Writing a Story and Breaking Writer's Block

There are many things to consider when one decides to write a story.  All of these things can seem overwhelming too.  Where should I start? What direction do I take? What do I create?  Why will the reader care about this story? Should they care about this story?

By no means are any of the above the most important questions to ask.  I'll admit, they were just the first to come to mind. However, every one of the problems listed above have a few things in common with one another.

First, every one of those questions has a string of complex answers.  None of the above will have a solution that is a one size fits all situation. In this same vein, sometimes, as will be discussed a little further down, these types of questions, and the form of contemplation are not worth exploring at least initially.

Second, and most importantly, letting oneself get bogged down in these questions creates a very oppressive form of writers block. For those unfamiliar with the term, writers block is essentially being unable to write for a whole host of reasons.  It can also apply to a person being unable to know how to proceed with their writing. And since there are so many different ways that writers block can manifest, it is wise to avoid as many of the factors that cause it as possible.

As a published author in my own right, I have decided to share some of the information that has helped me write and escape the confines of my own blocks.  I hope this to be helpful for writers of all levels.

First and foremost, and this cannot be stressed enough, the most important part of writing a story is to write.  I know, it is a crazy concept correct? But the most noticeable side effect of writers block is the inability to write so I cannot stress this important strategy enough. For those who have trouble writing down their ideas because they fear of lack of coherency, my advice is to use the powerful tools given by computers and spell checkers.  Put whatever words come to mind in the word document, google doc or whatever equivalent you are making use of. SAVE OFTEN! Few things are as destructive to writing compared to a couple hours of work completely lost.

Next, should you feel lost, and need more inspiration, the wonderful, and all mighty power of the internet is near limitless fuel for imagination. Literacy and technology intersect at every corner within this realm.  There are novels of every genre to consume for examples of what works and what does not in a story, and past that, we have incredibly detailed wiki website for just about every story on the face of the planet.

The next thing I will discuss deserves a paragraph in its own right.  There are Wiki pages for stories, and then there is Tvtropes.  This website has so many tools at the fingertips of writers, that words cannot even properly express how helpful this page has been in my own writing process.  Need help constructing characters?  Pages for that on here.  Need to ensure that an idea you have has not been done hundreds of times already? Plenty of pages for that too!  Seriously, no matter how many times I repeat it, I cannot stress enough how important this very specific website has been in my own writing process, especially in the vein of writers block.

One final aspect that is equally important to writing, and goes into the same vein as above, make sure to read as well as write.  Literacy is required for writing.  It is called literature for that very reason.  I was once told that "for every hour you write, you should read two" and it is true.  Remember that reading on the internet, or listening to music is as much consuming literacy as reading a book.  With that in mind, the number of ideas hat exist to help with the writing process is limitless.

But for those who need one final push, there is one final strategy that can make use of all the concepts outlined above. A handy stopwatch can help a writer to commit to putting their ideas down on the page. Whether through a phone, or a literal alarm timer, doing work in short spurts can help ease the load and overwhelming feelings that are associated with writing.  This final step can help those struggling to crush their writers block run over the mountain to find the downhill slope on the other side.

Final Fantasy 15 Review (Post Chapter 9)

This is my second half of the Final Fantasy Review and starts with chapter 9 and beyond.  This is the phase known by the fanbase as the section where the game completely falls apart.  A sentiment I now agree with.

I had some serious problems with the plot of this game, but with the open world nature of the first half of the game, I was willing to ignore this major flaw.  But with the second half of the game really focusing on plot, now I was forced to come to terms with Final Fantasy 15's biggest weakness. 

Minus the big four main characters, a couple supporting leads, and the main antagonist, I did not care about any of the characters.  Chapter 9 is where this begins to really hold the game back.  As major deaths of characters starts to happen, I felt... nothing from their painful ends.  Perhaps I am spoiled by powerful plots with characters that really speak to me on an emotional level, but I really could care less about most of the characters in the plot.  As a result, their deaths don't matter to me much.

Worse is what happens when the open world aspect suddenly ends, and the game is literally railroaded.  There are a few good parts in this segment, though the twists require a little bit of suspension of disbelief.  There was one notable part of the game that I really did enjoy and it comes at odds with most of the fan base.

Chapter 13, hailed by almost everyone as the worst part of the game was actually one of my favorite segments.  Sure the plot was still weak, and a villain that most of the time I liked, decided to act even more hammy than usual as I stealthed through his base.  Without mentioning specifics, just know that lots of people hate this part of the game due to the drastic changes in gameplay.  Suddenly Noct is the main character of a survival horror game with jump scares a plenty, and none of his weapons save the Ring of Luci which is an item that I only recently figured out how to use properly.

The part of the game that really pissed me off and really showed me why the games ending segments are getting so much hate is what occurs right after Chapter 13 ends.  Once again avoiding spoilers, Square had a chance to effectively double the main game in both scope and size, and decided not to. 

With an ending that was very obviously rushed, I was very disappointed in the second half of the game. There was a chance to follow in the footsteps of Final Fantasy 6, my favorite video game of all time, and this did not deliver.  So while I am getting a chance to enjoy the bonus dungeons, this is not one of the best games in the series which is a shame because this game was stuck in development hell for so long. 

With Square hopefully realizing what they did wrong with this game, perhaps the next game in the series will remedy the decreasing faith I have in the Final Fantasy Series of late.

Romasanta Father of Werewolves: Review

Whoa boy, this was an incredible read.

After Reviewing the first book in the Cedric Series, I jumped right into this one, and continued to dive until the end, cause it really enjoyed it that much.

This novel showcases a world where fantasy, myth, and a bit of magic collide.  But unlike the first book in the series which focuses on the lives of two increasingly important characters, Romasanta focuses on the titular Werewolf who has a much larger impact on the world than Cedric.

From humble beginnings as a farmer that leads to an incredible bad string of luck, Romasanta finds himself sharing his body with Fenrir the great wolf, and finds himself on a quest for revenge against Merlin, the man who made him this way.  Alas, Romasanta's bad luck does not stop, or even start there.  On a quest to reunite with the woman he loves, this poor man becomes the most powerful of all Werewolves.  Also due to the fact that Vampires are a mutation of the Werewolf curse, he is the master of their race as well.

With an action packed adventure, cunning Demons (Like Lilith who never fails to disappoint in this book) and an extremely manipulative sibling, I could not put this book down from start to end.  It certainly helps that I am a sucker for seeing prior events with more puzzle pieces revealed.  For those who have read Cedric the Demonic Knight, this book offers more insight into those same events and one can really see the scope and intrigue that Cedric failed to notice while he was strung along in the previous book.

All in all, this book addresses some key ideas such as what love means as well as how one is and is not human. The emotional impact is a nonstop experience and I highly recommend this novel to just about anyone.  The romance that I tried to avoid a bit more in the first book did not distract at all in this sequel.  The high fantasy elements are, of course, my preferred draw in this novel, but there is something to find for everyone within its pages.

I cannot wait for "Oracle" which will be the next book.

Hellsing Ultimate: Spoiler Free Review

Now that I finally have some time to blog again, I will be doing a series of reviews for medium I have consumed in the last few months.  For today, lets talk about Hellsing Ultimate: Starring one of Anime's most iconic antiheroes: Alucard.

This is a fairly graphic Anime which should be obvious since its a Vampire gore story.  But I was ready for this jump in scenery gorn after watching Madoka Magica. Also, I am proud of my extensive studies on the different forms of Christianity and Vampire myths, which allowed me to really appreciate the Anime for what it truly is.

In a world where the only defense against Vampires are rotten militant churches, it makes sense that Alucard who would be a villain in just about any other setting is the protagonist of this incredibly crapsack world.  And with Antivillains such as Anderson from the Catholic Church, who needs friends anyway?

With an interesting cast of characters including the utterly ruthless Integra, the mostly sympathetic Seras (Draculina), the bad ass battle butler Walter, the already mentioned Anderson, some Wacky Nazis, and an entire host of psycho Vampires with an even crazier combination of powers.

From beginning to end, the action is pretty awesome especially when the blood and gore really take off. There are certain scenes that I cannot mention without spoilers that really held my interest, and I recommend for those of you who have not watched it, to see them for yourself.

The abridged version of this Anime is quite entertaining, but it still does not beat out, the original show.

Final Fantasy 15 Review Part 1 (Pre Chapter 9)

Here is my general review of the first half of Final Fantasy 15.  I'll avoid spoilers to the best of my ability.  This is focused on the more open world section of the game which encompass what fans have hailed as the better half of the game.

I have completed almost of the possible content that I am able to complete before post game. Clearing Costlemark Tower was quite a challenge but one I enjoyed greatly, but unfortunately since the dungeon is harder than everything in the main story, I will be crushing most of the main bosses.  This is nothing new to me as I suffered a similar problem in Final Fantasy 6 and 5 where over leveled character create lots of dead bosses.

So far, there are two major problems I have with Final Fantasy 15.

The first is that, for all its flashy elements and customization, magic in 15 just seems so, lacking. As mentioned in an earlier blog post, Final Fantasy 6 is my gold standard when it comes to this series. And the magic in that game is exactly what this one lacks.  Notably, I want my Ultima Spell.  For those who do not know, Ultima is a spell that ignores defense and elemental attributes and almost always hits max damage if it does not just break the damage limit instead.  Especially with annoying enemies like Black Flans and Red Giants in 15, Ultima would be a welcome addition to killing them much faster.  Its not that these enemies are dangerous per say, but because they resist everything, they take a disproportionate amount of time to kill.

The second problem is also a comparison to Final Fantasy 6.  Besides the main four characters, a couple villains (Arden) and a few of the supporting characters like Cid, Iris, and Arenea, I don't care about any of the characters of the plot. I find Luna so far to be a boring and one dimensional messiah archetype character. The romance between her and Noct does not feel real.  I understand this whole subplot is an arranged marriage but the whole game constantly tells the player that the two do care about each other.

All in all, the game seems to favor exploration more than story, which is fine, but Final Fantasy is a series that is supposed to have a compelling story.  I have felt the spirit of the series wane starting with Final Fantasy 12, and got worse with 13. 15 feels like it has a better plot than 12 so far, but since the story part of the game begins after the point I am currently at, it shall be seen if this game lives up to 6 which is consider the best game in the series if not the best game of all time.

Cedric the Demonic Knight: Review

As a writer, it is my great pleasure to review the novel of a fellow local author.  Cedric the Demonic Knight is a story that weaves an assortment of fantastic myths and mythology into a pretty spectacular Fantasy Kitchen Sink. For those unfamiliar with such a term, it basically means that think of a creature or idea that one would expect to find in fantasy and you can be sure it will appear in some form within the pages of this novel.

The novel begins with a very cynical knight in sour armor named Cedric who is on a quest of vengeance.  Created by the Sorceress Morrighan to be a powerful minion, The Demonic Knight decided to choose his own path.  In his quest of revenge, he meets a young woman named Angeline that is descended from a powerful linage.  As Cedric is strangled by red string, his duel bloodlines come into conflict.  As a Half Vampire, Half Incubus, Cedric deals with both psychological and physical danger as he pursues his mission.  

His growing love for this woman begins to interfere with Cedric's goals and the story continues along as monsters attack, romance blossoms, and unexpected conflicts appear.  Although I am not a big fan of romance stories normally, this story gets it right.  With equal parts character building and action scenes, the intensity does not waver, nor do the love elements distract from the narrative.  In fact, watching Cedric grow is my favorite aspect of the novel.

As a writer who includes the myths of Demons frequently, I was very intrigued by this story's rendition of Lilith.  A fun spin on the Queen Succubus, especially in the more... ahem... blood filled moments. Though this version of Lilith is historically accurate, and was done perfectly, she did not manage to be my favorite character, despite the obvious author appeal should one read my own work. Instead, there was another who managed to be the character I wanted to watch the most.

I refer to Romasanta the Father of Werewolves.  From the moment I met this character, I paid close attention.  Being the first character to really humble the protagonists has its advantage.  The fact that this Father of Werewolves was so connected in the world intrigued me very much.  Making a deal with Cedric to accomplish his goals while clearly having an agenda sealed the deal.

As Cedric the Demonic Knight reaches its conclusion, plenty of surprises occur, but if I was to tell you them, I fear you might not read the book and experience them for yourself.  All an all, Cedric the Demonic Knight was a fantastic read and a great first addition to what appears to be a longer series.  

As Romasanta Father of Werewolves is the second book, I gleefully bought the story after finishing this one.  I'll be reviewing that novel once I complete it. After all, Willis has a large world to showcase, and this review does not do her incredible imagination justice.  I highly recommend this novel to both fans of romance and fantasy alike.

Using Darkness to Change the World

Writing and I have had a fairly symbiotic relationship since I was very young.  I am one of those weird children who enjoyed writing far more than reading at first.  I discovered as I grew older that the reason behind this was as a result of me being both bored and disillusioned by what I was forced to read in school.

The first major hallmark that marked the start of a permanent and vital shift in my writing career was a gift given by my grandmother.  And on that day, she gave me a piece of advice that I have never forgotten: “Ross, it’s not that you hate reading.  But that you are reading the wrong stuff.” I was thus handed the Hobbit.  My love for fantasy had begun.

My grandma once again exceeded my expectations and not only got me dead set on the Hobbit, but Harry Potter as well, ensuring that I was one of the children that JK Rowling intended to grow up with the books.  I was an oddity in that I read the Lord of the Rings books between the different Harry Potter novels. My next turning point was with Fellowship of the Ring.

The Hobbit was a novel I had enjoyed greatly.  But one part of the story was considerably more liked, especially in regards to my imagination than the rest. The dark forest of Mirkwood, which was home to giant spiders, toxic water, and a darkness that was magical in nature had me spellbound.  It was a locale unlike anything I had ever seen, and to this day is still a favored setting in my writing.  Most important about Mirkwood though, was the Necromancer that had made it that way.

When I read the word Necromancer for the first time, I immediately looked up the meaning. Spellcasters who summon Undead as their servants.  A concept that is to this day a favorite of mine. The other meaning of Necromancer refers to an incredibly evil wizard.  This second definition became more important as I read Lord of the Rings.  For anyone who knows the story, realizes I had discovered Sauron himself and became fixated on him. But the start of Lord of the Rings is when the writing I began soon after began to take root.

Near the beginning of Fellowship, an encounter with a horrific monster, specifically Khamul, second in command of the Nazgul, better known as the Ringwraiths caught my attention.  This was a warning that would usher in my age of Dark Fantasy.  The concept, known as Cerubus Syndrome, is when an incredibly dangerous character appears in a story to warn the reader that terrible things are about to happen. And Khamul was the Knight of Cerubus, bringing in darkness as only a being like him can, on his zombie horse.

I happened to read the third Harry Potter book soon after I finished Fellowship of the Ring, and the Dementors coincidently first appeared in this novel.  Like the Ringwraiths, I immediately fell in love with these creatures of darkness, and misery. I even caught that Dementors drew inspiration from the Nazgul.

Unfortunately, I finished both serieses, and was left wanting. Lord of the Rings was written by a pacifist, so while the movies made the fight scenes absolutely amazing, the books did quite the opposite.  Harry Potter suffered from a different problem.  The magic was too basic.  After getting into Dungeons and Dragons and seeing what fantastic magic was capable of, Harry Potter just felt… empty.  Minus the Imperius Curse and Fiend Fire, I felt like the magic in that universe was, for lack of a better term, weak.

It was at this time, that three very important events occurred in very close time frames.  September 11th, 2001 happened, and my cynicism that is prevalent in my personality began to take root. Second, my other grandmother bought me a video game called Tales of Symphonia that forever changed my life. After the lies I discovered about America thanks to watching our country get attacked by terrorism, my imagination was ripe to plunder by the video game.  With themes not limited to, fantastic racism, corrupt churches, evil angels, justified villains, and incredibly psychologically scarred heroes, it was just the story I needed.  The final piece was the novel Eragon. While the story does get criticized a lot, two major aspects of this series were what I needed, to finally break free of the shackles holding me back, and start writing my own stories. Not only was the author very young, but the magic in that universe was exactly what I had been looking for.  Magic with a deadly price to pay if used incorrectly, and capable of doing incredible feats such as altering memories, stealing souls, and wiping out cities faster than military carpet bombing, I finally had the foundation to write the story I always wanted as a child.

The story that would eventually become The Search For Eden Series began as I entered high school and just like with Harry Potter, the story got more grim as I got older. What began as a lighthearted adventure, turned into a deconstruction that has incorporated Demons, Undead, Eldritch Abominations, and the evil that lurks in the hearts of men.

High school also marked another video game entering my imagination, completing the cycle of darkness that had begun with Lord of the Rings.  Final Fantasy 6, is a game that deals with the psychological torment and recovery of an entire planet.  In a plot that is very terrifying considering the modern world, a killer clown becomes the general of the most powerful army in the world. The fascist empire that he commands the troops of seeks world domination, but in the end, the clown wins out even over them.  He kills the emperor and becomes G-d due to a magical artifact that conveniently (or inconveniently) chose to appear at that moment. As a result, Kefka, who already was deranged, even for a clown, destroyed the entire world. That's the halfway point of the game by the way.  For the next year in the game, Kefka recreates the world as a monument to death, destruction, and nihilism.  By the time he is finally stopped, the killer clown G-d has committed complete genocide against every single magical being in universe and driven 90 percent of the human race to suicide.

To say that Final Fantasy 6 is my favorite video game is an understatement.  Finally, I had found a medium in fiction that told a story as dark as the one I had begun to write of my own free will.  And considering that this game is hailed as among the best video games ever made, I was renewed in hope that my story ideas were not only good, but potentially award winning with enough work.

College came and I had continued to write stories, while realizing that the timeline needed to be shifted farther and farther back within the universe I was weaving.  Finally, I settled upon a starting point.  At the same time, I became the target of a brutal cyber bully campaign in real life.  After a year and a half of being psychologically tortured to a degree that the average character in the stories I had been obsessing over a good portion of my life could match, I finally had the emotional input to really bring my story, the most important story of my life, into reality.  

With the voice I had sought, though not from the source it was given, the novel named “The End of Utopia” was born.  Within the last year I finished this book, and the anthology that allows a reader to peer into the depths I created was spawned soon after. The second of these two books is published, and this marked a major hallmark and achievement for me.  After a life so scarred by betrayal, it was a nice change of pace to have some positivity in my life.

Looking forward, I have at least another year of college to go, and have been exploring another outlet for my writing.  Especially with the political upheaval I found that my skills were needed in another area,  and thus dove into the dark cesspool of political theatre.  I have already written much in both fiction and reportive to the end of speaking on politics, but now my voice has much more importance.  And after everything I have suffered through, I can handle the backlash and criticism that I was most certainly be receiving for voicing my opinion.This is where the readings from Writing, Literacy, and Technology come into play.  My ideas have been along railroad tracks, but this class is a station of sorts.  A chance for me to gain new information that can be reflected in my dark fantasy writing, which also comes into play in my political posts.  For one realizes that to truly appreciate dark fantasy as a genre, they must be willing to deal with the stark and very dangerous realities of the world.