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[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

It says 赤兔雄风, or 'the awe-inspiring Red Hare'. Sanyu is taking us to ancient China

I'm glad you dropped by to post this.

Can't wait Sanyu, will be great to see an ancient China AAR.

[SanyuXV]

Hitai is as clever as always and nailed it perfectly!

Don't get too excited now, my writing skills are a little rough on the edges

[Owlparrot3]

I'm excited for this China aar .

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Thanks, Caillagh and Hitai!

Don't thank me! I was just guessing! Hitai deserves all the credit, and gratitude.

The extra hints are just making me look forward even more to whatever Sanyu will write...

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Friends, authors, fellow-readers, lend me your votes!

No, no, don't vote for me - that would be foolish, as I'm not an entrant in the current MAARC. Vote instead to help break a tie for first place in MAARC LXIX!

[Alwyn]

There is still time to vote in Tale of the Week 259, thank you to people who have already voted!

Meanwhile, I am finding Colum McCann's advice for writers helpful and wonder if other writers here will find it useful, too. I like his ideas. For example: the opening of a story should have a balance between action and the impression that action is about to happen. Bring a writer requires outward-looking empathy. A good day day might involve having a hundred words fewer than yesterday. Characters should be able to surprise us: real lives are not always tidy and logical.

[Scottish King]

There is still time to vote in Tale of the Week 259, thank you to people who have already voted!

Meanwhile, I am finding Colum McCann's advice for writers helpful and wonder if other writers here will find it useful, too. I like his ideas. For example: the opening of a story should have a balance between action and the impression that action is about to happen. Bring a writer requires outward-looking empathy. A good day day might involve having a hundred words fewer than yesterday. Characters should be able to surprise us: real lives are not always tidy and logical.

Its a great article and one that I needed to read after taking some time off from writing. The article gave some grear points all around but by far his best advice was: "a writer is the one who puts his arse in the chair when the last thing he wants to do is have his arse in the chair."

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Good advice for all of us, I think. (Certainly advice I should pay more attention to.)

Hi, Scottish King. It's great to see you.

[Scottish King]

Good advice for all of us, I think. (Certainly advice I should pay more attention to.)

Hi, Scottish King. It's great to see you.

Hey Caillagh! Good to be back!

[Alwyn]

Its a great article and one that I needed to read after taking some time off from writing. The article gave some grear points all around but by far his best advice was: "a writer is the one who puts his arse in the chair when the last thing he wants to do is have his arse in the chair."

I agree about the best advice! Sometimes it's important to just write, even when we don't feel like writing. (That's how the prologue to my Iceni AAR got written).

Welcome back, Scottish King!

[Basileos Leandros I]

Thought I'd pop in around these places

[Alwyn]

Hi Basileos, it's good to see you here. I wonder if you are interested in entering your new story Clouds of Smoke for the MCWC XVI.

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Alwyn's comment made me think. So, tell me, Basileos Leandros I: if I want to abbreviate your name, should I call you 'Basileos', or 'Leandros'? I have no idea whether 'Basileos' is a proper way to address someone!

[Basileos Leandros I]

Haha

Basileos is actually the Byzantine name for Emperor - hence why I believe it's appropriate.

All jokes aside, you can call me Basileos, no worries!

And yes, Alwyn, my pleasure

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Basileos is actually the Byzantine name for Emperor - hence why I believe it's appropriate.

Yeah, that's why I wasn't sure you'd think it was appropriate...

I mean, I would never, not even for a single moment, dare to doubt the genuineness of your Imperial credentials. Honest I wouldn't. But, well, the current English equivalent would be to call the monarch "King" or "Queen", and - no matter how well you knew her - it would be a bit weird to walk up to Queen Elizabeth II and say "Hi, Queen!"

Anyway, if you're happy being Basileos, I'm happy calling you Basileos. Thank you.

[Alwyn]

I look forward to seeing more entries for Tale of the Week 261, Dark Souls (thanks to ChewieMuse for letting us use your great picture!).

Meanwhile, I am writing an article for the Critic's Quill about challenges which people experience when writing AARs and how you overcome them. If you would like to suggest examples (of challenges, solutions, or both) then you can contact me (by visitor message or private message) or post on this thread. Thanks in advance! If I use your idea in the article, I will give you credit as the source.

[Owlparrot3]

Recently i tried to write a horror story .

[McScottish]

Meanwhile, I am writing an article for the Critic's Quill about challenges which people experience when writing AARs and how you overcome them. If you would like to suggest examples (of challenges, solutions, or both) then you can contact me (by visitor message or private message) or post on this thread. Thanks in advance! If I use your idea in the article, I will give you credit as the source.

Well, a good start for myself would be this post here (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post15191083), so feel free to use that if you're interested.

[24thRegiment]

Hey mate,
I'm writing a story based on my own FoTS experience. However, it is unfortunately similar to yours. (i.e Nabeshima/Saga clan (I was playing as them) and Royal Marines) SO just to clarify this when I upload this to the AAR's, I wasn't copying you alright? Anyway keep up the good work.
(I'm going to enclose a sample of the work here.)

Sgt John Roberts stepped off the boat in his bright red British Parade uniform, the sea’s glare near blinding him. “Let’s go lad. Don’t want to keep the Colonel waiting, do we now?” Captain Farrows said, in his Welsh brogue, whilst hurriedly fixing his hair and uniform.
“No, sir.” Roberts replied quickly and advanced as swiftly as he dared. Yet he couldn’t help but look around in fascination at the curved rooftops of the polished wooden houses. Market stalls were seemingly everywhere he looked, selling a variety of fish, rice, vegetables and other items of value. Heads turned as Roberts and Farrows passed them. He slowed down to walk next to Farrows and muttered to him, “What’s this place called again?”. They’d walked fifty meters until Farrows responded.
“Tsukushi.” He said simply. A strong wind had come and blew everyone’s hair, Farrows had his short black hair wind stricken. He grumbled angrily, cursing the wind under his breath. Roberts felt like doing the same. He had his blonde hair nice and tidy but then that damned wind had come and ruined it. “At least these,” Farrows pointed at Roberts’ and his own sideburns, “can’t be ruined!” He pulled out a comb and Roberts did the same and they both marched into the residence of the Daimyo, where they saw the Colonel apparently buying time for their arrival.
“Ah, there you two are!” His face broke into a grin. He turned to the Daimyo and said “Well here are the gentlemen I was telling you about!”

[Edited by Caillagh de Bodemloze to add: This post is addressed to McScottish and refers - as the post title suggests - to McScottish's AAR A Stranger in a Strange Land.]

[Owlparrot3]

I wonder what is the critics quill(I mean i know what it is) .But it seems that non citizens are not encouraged to join in?

[Post moved from Tale of the Week commentary thread, because this is not commentary on Tale of the Week. - Alwyn]