pirateaba
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Side Stories Poll -- June 2023! (And a huge Author's Note.)
🕑 Added 2023-06-25 20:27:03 +0000 UTCIt is I. I have come not to deliver a chapter, but a poll.
Sundays, as I mentioned earlier, are being converted into non-writing work days and if I have time, outlining or just extra rest so I don't burn out in writing. I suspect it'll translate into higher quality writing and...probably just the same amount of writing since my week off just lets me write harder each month.
But! I will give you a poll and update on my life before starting writing tomorrow. I am still minded to aim for shorter chapters even if it's not always a chapter-a-day. Anyways, this next part may be in the Author's Note for public readers...scroll to the bottom for the poll if you don't care! I totally didn't forget polls existed!
Week Off Recap: So. Do you recall me writing about catastrophic computer failure which forced me, once again, to get a new PC? That was five months ago, I think.
...The new, expensive one I bought is also dead. And the one I sent into repair came back and it wouldn't boot up. So I had TWO new desktops, both of which had incredible technical issues.
Anyways, the first four days of my break were without a working PC and it took me four days of trying to debug, then literally switching computer parts around to luckily diagnose the problem. I have...something wrong with one PC that I'll have to send in for full repair, and the one that was repaired has a dead GPU which I could replace.
I am not a computer person. I know enough to do basic diagnosis and I have built one PC ever, so that was not a fun time. I don't feel as rested mentally as I'd like, but life decided to be difficult for me for a bit and that's that. My life is so hard. Harder than someone in a war...or in a sub about to implode...
I'm always mindful of my job and life being the product of good fortune. I guess the irony is that it is hard to write to the level I want and these things get in the way. However! I have stepped back and stopped trying to write a novel in a month. With that said, the deadline is coming up again, but I will try not to collapse a second time. I am definitely going to need to take off time, and will probably work half this month, then write the rest of Gravesong 2 into August and finish it, no matter how hard it is. I'll post whatever I'm happy with, but if I burn too hard on multiple ends, I burn out.
Writing Thoughts: I've been reflecting on the matter of upcoming arcs and I have to say, the biggest thing on my mind is the Winter Solstice, which as you might guess, is probably the end of Volume 9. What it will be is something only I know, and yet, we've been in beach-mode, short-chapter mode, and that...is a very good thing.
Some people may be impatient for the Solstice. Or have other critiques. I don't often discuss writing in the sense of looking for help. I often tell beta-readers I just want feelings and whether they liked it, more than trying to articulate things or trying to tell me what to write. 'If there's a problem, point in the general direction and I should see it.' It's interesting, because the only people I've met who have given me advice that is consistently reliable in a technical writing sense have been the editors I like. It really is a dedicated skillset.
However, writing is an endless world of analogies. I've done ships. I've done sludge-searching. How about candy?
Have you ever seen someone making a taffy or candy that you can twist or pull at high temperatures? Firstly? Skin burns. Secondly? It's an art. The experience it takes to move that candy, or know instinctively when it's about to break when it's thin as string--that's like writing. That's like the beach chapters.
Sometimes the story needs time to breathe. Sometimes I need time to plan ahead and I have been thinking of the upcoming arcs and storylines and I've come up with some good stuff. If I had rushed into the Winter Solstice, it would have been both premature, too much of Volume 8 still leaking through, and frankly, I would have been exhausted and might have burnt out again in the midst of it. This story...is a process and I have to figure out when things are dragging or going too fast. So the beach chapter I like and we will see how long this should last.
That is the eternal advantage of web serial writing. Other published books like the never-coming-out third book of Name of the Winds by Rothfuss have to be contained stories. GRR Martin has to know how many miles his characters travel and touch countless plotlines in each novel and I suspect that the medium is one of the reasons those two can't put out another book. Then again, it seems like Martin will get to a book before Rothfuss.
Motivation's hard. But writing is more than motivation--I think I mentioned that hydration, exercise, good rest, and many more things all annoyingly make up good writing. Imagine my personal health being necessary to write. Bleh. Anyways, I've felt good about the beach writing. Finishing that novel is still going to be a bloodbath.
Reading Thoughts: Because I was bored and my gaming computer was dead, I consumed stories over my break. And I had consumed parts before, but I don't always talk reading so here's my reading list.
1. Level 999 Villager.
2. I Reincarnated as a Slime.
3. Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)
4. Bard Loen the People's Knight
5. MY S-RANK PARTY FIRED ME FOR BEING A CURSIFICER ~ I CAN ONLY MAKE “CURSED ITEMS”, BUT THEY'RE ARTIFACT CLASS!
...And more. But I really want you to look at that list. Especially 5. I knew what I was getting into. Here are my notes.
They are all. Trash. Stories. Except for Bard Loen. And I know Kimetsu no Yaiba is popular and the art is amazing. The story's bad.
I complain about bad stories. I refused to play the new Star Wars: Fallen Order game. I complain about movies. I complain about games. I know I'm picky, but I don't think I'm wrong when I say Kimetus no Yaiba is generic shounen stuff. The characters struggle, and it has depth...for the first few chapters. But then they pull a new secret move out of their butts or 'try harder' and win. It has one great defeat in it, pyrrhic victories, but ultimately it's a younger story. If it's your first time, it's probably a good story but to me it wasn't great. Still amazing art, but it reminds me of Bleach. I hated Bleach and of Naruto and One Piece, Bleach was the worst of the golden three stories of the era.
Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken--I Reincarnated as a Slime--is bad, but it's still better than most isekais. The bar is currently under the ground, so that's not much, but I actually liked reading it because it's one of the more 'classic' isekais. If Sword Art Online was one of the examples of the first wave, along with perhaps...Overlord being wave 1 or wave 2, then 'Slime manga' is probably wave three.
The Wandering Inn, for reference, I might place as a wave 2 web serial story. I define 'waves' as the first stories to come out in a genre or sphere, so Worm by Wildbow is a wave 1, classic web serial that launched the genre.
That earns you some points for being first, but the slime manga is still an example of everything isekais are bad about. Overpowered protagonists, bad events being resolved easily, attractive protagonistss with convenient abilties, harems..
But it's not as bad as the other isekais which take all these attributes and run with them. The slime manga treats its protagonist like the manager of a Japanese company...and it works a bit. It's still a bad story, but I feel the need to explain the fact that I see the effort in construction even if I disagree with the premise and see the lazy shortcuts at times and feel less engaged than I could be. Because otherwise, how would I be able to tell you what trash looks like?
'MY S-RANK PARTY FIRED ME FOR BEING A CURSIFICER'...is better than Level 999 Villager. I actually read all of the chapters available to me, about 20. Level 999 Villager I dropped like a bag of crelers once I got past the intro and saw what it was made of. And even then--it can get worse.
If there is a bottom, these are still one or two ranks below the absolute level of trash isekais can get to. I am not kidding, and if you have picked up the dime-a-dozen stories infesting manga right now, you can find even worse. I won't rant about isekais and all the pitfalls of the genre--or the cultural differences that sometimes appear--just know that reading these two stories was like eating fast food.
Regardless of whether I enjoyed a bit of it, I don't feel good afterwards. Or I feel neutral at best, not satisfied. So, after all these stories, I re-read Bard Loen, a manga a reader of TWI recommended to me.
And it felt good. It felt satisfying. Bard Loen has a lot of traits of manga--it's not an isekai, but it has a powerful protagonist. It's not the most dramatic of stories. It's 'slice-of-life OP Protagonist good things will happen'--and that's a genre in manga. But this one feels good to read because the story is there. It's not perfect, but it feels...satisyfing.
I complain about bad games constantly. Even my family asks me if I enjoy things and the answer is yes. I should mention that more. Bramble, Cassette Beasts, Roguetech, System Shock remastered, are all games I played recently that I liked. If I had the courage to actually play Amnesia: The Bunker, I think it'd also meet that list.
Bad stories annoy me more than most people, I suspect, so I can't turn off my brain and enjoy the gameplay or visuals if the story is so bad it distracts me. But in the same way, I dislike bad manga. I like Bard Loen. I'm catching up on Marblegate, a web comic and going to re-read The Property of Hate. These are good stories, and if I hate other stories, especially a lot of AAA-games or productions, it's because I think they can do better, especially given their budgets. They're 'safe', and it may sell but I don't respect it.
Anyways, I'll try watching something too, but I like reading more, and I can read a manga series in a day whereas movies and TV shows take more of my time. This has been my indulgence of writing my thoughts out. Now the poll, and I'll see you on Tuesday with a chapter.
Summary: Break was rough. I'm picky. Things aren't actually that bad. Writing on novel soon. Don't get in a sub.
Oh...and here's one last bit. Given the nature of the work coming to me, I may literally only have time to fulfill the poll before I write Gravesong 2. So depending on what you vote for...it'll be all of what you get. Do you want to finish an arc? Relax? Tell me. Your vote matters. Each vote is for an arc or theme.
--pirateaba
Comments
BobH
MOL was great!
Ground Control
Should try Dungeon Defense or MOL. Time loopy stuff is easy to re read
Grace
Oh come on… I’m holding out hope for Rothfuss. I’m gonna give him 10 more years… 🤣
Mista Woodsy
I was so excited to go to the beach! It started out well and suddenly we were surrounded by the meanest and earthiest kin of acid flies ever! Is was painful - we ran for our lives and suffered welts from their bites. Let’s move on from the beach! I voted but will be very happy with nothing beach related. I will return to the salt life in the fall…
Lord M
Have you read “legend of the arch magus”? Awesome book, so much better than all those over power main character books.
LeoClashes
Uh, well I do like it. Although if I had to split it one way or the other, I'd say it gets more hate than love as a consensus. Mostly for completely understandable reasons like the MC being a lecherous pedophile freak. Wouldn't change Rudy for anything myself, except maybe to make him a bit more willing to fight. If you're seeing more praise than not, I'd say that's because the people who have criticisms say their piece then move on, whereas the lowlives like me stick around and defend the series with fervor.
Nopex
not to sound like an elf, but I 100% agree with you apart from a few gems jp fantasy genre stories are all trash
Nopex
I thought I was the only one who disliked mushoku tensei seeing all the praise it be getting online glad to know I was wrong
Ram nevet
But toren current aim is for new lands, nerrhavia and az'kerash plan to send him to new lands after they give him a voice to speak. so a vote for new lands is a true vote for toren
Antrochin
Mongo agrees
John Koor
"I will try not to collapse a second time. I am definitely going to need to take off time, and will probably work half this month, then write the rest of Gravesong 2 into August and finish it, no matter how hard it is. " Half this month? Are you talking half of the remainder of June with July off, or half of July? Are we talking about July potentially being ANOTHER month off? May was torture with no TWI. Then we got a week of releases, maybe a little more, and it was already break time again. Now talking about potentially another month "off"? I know it's a working "break", but I would be 1000x happier if you'd just shift to one 10 to 20k-ish release a week and use all of the extra time to rest or work on other projects. The 10 days between chapters each month with potentially a month off yet again is too much time away from TWI. I don't need daily releases, or mega chapters, I just want a once a week short chapter to tide me over.
John Koor
A vote for Ilvriss is indirectly a vote for Toren! I'll support that. Advancing the Ilvriss plot will hopefully advance the necromancer as well, allowing us to finally see the main character of TWI again after so long. I'm still hoping for the Toren redemption arc that makes him a night of solstice.
John Koor
Sanderson has probably already written the next books for both Rothfuss and Martin, just on the off chance they request it. Also, probably because he was bored between writing other books each week.
Fitty Sebum
Now I have to read all this crazy stuff you younguns are going on about. I'm not gonna lie, I have no clue about any of it but every time I check something out from here, it's kinda awesome.
Peppy Clown
Hi pirate, I think this might be my first time replying to your posts. Its easy to be lost in your crowd. I got my friend to start listening to your audiobooks, she is currently on chapter 8. But I saw your reading list and if you read this post, I have a recommendation of a wholesome family story named My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer
uiytt
I totally agree, it's insane how bad the plot of most high production story can be lacking. Thank you for the recommendation I will happily read them. As for the change of pace, it's a very good thing and make all the other moment better, but I just have the feeling the calm moment are a tad too long.
Kottery
Isekai tends to be a heap of trashes, but there are some decent stories here and there. I've been reading Nigoru Hitomi recently and it's not a bad story though the focus of the story isn't really reincarnation.
tentacles4all
I don't kow why you are bothering with isekai from japan. The western authors have caught up and surpassed them in the last 4-5 years.
Spade ♠️ Dragon
This is nailbiting... Ilvriss vs The Strongest returns
Ryan
Why is there always a one vote difference between options? What the heck
Ignat Remizov
There are four versions of That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime. The webserial, the novel, the manga, and the anime. The webserial (not novel) had a way better story, imo. The novel adds new fights and interactions and expands on the world, but ruins the survival and gritty intrigue. The manga adapts the novel, and the anime adapts the manga. I understand that the target audience for the novel and its adaptations is for a lower age, but if you ever get a chance, read the original webserial and give it another try.
Eduron
Read Re: Zero !!
Rikard Gustafsson
It is his fault that Headscratcher and Shorthilt are dead. I will never forgive him for that.
Nathan Heinz
Hey Pirate! I am not a guru by any means, but if you're looking for a good computer that won't poop out on you, I suggest looking @ MSI. As far as I am aware, they are only behind apple as far as life expectancy for their computers, 7 or 8 years if I remember correctly. Little bit pricier, but - boot theory economics and what not. Best of luck!
Christopher
Dungeon Crawler Carl is the best!!! I love it so much. I hope you listened to the audiobook version because it is amazing.
Christopher
Pirateaba had a terrible sense for which choices are the “dark horse”. Recently it was the Order of the Solatice and now Ilvriss.
Jackson Andrews
I’m curious have you read any of thundamoos web fictions? Vigor mortis or Bioshifter especially? I profoundly enjoyed both of those. though of course not as much as TWI.
Boll
If youre Looking for good storytelling within «the same» genre: «magical girl gunslinger» by mikasane is insanely good storytelling, loads of ninjas cutting onions. Or «ghost in the city- cyberpunk gamer» by seras which Is kind of litrpg but alot of slice of life and humor. Good character building. Both rate 7/5
LightChild12
First, I'm going to recommend a book series that either isn't going to finish or will take a very long time to finish, but it was interesting. Wraiths Haunt by Hugo Huesca. Second, I love that you change the pacing throughout the story and deeply appreciate it, it makes it shift enough that I have a refreshing reading experience everytime and it is lovely. Thank you.
jd8ish
I fix computer issues for a living. I'd be happy to help with any tech issues. I'm the sole IT person for an entire online/blended school of about 1300 students. Love all your writing. Thanks for the update
Carter
Pls pls pls I need more Orjin he is my life I’m addicted.
Fraser
I agree 100% with your comment on TWI not really being a Litrpg, after starting TWI last year and just catching up now i have been looking for something to keep me reading between new chapters but most stories with the Litrpg tag read like spreadsheets...
ProSailor22
In regards to beta-readers it is kind of important to point out plot-holes.
Jonathon
I caught up on Dungeon Crawler Carl during your break and it's still one of the only litrpg that ticks my nerdy + actually good writing + fun boxes.
Tacit Candor
Just binged all I could of Godclads on RR. Stellar characters, solid story (with some slight meandering), epic world building with a monster MC. Grimdark, eldritch, would definitely recommend - esp. with the Solstice approaching.
Golden Lark
So, uh pirateaba, based on your symptoms and assumed lack of any purposeful risky PC behavior (overclocking by hand, etc), I am going to go out on a limb and suggest your home has 'dirty power.' The number one symptom of dirty power (for PC owners) is, randomly, your PC no longer turns on, or it just starts crashing wildly in a more and more frequent fashion. I lived in a home and then an apartment for 10 years with dirty power. All my random PC death woes came to a screeching halt once I bought myself an inverse sinewave surge protector / UPS. It's not enough for just surge protection or just UPS battery power, you gotta have the sinewave feature as well to 'clean' any wacky dirty power that can fry your toys even if there's no thunderstorm. I'm willing to bet your PCs died during times of the year your climate control system kicked on and then an appliance like a washer or vacuum got used at the same time.. Anything that can cause a sudden big draw on the whole house with 'dirty' power can push beyond the tolerance of delicate stuff like PCs. For the last decade and a half all my pricey stuff is plugged into one of these: https://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1500PFCLCD-Sinewave-Outlets-Mini-Tower/dp/B00429N19W?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1 (CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD if the link breaks). Literally none of my PCs have died since I started making sure they were always plugged in through one of these. It was worth it when they were 300bux in 2010 and now they are like $219. Best of luck, new PCs dying young is a horrific experience.
Tobias Wahl
Yeah, I agree that moist isekai and Litrpgs for that manner are simple baring bin trash. Most of the stories are both too simplistic and predictable, but they're also often trying to be wildly complicated in an attempt to seem interesting. But I would not call the Wandering Inn a Litprg, at best a Story pretending to be a Litrpg. (this is a compliment) For you have not committed to being just a video game or tabletop game described as a book story, but instead you took the staple system and made it your own type of power system. Which is both more interesting and gives a far more real experience than having some poor narrator spend 20 minutes of his life stating 500 stat point changes to the audience. PS: Also, you don't have to work with the question, that if a 5000-hp Warrior gets hit with a 1 dmg spoon through the Eye into the brain, is he dead, or did he just take 1 dmg and if he survives how does that make any sense???
angie bell
i wish their was multiple polls of subject vs subject kind of thing too many choices!
Phreak_91
Darn those Ryoka and Tyrion haters *shakes fist*. It sucks that we can't get everything, but I do understand.
Nick P
Happy with most of the options, but I do miss the Horns
Scott's Folly
There's some interesting things going on with Ilvriss et al - but at the same time it's almost <i>too</i> much to make a single chapter of reasonable length before the break. The New Lands are another fascinating bit of world-building (literally!) that's probably a lot easier to cover in as many bite-sized chunks as will fit in the time, so they get my vote.
Buzz1089
This poll won't let me select an option without also selecting the Ilvriss chapter which I don't want at all.
Oliver93
Vote vampires we know so little about what they are up too. (It also has erin in it if that helps)
CromCruach
cruel and unusual punishment to force us to pick when we want them all...
Robert Mullins
Patreon app is busted. works from browser.
LeoClashes
Also would recommend The Last Orellen on RR to anyone who hasn't read it, just think it's would scratch the itch for most TWI fans. For a day anyway, not many chapters out.
Darkflint
pirate, you sure about multiple choice? second part of the poll looks more like you only want once choice per voter
Ryan Monahan
It says choose as many options as you want, but only lets you pick one option. 🤔 Someone's feeling clever and cynical today. 😂
amão.
also not a web serial, but yeah great book
Ram nevet
Spoiler from acid level side story blorbs, the vampire story has erin in it! vote vampires
LeoClashes
Think the only problem I have with Tyrion is him not being able to judge people from other races individually, which was brought up and talked through in recent chapters but eh, understanding his mindset doesn't mean I like it. Other than that, Ryoka is a freak for musty dudes so I think it fits
Shotgun_Samura13
Haven't heard anything about the new world yet, besides what's going on around the shores. So i really hope that will be the new chapters focus.
Michael
This was a hard choice. Except Windy-Girl. I kinda hope Wyrm-boy doesn't show up again until last minute Winter Soltice and gets a flashback later. :) Also we love your work so much because you're picky in ways that we feel, but cannot adequately express.
Rikard Gustafsson
More Ryoka probably means more Tyrion and I HATE Tyrion. This romance between them really bothers me.
Joe Corr
I'm gonna recommend perdido street station by China Meiville. It's a steampunk novel but also some of the best fantasy I've ever read. It's incredibly rich and dense and strange, and it feels like a work of art. A thesaurus is necessary sometimes tho
Sean MacGhee
I want the Strongest, but we haven't heard much from Ilvriss in SOOOOO long.
Ben Zoet
Rothfuss may need Sanderson to come in and finish the series for him when he’s gone..
Joshua Case
Oh man, I'd love to read that. Definitely post when you do! I understand the issues with them, but One Piece is just.... goddammit I love it 😭
Sébastien Kingsbury
Ilvriss needs to make his way back over for a visit. Someone tell him there's a beach
pirateaba
One Piece is superior to Naruto and Bleach. I just haven't written my essay on that, yet.
Freddy
That too. Too many good plot lines
Will G
Have you considered a Mac? They just work and over 15 years since making the move from PC we’ve not looked back in our house.
LeoClashes
I'm here to laugh at Ryoka currently having 1 vote and die on my cross for liking Mushoku Tensei(brought up due to talk of Isekai)
Memoryofgold
It would be cool to see the strongest achieve what he's been looking for but at the same time, the plot with Ilvriss and Salazar will eventually bring us to clash with the Necromancer! So many cool choices.. Also, I feel like Pirate might like Witch Hat Atelier, given the lack of love for shoujo stories right now, this one was a gem. The characters felt deep like the ones I read in TWA.
Nik
I miss Wilovan and Ratici. The Original Brothers. I hoped they would be the logical next Knights of Solstice but who knows now? The only ones I don't want are The Strongest and Terandrian slice of life. I am not really a big fan of The strongest or Teandria
Robert Mullins
I'm doing a write-in for grass shell and the bees.
Joshua Case
It's a sad day for us One Piece lovers 😭😭😭 I'm hyped for any of these storyline though!
Quinn Hamm
Vampires are cringe, Ilvriss is peak.
Captdeth
1m
Ka Man Chan
Would love to see more of Wilovan and Ratici in Oteslia!
