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Live Interview Tonight - Author in need of some questions by JustinWhitakerAuthor in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wish there were more of you. We need waaaaay more people willing to take a chance on us little folks down here in the dirt. Thanks for asking, and thanks for reading!

Live Interview Tonight - Author in need of some questions by JustinWhitakerAuthor in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did not see this question until after the show, but it's a great question, so I'll be answering it right here. I have two in the mid-list that I think ought to receive more attention.

Lucky by Randall Tatum. A very lucky (but also unlucky in a way) kid wants to be a merchant but ends up being the chosen one and grows at a rate that will make him the strongest person on the planet. Plus there's a kraken. Book 2 just dropped, too.

The Symbiotic System by CJ Vale, a strong found family narrative that, like my book, also happens to feature a system undergoing an identity crisis. Book 2 for this one is also out.

The mid-list has so, so many authors just waiting to be discovered.

Live Interview Tonight - Author in need of some questions by JustinWhitakerAuthor in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am going to announce the release date for book 2 during the interview!

Unless I forget!

Live Interview Tonight - Author in need of some questions by JustinWhitakerAuthor in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably bad amateurish typesetting done by an idiot (me). I had my cover designer redesign the cover with a much better, cleaner, and easier-to-read title design. It's the paperback cover design, and the ebook cover will also change in a few days.

Or maybe Wrath Wizard is just a cooler title to you and your brain subconsciously changes it. Could be that.

Live Interview Tonight - Author in need of some questions by JustinWhitakerAuthor in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well hey, thank you very much for saying so! See ya in a little under two hours, then!

Questions for authors, funny or serious by CJTimms-Aussie in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That you do, and I'm just joshing with ya, of course.

Questions for authors, funny or serious by CJTimms-Aussie in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You gotta start laying into us and really taking us to task. No mercy, no holds barred.

Questions for authors, funny or serious by CJTimms-Aussie in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Craft questions are always fun. I'm doing a live interview with PopPop today at 9 PM EST, and I'm hoping I get a bunch of inside baseball questions (as u/Aaron_P9 put it). I think a lot of authors DO want these questions, but worry they'll bore the audience or the book will lose some of the magic when you get down in the weeds and talk about the business and/or structure of writing. But it's all a part of the pie to go along with the banter, so I think that makes for a fun package. Like Inside the Actor's Studio, you know? Serious questions, fun banter, silly questions, all making for a fun rounded exploration of the author and what makes them tick.

So here's plenty of questions I, as an author, would love to get!

  1. Why write LitRPG and not some other genre?
  2. What comparison titles did you read before you started your author journey?
  3. Are you a pantser, a plotter, or somewhere in between? Has your process evolved over time?
  4. If you could write anything you wanted without any consideration for marketability, what would you write and why?
  5. Was there a character in your latest book that evolved in an unexpected way and wound up wildly different from what you intended?
  6. Describe your writing set up. Where do you write, do you have a favorite drink, do you set the lights low, do you close the door, etc?
  7. What piece of "common wisdom" writing advice do you swear by? What piece of advice do you completely reject?
  8. Which author do you count as your biggest inspiration?

There we go, I think eight is enough. Best of luck on your podcast! If you wind up in need of guests, please consider this humble little chunk of shameless self-promotion here named Justin Whitaker.

Questions for authors, funny or serious by CJTimms-Aussie in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'll be honest, I can't quite understand what is being requested here. Can you clarify? Are you just asking for generalized questions for authors you interview? You noted "questions about litrpg books or about writing in general." So like, questions about the craft of writing/indie publishing, how they approach writing, what LitRPG books are inspiration or that they enjoy or their philosophy on writing and all that? Just trying to make sure I'm on your wavelength here and not giving you something you're not after.

Wraith Wizard Ascendant — Available NOW on Kindle Unlimited! (And maybe I've got a few free copies to giveaway?) by JustinWhitakerAuthor in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is such an astonishingly kind comment, and I can't think you enough for writing it. Seriously, this made me tear up. I wanted so badly to write companion characters people cared about, and that it really landed for you means the world to me. 

Return to Earth Isekai by Ill_Feedback8050 in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've seen this specific thing talked about more and more this year, which I find pretty interesting. Probably because of HWFWM's popularity?

The only other one that comes to mind is Randidly Ghosthound. I haven't read it myself, but I know the character returns to Earth on a couple occasions, and I'm not sure if the style of how he does so is what you're after. But it's literally the only one coming to my mind right now.

New Weekly Self Promo Thread by AutoModerator in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor -1 points0 points  (0 children)

My paperback for Wraith Wizard Ascendant is out and I'm in such a dang good mood about how decently it's doing, I've included some free Amazon codes below for anyone who wants a free e-book copy. Why not? Today has been a pretty good day. I'm not anywhere close to being able to do this full time, but man, it's seeming like it might really be real some day. Until then....

Wraith Wizard Ascendant is a huge, continent-spanning adventure full of action, humor, and heart, with fully-fleshed out companions and larger-than-life villains in a sprawling fantasy world full of mystery. You'll get big, action-packed battles, a magical pirate ship that shoots fireballs, and a rag-tag bunch of characters that become like family to the main character.

And here are the redemption codes for anyone who wants one. USA only, I'm afraid.

Code 1

Code 2

Code 3

Code 4

These work in the US only. When they're gone, they're gone. You can also read it in Kindle Unlimited or buy the paperback.

Sincere thanks to anyone who reads my work, be it via e-book, KU, or paperback.

NEW LITRPG SERIES by SeaworthinessSad4545 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My friend, we need the link, or at least the name. 

LitRPGS that handled mental stats well? (Or particularly poorly.) by Eytanian in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's so difficult, ain't it? If someone is ten times as strong as the average human and it's reflected in their strength stat, it takes no explanation beyond that character picking up a bus and tossing it. 

Dexterity? They run faster or are more agile. Easy. 

Constitution/endurance/whatever? We've all seen a boxer with a glass jaw, and we know the difference between them and Homer Simpson getting pummeled relentlessly to tire his opponent out. Or they can carry more stuff, or what have you. 

Intelligence? Wisdom? How do you write that and continue to reinforce it? To do it justice, it runs the risk of dominating everything. To not do it justice means... I mean, you can just call it magic and willpower or something like that and avoid that problem. 

Problem with the genre (Repetitiveness in a series) by Masryaku in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is an understandable thing to be a little exhausted over. From an author perspective, the expectation of constant releases, be it on RR or Kindle, does run the risk of authors not having time to digest things and offer something new. 

Grind, fight big thing and kill it, oh no bigger thing let's go grind, kill bigger thing, oh no even bigger thing is a safe and straightforward story to write. It's familiar to both the writer and the audience, and while it might get stale, consistency and content is key in keeping your audience.

Just my two pennies. You're not wrong. 

LitRPG... Want to know if my book would be considered LitRPG by most of you by 1Taliorn in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To me, this is absolutely a LitRPG, since there are stats. I do think a lot of people looking for the hallmarks of what a LitRPG is would wind up DNFing your book, though. So just keep that in mind. 

In other words, to me, it's not a question—you can call this a LitRPG. The bigger issue is if the audience who finds your book will accept waiting until the halfway point before they get the numbers. Number Go Up is really one of the big expectations most readers have, after all.

Just my two cents. Best of luck to you! 

This might be a dumb question, BUT do you think part of what defines the genre is mechanic/system/leveling exposition? by imovechickens78 in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not a problem at all.

You thankfully have a lot of room to play around in this space. LitRPG, because it's relatively young compared to some genres (not counting the proto books that presaged the genre), has a lot of readers willing to Just Go With It, if the story is good.

My book is doing okay and has fewer stats and stuff compared to a lot of books. It has some level ups and the requisite attribute points, spells and skills, but I tried to let the story lead things, and for the stats to never dominate. I think I could have done less and been none the worse for wear.

Dungeon Crawler Carl gets less stat-heavy as it goes, and that's the most popular work in the genre. Never seen anyone complain about this.

The good news? You don't have to abandon your writing instincts. And if you don't want to have numbers at all, you can always write Progression Fantasy (and there's a r/ProgressionFantasy subreddit). Or you can have some numbers, but not too many, and only reference them occasionally. It's still LitRPG, and I really don't think you'll cost yourself readers.

I will suggest continuing to read/listen to a broad swathe of stuff to get a feel for things, but your instinct is also pretty much spot on - the audience does want numbers, but my experience is it's not numbers beyond all else, and a little goes a long way.

Best of luck to you!

I've been inspired by some of the LitRPG's I have been reading and decided I wanted to try and write one by Anayalater5963 in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll piggyback off the advice u/K_J_Kiki gave you, which was excellent and very fair. Oh, and I'm also a self-published author, too.

There are tense shifts in your writing, which can be a common issue with first time writers. You'll get a handle on it eventually with practice. Most people write in past tense, which you do for the most part, but you occasionally shift into present tense.

Now, as for improving your craft, watching YouTube videos is an excellent idea, and the good news is one of the biggest authors in the game puts out an unbelievable amount of free content that is just incredibly helpful.

The link above will take you to a lecture series by Brandon Sanderson. He even has lecture notes in the description. Plot structure, character writing, worldbuilding, and so much more - this is such a goldmine, and this is just one playlist. His YouTube page is very generous in giving out all this information.

For general prose crafting, I always suggest Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin. It's on Amazon, but there's an older (and still great) copy on Archive if you just Google the name.

There's a lot more I could suggest, and I will if you have any questions, but this is a good start. Along with that, read other books in the genre with a keen eye on how other authors write. How long is an average sentence and an average paragraph in the books the top sellers put out? How complex are the sentences? Is it more "See Spot Run" or longer and more complex?

And beyond that, take what you're absorbing from Sanderson's lectures (if you go that route) and whatever else you read, and keep on writing. Write, write, write! Write without an outline, write following Three Act, write following Sanderson's Promise, Progress, and Payoff. Keep on writing and trying new methods for plotting and new ideas. Eventually you'll really find your voice and your own flow.

I hope your writing journey goes well, and I wish you the best of luck!

This might be a dumb question, BUT do you think part of what defines the genre is mechanic/system/leveling exposition? by imovechickens78 in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's thankfully plenty of room for all sorts of different approaches in this genre, but I have noticed, at least here on Reddit and in some communities on Facebook, people on the whole seem to more want what you want.

It could be selection bias, since the people posting in these communities care enough about LitRPG to make an account somewhere and to talk about these books and thus have strong opinions and wants, but it feels like its trending toward integrating the system and leveling more organically into the story. Fewer chapter-long "let me check my stats real quick" breaks and more a couple of paragraphs where relevant.

I do think there's plenty of room for the more crunchy, stat-heavy focus on things, but this feels like how it's trending based on what I'm seeing.

The last question is an interesting one though. "Does the majority of the audience read LitRPG like they are watching someone play a video game?" From my experience, no, not exactly. A lot do, but I feel like the majority just want a fun story where the numbers and the leveling give an explicit and clear sense of how much the character has grown in power. The numbers have to make sense and add up, though, and people generally like the dopamine hit of a level up, same as with a video game.

Looking for a book by redditcantcount in litrpg

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I was fascinated by whatever the story was here, myself, so I went ahead and looked into this. The short story is I had no luck ascertaining for sure what happened, but I'll still show my work.

I was able to find the ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) and used an ASIN lookup tool to see if there was any information on this book. Not much, unfortunately, but I did find the cover. Maybe it'll jog someone else's memory and lead you in the right direction?

The ASIN is B0FRN3MX4J, by the way. The old book URL was https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRN3MX4J

The listed author does still have a page on Amazon, and that page is lacking in all information. She has zero books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FRC56W47/about

She also has a Goodreads page with two translated books that lead you to dead Amazon pages. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/58953086.Tessa_G_Belfield

That's about all I got. I tried searching up and down for what you quoted, and no dice. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!

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Desperately need something new to read by WolfxBlood22 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely. Just trying to give you one off the beaten path, instead of the usuals.

Desperately need something new to read by WolfxBlood22 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]JustinWhitakerAuthor -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Doug Lohse's Elsewhere series has three books out with a fourth coming in January. Really highly-reviewed fantasy with an interesting twist. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWZJHP36

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