
It’s my intent to try
and make IHY something
semi-noteworthy on the internet, as part of that whole “build an authorial
platform” thingamajig. It’s also my
intention to keep writing chapters for IHY;
I’ve got a fair number of wacky ideas and characters I’m hoping to get
integrated as soon as possible (if you’ve read the latest chapter, you may know
there’s a killer robot heading to
Porbeagle). So yeah, I’m excited about
that. But the thing that I want and need
to prioritize is letting people know that IHY
exists. And beyond that, I want to
try and bridge the gap between the writer and the audience. I know there’ll always be a gap, and that
creative vision > fan demand, but success should come from both presenting
something worthwhile AND being mindful of, if not amicable with, an audience.
Which brings me to
today’s post -- and a question I want to ask you intrepid visitors of Cross-Up.
If there’s one thing
that I hold dear above every other story element, it’s a cast. I’ve gone on record saying that if you can’t
make a story with a good main character (or good characters in general), then
you might as well not write a story at all.
I stand by that opinion; how well of a job I’ve done may be up for
debate, but I wouldn’t have written nearly sixty chapters if I didn’t think
Lloyd was a good character. The same
goes for his friends and family; good characters make for potential that can be
tapped, or at least have potential that a savvy writer can unlock by story’s
end. That much we can agree on, I hope.
If you’re reading this
blog, then there’s no doubt in my mind you have your own favorite characters,
and your own favorite stories.
Expectations, experiences, and opinions shaped by years of storytelling
engraved into your heart and mind. Whether
you’re the creative sort or just like seeing others spin their writing wheels,
all of us have that spark of ingenuity inside us to dream up something
interesting.
That’s something I know
and believe -- now more than ever, since I started using the internet in
earnest. But in the context of my
writing adventures, I’m still unsatisfied.
Not because of my technique (which I admit could use some work), or
because I’m not a member of the Author Pantheon that I want to be. For the purposes of IHY, I need to bridge the gap.
I need to connect with audiences -- readers, and unmistakable dreamers
-- in ways I never would have thought possible.
The question was, how could I do that?
I might have an answer. The key element I might be missing is
“interactivity.” And to that end, here I
am with a question.
If I were to announce an I Hraet
You Character Creation Contest, how many of you would be interested in
participating?
I’m not about to commit
to anything just yet, especially if there’s no one who actually cares. But I think it’s an interesting idea; it’s a
chance to see one’s characters realized in written form. It’s a chance to reward creativity. It’s a chance to…okay, maybe not win money,
but it’s the thought that counts. What’s
important is that I want to see what others are capable of, and build a bond
between myself and readers. It’s one
thing to go “Hey! Get in here and read
my story!” It’s another to say
“Hey! Be a part of this story -- because
now it’s 4% yours!”
So I’ll go ahead and
leave the door cracked on that opportunity.
If you’re interested, say so. If
not, then that’s all right, too. I promise
you, if things go exactly as planned neither you nor I will be left wanting for
crazy characters. But the option is
open.
Question is, are you in
or out?