Happy Thanksgiving, Valucre!

Food, Football, and the Looming Threat of Black Friday Shopping...

All things to look forward to in the coming days, ha ha! Welcome to your Thanksgiving edition of the Valucre Blog, a very special addition if I say so myself. Why is it so special you might ask? Because this is the one time of year where I can talk about writing, role-playing, football, and food all in the same blog post! This also kicks off our holiday season, with the long and boisterous weeks ahead, we're all in for a roller-coaster ride of retail hell, awkward family gatherings, and the struggle to survive another run through the month of December. 

Of course, it's not all bad, as there are many wonderful things that come with this time of year as well. As with anything in life, we take the good with the bad, putting up with some things while relishing our moments with the others. Fortunately, there is very little bad to take with all the good that is Valucre, am I right? Alright, alright! I'll stop the senseless gushing and get this show back on the road. :D

What's Happening Valucre?

Gaian Academy is Back- Well, I don't know if you had heard about it, but the Gaian Academy suffered from a terrible tragedy, where a group of Unnaturals came to the campus and unleashed a horde of undead, as well as a taint that created more unnaturals. While the larger majority of the students were safely evacuated, a number of students suffered tragic ends, leading to a temporary closure while the school worked out its problems. Fortunately, the school has gotten back on it's feet, and is now offering classes again. If taking a character from the bare minimum and then working upward is the path of your choice, the academy is a great place to introduce a new character. :) Check it out here.

Gaian Academy: Magi Investigation Team- Speaking of the academy, there are some new quests available, one of which is to help conduct an investigation into the responsible parties for the attack. We have someone who has stepped up and is ready to work on that task, but of course- this needs some more role-players! The quest starter is looking for anyone who wants to play a fellow student, a teacher, staff, or anyone else who might be present at the Academy. Check it out here

Terrenus Artifact of Immortality- Anytime anyone goes after a Terrenus artifact, the thread is open for those who might want to assist the quest taker, or impede their progress and steal the item for themselves. Well, someone has gone after an artifact said to grant immortality, and this just might catch the attention of some other opportunists. Check it out here.

The Daily Weekly is Hiring- Periodically, we throw out reminders of jobs and the like. The daily weekly is an online Valucre based news area, and the reporters are you and your characters. You can either work freelance and get paid as you go, or pay a bit upfront to get a license to work as a press person for the long term. You can look at details here.

Battle for Crescent Knoll- I'm borrowing directly from the thread author, as she put it quite well: "Though the original site for Crescent Knoll was destroyed by the Phaeleros during the Plague Times in what is now called the Betrayal at Crescent Knoll, Ilsabet Melarne and the Sisters of the Pentacle of Eilaria moved the city, which is now a well-hidden, tree-top village. During their period of recovery, the darker skinned Moon Elves made this village their home and serve as the self-proclaimed Guardians of the Forests of E’Kraune. With a bolstered defense of sentries and priestesses, all of whom have spent centuries dedicating their lives to the mystical ways, these powerful elves are the first and last defense of all that may endanger their beloved forest.

However, it seems that their merit will be tested once again. Led by the Lich King known as Locien, the Phaeleros have returned to finish what they started all those years ago, seeking the complete and utter destruction of Crescent Knoll and the assimilation of its powerful inhabitants into their dark legion." If this sounds like something that might interest you, you can go check it out here.

Question of the Week!!!

Well, this week I did not quite get as many as last week, but we still had our fair share of answers. Three people got in touch and let me know what they do in regards to editing their work before dropping a post. While only three, we got some good mileage from their answers, so I am not complaining! So, without further ado, let's look at those answers!

First Response: "If I posted my first response in a thread you guys would just about die. I use hell I don’t know what you call it. Text speak? Butchered words? Like fuk this sux. Glad 2 meet u. Stuff like that. First I do it because its easier on me then I translate it. Then I look it over to see if it makes sense. I post it and when I see something else wrong I change it. Sometimes someone lets me know I screwed it up. I fix it then. I think I put effort into it. It takes me a while to type and post what you see. I don’t think this varies with what I do. I don’t think I understand the second half of this question. I write about my characters using the same way every time."

Second Response: "I try to get every post as perfect as I can before I post it. I always preview it to make sure the BBcode all worked, and I read through it at least once, fixing the inevitable omitted word or redundancy. If a post takes me a long time to write, like if I keep coming back to it over the course of a day to add another sentence, or if I finish really late at night, I'll sometimes save it until the morning and make sure I didn't say something crazy.

I'll also read it again once I've posted it officially. For whatever reason, I can reread a draft six times, and it seems perfect until the second I publish it, at which point I catch a handful of mistakes. I probably edit about half of my IC posts in some minor way after they've been published.

I'm obsessive about it because, when I read, I'm deterred by the slightest grammatical mistake, and I don't want to subject my own readers to the same unfortunate fate. I have genuine difficulty comprehending the sentence if a word is misspelled, misused, or missing altogether. It then takes a lot of concentration for me to go back and decipher the meaning, which disrupts the flow of the post, and then I'm just totally thrown off and have to start all over to get what's going on. If I'm already involved in the thread, I will make the effort…but if I'm not, I tend to lose interest immediately.

…It's a personal problem."

Third Response: "As pathetic as it sounds, usually not. Most of the time I submit it, reread it, and then edit it. I just like seeing all of the formatting codes in effect when I reread. I suppose I could just preview it though. Anyway as I said usually not but lately I have been taking a bit of time to reread before submitting. Normally the things I'm correcting are typographical errors and grammatical errors that immediately stand out. This normally doesn't take me more than five or six minutes.

Now with that being said there have been three posts to date that I have spent hours rereading and editing. This is because of the near professional nature that is required of them. 

So tl:dr I'm a lazy f**k who normally doesn't put any real effort into editing my posts."

Thank you everyone who took the time to drop an answer!

Alright, because this is Thanksgiving, I have to go with a bit of a cliche sort of question:

What about Valucre are you thankful for?

Straightforward enough, right? What about Valucre do you feel thankful for having. Do you like that we have Storytellers? Do you like the type of members we have? How the site is managed? Anything at all, because it's all about what you feel thankful for. Answering with "The Blog" will certainly earn Kudos, but it will nbot improve your chances of winning the drawing next month. :P

Speaking of which...

This is the last update of the month. Each month, we shall take the last Thursday off, meaning you will not have another update until December 6th. However, this does mean you have two weeks to get your blog answers in!

Say Hello to Our New Members and Returns!

I'll tell you, one thing I'm thankful for our those new members who come aboard. What is a role-play site without brand new role-players to get involved in all the fun? How else can we meet new people, replenish the ranks, and expand the variety of RP we offer without first recruiting the new bloods? And of course, you must appreciate the moments where someone who left has returned to the family!

Hello, New Members:

Welcome, Bakalover

Welcome, Splinteredsanity

Welcome, Niall

Welcome, Linova A

Welcome, PrinceKaito

Welcome, Ravishing

Welcome, Mezua

Welcome, Rourke

Welcome, Frosted

Now, let us give a big welcome back to our one return for the week!

Happy to have you back, Zedkiel

Not a bad list rounding out our new folks. I expect the first list of next week should have a pretty good count, since it will entail two weeks of newcomers. Look forward to greeting all of you. :)

Other Highlights?

Alright. Just because this is a day of giving thanks for all the good things, I am just going to drop down a couple more highlights, complaint free. No griping, moaning or anything else. Just straight up good bits to help supplement your Valucre experience. 

Open Thread Listing- So, do you sometimes feel like the watercooler might just be a little too overwhelming for you to dig through? Do you really just want to find an open thread somewhere, just about anywhere, that you can jump into and get straight to the role-playing? Well, we have a solution for you fine folks, called the Open Thread Listing. Periodically, members of staff add threads with the [OPEN] tag to this thread, located in the watercooler itself, to make it easier to find the open threads if you are searching for nothing too specific. Just another way Valucre tries to help make your life easier. ;)

Code of Conduct- Hey, are you wondering what are the general rules for your interactions on the site? Ever wonder if perhaps there might be something to help guide you on the etiquette we use on the site? Or, if you feel you are doing okay, but have an issue with someone else, are you wondering how you get that problem person worked with? Well, we do have a Code of Conduct page, which also lists the complaint process. So, if you are unsure if your interactions are quite up to snuff, or if you are having a lot of trouble with someone and want to file a complaint, this is the place for you. You find it in the General Tab, but you can also click here.

Closing Thoughts?

I think it would only figure that a Turkey's main thoughts at this time of the year is for you to find some alternative meat (or even non-meat) dish to serve as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving meal. Unfortunately for the turkey, many of us enjoy our roasted turkey, and look forward to this day of the year with a special gleam in our eyes and just a shining hint of saliva forming at the corner of our mouth's (okay, maybe that is just me). Turkey is great, and while I enjoy having it every now and then, Thanksgiving is the one time of year where they make buying an entire Turkey economically feasible. So, let's hear it for the turkey.

Now, the little bit on the Turkey is just an aside, and is not the parting thought for this week. Once again, I turn to the holiday cliche, and have decided that this week, I'd like for all of us to reflect on what we are thankful for- that is, what we are thankful for in our lives, and not just Valucre in general, which our question of the week reflects. 

Sometimes, I think it is all too easy for us to forget the good things we have going for us in our lives. Often, we grow frustrated and angry with issue and kinks that come up in our daily lives, and we forget that these are the things we jokingly refer to as “First World Problems”. Yes, it is inconvenient when the line at Dutch Brothers is unbelievably long. It can be frustrating when your internet is acting up, your text takes too long to send, or you cannot yet afford that new accessory for your Iphone. I’m pretty sure we’re all guilty of this to an extent- myself included- because it is easy to become so acclimated to our lifestyles, that we forget about how much worse it could be.

Today is the one day of the year where we stop and give thanks for the things we have (Well, for us in the United States, our Canadian friends already had their day, but just bear with us folks :P ) in our lives. Chances are, if you are reading this blog, you have a roof over your head, food to eat, and internet to watch all the cat videos on. This is a lot more than what some other people have, and so even if you sometimes go without- remember, there is much worse than where you are now.

I’m thankful for the fact that I have a job, even if I am frequently frustrated by it. I’m thankful that I have family to visit, even if a few of them are folks that are challenging to spend several hours with. I’m thankful that I’m not picking up the pieces after a major hurricane, even if the weather out here has become really unpleasant as of late. There are good things and there are bad things, but what thing we sometimes forget, is that there is almost always worse things.

So, today, reflect on the good things in your life, and be thankful for what you have.

If what you have is someone else- then give thanks to them too.

And on that note, I’m signing off with a big thank you to all of you at Valucre, who helps feed my passion for writing, and making me want to come back for more. And a second slice of pie to all of you regular readers- you make me feel pretty damn good.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, see you all in December!

 -          Acies

The most beautiful things are those that madness prompts and reason writes.  ~André Gide

Speak to Me Softly, O' Sweet Valucre,

And Let our Pillow Talk become the Stuff of Lasting Prose...

That's right- while some high ranking officials might have a bit of trouble keeping certain parts inside their pants when in polite company, Valucre certainly has no qualms about taking you off your feet and whispering sweet nothings. And unlike those aforementioned officials, anything we have to share is not matters of security, but the beauty of written words that must be seen and heard by all!

Now, if I've completely lost you, it means you do not follow any source of news media whatsoever, and further- that means I envy you. >_> As much as I dislike the media machine, I find myself inexorably drawn to the appeal of its hidden gems buried beneath layers of manure. 

Fortunately, Valucre is nothing of the sort, with no caked on layers of dung hiding the glimmering gems we've got here waiting for you. So enough with the idle chatter, let's get this blog going. 

What's Happening Valucre?

Academy of Mages: Confluence- This is a user submitted one, where I was asked to shed a bit of light and attention on an open role-play taking place inside Coastal Grand. While Genesaris has a couple locations most renowned for their Mages, many other large areas have their own schools for the arcane as well, Coastal Grande no exception. This is thread will encompass the discovery of new lands (Hydra's Hollows), uncover the secrets of the bloodmage mountains, and grant opportunities to gain great power. So buckle up your seatbelts travelers, it's going to be a long and windy ride. Are you up for it? AoM: Confluence

Quest for the Rod of Peter the Dark- So, someone has started the quest for a Terran Artifact. What does that mean for you? Well, that means you have an open thread available to you, with lots of opportunity for action and challenge. Artifact Quests often entail difficult journeys and long trials, requiring some pretty good work to earn what you seek. The best part though- you can choose to help, or you can interfere. Are you the type who favors doing none of the work and getting all the glory? Perhaps tailing the group for a while, waiting until they approach the apex of their mission, and then dropping down and stealing the prize at the last possible second, perhaps that is for you. Either way, you can check it out here: Join, but watch your insides

Gods, in Dougton- Annnnd no, the god is not Alexander Worthington. :P  This is a Terrenus level 3 quest- by level 3, that means this quest is *SERIOUS BUSINESS*, and you know it's big because I went all caps on it. Level 3 quests carry a significant degree of risk for those involved, so any who plan to join this should do so with the realization that your character will come out of this with a minimum of a few new scars, if not serious injuries and/or death. The quest itself is trying to defeat a sect of evil clerics whose intent is to summon a Godlike monster to the world, their goal to see the world go down in flames. This quest has started and stopped on more than one occasion, and we're hoping this time around it will go start to finish. I (Acies) will be the storyteller assigned (again), so be prepared for one heck of a ride. Can you face the gods?

For the Experienced Writer: New Playground- Oniclymatic has put a lot of work into preparing this bit, developing some lore and basis to help get a new Terrenus location, for a lack of a better term, put on the map. He seeks some experienced and talented folks (Be you an older member or newer member) to come help build upon the lore and turn this generic island into something viable and worthy of regular role-play. You're welcome to make a new character or develop a means for an old one to be present, and you have a great deal of creative control. Hey you writers- this is an open sandbox. Go play in it!

The Death of Earth- This is a semi-open role-play seeking some players to join up in the Survival GM section. I've got a penchant for these types of things, so when I saw it, I knew I had to toss it up here and give it some exposure.... entirely because other people like post-apocalyptic stuff too. 0_0 The rundown is short and sweet- limited number of participants allowed to represent the limited amounts of survivors, who are trying to outlast new monsters, plagues and the risk of starvation. Are you a survivor?

Market Changes- Yep, in the next couple of months, you can expect some major market changes taking place worldwide. We're revamping and standardizing the system, to make the Valucre Economy make more sense. This means the director's shop is going to merge with the main Genesaris shop, and that prices are going to see some changes- likely price increases, sorry. =(. That means, if you've had your eyes on something, NOW IS THE TIME to get them. As the penguin emperor has put it (The Hummingbird): "Come give me your VB, before things go up!"

Question of the Week!

Guess What??

Last week's question seemed to have more success, because I got some answers this time around- and good ones at that. I appreciate the feedback guys, and I definitely appreciate those who drop off suggestions. Keep them coming, because if they are of interest to you, they might be of interest to many others. 

Question of Last Week: What is your writing music?

The answers, as submitted and with zero to minimal editing:

First Response: "My musical preference, as with my writing, and pretty much everything I do for that matter, is almost always based on my mood. So the list below will contain many different band names.

Two Steps From Hell

-This is one of my favorites. I have a playlist ready for when I'm on Val.

Yellowcard, Paramore, AC/DC. Alter Bridge, Lostprophets, The Goo goo dolls, Anberlin, 30 Seconds to Mars, Escape the Fate, Breaking Benjamin, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy, Go Radio, Maroon 5, Incubus, Linkinpark, Mariana's Trench, Motion City Soundtrack, Panic at the Disco, Owl City, A Skylit Drive, Story of the Year, John Meyer, Vertical Horizon, Sugar Ray, Third Eye Blind... And many more!

I find that music helps magnify your emotions, which is very good for when you're writing a post about that epic battle scene, mischievous and malevolent act of violence, or sorrowful lament about the passing of a friend.

Often before writing I play my guitar and sing. it helps get my writing mojo flowing and the words just keep pouring out after that.

Not included in the list is classical music. Although i enjoy listening to Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven, they tend to lull me into a state of listlessness; not very good for when you have posts to write."

Second Response: "I have trouble reading/writing when there are words in the background (television, conversations, music).  If I do listen to music while I'm writing, it has to be instrumental, or it has to be in a language other than English.  Usually, it's Buena Vista Social Club, but now that I'm finally catching on to the words, it's not going to work for long.  More often, I don't listen to music at all, but I am a big fan of white noise.  This: Sample Youtube Video has been in my headphones for the past hour, and it will stay there until I leave work. O.o"

Third Response: "The type of music I listen to for inspiration depends on two key factors. The first is what I am writing about and the second what kind of mood I am. If I can't synchronize my emotions/mood to the tone of what I am writing then I typically attempt to listen to music that can put me in that state of mind. Otherwise the lack of harmony normally causes an extremely substandard work of crap to be produced.

As a rule of thumb though I tend to listen to stuff that is aggressive, high energy, fast paced and doesn't require your attention to be enjoyed. A lot of times it is techno or trance. The lack of words makes it easier to remain focused on what I am writing. 

Now for the slightly more complex answer.

When it is combat related: The more aggressive the better. I tend to lean toward rock or rape. Remember The Name is a pretty good song by Fort Minor. Some of Linkin Parks stuff is acceptable such as Bleed it out.

When I'm doing scenes that involve Sadism or Torture I tend to lean toward things reminiscent of classical music. Bond and Escala have numerous songs that give me inspiration.

Touching, Sentimental, or Romantic scenes can be reinforced with songs like: Where'd you go by Fort Minor. Sometimes listening to Dance/Eletronica music that was specifically created for the female demographic can help too.

And for anything else? Just apply the rule of thumb, fast and upbeat."

Fourth Response: "I wanted to share my roleplay music. I always listen to the soundtrack of Bastion. It's got enough variety for all sorts of roleplay scenes and genres, but I find doesn't distract me enough to hinder the writing process itself. Plus I have such a thing for eerie music. Bastion Sample"

There you have it, four answers this week, and I got suggestions from a couple folks as well. I appreciate the feedback everyone, and I think this is a great way to share some stuff about as role-players and writers, as well as give ideas to others. 

So, on to this week's question: Do you edit an RP post prior to submitting it? If so, how much effort do you put into the editing? Does this vary with what you do, and if so, what causes that Variance? 

A bit of a two part question, but I am looking forward to hearing back from all of you. :)

Say Hello to our New and Returning Friends!

Well, this was not a super packed week of newcomers, but we had a fair number come in nonetheless. On top of that, we had three members return to us (two on a brief hiatus, one from a longer one) and we're certainly glad to see them back. So, say hello to the newest members of Valucre:

Welcome, Chaoscaine

Welcome, KikiBlueFox

Welcome, Palabra

Welcome, Yukio

Welcome, d3adlysc0rpi0n

Welcome, Spook

Welcome, Marquis

Welcome, Soap MacTavish

Welcome one and all, I hope you enjoy. Remember to take a few peaks at the walkthrough and lore, touch base with Outreach if you feel a little lost, and if you need a safe and easy place to start- check out the Tavern of Legend.

Now, say hello to our returning friends:

King
Supernal
Pain Invictus

Glad to have you guys back.

Other Hightlights?

After all that I give you- all of these special mentions, focus on the new members, detailed answers to the questions of each week- you still ask for more. What more do you want? The flesh from my bones? The blood in veins? The number to my checking account as well as the routing information?

Yeah, I bet that one took your interest. Forget it, just have some highlights. >_>

The Ignore List- Oh, here is a good one- why have I not gone through and brushed my highlights over this one before, I cannot be sure. If there is a certain someone on Valucre, or more than one for those of you who have trouble getting along with others (no fingers pointed, of course :P ), you can ensure that you will never see one of their posts again! By adding someone to your ignore list, you will no longer see posts the person makes, and therefore no longer have to put up with reading things that might not satisfy your palette. If you feel like they target you, putting them on the ignore makes it that you won't see it, and therefore, feel no need to deal with it. Great way to deal with those negative interactions you cannot seem to resolve peacefully.

Now, how do you use this wonderful tool you might ask? Why, go to your settings menu, look to the left, and scroll about halfway down, to the section called "My Account". Edit ignore list is the last option there. 

Manage Attachments: Hey, do you use attachments a lot, and then forget what you have attached to the site and where, or just plain want to shed a few away? Well, you can manage your attachments! All you need to do is step inside your settings panel, look to your left set of menues, and go down toward the bottom, where it says "Miscellaneous". There will be your attachment management.   

And a Third??

Yes, a third. I want to highlight the Blog Submission Form once again, because I've now fleshed it out to include more options. You can not only submit threads for our What's Happening Valucre section, but now I have it set up so you can submit your answer for the Valucre Question, and any suggestions you might have (question, etc). The form gets sent straight to me as a PM, and makes it easier for me to catch the PM as a blog submission, while making it easier to organize for you. Win-Win for all! The form is located under the Forms section, and it now looks like this: New Blog Form

As always, you can just do a straight up PM, or leave a comment below (Those are more than welcome, for any prospective members who we get to stumble across our blog!)

Closing Thoughts?

Today, I thought I would talk about improvement in writing. Let me first preface this with a bit of a disclaimer- this is NOT directed at any one individual, or directed at any group of individuals for that matter. My intent is to hold a general discussion on the idea of improving writing skill, without holding anyone in mind. I hope to convey some thoughts that can help anyone, from the novice writer to the affluent wordsmith. 

I’ve enjoyed writing for a long time. I first discovered a passion for writing when I was in the third grade, and our primary English assignments were turning in writing submissions (short stories, poems, etc), and then working with a teacher on how to improve them. Given the encouragement to write- and write a lot at that- I discovered a true passion for it. Once I sat down and started working out my own ideas, I soon discovered an inextinguishable passion for the written word. Not just in reading, and boy was I a voracious reader of books, but for creating these stories myself. 

I like to think of myself as a decent writer. I’m my own worst critic, and sometimes, I will tear apart and try to rebuild works in which I find nothing but faults, where others told me they thought it was fine. Other times, I’ve managed to write short bits that even I was satisfied with, left with a rare feeling of achievement that simply resonates within you in ways that nothing else can. Of course, the best times are of those moments where you wait in anticipation, fretting with nervous hope that the person who reads your  hard work (teacher, state grading official ((state tests))) finds it half as good as you wished it to be. Then, in that moment of absolution, you learn that they loved it.

In those moments, you swear you could die from the ecstasy. 

How does this all relate back to the point? Well, I said I like to see myself as a decent writer, and assuming the feedback I get is honest, I can feel reasonably safe in that assumption. But, have I always written like this? Does this level of writing occur as my natural baseline, in which there has been no need to improve? 

OF COURSE NOT!

I tend to horde previous assignments- the ones I did well on in high school and made me feel so proud. Occasionally, when I’m moving stuff around, I stumble on those old assignments. The feelings of nostalgia take over, and it’s only natural that I wind up plopped down on the floor, reading my own work. 

It’s terrible!

Well, perhaps I am too hard on myself- in comparison to where I am now, the work is something I would feel ashamed to show off to others. The ideas aren’t bad, some of them were interesting and creative stories- but the quality is off. I made mistakes I wouldn’t make now, my flow feels off, I can see ways to improve sentences even as I read through it. I find that this little piece of my history, one I held in such high esteem, is nothing like I remembered it. 

Because I have improved. 

Day after day, one bit of writing after another, I have found ways to improve. I read constantly, paying attention to structure and flow, the voice that an author gives his characters and the way (s)he expresses their thoughts. I focus on the details and the way information is delivered, and from all these books I read, I absorb something. I do the same thing even when posting, paying attention to the parts of another’s writing that I enjoy a great deal, learning from them what I can and then trying to find little ways to apply it to my own work, in ways that fits my own style. 

If I feel a bit of doubt in how I should write something, I go out of my way to learn. I take on those confusing rules and almost archaic requirements, turning to books and the internet (yes, the series of tubes does have more than pr0n and MMORPGS) to learn different rules I was unsure of before. I actively pursue improvement, because I know that the journey to better writing starts with lifting up my own two feet, and taking those steps forward, one at a time. 

Don’t lift both at once, you’ll fall on your rump. 

Now, something I’ve observed is that writing around other talented, well learned writers often leads to improvements that seem to occur naturally. I can speak for others, because I am no mind reader of course, but it seems like others consciously or unconsciously adapt to different writing styles, and incorporate improvements. The more they write, and the more they write with good writers, the better people become. 

A lot of writing does have a technical side to it- the grammar, structure, words used and how they are woven together- but a part of it is the voice, passion, the eye for how things go together. These things can be learned to, to an extent, but it takes a great deal of work and dedication. If you want to improve as a writer, you must be willing to take feedback, look at your work critically, and strive to make those improvements. 

My opinion: 

Not everyone can become a Great Writer. Just like some people will never become concert pianists, or world renowned violists, or operatic singers, there are just levels of ability that can only be achieved through a combination of hard work, practice, learning, and natural ability.  

ANYONE can become a Good Writer. People can learn how to play the piano, and with enough hard work, play it well. People can become good violinists, producing pleasant music we can all appreciate. Short of having a tonal disorder, people can even become halfway decent singers, with enough lessons (in my case, it would take A LOT of lessons, ha ha). As with any of those, people can become good writers. They can develop skill sets that allow them to write pieces we can all enjoy and appreciate. They can write papers that impress teachers, and make others smile.

Sure, not everyone has the natural raw talent to become one of the greats. 

But ANY one of us can become good. And good is certainly something worth achieving, if you love this craft enough. 

My point to take home- never let yourself get discouraged, and never give up learning. Be willing to take the feedback, look for the things others do well, and be open to new ideas. Write your heart out, because if this is what you enjoy, you should love the journey it takes to develop mediocre skills into good ones, or develop rough talent into a polished gem. 

I look forward to reading your work, and continuing in sharing mine.

That concludes my Closing Thoughts. 

Stay awesome Valucre, I have to get back to writing my NaNoWriMo novel. 

- Acies

"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do things worth writing." 

~Benjamin Franklin 

When All Was Said and Done...

Florida Still Could not Make a Decision

Welcome to another weekly installment of the Valucre Blog, and unlike the Florida, you can be sure that we know what we want and how we're going to get it! What we want is some more Valucre, right?

Alright, let's leave Florida alone. At least this year their indecisiveness has not had any effect on the election nor has it has it in anyway delayed you getting your blog. So, without further ado, let's get this thing going!

What's Happening Valucre?

Spinal Chills Contest Results- Hey, the first annual Spinal Chills contest ended in a four way tie, if you can believe it. The winning works were: "Armin's Dead Lullaby" by Armin, "Spinal Chills" by Acies, "The Tragedy of Venus" by Phoenix Afire, and "Getting Her Back" by Blue Shoelaces. Congratulations to the winners, and a BIG thank you to everyone who participated. This contest went well, and you can bet more will come down in the future. :D

NaNoWriMo- Hey, were you aware that this is National Novel Writing Month? Did you know that some of your fellow Valucreans are doing just that? Well now, if you want to get involved, it certainly isn't too late- you are just going to have to write at a good pace. If you start today, you'll need to average 2,174 words per day- which is achievable! If you know someone is working at it, cut them some slack and give them your encouragement, its a tough challenge! And if you want to do it and feel like some support might help, we do have a little group put together, found here. 

Looking for Leadership- As I am sure many of you are aware, Terrenus and Genesaris allow for you to have some leadership over certain lands, so long as you meet certain criteria. Well, one of Genesaris' subboards- the land of Gesen- is looking to do the same. If you'd like to contribute in some leadership direction with somewhere a little more down-scaled, with plenty of lore to work with- this might be the right place for you to come try it out and get your feet wet! Gesen Seeks Leadership

Help Wanted in Shrine City- Shrine City, a Southern Genesaris Capital suffering from growing pains, is in pursuit of committed writers who enjoy fleshing out roles and have the time to make some regular posting. A myriad of roles are available, and nearly every one is in some way guaranteed to get interaction from the main canon events affecting the city. If you want to be a part of the developing history, come see if something tickles your fancy. :) Help Wanted

Hunters' Guild- The Islyer's Gladiator beasts were set free from some unknown rebel group. This is creating quite the problem for the major entertainment group, and they need the help of some capable people to go and retrieve (or replace) creatures used in the pit fighting. Posts for this grouping should show some effort in tracking down and obtaining the creatures, but once you have done so, you can get some good VB payout. The amount varies based on the creature and the demand for the creature at the time. Come check it out. Monster Hunting

Blood tide on the SG Carrigan- Hey, someone tying the Dark Festival into actual canon- I love it! Anyway, this individual is chronicling his character's departure from Genesaris and his subsequent trip to Terrenus. This is intended to be a dark and thrilling ride across the seas, on a supernatural path where destinies may intertwine and fates can be determined. How will your character shape his own future, the future of this dark being, or the world itself? Sounds like there's some good and gritty potential, folks should take a look at the thread and contact the author. Alter the Future

Question of the Week!

Another week, and another round of sadness for me. I thought my question was clever, but alas, I only had one person who rose up to the question. So, I thank that person for giving their answer and with all their reasoning behind it. I did have one person lend me a suggestion for a question, and this week I am going to use it, because I thought it was great. If you have suggestions or thoughts, PLEASE send them in to me. I just might use it! 

The Question: Which character of any fictional media (comics, stories, movies, etc) would you elect as leader of your country?

Answer: 

Superman- Because he's super strong and an intrinsically good guy, and nobody would fuck with him, so he could take care of all crime everywhere, and with the prez out of the way, the rest of us could focus on running the country.

Let's see if we can do better next week. I know things have been busy, but keep in mind- every response is an entry for a $5 e-card to a place of your choice from previous places listed, or one of your suggestion, assuming it's feasible. 

Question for the Week:

What is your writing music? I think we've had a thread on this at some point, but I like it nonetheless. What are some things you like to listen to while writing? Is it one song, one band, one genre? Give us your examples. :)

Say Hello to Our New and Returning Friends!

Must be the time of year, but we have a pretty short list of new faces for this week. As it is the month of thankfulness, let us be thankful for the new members we have, and extend our deepest and warmest welcomes to them. Hello newcomers, we hope you enjoy your new home. :D

Welcome, Zorthul

Welcome, Whatthethundersaid

Welcome, Thorne

Welcome, Green_Rave

Welcome, Bosty23

And, let's give a hearty welcome back to one of well known members, who had to take a brief bit of time off to settle some real life events prior to returning. 

Welcome back Aleksei!

The amounts of new faces we get seems to flux with the events of the time and other factors, so I am not going to express disappointment in a shorter week, but rather focus on making sure that everyone here has a shot at getting the RP fix they need. Welcome to everyone, I hope we have what you are looking for- and if not, maybe we can create it together. ;)

Other Highlights?

One of these days, I'm going to remember to duck out of here right when this section rolls around. I just know that if I can time it right, no one will notice the missing highlights and jump straight onto other things. Right? RIGHT???

Anyway, here's your highlights, since yer twisting my arm about it. >_>

What's New- Well, with new styles and new setups, the What's New Tab is especially handy now. If you go to the What's New tab, you have an entire array of options laid out for you. First, it takes you to an activity stream that let's you see what is going on, at that time. Who recently posted where, what new threads are put up, who's been putting content into group sections, or perhaps new blogs? Of course, if this seems to broad for you, you also have easy access to the independent search features from here- New Posts, New Groups, New Blogs, etc. Handy stuff. :)

Additional Rep Info- Ever wonder who you might have repped most recently, or even how much rep you actually give? Well, with the new updates, you have access to it! If you go to your settings, where you see all the rep you have received, below this is a new section. It now shows your most recent rep giving history, as well as your total repping power. Now you have a good idea on your impact on others when you hand out some rep. Also- you'll note that you should get a notification when you receive rep- no more having to periodically check. ;)

What, a THIRD?- Yep, I am tacking on an extra just for today. I just want to remind you lovely folks that if you ever want to see something come up on the blog, you can submit it through the Forms Options in your General Tab. This works great for Highlights or What's Happening Valucre stuff, or even big announcements  I am also happy to take suggestions for Weekly Questions or closing thoughts if you have any, which can be shot to me via PM. In fact, if you have any kind of suggestions at all- feel free to let me know!

Closing Thoughts? 

Writing. 

It is one of those subjects where, even as I begin to organize my thoughts, I find I still have no idea where to begin, or even quite what I am looking to get after. Writing takes on different meanings for all of us, and how it influences our lives may have a unique relationship with you, or it might intertwine with the motives of many others. Perhaps the inconsistency is the only consistency, although I would venture to say there is at least one other: Those of us who do it regularly have relationships with our craft that sometimes surpass the depth and complexity of our relationships with other real people. 

The meaning of writing is unique to us all, and what words we use to describe this dynamic may resonate with one and not with another. To one person, writing may be very process in which they breathe, eat, and sleep. For others, it is merely an exercise in putting thoughts from chaos into order, binding them to reason through the bonds of words. 

It might be your lover; the presence that lies beside you on cold dreary nights while you’re alone and afraid, whispering soft and comforting words just to see you through the evening. It might be your passion; the force that sweeps you off your feet and fills you up inside, burning away old scars and dark memories, giving life to the dreams you thought you could never share. Perhaps it is neither of those, but simply an old friend, who comes around every now and then, giving words to things you could never say before. 

We devote a great deal of energy to writing, at least- any of us who do it beyond the times it’s required. Our reasons might intersect and intertwine, finding common cause and similar means, but to each of us, these reasons are our own, and what writing means to me is not necessarily going to resonate with you. Each of us see this exercise in our own ways, and some of us give more alliteration to the act than others. Some call their muse a living presence beyond themselves, others- perhaps only an extension from within. 

What does writing mean to you, and what is it you pursue as you bleed on every piece of paper? 

I ask not to achieve answers, but merely for the thoughts. In knowing what we are writing for, we can look at our process under new light, and perhaps pursue what it is that eludes us so often- the truth of what we really want. Expression? Validation? The reasons are uniquely yours, and they matter not to anyone else but you. Discover for yourself, what that reason is and what exactly writing means to you. 

In knowing what you pursue, you’ll know where to look. ;)

I hope that makes sense to some of you, at least have as much as it does to me. Have a great week folks. 

- Acies

“All writers are vain, selfish and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives lies a mystery. Writing a book is a long, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.” 

 ~George Orwell

Neither snow nor Rain nor Heat nor the Gloom of Unexpected Updates-

Shall Hinder the Coming of Your Blog- 

And that includes nasty storms as well!

That's right folks, we hit a bit of a bump this weekend, as Tebo helped get the site onto some newer and better things- things the site really needed- and things have been put a bit off course. In spite of these minor inconveniences, the blog shall go on!

So, with a nod of thanks to our tech support for the site (pushing through a nasty bug to boot), we move on with your regular installment of the weekly blog!

What's Happening Valucre?

Holiday Events Closing Soon, but not Quite- Well, due to the bit of downtime, all the Valucre sponsored Holiday events were pushed back 72hrs, giving people a chance to get last second submissions in for evaluation. Only one jack-o-lantern has shown up (Nice job btw ;) ), but we've had a good turn out for the writing submissions- thanks everyone! As for the Dark Festival, it too shall be wrapping up, with events closing on schedule, given that the events were longer term. However, if you missed it in the thread, here's the low down:  Dark Festival is to wrap up by Friday Midnight( 12:01am Saturday). What that means is that no new midway games can be started, and all attractions threads get locked. The costume contest will shut down for voting, but all current midway games still in progress will continue until completed or abandoned. The social lounge will remain open until interest wanes, or the games are all wrapped up, whichever comes first. Anyone with prize tickets can cash out after Friday, and cashouts are allowed for up to three days past the time the last game ends. So, if you were eager to get in on a game, you've got less than 48hrs to initiate one. If you want to do a game, we'll do a special: 10 tickets for 5vb, no admission cost. PM the key phrase: Under the Wire! to The Master of Ceremonies account by 3pm pst, and you get enough tickets to do a couple games. No regular tickets will be sold from here on out.

Thieves Guild Looking to Grow- I've already seen a few thieves coming out into the world, and I am sure more are to come. I think this adds a bit of interesting flavor to our RPs, as you never know who might spring up in an open thread to steal something nearby or even from you. If you like the rogue element, you should check out the thread here.

In Pursuit of Inquisitors- Ursa Madeum is still looking for some good men (or women) to join their ranks. If you think doing investigations- in ways that at the very least border on bullying and unethical- this could be right up your alley. I can tell you there is some intent to do some things with these guys for long term RP influence, so you might want to get in touch with Iron Fang, or check his thread here.

Where Men Find Glory- Morgan has put together what looks like could be one of our next major events, and I think people should really check it out. You can play as a gladiator or the owner of one, and use some investments to better odds of your champion pulling through. Hell, make a new set of characters if you wish to do something new and flavorful- and partner with someone. Maybe someone with decent VB and good coaching skills my want to take on a young prospect and help them wade through. In fact- I'll be the first. First person who in earnestness wants to go through this event and needs some help funding items and perhaps some coaching here and there- I'll be your owner. Check out the thread here.

A Couple Quick Messages-

1. The blog, starting this month, goes down by one update per month. This will tentatively be the update of the 29th, but if changes, I will let you know next week. On the off week, you get a newsletter. :)

2. Next week is NaNoWriMo- I know several of us have decided to take on the challenge, myself included. If you see a bit of activity dip, don't worry- it just means we're slaving away at a 50k word goal. Lend support to those you know who are brutalizing themselves with this. Your blog will update as usual, but I can't promise the same quality (I kid, I kid... or do I? 0_0) 

Question of the Week!

Well, I'm going to blame it on the hiccup, but I only had one response this week, bringing us to a total of six responses in the last two weeks, and a total of six people they came from. Perhaps the question was too similar to the last, who can say- it was what it was! :P Anyway, rather than keep rambling, I am going to just get on with giving the answer for this week, and then revealing the winner. Fortunately, this answer was broad and in depth, making it worth more than one answer (but not more than one entry into the drawing, sorry ;) ) 

What is your favorite Villain Archetype?

It's actually hard for me to pick just one that I enjoy playing. If I look the character I have played the longest he falls in multiple categories. He is the:

The TYRANT: the bullying despot, he wants power at any price. He ruthlessly conquers all he surveys, crushing his enemies beneath his feet. People are but pawns to him, and he holds all the power pieces. Hesitate before getting in this man’s way – he’ll think nothing of destroying you.

The BASTARD: the dispossessed son, he burns with resentment. He can’t have what he wants, so he lashes out to hurt those around him. His deeds are often for effect – he wants to provoke action in others. He proudly announces his rebellious dealings. Don’t be fooled by his boyish demeanor – he’s a bundle of hate.

The TRAITOR: the double agent, he betrays those who trust him most. No one suspects the evil that lurks in his heart. Despite supportive smiles and sympathetic ears, he plots the destruction of his friends. Never turn your back on him -- he means you harm.

The OUTCAST: the lonely outsider, he wants desperately to belong. Tortured and unforgiving, he has been set off from others, and usually for good cause. He craves redemption, but is willing to gain it by sacrificing others. Waste no sympathy on him - he’ll have none for you.

The SADIST: the savage predator, he enjoys cruelty for its own sake. Violence and psychological brutality are games to this man; and he plays those games with daring and skill. Run, don’t walk, away from this man – he’ll tear out your heart, and laugh while doing it.

That being said one of my favorite Movies/Books is American Psycho and I've had more Sadist like character's than anything else. I think there is a certain amount of freedom that comes with being a sadist. It's like being chaotic evil, you aren't limited in what you can or will do and you don't have to have the same reaction every time. It's not to be able to be free and impulsive especially when you practice such a large amount of control.

I think a lot of people probably see the sadist as a two dimensional character that just whimsically kills, I think there is a lot of potential to build a very deep character from what. There is a reason that he's so fucked up, and sometimes that back story can be brilliant. I mean what pushes a man to want to rip someone's ovaries out with his bare hands? It's probably something pretty damn good.

Out of all of the ones that I listed, which I like almost all of them equally, the sadist definitely takes the cake for me. I think a lot of people portray them as shallow characters, but when done right they most definitely can be some of the deepest, most complex, engaging, and even potentially hilarious character types..... depending on what your sense of humor is.

One heck of an answer, I thank the person who sent that in for giving some length to this section! 

Alright, the moment you've been waiting for- who is winning the E-card this month? 

Six entrants, each with an equal chance. I used a random dice generator and three 6d100, and got 2433, a hideously large number, but it brought me to this week's winner:

Congratulations K1b22, you have won this month's blog drawing. I'll be in touch with you shortly.

Question for this Week: 

Well, let's make it two. One is the question I post your answers to, the other is one I'm gonna keep. 

Question 1: Given our upcoming election (where I hope to all that you can hope to, we at least know who wins by the end of Tuesday, so this campaign season will END!), what fictional character would you elect for President, and why? Have as much fun with this as you want, and it can be an RP character, a book character, someone from a graphic novel/Manga/Comic, anime, whatever! Any fictional media. :)

If you live in another country, you can replace "President" with the form of leadership your country operates under. ;)

Question 2: Hey- I'm sometimes dry for ideas on things. So, answer me this, and I'll appreciate you greatly. What kinds of questions would you like to see get asked- these should be in some way related to Role-play, writing, or written fiction. Trying to keep on theme. :)

Thanks for the help, you're all beautiful people! ;)

Say Hello to Our New and Returning Friends!

The week was a bit slow for recruits, but we had upgrades take the site offline for a chunk of the weekend, and I imagine it played a part. I bet by next week, we'll be putting up better numbers again. :) 

No returns, so let's jump to our new faces. 

Welcome, Wildcard

Welcome, Pirate Queen

Welcome, BrobyDDark

Welcome, Wit

Welcome, Falron

Welcome, Carpe Noctem 

Welcome, Rebel Indian 1991

This week, we only saw 7 new faces, but I bet next week will have more. Nevertheless, thank you for stopping by, and I hope you find all your RP needs!

Other Highlights?

See, at least this week I come prepared. I know in advance what I'm covering this week, because I know- yes I know! that I'm going to get those looks, that evil glare, the threats... all the abuses I suffer (real and imagined ((okay, mostly imagined))) when I try to get out of this. Here's your highlights. >_>;;;

http://www.valucre.com/showthread.php/19400-Yatal!-Hello-in-Navajo

VB Donors- So, are you new and feeling a little light in the pockets? Or have you been around a while, but in spite of the work you've put out, you feel like your ultimate goal is eons away? Well, a new program has been created to help you! We have a growing list of members who are willing to help fund your ideas, if you can convince them of their merit. If you have an awesome idea, but lack the VB to get the setup you need, reach out to one of the folks listed here.

The Board Markets- So, you are looking to get some IC items and you want to do it in a way that feels legitimate and carries some weight inside canon? Well, look no further than the Board sponsored markets. A vast array of items are up for sale, from small and insignificant to some that are bordering on artifacts. If you feel like you might need to beef up a but prior to a quest, you can stop and shop in the Market! There will be some changes coming down the pipe soon, so watch for it. In the meantime, support the boards- profits typically go back into quest creation!

Closing Thoughts?

I usually use this space to mull over different topics pertaining to writing, role-playing, and other tidbits along those lines, but today I am going to slack a bit and redirect our attention to the folks in the Northeast.

That is a serious mess out there, and my heart goes out to the 75 (74 in America, 1 Canadian Neighbor) families (so far) who have lost someone. This storm is certainly one that was unprecedented and beyond expectation, and the amount of people it has affected is incredible. 

The weather is getting colder, and on the heels of that nasty storm came a blizzard, and while it stayed south of the main part of the mess, who knows what other sorts of weather patterns may come- millions without electricity, and the possibility of an early winter- it’s scary.

I don’t intend to dwell on the doom and gloom, but instead just want to illustrate the depth of the problems that many will face. In times of crisis, something as simple as keeping someone in your  thoughts can mean something- believe it or not- but if you can do anything, please do what you can.

Donating blood is often a big need, especially with medical emergencies that occur, and if you’ve got a few extra dollars, or perhaps something you don’t really need that you can take in for a few extra bucks- anything helps. People are going to need items to relieve basic needs, and to get back on their feet. 

Do what you can, and don’t feel guilty if it’s little or nothing. ;)

That’s the closing thought for this week, we’ll go back to regular discussions next week. 

- Acies

“The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.”

~ Philip Roth