Have you written a story?

[Tech]

Has anyone written a story where you have your characters from your campaign in it? It doesn't have to be Champions. I'm not referring to a write-up of an adventure episode gamed but an original story with the characters?

[aylwin13]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I've written one short story, an introduction for one of my PC's. Her name is Silhouette. I posted the story, and the original character sheet, here. She has earned some XP and has added or tweaked powers since then. Maybe I'll have to revive that thread and post the updated character.

[NestorDRod]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Our group tends to get pretty creative when it comes to blue-booking in our campaigns. In many cases, the "blue-book" entries are pretty much stories in their own right.

 

A lot of my work has shown up in Susano's site in the World Book section (Kazei 5, Shadows Angelus I and II).

 

Just curious. Any reason for asking?

[Bloodstone]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Several. Most of them were just short stories or comics to be shared with my game group, but there have been a few that I have considered sending out for publication.

 

Those, however, are only loosely based on what actually happened in game.

[Certified]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

As far as fiction for hero games I tend to do shorts for almost all the characters I post. However, here is a link to one that's long enough to not be considered flash fiction.

 

Grey Matter

 

Background for one of the settings more powerful villains but it involves the Xeno Consortium the campaign world's equivalent to the Avengers.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I wrote several short stories for a creative writing class in college, featuring a Fantasy Hero charming-rogue-type character of mine. Neither of them were based on anything that happened in game.

 

The first was supposed to be mainly a descriptive exercise, so I had him walking through a marketplace and spotting (and following) a pretty girl. I got to describe the market stalls, vendors, and of course the girl in great detail. He purchased a fine silk scarf from a vendor that matched her outfit, then used it to introduce himself to her ("I believe you dropped this..."), tied it loosely around her neck... and in the process stole the diamond necklace she was wearing.

 

The second we had more freedom to write what and how we wanted, so I had him playing a game of poker with the local baron to win his brother's freedom. (He had been caught hunting on the baron's lands.) I included several subtle clues on how he was going to cheat to win the game, but nobody in class caught them until the end. So I guess my verbal Sleight of Hand skill matched my character's physical Sleight of Hand skill.

 

Both were a lot of fun to write, and it really helped that I knew what the character could or couldn't do. But I suggest you not feel 100% constrained by that, if doing so would interfere with the flow of the story.

[Vulcan]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I tend to write a page or two background story on my characters when I can... Those are the characters I understand and play the best.

 

For D&D I've done a number of these background stories for both me and my wife's characters.

 

Vigil was my prime example of that for Champions (he was my WWYCD: Bearing Witness spokesperson), with Dante and Pride coming in second and third. Vigil's backstory went so well, I continued it throughout the campaign - at least to the point where he died.

 

A second time. I'm hoping the GM will bring him back for a third!

[Cassandra]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I have a novel planned out featuring many of My Superhero Universe characters.

[Trebuchet]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I've written several which have been posted on these boards; links to them can be found on this page: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1415238&postcount=14

[Querysphinx]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I have written a novel Cockatrice: Carpe Demon based on my character Cockatrice. The character has changed radically from the time I played her, and the story has nothing to do with the campaign she was in.

 

Here is a picture of a scene from the book.

[Certified]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I have written a novel Cockatrice: Carpe Demon based on my character Cockatrice. The character has changed radically from the time I played her, and the story has nothing to do with the campaign she was in.

 

Here is a picture of a scene from the book.

 

Has this been published? I'm taking a manuscript to Dragon*Con to shop around. Any tips?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Has this been published? I'm taking a manuscript to Dragon*Con to shop around. Any tips?

 

Brace yourself for rejection.

 

In all seriousness, you probably have a better chance mailing your manuscript into a publishing house to land in their slush pile. They do read them, just takes a while.

 

Conventions are a hard place to sell because vendors are busy trying to get you to buy stuff, not buy stuff from you as it were.

 

If you get an interested party the WILL ask you for your manuscript to read on their own time - bring multiple copies. If you want it back, give it to them in a SASE.

[Certified]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Brace yourself for rejection.

 

In all seriousness, you probably have a better chance mailing your manuscript into a publishing house to land in their slush pile. They do read them, just takes a while.

 

Conventions are a hard place to sell because vendors are busy trying to get you to buy stuff, not buy stuff from you as it were.

 

If you get an interested party the WILL ask you for your manuscript to read on their own time - bring multiple copies. If you want it back, give it to them in a SASE.

 

I guess I should qualify the shop around statement a bit more. It's still in the rough draft stages. I've been working on it on and off for about two years. What I'm hoping for is just some feedback as I go through it again before sending it out.

 

Have faith I have gotten used to the rejection thing. Baen's Universe is remarkably quick and Strange Horizons is not that bad either. It's when you get away from electronic submissions things seem to slow down. The normal waiting time seems to be around 4 months before the rejection letter comes in and that is just on short fiction.

[Blue]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Lots. But as happens with time and everything I make (drawn or written), I start to dislike it more and more.

[penemue]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Well, as I mentioned in another post I have gathered my Champions campaign into a how to draw Superheroes book. I also have a super secret comic I am working on that's based on my Canadian Superhero Team Campaign. I hope to start posting it this September.

[Querysphinx]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Has this been published? I'm taking a manuscript to Dragon*Con to shop around. Any tips?

 

It hasn't been published... yet. I'm superstitious enough that I don't want to jinx myself, but I have to say things are looking hopeful in that department.

 

As for taking an MS to a con. In my experience, don't take any pages. If you can find someone you want to read it, ask them if you can give them a thirty second pitch. If they say no, thank them for their time and go on to another subject. If they say yes, give them a thirty second pitch. Then they will either say "no thanks," or ask you for more details. If they ask you for more detail give them the two-to-five minute version. Restrain yourself from babbling. Half of a good pitch is knowing when to shut up. If they like your presentation they'll probably ask to see a partial. Get their address and ask to send it to them after the con. No matter what they say, thank them for their time. Be professional.

 

Also, if you're going to be pitching at all try to dress nicely. I know its a con and there will be people walking around in rubber masks, but you are there for business. I typically put on suit and tie when I'm pitching, even if I change into shorts and t-shirt immediately thereafter.

 

Quite frankly Dragoncon is the wrong place to pitch. You'd be better off at a writer's conference when the editors and agents go specifically to receive pitches. That's how I sold Sparrow's Flight.

[penemue]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

That's really good advice Querysphinx.

Repped.

[penemue]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I have some Champions characters in a book coming out in November.

http://www.amazon.com/Manga-Martial-Arts-Lessons-Fighting/dp/1600610293/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218515072&sr=1-8

[Vanguard00]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Has anyone written a story where you have your characters from your campaign in it? It doesn't have to be Champions. I'm not referring to a write-up of an adventure episode gamed but an original story with the characters?

 

I have written a number of short short stories about characters over the years, but it's only been recently that I've made an effort to focus on writing a novel. I'm a hundred or so pages in, using characters I've played before (and a few others loosely based on those I've gamed with), but it's in "lull" mode. I had hoped to finish it by year's end, but I'm not sure it's going to happen.

[DusterBoy]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

All my characters started out as an idea for a story. The first, original idea was that seven kids see a meteorite crash and to to see what's up. It's an alien meteorite, they get too close and get zapped. They get reported missing and a big ole search is conducted. Eventually they get found near the meteorite (which is now just a lump of rock) and get taken to hospital. When they come round, it is discovered they have superpowers.

 

It was meant to be the S Club 7 of superteams (gah! ) via the X-Men.

 

It's changed considerably since then. Six of them were easy

 

Tom (Challenger) is based off Damage (brickette/energy manipulator)

Lisa (Maze) is based off Jean Grey (TK and telepathy)

Wang (Slider) is based off Ice Man (ice and cold powers, duh)

Darren (Maverick) is based off Grunge from Gen13 (absorption powers)

Josh (Blitz) is based off the Flash with a little Impulse (the speedster)

Surinda (Saranyu) is based off Storm or Rainmaker (weather manipulator)

 

it's Jen Sinclair who is giving me headaches. I can't decide on her powers, even though she's meant to BE THE LEADER OF THE TEAM! AARGH!

 

I haven't even got a common background. I mean you got two white guys, two white women, a black man, a Chinese guy and a third generation Hindu woman. Is college/uni a good excuse to get them together in the first place?

 

please

[Pariah]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I wrote a short story involving several of my characters from various campaigns a couple of years ago. I posted it on a blog that a couple of friends (including Lord Mhoram) and I contribute to on an infrequent basis.

 

Prelude and Conversation

 

Nothing too serious, just writing out an idea that had come to me one day.

[Predatorpt]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I've started a whole superhero universe so I could write some short stories.

 

At the time I worked on a comic shop, so I had plenty of readers (including from the guys who were translating the Marvel comics to Portuguese). It was nice to have that sort of honest feedback and reviews

 

Unfortunately, I've changed workplaces since then and lost the will to write anything. Right now I'm trying to motivate myself to start writing again - wrote a short storie two weeks ago; wrote a Portuguese villain entry for Tribe's awesome thread; I'm writing more entries for my own universe.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I've completed a script for a graphic novel, in the form of a faux twelve-issue "company-wide crossover event," featuring every Champions PC I could remember my wife or myself ever playing, plus a handful of others. If I could find someone to draw it, I'd happily sell it at lulu.com....

[Susano]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

Our group tends to get pretty creative when it comes to blue-booking in our campaigns. In many cases, the "blue-book" entries are pretty much stories in their own right.

 

A lot of my work has shown up in Susano's site in the World Book section (Kazei 5, Shadows Angelus I and II).

 

Just curious. Any reason for asking?

 

And since I was in those games, I have done the same. We also did a lot of blue-booking for the Sengoku game years and years ago.

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Have you written a story?

 

I know this is necro-threading, but I just read Sparrow's Flight and was blown away by how good it was. I wish I had bought it new, QuerySphinx deserves more royalties, IMHO.