Amadeus Inkblood
 Author has written 2 stories for Kingdom Hearts. Tables of Contents Section I: About Me Section II: About My Stories Section III: My Theories Section IV: My Characters Section V: Dedications Section VI: Updates/Log Section VII: Other Section I: ABOUT ME Name: Amadeus Inkblood -This is a pen name; I'm a little paranoid about sticking my REAL name online, so for now, this will do. -I wanted a sense of refinement in my title, which led to several things: first, the fact that my pen name has a first and last name; second, the use of Amadeus (taken from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) as my first name; and third, the use of Inkblood as my last name, which is symbolic of my natural desire to read and write. Age: 17 Birthday: May 25, 1993 -I know what you're thinking: 1993? This guy's old! -Well, sometimes I sure feel that way. Gender: Male -Sometimes I feel like the only one on this website. Team: ...Dracula -Sorry, but I prefer"old-school" vampires to the Twilight Super-Sparkles. Eye Color: Brown Hair Color: Brown Hair Type: Wavy -That's relative to the length and the care I put into it. If it's short, then my hair stays pretty flat and straight; however, if I grow it out and forget to comb it, it starts going crazy. Usually it gets so bad that I look like Superman with a hangover, skewed forehead-curl and everything. Favorite Color: Blue -No! YelloAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHH!! Video Games: Kingdom Hearts, inFamous, Super Smash Bros., Final Fantasy VII, Tales of Symphonia, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Sly Cooper 3: Honor Among Theives, Shadow of the Collosus, MarioKart Double Dash, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth II, Final Fantasy: Dissidia, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth II Expansion Pack: The Rise the Witch-King, and the list, like Celine Dion's heart, will go on... -These are strictly games that I've played (except for KH - but those of you who have played it have to admit that the story alone is more than enough). I'll admit that they aren't many, but in my defense, I don't have any video games myself; my parents have had a strict "no video game consoles" policy for as long as I can remember. I think this was a good thing for our family when we were growing up, but now that I have enough self-control to know when to stop, it's a pain in the neck. I either have to settle for our computer games (though really, it's more "my little brother's RTS games" - except for The Battle for Middle Earth(s)), or mooch some playing time off my friends. Movies: Sherlock Holmes, The Soloist, Playing for Change, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Star Wars Series, The Dark Knight, and so forth... Music & Artists: Isaac Shepherd, Breaking Benjamin, Andre Reiu, Three Days Grace, Antonio Vivaldi, Metallica, Andrea Bocelli, Owl City, The Gypsy Kings, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, The Beatles, Jim Brickman, Keith Urban, Ludwig von Beethoven, Lady Antebellum, Claude Debussey, Iyaz, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Rascal Flatts, Johann Sebastion Bach, Avenge Sevenfold, Richard Wagner, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Chevelle, and so on... -Yes, I'm LDS, and proud to be. Favorite Books: The Scriptures, Farenheit 451, The Harry Potter Series, Romeo and Juliet, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 1776, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, and others... Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Shooting, Camping, Sleeping, Eating, Breathing, Working, and above all, Thinking Specifics for Video Games: ...I guess...My favorite genres are RPGs, prefereably free-movement melee style like Tales of Symphonia, and straight up fighting fighting games with awesome stories, like inFamous. I don't like first-person shooters that much, though, so I don't have much interest in Halo... Section II. ABOUT MY STORIES. Kingdom Hearts Wayward The Final War looms on the horizon. Forces beyond understanding have begun to draw the lines, choosing sides: one Light, one Dark. Only the Wayward Soul walks between. Which side will it choose? Which side will win? What does Keith have to do with this? Fiction Rated: T - English - Action/Adventure/Friendship - Chapters: 1 - Words: 3900 - Reviews: 4 - Updated: 4-5-10 - Published: 4-5-10 Sadly, I have to let this go. I'm disappointed in myself for not following through, but I think I know when to stop beating a dead horse. This one has had it's run, and it's time for it's successor to step up. In Dreams Reality and How It's Not All That It Seems Fiction Rated: T - English - Supernatural/Adventure - Chapters: 1 This is my rewrite of Wayward Soul; much better, I think, mostly because I'm writing this for me. Section III. MY THEORIES As a philosopher, my theories are often complex and infinitely lucrative, sometimes to the point where I myself have trouble explaining them even to myself. I have theories about anything and everything, from complex ideas such as Life and God to relatively simple questions like how a remote control works. But since none of these things have very much to do with this website or fanfictions in general, I suppose I have to narrow my scope. With that thought in mind, I'll start of with... Fanfictions (General): I've found that many people have little to no respect for fanfictions. Surprise, surprise. The reasons I've found are numerous and viable, but they're all based on the same reason: they can't see fanfictions as actual writing. You can't entirely blame them. After all, so many fanfictions SEEM to be little more than ways for overly-obsessed fans to fulfill their dreams, whether those dreams are to walk into the story itself or to create their perfect world. And in all honesty, fanfictions are more selfish then the typical book because, unlike regular books, which are written because the author is trying to tell something to the reader, fanfictions are usually written primarily for gratifying the author's wishes, and the readers are often put in second place. This perception about the nature of fanfictions, I've found, has percolated through peoples' minds and cemented the thought that fanfiction an example of "lesser writing," to quote my old English teacher. But this condemnation of the dogma of fanfiction is biased and flat-out wrong. If they were to actually read some of these stories, and look beyond the initial interpretation, they'd realize, as I have, that the role of fanfiction has, is, and will play a vital role in the development of writing in the future, because fanfiction has given the typical writer something that no other writer in history has ever had: a playground. Unless you had a VERY unfortunate childhood, you'll probably remember the playground. There, children from all over the neighborhood would come together and play, goofing around like children are bound to do. You probably had a favorite toy that you always played on, whether it was the slide, or the swings, or a merry-go-round. You probably met other people who loved to play on the same things, and you probably played with them for hours, enjoying a glorious collective treat. You probably got a lot of exercise, what with all or your running, swinging, laughing, and so on. I would also venture a guess that you probably left the playground happier and more fulfilled then you were when you came, stronger both physically and socially. The same applies for fanfictions, the websites such as this which host them, and the writers who participate within them. Here, writers can join from all over the world and run to their favorite stories, whether they're books, or movies, or video games, or television shows, or whatever may be their current obsession. Writers with similar interests can converge in the bounds of those interests, experimenting and testing with different ideas alongside thousands of like-minded writers. Better yet, writers can exercise and flex their literary muscles, practicing their own style and learning from those praticing beside them. This collective practice can only strengthen the writer's ability, making them strong where before they were weak. And the beauty of this literary playground is that no one needs to be afraid - we all know why we're here, to learn and enjoy these stories with those who can appreciate them. We understand one another - we know we're all nerds, to some degree, and we can accept that. We all just children, playing together in the innocent realms of our favorite stories. And when we leave, we'll be writers, seasoned and ready for the harsher world of literature beyond the comfortable bounds of fanfiction. I can't say exactly what this might do for the books of the future. After all, I'm just thinking aloud right now, and I'm just a man - what do I know? Nothing; I can only guess. But if I have to guess, then I predict that a great revival of literary talent lies just over the horizon, an army of talented writers that will flood the shelves with quality writing. If this is what fanfiction will do for the world, then I, for one, am certainly glad that I'm a part of it. -As something of an afterthought, though, I feel like voicing ONE problem I have with fanfiction - which I will openly admit is more of a personal problem than anything. I am a perfectionist, as my impeccable grammar and careful word choice undoubtedly testify; and while my case is certainly less severe than the situations others have to suffer, mine has it's own adverse affects, particularly here, in the realm of fanfiction. Here, it's nearly prerequisite that a story contain the most vital elements of the stories they address, the characters - without them, the story is little more than the author's rewording of the entire story with themselves in the place of the protagonist (with a few notable exceptions). For perfectionists like me, though, particularly those who, again like me, have had extended training in the art and science of writing, this need to insert pre-made characters is not merely difficult, but at times, downright impossible. For myself, this has kept me from going forward with several pieces of writing. As much as I relished the thought of experimenting with the characters under the rules of my various stories, I would repeatedly become frozen by my own inability to accept nothing less than perfection in the characters I would be writing. "Would this character REALLY act this way?" I would ask myself. "Is this really how he (or she) would react given this situation?" These and a mounting pile of similar questions would continue to plague me and freeze my thoughts for fear of making some grave, unforgivable misjudgement of character (no pun intended), and many of my potential stories have consequently starved and died for my lack of action. While this is largely my fault, this concern does have some weight in the medium as a whole. After all, I imagine that I'm hardly the only to write partially out of respect for the creators of these fabulous stories. And if these stories are supposed to be embodiments of that respect, it only seems natural to reflect their characters as accurately as possible - to do otherwise seems to be a disservice to the time and effort they must have put into their characters. And not only that, it's detrimental to the writer's ethos, or credibility, when they radically change the character, whether to suit their own desires or fulfill their own needs within the story. Again I draw on personal thought and experience, but it grows a little difficult to respect a writer when it may SEEM that they can't manage to accurately portray a character. It raises questions about whether the writer is really a writer at all - which is neither kind nor fair. Like I've said before, we're all here to learn; publishable author or rookie writer, to some degree we're all here to become better writers. And as aspiring writers, it's only fair to offer the same degree of respect toward other writers that we would want extended toward us. But even so (and even now, I feel ashamed to admit it and possibly offend another writer), there is a certain degree where the lack of accuracy is insulting to the original story. I don't know where, and neither will I draw it now, where that line between disrespect and originality may lie, but for those like me who can't stand to make what feels like such a childish mistake, this is the one great treebranch protruding from the grounds of the playground that we somehow always seem to manage to trip over. Writing (In General): Why Do We Write? You might as well ask why we create; either way, I'll give you the same answer. "Because we're human. Not only can we appreciate beauty, but we as human beings have the power and ability to actively pursue it. To create is part of our nature; just as we seek goodness and happiness, we seek beauty, and if we can't find it, then we make it." For now, that's all I have to say. Now, going on into practical details about Writing itself: Details and Their Importance I think the whole idea about Details and how to use them can be summarized in a quote, one from master storyteller Neil Gaiman. He says: "You can take for granted that people know more or less what a street, a shop, a beach, a sky, an oak tree look like. Tell them what makes this one different." If you'll allow me an extended metaphor, this will probably be easier to grasp (it's certainly easier to write). In writing, there's a certain flow that's always there, that's always on the move. It's a stream of consciousness, that train of thought that the audience is riding as they read. This train doesn't run on coal or gasoline, but rather on the story itself, the events being portrayed - don't worry, you've got this down just fine. This proverbial train goes along on tracks, like a real locomotive, but the train of thought rides rails made of your writing, the diction, syntax, organization, and so forth - in a word, presentation. Like any train ride, the journey is fast and fluid or slow and choppy or any other scenario depending on the tracks. If the writing is consistent, then the audience enjoys a smooth ride that they'll remember fondly, and that experience wil probably keep them coming back. But if there are pennies on the tracks - small slip ups and inconsistencies in the writing - then the train ride gets bumpy. You'd think that the audience might not notice or just simply overlook it, but as readers they have to take in the ride as a whole, and those mistakes will be remembered. They probably won't make or break the story, but the effect the slip ups make is huge, and it's only expanded by the knowledge that it could've been better. My point with all this is to say that if you want to improve your writing, start splitting hairs. Look at every little detail, every description, and make sure it's there for a reason. Some descriptions are obviously there to build the world or the characters that live in it; some descriptions are subtle testaments to the author's poeticism and illustrate key details about the story and it's writer. Whatever the case may be, it's there for a reason; and when it's NOT there for a reason, or when that reason is too vague, the audience gets lost, gets off the train, and takes a connecting ride back to the last station to make sure they didn't miss something. This isn't to say that every description should be mowed down or cut down. Sometimes, you might have a perfectly good reason to describe the wrinkles in the second fencepost of the northwastern gate of the third cow pasture, right next to the toxic duckpond and twenty miles from the nearest McDonalds. But if you're talking about the color of your character's eyes when the event in the audience's mind should be the event at hand. This extra detail needlessly takes away from the scene, and it sends the audience scrambling for the significance of your character's eye color when they're really missing the whole point of the story. Any story shouldn't have minor details and avoidable mistakes taking away from it. In the future, take a little time to take another ride along your tracks and make sure you've smoothed out the gaps or the molehills. The audience won't dole out attention where attention isn't due, and they and you both can enjoy the ride all the better. Inspiration: As far as where I draw my inspiration, I have to be honest: I'm a little bit of a copycat. I don't go to the extreme of trying to pass off someone's work as my own (I'm not THAT much of a dirtbag), but very rarely do I get an idea straight out of the blue. Usually, I'll be inspired by another piece of work, either literature, or art, or film, or whatever, and (if I like it) the story and symbolism of the piece will have me boiling over with stories and characters to fit the genre. I can't tell you how many Knights-and-Dragons stories I cooked up after seeing Dragonheart, and you can't begin to know how many sci-fi spins I dream up after watching Star Trek or Star Wars. But this "Flash of Genius" technique of writing isn't all sunshine and rainbows. These ideas are much like sparks springing out of a fire: bright and beautiful, but sadly short-lived. These days I don't bother trying to write them all down, because I know from experience that I won't be able to get them down before the inspiration wears off and I lose interest. Sometimes a spark will fall on some grass and an actual flame will ignite, but I'm still reluctant to get down and blow it to life. I've got other concerns, and I usually don't have the time to let this burn all the way through given my busy schedule. The lesson for you, though, is that you can draw inspiration from anywhere - stories, dreams, real life, or whatever - but you can't make a story out of everything. Subject matter isn't so much the problem; if you put your mind to it, you can find significance and writing material in anything (one of the year's top books, "Consider the Lobster," is a collection of essays addressing and criticizing society and politics, and every essay is somehow related to an experience the author had when walking through a Lobsterfest in Maine. Seriously. A Lobsterfest). No, the real problem is prioritizing; you have to know yourself, your writing ability, and why you are writing, and above all you have to know what you REALLY want to write and why. You have to be able to pick through the different thoughts and images that spring to your mind and figure out what you want to write about and why you want to write about it, otherwise you'll never get anything done. How can you ever get a good, consistent story that you're glad to have written if you're chasing after every stray thought and feeling? In short, you can't. Such flippancy in interests will never get you anywhere. You need discipline to stay focused on your current project and ignore the little distractions that a movie or song might reveal. This isn't to say that you should never allow yourself to enjoy something new; indeed, sometimes a break writing a a lavish, exciting scene can be just the boost to moral that you need to get back to work on your current project. Just don't let it consume you; remember what's most important in your writing, and pursue or avoid any distractions accordingly. Section IV. MY CHARACTERS Section V. DEDICATIONS Coming soon. Section VI. UPDATES/LOG Section VII. OTHER 96 percent of kids would cry if Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers threatened to commit suicide by jumping off a building. If you are part of the 4 who would be shouting "JUMP!" with cameras out, post this into your profile. Some Favorite Quotes: Arthur Dekko: We were all just ideas from the start...all so very beautiful... Ikkaku: Rescue her? How many of you are here? Seven? Maybe eight? A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. ~Hero's Shade Cloud: Are sins ever forgiven? For people that hate stereotypes: If you think people should just shut up and stop, put this on your profile. (BOLD the ones you are.) I'm SKINNY, so I MUST be anorexic. |
The Saltwater Room by sunflowerb reviews
Written in Code by Dead Man Writing Is Dead reviews
Key Through the Heart: Final Mix by Andrew Joshua Talon reviews
Evorlangn Roses by SliferHeart reviews
Once Upon a Time by Arisa Aihara reviews
That Fragile Capricorn by ThatDitzyDreamer reviews
The Lost Princess by Krystal Lily Potter reviews
Neniel by Heart of the Elves993 reviews
Coexist by Feather Ice reviews
Dearly Beloved by starlightened reviews
Letter of faith by ArikoUzumaki reviews
That's Why by Talitha Koum reviews
Scream by Gray-Rain Skies reviews
In Dreams reviews
Wayward Soul reviews