Episode 13, Page #1 - "Making Preparations"
Aoi Notes: 02/14/2007
Whoa, Nintendo just released the "Everybody Votes Channel" for the Wii. And as dumb as that idea sounds... Answering questions about what kind of pets you prefer (dogs/cats), where you'd like to live (mountain/beach), and what century you'd rather live in (19th/22nd) is actually surprisingly kinda fun. It's like the Wii has managed to make checking the weather and news something interesting and now they're doing it to polls. Not sure why that is. It just, you know... is! XD
So, today is Valentine's Day. I have no real plans other than the usual Wednesday thing I do of picking up my comics, heading by EB to pick up a game, and then maybe playing some DDR at the arcade. That's really it, though. Yeah, no Valentine lovin' for me. Just more of the usual workday grind.
Anyway, today kicks off Episode 13 of Aoi House, which is called "Evergreen Party Night." It'll run through the rest of February and all of March. This is really the chapter that everyone who has read the print version of Aoi House Vol. 2 can't stop talking about. Once you see the ending, you'll probably know why. So if you haven't checked out the printed book yet, then you're in for a treat. ^_-
By the way, the title "Evergreen Party Night" is actually a nod to the title of an OVA episode of Oh My Goddess! called "Evergreen Holy Night." I don't always name the chapters after other shows and such, but I have been known to do it in the past. "Charmed" is pretty obvious, as is "The Nightmare Before Christmas," but it takes a keen reader to know where a title like "Mallpisode" comes from. Though, I'm sure The O.C.'s influence on me is going to be pretty obvious later in this chapter!
And let's wrap up with a question from the Q&A Thread...
DTSX asks, "Just out of curiosity, how hard is it to write the story and how can I get on that train?"
It really depends on the type of story I'm working on. It's not actually that hard at all, but it's really easy to get distracted by other things (games, books, TV, and other work). I first come up with the characters and figure out their voice, then I do a basic outline of the important story points I want to hit. After that, it's pretty much just finding time to write each chapter or scene. If I end up stuck on a scene, then it probably means that I'm writing it wrong in the first place. This most often happens if I start or end a scene in bad place. It's important to keep in mind that readers don't have to see a character literally walking between point A and point B unless it's an important part of the story. Most of the time you can just cut from one scene to the next to keep the flow there.
As for getting on the writer train, that's always a hard one. There is no secret to becoming a writer or having your story picked up. In fact, luck has as much to do with as personal connections and your ability to actually write. I personally was a journalist first (running my own webzine) and that lead me to manga rewrites and other freelance work. Basically, you just need to write and not be afraid to admit that you probably aren't going to make a living doing it (trust me on that one). If you're really passionate about wanting to write, then write and get some experience. Maybe do a webcomic or something. Just write, though. ^_^
And that's a good place to wrap up for today. Have a nice Valentine's Day! See you back here Friday!
-Adam Arnold
P.S. don't forget to vote at BuzzComix.net and TopWebComics.com so you can get the Elle and Echiboo character chibis!
