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EmpyClaw

@[email protected]

He/they. Silly nerd. I enjoy tabletop game design and rpgs. I like being helpful and throwing spaghetti at the wall. Author of Crown of Horns, a political fantasy.

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@Binder@petrous.vislae.town avatar Binder , to random

You will be visited tonight by three Batmen.

EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@Binder SWEAR TO ME, SCROOGE!! SWEAR TO ME!!

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

March 5: How do you make sure you don’t leave plot holes?

I try to spend a decent amount of time with the text to get as much of it living in my brain at once so I can catch things.

Sometimes I’ll work some things out mentally in a way that I think is internally consistent but don’t reveal any of that in the text.

Not all things are known. Narrators are seldom reliable. We perceive time in different ways. If there’s a plot hole, give a think at what’s missing and why.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

And there we are. New epilogue drafted. Round of revisions complete.

Next, beta readers.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

I am out of work early (yay) to visit another school for authorly purposes.

As I’m waiting by the office for the teacher a student walked by and announced he was engaging in a heist 😆

Kids are great.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

F25.Streaming:

If I were to stream, I would feel the need to perform. That would interrupt the work of writing too much as that is very much an internal process.

Maybe some late-stage editing where I am reading aloud and fixing things up could be something.

If I were to stream tabletop game design, that would be fun. I think it would be a little easier to narrate my thoughts and it could actually help to bounce ideas off a chat if anyone was actually watching.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

22. Create a poll giving a line from a [play] you wrote, along with lines from two other [plays].

Ask people to choose which was from yours.

  1. I AM AMERICA. (Bellowed by a giant papier mache turtle head.)
  2. I’m a matryoshka doll of lies. (Said breaking the fourth wall.)
  3. Hail Grendel Khan! Hail Grendel Khan! (Chanted by a chorus of sycophants.)

(Bonus fun fact: the other lines come from a theatre festival I helped produce featuring works from youth and emerging artists.)

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

F19: Biggest challenge when crafting a satisfying ending?

Coming up with one. 😆

While I might have some plans, a lot of my writing is figured out in the moment. The characters let me know how they react to a situation and that can make it tricky because none of us really know how it’s going to end up.

In my WIP, we came to an ending but I don’t know how satisfying it is. I’ve been reworking the last two thirds to fix that. I still don’t know how it will end up. 😉

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

15: Birthday Cake!!

My partner and I have a little informal tradition. When we’re done a book/comic project, we give each other a surprise cake.

Here’s the one for when I finished Crown of Horns.

The little monster on the cake was as close as Audra could get to a horned goat woman.

Ishkara is Cake is in reference to the posters for Ishkara is Harmony.

A decorated birthday cake featuring a blue monster with one eye and green horns. The cake has orange lettering that reads "Ishkara is Cake!!" and is adorned with colorful sprinkles and blue frosting around the edges.
ALT
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

2/14. Who does your antagonist care about?

Ultimately she cares about herself. While she claims she wants to help the country and protect the downtrodden, it becomes clear that what she actually cares about is her own vision of perfection.

She has fallen in love with the past and can’t imagine a “good” version of the future that does not return to that past.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Day 31: Share something about your creative work this month.

I’ve been tearing apart Act II and I think it will be so much stronger. Much refinement from there, but feeling great!

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Well, the internet told me I should post a cat and who was I to argue with that? Throwback to week we spent at the farm and brought the cats along.

A black cat sits in front of a window; he makes for a dapper silhouette. There is a bare tree outside.
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@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Book samples arrived!

My partner is publishing her graphic novel as part of a single omnibus and the soft and hard cover samples both arrived today.

Let me just say… they are cool as hell. So stoked!

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

9 Have you invented any words/sayings/swears etc. for your story?

I have a conlang that I use in my D&D campaign. I’ve used it for puzzles or for the titles of mystical oracles and the like.

For my book, I created a handful of words. Ishkara being the most important, as it’s a word that is adopted as a name.

Started playing with some fun sayings in my most recent work, thinking of how people might talk about a shudder or the like given their different anatomy.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

I don’t have a title for my next book. I’ve been bouncing around a few ideas on a theme, but I’m not convinced to go down this path. Therefore, I shall seek the opinions of the masses.

Which of the following titles appeal to you most?

Bonus points if you leave a comment on why something does/doesn’t appeal.

EmpyClaw OP ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

Interesting, somewhat unexpected results.

Pretty even between “generic but findable” and “unique but obtuse” with a peppering of “not my vibe.”

My partner gave her opinion, but didn’t vote. She said none: she didn’t think they were the right match for the narrative… so… maybe I should have talked to her before making a poll. 😅

Whatever path I take, this was a valuable exercise. I appreciate the feedback and the comments especially. Thanks to the hoard!

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

21. Does your antagonist treasure people or objects more?

Ooh, a toughie. Oddly, I think people.

Despite her total disregard for them, her actions stem from a desire for justice and a return to a time of apparent equity. I feel as though that can’t happen if you don’t care about people on some level.

Her problem is that for all her talk of equality, she clearly places the value of some people higher than others.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Attentive readers will notice that my response to 19 and 20 are the exact same.

Just felt I should note… This was intentional.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

The Crown of Horns digital bundle (ebook and audiobook) is on sale for Black Friday.

It’s MORE expensive than usual! 🥳

Every extra dollar will go to the Canada-Ukraine foundation to support their efforts.

https://itch.io/s/170045/black-friday-super-sale

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Tomorrow’s holiday party theme is gothic glam.

But all of my clothes are rainbow and colour.

Not sure how I want to resolve this… 🤔

@ElisesWritings@wandering.shop avatar ElisesWritings , to random

20 Nov: How did you find your writerly voice?

For author newsletters and non-fiction blogs, time, experimentation, and practice, after reading other's work.

For fiction; I'm autistic and I often rehearse/ script things I would like to say before speaking aloud. I also sometimes prefer thinking aloud (ADHD brains are chaos). And my internal narrator is rarely silent.

So all I need to adapt my voice to my pov characters is to immerse myself in their thoughts and feelings.

EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@ElisesWritings I’ll similarly immerse myself in my characters’ thoughts. Fun to know others do this as well.

Amusingly, when a reader was critical about a character being too naive, it never dawned on me that was the case, because their motives, reasoning, and understanding were so firmly set in my mind that I didn’t even clue in on their own blind spots. 😅

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

The week-long battle of cleaning and kitchen revitalization continues. Last night, we scored a major victory against the forces of laundry and reclaimed territory in our bedroom that had long been overtaken by the nation of Clothespile.

Meanwhile, the kitchen is looking sick and I have told @AudraBalionArt that I will need to make her cookies in thanks for all her efforts.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Oh my goodness, why am I crashing so hard right now?

Oh yeah… that whole “only got three hours of sleep” thing. Yeah, that would do it.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Visited my dad in the hospital today.

He said he felt like Gilligan’s Island. He was only supposed to be in for a few days and it has now been seven months. Akin to Gilligan’s “three-hour tour” going awry.

He’s in good spirits and he has a surgery coming up next month. Hopefully we are nearing the end of this. He says if everything goes well, he can be home by Christmas. ❤️

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

How would you stop a chronomancer?

Asking for a friend.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Taking my old boy back to the vet today. Routine checkup raised some red flags and now he needs some additional tests…

Worried about him. He’s the first cat I ever had. We’ve had him since before we got married. He’s getting on and I just want him to be happy with whatever he’s got left.

:/

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Shamelessness?!

Is this my time to show off that I bought a domain and put together a web page at last?

https://www.crownofhorns.com

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Long week. Ended on a good note.

Now I work through the holiday long weekend.

Let’s gooooo!

@GarretSidzaka@mastodon.social avatar GarretSidzaka , to random

I cried pretty hard when I realized people had made something this nice about something I loved and cared about as a child.

Listen to these songs...


https://ff6.ocremix.org

EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@GarretSidzaka Such a good album. Favourite track?

EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@GarretSidzaka Hell ya. Relistening now for the first time in a while.

EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@GarretSidzaka I’m revisiting Go-Go Gadget Gonkulator. Love me the klezmer vibes.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

So, it was about a month and a half later than I wanted to get it together but I now have a home page to set live for https://www.crownofhorns.com

Woo!

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Shameless someone-else-promotion day.

I’d love to highlight a real-world friend @MarkAllardWill

He’s kickstarting a unique photo book, partnering up with artists across Canada to illustrate his photos.

Not only is it a really cool project, but Mark is one of the kindest folks I know. He uplifts the local community, he pays artists appropriately for their work, and he is just an absolute delight.

Check it out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonslayer/photo-illustration-a-photo-book-meets-comics-art?ref=checkout_rewards_page

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

At the last comic event I was at, I was interviewed by a local streamer to talk about my book. It was quite a delight!

Check it out here if you’re interested in writing process, creative advice, and nerdiness.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dwJBgKVkTZs&fbclid=PARlRTSAM_CKlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABpwFrg-j64ShYuKM0UeN87dBRyOBgQSEojK1wFvFbypYTqMyZM8r-lsmmSTXM_aem_obl5K_i-21AQPlhxAAmaYA

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

- What have you discovered about yourself through your writing?

That I will not be stopped.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Okay, I was pretty caught up in the art yesterday, but it seems that I have signed a contract to be haunted for the next year…. So uh…. We’ll see how that goes.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Waking up before the alarm goes off… kinda lame.

Waking up before the alarm would go off, but it’s the weekend and it’s not even set?! What the hell body!

Such a rip off.
😅😆😣

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

17 I’m not an LLM.

Agree with many posts already shared, so I’ll just share a story.

I was pitching my book this weekend and I got into my story about how I “wrote it in two weeks.” (It was the first draft, it was Covid lockdowns, it was hyperfixation.)

Usually I get some wows and a laugh and we go from there. Instead I got a snide, “Great, how much of it is AI?” and I was disappointed by how LLMs now trivialize and throw doubt on what had been a big accomplishment for me.

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Sep 16: Which part of your work makes you unique?

I feel like that’s for my audience to decide…

For me, I try to push and experiment in any given project. Even when it’s much of the same, there are new elements to push the boundaries. I try to incorporate multi-media. I bring in flashy set pieces.

Maybe some blend in there sets me apart.

@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar lowqualityfacts , to random

I somehow never knew this.

The full phrase is "Curiosity killed the cat, but pride wounded the feline first".
ALT
EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Curiosity was the eighth deadly sin, but it didn’t test well with audiences (all those dead cats) so it was cut for the final list.

@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar lowqualityfacts , to random

I hate submarines now.

Submarines can stay underwater for decades by sucking dolphins into the vessel and burning them as biofuel.
ALT
EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts This is essentially the plot of

@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar EmpyClaw , to random

Local sales of my book have been off to a great start. And today I see I’ve gotten my first international print-on-demand sale!

Thank you anonymous stranger for getting my book! I hope you enjoy it.

@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar lowqualityfacts , to random

It's just not possible.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

Calculators cannot divide by odd numbers.
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EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts The trick is to divide by an even number an odd number of times, and then you get the correct result.

@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar lowqualityfacts , to random

I've only seen 20,000 of them.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

The 1985 film Clue was released in theaters with 800,000 different endings so the audience wouldn’t know who the real killer was.
ALT
EmpyClaw ,
@EmpyClaw@mastodon.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts It’s said that in 2006, a high school drama club tried to adapt the film for stage and wanted to show all the alternate endings; they are still performing it to this day.