I wanted to post this in the questionnaire thread, but it is too long, and that’s why I post it in a thread of its own. For those expecting a new chapter, I AM AGAIN SORRY.

BUT YOU WON’T BE DISTURBED THRICE, MARK MY WORDS. THE NEXT THREAD IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A NEW EPISODE.

Let’s continue on, if you still you wish to read.

BIG EXPLANATION PARAGRAPHS AHEAD-

I have read all your points, and now, I want to clear some things in the story -

VIRTUAL REALITY

As it happens, the VR is the dominating element right now, but the story is going to nearly evenly split between the real and the virtual world. After the first arc is over, you’ll get a clear idea the direction my story is going to take. Hope you stay for the ride till then, at least.

Second point. I can’t write the VR story like the way you are used to. In fact, I would prefer if you read the story as an action thriller or something similar like that. The thing with VRs is that they have numbers and tables (LMS, Ark and all that) to show how strong the hero is. I can’t write that. I am not writing that. Yes, there are game like elements in my story, but my focus is actually more on the characters and the plot. This isn’t a young man’s journey as he becomes the greatest or the strongest or the best in a game. No, think of it like… people spend time in a medieval fantasy land and go on adventures. No NPCs, but real people who happen to be programs and don’t know it. Not a game, but a true, real another world merged with ours, with all the implications it might have.

THE FLASHBACKS

The flashbacks. Here, let me lay it all out. Arthur spent 5 years in hell, and there are going to be 5 major arcs (seasons) and each season of the story will contain one present arc and one past arc. At the end, we will see the resolution of the story, as well as Arthur’s return from the Hell. So the flashbacks are going to stay.

WHY ARE YOU WRITING FLASHBACKS, ANYWAY?

In this case, the difference is like… the good way to put it, is the difference between fantasy stories and reincarnated stories. Reincarnated stories have a prologue, or at least a few chapters showing the life before, don’t they? To show the protagonist’s before and after? Why they change?

In this case, that will be stretched into the end of the story. Arthur will further descend and fall in the past, but the redemption arc will be continued in the present. The contrast, I believe, will give heart to the story. (If I don’t mess it up, that is.)

SHOULD I READ THE FLASHBACKS?

Hmmm, personally I would recommend you do, but there’s no harm in skipping it. But of course, there are significant plot details that might just come back….

FLASHBACKS ARE BADLY DONE! REMOVE THEM, OR PUT THEM WHERE THEY DON’T HURT THE NARRATIVE!!

I’m sorry.

Really. Interrupting narrative of the story is like hammering a nail to your own foot. Nothing turns the readers faster away when the story is disjointed or confusing.

And this happened because I am the writer. I falsely believed that you saw what I saw. That’s not the case. You can’t see what is yet to be written, the way I do. Flashbacks for me are leading up to a big major point that will really hammer home the differences between the past Arthur and the present Arthur. But for you they are distracting, boring and annoying, because I made it that way.

Again, I apologize.

So here’s the plan for now -

FLASHBACKS WILL BE RE-WRITTEN.

After going through the story again, I found that the episode 3 and 4 flashbacks are distracting, too small, and annoying.

THEY WILL BE EDITED WHEN I GET THE TIME, PROBABLY AFTER ONE MINOR ARC IS OVER.

Yes, so the current idea that I have for flashbacks is to write episodes in such a way that the flashbacks fit. Like chapter 2. If they can’t, or are distracting, they will be given their own episodes. Smaller episodes, true, but at least it won’t be distracting. So, TELL ME ABOUT ANY EPISODES YOU FOUND TROUBLING.

I will then try to release it with a big present scenario chapter, so you don’t feel duped.

This is a compromise, I know, but I can’t think of a better solution. IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, LET ME KNOW.

My flashback explanation is over . Let’s go to the next big point -

MULTIPLE POVS

Okay, after again major deliberation, I have decided to keep them.

My story is mainly told through First person POV. I chose it specially because I felt this made the story more personal and thus better, in this case.

But first person POV, is seriously boring when I continued writing. Arthur’s adventure seemed okay. But that was all it was. Just okay.

I don’t like that. As you will see (if I keep on writing), this story is not Arthur’s story.

WHAT? THIS IS FALSE ADVERTISING! IT SAYS CLEARLY ON THE SYNOPSIS – “THIS IS MY STORY”. WHAT THE HELL, AUTHOR?

Phrasing. This story is Arthur’s story, but you see, stories to me, don’t revolve around one guy. No, everybody is a hero in their story of their life. And sometimes, our stories intersect.

Arthur’s story is the main story, I won’t deny it. But there are other characters too, with their own stories. And Arthur’s fate entangles with all of them. And when it does, it will be… amazing, I promise. That’s why they are there.

My main focus is always on Arthur, but Kent, Doctor, Iorveth, Zaubern, Yama, their fates are all connected. My plan in this case is simple, the more connected they are going to be, the more you get their point of views.

So on the center stage is Arthur, taking up maximum screen time, with his sad past and all that.

Sideways, we have Doctor, Yama, Kent as secondary characters, and a few others with major plot lines of their own, hidden away, consistently popping up from time to time, showing what happens in their life and how Arthur’s fate is entwined with them. Sometimes they get their own flashbacks too, but that’s rare.

Even more sideways, we have a few other characters, like two in chapter 14; a thief and intern. They are there to reveal important details to the readers, details that can’t be given without breaking the first person view. They serve generally no further use to the plot.

I hope this system is cool with you all. If not, feel free to comment.

ANTAGONISTS VILLIANS

Yes, let’s get to the fun part. Antagonist seems to have a simple definition: Someone who offers opposition.

That’s what I should have asked about, not villains. Villains can be bad, boring, and disinteresting. Antagonists, to me, are as much a driving force in the story as the protagonist.

Like I mentioned earlier, every person is a hero in their own story. Even antagonists. Right now, there is only one in my story. But you don’t know him. Yes, you have seen him twice (and read his diary) but you haven’t been inside his head yet. And you’re not going to, at least for a time.

Who knows why he is doing this? Is there a reason?

He’s evil. That’s a little boring answer, a black and white answer. Antagonists are going to be totally different in my story. They have their own reasons, own causes, that they are going to be fighting for. It’s going to be awesome.

Antagonists also won’t be “pissing their pants” when they meet Arthur. No… in fact, as we progress, they will be more dangerous. Very dangerous.

Arthur is going to work hard to defeat any villain in this story. And even then, there’s no guarantee they are going to be completely defeated. No, there will be very few OP curb stomp fights (one in the beginning arcs). Fights will be… amazing.

That’s a promise.

NEW UPDATE

Episode 15 and perhaps 16 will be released this month. During this time, I will be spending most of my time fixing the first chapters and all the problems.

Next month, The fiction will be on hiatus, as my exams will be knocking on the door.

After that, SUMMER VACATION, when i can devote my maximum time to the fiction, re writing and writing, as necessary. But you'll have to wait for it.