RPGs & Writing - Imagination and Friends

I'm kicking off a series of posts about how playing role-playing games (RPGs) has affected my writing. This topic not only excited me, but other authors I know. I'm eager to have some of my writer friends share their experiences through guest posts too.

I've always loved writing stories. It can be a lonely venture, though. I used to play imagination games with my friends where we'd play out stories. Back then, I had never heard of RPGs. I didn't play my first Dungeons & Dragons game until I was in university. But I was already addicted to something else before then.

I loved playing PBeM RPGs. What are those, you ask? Play by email (or play-by-post) RPGs are games groups of people as their characters interact together in a predefined environment. Many groups have rules about not only the parameters of the world but also the conduct of the players and subject matter allowed.

I played in all sorts of groups. Most of them in Yahoo Groups. Fantasy, science-fiction, dystopian, and tons of Harry Potter groups. Yes, I do love playing in that world!

 

What I liked most about these RPGs was that I didn't know what the other players would come up with next. I loved the twists and turns, the weird surprises, and the amazing stories we created together. Since I'm a pantser, I reveled in it.

With all these different types of worlds, I was able to experiment with different writing styles and various characters. I discovered that I loved to write about relationships - be it romantic, friends, enemies, etc. It was the characters who attracted me and drove me to become the character focused writer I am today. (One of the most character driven groups I had been in was a dystopian called Descent Into Sin. Deep, dark stuff.)

While these RPGs helped to mold me into the writer I am today, there was something else I loved about them: the friends I made. These friends encouraged me to write more of my own original work and gave me the strength to submit it to various venues. I had my first short story published because of their support. And even to this day, over fifteen years after I started in my first PBeM group, I'm still in contact with some of these amazing people. Not all of them write or play anymore, but they have never ceased to be fantastic cheerleaders and super friends.

Have you ever play in a PBeM RPG? A tabletop RPG like Dungeons & Dragons? What were your experiences like?

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I would like to extend an invitation to any writers who have played RPGs. I'd love for you to guest post on my blog about your experiences. If you're interested, please leave your email in the comments below, or email me at christinerains.writer@gmail.com.

Wicked Wednesday - do the yucky things

In case you're wondering, yes, those are real lungs in the picture. A local college brought them to the recent Math & Science Night at my son's school. No one got sick or ran off screaming. The children thought it was awesome.

Did I touch the lungs too? You betcha!

We often hear the more we live, the better writers we will be. I completely agree. But it isn't all about doing exciting, clean things. We should experience the stuff that grosses us out too.

Change a baby's stinky diaper, make a bug pie, or walk through the mud with bare feet. And if you're brave, you can go to the next level. I've walked through a swamp and sewage, sat in the back of a garbage truck, and been in the back of a funeral home.

We writers do have spectacular imaginations, but experiencing something will make our writing better. Will I ever write about a character touching lungs? I don't know, but I know how they feel now, and it's not what you would expect.

Go out there and do something yucky!

What is the yuckiest thing you've ever experienced?

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Only five days until the MEME Blog Hop!

I'm hosting this awesome blog hop with the wonderful C. Lee McKenzie and Tara Tyler. Be it funny, encouraging, or inspiring, we want to see them. Join us the week of February 29th - March 4th. There will be prizes and a giveaway for participants!
 

Sign up HERE!

Broken Branch Falls is here!

It's Beastly Blitz Day!

I'm a huge fan of MG fantasy. I can't wait until my son is old enough to start reading great books like Tara's with me. We play all sorts of pretend/imagination games together already. I believe children have a natural inclination to do such things as it is, but people complain we see them doing so less and less. I've found it easy to pull any child into a game using their imagination. All they need is to be opened to possibilities. What I'd like to see is more adults playing with their kids in such a way. There's nothing to be embarrassed about! It's tons of fun, and little ones want to do what the big kids (us!) are doing. Imagination is just as important as intellect. Wonderful MG fantasy stories can bring kids and adults together and start them on the path to grand adventures.

BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy)
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: June 24, 2014 - TODAY!!
B&N ~~~ Amazon
Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. But Gabe wants to break out of his nerdy stereotype and try other things. He has his eye on the new ogress at school. Though it’s against all beastly rules, there’s just something about her.

Gabe starts a fad of mingling with other species, forcing the High Council to step in and ruin things by threatening to destroy the school and split up Broken Branch Falls. With help from other outcast friends, Gabe sets out on a quest to save his town. They'll show 'em what different friends can do together!

Add it to your GOODREADS list!

Tara Tyler has had a hand at everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently, she has two series, The Cooper Chronicles (techno- thriller detective capers) and Beast World (MG fantasy) She's an adventure writer who believes every good story should have action, a moral, and a few laughs!

Twitter ~~~ Facebook ~~~ Blog

Also by Tara Tyler, techno-thriller detective series,

The Cooper Chronicles, Book One: POP TRAVEL

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Insecure Writer's Support Group for September 2013

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

Also, a big congratulations to IWSG on it's second birthday! Two years. Wow. This is an awesome group. Make sure to check with Alex to see what news he has for us.

Yes, that is a purple elephant dancing on the clouds above a yellow and orange jungle. Maybe you're a bit confused right now, but I bet you're smiling.

A few weeks ago, my son and I were being artsy. We painted, and I took out all the art supplies. Puff balls, glitter glue, stickers, beads, etc. He went on to turn his orange and yellow painting into a grand jungle with animals, flowers, and trees. Once he had some clouds in the sky, he put the elephant on top of one.

Me: What's the elephant doing on the cloud?
Boy: Dancing.
Me: That's so silly. Why is he dancing up there?
Boy: 'Cause he always wanted to dance on the clouds. It's silly and fun and he loves it. It makes him happy. Happy is good. You gotta do what you love and be happy.

Sometimes when you tell people you're a writer, they'll snicker and give you that you're-silly look. Sometimes people will tell you your writing is ridiculous or over the top. Sometimes people won't believe you can write a book, and if you do, that it won't be successful.

It doesn't matter what they think. You write because it makes you happy. Be a little silly, a little out there, and write what you want to write. Write because it's fun. Write because you love it. Sometimes wisdom does come from the mouths of babes.

Be that purple elephant dancing on the clouds.

Imaginary Friend Bloghop

Annalisa Crawford is celebrating her one year anniversary of Cat and The Dreamer with the Imaginary Friend Bloghop. Acting as her co-host is Kyra Lennon. Such a clever and fun bloghop! If you've read Cat and The Dreamer you'll know that Julia, the main character, has a big imagination, and she has an imaginary enemy.

Annalisa and Kyra want to know about your imaginary friend. What were they called? How old were you? Were they naughty or nice? If you didn't have one, were there ever times when you could really have used one? Did you ever set fire to your mum's favourite rug and have to take the blame yourself? Annalisa is generously offering a £10/$10 Amazon gift voucher for my favourite post, and Kyra is offering a three chapter critique for hers. Awesome!

Unfortunately, I never had an imaginary friend growing up. I really wanted one. I still would like one! Have you ever seen the movie Drop Dead Fred? I loved that movie. Not that I wanted an imaginary friend to do bad stuff and get me in trouble, but to have someone to have adventures with and do silly things together. Someone to comfort me in the bad times, tell my secrets to, and help me not feel so lonely. Even though I had a brother and there were lots of children in the neighborhood I played with, I still felt lonely as a child. I was just too logical even as a kid. I could pretend to have an invisible friend, but I never really believed I did.

I do wonder if my son will have an imaginary friend. He's an only child and there are no children for him to play with in the neighborhood. We can't afford to get a dog right now, but I'd like to get him a pet some day. He loves school and playing with other kids, and sometimes I wonder if he's lonely. If he does have an imaginary friend, I wish them a lot of fun and adventures, but my darling boy, don't think I'll believe you when you say it was your imaginary friend that threw the ball through the window or made mud pies in the living room!