track of artists I want to follow. xDD;; Right now, I just have a tabs folder with links to the accounts of artists I always check up on. 8DD;;

People have also mentioned to me that I should get my account for my art though. >.>;; Personally, I'm not interested, since I think I'm not good enough to get an account. 8DD;; Plus, I'm probably too lazy to maintain one anyway, so, I'm cool with not having one. xDD;;

And oohh, you write? :> Awesome. :'D <3<3
Writing is more my passion too than drawing and art. ^^;; Probably why I took up Journalism for university in the end. :> Haven't written for myself in a long time though. :x Nowadays I usually only write for schoolwork and stuff. ^^;;

What do you write about, if I may ask? =O <3<3

I have so many on my watchlist that I need favorites saved for my top picks. XD; I have my favorite artist's usernames memorized though for the most part, so I will jump to them first usually when I check dA.

My writing is abysmal. XD I never finish anything and it's just odds and ends of things detailing tiny bits of grand stories I have thought up. You could call most of it fantasy I guess, but my focus is usually on the characters rather than some special fantastic universe. Usually I like to employ dark humor too since drama isn't really my strong suit.

I dabble in various areas really: a comedy about a group of high school kids that suddenly switch genders, a serious epic tale about four kingdoms on the brink of war, a sometimes goofy, sometimes dark tale about a pair of bandit cousins of a race no one likes, a rather depressing post-apocalyptic story of a group of zombie hunters struggling to survive in a desert world, and more recently (just in an RP) a sci-fi sort of thing that focuses on the relationship between some loser pervert and the "artificial being" he finds set in the near-future during a war.

I also have an idea that's barely developed compared to those about a man who dies after being in a coma for many years to find he's stuck in limbo and gets pulled along by a ghost hunter until he realizes some startling truths about the world.

Woah, you memorize artists' names? =O Wow, I could never do that, lolz. xDD;; I have such bad memory. >.>;; Good for you though, for having a good enough memory to remember stuff like that. =P <3<3

And ohh, I see, I see. =O
We're similar in a sense that I also usually put my focus on my characters rather than a grand plot scheme. Usually my stories are also fantasy-esque, but I have yet to fully dabble into the detailed aspects of the fantasy genre. xDD;;

And woah, those are some interesting ideas. :> Are you finished with any of them, may I ask? =O

Hmm... I myself only have ever tried one major ass story that's been in the works for years. xDD;; It's gone through a lot of revisions, but I can't seem to let go of the characters and the plot I've come up for them. >.>;; I know that it probably isn't a great story, but I'm stuck at that phase when a writer has a hard time letting go of his/her story/stories because they're too emotionally attached to them. ^^;; I still haven't given up on the story though, but it definitely needs some more revamping if I'm gonna make it decent enough to be read. xDD;;

I only remember my top favorites really, so that's not a whole lot to focus on. Luckily most don't have crazy names with lots of numbers in them.

To answer that question, I'll requote this part of my last post, ha ha:

I have most of the ideas developed to a point almost to completion, I just get frustrated when I set out to write since it's usually a slow process and doesn't turn out quite as nice as I visualize in my head. I know that if I at least got the basics out I could come back and revise, but it's hard to get that motivated and I've been busy with school. I hope to finish something someday though. Not with the intent of publishing, just for my own personal enjoyment.

Well if you like the characters and not the story, there's no harm in taking them and trying them out in a new setting. The main characters of the first comedy story I mentioned are the same characters in the "kingdoms on the brink of war" story I mentioned (which is actually probably my favorite since it's so epic. XD)

We started getting a little bored with the basic story idea, which is actually probably the least developed of all "my" (most of these were developed with friends) stories, so we used to take those characters and ask what they would do if put into a different situation.

There's also an alternate version of the fantasy two bandit cousins story with them set in present day as mobsters. XD

You don't have to throw the old idea out the window - I'm certainly still fond of our original story myself - but you can put it on hold and try new things until you come up with something you're more enthusiastic about.

Ohh, I see. =O And gawd, I hate names with numbers, personally. >.>;; Dunno why. I think it's one of my pet peeves. 8DD;;

And oops! Sorry, I apparently didn't read that properly. :x My bad. ^^;;
And ohh, I see, I see. =O I think I have the same problem. :x Only, I think I can decently write the middle and end portions, since I have those planned out. My biggest obstacle is writing the beginning, since I seriously don't know how I'm going to about it. D: Especially since I haven't decided on how it all starts, exactly. >.>;; Plus, beginnings and introductions are always my weak points in anything I write. DX </3

And ohh, really? =O Cool. =P
I've considered that, actually, but the problem is, I don't have enough time to research on other settings so that the characters could blend well in them. :x I guess that's primarily why I chucked them at a fantasy setting of my creation, because everything is at my disposal and I can write the time and setting to my liking. ^^;;
The problem with setting them in a more modern era is that I don't have enough knowledge on specific things concerning the modern world, and I would have such a hard time picking a year/time in order to make a realistic setting. D: </3
It's an interesting idea though. =P <3<3

And lolz, mobsters are fascinating. xDD;;
I remember when I first watched The Godfather, and how I wanted to be in a mafia family just so I would be rich and have bodyguards, LOLZ. 8DD;;

And hmm, that's true. :x Right now, I'm settling for short drabbles and oneshots concerning my "universe" (lulz xDD), developing my characters' personalities while I work out the specifics with my setting and plot. ^^;; <3<3

No worries. XD I know I wrote quite a bit and it's hard to catch everything sometimes. Beginnings can also trouble me, but there are a few where I actually do have a solid start but the end or the middle parts are what's hazy. Usually I have a general idea for all three parts, but not how to connect them fluidly.

I didn't really do a whole lot of "research" for most of my settings. I mean, I did whenever specific details came up and I'm sure I would do more if/when I get around to writing things, but I don't usually strive to write historical fiction, so I tend to make up my own worlds with influences from certain time periods/settings so I can do what I want without worrying if it conflicts with reality. I do try to make things as realistic as possible though.

The only story where I'll really have to do a lot of work in preparation would be the Kingdoms story. It's based in a world that we made up, but I imagine them using rather sophisticated language which would take me time to learn how to type to my satisfaction. Mostly for one of the main characters who is a joker. XD

I've always wanted to do drabbles, which is essentially what I tend to write anyways, but I have never gotten around to it.

Still my mistake for missing it though. ^^;;
And really? =O Lucky you. xDD;; The middle is always the easiest part for me, since by then I already know what exactly I want for the story. The ending... is easier for me than the beginning, since I also have some idea also on how to end things. :x
The beginning both troubles and scares me because if you have a crappy beginning, then that sets off the mood for the entire story already. >.>;; It's the beginning that'll tell readers if the story is worth reading or not, so, I always have trouble expressing that this story is worth the read. After all, I may possibly have a good story, but if I don't start it right, it's all for nothing. ^^;;

And ohh, I see, I see. =O
The thing though for me when creating my own world influences by, say, steampunk or futuristic settings, is that I'm not fully versed and experienced enough to pull off the world needed for that. xDD;; I guess it's why I like dabbling more into fantasy or the Victorian/medieval/Renaissance era more, because that's more... liberal to interpretation? =O Lolz, I can't explain it properly. ^^;; The best way I can say it is that I'm more comfortable with that kind of setting as opposed to others, I guess. =P
You're skilled and lucky though that you're able to dabble in all kinds of settings. :> <3<3

And ohh! Speech is definitely an important part in creating a story. =O <3<3
I remember that I used to have a Word document with interesting and uncommon words that my characters could use when they talk, just because I wanted an older feel to their used language, but nothing too old-fashioned. 8DD;;

And from personal experience, short drabbles about your characters or even random people can help improve both your writing without too much effort, and also help flesh out your characters a little more. :>
I started drabbles because I was drawn to the oneshots you find in Fanfiction.net. xDD;; I don't go there often anymore, but I do have to thank it for introducing me to the concept. =P <3<3

Well keep in mind I don't have much of this (if any) actually written, so I was referring to having things planned out in my head. XD Usually I have trouble with beginnings, but for some the idea came with a logical place to start, like my story with the coma-guy.

That one actually poses some challenges for me, which is why I haven't developed it further. I want him to be in a coma for about 15 years or so (unlikely, I know, but that's not the point of the story XD) but that would mean that if I want to base this in the real world, I would need to know how he would speak/act if the last thing he remembered was from the early 90s. I did grow up in the 90s, so it might not be too big of a challenge, but I was figuring this guy to be in his 20s at the time, which means he would probably have more of an 80s mentality. XD; Or alternatively I could set it in the future or a different world, but I like the idea of it being present day. He wouldn't interact much with our reality in any case.

Speech is important. *nods* For the bandit cousins, they actually speak their own language most of the time. Rather than try and make up a full language I just use <> to indicate they're speaking it, but I did make up a few terms for it and one of them is illiterate and has trouble speaking the "common language" of the land, so his speech is really fractured and confusing sometimes.

I usually write short one-shot stories, but sometimes it's pieces of larger story arcs I want to develop. I have a lot of things saved in my documents folder that I could probably pick up again someday.

Ohh, I see, I see. =O Just like me then. ^^;; Only thing I have definitively written is majority of the timeline and some major events that occur during my story. xDD;; Which... isn't much, in the grand scheme of things. 8DD;;
But yeah, I see what you mean about sometimes naturally starting at the beginning. =O I should really get me a story like it so that the beginning is a little less easier. xDD;;

And hmm... I see what you mean. =O Personally, it would be a tad more interesting for me if you managed to pull it off in our present world. xDD;; You could probably interview people you know who were real 80's/90's junkies or something, just so you have even more reliable sources. 8DD;;
Hmm... this reminds me of a music-centered short story I had to write for a class. ^^;; I interviewed my dad on that matter, since he's a music guy. Like, really. xDD;;

And ohh, I see. =O Never thought of using <> myself though. ^^;; Normally, if one or more of my characters is speaking in a different language, I just indicate it in the prose itself. 8DD;;

And cool then. :> I should probably write more plot-centered oneshots rather than character-based ones, now that I think about it. ^^;; My plot needs more work. xDD;;

*nods* For most of the stories I have a timeline written out or at least pretty well planned in my head.

Using <> tags is easier for me since a lot of what I write isn't even in full prose form. XD; They end up looking rather like a lazy man's screen play since they'll often start with a brief description of the scene, then just have dialogue and actions. Most of those were because I had an idea in my head, particularly some lines of dialogue I wanted to get down, and I didn't want to lose them by taking the time to write everything out. The drawback is that I usually feel less motivated to go back and rewrite it once I'm done.

I also would prefer to set the story in present day, especially since it wouldn't require things to be terribly detailed since he's stuck in limbo rather than our reality. I would just need to make sure his dialogue sounded fitting, but not forced/tacky.

Hmm, not sure what I usually write for my short "drabbles". Just about everything centers around the characters, but it's usually because I stick them in a certain situation. One of my favorites was with the bandit cousins getting trapped together in a hole somehow; the only way out is to work together, but neither of them trust each other (with good reason). In the end the taller one helps the lighter one out, and he runs off leaving his cousin for dead. (Most of the characters in my stories aren't very nice people. XD)

That's good then. :>
At least we're getting somewhere? xDD;; <3<3

And ohh, I see, I see. =O I get what you mean. At least you can turn this into a play if the story thing doesn't work out? 8DD;; <3<3
*is shot*
>.>;;

Oh! Cool then. :> Good luck getting that dialogue right then. :3
I would be interested in reading that story, if ever you finish it. =P <3<3

And aww, what a sweet story...? xDD;; Interesting though. =P
Mean people are fun to write about. 8DD;;

*nods* True, true. :3 Every little bit is getting closer.

I tried writing a screenplay once, but it was just one scene and was for a class I took. I wasn't very enthusiastic about it so it's not all that great, but it was a good learning experience. I do feel like a few of them could be made into TV shows or a comic or something. XD Or a horror game in the case of my poor coma guy's story.

Someday someday, but no time soon will I ever get anything done.

That was just a random pitfall within the rest of the story. :P There really isn't a set plot to the bandit story really, they just wander around and get into mischief. But eventually their "friendly" rivalry develops into something more dangerous and escalates until one of them kills the other. >__>; (Again, most of these characters are not very nice people.)

Good luck to the both of us then. ^^;; <3<3

And oh! That's cool. :> Speaking of comics though, I used to dream of making my story into an online webcomic, as I also draw, but ugh, I don't think I'm good enough of an artist to draw and color all the intricate landscapes and backdrops my story requires. xDD;; Plus, webcomics sort of take away from the beauty of the prose, especially when it comes to descriptions. =P
It would still be interesting though. ^^;;

And, well, someday may just be closer than you think. =P Who knows~ ^^;; <3<3

And ohh, I see, I see. =O So that story consists of many arcs then? Or, something resembling arcs, at least. xDD;;

I'm not huge on making beautiful prose. XD I like making interesting analogies/comparisons, but my writing is usually far from "flowery" - more guttural and to the point, skimping on detail if need be. I love reading beautiful works, but I tend to favor simplicity when it comes to my own writing.

For me, comics would be an idea medium since I can express the story without having to worry about describing the scene. Of course the issue comes with me being unable to draw. XD But that's why it's only a pipe-dream.

All of my stories usually have smaller bits within them, some have more cohesive plots than others though. Like Kingdoms, everything builds up and comes together and you eventually get some resolution afterward (it's actually split into two parts: before the war and after).

For the bandit story, all you really care about is what those guys do, which is mostly a series of loosely related events and a common theme of them hating each other and pulling increasingly violent pranks, but at the same time they need each other to an extent. Plus, like it or not, they're family.

Ohh, I see, I see. =O Cool. =P <3<3
I don't think my writing is flowery too. It uses descriptions, yes, but not exactly the most elegant way of doing so. ^^;; I'm a mix of symbolisms and bluntness, I think. xDD;; It all depends on the scene/whatever it is I'm going to write. 8DD;;

And what's a pipe-dream? =O I think I get what you mean by it, but I'll be honest in saying that I've never heard of it before. ^^;;

And can I just say, your description of the Kingdoms story reminds me of those RPG games wherein you play each main character's story up until a point where all the characters meet up or something. xDD;; Sorry, just thought I'd mention it. 8DD;; It's interesting though? =P <3<3

And so the bandit story is kinda like those shows that have only an underlying plot with little adventures that slowly get to that plot? =O

Sorry btw if my analogies suck. >.>;; I tend to use analogies when I want to understand something better. xDD;; <3<3

I didn't mean to insinuate that how you write is flowery, I'm just saying I'm not the type who can pull that off very well. XD And the definition of "pipe dream" according to dictionary.com is this:
It's actually not like that though. XD I know I did a crappy job explaining since I don't like to ramble on unless people ask me specifics.

For Kingdoms, I think I've decided that the story will just follow around one character (the Joker), as he travels to each kingdom and manipulates the politics there for some lofty scheme he has. Other characters are featured and you get to see some of their lives, but mostly based on what the Joker knows about them. Way later on things come to a head and the people riot, but he decides to actually be merciful and save someone who he expected to be murdered, thinking he would be of no consequence. Instead that totally f's up all of his plans and the second half of the story focuses more on the son of the guy he saves, which the Joker takes as his student and starts pulling strings to get him to be the next king, without the kid's knowledge nor consent.

Not that I would mind if it was like one of those RPG games, they're fun, I just don't think that's how it would go down in the end. Similar, but with a more central focus in this case.

I might liken the bandit story to Cowboy Bebop, if you've seen it. XD Every episode is a different bounty mission or some other event, but not one huge plot that needs to be solved. You get some character development here and there and sometimes they go in their separate directions, but in the end you could probably watch any random episode besides the last few and understand exactly what's going on as long as you're familiar with the show. Then at the very end there's a major showdown and someone dies. XD

The story with the zombie hunters isn't fully developed as far as where the plot will go, but it's more like the show you described. You start off with just the brothers, then they meet up with a girl and travel for a while doing various odd-jobs and get to know each other. Eventually one of the brother's reveals the secret that he's infected (i.e. with zombie) and is dying, but at a very slow rate. He and the girl have a romantic interest, but the fact he's infected kind of puts a stop to that. XD

Meanwhile the whole time there has been an underlying goal to try and find a cure/vaccination for the zombie disease thing and eventually they are given the opportunity to go on a very dangerous trip that would either possibly give them the answers their looking for, lots of money, or both (haven't decided). In the end, since I'm cynical things will probably be too good to be true and for certain the older brother dies.

And I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were implying that my writing was flowery...? o_O;; I just described my style, since you described yours...? xDD;; Wait, now I'm confused. ^^;;

And ohh, interesting. =O Thanks for the definition. :> I learned something new today! xDD;;

Lolz, when you mentioned the Joker, I immediately thought of The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger. xDD;; And how the Joker in his make-up and suit would go about traveling a fantasy kingdom. @[email protected];;

And oohh, sounds like an intricate plot. =O I would be interested in reading that for sure. :> <3<3 I love it when characters manipulate other characters. xDD;; It makes for very interesting dynamics in the story. :3 <3<3

And ohh, I see. =O Yeah, I've seen that. :> I never watched it from start to finish though, but I am familiar with it, at the very least. xDD;; I get you now. :3

And woah, another story? xDD;; I'm envious of all your ideas. D: I've been at a really big slump for a long time. @[email protected];; Interesting though. :> Why zombies though, if I may ask out of curiosity? xDD;;