I realized, on looking back, that the stories of mine that have had the best response are stories where the voice came easily to me. I think of it as “clicking” into the voice. Some stories have that from the beginning, others don’t. Last night, the other members of Altered Fluid helped me identify why those stories are more successful, though. There’s a confidence to that kind of writing that is often lacking in other stories. My one published story (so far) was like that. I clicked into the voice and I think that helped carry the story further.

I also realized that of those stories, most of them are told in the first person. I like first person a lot. Some of my favorite novels are first person novels, and Zelazny was one of my heroes. I remember reading, though, some cautions against first person for beginning writers. Which I agree with. It’s a hard thing to do well, I think. I’m not claiming to do so now. But sometimes it’s easier for me to get into the character that way. You can definitely convey more through their narrative style.

Obviously voice is an important aspect to a story, and I know this, but I don’t know that I’ve spent a lot of time up until now focusing on it. In some of my stories, the voice is clear from the start. In the others, though, I wonder what I can do to capture it.

Just thinking out loud…

I got another idea for a story yesterday. A new one. Not one of the old, myriad ideas that clutter my hard drive or notebooks. A new idea. My brain is behaving strangely, but I like it.

This latest idea, though, is a weird one. It’s almost fan fiction. Taking a character and working him into a story in a different way. It’s one of those ideas that might not succeed. And yet I can’t not write it. I won’t know until it’s done.

I only hope that this lasts into the next two months…

So much for taking a break from writing in the coming week. Since yesterday, I have been unable to stop. I’ve written two stories, in two days.

Granted, the first is short and the second is a rewrite of an old concept, but seriously – I feel pretty accomplished. It’s like the urge struck and I can’t seem to shake it.

I just hope this lasts me into CW…

From DS Fanboy

Over at the YMB Message Boards, Chris C was asking about the dearth of decent comic book based video games. There are tons of movie tie-ins, of course – Iron Man, The Hulk, Batman – but very few pulled directly from the comic universe and of those, even fewer are decent. X-Men Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance are the only two that come to mind.

That got me thinking. Grand Theft Auto is clearly one of the most popular games in video game history, and for good reason. The gameplay model and the in-game experience is something that few other games have captured.

Still, many have tried. After GTA 3 and Vice City, the market was flooded with games adapting at the very least GTA’s free-form approach.

So why not adapt this kind of game to a property like Batman? It’s  a perfect fit. Imagine Gotham City rendered in current generation console glory. Tall, gothic spires, seedy underworld hangouts, the Batcave. You are Batman, Gotham City’s protector, determined to clean up your city. Standing in your way are the usual kooks and criminals – the Riddler, the Penguin, the Joker, etc. Like the mission structure of GTA, you would have contacts – Commissioner Gordon, Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, possibly more. You can go around completing missions, advancing the plot of the game, or you can enjoy crimefighting diversions, like breaking up bank robberies and muggings. Drive from location to location in your Batmobile. Or jump across rooftops. Collect components or collect schematics to upgrade your crimefighting gear. Or do favors for people in order to accomplish the same purpose. Use the Batcave to save your game and heal up.  All leading up to the climactic finale in Arkham Asylum.

I saw we need this game and we need it now. Don’t you agree?