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thiswaycomessomethingwicked · 4 years

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5 and 13 for the writeblr ask please 💕

Woo more writing asks :D

5. How do you get over a bad writing day?

I know I struggle with the idea that I always have to be “productive” and productivity looks like a very specific thing (i.e. having written X amount of words; have completed X tasks) which is very hard to decondition yourself from thinking.

There are many, many times when I think to myself: tomorrow I am going to write. I am going to work on one of the ongoing projects. Then, the day comes, and I don’t. Either there’s a bit of a writer’s block and I can’t get through it or I’m tired or I’m not ready to write - something is there and it’s stopping me. That’s generally what I consider a “bad writing day”. I meant to write; didn’t write.

So, I’ve been trying to learn how to forgive myself for these days. I work a full-time job alongside trying to get this f-ing book done, alongside other projects not to mention fanfic and other hobby-projects. So it’s like having two full-time jobs + recreation.

And there’s burnout with that. You get tired. Your brain says: I’m not going to work. I’m going to watch Poirot for the millionth time because David Suchet is Soothing. I’m going to take a bath and listen to monks chanting.

I’ve been trying to allow myself to have those breaks without beating myself up about them. Which is hard. Because we’re all taught we need to be working and writers especially suffer from this because we can always be working. At any given time, we could be working.

I’m also trying to learn when something is a writer’s block, which does generally require you to sit your ass down and work through it, and when something isn’t ready to be written. And if it’s not ready to be written, that’s ok. Things need time to percolate. I’m not very good and letting myself take time with things. To go slow.

As for bad writing days with regards to: everything I write is shit. I don’t suffer from those in the same others do. Not that they don’t happen (they do, all the time. When I write maybe 2% of it is useful and that’s after much polishing), but it’s more I am very comfortable with the reworking and editing process. Good writing is 80% editing anyway. First drafts always suck. That’s the nature of the game.

Anyway, long and short of it: give yourself time when you need time to let projects sit; allow yourself breaks; forgive yourself for being human and needing to rest; fuck our society’s obsession with Productivity; writing is more than just putting words on paper - the process involves daydreaming, reading, watching shows, watching people, learning new things etc. the words-on-paper is only a small part of it.

Also baths, ordering in Pho, and watching soothing shows about British slueths solving crime.

13. Tell us about your process. Do you set goals for yourself? If so, tell us about them.

I don’t believe in setting goals. I know they can be very useful for others and if that’s a person’s jam, go for it.

Due to the fact that I’m almost always writing it’s hard to say that there is a specific process.

I tend to write linearly, chapter 1 --> final. I know some people write backwards, final back through to the beginning. Others won’t start writing until they know what the last sentence is going to be. Others write in chunks then weave them together. &tc.

I think it’s the historian in me that has me going it’s A then B then C.

I edit as a write. It’s how I get back into a piece, especially if there’s a bit of writer’s block. I’ll go back and edit the previous chapter then that helps to kick-start the brain. Reading poetry helps to kick-start writing as well.

That said, I also do massive overworks/rewriting/big edits etc. once it’s complete. Cut out the dead wood, the subplots that don’t serve a purpose, kill all those darlings that I think are great but aren’t needed in the projects.

I keep a file of all the stuff I cut out because it can be cannibalized in later pieces.

I talk to myself about the story as I go. I have very long, involved conversations with myself in the bathroom mirror about pieces. Working out plots/motivation/characters and so on. I think that’s integral to my process. I wouldn’t be able to write well if I couldn’t talk to myself in my bathroom mirror.

I tend to have multiple things on the go and I’ll flip between them. E.g. at the moment there’s the F-ing Book (pale before the fall/working title), a poetry manuscript that needs hauling together, some fanfics on the side, and a bigger project I’m thinking through still (it’s in the major percolation stage) about an ecofascist cult in Florida.

I’ll bounce between them all depending on what I want to work on.

Having deadlines is the only thing that I think helps. Having either my agent or my mentor set them helps keeps the fire under my ass. But they’re only useful once a project is at a certain place. Before then, they’re unnecessary stress.

Wow these got long! Apologies for the length! And thank you for the ask :D :D

writing ask meme

#writing #ask #reply #ask meme #writing process #editing

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misdre · 5 years

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Aoki Takao website translations post #1

i come with actual content today, we were discussing the bakuten shoot concept art that aoki has published on his website and there was some really goddamn funny stuff in there that i haven’t seen translated by anyone here so i just started doing it myself. here’s the first three pages where aoki talks about the early manga and stuff. i made these translations pretty fast so the language isn’t super perfect or anything but who cares lbr. texts in square brackets are my own additions. (i’ll translate more later, i got actual things to do today!!)

Preface

"While a manga is in the manuscript phase, it belongs to the author. Once it's become a book, it belongs to the readers." That's always been my philosophy for doing manga. I didn't talk much about Bakuten Shoot Beyblade after the serialization ended in 2004, so I only hoped that the characters would keep living on in the readers' hearts. However, since the RISING sequel was serialized in 2016 in CoroCoro Aniki, and in 2019 it's been 20 years since Beyblade was first serialized, I decided to celebrate the anniversary by showing how it got to the present point and release the character creation stories and concept materials little by little.

- Aoki Takao, 5 May 2018

Manga Bakuten Shoot Beyblade: Page 1

Preface

In spring 1999, CoroCoro Mikku offered me the opportunity to begin the serialization of a new hobby manga about beigoma spinning tops (beyblades). When I tried playing with the prototype of a beyblade before they were officially launched, I got the image of a martial arts-like sport. I decided to include the spirit of the sports anime I used to watch as a child in the series. A story about a main character who can use cool special powers and grow by fighting against rivals and cultivating friendship with them.

The presentation of Beyblade

Beyblades were officially launched in July, and the serialization started around the same time. I wasn't familiar with the readers of CoroCoro yet, so I had no idea whether they would find the series charming. I created the characters of Beyblade with the thought that I somehow needed to make the readers empathize with spinning tops that are so tiny they fit on the palm of a hand. I used the four Chinese gods of the four directions (Seiryuu, Suzaku, Byakko, Genbu) as a motif and made them into the four holy beasts dwelling in the beyblades, and made it a story about the bladers chosen by them. Like this, the concept of it being a story about four main character boys happened very naturally.

The three characters

Before the manga was planned, there was a promotion for a Game Boy Color game about a Beyblade game as “the next generation of beigomas”. I decided from the beginning that the three characters I designed for the game would also appear in my manga.

(Takao, the protagonist) An energetic and cheerful boy who loves Beyblade. Uses the bey “Ultimate Dragoon”.

(Kai, the rival) The cool leader of a gang named Shell Killers who hates Beyblade. Uses the bey “Frostic Dranzer”. [?? idk if frostic is right?]

(Shippuu no Jin, the mysterious ninja blader) Uses the bey “Saizoo” [??]. There was no image of Jin, so I’m using one I’ve drawn later.

However, the manga serialized on CoroCoro was not a comic version of the game but a completely original work. I got to freely work on the personalities and personal histories of the three characters. Therefore I constructed the world of the comic without paying much attention to the game’s contents and didn’t play the game.

This is the complex explanation behind the main character sharing my own name, “Takao”.

Creating the manga characters

I started from adapting Takao and Kai into the concept of the four holy beasts.

Main Character “Takao”

His bey is Dragoon (carrier of a dragon musket) so his holy beast is Seiryuu. To match the wu xing theory, I decided to make his surname Kinomiya to match the element of wood (“ki”). His personality is very CoroCoro protagonist-like, he’s energetic and cheerful and always tries his best. He loves bey battles. His skills are of high level. He lost his mother when he was very young, and his father and big brother are archaeologists working on excavations and doing research abroad. He lives together with his grandfather from his father’s side.

Rival “Kai”

Since his holy beast is Suzaku, I derived his surname Hiwatari from the element of fire (“hi”). He has a cool personality and his skills are on the same level as the main character’s, or even higher. His family owns a big company. Since the game’s concept of him hating beyblade was very unique, I decided to use it and make the reason behind it his antagonism with his father. (Details about him were the same as in the manga.)

Since he hunts beyblades as an act of revenge, I made the setting such that he has subordinates (the Shell Killers).

Shippuu no Jin

Since I thought it unreasonable to make Jin, who was an adult, a rival of the elementary school kids, I made him Takao’s older brother who watches over his little brother from the shadows. “Jin” is the Chinese reading of the kanji in his name, so I made his real name “Hitoshi”. [hitoshi is the Japanese reading of the same kanji]

Since the bladers of Byakko and Genbu appear much later, they didn’t have character designs yet.

So I created the Beyblade expert “Kyouju” and Takao’s grandfather “Ryuunosuke” next.

Kyouju

He’s Takao’s classmate and a Beyblade researcher. I created him after the image of an elderly university professor.

Kinomiya Ryuunosuke

Takao’s grandfather who lives with him. The master of the Ryuushinken sword.

Story

I wanted the story be like 里見八犬伝 [i have no idea what that is ngl] where the protagonist fights through several rivals, keeps running into legendary bladers, and once all four are present, the story takes a dramatic turn.

Like this the serialization began in 1999, first with a special in the August volume of CoroCoro Mikku and then as a monthly series starting from the September volume.

Manga Bakuten Shoot Beyblade: Page 2

Special techniques

When Beyblade began its serialization, I kept in mind that I needed to convey the charm of beys to the readers somehow and wanted to make the battles feel real. However, I struggled with the manga not really getting popular. I felt like, despite trying to convey the realism of how fun and intense the battles were, in practice it didn’t feel the same as it would have in real life, so I decided to take it to a more dramatic direction. I made them use special techniques where the spinning causes tornadoes, flames, thunder and other such unrealistic effects to happen. This is how the special techniques that are now used in the currently serialized RISING originally came to exist.

Max and Rei

I had planned that the bladers of Genbu and Byakko wouldn’t appear until much later, so I hadn’t yet created characters for them when the manga was serialized. However, since Takara Tomy created beyblades for the four holy beasts to fit the manga series, I had to come up with the other two characters.

“Max”

His holy beast is Genbu. From the wu xing element of water (“mizu”), his surname is Mizuhara. He has a cheerful personality and he’s always smiling. I modeled his battle style to rely on defense based on the tough shell of a turtle. (Details about him were the same as in the manga.)

“Rei”

His holy beast is Byakko and wu xing element metal, so I named him Kon Rei [“kon” is one reading for the kanji for metal; also aoki uses the kanji for plum for “rei” here]. He’s Chinese and from a clan of people with fangs. He’s extremely agile and his bey battle skills are top level. Originally I was going to give him a braid, but I settled down with the current style with the image of a tiger’s tail in mind. His personality was such that outside battles he was only going to eat and sleep but having another mute character clashed with Kai, so Rei got more lines little by little. The above pictures are from the beginning, but his design somewhat changed as I drew more of the manga.

Like this, I made Max and Rei appear in the manga a lot earlier than intended to match the release of the parent beys of the four holy beasts.

Manga Bakuten Shoot Beyblade: Page 3

The big four of Shell Killers

“Hiruma Makoto, Tsukuba, Motegi, Suzuka”

These four characters basically appear to emphasize Kai’s strong presence and make him appear stronger. There were originally only going to be one or two of them, but as I doodled character designs at the bottom of the manuscript, I was so pleased with the drawings that I decided to increase their number in the opening scene of the next episode. By the way, in the last volume of the comic (vol 14), Takao’s future child is named Kinomiya Makoto, but the name is not related to Hiruta in any way. I had completely forgotten that I had named Hiruta “Makoto” in the past, so it was my mistake. The names of Tsukuba, Motegi and Suzuka come from race track sports.

“Mizuhara Tarou”

Max’s father who runs a hobby shop. Back when he first appeared together with Max’s first appearance, I hadn’t yet made any plans concerning his wife (Judy). In RISING I drew him with a smaller beard so he has a somewhat more youthful appearance.

“Daitenji Kogorou”

President of BBA (Beyblade Battle Association). He appears in vol 2 as a representative of the organization in charge of battle tournaments. The image behind his character is a kind old man who watches over the young blader boys and girls. The model of his design is detective Hercule Poirot as played by the famous actor David Suchet in the British television series “Agatha Christie’s Poirot” in 1998—2013. I loved the way Suchet’s Poirot was playful while overflowing with kindness, so I used him as reference. By the way, the name Kogorou is also linked to the detective theme and was derived from 明智. [no i don’t know who that is either]

“Hiwatari Souichirou”

Kai’s grandfather. The chairman and director of the Hiwatari Enterprise, he’s not only a dictator of the company but also has a dominant attitude toward his family. He’s an important character regarding the discord between Kai and his father (Susumu). He’s not modeled after anyone in particular, but the name Souichirou is from the founder of Honda, the car-making company.

Bit chip characters

In 2000, the line-up of Beyblade toys was expanded with lots of new products. I was requested by Takara Tomy to design more characters for them. I had no plans to include them in the manga, so they became bit chip characters rather than holy beasts.

Design concept for “Mechanical Seiryuu”. Regarding the number of its claws, Takao’s Seiryuu is designed after the imperial dragon with five claws, so I gave this one three to make a difference. I later used it as a bit chip character in the model used by Shippuu no Jin, Metal Dragoon.

“Armed Dragoon, Dranzer, Draciel, Driger”

I was requested to design armed versions of the four holy beasts. I also didn’t have any plans to include them in the manga, so they are bit chip characters only. They have been used in video games.

#beyblade #bakuten shoot beyblade #im wheezing at max and rei just being fucking.....randomly put together trash

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swiftbell · 6 years

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11 questions + 11 questions

I was tagged by the magnificent @misplaced-padawan

Rules: Always post the rules. answer 11 random questions posted for you, create 11 new ones and tag 11 people. Let the person who tagged you know that you answered.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2018? Ooooh that’s a hard one, but I think Redwall by Brian Jacques. It’s one of the first books I bought with my own money, and I adore a lot about his writing in the Redwall series, and reading it now in English for the first time really puts another perspective on certain things. Also it’s great to sometimes just read a book of good vs. evil, with bravery, friendship and heroic deeds written in a fairy tale like language.

2. Favorite performance by your favorite actor? Oh gods am I gonna have to decide a favourite actor now While perhaps not my favourite actor, I’ve always greatly enjoyed seeing David Suchet playing Poirot. The expressions, body language and the way he talks just seem so right for the detective, and I can’t help but love it.

3. One thing you’ve done that you’d like to do again sometime? I would actually really enjoy going shooting with an air rifle again, but this time I’d like to have my music with me, or some podcast. It’s actually quite relaxing and fun to do! That or go to another medieval market where they also have a tournament, it’s so much fun there, and the tournaments (ppl on horseback with medieval armor and weapons) are usually a lot of fun with rock music, funny commentator, people loving what they’re doing, good break entertainment etc etc

4. Worst episode of your fave show? I’m gonna put Firefly as my favourite show here because 1. I like it and 2. not many episodes to choose from. But I think it might be Jaynestown actually, I know people find it funny, but I’m not overly fond of Jayne, and I really don’t like misinformation, so while I do like the song they sing, I’m not comfortable with the way they use that misinformation to their advantage. Also I just get secondhand embarrassment from making a statue, song and celebrating real people like that, I’m not particularly comfortable with that either.

5. Thoughts on the latest movie you saw? Not entirely sure if my latest movie was Black Panther or Mirror Mirror so I’ll do both: Black Panther is one of the best movies I have seen in years and years, the characters were all so unique and memorable, the villain was the best I’ve seen in an action movie, the writing was beautiful, as was the scenery, clothing, makeup, and overall aesthetic. I loved the discussions that come out of this movie, as in what is the right thing to do when it comes to your country’s need vs the world’s need, the difference in worldview and experience for somebody born African and somebody with African-American descent (and how it just takes a step back from having only a North-American point of view regarding everything). And then we have all the character relationships, how natural they feel, and how we finally get a superhero origin movie that does not have to deal with the superhero having to learn responsibility! I mean, thank you gods! The amount of female characters as well, and their individual story arcs! I loved so much about this movie. Mirror Mirror I have to say is one of my favourite screen versions of Snow White. The main character has a very thought-out character arc, the characterisation of the queen feels very refreshing and interesting, and while I think they could have put some more focus on the dwarves (because that is a story very much worth telling), and the prince could have been a bit less of a douche (there was occasional potential, but he felt overall a bit too done-before as a character), it is an interesting re-telling of the story and something you can watch when you just want something to pass the time. I also love the song at the end and you can fight me about this.

6. If you could see any band (past or present) in concert which one would it be? Possibly Panic! at the Disco or Nightwish, both bands have songs well-suited for the stage, and Nightwish is one of the few band concerts I’ve been to before. That being said, I would not say no to a Queen concert.

7. A smell that reminds you of your childhood There’s a library near my mum called Kåken (the Slammer), because they decided to put two smaller libraries together and opened the new building on old prison grounds (I love Gothenburg’s naming sense). It opened when I was about 12 years old, which is around the time I started going to the library by myself to borrow books. The certain smell in their always puts me at ease.

8. Favorite anecdote from your DND party/parties? That time our party Druid turned into a giant lizard, accidentally woke the sentient armor when trying to get a key, and after defeating it and used the key to open the big gates we found that Fantasy Chernobyl was now looking suspiciously idyllic.

9. Say something nice about a character you don’t like Uuuuuuh…Mori (Bungou Stray Dogs) has a nice outfit. But he could also go to hell please.

10. Recommend me 4 songs! Alrighty: Follow You by Bring Me the Horizon Shape of You by Ed Sheeran The Other Side from The Greatest Showman Deliver Us from Prince of Egypt, cover by Caleb Hyles and Jonathan Young

11. Favorite superhero? Why so many difficult questions? But I’m probably gonna say Nightcrawler, he’s such a joy and very interesting.

My questions:

1. What is one of your favourite movies from childhood?

2. Is there any place you would like to explore?

3. Which era, in which country has the best aesthetic?

4. What book/manga/comic/series can you read over and over again?

5. What is your favourite mythological or folklore creature, and why?

6. Is there any type of dancing that you prefer to dance or watch?

7. Describe your ideal home.

8. I love to see what kind of music people listen to, can you recommend me 5 songs?

9. Which is your favourite fairy tale?

10. What’s your favourite D&D experience (that you’ve experienced, heard about or witnessed)?

11. Tell me about a dream you enjoyed.

I tag @niwwwi, @protectoroffaeries, @space-pastels, @makeroomforlaferry, @misplaced-padawan (who says I can’t tag the one that tagged me?), @paranoiajustified, @mistatdawn, and anyone who wants to do it but is never tagged!

#bibbly bobbly talkey talkey stuff #tagged #me #11 questions + 11 questions #hahaha this took a while to do #it's still fun though #and my cat has been sleeping on me the entire time #he's the cutest

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glynmostyn · 6 years

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I saw the new Murder on the Orient Express today and OH MY GOD

Y’ALL

IT WAS SO GOOD

Putting my review under a read more, it’s not really spoilery and also this book has been made into 4 movies over 83 years and on of them is a 2 episode miniseries Japanese adaptation that I’m only just now finding out about and holy shit I need to see that but like. It’s been a big influence on culture for 83 years I’m not sure I can spoil an 83 yo story, but JUST IN CASE, I say who dies and what killed them at the very end.

I’m so used to David Suchet’s Poirot, and he’s my favorite one, except in the 2006 remake of MotOE. Poirot was so cold and not sympathetic or empathetic, it felt so out of character with his earlier interpretations of Poirot in the series. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of the character but it was really good! Hate the mustache though. Suchet had the better mustache.

I also forgot the entire premise of the movie, and it brought up really hard feelings about Cam. I cried when he talked about the Armstrongs, it was heart wrenching for me. In turn it made the movie that much more relateable and so much more satisfying and vindicating.

I did exactly what they did. I’m a different person though, I am a killer. I’d do it again.

I liked that they showed Poirot’s struggle in what to do with the case at the end, and I feel like it did a much better job of showing his humanity and handling the big question poised in the movie: Is there only right and wrong? Is the world so black and white? It’s still ultimately up to the viewer to decide, but in my belief, no. I believe Poirot’s end decision is the human decision, and I support it. I’ve always supported it, even before our family had our own Armstrong family tragedy.

I always thought Murder on the Orient Express was odd though in that way...Poirot has on at least one occasion let the criminal go free and with much greater ease than in that book. I’m a fan of the series but not a super fan, and don’t know the timeline of the books, so as far as I know it’s possible that the books that became movies(Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, respectively) are maybe out of sync with the rest of the books? Maybe they take place towards the beginning of the series’ publication? Idk

I liked the cinematography. I liked a lot of the actors I’ve seen in previous things. Derek Jacobi was in it and I love him! I LOVE Cadfael, he’s probably my favorite fictional detective and Sir Jacobi does such an amazing job as him. Daisy Ridley was amazing and very, very pretty. Judi Dench managed to make Princess Dragomiroff a more likable/sympathetic woman but still have that air about her that kinda makes you hate her a little bit. I managed to confuse Josh Gad for Dan Fogler from Fantastic Beasts, they look very similar in 1920s era clothing. Spoiler if you haven’t seen or read this story that’s been out for 83 years: I liked watching Johnny Depp be stabbed to death and most likely awake and alive for every single one.

#ic #ooc

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