102 réponses à ce sujet

[Sloth Of Doom]

melkathi wrote...
Sounds as if you were going to write the next Eragon

N....no.  My dragons were......black.  Also, um...there are unicorns.  Yeah.  Unicorns.

Modifié par Sloth Of Doom, 16 janvier 2010 - 07:35 .

[MerinTB]

Colenda wrote...

To MerinTB,

I'm not a writer, nor do I ever intend to be one, according to whatever definition of writer you please. Well, except for posts on geeky forums, obviously.

To be clear, Colenda, my crack about people claiming to be writers wasn't directed at you at all.  Go back earlier in the thread to see the person who said "if you write yourself" - and even THAT wasn't meant to be a dig at that poster, I was just trying to show SoD that I could think of mean things to say, too.

Primarily, I said Mr Gaider's writing was amateurish because I was annoyed with you for telling people in a very high-handed manner what they are allowed to say, and what they aren't.

I apologize if I came across as telling people what they are allowed to say - wasn't my intention.  I thought the wording was clear enough - "Really, unless you are a paid, published writer or a professional
editor/publisher, the extent of your literary critique (even if you are
an English major) should probably stick to what you like or dislike
about it and back carefully away from making sweeping statements like
calling the lead writer at a major game studio and the published author
of two successful books "amateurish.""
Should probably and back away carefully I thought were not definitives declaring "do this and don't do that", but I guess they can be misinterpreted.

And for the record, I include myself in that statement.

So hopefully no hard feelings.  You don't have to like his writing, or can enjoy it and find major flaws, whatever, and I'm by no means intending to tell anyone what they can or can't be critical of.

I just really have this probably with poor communication and the misuse of words.  My problem, not yours.

Sorry to have insulted you.  Honestly.

[Sloth Of Doom]

MerinTB wrote...

I just really have this probably with poor communication and the misuse of words.

Does that mean your writing is amatuerish? 

[MerinTB]

Shavon wrote...
That may depend on what you like to read.  I guess you could get away with saying this about the Mass Effect novels, but I think Gaider is a very good writer, and did an excellent job with the novels.

imho, of course:whistle:

Ack!

I like Drew Karpyshyn's writing!  Granted, I've only read the Mass Effect novels, but I have a couple Star Wars geeks for friends and they speak highly of his Star Wars novels.

None of this is "great" literature in the academic sense, sure, but honestly I think most scholars agree that Chaucer was a "popular author" a la Stephen King in his day, too.

Dang, Drew gets inadvertantly dissed!

[MerinTB]

Sloth Of Doom wrote...

MerinTB wrote...
I just really have this probably with poor communication and the misuse of words.

Does that mean your writing is amatuerish? 

Do I get to have any semblance of self-esteem?

To answer your question - probably?

[Tekbear]

hahahahaha!



welcome to the literate writers corner of dragon age where the intellectually overpowered hang out to bathe their balls in honey because they are too bored to get on with their own future award winner.



come on guys - this is a fantasy game forum. it's really unfair to blame david gaider for keeping things a bit on the simple side. amateurish is really an insult

[Sloth Of Doom]

MerinTB wrote...

Sloth Of Doom wrote...

MerinTB wrote...
I just really have this probably with poor communication and the misuse of words.

Does that mean your writing is amatuerish? 

Do I get to have any semblance of self-esteem?

To answer your question - probably?

You will never write as well as this.

[MalikCaligulaBey]

melkathi wrote...

Sloth Of Doom wrote...

Hey, screw you Merin! I have 11 pages of badly written, typo-filled angst-trash on my HDD and the other night I had am idea about how maybe I want one of the characters to be if I can figure out a story. So far there are dragons and an evil prince and a good guy from a small farming village and a hot chick who secretly loves both men! And when my masterpiece is done it will start a game franchise where you have all these characters standing in a line and then the enemies stand in a line and everyone takes a couple of steps forward to attack on their turn!

I am a goddamned writer goddamn you! I wrote that! Making words = writer!

Screw you, I'm going to update my livejournal abut what a meaniehead you are, then cry in my room until my mom brings me cookies.

Sounds as if you were going to write the next Eragon

Or The Stolen Throne for that matter. 

[TheRealIncarnal]

I must admit, the Novels really suprised me. I mean, I've read a few videogame companion books before, and they're usually decent to bad, but at least readable. However, these books are extremely good and easy reading. I accidently read The Calling for 3 hours last night during my normal 30 to 45 minute read before I go to sleep. Not bad considering that I purchased them on a whim while traveling through an area with a bookstore that someone bought me a gift card to that doesn't exist around here.

Or should I say "By my Ancestors! What a wonderful gift!"

[David Gaider]

I really don't mind if someone considers my writing to be "amateurish", or whatever other adjectives they care to use. What matters to me is that the books have been well-received, and that many people appear to be enjoying them. Some people are always going to voice their opinion as if it's an objective fact, especially when it comes to evaluating literature or art -- ever hear of a critic? -- but so long as someone doesn't feel the need to have everyone agree with their own tastes I don't really see the issue. I certainly wouldn't be the first author to have someone hate his style.

And this is not to say my writing is perfect, by any means. I do need to improve, and I'm probably a harsher critic of my own work than anyone I know. Feedback is wonderful (and thank you to those who provide it), but if any writer was going to allow what someone else thinks of his style prevent him from putting his work out there there probably wouldn't be many books published.

I intend to keep writing. With any luck my verbs will eventually stop adverbing, too.

[Sloth Of Doom]

Your style would be better with more penguins. Penguins add sophistication.

[Herr Uhl]

Of course they do, they have in-built tuxes.

[sofly]

[/quote]

Sloth of Doom: You will never write as well as this.



[/quote]

I don't think anyone could spin a tale to that level and not be fizzled right out. Artists/Writers/Entertainers rarely even get to attain this level of legendry once in a lifetime.

As for Gaider- both of your books were solid reads that were smooth and easy going. I blew through them fairly quickly. I'm pretty sure anyone beyond even the intended demographic could find enjoyment in either book.

Modifié par sofly, 16 janvier 2010 - 09:02 .

[addiction21]

Sloth Of Doom wrote...

Your style would be better with more penguins. Penguins add sophistication.

I wont say it but I think you all know what I would like to see.

Maybe it is not the place to ask but does BW own the rights to the entire DA universe? Or maybe a better question would you or others care to continue writing books for the DA universe? and would that be allowed?

I do enjoy the place even tho I have yet to read the actual books so I just will not comment but if what has gone on in the game is any indication of what to expect I should be pleasently suprised.

They are on my list. Just finished the Night Angel triliogy by Brent Weeks and have started on this whole Fire and Ice series I have been hearing good things about for a while.

[Bhatair]

Anyone ballsy enough to put their work of fiction out there for the masses is ok in my book. That's all I have to say about that.

[SHITBULLET]

I was thinking of buying the novels for quite some time but when Awakening was announced and it was revealed that the Architect was going to play a role in it I just had to buy them and so far I am more than pleasantly surprised.

So far I've read The Stolen Throne, which I enjoyed very much. I really liked reading more about Loghain as I thought that he was a little underwhelming in Origins as a character (as far as I know). I can't wait to start The Calling and if it's anything like TST I know I'll enjoy it A LOT.

Also in contrary of everybody else I know, I quite enjoyed the way David wrote the books. I hope his "style" didn't change much from TST to The Calling. I'd really like to see more novels by David in the future, if there even is the possibility.

[TheMadCat]

Maybe it is not the place to ask but does BW own the rights to the entire DA universe?

It's all trademarked to Electronic Arts International so no? Then again Bioware is owned by EA so maybe.

Modifié par TheMadCat, 16 janvier 2010 - 09:13 .

[David Gaider]

addiction21 wrote...
Maybe it is not the place to ask but does BW own the rights to the entire DA universe?

Of course we do. It's our own intellectual property -- that was sort of the point.

Or maybe a better question would you or others care to continue writing books for the DA universe? and would that be allowed?

We can write them, if we wish, and do whatever we like with the setting. If any third party wishes to use our intellectual property they would need to license it -- just as someone would need to license a D&D product, for instance.

[fanman72]

The Stolen Throne is a solid book. It's great as a stand alone book even if you don't know much about the DA universe and not obsessed with high fantasy. If you like movies like Braveheart, gladiator, thirteenth warrior, etc you should probably pick this one up





The Calling is alright

[addiction21]

David Gaider wrote...

addiction21 wrote...
Maybe it is not the place to ask but does BW own the rights to the entire DA universe?

Of course we do. It's our own intellectual property -- that was sort of the point.

Or maybe a better question would you or others care to continue writing books for the DA universe? and would that be allowed?

We can write them, if we wish, and do whatever we like with the setting. If any third party wishes to use our intellectual property they would need to license it -- just as someone would need to license a D&D product, for instance.

Intellectual Property those were the words on the tip of my tongue.

It is good to know. My worry was that the story, setting, plot, events etc etc etc... Would have needed to be okayed by a corporate suit. Which from my experiance is never a good thing for creativity.

[Stippling]

Mr. Gaider, do you intend to write more Dragon Age novels soon? Do you have any new ideas in the pipeline that you can share with us?

[tinman0925]

I've read "The Stolen Throne" and I'm currently in the middle of "The Calling".............they are both awesome. Being that I have finished DOA "The Calling" has really helped me with my DAO withdrawls. GREAT WORK MR. GAIDER !!

[RangerSG]

David Gaider wrote...

I really don't mind if someone considers my writing to be "amateurish", or whatever other adjectives they care to use. What matters to me is that the books have been well-received, and that many people appear to be enjoying them. Some people are always going to voice their opinion as if it's an objective fact, especially when it comes to evaluating literature or art -- ever hear of a critic? -- but so long as someone doesn't feel the need to have everyone agree with their own tastes I don't really see the issue. I certainly wouldn't be the first author to have someone hate his style.

And this is not to say my writing is perfect, by any means. I do need to improve, and I'm probably a harsher critic of my own work than anyone I know. Feedback is wonderful (and thank you to those who provide it), but if any writer was going to allow what someone else thinks of his style prevent him from putting his work out there there probably wouldn't be many books published.

I intend to keep writing. With any luck my verbs will eventually stop adverbing, too.

As someone about to put his work into that vast pool of empty from which some publisher will hopefully grasp it, I can sympathize on all points. Feedback is a useful thing. But take a look at what people said about Shakespeare, Dumas, Dickens, etc. And then look at the names routinely listed as "the must read" authors of Western literature. No author appeals to everyone. And I am seriously starting to wonder if the idea of calling something "genre fiction" isn't little more than an attempt by a literture critic from having to interact with material he doesn't find personally interesting to read. Not to say some material doesn't transcend it's 'genre.' But to me, writers like Steven Erikson or Neal Stephenson are brilliant regardless of genre. You may not like everything they do, but that doesn't mean they aren't quality, just you don't share their interests.

Modifié par RangerSG, 16 janvier 2010 - 09:27 .

[WelshDragon69]

David Gaider wrote...

I really don't mind if someone considers my writing to be "amateurish", or whatever other adjectives they care to use. What matters to me is that the books have been well-received, and that many people appear to be enjoying them. Some people are always going to voice their opinion as if it's an objective fact, especially when it comes to evaluating literature or art -- ever hear of a critic? -- but so long as someone doesn't feel the need to have everyone agree with their own tastes I don't really see the issue. I certainly wouldn't be the first author to have someone hate his style.

And this is not to say my writing is perfect, by any means. I do need to improve, and I'm probably a harsher critic of my own work than anyone I know. Feedback is wonderful (and thank you to those who provide it), but if any writer was going to allow what someone else thinks of his style prevent him from putting his work out there there probably wouldn't be many books published.

I intend to keep writing. With any luck my verbs will eventually stop adverbing, too.

Thank you for your imagination David, I enjoyed reading the books initially to get me "in the mood" for the game, and I especially enjoyed The Calling, that was a great background novel and set the tone for the DA universe!  As with any creative field, some people will like it, somepeople won't, and I'm glad to see you certainly understand this.

I'd also like to add that DAO was also well written, and is deeper than any "fantasy" game I've played, and I stated on D%D back in the 80s

[melkathi]

RangerSG wrote...


As someone about to put his work into that vast pool of empty from which some publisher will hopefully grasp it, I can sympathize on all points.

Good luck!
The slush pile can be a disheartening place to be. Been there myself.
Just remember:
You will get rejected. Probably a lot.
A lot of the times they wont even bother to read before rejecting. A friend was telling me the other day how she was returned the unopened envelope with her manuscript.

Personally the one (children's) book I managed to get printed, had one publisher telling me rather rudely to keep the day-job so to speak, while at the same time another asked me to come in to meet face to face... the same month *shrug*
Publishers are people to: they have personal tastes, they have limited resources, they have days were they are too tired to really give 100%