TCS: AUTHORS CORNER VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1

[Harakiri]

VOLUME 2|ISSUE 1| October 12, 2009

INTRODUCTION

I might as well start this first issue of the second volume by welcoming any returning readers and welcoming anybody who has not read the previous eight issues of volume 1. I was expecting to do at least two more issues before stopping, but that ultimately did not happen because of school and other things getting in the way. But Volume 2 will be either a weekly or bi-weekly affair depending on how much time I have on my hands. Every issue will be posted sometime on Saturday, except for this one, which is the only exception.

Hopefully everyone who is returning remembers that this is not just for entertainment, but to help create a stronger community. The Coffee Shoppe was a failed experiment in creating a more mature forum, and through this weekly newspaper I am hoping to help build a bit more of a relationship with everyone who participates in the Library.

As always there will be a question of the week, and some sort of puzzle or something. There shall be some form of literature posted, and some big discussion on books, writing, or anything else related with the craft.

 

WANT TO HELP?

Hey kids, you want to show off your knowledge in the areas of writing and literature? You want to show off your artistic talent or have a short story you want to see in this paper? PM it to me! All submissions are accepted as long as they are pertinent and not something random and stupid. Any images or comics you wish to be posted here can also be sent to me along with an image code.

Last volume I allowed Nom Anor to write the paper for a week. Do you want to write the whole paper for the week? PM me and if you post a whole paper with random and stupid stuff it will be deleted and you will not be allowed to submit anything to the paper again.

Have fun, be creative and send anything you want to me and I will consider everything and generally accept everything as long as it follows my simple criteria.

 

BOOKS BASED ON GAMES

I am going to assume that everyone who writes on the Varrock Library is an amateur writer who wants to get into the big leagues. I am sure none of us are successful, published authors yet.

One of the newest trends going around for new authors is writing novels based on video games. There are novels based on movies, but those are usually written by people who have previously published something. Video game novels, on the other hand, with the exception of the first two Splinter Cell novels written by Raymond Chandler, are written by unknown authors. I noticed this when going to the used bookstore and found myself staring at novels based on Hellgate: London by some random Joe Schmo and novels based on Diablo and World of Warcraft. Heck, you could even look at the (somewhat) recent release of the Runescape novel.

I usually don't read these books because I write them off as published fan fiction. Sure the company who made the game endorsed it, but I still don't feel that sense of excitement I get when reading a book based from an authors imagination and not based on something already there. And I see that many new authors take advantage of this new craze where people are creating novels based on their favorite games. I personally see no problem in starting a writing career like that, heck, that's probably what I will do if I can't start with some of my own material.

While books based on WoW, Runescape, Diablo, and Starcraft I like to write off as long fan fictions, books based on franchises where every game there is a new story is fine, specifically because you aren't exactly adding to the story if every game the story begins and ends. Take Splinter Cell for example. All four games follow the same character, but on different missions that have nothing to do with one another. So books based on some random mission don't add anything to the story, and while I still write it off as fan fic, I don't treat it as critically. Many of the Diablo books try to add to the games story, which is, to me, the ultimate sin. Nobody in their right mind wants to play through a game only to find out that all the plot holes are filled in and some back story is given in a new 300 page book you can buy for 9.99.

Thanks to sites like Lulu, players can now pay a measly sum in order to sell their fan-fics.

Take for instance The House of El, a World of Warcraft fan-fic novel by Ian Dowson.Here's the description:

World Of Warcraft original novel - Bad Spelling & Bad Grammar but a fun book.

Yes, he even admits to the fact his novel is full of bad grammar and spelling, a sign that this might not be something you would buy, maybe something you would read on a Warcraft forum. If you really want to get a taste of this book, look at the preview. It is basically a fan fiction by an amateur writer, just like Eric Nylund, author of multiple Halo novels. The only difference between Ian's fan-fic and Eric's is the fact that Eric's was endorsed and had an editor.

That's how I think anyway and with more and more novels popping out by authors I have never heard of based on video games (and those who have written other novels usually write fan fic for other series) I find that if you are an amateur writer, maybe your fan fictions can help you get that contract and sell at least a couple novels.

You could be the next big thing. Take R.A Salvatore for instance, he wrote the Drizzt novels based on Dungeons and Dragons: Forgotten Realms. His Drizzt series is hugely successful, even if it is a fan fic because while using the lands talked about in this role playing game, he also created something new. Maybe authors writing off of video games should create something new instead of using the same characters mentioned in the series and not trying to fill in plot holes and providing background. Create new characters, use the same settings, but by giving different opinions on the world you get a better understanding of the game and it's world.

 

COMIC

[spoiler=THIS COMIC CONTAINS SOME INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ]

 

 

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO

THE SIMS: THE BOOK: How do you write a book based on a game where anything is possible? You really can't, and that is why a Sims novel is an impossibility and should not be attempted. Would you want to see 200+ pages of this:

A failed attempt.

POSSIBILITY:1/5

 

MARIO KART: THE BOOK: I could actually see Mario Kart as the topic of a novel. It would be like a childish version of Death Race. I could also see a movie based on Mario Kart with the theme of it being "I can't drive 55".

POSSIBILITY:3/5

 

GRAND THEFT AUTO 4: THE BOOK: Another impossibility for the sheer fact it is an open world game and who would want to read a book consisting of the random murder of innocents and random cussing and strippers.

200+ Pages of this?

1/5

 

TEAM FORTRESS 2: THE BOOK: This is one I am torn on specifically because you could do something with it, but it would make no sense unless you explain why the reds are fighting the blues.

Could this work as a novel?

3/5

 

EPILOGUE

That is the end of the first issue of volume 1. It is missing some sort of fiction because I already provided you with a couple links to some fan fiction. Probably nothing you would want to read to much of, but it's still there. Next week I'll come up with a better topic to talk about.

See you next week!

QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK

Do you read fan fiction?

Do you read novels based on video games?

Do you consider novels based on video games fan fiction?

Do you write fan fiction?

Do you enjoy all of the new images that go with the paper?

Will you participate and submit an article for future editions?

 

NEXT WEEK: VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2

[Hawks]

Do you read fan fiction?

Yeh, if it's good and relevant. Mostly 'official' Star Wars movie/later storyline script spin-offs.

Do you read novels based on video games?

Dungeons & Dragons (not video games but better than any video game books I've seen) and occasionally Warcraft novels

Do you consider novels based on video games fan fiction?

Yeah, I think so.

Do you write fan fiction?

Not often.

Do you enjoy all of the new images that go with the paper?

No. Ratchet, you can do better than flashing GIFs and 'banners' that are really just squares and have big 'Made with mybannermaker.com' labels on them.

Will you participate and submit an article for future editions?

Yeah, and I'll start with a new banner if you're willing, Ratchet. Also maybe an article about a different side of manga.

[Harakiri]

Do you read fan fiction?

Yeh, if it's good and relevant. Mostly 'official' Star Wars movie/later storyline script spin-offs.

Do you read novels based on video games?

Dungeons & Dragons (not video games but better than any video game books I've seen) and occasionally Warcraft novels

Do you consider novels based on video games fan fiction?

Yeah, I think so.

Do you write fan fiction?

Not often.

Do you enjoy all of the new images that go with the paper?

No. Ratchet, you can do better than flashing GIFs and 'banners' that are really just squares and have big 'Made with mybannermaker.com' labels on them.

Will you participate and submit an article for future editions?

Yeah, and I'll start with a new banner if you're willing, Ratchet. Also maybe an article about a different side of manga.

 

I ultimately have no talent with banners so I just decided to work with what I could do. If you can do banners that would be great. I just couldn't find anything better than that.

I couldn't get the code for your original banner because of the forum switchover, but if you think you can do the same basic kind of things with the banners with the same text I would greatly appreciate it! :-D

[Hawks]

Sorry if I sounded harsh, it's the idiotic criticism of the Gallery rubbing off on me. I'll start on a semi-abstract one at first, then see if I can make up a nice new one.

[Harakiri]

You want to sign on as the leader of the graphics department? And a contributor, just so I can throw some credits on the bottom of the paper?

[Hawks]

Credits sound fun. And if I'm the graphics editor, you'd better PM me with specific instructions for what graphics we need in general and any special ones for upcoming issues.

Here is a temporary sort of stand-in banner, unless you really like it or something.

[img=http://i33.tinypic.com/xfc6yd.png]

 

EDIT: Oh yeh, you can put me as a contributor, I can't guarantee I'll contribute anything anytime soon though.

[Harakiri]

Okay, let me get some ideas down because at the moment I only need three for the three main features, maybe guest articles have their own banner. What I really want is a new banner each week for the featured article pertaining to the subject. I don't know if that's too much work for you, but if you want to do that I'll just send you the basic idea of each banner or picture I would like to see.

 

And don't worry about contributing articles all the time, because it will just be nice for a change to have a guest write an article, the paper feels much better when you read it and see more than Ratchet's ramblings and discussions. To tell the truth, idea-wise, I'm drawing a blank for anything really, really awesome at the moment. What I want to do for now is work with a specific genre each week. It might be cool to look at different genres. One week I want to do a whole article about the covers of books. Maybe some writing for comics and movies and video games since I've sort of talked about it in the past.

 

That's the plan anyway, and this Saturday I'll post the second issue.

[Hawks]

Sounds good, if you want to pm me with the three article titles for next week I can do banners. And the three main areas that are always covered, I'm not exactly sure what they are.

[nerdboyxxx]

Do you read fan fiction?

Nope, I did once or twice but I find them hard to read :P

 

Do you read novels based on video games?

Not at all. I don't see them as serious literature. After reading some of the halo novels I nearly shot myself XD

 

Do you consider novels based on video games fan fiction?

Yes and no. They often have a better writing style than your average forum-goer's fan fiction, but I can't take them seriously at all.

 

Do you write fan fiction?

If I did, I'd be a hypocrite.

 

Do you enjoy all of the new images that go with the paper?

Well, this is my first issue but I'm liking the images :thumbsup:

 

Will you participate and submit an article for future editions?

I'm currently working on a short story/novella, so yes I might submit some of my works. I write a lot, I really enjoy writing etc. etc. etc so getting Slightly published (I stress slightly!) would boost my self esteem. Also, more people would see how I write and my motivations for writing through my works, so I'd assume that some useful critique would come from that :)