Ask a Writer! This Week - an unmatched sock!

[Alfred F. Jones]

  I meant about some of the answers given by the other authors who've been interviewed.

Well, only I am right in everything I do Well, I guess they all do what works for them, you know? As do I.

Q: Are there any books in particular you'd recommend for learning how to write, or for learning how to improve your writing?

I remember when I asked Usually Dead this question years ago, he talked up a storm about how great Stephen King's memoir On Writing is for getting rid of the adverbs in your stories. And for improving the rest of your writing, presumably, but what I heard the most about was getting rid of adverbs. I never did actually pick it up, but it sounded interesting enough. Unfortunately I have no answer for myself, because I've never really read any books on writing like that. I just read a lot of stories is all.

[Joveus Molai]

  That is it for this week's...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

A round of applause for our guest, Sakura Rurouini. 

*Applause, cheers, whistles*

Good luck, Ruro!

---

Unfortunately, next week's episode will be delayed on account of the writing team being on vacation.

More like going on strike do to budget cuts...

Kosuzu-chan, you'll get us in trouble!

Oh come on, it's not like anyone can hear us.

The writing team hopes to return sometime before August 10. The thread will provide any updates on the writing team's status.

Meanwhile, we'll be picking our next guest for...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

Remember: the first nomination--self or otherwise--will be our next guest!

---

Joveus' note: Thanks for being our guest, Ruro!

Announcement: I will be moving on August 3rd to an apartment that, as far as I know, does not have internet access until I get it installed. I don't know how long installation will take, but I'm hoping it'll happen before August 10th or so. Until then, I will be running under the assumption that I will not be able to update this thread or conduct any interviews.

[Wolfsbane706]

I'd like to.volunteer for an interview.

[Joveus Molai]

Apologies for the delay everyone. Now that I'm fully situated and have internet up and running, we will be resuming Ask a Writer shortly. Our next guest is Wolfsbane706, to whom I'll be sending interview questions shortly.

[Joveus Molai]

Hello hello, and welcome back to...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

For this week, our guest is the Quest Master of Nue Quest: One Screw-up After Another, is a frequent participant of forum Roleplaying threads, and has written several short stories for the Scarlet Library.

Everyone, please welcome this week's guest: Wolfsbane706!

*Thunderous applause, whistles*


Q: What got you into writing fiction?

I first got into writing fiction in middle school.  Basically, all I wanted at that time was to just take a bunch of ideas and put them out on paper.  Looking back, it's probably a good thing my early stuff will never see the light of day again.

Q: What sources outside of Touhou do you draw inspiration from?

I tend to draw inspiration from pretty much anything I encounter, be it other people, movies, or music.

Q: Which Touhou character is your favorite to write? The most difficult write?

Although I've only written her once, I'd have to say Eirin is my favorite to write.  She's kind of a mix between "overprotective sister" and "overbearing but understanding mother".  Most difficult would be anyone with emotion-based powers and problems.  Seija and Kokoro, mostly.

Q: Out of all the stories you've written (Touhou-related or not), which one is your favorite?

There's this original sci-fi project I'm working on.  It's been in the works for years, and it's possibly on its final revision.  That one's my favorite.

Q: Outside of Touhou fiction, what other works have you written fiction for?

Soul Eater, Kingdom Hearts, Madoka, and, if counting crossovers, Dresden Files and MtG.

Q: What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of writing? The most challenging?

The most rewarding aspect of writing is, in my opinion, the recognition.  It shouldn't be the only reason for writing, but being recognized is always a pleasant experience.

Q: If there is one aspect of your writing you would want to improve, what is it?

My consistency.  Specifically, the amount of time it takes me to update.  2,000 words in the space of a few months is not a good schedule, agreed?

Q: When writing Touhou fiction, how do you usually approach official canon material? Do you build on top of it; do you go around it; or do you try and stay within it as much as possible? Something else?

I try and stick to canon, but if it gets in the way of decent storytelling, I'll bend it to suit my needs.

Q: What particular genres do you enjoy reading? What particular genres do you enjoy writing?

Oddly enough, I like reading forum discussions.  It gives me a chance to figure out how people act without having to actually interact with them.  For literature, I stick to sci-fi and fantasy, mostly, as long as it's not too fancy.

Q:Do you have any big projects we can look forward to on the horizon?

Big?  Nope.

Q: I see you're also running a quest. What are some of the differences, in your opinion, between writing for quests and writing more "conventional" fiction?[/quote]

When running a quest, you have to expect the unexpected.  What's been planned may not come to pass.  As well, you have to cater to your readers, even if they don't seem to have a grasp on what's been written.

Q: You also participate in RPing threads. What are some of the differences, in your opinion, between writing cooperative fiction versus writing fiction by yourself?

The differences here are similar to the differences in writing a quest.  As said, what's been planned may not come to pass.  In fact, with RPs, I strongly advise not planning past your current post because there's always the chance something will happen to break those plans in two (or four for the occasional catastrophe or calamity).

Q: Lastly, is there a word of advice you'd like to give to aspiring fiction writers?

Advice?  Stick to your own style.  Also, don't be afraid to defend some of the choices made in writing.  It shouldn't happen often, but there may come a time when someone starts blasting your work for no good reason.  Lastly, if you're scrounging for opinions, share your work with multiple, unconnected groups.  Different people have different opinions, and what one person says, another may not agree with.

-

And that's it for our questions!  Just like last time: at the end of 1 week, we'll be picking our next Ask a Writer guest, so stay on your toes, everyone!

[Achariyth]

What are you currently reading?

Will the Kirisame Files ever return?

As the creator and cowriter of Servitude, what do you find challenging about writing in a round-robin and why?

Given the resurgence of space opera in indie publishing, have you considering indie or are you seeking a more traditional route for your labor of love?

For those unfamiliar with your work, where do you suggest they start?

Which authors have influenced your style and storytelling?

[Wolfsbane706]

What are you currently reading?

Styxx, The Forever Watch, Metro 2033, and anything interesting I find on THP.

Will the Kirisame Files ever return?

Maybe, maybe not.  Time will tell.

As the creator and co-writer of Servitude, what do you find challenging about writing in a round-robin and why?

I think the hardest part of writing the round-robin is submitting the chapter I've written to another writer.  Either that, or reading someone else's style as part of the same story.  It can lead to confusion if the styles are similar.  Something like that.

Given the resurgence of space opera in indie publishing, have you considering indie or are you seeking a more traditional route for your labor of love?

If I ever get past the first page, I'll let you know.

For those unfamiliar with your work, where do you suggest they start?

I recommend starting with the "On the Ice" stories.  They're part of a continuity, but each one is designed to be read as a stand-alone piece as well as part of the bigger picture.  Plus, each one is a separate pairing, so you can get a feel for how I characterize certain characters.

Which authors have influenced your style and storytelling?

Glen Cook, Mike Resnick, and Jim Butcher.

[Alfred F. Jones]

What work of yours do you most want other people to read?

[Wolfsbane706]

What work of yours do you most want other people to read?

I'd have to say Streets of Gensokyo City.  It's my first attempt at dealing with a big city's underworld, even if both just so happen to be total works of fiction.  The races are nice too, when they get written.

[Joveus Molai]

  That's all for this week's episode of...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

Let's have a big hand for Wolfsbane706!

Indeed, thank you for being with us this week.

*Applause, cheers, whistles*

Good luck, Wolfsbane!

---

Now it's time to choose our next guest.

The same rules apply as last time: the first person to volunteer, or the first person to be nominated, will be chosen as the next guest.

So step right up! Be our next guest on...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

---

Joveus' note: Thank you for being with us, Wolfsbane!

[The Dratini Farmer]

I'll volunteer.

[Joveus Molai]

Cool! Give me some time to re-read some of your stuff, and I will email you the list of questions shortly afterwards.

[Joveus Molai]

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to Week 9 of...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

For this week, our guest is the author of the long-running military-fiction story, The Oncoming Storm, which chronicles a devastating conflict between the outside world and Touhou.

Let's have a big hand for this week's guest: The Dratini Farmer!

*Thunderous applause, whistles*
-

Q:What got you into writing fiction?

I started out drawing a lot in high school to pass the time. But I hit a wall for a while and decided to see about using words instead. Since then, I?ve been writing more and more while my drawing skills had suffered. Whenever I had trouble falling asleep, I would come up with some of the most random of situations and began to wonder how they turn out if I worked on them even more. Once I did, it just went on from there into what I?m doing right now.

Q: What sources outside of Touhou do you draw inspiration from?

There a lot of works that I?ve drawn inspiration from. The three top ones are Ace Combat: Assault Horizons, Napoleon: Total War, and War Thunder. I actually simulate the battles (aerial, infantry, and armor) using these games and write down what would happen in a certain situation. ARMA 2 is a very good tool to simulate modern doctrine as well. I?ve always been fascinated by how disciplined line infantry had to be to stay in formation with musketballs flying everywhere and smoke blocking everything, so I imagined the Lunarians as having that high level of discipline. I love putting in references from a lot of other series. So far, I?ve put in references from Girls und Panzer, Jormungand, A Certain Magical Index/Scientific Railgun, Full Metal Alchemist, Attack on Titan, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Assassin?s Creed, and Taken. With all the movies and animes that I now have time to watch, there will be a lot more references.

Q: Which Touhou character is your favorite to write? The most difficult write?

I love writing Eirin the most. She has an aura of mystery and intelligence about her that grabs my attention. She reminds me a lot of the Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, in that she is highly regarded in her field and has a strong set of values and beliefs. From her backstory about her killing the Lunarian emissaries to protect Kagura, I imagine her as someone that does what has to be done, no matter the price. Since she?s such an important figure in Lunarian society, I imagine her as being selfless and honest. It also made sense to me to have her serve in the LDC as a way for her to make sure that the Lunarian civilization would be protected. I also imagine her having a very close relationship with Toyohime and Yorihime, to the level of being a mother figure to them.  A close second would be Maribel. She reminds me so much of a close friend of mine: soft spoken and intelligent. She was also the one to keep me in line during high school and I owe a lot to her. The one character that I have problems writing would be Yukari. She?s one of my favorite characters, but I find it hard to be able to show her elegance, scheming and trolling at the same time. I would say that she could beat Lelouch vi Britannia if she felt like it. She?s just so complex that I?m worried that I?m not doing her justice and that she might come up behind me and beat me with her parasol.

Q: Out of all the stories you've written (Touhou-related or not), which one is your favorite?

The Oncoming Storm is really the only story that I?ve put online so it wins by default. I once started writing a Pokemon story that involved both the manga and the anime, but it was too much and it?s still sitting in a dark corner of my hard drive. The only thing that I can remember is that Team Rocket takes over the Kanto and Johto regions. I?m starting to think about bring it back out again sometime soon, if I can find it.

Q: Outside of Touhou fiction, what other works have you written fiction for?

I written a Pokemon story, but its gathering dust right now. I might bring it out of retirement if I feel that I can handle all the twists and turns. But that?s for after the end of the second part of the overall story line. What is most likely to happen is for me to scrap it and start from scratch.

Q: What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of writing? The most challenging?

I like the recognition. During high school and some of college, I was always that guy in the crowd that was just there. Even though that meant that I never got singled out for anything bad, it meant that I didn?t get recognized for achievements. For a while, I was alright with that, it came in handy during basic training. But now, it makes me happy to see that others like what I?m doing. For this, I don?t need a big medal or a fancy sheet of paper, a compliment is enough. The most challenging aspect would be how to deal with writer?s block. It?s always worse when I?m speed through the chapter and crash into it. I could be writing my masterpiece and have no idea how to end it.

Q: If there is one aspect of your writing you would want to improve, what is it?

I would like to improve my paragraph length. It might sound weird, but I think that my paragraphs are too short. Whenever I write, the paragraphs just form themselves. If I try to make them longer, they seem to get excessive and counterproductive. I might see it like that because of the font and arrangement of the books I read, but they do seem to have longer paragraphs with more material.

Q: When writing Touhou fiction, how do you usually approach official canon material? Do you build on top of it; do you go around it; or do you try and stay within it as much as possible? Something else?
 

I try to fully follow the official canon material. I spend as much time researching the characters as I do researching the military and science part. I rejected a few ideas because, even though they would have been great, they conflicted with canon material. I would?ve like to have Remiu devastate an entire division by herself, but according to SoPM, she really hates violence. I can?t really justify her straight up bombing a few thousand people out of existence by herself. But Yuuka would be another story?

Q: What are some of your favorite things to read, including but not limited to books?
 

I love reading visual novels. It?s great to have a form of interaction with a story without having the risk of ragequitting or trying to choke a computer. Light novels are one of my favorites, I loved reading the A Certain Magical Index series. Some of my other favorites are Infinite Statos and the Touhou light novel Dream and Reality by Iyokan. It was that novel that made Maribel and Renko two of my favorite characters and I cannot recommend it enough. I had manly tears flowing when I finished it.

Q: What particular genres do you enjoy reading? What particular genres do you enjoy writing?

I?m always willing to read history books. World War II is one of my favorite time periods to study since so much of modern doctrine came from it and the different points of view. I?ve been meaning to read Erwin Rommel?s Infantry Attacks for a while. Tom Clancy and Oliver North are two military authors that I have read and can somewhat remember. I do like reading slice of life and comedic manga if they have good stories, escpically if it?s the Haruhi Suzuimiya series. I was reading The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzuimya on Battalion duty one time when a colonel walks in and has me hand it over. The next week, he gives it back and tells me to bring an extra copy of the next one whenever I came back for the next shift. I like writing military stories since I have a good base to work on with my education and service. It also gives me a chance to dream about what could happen if I went into the combat arms instead of the signal regiment.

Q: Do you have any big projects we can look forward to on the horizon?

Well, The Oncoming Storm is just the first part of a trilogy that I?ve planned. I?m not even halfway done with it so far. The second part will be called Iron Rain, to continue the weather theme and since iron rain is another nickname for artillery. I haven?t come up with a good enough title for the third part yet. I have a rough outline that lays out the main events until the end but not much detail. Hopefully I won?t get jumped for saying this, but for most of the published chapters, I really didn?t have a good outline. I wrote as I went and kept everything in my head. But it became too much recently, so I sat down and wrote down the main parts. I will say that every character (PC-98 and Windows) will have a part, even Rin Satsuki will be in it and she will play a VERY important part. And if a character has to exit, they?ll do so in a badass fashion. And I?m starting to work on illustrating parts of the story. I posted a thread in the art section with my first sketch. I?m interested in seeing what others think about it so far.

Q: The Oncoming Storm seems to be your primary work featured on PSL (and quite the meaty work it is!). What inspired it?[/quote]

I had always wondered what would happen if the Great Hakueri Barrier broke down or weaken. My belief is that some nations have the disposition to turn to armed conflict if they sense the smallest advantage. Even though I hope that I?m wrong, another World War may be in the future based on the general state of the world. War does seem to be the inevitable approach to a lot of issues. If the Great Hakueri Barrier was weaken enough, the outside world would be able to see what happens inside of Gensokyo. Since humans have a natural fear of the unknown, they may see magic as a threat and respond. This response would probably not be a pleasant one and could lead to escalation into war. When there?s war, it tends to spread since other states want a way to solve their disputes. I?m actually planning on showing a divided world and World War III later on in the story.

Q: The Oncoming Storm includes a lot of detailed references to warfare, from strategy to tactics to military hardware. Do you have a background in either military service and/or military history? If so, how often do you find yourself drawing on that background when you're writing?

I?m currently a 25S (Satellite Communications System Operator/Maintainer) for the US Army. In a few days, I?ll be heading back to college to the ROTC program that I had to leave for Basic and AIT. I?ve was taught a lot in basic and that?s where I started the story in earnest. Since all US soldiers are trained as infantry in basic, I was able to add a good bit of realism to the stories. I also watched Girls und Panzer, which gave me a lot of knowledge about armored tactics and history. One of the people that I graduated basic with went to become a tanker at Ft. Benning and he said that a great majority of it was accurate (he was disappointed that it gave him the false hope that he would have the chance to have a female crew). Word there is that the higher ups are talking about making it required viewing for the butterbars training there. I always carried a small pocket notebook as part of my uniform during then and was writing what doctrine would tell us to do and what the Drill Sergeants and other NCOs actually did. That one early chapter where Reisen II has to clear a house during the night attack is exactly how one of my training exercises during my last FTX in basic went, right down to me running into a tree because of a crappy night vision monocle. I should have ate some fired eel first.

Q: Is there a word of advice you'd like to give to aspiring fiction writers?
 

Have an outline. I might have gone without one for a while, but eventually I realized I needed it bad. It doesn?t have to be fancy, just something where you can organize your ideas. Once I started organizing my ideas and events, it became a lot easier to see what worked and what didn?t. And it lets me add more things to make the story more dynamic.

-

And that's it for our questions! Now we open it up to the audience! Please ask our guest anything related to writing you've always wanted to ask, but never had the chance!

[Tengukami]

I love writing Eirin the most. She has an aura of mystery and intelligence about her that grabs my attention. She reminds me a lot of the Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, in that she is highly regarded in her field and has a strong set of values and beliefs. From her backstory about her killing the Lunarian emissaries to protect Kagura, I imagine her as someone that does what has to be done, no matter the price. Since she?s such an important figure in Lunarian society, I imagine her as being selfless and honest. It also made sense to me to have her serve in the LDC as a way for her to make sure that the Lunarian civilization would be protected. I also imagine her having a very close relationship with Toyohime and Yorihime, to the level of being a mother figure to them.

I'm also a big fan of the Lunarian/Eientei sphere of Touhou. I think you capture Eirin's personality well. Talking about the main plot point of the weakening of the Hakurei Barrier brings up a question for me. Suppose Eirin killed the emissaries, fled with Kaguya, but never found the barrier. How would they manage, do you think, as fugitives in the outside world?

[The Dratini Farmer]

I'm also a big fan of the Lunarian/Eientei sphere of Touhou. I think you capture Eirin's personality well. Talking about the main plot point of the weakening of the Hakurei Barrier brings up a question for me. Suppose Eirin killed the emissaries, fled with Kaguya, but never found the barrier. How would they manage, do you think, as fugitives in the outside world?

I can imagine both of them taking up the life of nomads and subtly influencing Japanese history and possibly world history. With all the knowledge and power that Eirin has, she could easily match anyone that dared to stand against her or tried to hurt the princess. She has her vast knowledge of medicine and the technological expertise of the advanced Lunarian weapons. If she wanted to, Eirin could build a nation that could stand up to any power, both on the Earth and the moon. But what I can really see is both of them building a home on a mountain range like the Alps and living the rest of their days in peace, For some reason, I can imagine Eirin being happy with having a garden and writing books while looking out onto a river at the base of the mountain in the spring instead of having to deal with political struggles and the occasional military action.

[Achariyth]

Ah, another 25S.  Could you have the girls rampage through Ft. Gordon, just for fun?  Lord knows the place could use a little renewal.

All joking aside, there seems to be a growing subgenre of girls-with-guns stories in Touhou, especially at FFnet.  Have you read any that struck your fancy?  If so, what did they do right, and what do they do wrong, especially in portraying the military?

How do you approach action/combat scenes?

What are you currently reading?

What authors have influenced your storytelling and style?

[The Dratini Farmer]

Ah, another 25S.  Could you have the girls rampage through Ft. Gordon, just for fun?  Lord knows the place could use a little renewal.

All joking aside, there seems to be a growing subgenre of girls-with-guns stories in Touhou, especially at FFnet.  Have you read any that struck your fancy?  If so, what did they do right, and what do they do wrong, especially in portraying the military?

How do you approach action/combat scenes?

What are you currently reading?

What authors have influenced your storytelling and style?

Now that I think about it, a renovation would do that place some good. When I was there, I wondered what I did wrong in a past life to be stuck there. It felt like never ending purgatory.

I haven't really read any of that subgenre on FF.net. But now that you mention it, I'll be looking into them. I know a few anime like that, such as Strike Witches, Angel Beats!, and I think Girls und Panzer counts. For me Strike Witches gets a lot right, but ignores other things. It was refreshing to see them actually practice good weapons handling instead of just pointing a recently fired rifle at each other like it was a hair dryer without getting any reprimand for it.

It depends on where it takes place. For the air, I would play a few Ace Combat: Assault Horizon to get a few of what I should go for. Even though it can be a little unrealistic, it still gives me a general idea of how it can go down and I can adapt that to whatever the situation I have to write. For large scale infantry combat, I use Napoleon: Total War to simulate the Lunarians whenever they're in line infantry formation and ARMA 2 for the modern infantry response. It's a bit rough getting the two into sync but it works. For armored battles, War Thunder and Girls und Panzer are my go to references. I add a little bit of the field manuals so it adds realism. Most of what I use is what I learned in basic because sitting in front of a computer in AIT for hours going through a technical manual wouldn't be very exciting. My head hit the desk so many times, I think I got a concussion every day.

I'm currently rereading A Certain Magical Index because I've convinced that Sphynx the cat will be a main character soon. He should have his own series. I just got done going through the Infinite Statos series again just a few days ago. I'm also waiting for the next volume of Girls und Panzer manga to be released. I used to be a librarian before I enlisted, so I read a lot more back then.

I like to say that Tom Clancy, Oliver North, Max Brooks, JK Rowling, Jeff Shaara, Kazuma Kamazchi, and Mario Puzo have had a big influence on my storytelling and style. For the action and realism, Jeff Shaara had the biggest influnence. For the immersion into a magical world, JK Rowling and Kauma Kamazchi were the big ones.

[Joveus Molai]

That's all we have for this week's episode of...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

Everyone, a big round of applause for The Dratini Farmer! Thanks for being with us this week!

*Applause, cheers, whistles*

We wish Dratini Farmer the very best of luck in all endeavors.

---

And now it's that time of the week!

Indeed. If you'd like to be the next guest on our show, please don't hesitate to volunteer.

Or nominate someone you'd like to see! So step right up! Be our next guest on...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

---

Joveus' note: Thank you for being with us, Dratini Farmer!

[an unmatched sock]

I volunteer as question-answerer!

[Joveus Molai]

I volunteer as question-answerer!

Alright! Sock, I will be sending you a PM with the questions soon, so sit tight!

[Joveus Molai]

  Ladies and Gentlemen! We're back with another exciting episode of...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

Though the writing team's been getting a little slow lately.

*Sigh* Kosuzu-chan, you and I are going to have a long talk about going off-script during commercial break.

Ah ha ha...Uh, this week's guest is the author of Absolution of the Reqiuem, a story that mixes Touhou with the author's very own danmaku fangame, Reqiuem of Fallen Angel.

Let's have a warm welcome for this week's guest: An Unmatched Sock!

*Thunderous applause, whistles*


Q: What got you into writing fiction?

One source of my aspirations for fictional writing would stem from school, actually. As time went on, it felt as though my drive for trying to write stories was being stifled by research papers and reports, and actual story writing slowly died down. Even if it's not my own story, I would prefer writing a plot over research. Analysis can be informative, but a story can offer that and entertainment. If the audience is entertained, I feel rewarded for having done so. I like entertaining people, and a story, be it happy, sad, hopeful, or despairing, is a good way to bring entertainment. I find it also rather calming, and a way to even organize thoughts of a story that you just can't place all of the events in a proper, connected sequence previously.

I do admit that I am an amateur at this, though.

Q: What sources outside of Touhou do you draw inspiration from?

Darn near anything and everything. Mostly it's from other games that I draw inspiration from (reference Jozero). However, I usually try to find a scenario, then look up what I need to fill that role (reference Izumi). This method is what I use most, besides just a flight of fancy that manages to fit the situation. On more than one occasion, I've asked for outside input for ideas. One friend of mine on Steam gave me the concept ideas for Kuhai as well as Shinju and Hikari. Inspiration certainly isn't a solo effort.

Q: Which Touhou character is your favorite to write? The most difficult write?

]Although I've had plenty of practice at Reimu, I feel as though she's rather one-dimensional when I write her. I would like to fix that. However, regarding canonical Touhou characters, thus far my favorite that I have written would be Koishi, followed by Marisa. Both have spontaneous qualities, while Marisa is rather reserved. If Marisa spoke English, I can imagine her with a bit of an accent found in cities, for some reason. Despite living in the forest, she seems like a city girl to me. Marisa can switch from acting tough and sly at the drop of a hat, yet seems to be passionate about what she does. Not to mention she knows practically everyone in Gensokyo, so she's pretty friendly with everyone, which somehow makes it a bit easier to write with. With Koishi, psychology has always been a topic of interest for me. Interest causes imagination, and I went from there. Plus, I don't really have to think too hard about what she will say, since she just goes with the flow.

The most difficult that I have written would have to be either Yuyuko or Yukari. Both of them are adept at hiding the true meaning of what they say, especially Yukari. For some reason, I can't quite wrap my head around multiple ulterior motives in speech. Yuyuko is slightly easier, since she's a rather free spirited individual (pardon the pun). Yukari, however, I feel requires a delicate touch to get her personality just right, and I don't think I can properly convey her well. I do think that Yukari, depending on who she's with, can be blunt and to the point as well, which if anything causes more confusion regarding whether she's still being vague or not.

If we're talking which characters would be theoretically difficult to write, any of the religious factions outside Reimu and the Moriya Shrine would be difficult, since I am not aware of how they work. A devout Byakuren would be difficult for me, since I know next to nothing about Buddhism. I could learn, sure, but doing it right and remembering how to do it right would be difficult. Although, Miko would be even more difficult, since I find it hard to read her personality, which differs her from Byakuren greatly. Byakuren is a great youkai sympathizer, and tries to treat people with respect. Miko...I have no idea. Canonically, she keeps to herself, yet also is very flashy, especially in Hopeless Masquerade. Not to mention I haven't the slightest idea about Taoism. More research will have to be done to get her and most of the rest of the Ten Desires cast accurate in the upcoming stories.

Out of all the stories you've written (Touhou-related or not), which one is your favorite?

Well, I haven't really written too much. I had plans to write a trilogy (not Touhou-related) a few years ago, and managed to write a rough draft of the first quarter of the first book. However, I have since stopped. I would rather get more practice writing first. However, I still think of and appreciate the plot from time to time. Aside from Absolution, the only other story I have any memory of writing was back in second grade, it was a childish Bionicle fanfic that nowadays wouldn't even take up more than four pages typed, if that at all. So, I guess Absolution would be my favorite that I have acctually written.

Q: Outside of Touhou fiction, what other works have you written fiction for?

As I had previously stated, long, long ago I wrote a simple Bionicle fanfic. I loved Bionicles, and still have quite a few upon multiple shelves in my room. I felt as though that was a universe that could be expanded upon however the beholder wished, much like Touhou's lore. If it counts, I am also a GM in a game of Pathfinder with a few friends, running a story I modified from Majora's Mask (which is proceeding smoothly). It has a core basis, but I tend to come up with specifics while preparing for the next meet-up.

Q: What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of writing? The most challenging?

I love how characters evolve over the course of a work. Sometimes you plan for them to work a certain way, then you start writing, and you go down an unexpected road and find yourself in an El Dorado of ideas for just how this character achieves this position. Other times it's a small motel in the middle of the desert. It's almost fun to get to this point of "How well can this character develop?" If there is one thing I love, in my own writing or the stories of others, it's character development (hence why I love Super Paper Mario, even if it's not highly regarded overall). I think I could still use some work with it, but I hope to be able to easily create development in the future.

However, I have a pretty bad tendency of only coming up with outlines of what will happen in my head, committing them to memory (which doesn't always work, unfortunately), forgetting some pieces, and then only fleshing out the small details as I write. If it's not obvious, I had no editor for Absolution. I think I improved over time, but an editor would have helped then.

Another challenging aspect I find is creating experiences that I have no prior experience in. My life is generally pretty boring, and there are plenty of scenarios that I can only create from how I think it will happen rather than drawing from my own (nonexistent) past experiences.

I suppose that keeping some sort of timetable instead of "I'll write eventually" would also help. [laughs]

Q: If there is one aspect of your writing you would want to improve, what is it?

Conveying my ideas. My writing process first involves imagining the scenario like a movie, how the characters look, react, feel. How the scenery looks, if it's light or dark. Each movement, like it were animated and playing on a screen in front of me. However, translating it to simple words is the difficult part. Specific etiquette must be followed (not too many descriptions, don't use too simple of language, but don't be varied to the point of constantly checking a thesaurus every three words, et al), and finding that balance while still describing what's happening could still be improved upon. I don't just have this problem with writing. Controlled telepathy would be the easiest workaround, since then I could just send the concepts and "movie" of the story directly to the audience rather than have to translate it to text.

Q: When writing Touhou fiction, how do you usually approach official canon material? Do you build on top of it; do you go around it; or do you try and stay within it as much as possible? Something else?

I guess the best way to answer this would be I approach it with a grain of salt. Sometimes I find someone else's headcanon that I find to be very believable or just a good idea in general, and borrow it for my own use. Otherwise, I take canon and add a dollop of my own interpretation. As an example, my interpretation of Cirno. She's more stubborn than just plain stupid, and is deluded into thinking she's incredibly powerful when she really isn't that strong in comparison to some of Gensokyo's fighters, especially the power-hitters. Yet, her stubbornness and luck helps her pull through, while repressing some of the cowardice most other fairies possess in the face of danger, yet it also leads to her having a bit of a swelled head. However, she has enough common sense to not put herself willingly in danger. Being scared of thunder was a little tic that some kids have, and I thought it would fit with her. She's not afraid to stand up to those certainly more powerful than her, but she will duck and cover when a thunderstorm rolls around, even if such a tendency was never made canonically apparent.Otherwise, I will say that I do not pay too much attention to canon material outside of the games (unless a character I want to use is only in a printed work or otherwise).

Two characters that I often debate ignoring their existences would be the Watatsuki sisters. I'm not entirely sure why, either. Maybe it's because of their limited (to my knowledge) appearances, ridiculously powerful abilities with no blind spots or weak points, or just the mannerisms of Lunarians in general. There's something about them I don't like, and as such I probably will not write them extensively.

Q: What are some of your favorite things to read, including but not limited to books?

I enjoy the works of the other lovely authors of PSL, but other than that (and the recent string of Touhou doujin manga I read), I don't find myself with too much reading time, unfortunately, and there are quite a few books I need to read, as well as movies I need to watch. As of right now, these will unfortunately not be getting resolved anytime soon. If the story truly takes me on a journey, then I will most likely like it.

Q: What particular genres do you enjoy reading? What particular genres do you enjoy writing?

Top two genres would be sci-fi and fantasy. Sci-fi because of technology of the likes that can only be imagined that can do practically anything, and fantasy due to its simple premise that can quickly become complicated with lore. However, both have an aspect that I enjoy a lot as well: fantastical creatures. Be they aliens or indigenous to the world, or from an alternate world set in the land of magic and wonder, the unreal fascinates me. I enjoy writing Fantasy more (Touhou fits under Fantasy, right? I think it does, anyway.), but I will not hesitate to include elements of both if I can.

Q: Do you have any big projects we can look forward to on the horizon?

Well, there is the continuation after what happened in Absolution. It does, after all, take place before Ten Desires, and I am having my characters join the investigations on the Divine Spirit Incident, the Religious War and the Menreiki, and the Tsukumogami Incident, and then some. I have a "What If" scenario planned for the question of "What if Reimu didn't win in her decisive battle against Constance?", but that is very unorganized at the moment. There is another short coming up soon that might be a few chapters. As for larger, original tales, I have none lined up at the moment. All I need is a bit of inspiration and fact-checking to make sure it hasn't already been done.

Q: Your primary work hosted on the PSL seems to be Absolution of the Requiem. What inspired it? Where did you get some of the non-Touhou ideas and concepts from?

Primary? Heck, that's the only work I have on PSL thus far! [laughs]

The inspiration for Absolution of the Requiem is my danmakufu fangame in the works, Requiem of Fallen Angel. I have most of what I need, and there is no reason for me to have not begun programming it besides laziness. I've been sitting on the ideas for RoFA for over two years now, not long after I discovered Touhou. Fun fact, it was actually looking up help for danmakufu that led me to MotK in the first place! Over time, I decided that, in case something happened where RoFA would not be finished, I should have some public record of it, and Absolution was created. I could have kept the game's title as the story's title in retrospect, but I chose not to.

The first idea I had for RoFA was the final boss, Jozero. Through events and odd thought processes long past and forgotten, I decided to draw inspiration from Kirby 64's final boss, Zero Squared. I guess that this is one of the first times I realized just how much of a sucker I am for final boss themes. That and how Kirby seems to be quite a bit like Touhou, with lore that isn't clearly explained and open for interpretation. Since this particular character was very enigmatic and has been relatively forgotten, I figured it could fit well in Gensokyo (Not to mention some part of my mind wanted a less happy character in an entire world of (relatively) happy magical girls). So, after a bit of conversion, backstory creation (which can be rejected for headcanon, if so desired. I'm cool with that. I'm not very good at writing tragedy of the sort Jozero needs to be believable.), and figuring out just how she could fit in Gensokyo, I chose her to be the final boss. From that, I created the incident, and looked for what I would need after that (Clouds needed a weather spirit, darkness led to using Constance, etc). I looked to others for inspiration when I could find no other source.

Q: Your interpretation of Koishi in Absolution is particularly interesting--it's not always you see Koishi acting like an energetic little kid. How did you come to this interpretation?

Koishi is a person who is said "does not think consciously", I believe. The closest thing I could think of to someone who talks with no conscious censorship, has a mind completely full of whimsy, and is carefree would be that of a kid. Not to mention kids are a large topic in psychology overall, and Koishi's entire theme is the subconscious. But, overall I see Koishi as a definition of a younger sister. Yet, her personality is one that belies her intellect. Just because she is oblivious doesn't mean she isn't smart. A child prodigy, if you will, whether or not she shows it. Koishi is a young, carefree girl who operates on flights of fancy. Her energy comes from not recognizing fatigue instead of fun, even pain is blocked out to an extent if she believes she is having a good time. Not to mention it would be too easy and uninteresting if Koishi was just "LOL RANDOM", and had no real thought pattern, even subconsciously. At least that's how I perceive her.

Also, her midair skipping and delayed response to using attacks (not to mention the random sneezing attack) in Hopeless Masquerade helped reinforce my thoughts on her.

Q: Is there a word of advice you'd like to give to aspiring fiction writers?

Rewriting is not always necessary. It's nice to go back and fix little mistakes or maybe redo a botched paragraph, but entire large sections shouldn't just be rewritten. Satisfaction is difficult to achieve, and sometimes, even if it is actually good, you may feel like you're just "making do" with what you have. There may not be much more room for improvement than you think, if you ever want to actually have anyone read anything of yours.

-

We'd now like to open the floor for any questions from the audience. If there is anything you'd like to ask, please do not hesitate.

[Achariyth]

Let's try something a little different from me...

1. What are you currently working on?

2. How does your work differ from similar Touhou fanfics?

3. Why do you write what you do?

4. How does your writing process work?

5. What are you currently reading?

[an unmatched sock]

What are you currently working on?

My next upcoming work is a short, maybe three to five chapters long (if I'm lucky). I don't want to make it a huge production. It stars one of the shrine maidens, I haven't decided on Reimu or Sanae yet, but it involves some time travel into the past and solving an incident forgotten by many. It also serves as a little "Well, what if, in the past..." headcanon I personally find interesting. I don't like giving too many details away, but I will say this incident isn't from Touhou specifically, but it may have been part of its inspiration.

How does your work differ from similar Touhou fanfics?

I feel like I'm trying to add more action into my fanfics, unlike others I have read. However, since most of the stories I've read aren't exactly action-packed the way I try to do it, it's difficult to know if I'm doing it right or exactly how I can fix it and make it better. I also, due to how I am normally, try to interject common sense, despite it being Gensokyo, although this is mostly with those not native to Gensokyo. Other than that my work differs by needing improvement and experience, and experience is something I can get more of.

Why do you write what you do?

I like creative writing, and Touhou gives me a lot of inspiration. Things can be done in Gensokyo that would be impossible in the real world or in other settings. Other than that, my answer would be basically the same as the first question Joveus the cast of Ask A Writer asked; I like entertaining people, and stories are one of the greatest of media to provide entertainment.

How does your writing process work?

In a few easy steps. Inspiration strikes, or something I do (a certain area or dialogue in a game/book, real-life event, et al) makes me think of a situation to write about, the ideas develop, sometimes I write a general outline, and then I just sit down and write with the little I have planned. I have had times where I hit an impassable writer's block, or I run out of time when I'm on a roll and can't pick back up where I left off effectively. After I finish writing I put it down and wait a day or two, then reread it (and continue writing, if I wasn't finished) and fix up parts that need improvement. After a week or longer of this, I will eventually call it done and not work on it anymore. Unfortunately, sometimes some minor errors persist, despite rereading multiple times, although those usually exist in the end of the passage than in the beginning.

What are you currently reading?

Textbooks. Now that the semester has started, the time I had for writing, reading, and general fun will be cut down immensely, and might not be resumed for months. It's tragic, the life of an engineering college student. I think I can pull through, though, and I won't disappear completely. Side projects go to the back burner for now, but they will be resumed eventually.

[Joveus Molai]

And that's it for this week's...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

Thank you very much for being here with us, unmatched sock.

*Applause, cheers, whistles*

Good luck with school and writing, unmatched sock!

---

Now it's time to choose another guest. If there are any volunteers...

Or any nominations!

...then please don't hesitate. Everyone, please wait warmly for next week's...

**~ASK A WRITER!~**

*Applause*

---

Joveus' note: Thank you for being with us, unmatched sock!

Announcement: I'm afraid I have to put this little project on the backburner starting next week. School is ramping up, and I'm starting to run out of free time, much less time to manage this thread.

Therefore, once we choose next week's guest and go through his/her week's worth of questions, I will be putting this thread on hiatus until further notice.

However...if people are interested in continuing this thread, I would also be open to handing off interview duties to anyone interested. If multiple people volunteer for this duty, I will use my discretion in choosing the next interviewer.

[Captain Vulcan]

Hey, can I get in on this?

[Tengukami]

Hey, can I get in on this?

Hey, read the last post - which was made 2 months ago, btw.

[Captain Vulcan]

Hey, read the last post - which was made 2 months ago, btw.

Darn. Guess I'll get rid of all the spider webs up in here, then.