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