Thud.

[rushthatspeaks]

I have now outlined everything in Altarwise by Owl-Light that takes place before the book actually starts. Which is actually pretty major, as the backstory covers five or six distinct ontological realms and about fifteen hundred years, absolutely all of which is necessary.

And I've named three of the characters, one of whom is the protagonist. (Actually, he's had a name for a while, but it was always sort of a Provisional Name, and now I know it's set in for the long haul.) This is also major, because the names have to resonate on as many levels as possible so that if necessary they can actually tell me new things about the characters.

So I'm starting to feel as though this is going to be a book, as opposed to a random collection of notes to myself. It's a good thing.

Comments

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

I really really want to read this book.

Nine

[oracne.livejournal.com]

squee!

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I do too.

[reversepolarity.livejournal.com]

Excellent well. I look forward to reading it!

Also, what is that icon of? The description makes me giggle.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Hey! That's great! I look forward to reading it.

[sovay]

So I'm starting to feel as though this is going to be a book, as opposed to a random collection of notes to myself. It's a good thing.

I have to say, however, even had the project turned out to be only a random collection of notes, it sounded like a damn fascinating random collection of notes.

I'm really looking forward to this.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I want to read it too. You write so well and know so much.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

That is Kanzeon Bosatsu from Gensomaden Saiyuki. Technically ze is the Buddha of Compassion and the deity in charge of mercy, but in this series ze mostly sits up in heaven making the protagonists' lives miserable and then laughing at them. Ze is hysterically funny, extremely intimidating, and always plotting something or other. The icon description is essentially correct.

Ze is also preceded at all times by a tall god with a beard whose job is to open doors and say, loudly, 'Kanzeon Bosatsu!', and also to look scandalized at everything everyone does. When we did our Saiyuki group cosplay, Thrud's dad seriously considered being that guy.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

One of the things I intend to do at some point after I've actually written the thing is to hand my notes to someone after they've read the book and see if they can derive Point B from Point A.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Aw! Thank you!

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[reversepolarity.livejournal.com]

That's amazing. Thrud's dad must be a hell of a guy.

I like how his nickname is just "ze," too - does he use the particle in his speech? That would make him, well, arrogant and stuff. I don't need to explain it to you. :)

[weirdquark]

Ze isn't a nickname -- it's a gender neutral pronoun. Kanzeon Bosatsu isn't male or female, but both. Personally I prefer to talk around the issue so I don't have to use a pronoun at all, but other people use "ze" and "hir" instead of she or he and him and her. But the manga-ka has said that Kanzeon Bosatsu has both male and female bits. It's just that the only bits that don't upset the censors when they're noticable are the whopping huge breasts. (Which you can't see in that icon.)

As far as I remember, in the anime Kanzeon Bosatsu looks like a woman who uses very masculine body language and the pronoun "ore."

[reversepolarity.livejournal.com]

I actually didn't know that (obviously). However, now it's very clear.

However, with the language pattern that you've mentioned, I wouldn't be surprised to hear a "ze" from him/her/ARGH I HATE BEING PC.

[gaudior.livejournal.com]

Thrud's dad is, in fact, really really awesome.

Other costumes he has considered or done include:

*the pointing hand from Utena
*a giant cross with a Wolfwood plushie attached to it.

[eredien]

Have you considered, ever, just having people publish a random collection of notes, as a story?

Tricky to do but interesting, especially if page-order didn't matter.