Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

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CryInDeepRed
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Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#1 Post by CryInDeepRed »

I'm looking to build portfolio (and name recognition) as a writer and musician by pitching in on a couple games.

I'll be upfront here: I am NOT a coder or very good at actual drawing. I can, however, offer ideas for VNs and even help with character designing and concept - I am just not good with the "drawing" or "coding" parts, which is why I want to be on a team rather than do it for myself.

So you're probably wondering what, if anything, I can contribute.

First of all, writing. I have some college under my belt, before that a lot of experience writing stuff I'd rather not really go into much (because it was fanfiction and roleplays and the like) as well as occasional journalistic and opinion writing, and of course song lyrics. I'm a very versatile and flexible writer, capable of writing for many different genres and settings and characters, though I do have a few exceptions due to finding them boring or squicky. My punctuation and spelling are above average, and I can and do proofread all work on a project if asked. I have some samples, but to be brutally honest I'd actually like to write on the fly - you give me what you want, I'll show you what I can do with it for, say, 500 words. That gives you a far better look at what I can do, and it gives me an idea of whether I can "get" the character/story/etc enough to find inspiration with it. Basically, I choose to do that so I know if we're a good fit.

Also, as a bi transguy, I'm VERY much open to LGBTQI characters, to yaoi/BL/bara (very much so), yuri, etc, to kink, and to adult content. In fact, I may well contribute some unless you specify the game is to not include it :) I also tend to like some dark/sad/depressing plotlines and themes as well.

That said I do have a short list of stuff I absolutely refuse to work on as a writer. That is as follows:
I WILL NOT WORK ON PROJECTS THAT GLORIFY RAPE. If your work involves rape as anything but a horrific crime and traumatizing experience of victimization, I'm not interested. I don't like "rape is love," I think rape culture is fucking bullshit, and I'm not working on shit with themes like Rance or Rapelay. This also includes BL: if you're not willing to write a rapeless plot (or at the very least one where rape is depicted realistically and the victim does not have a route with the rapist) I'm not in. Yes, I know people have rape fantasies and kinks and I'm not questioning the legitimacy of that or trashing rape-based gameplay. I'm just saying Your Kink Is NOT My Kink there. Cool? :)

Nor will I work on projects that have heavy lolicon or shotacon themes. Yes, I know it's all fiction, but again, Your Kink Is Not My Kink, I don't want the FBI knocking on my door, and I think kid sex is rape and is fucking disgusting, and pedophiles deserve to burn in any hell that exists. I don't protest if, say, you have a moeblob who isn't on any adult character's route and who doesn't act sexual. I also don't mind works that are like 16 and 17 year olds hooking up with each other because that happens at real high schools, and minor/minor of that age is consensual. But if kids can be fucked (or if adult/minor relationships are a major part of the story), it's not my thing.

Finally, and this is less concrete than the above, but I am very, very wary of high school stories (despite my love for Katawa Shoujo) and stories packed full of "weeaboo cliche". This, unlike the above, is not saying I absolutely refuse to work on them - I might be very interested. That said, I'm not very good at writing high schoolers, and people treating Japan like it's Magical Otaku Fantasyland tend to grate on my nerves damn fast since I know better. I *might* work on one of these stories - if you're okay with, say, me writing a teacher or another adult, or you're OK with me changing every use of "baka" to "fool" or "dumbass" or something that it translates to better.

Also, the above isn't meant to say I don't like stories set in Japan - I do. I also just like them to be relatively accurate, respectful, showing research (which I can provide if you need it), and a realistic take on Japanese society in some way and not "omg, I can draw anime let's have everyone run around in poorly tied kimono with their shoes on in the house screaming 'sakura' and 'baka' at each other!"

OKAY. Now I'm done with that long piece of why I want to be your writer, my music offer will be a little shorter. I do electronic music including remixes and original mixes. I am offering my musical work free for usage in any project as long as I am credited with a way people can reach my SoundCloud profile. (I also do heavy metal vocals and write lyrics, but most works might not have a place for that. That said, if your work does have a musician and you'd like some in-game lyrics, I could give you some of mine, but that definitely will not be free, since I'm drawing from my own stuff for my future band work.)

Here are samples of some songs I have made:

https://soundcloud.com/seth0et0holth/br ... -cyber-sex (REMIX - it is licensed to Get On Down Records so I can't use it for your work BUT I can do something similar if you give me stems for your music)

https://soundcloud.com/seth0et0holth/tr ... degree-rmx (Another contest remix I did, of Leona Lewis's "Trouble")

https://soundcloud.com/seth0et0holth/30 ... to-nowhere (An original mix I made, with a "Space Western" feel)

https://soundcloud.com/seth0et0holth/denialism (A short, sad piece of synth piano, it would match well with a really sad scene of some sort like the bad ending...)

CryInDeepRed
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Re: Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#2 Post by CryInDeepRed »

Also, I can think of some plot ideas, and I could even throw out a couple here: a Space Western type story with tons of shoutouts to the genre classics such as Cowboy Bebop etc, but that's also almost a deconstructive parody of the genre at points with some highly genre-savvy characters and the story centering around "normals" in such a setting/world rather than "heroes" or "villains." (As in, the story is about getting an absolutely normal character who is genre-savvy through his/her day without becoming collateral damage in the world...)

Another idea and one I'd love to work with if anyone else here is into visual kei/visual rock is a BL story set within the scene at some point from 80s to 2010s. It could be "names filed off" e.g. characters heavily based on actual visual rockers but with different names and stories somewhat, or it could be totally original, or some hybrid of both. Idea for it would be that someone comes to terms with being bi and the story has five (actually six) routes: two of his bandmates having routes, along with a roadie, someone from another band, an anoymous club encounter, and/or the semi-secret het route involving his mitsukano. In that way it's a romance/eroge idea, but I'd also like to have plot and good/bad ends on each of the routes except the anon club encounter, because the point of it would be no real plot. ;)

Blutkristall
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Re: Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#3 Post by Blutkristall »

Question: Why do you want people to hire you, rather than making your own group?
It feels that you're very much focused on creating Yaoi games which has a big niche.
Since you also do music, you already have a very important asset, making recruitment easier.
It's better to have a project that is yours instead of just having worked on one.

To make it short: I feel like you're doing yourself a disservice trying to work for others under these specifications rather than create what you TRULY dream about making.

Welcome to the forum, and have a good time.
Everyone has their favorite blind spot.

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Fairy Godfeather
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Re: Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#4 Post by Fairy Godfeather »

CryInDeepRed wrote:Another idea and one I'd love to work with if anyone else here is into visual kei/visual rock is a BL story set within the scene at some point from 80s to 2010s. It could be "names filed off" e.g. characters heavily based on actual visual rockers but with different names and stories somewhat, or it could be totally original, or some hybrid of both. Idea for it would be that someone comes to terms with being bi and the story has five (actually six) routes: two of his bandmates having routes, along with a roadie, someone from another band, an anoymous club encounter, and/or the semi-secret het route involving his mitsukano. In that way it's a romance/eroge idea, but I'd also like to have plot and good/bad ends on each of the routes except the anon club encounter, because the point of it would be no real plot. ;)
I think you should go for this. I think you should write this. I'd love to play it. Would you be doing visual novel, or would it be mixed up with music-based stats? Starting a band at the bottom and working your way up to the top of the industry, or just a slice of life style thing.

Unfortunately, I'm just a writer and so busy with my own projects. I do have a "musician game" marked down on my to do list. I am trying so hard not to brainstorm all over this because damn, there's an idea which is starting to get me excited and I actually have a suggestion that would make use of your own writing talents. I'm trying to bite my tongue. UGH! I'm probably going to fail.

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Armee
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Re: Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#5 Post by Armee »

Welcome to the forum, hope you will sticking here for a long time. I'm really glad that there are more people in this forum had interest in BL because otome games are overload, though, there will never be enough visual novels for this community. And it is really impressive to see that you're participate in a band, I would like to hear your band's songs in the future. I would totally ask for your help if you're open say...at this weekend? I'm still trying to fix hole(s) and unwanted problem(s) for the idea I have from the last month.

Many people thinking about build their portfolio before they actually create their own project. It help them raise their reputation and when they release a visual novel of their own, many more audiences will notice it depend on how did they do in the previous project(s) they finished.

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Vilhelmina
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Re: Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#6 Post by Vilhelmina »

Fairy Godfeather wrote:
CryInDeepRed wrote:Another idea and one I'd love to work with if anyone else here is into visual kei/visual rock is a BL story set within the scene at some point from 80s to 2010s. It could be "names filed off" e.g. characters heavily based on actual visual rockers but with different names and stories somewhat, or it could be totally original, or some hybrid of both. Idea for it would be that someone comes to terms with being bi and the story has five (actually six) routes: two of his bandmates having routes, along with a roadie, someone from another band, an anoymous club encounter, and/or the semi-secret het route involving his mitsukano. In that way it's a romance/eroge idea, but I'd also like to have plot and good/bad ends on each of the routes except the anon club encounter, because the point of it would be no real plot. ;)
I think you should go for this. I think you should write this. I'd love to play it. Would you be doing visual novel, or would it be mixed up with music-based stats? Starting a band at the bottom and working your way up to the top of the industry, or just a slice of life style thing.

Unfortunately, I'm just a writer and so busy with my own projects. I do have a "musician game" marked down on my to do list. I am trying so hard not to brainstorm all over this because damn, there's an idea which is starting to get me excited and I actually have a suggestion that would make use of your own writing talents. I'm trying to bite my tongue. UGH! I'm probably going to fail.
Oooh. Honestly if you guys would team up to make this and you need an artist, do let me know? I adore the visual kei genre, I would definitely not mind drawing some hot visual kei guys. ; D
Artist/writer by night, MD/PhD student by day
Looking for medical fact checking / advice for your game? PM me!

art gallery: Vilhelmina @ deviantART | Founder of Cassis Connection Studios

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Fairy Godfeather
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Re: Free writer and musician (I need to build my portfolio)

#7 Post by Fairy Godfeather »

Vilhelmina wrote:
Fairy Godfeather wrote:
CryInDeepRed wrote:Another idea and one I'd love to work with if anyone else here is into visual kei/visual rock is a BL story set within the scene at some point from 80s to 2010s. It could be "names filed off" e.g. characters heavily based on actual visual rockers but with different names and stories somewhat, or it could be totally original, or some hybrid of both. Idea for it would be that someone comes to terms with being bi and the story has five (actually six) routes: two of his bandmates having routes, along with a roadie, someone from another band, an anoymous club encounter, and/or the semi-secret het route involving his mitsukano. In that way it's a romance/eroge idea, but I'd also like to have plot and good/bad ends on each of the routes except the anon club encounter, because the point of it would be no real plot. ;)
I think you should go for this. I think you should write this. I'd love to play it. Would you be doing visual novel, or would it be mixed up with music-based stats? Starting a band at the bottom and working your way up to the top of the industry, or just a slice of life style thing.

Unfortunately, I'm just a writer and so busy with my own projects. I do have a "musician game" marked down on my to do list. I am trying so hard not to brainstorm all over this because damn, there's an idea which is starting to get me excited and I actually have a suggestion that would make use of your own writing talents. I'm trying to bite my tongue. UGH! I'm probably going to fail.
Oooh. Honestly if you guys would team up to make this and you need an artist, do let me know? I adore the visual kei genre, I would definitely not mind drawing some hot visual kei guys. ; D
I am so extremely tempted. I've actually just brainstormed a whole bunch of ideas in a notepad file.

I'm actually clueless about most Japanese things, so I did a quick check on wikipedia to find out what visual kei is and it looks like it's a genre with an aesthetic I'd love.

A game with with fabulous outfits, gender-bending musicians, with a number of queer themes seems so much my sort of thing. It sounds like a lot of fun to work on. I like playing with themes.

I'd want to do something about the whole fame vs integrity dynamic, and what some people will, or won't do in order to get their fifteen minutes in the spotlight. I'd want a rivalry with another band, perhaps framed by a competition of some sort (and what lengths would the protagonist go to win). A chance of betrayal, a warning about the cost of fame as well as the lavish rewards. I'd want the dark side as well as the light, with fame being a double-edged sword and to play with those sort of themes.

With plenty of choices of whether the protagonist decides to stay true to themselves and their ideals, or if they'll do anything at all to make it to the top.

And then the romances/relationships are a strong part of that narrative. Ditch the childhood sweetheart you had who supported you on your rise to power or try to balance that personal life with your musical career? Kiss and tell with a famous superstar? Allow your publicist to arrange a fake relationship just to become more famous? Sleep with a record executive to get that deal? Sleep with a newspaper reporter? Leak a sex tape. Blackmail. Date one of your band members, knowing that another has a crush on you, and risk breaking up the band with jealousy and rivalry? Have a forbidden romance with a member of the rival band and try and keep it secret and not take it too personally when he slings insults in public. Fans. Roadies. Groupies.

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