October '22 AMA (Patreon)

Sleepless asks:

"Is there a specific reason why Seiji is so disillusioned with humanity and is it related to his parents?"

Yes and yes.  More of his backstory will unfold as the story goes on.

Hakurei06 asks:

"Assuming this is in the same verse as TGaB, would it be too much of a spoiler to share where on the timeline this work is in relation to it?"

After the revelations and hints in Book 3 I don't think it's a spoiler to acknowledge they're in the same setting.  There's arguably still some ambiguity, but my intention was for that to be the Big Reveal for those who'd read enough of TGAB to recognize the signs.  Any more than that I have to file under RAFO.

Luker number 5 asks:

"What is your favourite part of writing OVDT?"

When the chapter is finished and I get to re-read it.

Sounds glib, I know, but OVDT is pretty exhausting for me to write.  I like the story and I'm glad it exists, but part of me wishes that could be someone else's responsibility.  This one, unlike TGAB, I enjoy reading more than writing.

Gynedroid asks:

"How much of your stories had you plotted/written out before you posted them publicly?"

My process begins with a loose structure of "high points" that I'm determined to put in, which can be almost anything.  Pivotal scenes, plot events, conversations, action sequences, even one-liners.  In my stories, some of the actual worldbuilding exists for the sake of setting up a one-off joke I want to tell later, and I don't think that's a bad thing as the final result seems to work for me.

I let these things sort of percolate in my head and coalesce organically, over a long, partially unconscious and mostly unguided process.  In that sense, I'm basically never not working; the amount of sensory distraction it takes to turn my brain away from putting together story pieces is unreal.  I consider the story ready to start being written down when those high points have solidified to form enough of a scaffolding that I can build an entire story around them.  The last part is just the building: the actual writing part, for me, is a process of filling in the connections between the high points in a way that's sensible and satisfying.  

Sleepless asks:

"Is Seiji on track for earning a Rage related Wisdom perk?"

Definitely.

Lauren K asks:

"What is the best method you have found for recharging/dealing with stress in a way that lets you move forward toward your goals? (Asking as an aspiring creative who also periodically struggles with crippling depression.)"

Recharging is something I have to discipline myself to do, as my long-time readers know.  It's hard for me, emotionally, to take breaks, but it has to be done; a brain that's already stressed by mental illness requires maintenance and recuperation or it'll schedule its own, usually at a very inconvenient time and for far longer than if you'd rested it preventatively.  For purposes of that, it's important to recognize that being unproductive during a depressive episode is not rest.  When you can't work because of depression, that's being too sick to work.  Scheduled rest is something different.

As far as methods, the single most important thing I've learned is to use momentum in my favor.  It's much easier to keep moving than to start moving.  Taking breaks interrupts that, of course, but again, it's easier to start moving from a position of rest than from one of having broken down.  When I'm not on break, I try to do small amounts of work here and there even when I'm not actively publishing or typing out a chapter to be posted that evening.  The most powerful trick I've discovered is, upon finishing a chapter, to write the first bit of the next one, whether it's a few paragraphs or just a single line.  That way when I go to properly start work on that, I'm already in motion and it's many times easier to get going and work back up to my pace.

Russell Todd asks:

"Do you think you’ll ever do one-off AU chapters for fun?  One where the hero and dark lord ended up in each other’s places , for example. I’m sure you could think up some really fun ideas."

Not really my style.  AUs as an entire concept are a smidge perplexing to me.  I don't want to criticize folks for having fun, it's just not something I expect to ever do.

Luís Silva asks:

"Lets say you get to go on a leisure trip, and you can go anywhere on Earth that regular travel services allow, where would you go and why?"

This won't be a surprise, but I've always wanted to visit Japan.  Not for weeb reasons, either; as much as I enjoy anime (on a case-by-case basis), otaku culture as a whole turns me off and Akihabara sounds like hell on Earth to me.  But I'd really love to spend some time taking in actual Japanese culture, touring museums and temples, traditional arts, cuisine, that kind of thing.

fionag11 asks:

"Which web serials do you read regularly?"

I'm currently following Millennial Mage, Noctoseismology, and Beware of Chicken on a per-update basis, and will follow Godslayers the same when it returns from hiatus.  I also like Feast or Famine and Quill & Still, though I usually let them build up a few chapters rather than jump on each update as it lands.  I dunno, different kinds of stories feel more satisfying to me when read in different ways and I've never quite been able to put a finger on why each is which.

I have the feeling I'm forgetting one or two.  Chronic depression is notoriously bad for your memory; one of the ways that manifests for me is that I frequently can't list or name things I regularly do on a habitual basis.  They just kind of happen as a consequence of me being at my keyboard.

Alex Rahr asks:

"Some fantasy writers have strong opinions on The Lord of the Rings, if you do what's yours?"

I think LOTR is a lot more important than it is good.  Not to disparage Professor Tolkien's work, but for all his brilliance he wasn't really a novelist by specialization, and his actual stories often don't present his amazing ideas at their best.  I think the Peter Jackson movies are the definitive way to experience the Lord of the Rings, as they devotedly capture the spirit of the original and refine its structure into a more effective method of delivery.  The reverse for the Hobbit, which was a very tidy and efficient novel which was turned into a bloated mess of more films than it needed to be.  Read the Hobbit and watch the Lord of the Rings, that's my position.

But yes, LOTR was the foundation of the entire genre.  Regardless of how enjoyable it is to any given person, its importance cannot be overstated.

BagFullOfLizards asks:

"I’ve always been really impressed with the philosophies you’ve worked into your stories, like the creeds of the various cults or the way goblin society works. Which one would you say is your favorite, either because it’s the one that speaks to you the most or because it’s the one that feels the cleverest?"

Thank you!  That's actually a challenging question for me to answer because I don't really approach my fictional philosophies and religions in that way.  They are worldbuilding elements; I've never written any sect or belief system that's intended to be my prescription for the best way to live life.  I'm a fantasy writer, I wouldn't even know what that is.

I think if I had to pick one, it would be Viryanism, because it's at least potentially the most complete.  It and Sanorism aren't single, specific religions, but broad categories of them, emphasizing individualism and collectivism respectively.  What makes Viryanism the superior of the two, in my opinion, is its respect for its opposite.  There is a place for Sanorites in the Viryan worldview, while the reverse is not true.

I guess what that comes down to is that I think the best philosophy is one that doesn't enclose your mind, and leaves you able to openly consider other ideas without sacrificing your own beliefs.

Too Much Sanity May Be Madness asks:

"Have you watched the TV show Leverage (and its successor, Leverage: Redemption)? If so,  I wonder if you could analyse the show/crew from an Eserite perspective?"

I have not, but it's on my list.  A number of different people have individually recommended it to me, several of them mentioning Eserites specifically.  I definitely need to get around to that one.