In-Character Blogs - would you read one?

[Iphel]

I currently run a blog. A blog recounting all of my adventures within the game. A blog told not only of my pixels, but by my pixels as something of a writing exercise. It has come to the point where I'm debating the purchase of a URL specific for this blog, despite it simply being a pet-project of mine.

But in terms of readership, would you read something similar? GM Dave's blog was written in a similar format - from the eyes of someone who lives in that world rather than the eyes of someone playing in that world - and certainly there was readership there. But could such a project held out by a player, rather than a GM, and done for fun, really garner a readership worthy of paying out real coin to host it, to name it, to maintain it?

Have you written something similar? Read something similar? Would you keep up with such a thing if the writing and characterization were well done?

[Shurrikhan]

If you're a good writer, I'd probably pick it up from time to time. Start without paying too much if you can, get an audience, and then buy a specific URL. It really just depends on your quality of entertainment. In short, you simply running around pointlessly in a world, no matter how beautiful or unique that world is, is not going to be interesting. If your character is immensely likable, and / or actually comes across interesting pieces of plot, that's a different story. Feel free to interpolate a little. Friends from the game to write into the blog should also help.

[Overkill9000]

i would not. just not my bag.

[Iphel]

I'm debating, if all goes well with the linkshell I finally found (I've been more-or-less without a linkshell since release; I run my own Linkshell-of-one just so that I don't look like a loser when I'm soloing... . _. that I may open up registration and allow rights to write entries to linkshellmates as well. But until I'm settled and there's a solid base, I don't want to get too many chefs in the stew, so to speak.

The blog is currently hosted on my website which, once I get around to it,w ill be a proper portfolio of writing and design alike. I'm still feeling my way around wordpress so that blo0g layout is a bit clunky, I feel confident enough with my writing at the moment. I just have to buckle down and make sure I post at least one entry per week. Once I can steady my feet, I may end up purchasing stuffonmymiqote.com
But that's still 'just a potential'....

I'll be brushing up on my lore, to some extent, during a week-long trip up north and plan on integrating actual plot rather than just character into the blog.

[RemVye]

I would not, just not my bag.

[Konachibi]

I'd read it every now and again.

If it were very funny I'd read it a lot, I like to have a bit of comedy in my day.

In regards to gaining a large degree of return fans to read it over and over, you need to write something that has a niche, it needs to be unique in what you do with it and written well. These kinds of things closely resemble P.O.V novels and books. It needs to capture the readers imagination and make them keep coming back for more without it ever getting old and stale. That means increasing it's scale more and more over time with no foreseeable limit. Things like these tend to be quite high maintenance and could see you sitting at your computer for hours on end some days just trying to come up with something to add to keep some kind of time-frame with each post.

Usefull things to look up for this kind of thing would be website that give tips to would-be authors. What it looks like you'd be intending is as I said, very close to a P.O.V novel, so tips for writing a novel would be quite relevant to you.

Certain things I must point out to you though:
1 - Using any form of popular pop-culture quotation is a no-no when writing in character. The world of Eorzea wouldn't contain the fictional books, fables and movies our world has, so it wouldn't make a lot of sense to put something in from them
2 - Sometimes owners of the original creation for which you are basing your idea from may not like you using their material, so possibly send an e-mail to Square Enix asking if it would be ok to do this. And who knows, they may even provide you with help to develop your creation if they say yes.
3 - Try to avoid putting your character into a situation which could result in the next blog post being slow and lacking detail. Things like this often lead to writers block as you try to spice up something you've gotten your character stuck in.
4 - Be mindfull of how many characters you add to interact with your own. Too little could reduce the amount of possible plotlines you could create. Too much and it coud get confusing for yourself and the reader as your character juggles from one person to another.

Finally over the years I've attempted to write a good many stories and novels. Many of them crash and burn in their early stages, some of them make it into mid-plot or later chapters before I finally give up on them. It's very difficult to keep going with something and always come up with fresh new ideas to maintain it's momentum and though I'd like to think I'm not lacking in the imagination department, I often end up coming to a grinding halt as I become uncertain of which direction I want the story to take.

I hope this input helps you, and don't be put off if I make this sound like a difficult thing to do. For some people it comes naturally and they're able to do it with ease, if you're one of those people then I say go at it with all your heart and soul and see where it goes.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

i started a blog some times ago. Nothing serius, just sparse thoughts. After 1.19 i'll start to do some rp '-'

[Iphel]

Thank you; that was actually very helpful. I'll formulate a more interesting reply in a moment, as pants are something of a prerequisite to thought.

Though on the matter of pop-culture, I do enjoy poking, prodding, or beating to a bloody pulp, the forth wall. I try hand do so tactfully and in a matter that would make sense, though. (An example being referring to 'Stuff on my Miqo'te Magazine' in midst RP - a reference to stuffonmycat.com, though specialized magazines and periodicals were certainly not uncommon once the Gutenburg Press came about - and considering the number of flyers posted about Eorzea, I've my doubts that times do not allow for such a thing. o Ao;;;;; )

[Eekiki]

1 - Using any form of popular pop-culture quotation is a no-no when writing in character. The world of Eorzea wouldn't contain the fictional books, fables and movies our world has, so it wouldn't make a lot of sense to put something in from them

This is why I can't get into role-play. All these regulations get on my nerves. I don't like having to watch what I say.

Especially since the game itself is loaded with all kinds of pop-culture references.

I'm much happier being myself, but speaking through my character.

[viion]

Not into blogs really, only read ones from like celebs (game dev celebs XD) which is more like just reading facebook/twitter these days. Never read a "Proper" blog in a long time. Recent was David Jaffe