Okay, whew! Lots of comments this last chapter so I take this as a very good sign! I’m going to try to respond as much as I can in this post. But first, let me get to some details about the next chapter. I don’t have a solid date I’ll be posting the next one but I’m looking at sometime between Feb 26 to March 3rd. Stay posted.
Second, for patrons, art will be done soon for February so check in on Patreon for that.
Third, I’m thinking of changing up my Patreon rewards a little. The once a month art thing is turning out to be a bigger burden than I thought it would be and rather than making sure art gets done once a month, I’d like to guide more efforts into what I think what my patrons would rather have, which is me writing. So stay tuned on that as well.
Fourth, let’s address comments!
@daymon34- You know, I didn’t think about it at the time, but it’s hilarious you thought the ice cream flavors were swearing at first. I laughed at that. I guess there are some unintended consequences of confectionary censorship XD
@Sakuraelf- so glad my chapter could brighten a rough month! I write to entertain and it’s good to know that the entertainment can lift your spirits!
@Drahken- I wouldn’t say nutty. Vivian is more chocolate-y 😛
@Flairina- Glad to see the changes to the Rob/Noriko relationship arc are well received. To be honest when I started the chapter, Noriko arriving at the end wasn’t in the plan but as I kept writing it just felt… needed I guess. Whenever I deviate from the plan I’m always a little nervous so it’s good to know my instincts worked there.
@Tas- Yes! Making people actually laugh with my writing is a big goal. I don’t know about you guys but when I read, I don’t tend to laugh even when I think something is funny. It’s almost all internal. But when something is REALLY funny, I laugh. I don’t know, maybe I’m the only person like that. But for me, reading laughter is fairly rare so to hear people saying they laughed makes me as giddy as… Vivian!
@Shadowmaster- As a writer, I’m enjoying writing Vivian much more than I wrote Mary in MGPAlpha. For those of you who don’t know, Vivian’s original name in my old version of the story was Mary (get it? Mary Joy? Felicity… yeah. Subtlety of a brick) and, I feel, was a much more one-note character. Some advice I heard on fleshing out one-note characters is to give them a hobby or focus that goes against their “type” some. For me, that was adding a lot more depth to Vivian by making her an unexpected intellectual. Rob likes to see the way the world works while Vivian likes to see how people work. I feel there is a lot of overlap there to work with and it really helps me figure out the character voice by focusing on that. I still feel that too early in the story Vivian comes across too much like Mary but if I ever get to editing stuff back at the start, that is something that can be fleshed out I feel.
@SRP- I don’t want to comment on any fan theories because A) it could be spoilers if I say something is right or wrong and B) it makes me so happy just to hear speculation! If you guys want to post more random theories, might I suggest the Magical Girl Policy Wild Mass Guessing thread in the Forums? Or, maybe, you could add stuff to the TVTropes page Shadowmaster made for the story! Have I mentioned he made a TVTropes page for us? I’m still kind of geeking out about that! And people are adding, slowly, to it. I check it every few days to see if there has been a change… what were we talking about? Oh right, SRP, yes, your theory. Sorry, won’t comment on it but the fact that you’re thinking about it makes me happy 🙂
@Scott- First of all, mint chocolate chip ice cream is maybe my favorite ice cream in existence. I almost had Robynne make a comment to that end but decided that would be a bit too much “author avatar” than I want in Robynne. As for the campus dress code, I mentioned it briefly in a previous chapter (I want to say 3 or 4) but basically everyone is dressing some form of business casual. Guys have to be wearing slacks and a buttoned shirt, girls in skirts and blouses. I’ve had a few people inquire but, yes, there are colleges that have dress codes like this. Most of them are private colleges, hence why I’ve mentioned SAU is a private school. I don’t think any of them keep dress codes this strict but maybe just chalk it up to part of the weirdness of Kessia City *hint hint*
@Gleenobly- The “sucking misery away with exuberance” is a direct play on the line in Guardians of the Galaxy film where Rocket accuses Gamora of “wanting to suck the joy out of everything.” I don’t know if you’ve ever met someone who does the opposite. Partially because we sort of think, quite naturally, of someone being “filled” with joy and you either pop the balloon of fun or deflate it. I liked using the same analogy but on the wrong emotion to sort of show how out of place Vivian feels to Robynne.
Another, really small thing, I sort of use that I think people picked up on is the fact that both Robynne and Noriko take a moment to process how it is someone like Vivian can exist. It’s minor, but I think it’s a small way I can show that they actually have a little bit in common.
Whew! That’s a long post! Hope you all stay tuned for more announcements next week!
Taralynn
I can kinda tell that enjoying Vivian more than Mary. I definitely don’t remember Mary getting the kind of screen time that Viv has so far. As for them seeming similar earlier, I’d think that’s to be expected, since they do essentially fill the same role. Though, even back in the Standridge Circle chapters, she was being more serious than I can recall Mary being. So, I at least noticed a divergence between the two there.
As far as the TVTropes page goes, I’m glad you like that it was made. I was honestly a little surprised it didn’t exist already. I mean, MGP Alpha was mentioned on the DDG page. Whoever made that entry got lazy and didn’t bother filling in your story, it seems. Oh well, it’s been corrected now. And some kind souls have helped fill in the parts that I didn’t really know how to handle/what it was about. Hooray for collaboration.
A suggestion regarding the an alternative Patreon reward to artwork.. How about a monthly (or bi-monthly) Patreon-only ‘reveal’ moment (maybe 200 words or less) relating to the MGP characters and universe that you would not necessarily place in one of your future story chapters.
Some “ideas”… The conversation the girls had with each other and Kuna when they got back from the Polygal fight (I bet they were talking up storm with each other!), a “real life” interview with one of the girls where the interviewer asks them burning questions and/or their thoughts about the other characters, a brief moment in the head of Uncle Taylor, or Kunapipi, a small aside from the perspective of one of the police force (maybe a police detective) who has no-doubt been assigned to look into these strange magical girls who keep appearing. If these end up becoming things that give you creative ideas and/or tie into future chapters then so be it. Obviously keep it as fun or ‘aside’ information so non-Patreon readers don’t feel like they are missing out on plot 🙂
You could switch the pin-up art to every 3 months – and maybe ask for more contributors from say the DeviantArt community. I’m sure lots of people there enjoy your story and would love to draw some things for you. Would give Pip a break – I love his(?) art btw 🙂
Case Files of the Kessia City Police Department would be lovely. Maybe written by a detective who just moved over from another jurisdiction, so isn’t yet under the “eh, that’s normal around here” effect.
Woot woot I love Guardians of the Galaxy! Not only do I love to write and read, but I am also a huge movie buff. I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on that line. Oh well – still very cool. ….also great comments Shadowmaster, Scott, and Kag 🙂
Also thank you, Taralynn, for writing this ongoing story and for taking the time to interact with your fans through your website and comments :).
Loving this story! Can’t wait for the next chapter!