Great chat. Completely agree on the technological subjugation issue, as well as the beauty and strength of the second person as a way to build a dramatic narrative for the reader.
Games writing favours the second person, but naturally, we do it in a different way, since we want to make the player feel like they're in control or experiencing what is happening first hand. We do, however, have to be careful about agency; in 11/11 the narrative was ideal for horror, because you as the reader don't have control over what the person you are reading is doing, yet in something like sci-fi or fantasy gaming -- the genres that dominate the narrative RPG market -- we can't tell the player what they do *too much*. If we do, then they might experience narrative dissonance and say "I wouldn't do that."
There's an art to experimenting with different narrative styles in distinct spaces. The one that's throwing me through the loop right now is the use of the first person, which honestly, I had always thought extremely tacky.
And yet, tacky or not, readers in certain genre fiction favor it above all others; just look at Isekai or LitRPG writing -- the whole point seems to put the reader in the actual skin of the main character. Personally, it still gives me the ick, but that doesn't really matter: if people enjoy the form in certain mediums or genres, then there's merit to it.
It's all part of the shifting fiction landscape.
Oh, and Tom, I can appreciate the baby crying in the background. Same gig for me. And trust me: it gets worse. My son is now 3 years old and he always finds the best moments (usually when I'm deep in the flow) to disturb me or be *extra loud*. Ah, the joys of fatherhood. (:
As a nationwide purveyor of internet and television services through use of the print industry for a quarter of a century — mostly interrupting your mailbox, but also your drives down the freeway, I’m . . . Still a fan of Andy Futuro, although I’m not worthy. 😉 Great interview.
This was such a good time
🙏
I really appreciate your point of view on violence and the way you employ it in your writing. It never came off as 'fun'--always uncomfortable
Thank you 🙏
Great chat. Completely agree on the technological subjugation issue, as well as the beauty and strength of the second person as a way to build a dramatic narrative for the reader.
Games writing favours the second person, but naturally, we do it in a different way, since we want to make the player feel like they're in control or experiencing what is happening first hand. We do, however, have to be careful about agency; in 11/11 the narrative was ideal for horror, because you as the reader don't have control over what the person you are reading is doing, yet in something like sci-fi or fantasy gaming -- the genres that dominate the narrative RPG market -- we can't tell the player what they do *too much*. If we do, then they might experience narrative dissonance and say "I wouldn't do that."
There's an art to experimenting with different narrative styles in distinct spaces. The one that's throwing me through the loop right now is the use of the first person, which honestly, I had always thought extremely tacky.
And yet, tacky or not, readers in certain genre fiction favor it above all others; just look at Isekai or LitRPG writing -- the whole point seems to put the reader in the actual skin of the main character. Personally, it still gives me the ick, but that doesn't really matter: if people enjoy the form in certain mediums or genres, then there's merit to it.
It's all part of the shifting fiction landscape.
Oh, and Tom, I can appreciate the baby crying in the background. Same gig for me. And trust me: it gets worse. My son is now 3 years old and he always finds the best moments (usually when I'm deep in the flow) to disturb me or be *extra loud*. Ah, the joys of fatherhood. (:
🙏
That was a great interview! Andy's intro was 👇👌
🙏
Appreciate you! Do what we can.
Can't wait to see the next one.
Well. SpEEEshul Sin - that’s wild. Great interview all around
Thank you 🙏. Glad it could be interesting.
As a nationwide purveyor of internet and television services through use of the print industry for a quarter of a century — mostly interrupting your mailbox, but also your drives down the freeway, I’m . . . Still a fan of Andy Futuro, although I’m not worthy. 😉 Great interview.
I’m not sure any of us are worthy. Thanks for watching!
Thank you 🙏
🤣 If we'd kept going I'd have had something to say about every career and certainly my own choices.
Really enjoyed this!
So glad! Thanks for watching