Leave of Absence

[Knight Random]

After reading MSG's posts, I'm very angry both at myself (because I feel like I've done something nasty and cowardly) and at him (because I feel like he was indirectly attacking me). Because of all the unpleasant emotions that brought out, I'd like to take a leave of absence from this story for a while until I've gotten these things sorted out and writing here can be enjoyable for me again. Maybe it won't be long, I don't know. Also, MSG, I do sympathize with you and you'll be in my prayers.

[ragan]

I hope it didn't have anything to do with anything I said. For what it's worth, I don't think you were being nasty and cowardly. And I don't think MSG was meaning to attack. It's just, hey, everybody has issues, I guess...

[MSG]

After reading MSG's posts, I'm very angry both at myself (because I feel like I've done something nasty and cowardly) and at him (because I feel like he was indirectly attacking me). Because of all the unpleasant emotions that brought out, I'd like to take a leave of absence from this story for a while until I've gotten these things sorted out and writing here can be enjoyable for me again. Maybe it won't be long, I don't know. Also, MSG, I do sympathize with you and you'll be in my prayers.

Hey,

What I wrote, as many have guessed, was not an attack on you or anyone.

Also, I did not think that what you wrote was an attack on me (direct or indirect).

Sometime, though, the most innocent of things can reopen old wounds.

Thanks for your prayers and you're in mine.

[Knight Random]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad no one resents me for this. It's just that this is becoming a very emotional subject, and I dind't want to let my emotions get away with me and start a flamewar, as I sometimes do. :(

[Y]

Hey there... being emotional doesn't equal "out of control" and I can't see you starting a flame war... over what? C'mon, take a cue from Mr. Spock and just be rational! Oh, wait, you're emotional.... OK, take a cue from Capt. Kirk and... and... either kiss someone or have a drink! and I am being silly on purpose!

[Knight Random]

I now have decided, after some thought, that I'm not taking a complete leave of absence after all. I probably won't write for any of the Terran threads until after I've sorted out all the issues relating to them, but there is a lot more to EAS than just that. Of course, I also have other writing which I have sadly neglected in the past few weeks, as well as a LOT of homework and studying for finals in the last few weeks of high school, so my writing rate will probably be reduced. But any writing from me is better than none, at least I hope people think that. :)

I can only imagine what JH will make of all this turmoil that happened while he was away...

[Anableps]

KR, good luck with those last few weeks of school.

To both you and MSG - if your writing were indifferent, Ib, JH, Y, and myself would not have extended those episodes. I would consider it a compliment that the characters that you developed are compelling enough to have inspired this many interpretations. As time permits, I hope to add a few episodes.

[JH]

I now have decided, after some thought, that I'm not taking a complete leave of absence after all.

I'm very glad to hear that. A quote (or possibly misquote) from, I think, LotR floats into my mind: "In this, as in all else, I hold thee blameless."

I probably won't write for any of the Terran threads until after I've sorted out all the issues relating to them, but there is a lot more to EAS than just that. Of course, I also have other writing which I have sadly neglected in the past few weeks, as well as a LOT of homework and studying for finals in the last few weeks of high school, so my writing rate will probably be reduced. But any writing from me is better than none, at least I hope people think that.

Very much so.

I can only imagine what JH will make of all this turmoil that happened while he was away...

I saw MSG's post that started all this off just before going to bed, and then saw ragan's wise response. But I knew that there would be a lot of messages to catch up on today. I've now read them all, and most of them are full of good sense.

I know from my own experience that it's easy to feel possessive regarding characters that one has created, but it's necessary to accept that one can't have total control in a collaborative medium like addventure. The most one can hope for is that other writers try to maintain continuity, in terms of characterisation as well as in matters of "fact". If one wants something more than that, then the answer can only be to write a "traditional" story all by oneself instead.

Y's episode was certainly shocking, but then no doubt it was meant to be. That's a legimitate effect for a writer to attempt to produce. I didn't feel that it was lightly done, or was in any way out of place.

I felt that the introduction of true tragedy into the thread opened up some interesting possibilities. The immortality of the Champions has perhaps made it difficult for the reader to feel that they are in any real danger. But now, in this one particular branch (but not elsewhere, of course), it seems that they may not be so immortal after all.

I always suspected that it was unlikely that MSG would want to contribute to some of the recent branches, their not altogether fitting in with his concept, but the beauty of the addventure is that any new branches in no way affect or detract from any other branch (as WolfRun has pointed out).

[Knight Random]

I now have decided, after some thought, that I'm not taking a complete leave of absence after all.

I'm very glad to hear that. A quote (or possibly misquote) from, I think, LotR floats into my mind: "In this, as in all else, I hold thee blameless."

Glad to hear it. :)

I probably won't write for any of the Terran threads until after I've sorted out all the issues relating to them, but there is a lot more to EAS than just that. Of course, I also have other writing which I have sadly neglected in the past few weeks, as well as a LOT of homework and studying for finals in the last few weeks of high school, so my writing rate will probably be reduced. But any writing from me is better than none, at least I hope people think that. :)

Very much so.

I can only imagine what JH will make of all this turmoil that happened while he was away...

:)

I saw MSG's post that started all this off just before going to bed, and then saw ragan's wise response. But I knew that there would be a lot of messages to catch up on today. I've now read them all, and most of them are full of good sense.

I know from my own experience that it's easy to feel possessive regarding characters that one has created, but it's necessary to accept that one can't have total control in a collaborative medium like addventure. The most one can hope for is that other writers try to maintain continuity, in terms of characterisation as well as in matters of "fact". If one wants something more than that, then the answer can only be to write a "traditional" story all by oneself instead.

Y's episode was certainly shocking, but then no doubt it was meant to be. That's a legimitate effect for a writer to attempt to produce. I didn't feel that it was lightly done, or was in any way out of place.

I felt that the introduction of true tragedy into the thread opened up some interesting possibilities. The immortality of the Champions has perhaps made it difficult for the reader to feel that they are in any real danger. But now, in this one particular branch (but not elsewhere, of course), it seems that they may not be so immortal after all.

I always suspected that it was unlikely that MSG would want to contribute to some of the recent branches, their not altogether fitting in with his concept, but the beauty of the addventure is that any new branches in no way affect or detract from any other branch (as WolfRun has pointed out).

You're probably right. It seems to me, however, that if the episodes are good enough the tragedy would still feel real, even though the characters were still alive in the episodes. And there have been other threads where Champions have died, by the way. There is also the thread in which the Jarlath episode was originally written (although where Anableps wants to go with that is also a major factor), the "Terra Prime Forever/New Champions" thread that began in 13886, and the hideously convoluted Red Pyramid thread. Come to think of it, I was involved in all three of those. So the idea of the Champions facing tragedy was something I'd been interested in for some time.

I still don't like Y's episode that much, to be honest, although it certainly does open up some interesting possibilities. Seems to me that although it's certainly valid to aim for shock, there shouldn't just be that. But my view is probably colored by what MSG said later.