The Devil Is in the Details
May. 3rd, 2016 04:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynlingI'm structuring the Zelgan fic I'm currently writing like an adventure game, which means that I'm devoting an inordinate amount of attention in the early chapters to setting up clues that will be important to the plot.
In the second chapter, the major clue is a scrap of paper that will later function as a linguistic palimpsest. Basically, instead of Chekov's gun, I'm setting up Chekov's research question. ISN'T THIS EXCITING.
I commissioned one of my favorite artists in the Zelda fandom to do an illustration of the first chapter, and she has been very patient and supportive as I try to describe the background. I don't know whether she's genuinely interested or just curious to see how pedantic I can get, but she has prompted me to write detailed descriptions of the architecture of Hyrule Castle and the plants in its garden. I'm like, LET ME TELL YOU, ABOUT THE PHENOTYPES, OF THE MORNING GLORY, WHICH CAN BE POISONOUS, WHEN,
Honestly bros, writing plot is hard, especially since the only thing I care about is the fucking.
In the second chapter, the major clue is a scrap of paper that will later function as a linguistic palimpsest. Basically, instead of Chekov's gun, I'm setting up Chekov's research question. ISN'T THIS EXCITING.
I commissioned one of my favorite artists in the Zelda fandom to do an illustration of the first chapter, and she has been very patient and supportive as I try to describe the background. I don't know whether she's genuinely interested or just curious to see how pedantic I can get, but she has prompted me to write detailed descriptions of the architecture of Hyrule Castle and the plants in its garden. I'm like, LET ME TELL YOU, ABOUT THE PHENOTYPES, OF THE MORNING GLORY, WHICH CAN BE POISONOUS, WHEN,
Honestly bros, writing plot is hard, especially since the only thing I care about is the fucking.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-06 08:28 pm (UTC)A number of artists I follow on Tumblr make a big deal about wanting to be paid for their work. I get the sense that is a relatively recent development in the broader cultures of fandom. Back when DeviantArt was still a thing, there was a strong backlash against discussions of money. On Tumblr, however, there are constant calls for commissions, which are often accompanied by requests to contribute to the artist's Patreon. This demand for actual money tends to be mixed in with reblogs of people saying things like "you should never work for exposure" or "don't draw gift art for your non-artist friends."
Paying artists for their work makes perfect sense to me, especially now that I have something resembling a disposable income. That being said, I don't like being made to feel as if I should be paying an artist for their participation in fandom.
This feeling stems partially from the fact that, as someone who writes fic, I will never receive as many likes or reblogs as any given artist, and no one would think to compensate a fic author for what she produces.
Although I guess there are exceptions? I think you wrote a post about fic writers on Patreon awhile back, but the only writer I've run across who does this gets less than $10 a month. This seems sad to me, especially since the artists I support on Patreon receive monthly donations of several hundred dollars.
It seems grossly unfair that, broadly speaking, the work of artists is valued so much more than the work of writers. It infuriates me to know that this is the case in game development as well, although I suppose that doesn't surprise me.
I SHAKE MY FIST AT THE WORLD.