'More About Me' Writer's Questionnaire

Well, it appears I've been tagged in yet another blog post, by none other than Deborah Kelty! And it's writing-related, which conveniently is going to be my theme for the rest of the month.

So without further ado, here are some fun questions and answers.

1. What was the first story you remember writing?

Uh... (thinks back to the days of being short and animal-obsessed) I don't recall for certain, but I do remember in first grade, we would do writing-related activities, so I'm sure I did some then. And then drew all over it, because when I was little, classwork and homework always seemed to end up decorated.

I also recall deciding I was going to submit a short story for the Neopian Times, basically an online newspaper on the game site Neopets. I was about eight at the time. It was about a kougra who finds an owner, then goes on an adventure. I never did get it published, but at the time it was probably the longest story I'd ever written.

2. Where do you gain your inspiration? 

Lots of different things, really. It's just whatever strikes a chord in my head.

For example, other stories provide a terrific way to get ideas. Whether it's written stories, TV shows, or movies, stories are just awesome. You find a great story, and you think about all the reasons you liked it, all the things you'd like to do in your own story. In converse, you might also say, "Now, if I were writing it, I would have probably done it this way instead..." Or you want to explore a similar concept that the story did, but in a different way.

On a few occasions, I'll be listening to a song, and it'll put a fabulous story idea in my head. 'Dreamer' and 'Sparrows' have been written this way. And I currently have an idea for a legend in my fantasy story, which will likely take place somewhere in northern Aesora. 

Information is another big one sometimes. That's a cool-looking bird, perhaps it could be the emblem of this kingdom. Oh, there's a legend of a disembodied moaning sound, said to be heard before someone dies? This will be great for world-building and adding tension to an upcoming scene.

3. Who/What exactly encouraged you to become a writer?

(points at overactive imagination that never stops story-telling) I'm not sure, what do you guys think?

Aside from the obvious rambling issues within my brain, I enjoy writing stories. I decided around sixth grade that I was going to be a writer, and somehow, that dream actually stuck.

4. If you had a choice between past or present tense to use, which one would you pick?

Past tense, I suppose. It's what I often write in.

5. Do you have some type of "kryptonite" weakness?

I think Deborah Kelty pretty much hit the nail on the head with her answer. "I should write... oh look, pictures of dogs!" While the internet is good for research, it's also a place of distraction. It's both the black hole of time-wasting, and the black hole of world-building (actual file name).

6. On the flip side, do you have a type of "superman" strength?

Losing my mind.

Wait, that doesn't count? Darn. Okay, how about being an insane psychotic do-everything-the-hard-way OCD perfectionist?

Okay, I'll be serious now. (sort of) I think perseverance would be one of them. Even when the story I write isn't working out, or I realize I made a bunch of mistakes that must be fixed, or that I really don't know what I'm doing in a story, I'm too stubborn to quite writing. Some of the not-working-out tales are 'on hold' (forever, probably, ha ha), but the overall concept of being a writer continues.

Plus, the fact that I'm a perfectionist. Which is probably why being determined is good, because getting things right takes a while. But hopefully there won't be many errors as a result of my perfectionism.

7. Are there any guilty pleasures of yours?

Epic procrastination? I keep playing games, exploring social media, and other time-wasting activities. And then the internet goes out, and I use the opportunity... to draw a water horse. Well, technically it's related to world building, right?

8. Is there a genre of media/entertainment you've not seen but want to try out one day?

I'm curious to see what a tabletop role-play game is like. My brother always has interesting tales about playing 'Dungeons and Dragons'. He's an evil dungeon master...
"I'm trying to make the paladin turn evil."
"So I decided to mess with the characters' minds, and the other players have no idea what's going on."
"Due to a series of bad dice rolls, everyone died or was enslaved."

9. And finally, what is your favorite writing snack?

There's so many things to choose from. But things like chips, small candies (such as M&Ms), or nuts are good mindless snacking. Until you realize you ate all the Pringles, that is.

I'll help you find those lost Pringles! (crunch, munch)
No, I don't have sour cream and onion breath, why do you ask?

10. So, would you do more Q&A's like this?

If it involves finding pictures of a cute kitten peeking out from a Pringles can, yes. If not... well, I'll just have to look them up myself while I'm doing the next Q&A post.

...And maybe next time, I'll be less distracted by Facebook, online games, and finding the perfect images for the blog post. This is Meowmocha, signing out to possibly (no guarantees) finally get some writing done in a fantasy world instead of on social media sites.

Oh look, a music video...