I come before you today

not as a writer, but as a reader.

I've been interested in reading since I knew how to read, which was long before I got interested in writing. Mostly what I read were published works in papers, magazines or books. You know it has to be somewhat decent, having to pass by editors and publishers alike who have visions of what you should write whether you like it or not. And then I started writing myself, and that's when all hell broke loose.

Up until about 2003 or early 2004, the stories I wrote were fairly bad, the plot was probably the only exceptional about them, but the way it was executed drained everything out of it. Characters were flat one-dimensional nondescript people, and good guys always won with few or no problems, and bad guys lost. It took a man to break me out of the wall I had found myself inevitably a part of. Ramza Lionheart, self proclaimed Black Swordsman, if by any remote chance you're reading this, I just want to thank you for everything you've done. Or really, for that one review you left me ... or maybe it was a response to a review I sent you. Regardless, it certainly opened my eyes.

Reading his works was nothing short of amazing. He had the talent, the brains and the imagination to pull off complicated story lines, humor and action quite well. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he made it onto the publishing scene and shattered it like he tends to do. He and I stayed in contact for a while and then things happened and we went our separate ways.

While searching for a way to plug a DVD player into a TV through only a coax port, I discovered a CD with an unfinished story from 2002. Over 4 years old, it had lain in wait, patiently waiting to be finished. Well, it'll have to wait a little longer I'm afraid, but reading it after such a long time, it gave me a good chuckle. It was a classic example of how I always wanted the good guys to win, all of them. In some ways, DragonBall Z helped that mindset grow, because of the Dragon Balls, good guys who died could be wished back. But in watching other shows, people who died stayed dead.

How's this for a polar opposite? Yoshiyuki Tomino, creator of the Gundam saga, ended up earning the nickname "Kill 'Em All" Tomino for the number of named character deaths in Zeta Gundam and Victory Gundam. Reportedly he was in a depression when he made those two series, and he even wants to strike V Gundam out of the UC Timeline because he's over his depression and doesn't like it. Now I've watched both series (as well as most Gundam out there) and have seen the reactions garnered from killing everyone off.

You can't please everyone right? I sent "This Is War" to a friend of mine and she loved it. Other people found it mildly depressing. The choice I now have to make is how far am I willing to go? Which people am I trying to please? But that's actually going off topic from what this started out for.

Back on topic now. Ramza nuked my writing world, and I changed for the better. I used to frequent Fanfiction.net, perusing through the stories and seeing all of the ideas, some which were enticingly original, and others which were carbon copies of crap (no this ain't going to be an alliteration speech like V's from V for Vendetta). Late last night I came across a collection of short stories or drabbles which perked my interest.

It had to be the most original thing I've ever read this year, and probably most of last year. I sent her a PM over FF.net which apparently blew her away. All I did was let her know how good her stories were and that I'd be looking forward to reading more.

Sometimes you get a message that changes your world. It happens in more ways than one. The way I changed her world is completely different from how Ramza changed mine. Positive reinforcement. I simply spoke my views as a reader.

My current project "The Paradise War" starts out well enough. The problem I'm worried about is I'll fall into old habits that die hard. That is my main downfall as an author.

I've come before you today not as a writer, but as a reader. Take a couple of minutes and encourage talent. Life isn't always about you, sometimes it's about the other person.