Quid pro quo, Clarice.

[sarashina]

So I just came off a hellacious couple of weeks (which I will explain properly sometime soon) and I am feeling FREE AS THE WIND BLOWS. Best part? So many of my mental processes have been freed up, and I've been thinking about writing a lot more than I have been lately. Which feels so, so good.

I was thinking of a simple exercise I used to do with writing partners - I was actually telling moonsheen about it the other day - and I thought I'd put it up here so that we all could play.

Here's how it goes: you ask me a question about a writing project, I answer, and ask a question about yours. Simple as that! It could be about a specific project, or something in general (like, say, "Who is your most ____ character?" or something like that.) And the questions can keep going back and forth for as long as you like.

I've always found that it's easier to get enthusiastic about a project and dive right into it when you can share your enthusiasm with someone else. And there are my ulterior motives, of course - I get to find out about everyone else's writing, too.

Just to remind you all, my big projects are:

Completed:
In Descending Order
Grandmaster Draw

In progress:
Catalyst
The Imperial Guard
The Hungry Ground
Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law

And there are also short stories like "The Mountain Sleeps" (and the not-yet-written universe based around that story), and cowriting and such.

Let's play?

Comments

[ruffwriter.livejournal.com]

THE JESTER/LIAM oh God. The Jester/anyone really. Also Anwar/Cat. Basically any situation where the consent would become dubious. (... except for some reason I sorta find implied Radha/Tuyen hot? Probably because Tuyen wouldn't be broken like the above examples, at least.)


As for your ships, what ship do you love that you know will never happen?

[cerine.livejournal.com]

Yeaaah, I'm sorry, I totally ship Radha/Tuyen for some crack reason (i.e. Radha is hawt, man). The other pairings kinda make me want to hunt for the nearest purgative.

Oh wow, this is hard, actually! One I love is Yazem and Zalif (I can dig up uber old fanart to jog the memory if need be). Over the years, though, I realized it is never going to happen. The actual culture built up around them wouldn't break taboo even if Zalif came home a hero, because he is still technically a person forbidden by their god to be viewed as a human being. Only holy men are supposed to even go near one able to use 'the most vile magics'. Yazem would probably have been married off while he was out journeying, too, because her family's business and status within Esgal's political system is far too high to throw her to some no-name-magic-tainted bastard. I apparently like denying really nice characters happiness in love.

Return round: How many of your characters actually have siblings that are present in some form (actually in the story or they influence a character)?

[ruffwriter.livejournal.com]

Hee. You're so mean. ♥

Oooh, let's see: Aidan and Lily, Liam and Thom, Cat and Eliade, Talia and Cantata and Frey. Those are all the pairs of siblings actually present in the story! There are quite a few other characters who have siblings, but those are the only real significant ones.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

[cerine.livejournal.com]

SUCH HARD QUESTIONS. *shake fist*

Hm, a lot of stuff, actually. History, religion and their accompanying myths, a commercial on kidnapping, star-gazing, dreams, the behaviours of people and animals, smells, music, plants, artwork, trips/vacations. If there's a specific story or element you're interested in, I might be able to cite particular influences more. *eeks*

Relating to the last question, how do you tend to write your characters' parents? i.e. widowers, single parents, divorcees, remarried, married4life, etc.

I guess I'm on a kinship roll, lawl.