Casey’s answer to “Do you think your years of tabletop roleplaying influence how you write? Our DM wrote books for him…” > Likes and Comments
1 like · Like
I live in the city where the original Judges Guild opened up. One of my friends was someone who wrote some of the original materials for D&D supplements. My friend that wrote the novels used to game at the Judges Guild. Most of my friends gamed there. We would power game and all of that gaming experience shaped our creative lives to some degree, so I'm not surprised it had an effect on you. Perhaps the best writers are gamers, even if they don't know if yet ;-) I ran games for some groups and played in others. I prefer to play, but when I create a world, it is a lot of work. When you created your worlds for others, was it a lengthy process? Maybe you could create books from games that you ran. I will be getting Malfus at the beginning of next month. I could read it on Kindle, but I'd rather have a copy of it ;-) Nothing like a gamers mind to write books lol
Perhaps I'll get a signed copy directly from you as I saw on your website I just found :-D
Thank you!! I'm also working on sprayed edge versions of those too! :D
And awesome! Just read the other comment. For me, worldbuilding came second to chracter and plot (well I guess third). I did want to say for me I think most heavily borrowed from the magic systems of D&D. I really wanted to explore what necromancy was like especially from the close POV of a character kind of the way Sanderson does in his books.
I definitely added my own take on it, so it hopefully doesn't come across as too much of a D&D game on the page. I'm also working on the next book and have a couple more magic systems/schools coming, but can't say too much yet!
It was a bit of a lengthy process creating my world. Especially the map, but I did do some worldbuilding up front before the story, but I did a lot of it as I was writing too. And if something came up in the world that changed something, I'd go back and fix it or add a little bit of the world to in some lines of dialogue or something in one of the earlier spots. :)
The magic systems in D&D are amazing. There is so much information and so many different components to casting the spells that it would lend itself to great story writing. I could see that being used for your books.
I imagine I will like it no matter whether it read like a D&D campaign or not, just because I loved the game. It wasn't even my first game as that dubious honor goes to Call of Cthulhu, Cthulhu by Gaslight lol I have played in so many systems but D&D is my all-time favorite.
Interesting about the necromancy angle. Is necromancy something you always had an interest in? Is it one of the reasons that you wanted to write ... to bring to life a necromancer? In other game systems, I played a master or entropy and was a necromancer in the game. I was a witch in real life so to speak and now a Druid lol Necromancy is something that draws me in and would make me want to read more, so I love the angle ;-) You are talking to one of the OGs ... Original Goths :-P
When you realize you wanted to add something, and you would go back and add lines of dialogue to make it fit, does it ever make you reconsider adding it? I write, but only for myself. I have tried doing what you said and it felt like I had to go and change too much to add it and felt like I would never find a way.
I noticed on your website you were going to start offering the sprayed versions of the books and I look forward to that. I'd be black and red all the way ;-) You are going to start offering them soon? I saw where you said to pick a color, but it doesn't allow it yet.
Another silly question, but as a gamer, it's interesting to get another person's perspective ... did you use music in your gaming sessions? If you did, do you use music when you write for inspiration? We played music that was in line with the game we were playing. Kind of like setting the mood I guess lol
Leaving a short comment here to say I read this and I'll get back to you soon!
I'm back!!
I haven't played Call of Cthulu, but I looked through one of the books. I've always liked the idea of some of this giant ancient evil beings.
Ha ha! An OG! I love it! I admittedly had a goth phase in high scool, ha ha! I've always thought necromancy was cool, but honestly here is the main reason I chose it...
I feel like whether it's a book, movie, video game, or even D&D book adventure with necromancers, no one ever explains how it works at all or what controlling undead would be like. I've always thought it was silly that some adventurers etc. walk into a dungeon and attack some skeletons. Then go to the next room and fight some zombies, and so on until they get to the necromacer and he's basically surprised they made it.
Wouldn't the necromancer be aware of what his minions were? Or at a minumum that one of his skeletons was just killed?
So I wanted to go detailed into the POV of the necromancer and show what it would be like controlling undead and being aware of them and tried to make it as "realistic" as possible.
Yeah, sometimes going back and adding stuff was a pain. Most of the time I didn't have to change too much, but sometimes I did. Honestly, by the end, there was so much editing and rewriting I just got used to it. The first draft ended with 125k words and the final version after all edits was 100k words. And nothing was really taken out story wise, just condensing the writing and getting rid of repatitive sentences.
I did use music in my sessions and I do use music when I write too! For both of them, it always has to be music without lyrics. If I'm listening to something with words, I can't write at the same time. I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks or video game music covers! :D
And yes!! I'm hoping to have the books ready very soon! I'm making some more and I'll make a few more black and red ones today! I'm hoping to have them ready by 8/1!
I wish I could upload photos to comments because you would see my little 4" Cthulhu statue sitting at the base of my monitor, watching my every keystroke. It was a birthday gift. H.P. Lovecraft was one of my favorite authors, as was E.A. Poe. When we had to memorize a poem for English Lit. class, I chose "The Raven." Wow, I had never seen a teacher get so angry over someone doing what they asked. lol My poetry has been likened to Lovecraft/Poe, at least in style, even if not technical merit.
At least I was not the only one who went through a goth phase. Admittedly, I'm still a goth at heart even if I ditched the emo attitude and dress code lol
I find your choice in necromancy to be brilliant. You had legitimate questions and ones that others might have or would have had. Turning them into a way to create the answers would open up a new world and I'm excited to read about it soon in your book. I believe that even if a book is a work of fiction, it should read like it was as real as possible. Doing a necromantic book from the POV of the necromancer would read better than someone viewing it from the outside, which leaves unanswered questions. Great idea!
I will stick with making changes like that. I never thought we could get used to making those kinds of changes. That's why I write for myself instead of marketing my work. Friends and family read some of my work but are too close to the church to enjoy some of my writing. I stick with darker love poetry instead of my short stories. They are only a bit disturbed but never insulted or cross their religious lines. I try to respect all people's walks of life. I am happy you said that you eventually got used to it. It gives me hope, so thank you for that.
Ha ha! I am the same way when it comes to lyrics and trying to write. Music inspires and helps me write, but lyrics do not. I can write and have written lyrics for songs but never did it while listening to music. I find that a little contradictory, but there it is. I listen to so many different types of music that I could spend an hour just trying to choose what to listen to. One of the things that I felt helped inspire me to write something written in a different time, such as ancient times was playing Yo-Yo Ma or some John Williams. Others have played ancient styles of music that I love listening to. When playing a game, if it's modern, we listen to modern music. If the game is set in a certain period, we try to keep the music in keeping with the game.
For instance, during our 1890s Cthulhu campaign, we listened to George J. Gaskin, George Washington Johnson, and Len Spencer. When we played Cthulhu in the 1920s we switched to music from that decade. It feels like it lends an air of authenticity to the game. I can see how it would inspire you when writing too.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. It shows me how much you love doing what you do and that makes me want to read your books even more. On the first or second, you can count on me to order one of the red and black if you're ready for it! I also hope others read and get a great sense of the kind of author you are and hope to do the same.
back to top
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
⚫㊐✨Heather
(new)
Jul 24, 2023 07:22AM
I live in the city where the original Judges Guild opened up. One of my friends was someone who wrote some of the original materials for D&D supplements. My friend that wrote the novels used to game at the Judges Guild. Most of my friends gamed there. We would power game and all of that gaming experience shaped our creative lives to some degree, so I'm not surprised it had an effect on you. Perhaps the best writers are gamers, even if they don't know if yet ;-) I ran games for some groups and played in others. I prefer to play, but when I create a world, it is a lot of work. When you created your worlds for others, was it a lengthy process? Maybe you could create books from games that you ran. I will be getting Malfus at the beginning of next month. I could read it on Kindle, but I'd rather have a copy of it ;-) Nothing like a gamers mind to write books lol
reply
|
flag
Perhaps I'll get a signed copy directly from you as I saw on your website I just found :-D
Thank you!! I'm also working on sprayed edge versions of those too! :D
And awesome! Just read the other comment. For me, worldbuilding came second to chracter and plot (well I guess third). I did want to say for me I think most heavily borrowed from the magic systems of D&D. I really wanted to explore what necromancy was like especially from the close POV of a character kind of the way Sanderson does in his books. I definitely added my own take on it, so it hopefully doesn't come across as too much of a D&D game on the page. I'm also working on the next book and have a couple more magic systems/schools coming, but can't say too much yet!
It was a bit of a lengthy process creating my world. Especially the map, but I did do some worldbuilding up front before the story, but I did a lot of it as I was writing too. And if something came up in the world that changed something, I'd go back and fix it or add a little bit of the world to in some lines of dialogue or something in one of the earlier spots. :)
The magic systems in D&D are amazing. There is so much information and so many different components to casting the spells that it would lend itself to great story writing. I could see that being used for your books. I imagine I will like it no matter whether it read like a D&D campaign or not, just because I loved the game. It wasn't even my first game as that dubious honor goes to Call of Cthulhu, Cthulhu by Gaslight lol I have played in so many systems but D&D is my all-time favorite.
Interesting about the necromancy angle. Is necromancy something you always had an interest in? Is it one of the reasons that you wanted to write ... to bring to life a necromancer? In other game systems, I played a master or entropy and was a necromancer in the game. I was a witch in real life so to speak and now a Druid lol Necromancy is something that draws me in and would make me want to read more, so I love the angle ;-) You are talking to one of the OGs ... Original Goths :-P
When you realize you wanted to add something, and you would go back and add lines of dialogue to make it fit, does it ever make you reconsider adding it? I write, but only for myself. I have tried doing what you said and it felt like I had to go and change too much to add it and felt like I would never find a way.
I noticed on your website you were going to start offering the sprayed versions of the books and I look forward to that. I'd be black and red all the way ;-) You are going to start offering them soon? I saw where you said to pick a color, but it doesn't allow it yet.
Another silly question, but as a gamer, it's interesting to get another person's perspective ... did you use music in your gaming sessions? If you did, do you use music when you write for inspiration? We played music that was in line with the game we were playing. Kind of like setting the mood I guess lol
Leaving a short comment here to say I read this and I'll get back to you soon!
I'm back!! I haven't played Call of Cthulu, but I looked through one of the books. I've always liked the idea of some of this giant ancient evil beings.
Ha ha! An OG! I love it! I admittedly had a goth phase in high scool, ha ha! I've always thought necromancy was cool, but honestly here is the main reason I chose it...
I feel like whether it's a book, movie, video game, or even D&D book adventure with necromancers, no one ever explains how it works at all or what controlling undead would be like. I've always thought it was silly that some adventurers etc. walk into a dungeon and attack some skeletons. Then go to the next room and fight some zombies, and so on until they get to the necromacer and he's basically surprised they made it.
Wouldn't the necromancer be aware of what his minions were? Or at a minumum that one of his skeletons was just killed?
So I wanted to go detailed into the POV of the necromancer and show what it would be like controlling undead and being aware of them and tried to make it as "realistic" as possible.
Yeah, sometimes going back and adding stuff was a pain. Most of the time I didn't have to change too much, but sometimes I did. Honestly, by the end, there was so much editing and rewriting I just got used to it. The first draft ended with 125k words and the final version after all edits was 100k words. And nothing was really taken out story wise, just condensing the writing and getting rid of repatitive sentences.
I did use music in my sessions and I do use music when I write too! For both of them, it always has to be music without lyrics. If I'm listening to something with words, I can't write at the same time. I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks or video game music covers! :D
And yes!! I'm hoping to have the books ready very soon! I'm making some more and I'll make a few more black and red ones today! I'm hoping to have them ready by 8/1!
I wish I could upload photos to comments because you would see my little 4" Cthulhu statue sitting at the base of my monitor, watching my every keystroke. It was a birthday gift. H.P. Lovecraft was one of my favorite authors, as was E.A. Poe. When we had to memorize a poem for English Lit. class, I chose "The Raven." Wow, I had never seen a teacher get so angry over someone doing what they asked. lol My poetry has been likened to Lovecraft/Poe, at least in style, even if not technical merit.At least I was not the only one who went through a goth phase. Admittedly, I'm still a goth at heart even if I ditched the emo attitude and dress code lol
I find your choice in necromancy to be brilliant. You had legitimate questions and ones that others might have or would have had. Turning them into a way to create the answers would open up a new world and I'm excited to read about it soon in your book. I believe that even if a book is a work of fiction, it should read like it was as real as possible. Doing a necromantic book from the POV of the necromancer would read better than someone viewing it from the outside, which leaves unanswered questions. Great idea!
I will stick with making changes like that. I never thought we could get used to making those kinds of changes. That's why I write for myself instead of marketing my work. Friends and family read some of my work but are too close to the church to enjoy some of my writing. I stick with darker love poetry instead of my short stories. They are only a bit disturbed but never insulted or cross their religious lines. I try to respect all people's walks of life. I am happy you said that you eventually got used to it. It gives me hope, so thank you for that.
Ha ha! I am the same way when it comes to lyrics and trying to write. Music inspires and helps me write, but lyrics do not. I can write and have written lyrics for songs but never did it while listening to music. I find that a little contradictory, but there it is. I listen to so many different types of music that I could spend an hour just trying to choose what to listen to. One of the things that I felt helped inspire me to write something written in a different time, such as ancient times was playing Yo-Yo Ma or some John Williams. Others have played ancient styles of music that I love listening to. When playing a game, if it's modern, we listen to modern music. If the game is set in a certain period, we try to keep the music in keeping with the game.
For instance, during our 1890s Cthulhu campaign, we listened to George J. Gaskin, George Washington Johnson, and Len Spencer. When we played Cthulhu in the 1920s we switched to music from that decade. It feels like it lends an air of authenticity to the game. I can see how it would inspire you when writing too.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. It shows me how much you love doing what you do and that makes me want to read your books even more. On the first or second, you can count on me to order one of the red and black if you're ready for it! I also hope others read and get a great sense of the kind of author you are and hope to do the same.
