10 Questions with Angel Leigh McCoy part 1
How has working in the role playing game industry affected you as a fiction writer?
An interesting question. It has primarily affected me in two different ways, one bad and one good. I’ll give you the bad news first. Working in the games industry is a huge commitment. We often work extra long hours and, even when we’re not working, we’re thinking about what we need to do and how best to do it. Thus, I expend a majority of my energy and creative juices on my job, leaving me with less than I’d like for my fiction writing. My resources are depleted by my job: time, mental energy, and creativity.
However, it’s a sacrifice I make willingly because I love my job. I’m extremely lucky to have a job that’s a whirlpool of creativity swimming with smart and passionate coworkers who make me a better person and a better writer/narrative designer every day.
Now, for the good news. When you design narrative for a game, you come nose-to-nose with many of the rules of good fiction writing:
Start where the story begins, not before.
Without solid characters, there is no good story.
Keep dialogue short, to the point, and flavorful.
Eliminate all unnecessary words.
Find the exact right word to express what you want to say.
The 3- or 5-act structure is classic and extremely useful.
If you want your audience to hate an enemy, have the enemy destroy something everyone loves—like a beloved pet.
Passive voice is rarely a good idea.
And so on and so forth, ad infinitum.
That’s just the beginning. I get to practice all these things and come to a better understanding of how and why they’re good within the medium of gameplay. It’s been incredibly instructive, and I don’t feel like this time is wasted at all. I can say without a doubt that my fiction has improved as a result of the lessons learned in my job.
Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
neil gaiman
It’s difficult to nail it down to one person. I read many different authors and learn something from them all. I learn from the short story submissions I receive for Wily Writers, as well, and I learn as I’m editing stories for the anthologies I do. However, if I had to name one writer who has intrigued me enough that I’ve studied his work and professional moves, I’d have to say it’s Neil Gaiman.
Reading Mr. Gaiman’s work, for me, is an exercise in chasing down what it is that makes him so beloved to so many. I have yet to quantify the spark of magic he brings to his writing, but I won’t stop looking for it. And, perhaps, at some point, some of that magic will sneak into my own writing—probably when I least expect it.
I just wish I had a sexy accent.
What made you get involved with the Wily Writer’s Podcast?
wily writers
The podcast came about as the result of several conversations I had with other writers. We were frustrated that there weren’t many outlets for short fiction, and it all seemed so impersonal. So, I decided to create Wily Writers. Initially, it was intended to be as much a community of writers as an actual market for short fiction. We had forums where the writers could hang out and share information, etc. If you were published at the site, then you were welcomed in.
Unfortunately, the forum side of it didn’t take off. It actually fizzled fairly quickly as people were drawn to the sparkly new Facebook. What remained was the podcast and the underlying concept of publishing writers—no matter how well-known—who had written marvelous stories.
I never expected it to take off as it has, nor did I expect it to pay professional rates, as we started doing this year.
In your time as the editor of the Wily Writer’s Podcast, what is the best short story you have come across? What is your all-time favorite short story?
Oh, my goodness. That’s like asking a grandmother which of her grandchildren she prefers. The stories are all so different, and I love them for their unique qualities. Each year in the anthologies, I choose my favorites from among the stories, but I couldn’t possibly narrow the list down to one. The attempt might just make my head explode!
If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Only one? I’d have to choose the I Ching (Book of Changes). It’s an ancient Chinese text used for introspection and contemplation of universal truths and untruths. It has so many layers and stories in it that I would never tire of delving its secrets and applying its lessons to my life.
An interesting question. It has primarily affected me in two different ways, one bad and one good. I’ll give you the bad news first. Working in the games industry is a huge commitment. We often work extra long hours and, even when we’re not working, we’re thinking about what we need to do and how best to do it. Thus, I expend a majority of my energy and creative juices on my job, leaving me with less than I’d like for my fiction writing. My resources are depleted by my job: time, mental energy, and creativity.
However, it’s a sacrifice I make willingly because I love my job. I’m extremely lucky to have a job that’s a whirlpool of creativity swimming with smart and passionate coworkers who make me a better person and a better writer/narrative designer every day.
Now, for the good news. When you design narrative for a game, you come nose-to-nose with many of the rules of good fiction writing:
Start where the story begins, not before.
Without solid characters, there is no good story.
Keep dialogue short, to the point, and flavorful.
Eliminate all unnecessary words.
Find the exact right word to express what you want to say.
The 3- or 5-act structure is classic and extremely useful.
If you want your audience to hate an enemy, have the enemy destroy something everyone loves—like a beloved pet.
Passive voice is rarely a good idea.
And so on and so forth, ad infinitum.
That’s just the beginning. I get to practice all these things and come to a better understanding of how and why they’re good within the medium of gameplay. It’s been incredibly instructive, and I don’t feel like this time is wasted at all. I can say without a doubt that my fiction has improved as a result of the lessons learned in my job.
Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
neil gaiman
It’s difficult to nail it down to one person. I read many different authors and learn something from them all. I learn from the short story submissions I receive for Wily Writers, as well, and I learn as I’m editing stories for the anthologies I do. However, if I had to name one writer who has intrigued me enough that I’ve studied his work and professional moves, I’d have to say it’s Neil Gaiman.
Reading Mr. Gaiman’s work, for me, is an exercise in chasing down what it is that makes him so beloved to so many. I have yet to quantify the spark of magic he brings to his writing, but I won’t stop looking for it. And, perhaps, at some point, some of that magic will sneak into my own writing—probably when I least expect it.
I just wish I had a sexy accent.
What made you get involved with the Wily Writer’s Podcast?
wily writers
The podcast came about as the result of several conversations I had with other writers. We were frustrated that there weren’t many outlets for short fiction, and it all seemed so impersonal. So, I decided to create Wily Writers. Initially, it was intended to be as much a community of writers as an actual market for short fiction. We had forums where the writers could hang out and share information, etc. If you were published at the site, then you were welcomed in.
Unfortunately, the forum side of it didn’t take off. It actually fizzled fairly quickly as people were drawn to the sparkly new Facebook. What remained was the podcast and the underlying concept of publishing writers—no matter how well-known—who had written marvelous stories.
I never expected it to take off as it has, nor did I expect it to pay professional rates, as we started doing this year.
In your time as the editor of the Wily Writer’s Podcast, what is the best short story you have come across? What is your all-time favorite short story?
Oh, my goodness. That’s like asking a grandmother which of her grandchildren she prefers. The stories are all so different, and I love them for their unique qualities. Each year in the anthologies, I choose my favorites from among the stories, but I couldn’t possibly narrow the list down to one. The attempt might just make my head explode!
If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Only one? I’d have to choose the I Ching (Book of Changes). It’s an ancient Chinese text used for introspection and contemplation of universal truths and untruths. It has so many layers and stories in it that I would never tire of delving its secrets and applying its lessons to my life.
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