M.L.S. Weech's Blog, page 58

Great News: Consistent Results Are Awesome!

[image error]Greetings all,

Last week was Bob’s fourth birthday, and I did another giveaway.  Even though I didn’t do nearly as much social media work, I’m still thrilled to announce the book had 1,151 downloads! It’s just a humbling, amazing blessing.

The biggest chunk of that came via marketing through BookGorilla.com. On both days I had a campaign through them, I had more than 700 downloads. Whatever else happens, it’s  a great way to get books into readers’ hands.

I’m still hoping to gain reviews for both Caught and The Journals of Bob Drifter, but it’s still very early in that regard.

However, the immediate results were still fantastic.  Like Caught, Bob made it all the way to number three in its category.

[image error]First, I can’t thank you all enough for the support you’ve shown me! It’s overwhelming to see so many people out there showing any interest in my books. Now I can honestly say there are thousands of copies of these books out there, and I can’t repay you all for such kindness. All I can do is try to keep working on compelling stories, which I am doing at as we speak.

While I’m waiting for reviews for Caught and Bob, I did get this very kind five-star review for The Power of Words, so the good news just keeps on coming.

[image error]I could spend hours typing up various ways to say thanks, but it wouldn’t be enough. What I can say is I’m working hard to give you more content. I’m more than halfway through the discovery draft of Betrayed: Book Two of the Oneiros Log. Sojourn in Captivity will be available by April 1, and I’m trying to get it up for preorder by the 15 (might not get that). The flip book featuring Sojourn and Repressed is also under development. Every solid campaign or kind review just inspires me to work that much harder. Even the not-so-kind reviews motivate me to improve my craft and take that criticism into consideration. I hope you like I’ve written so far, and I can’t wait to show you what’s coming!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Story Review: The Start of Something Beautiful by Kacey Ezell, From For a Few Credits More Anthology

 

[image error]Spoiler Free Summary: The Start of Something Beautiful by Kacey Ezell is the final story in the Four Horsemen anthology, For a Few Credits More.  Azah is a Tortantula who never should have survived hatching. Azah is about to bond an infant Flatar (and I just don’t know what that is, I think it’s the Torantula word for human, but I don’t know). But the infant Flatar, Sadek, isn’t at all what Azah expected, but after a close encounter with Azah’s murderous siblings, they start to see each other in a different light.

Character: Azah is proactive enough, but the character isn’t very sympathetic. Part of the issue stems from a short story (though this is the beginning of a novel by Ezell and Mark Wandrey called Weaver). It’s hard to connect with a character in just a portion of a story.

Exposition: This was honestly the best part of the story. I had my issues with this story, but at least the author didn’t try to narrate the problem away. The story moves quickly without forcing the reader to sit through a history and biology lesson.

World building:  This story fell way short here for me. It might be that this story relies on the universe and is targeted straight at long-time fans of the universe, but I’m not in that group. I was lost. Sure, I understood the actions of the story, but I don’t have any context and couldn’t begin to tell you much about how this story works.

Dialogue: It wasn’t badly disguised exposition, but it wasn’t very informative either. It wasn’t snappy, and it didn’t really add to the conflict or tension. The characters just sort of talked to each other without any real range or wit.

[image error]Image of Kacey Ezell taken from her website for review purposes under Faire Use Doctrine.

Description: Honestly, I needed more here. I get that Azah is essentially a giant spider, but that’s literally the only thing that stuck in my mind. Now I’m a guy who actually isn’t a fan of description. But I wasn’t given much at all to work with here. It probably would have been easier to connect with this story and the characters if I felt more like I could see and experience what was going on.

Overall: This story is fun and cute in a lot of ways. It’s just find for a quick read, but there isn’t much power or entertainment value. Even as a first chapter, it felt a little forced. It’s not bad writing at all; it’s just not great writing. Fairly forgettable characters with a plot that seemed rushed. If you like “creature introduction” stories, this is just fine, but this final segment seemed a far drop from the awesomeness of the story before it.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets For My Savior 22

The Most Frightening

They speak with conviction;

they act with determination,

but their hearts are driven by self-satisfaction

not by any Godly devotion.

They’re convinced they know right;

they’re committed to their cause.

They gnash their teeth and fight,

and satisfy themselves pointing out others’ flaws.

They convict others

but never look within.

They’d persecute their brothers

without once looking inside themselves for sin.

The most frightening thing a man could be,

is someone self-righteous and willfully ignorant of his own misdeeds.

 

Closer

I can never reach Him,

but I can strive to get closer.

My heart longs to be near Him,

but I need His grace to get nearer.

Yesterday, I was infinitely far away.

Today, I still have an infinite distance to go.

But if I look at the difference between yesterday and today,

please let me see that I did indeed grow.

I was a sinner then;

I am a sinner now.

But if I look at my self again,

please let me see that I’ve born fruit somehow.

Let me be closer to You.

Inch by inch, day by day, closer to You.

 

For All

What use is anyone’s praise,

if people don’t understand who they wish to glorify.

Any unintelligible phrase,

simply makes worship hard to identify.

Let our words build up;

let other believers respond in kind.

Let us all drink from the same spiritual cup.

Do not force those who wouldn’t understand to remain blind.

Rather than self-serving demonstrations,

let believers share in the truth.

Let us be clear in our conversations,

ensuring believers understand each word that comes from your mouth.

Let every believer hear and recall

that God’s truth was meant for all.

 

It Isn’t Mine

It isn’t mine to punish those who wrong me.

It isn’t mine to seek justice when I’ve been harmed.

Each will receive his reward, even if I can’t see.

All sin and are punished for the deeds they performed.

Why should I seek to punish when I myself am guilty?

Why do I continue to place my sin below others?

Why do I seek to act without pity,

unless it is I who wrong another?

There is only one judge.

He possesses the authority.

If one chooses to hold his grudge,

he places his will over the LORD’s sovereignty.

Vengeance isn’t ours to repay

It belongs to our God, to whom we pray.

 

What Right Do We Have

If we praise God for forgiveness,

why can we not forgive?

Our God is a God of righteousness,

If we receive his mercy, why shouldn’t we give?

Why hold on to anger

when someone else offends.

Anger is the same as murder

in the eyes of God, on whom we depend.

Did he forgive our sins

because ours are lesser?

Realize that he, through Christ, forgave our sins,

for none are truly more minor or greater.

If we ask forgiveness for the evil we have sown.

what right do we have to withhold our own?

 

Idols

I should not worship TV or games,

but I do.

I should not worship my time or acclaim,

but I do.

I should not put the highest value on money or ambition,

but I do.

I should not put the highest value on success or promotion,

but I do.

Hear my sorrow;

please slay these idols.

It’s you I wish to follow;

please take control.

Be the ruler of my existence,

for I can’t turn away without your assistance.

 

The New Body

A seed is planted into the earth.

What is raised is something new.

Those saints who die receive a second birth,

for what was planted came to life, and then it grew.

We are sown perishable;

We are sown in a natural body;

We are raised imperishable.

We are raised in a spiritual body.

We are sown in weakness

but raised in glory.

We can praise with gladness

because we know Jesus’ story.

First is the life that is natural;

then will come the body that is spiritual.

Happy Birthday Bob! Free Stuff!

Greetings all,

[image error]Just as I did with Caught and it’s birthday giveaway, I’m celebrating Bob’s fourth birthday! (WOW! I’ve been a published author for four years!?)

So, The Journals of Bob Drifter will is free March 1-4 (11:59 p.m. PST).

I’d be thrilled if any of you give the book a try and perhaps recommend it to the readers you know. I think fans of Dean Koontz (especially Odd Thomas) would appreciate this book.  When I pitch this book at conventions, I call it Dead Like Me meets Supernatural.  I still think it has some of the best characters I’ve created in it. It has great depth, but those are all my opinions. Still, no one has ever called me out on them.

Again, what I’m attempting to do is generate reviews. If you’ve already read it, I’d be ever so grateful if you consider giving it a rating and review on Amazon, Goodreads or both.

You can grab your free Kindle version of the book here or the link above where I first give the title.

[image error]Now, as if that’s not enough, I have more good news. The Audible version of Repressed is officially live. Like with my other titles, I have 25 free versions of that title ready for any who are interested. So if you like YA stories, this might be for you. It is indeed a part of the Oneiros Log cannon, but it’s not nearly as dark as Caught was. If you’d like a copy, please email me.

It seems more and more hard to believe how far I’ve come in the last four years. I’m about to release yet another title (more on that next week), and I’m working hard on Hazel and Betrayed. I thank God for this gift he’s given. I love this craft so much, and I can’t wait to see where the dream takes me through the next four years.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Story Review: Tinkerman by Jake Bible, From For a Few Credits More Anthology

 

[image error]Spoiler Free Summary: Tinkerman by Jake Bible is the 15th story in the Four Horsemen anthology, For a Few Credits More.  Tee, called Tinkerman by those he provides cybernetic implants to, is in hiding. Sooner or later, people are going to come looking for him because of the secret he carries. When they do, he’ll be prepared, as will the world that’s protecting him, such are the terms of his care for those same people.

Character: Tee is a fantastic character. He’s proactive and capable. He’s got great depth. He’s sympathetic, but not in that he’s just likable or just unlikable. Indeed his range of emotion is a part of the story, and it’s the best part. I was hooked on this story from the moment I started the story as Tee was in his shop.

Exposition: This was perfect. I got the back story I needed as I needed it. Perfect isn’t a story that has no exposition, it’s exposition that provides exactly what the reader needs to be able to progress through the story.

World building:  So for a few reviews now, I’ve been talking about one story I loved, and this is it! This world is every bit as amazing as its characters. This planet feels real. It has textures and minute details that make the feeling of the location visceral. In every scene, I truly felt like I was there. The more I learned, the more I was able to suspend disbelief. We’re not overloaded with aliens and tech. We’re exposed to a cast consisting of different species of aliens; we’re exposed to tech and gadgets that are immediately relevant to the plot. I’m probably going to read on of Bible’s books just because of this short story.

[image error]Image of Mr. Bible taken from his website for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine. 

Dialogue: Powerful. Relevant. Realistic. Bible’s conversations move the plot forward without sounding like some sort of plot direction. It’s snappy. It’s entertaining.

Description: Just as I’ve mentioned in the world-building, the feel of this story is amazing. The movie theatre in my mind was on full IMAX-powered overload in all the best ways. I wasn’t bogged down by details, but I always had all my senses active.

Overall: Here’s how much I liked this story. First, there were a handful of stories I truly thought were fun or entertaining. However, whatever I paid for the whole anthology, I would have happily payed for just this one story. It’s honestly amazing, and I think any fan of gritty scifi should make sure they take the chance to read it.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets For My Savior 21

Stephen

He held fast to the truth,

and his faith remained strong.

Every member of the Sanhedrin gnashed his tooth,

but Stephen knew he wasn’t wrong.

They charged him with blasphemy,

and he responded with scripture.

He described their own history,

and it was more than they could endure.

They dragged him out of the city

and stoned him to death,

but even during this atrocity,

he forgave them with his dying breath.

This is the price every disciple must be willing to pay.

One can only hope he faces death with the grace Stephen had on that day.

 

Conversion

He persecuted Jesus’ followers.

He wanted to hunt them down.

On the road to Damascus, Jesus demonstrated His power.

Saul was blinded and led, by hand, to the town.

Three days he was without sight.

Then Ananias was called to heal him.

So it was done, and Saul saw the light.

He began to preach the gospel even at the risk of life and limb.

He became Paul, apostle to the gentiles.

With zeal, he planted church after church.

He went on to write 13 books of the Bible, called epistles,

Think, all this happened after he began an evil search.

Jesus converted a man driven by an evil obsession,

and now Paul stands as an example of Christ’s great redemption.

 

A Sling

A giant taunted a cowering king;

He shouted and cried for a fight.

Goliath was tall, powerful and frightening,

and he mocked Israel all through the night.

Then came the son of Jesse,

who heard Goliath’s call;

He said to the fearful king, “Let me!

for as the LORD wills, this giant must fall.”

Goliath saw the boy

and mocked him with boasts

Though the giant had a sword and spear that could destroy,

with David was the Lord of hosts.

For David defeated Goliath before the giant could take one swing,

and all this was done with but a stone from a sling.

 

Meaningless

I could give all I own.

I could sacrifice everything.

I could even break every bone.

But without love, it doesn’t mean anything.

I could provide great instruction.

I could lead with effectiveness.

I could even direct an amazing production.

But without love, it would all be meaningless.

I could offer great speeches.

I could learn every wondrous thing.

I could even study all Jesus teaches.

But without love, I gain nothing.

If I can only receive one thing from the Lord above,

let Him bless me by filling my heart with love.

 

The Seats of Power

God the Father

is from whom we exist.

His wisdom is far greater

than any human could enlist.

Christ the Son

is through whom are all things.

Every battle he has has been won.

All hail the King of Kings.

The Holy Spirit

will teach us all.

Blessed are those who hear it,

for those who can’t shall fall.

The seats of power are occupied by these three,

which can only mean there should be no room for me.

 

Peace

Keep my heart from folly;

don’t let my temper become hasty.

For I must be Holy as you are Holy,

And I can’t be that if I’m angry.

Help me be still;

Help me wait for You.

Let me focus on Your Will.

Help me do as you want me to.

Rather than let anger rule me,

let me be silent,

and trust in thee,

so my frustration might relent.

Help me put on a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Please hear my prayer, God of encouragement and endurance.

 

Give Them Up

“When I was a child,”

“I spoke like a child,”

“I thought like a child,”

I Reasoned like a child.”

Have I given up childish ways?

If I haven’t, can I claim to be a man?

Reveal the distractions that cause one’s heart to stray.

If we see them, we should forsake them if we can.

For a child clings to what he wants

and not what he needs.

A child resists his assignments

and when he is spoken to,he doesn’t heed.

If I am to grow in spirit or in life,

I must cast aside those things which cause me strife.

The Buffy Test

Greetings all,

[image error]Image taken from Wikipedia for character study. Please don’t sue me! So was the banner image.

So something I’ve been exposed to lately got me thinking about paranormal stories. I firmly believe Joss Whedon broke the mold for storytelling. I also believe Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the greatest TV show ever. So it’s only natural that any other story that comes anywhere near “Girl Takes on Evil” gets compared to Buffy.

But similarities can only go so far before it just feels too much like someone is taking the Buff formula far too literally. What are the aspects of a story that just scream “Buffy”?

Blonde hair: If your MC kills beasties, and she’s a blonde, you might want to think about working on the hair color. Now this is probably the smallest issue in terms of content, but it’s the most immediate in terms of visual stimuli. If you creep into a dark night and a blonde-haired woman pulls out a weapon, I’d bet metaphorical money the reader/viewer is going to think of Buffy and then compare your story to that show.
The trope: If you have a woman fighting anything evil, you’re probably already treading on that territory. Does this mean you can’t ever have a woman? Sure, but she probably should be … well … see #1. Still, any creator has to consider the standard against perceived imitators. If your story has that basic summary, you really need to challenge yourself. How is your story different?

[image error]Image taken from SYFYWire.com. Pretty please don’t sue me!

A potentially evil love interest: So why did I really hate Twilight? Honestly, because Buffy did it better. Way better! If your MC is feeling the forbidden love vibe, you’re channeling that same tension Whedon used to create the original teams (Team Angel vs Team Spike). (Tangent…anyone not Team Angel never paid attention to the show.) I don’t think anyone writing a story along the lines of #2 should take this step, it’s already too much.
 A love triangle: This isn’t such a bad thing in itself. Any good story needs conflict, and attraction to more than one character is a fairly good idea, unless, of course, those two opposing suitors happen to be evil or formerly evil. Even if just one of them is a bad boy looking for true love, you’re already setting yourself up to be compared to the standard.
A  Plucky Gang: Ensemble casts are great. They really expand the scope of a story. But if that cast revolves around a blonde demon slayer, guess whose territory you’re treading in?

[image error]Image taken from Huntersandslayers.wikia.com. 

A Homosexual Best Friend: Whedon received a lot of criticism for Willow’s sexual orientation. Now it’s the cool thing to do. I’m not speaking about who’s out there and what they’d like to read. I’m just pointing out that a lot of shows, books, and movies are jamming in homosexual characters into their plots to meet a demand. First, if the only reason you’re putting in someone of an alternative lifestyle into your story is to cater to that audience, they can probably tell, and it’s still offensive. Second, if you’re MC is already a blonde slayer of evil things, giving her a lesbian best friend is sort of on the nose.

So why this particular post? Well, I’m looking at a story about a blonde demon slayer who’s in love with a demon who she has to kill. She has a male friend who’s more like a younger brother and a lesbian best friend.

Is this story honestly bad? No. I’m only about a third of the way through it, but it’s OK. It’s just so much in line with all of what I think of as “the Buffy checkmarks” I stopped to wonder what they were and why I couldn’t get past it (or at least I haven’t gotten past it yet). To be clear, this story isn’t plot-point-for-plot-point a ripoff. It really isn’t, but, in my opinion, it certainly seems far too much like Buffy than not. (Maybe a touch of Ghost Whisper  thrown in.)

Stealing like an artist isn’t encouraged, it’s necessary. But those great stories should be launching points for new visions rather than templates for reproduction. This is the main reason I don’t like the slew of remakes out there in the world. We creators should challenge ourselves to push the stories we love in new directions. Change the dynamics. So as I type this, I also want to challenge myself (and other writers) to make sure they’re brutally honest with themselves.

How is your story different?

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

Book Review: Being a Dad Who Leads by John MacArthur

Greetings all,

[image error]Image taken from Amazon for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine. 

Being a Dad Who Leads by John MacArthur was something I picked up when I knew I was about to meet my sons for the first time. My wife and I had waited until matters of her previous marriage were resolved, and I also met with the children’s counselor. Still, I wanted a Biblical perspective on how to do right by the boys.

Having already read several of MacArthur’s books, I picked up this book on parenting. This book exposits upon Ephesians 6:4. It also touches on a man’s relationship with his wife.

Because I think any parent should read this book, I’m not going to go too deeply into the content. It starts with loving one’s wife with a true, sacrificial, Christ-like love.  Then it details ways in which parents sometimes provoke their children to anger. It concludes with the idea of discipline and instruction of the Lord.

For the record, this isn’t a reference to punishment, but rather the idea of an athlete’s discipline. Paul often uses athletic metaphors in his epistles.

[image error]Image of John MacArthur taken from his website for review purposes under Fair Use Doctrine.

I’ve actually read this book twice, and it might be time to do so again. What I found was encouragement and a mindset that immediately resonated with me. It’s not a process book. To me, this a book focused on where a Dad’s heart should be as a parent. There are other books and lectures on raising children, but I’m glad I started here as it’s a foundational book that doesn’t get lost in the minutia of what ifs and how-tos. I won’t deny I like actionable information, but the value of this book was that it gave me a filter with which to view my actions.

I wouldn’t say one should stop at this book. Indeed, the Bible and those who exposit on it well can provide so much more insight. I would, however, say this is where I wanted to start, and I’m glad I did. As I read and study more, as I watch lectures on parenting, I feel like this book created the foundation on which I can build my habits as a parent.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets for My Savior 20

Let Me

If I lose every cent,

let me remember it’s meaningless.

If I should lose all that I was sent,

let me count it all as worthless.

For His love is worth more than gold.

His love is better than acclaim.

Instead let me be strong and bold,

and proclaim the name of the Lamb who was slain.

The dead have no pride.

The dead have no treasure.

But for those who believe in Christ who rose after He died,

the life that comes next will be more than mortal man can measure.

So let me let go of this world’s material things,

and give me Jesus, and all the peace that He brings.

 

Love

Let me be patient and kind.

Keep me from being angry or boastful.

Keep arrogance from my mind.

Do not let me be irritable or resentful.

Change my heart.

Help me stop insisting on my own way.

When others rejoice in wrongdoing, let me be apart.

Rather, let me rejoice in truth this and every day.

For it is written, love bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

Let me hold on to all the things that demonstrate love,

because love is these things and, first, God above.

 

Rejoice, Patience, Consistency

In hope, we rejoice.

We thank Him for this, and every day he has made.

Sing to the Lord with a powerful voice.

We are glad, for the price for our sins was paid.

We strive to be patient in our tribulation.

When our cares are many, his consolation cheers our souls.

No matter how dark the situation,

there is nothing beyond His Control.

We work to be constant in prayer.

We should pray without ceasing.

Whether in joy or despair,

our prayers shall be ever increasing.

We hope we display these traits as evidence of our salvation,

which is the gift from the Father of our creation.

 

Evidence of Salvation

Confess Jesus is Lord with your lips.

Believe God raised him from the dead with your heart.

Fallen is he who fails to come to grips,

with this truth, which is where Salvation starts.

Salvation is the beginning,

and those who have, it have no end.

Far be it for them to keep on sinning,

for those who are truly saved only rise, not descend.

Sanctification is the process

by which one becomes more like Him.

Each time one purges a sin with success,

bears fruit and gives glory in honor of Him.

Confess and believe is all one must do.

Good works and honorable living is proof of His work in you.

 

Passover

They used a lamb without impurity;

His lamb was truly perfect.

They spread the lamb’s blood on the doors for security;

His blood was shed for all of the elect.

They ate the lambs’ flesh until none of it remained;

He gave his body and blood so mankind might be saved.

The early lambs allowed Israel to be unchained;

The last sacrifice was one for all, so we were no longer enslaved.

The early lambs bought freedom from Egypt’s ruler;

The last lamb bought salvation from sins.

Israel killed the early lambs in obedience to the Creator,

but the last was killed through man’s hypocritical whims.

Many lambs were sacrificed to protect one generation;

but Jesus’ perfect blood is all that’s needed for eternal salvation.

 

Gifts

Some may utter wisdom;

others may utter knowledge.

These gifts are never random.

To use them to serve His will, we must pledge.

Some may speak various tongues;

others might interpret them.

But whatever breath comes from our lungs,

the Holy Spirit is from whom they stem.

The Spirit apportions to each as he wills.

All gifts serve the body.

We seek to honor God with each of the skills,

for his perfection is what we aspire to embody.

Do not be concerned with how visible the gift might be.

Instead just use them, for God has made you His appointee.

 

Run

Run the race to win.

Be disciplined in your training.

Exercise away the sin.

For the eternal prize is the only one worth attaining.

Ensure every step has purpose.

Do not be disqualified.

Do not let your work become careless,

lest what you truly work for be denied.

Work to win the prize,

for it will never fade away.

If you fall, simply remember to rise.

Then continue, without letting your heart go astray.

Just as athletes work toward their physical goals,

so should we train for the sake of our souls.

What Anime gets right: Characters

Note: (Featured image from Anime Planet.)

Greetings all,

[image error]Image from RPGWatch .

It’s been a few weeks since I had a good ‘ol fashioned writing-based post, and since I’m in the middle of a few projects, and I don’t have any official news yet, I have the chance to take a look at what I feel is the most important part of any story …

Character.

If anyone interested in writing wants my humble advice, watch anime. It’s awesome for one. The other reason is that they always deliver a multitude of characters viewers love. Now I could go in a lot of directions, and I might actually do more than one post on this robust topic, but for now, I’m just going to focus on the general idea of what anime does with characters.

Deep, complex backgrounds: When I watch anime, I genuinely feel like the creators sat down for every character and wrote a story just for them. Any one of them could be the main character if they just got a bit more screen time. As if that’s not enough, the episodes use those complicated backgrounds to advance their MCs. This allows fans to grow closer to an
[image error]Image taken from Fear-World .

other cast member while still being connected to the hero. It’s honestly brilliant. Naruto does this best. Some may argue they go to this well too many times, and I’d have to agree, but inevitably, as Naruto interacts with characters, we learn more about both of them. This happens both in fights (Naruto VS Neji Hyuga and with team-ups (Sai’s arc). As they fight or work together, we learn more about the side characters, and as Naruto works with them he learns more, and we grow closer to him.
Clear motivations: Every character in anime has motivations and obstructions to those motivations. Good or evil, those characters strive for something. Sometimes they build conflict and suspense. Sometimes the motivations build sympathy. Both are essential.  Let’s take a look at Mikasa Ackerman. She’s a fascinating character. She could want any number of things, but all she truly cares about is protecting Eren. This motivation is clear. So when Eren is in danger or pain, we know this causes Mikasa stress (sympathy). When people seek to harm or even just belittle Eren, we know this will create conflict.

[image error]Image taken from Star City Tees.

Sympathy: One of my favorite things to do when talking anime with anyone is to talk about their favorite characters. My favorite books have that same feeling, but I can’t always do that with books. I can always do it with anime. The main reason for this is how sympathetic anime characters are. Anime does a fantastic job of making viewers feel for them. They do it through humor. (Ryuk. Sure, he’s evil, but people like him because he amuses them. Why else do people always think of him and apples?) They do it through conflict (Ichigo). They do it through relationships (Ed Elric). The writers use a variety of situationally dramatic settings to allow the viewer to grow sympathetic toward the characters.

So I’ve only scratched the surface on this topic, and I’m probably going to harp on a lot of this when I don’t have any news about my writing to offer. However, this is a good place to start.

When developing your characters, look for opportunities to consider these topics and how anime uses them to get those fans cosplaying. If you do, you might just see a few cosplay people pick one of your characters? (I’d love to see a Grimm or a Caden cosplay!)

Thanks for reading,

Matt