Hey guys! This is a quick journal to express my thanks. I haven't been active on FA much lately outside the occasional fave and comment, but at some point I hit 700 watchers and that's mind-blowing. I'm infinitely flattered so many people enjoy seeing terrible things happen to me and you're all awful for doing so. >:I

That being said, I've started using FA less as a means to display artwork. A lot of the impetus for doing so in the first place was having a place to keep my ref material together before I got a formalized ref sheet, and I just kept it up after Urbie did an amazing job on the one I still use. But I've slowly started drifting away from this site to other social media. I still think FA's fine, but posts from me'll be a lot less frequent, if they should continue at all.

Of course, I'm hardly leaving. I still comment and check FA a couple times a day, so if you need to reach me this is a good place to do so. And all my other contact info's on my page, in case you're interested there. Weasyl is also a thing for those of you who like it! I'll add a link to mine in my profile description, something like that. But really guys, this site is where I got my real introduction to this community and I'm humbled so many of you are a part of that. Thanks for enabling a dork like me to be as toony as he can. <3

I was going to make a really heartfelt journal but then I realized I'm just in a real slapstick mood today. Do you guys like pie? What's your favorite flavor? Method/location of delivery?

Let's do slapstick, man.

This morning marked the end of my sixth semester at college, and by far the one I've been the least invested in. It started the day I got back from FC and at no point did I ever feel like I was truly invested. This semester was the first one dedicated entirely to my second major, economics, and boy did it ever feel that way: boring.

The past week's been especially bad, as my apathy met finals and a whole lot of stress. Including things like finding out I had a test the next day instead of next week, or finding out two of my papers needed to be much longer than I had first thought. But at 7 AM today I finished my last essay, and I'm officially on summer break. Given that I pretty much checked out back in February, it hardly feels like it. My grades are all actually really good despite my laziness, though, so at least there's nothing to worry about.

The past few week have been crazy but this weekend is a giant sigh of relief. I start the job hunt next week so I can save up some cash over the summer again. Due to some muscle pain in my legs that lasted over a month, my exercising has pretty much fallen off the rails, though the desire is still there and I'll try to pick up the routine again. Altogether I'm just really happy to have this semester over, and hopefully with the way things are going next year will have a lot more reason to be enjoyed. :)

Not much else to say other than that. I had my first taste of alcohol with my Dad and then some more with friends when I got back to the dorm- wasn't really too impressed with most of what I had, but it's a trial and error thing. Didn't really do much else, come to think of it. But today has been a great reminder of why I love this community- the talent, the generosity, and the goodwill. I'm surrounded by incredible people and I'm thankful every day to have met them. Thanks for making it a really neat birthday, guys. <3

April is my favorite month of the year. I like winter a lot, but some days it's just too cold, and seeing dirty snow linger for so long is really depressing. April has that really nice in-between of hot and cold where you can wear anything and be comfortable, just enough sun to get your fill, and it's the perfect time to plan both the summer and the rest of the year for business and fun alike. But April also has a lot of personal significance- it's the anniversary of three big things in my life:

On April 26th, 2013, I posted the journal describing Rainer as a character, and later that week the first picture of him was drawn.

On April 29th, 2010, I registered for the Furry-Teens forum and officially entered the fandom as Duino.

And on April 26th, 1993, I was born. Obviously the most important of the three.

April's a great month because it has both my birthday and the birthdays of both my characters in it. It's hard to pinpoint the latter two, since circumstance could lead to their "debuts" being a few weeks before or after in either direction, but it's all around the same time. And that to me is really awesome.

I've never been one for celebrations, since I'm not really a party dude and I really feel awful about people thinking they have to get me a gift. I appreciate that kind of stuff, but I don't really need it. I've just been thinking a lot about how far I've come in the past six months, the past year, since I joined the fandom... and it feels really good, all things considered. Two weeks from tonight I'll be fulfilling a promise I made to my Dad five years ago and I'll be having my first alcoholic beverage with him to celebrate. I've got a lot to be thankful for, people like my friends especially.

Thanks to all of you guys who watch this account. A lot of your comments might be terrible, but your support and patronage is humbling. Thank you. <3

How are you guys going? What are you up to? Let's chat.

Remember: April Fool's is a holiday for lighthearted jokes and pranks upon people you know will take it well and appreciate it. Please don't do anything cruel or dangerous because that ruins the fun for people. Keep it smart, keep it simple, and keep it safe.

I, however, am a cartoon. So hilariously injurious pranks are welcome and even encouraged. Leave the abuse to trained professionals, like me! :D

You guys better be doing some silly stuff or I'mma be disappointed in all of you

3.14 MORE LIKE TEN OUTTA TEN

I love all cartoon gags, but if there's one I favor above all else, it's the pie in the face. It's simple, it's quick, and it's REALLY satisfying. Just in case you didn't see the half-dozen commissions I have involving it (one of which is my desktop wallpaper), it's a really awesome go-to for a quick bit of comedic relief that's fun for the whole family. And I know this holiday was started based off the math pun, but I'm commandeering this vessel and using it to talk about what I care about.

Yesterday I hung out with  nexusfolf who's been curious about pie gags for a while, and the date was a happy accident. So she took it upon herself to make a thing involving her in suit, a pie, and my face with me barely realizing it was happening. And guess what? It turned out REALLY stupid! That's the power of improv, folks.

What do you guys have planned for today? Artwork? Schemes? Tell me some stories. And if you need someone to form the other half of your comedy duo for the day, my door is wide open. Today's a day to be silly for silly's sake, so smile real wide and let me have it!

This one's gonna be long and kind of sappy, so buckle up and keep some tissues close.

This entire past week I've had mood swings out the wazoo. Anyone who follows me on Twitter can attest, I've been complaining a whole lot- more than usual, as a matter of fact. But typically my sour moods only last a night and then are gone for a while. This hung around for a lot longer, and last night the reasons why kind of came together.

Lately I've been mulling around a new character idea. Not a replacement for Duino, but someone who'd be like Rainer and just kind of be around for abuse pictures and silliness. Though I was really hesitant to get art, for three big reasons: A) I don't show Rainer enough love as it is and he doesn't need to have even more competition B) The things I wanted to use the new guy for are what Rainer was invented for in the first place and C) This guy was shaping up to be what I wanted in a friend rather than a character of my own, and it felt weird to have something so distant from myself as an OC. Like I was inventing a fictional boyfriend for Duino and MAN I don't want to be that guy.

The reason this dude came up in my thought process to start was because of how much I've rebounded into the mode of "I want to be a cartoon." It's a desire I never stop having, but it's been especially strong lately. And with that mood I've been daydreaming about physical comedy and gags and performing, and eventually came to the grim acceptance that I'm in the worst shape of my life. The reason I've been so depressed lately, and felt so lonely and pathetic, is because I'm in no condition to pursue slapstick, the thing I want to learn more than anything. I want to get good at comic movement and maybe even dancing, and living the way I am now is taking me further away.

I don't know if I've ever told anyone the story of the last time I ever felt truly motivated by something, but it was back in high school when I first joined the fandom. I was seeing pictures of suits all over and was captivated with them. So the next three months of my life and I drove myself hard to exercise every night. And I actually saw some results. I wanted to participate so badly that I felt like doing something for myself, which I'd never really felt before and have rarely felt since.

It came full circle last night when I saw Dingoroo on the Pawpet show. Pawpet typically isn't my bag, but I was told Dingo was premiering his new suit and I wanted to check it out. And seeing him perform brought me back to the excitement I had years ago when I was just starting in the fandom. The energy, the gestures, expressions, it was AMAZING. And what's more, the fact everyone was pointing and calling him a toon- that something I held as a dream was real. That's what I've always wanted. I'm a lot closer than I used to be, but this proved in my head I can actually do it for myself.

I woke up this morning realizing I'd felt so shitty because I'd been stopping myself from pursuing suiting, which has been one of the biggest things I'd like to try since I got into this crazy place. I keep saying I'll get a suit when I make some money and lose some weight, and I don't know what's made me think I can't do either at this point in my life. I've had health kicks and resolutions before, but this time I want it to be different. There's exercise equipment on campus and even a running track that's open at night I can use. I've already started doing stretches and sit-ups in my room and I'll add on more as I limber up. The reason I stopped last time was because I felt like I'd never be accepted by anyone in this community, and thanks to you incredibly patient people, that doubt's long gone. So without that in my way, I think I can do it.

I'll admit, I'm pretty nervous I'll give up again. But I also hope you guys will keep me going and will help remind me to exercise every night. Dieting is historically much harder for me, and while I'm eating less now, I'll tackle a true diet plan once I've made headway with exercising regularly. It's cheesy as hell but there's nothing I want more in life than to be a cartoon, and I owe it to myself to slim down. I've been overweight all my life, and I don't need to be told I'm not fat; I need to do this for myself. Thank you guys for bearing with me, once again, and in the coming months... let's pray for results.

Thank you all for your continued support. You've all done so much for me and it's about time I did something with it. :)

*A duck knocks on the door of your small business, checking his phone.* Uh, yeah, I'm responding to the ad you put out? Is this the right place?

There are a lot of people who watch this account whom I've never had the pleasure of speaking to. I actually don't know who the majority of you all are. So let's fix that! Go on, tell me a little about yourself. Your interests, passions. Tell me about your character. Anything you see fit to let me or others know. :D

Took the layout from  eligecos and filled it out because I have nothing else to do tonight. Whoo whoo.

Arrival and Departure:
Getting in around noon on Thursday and leaving very early Tuesday morning.

Staying at:
The Marriot.

How are you traveling?
Flying in from Boston with a stopover in Dallas. I haven't flown in over a decade and have never traveled far on my own so it'll be an experience in itself.

Who are you rooming with?
 RCmouse aurora-fox durj

Where will you be? How best to find you?
In the rare chance I stop hiding in the hotel room, I'll most likely be hanging out with the guys above or another group of people I know.

Who will you be with?
Friends in the toony crew, most likely.

Which suit(s) will you be bringing?
A bathing suit, if anything. (probably not since I think the one I have has been in my dresser since I was 13)

Do you do free art?
For a joke between me and a friend, sure. But I'm not an artist and will only try to doodle something if it's extremely funny.

What is your gender?
Male.

How old are you?
20

How tall are you?
6' 1"

Can I talk to you?
If you'd like! If you're cool and want to say hello, I welcome that. Just don't be clingy, creepy, or weird and I've love to meet you. I reserve the right to insult you should you deserve it for said behavior. :)

Can I hug and/or snuggle you?
If I'm comfortable with you. I enjoy hugging people but never strangers as a rule.

Are you nice?
I try to be! If I act rude or impatient toward you I apologize in advance.

Are you cliquey?
A little, but mostly because I'm going to FC with the express intent of meeting people I'm friends with for the first time and they're who I want to meet most. I have no qualms meeting other people but prefer to be approached if I'm on my own rather than hanging out with friends already.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Come up and say hello! I like to take parts of events like this to sit on my own and people watch for a while. Normally spend it writing in my notebook and thinking, just to destress. If you catch me on my own and recognize me, that's probably your best chance to introduce yourself. :)

Are you fursuiting?
Potentially. There's a few offers on the table but it depends on whether or not I fit in one and can get over my nerves.

Can I ask ya to dance with me during the dances?
I doubt I'd be at one of the dances off-hand but if I know you, sure. I can't dance worth a damn but I can at least make you look good.

Can I buy you drinks?
I'm underage, so no. You'd get us both in trouble.

Do you attend parties?
Probably not. Party atmospheres make me uncomfortable by default.

Can I take your picture?
So long as my hair doesn't look stupid and I don't look fat in it, yes!

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Say hello to everyone I'm going to meet and just have fun. I'm still extremely nervous about meeting folks in person and it's stuff like this that I'm using to try and conquer it. :)

I tossed out plane tickets to California as a Hail Mary Christmas gift idea to my parents last month since Mom insisted on getting me something. As it turns out they went for it and Christmas morning Dad told me what times the flights were. We just got the final details ironed out, so... yeah. See you there, I guess.

Please be gentle.

So that outage was a thing, huh? Now we can all get back to our regularly scheduled frustration at how dumb and insensitive people on this website can be.

But! As I write this I'm three hours away from my last final, a test which I couldn't care about even if I tried because the class has been a joke all semester. So as far as I'm concerned, I'm on winter break! My plans include binging on some cartoons, mostly Darkwing Duck since I've only seen a few episodes, and trying to figure out a way to make some commission money on the side. Basically I'm going to be lazy and bored so look forward to hearing about it!

Also during the outage, I made a Weasyl in a fit of procrastination! https://www.weasyl.com/profile/duino So come add me there too, I guess! The most I'll use it for is a "professional" source for info on my characters- highlighting the more complete and pricey images I got completed. Something handy to have around should I ever have to explain Duino to a non-furry friend or family member.

And I'm still doing Christmas e-cards! http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5319773/ Give me your email and I'll send you a nice letter via the internet, hopefully! I'll be writing those up and sending them out later this week.

Do you guys have any plans for the holidays? Any conventions you'll be attending soon?

The past few months have been crazy, November in particular. I'll spare you the details but a lot of little stresses have been building up, so my mood's been up and down like crazy. I'm perfectly fine, no cause for alarm- I'd just like to apologize if I've been short with anyone in the past couple weeks. School goes well, I'm healthy aside from putting on a little weight, not much cause for complaint. Just busy, busy, busy.

BUT! On to the fun stuff, which is why you're here!

It's been about two years since I've changed any profile information on FA, and I'm in the process of doing so. Most important is the fact I've been consolidating my messenger use, since I'm fed up with my old Yahoo email after eight years of a crappy username. That being said, a bit of important inforation:

1. Should you ever want to contact me for any reason, be it a question, concern, or just to say hello (which I wholeheartedly encourage, I like meeting new people) the best way to do so is to send me a note on FA. I check it religiously so it's the fastest.

2. The only messenger I use now is Skype, though it's more private. I'm much more selective about who I add to that account, and reserve the right to get to know you before making that call.

3. My Twitter account is MainMandarin and is the best feed for my activity. I Tweet CONSTANTLY. If you don't mind the occasional mood swing, it's another great way to reach me quickly, though lacks privacy which I value.

Thanks for bearing with me through this nonsense. I'll hopefully be posting a bit more frequently- there's a batch of commissions and such that I really want to share. Other than that, though, you know where to find me! And thanks for sticking around. I've gotten a heap of new watches lately and while I don't know where you guys are coming from, I sure as sunshine appreciate it. :D <3

I love Christmas cards. I love them a lot. I wanted to look into sending some out this year but with finals in the works I'm busy right up until a few days before the holiday. So given the speed of snail mail, as well as the cost and a few other factors, it didn't work out.

BUT. With the magic of this new-fangled "internet" I've heard so much about, there's this revolutionary thing called "e-mail" that could serve the same purpose. It's not as exciting or as big an event, I know, but I still want to get in on the fun. :)

Either comment below or note me an email address and I'll get something worked up just in time for Christmas. Also! If you're less of a lazy jerk and are sending out cards too (via email or real ones), I'd love to be selfish and receive one, so keep that in mind!

Christmas is a time for spreading cheer and my heart may grow three sizes as it goes on. I really hope not, though, because happiness sounds really uncomfortable. Happy holidays, folks! :D

MFF (or MWFF if you like to annoy people) is this weekend and everyone and their grandma is going. Myself, being no one's grandma, will be unable to attend, but I do know a whole lot of other folks who'll be there. It's a huge event, and while this journal is going to be a bit cheesy, please bear with me:

It's relatively rare events like this happen. Conventions are pretty common but most people seem to average one, two, maybe three a year. And if you're like me, you go to see friends and have fun with them- people you typically only see online, and live hundreds of miles away from. And this is your big chance to see them in person, whether for the first time or the tenth or even hundredth, and do whatever you want.

Make it a goal this weekend to find someone you admire and make their weekend. Maybe not your best friend, just someone you know who deserves to smile. Someone you look up to and respect, or someone you know who needs a kind word or a small gesture. You so rarely get this opportunity to meet these people who mean so much, why not take advantage of it with random acts of kindness?

It's cheesy and it's dumb, but this is a community, after all. A community of freaks and geeks, nerds and dorks, perverts and psychos, and some of the nicest, kindest, funniest, most supportive and amazing people I've ever met in my life. I know I'm not alone in that sentiment. So give back this weekend, to the people who make this such an experience for you. And I expect to hear all about it when this con is over. :)

Now go forth, and spread merriment!

Geez, I finally get to write one of these. I typically skip past them when I see them posted, and I understand if you're doing the same. But hey, I like to talk, and it was still an interesting experience. Plus I've been asked "how was it?" by everyone and their grandmothers so now I can just shove a link in their face.

I already made a journal after the first day when there were remnants of aftershock still running through me, so if you're curious about that you can read it over here. Not much else happened after that except me and Koebi talking to  ghimno and  floe on Koebi's phone and Skype, respectively, at the same time. And then I gave Koebi a back massage and it became a thing. As for the other two days:

Saturday I woke up around 10 AM, lounged around the room for a bit, then walked over to the con hotel to check out the dealer's den. My experience was not exactly ideal but I did score a fruity yellow lanyard and finally got my badges set up. Then Tahoe showed me the pinnacle of masculinity that is the Furfright car show, a spectacle which I won't soon forget. Except for the part that I don't remember any of the cars except Mania's amazing stock ride and the one with googley eye headlights. That one was awesome.

After that I met  jouva at 2:30 for some slapstick appreciation/practice. It was something we'd planned to do at least a month and a half in advance and worked out. In case all the images that hadn't depicted it weren't obvious, I think pies in the face are hilarious, and the chance to enjoy the comedy with someone else was appealing. He also taught me a bit about making Nickelodeon-esque slime and we used that in a skit too, and it was really neat overall. Though "neat" would be the last word I'd use to describe the bathroom, since setup and cleanup took hours. But it was fun regardless, and worth the time investment.

Then it was time for the masquerade and dance competition. The prior was a mixed bag- the high points were all three stand-up acts who all did a good job and did make me genuinely laugh, a song by The Drama Armada parodying babyfurs which won them the show for good reason, and one other singer close to the end whom I wish I could identify who had a great voice. Special shoutouts to him for dealing with an anxious crowd and still doing well. The downsides, were... well... man, they were downsides. Singing in fursuit is never an advisable idea, would be a good moral to take away from this story. But the production was well-run, always interesting, and the commentary and emcee were on point the whole show. Some bad cringes but I'm glad I went.

The dance comp, however, was amazing the whole way through. For everyone making it past pre-lims, all the performers were entertaining, energetic, and totally confident.  jd_puppy put on a great show, the judges gave fantastic notes, and it was a super enjoyable event. I used to roll my eyes whenever people discussed it so seriously, but at least now I see the appeal. It's a darn good time.

Then it was a bit of walking around before back to the hotel and relaxing on a Skype call with some of the usual folks I chat around with who wanted to know how things were going. We chatted and goofed around until about 4 AM, me and Koebi being assholes to each other for everyone's amusement.

Sunday started late, around noon or so. I spent the first few hours wandering around half-awake complaining about everything I could to Twitter, before saying a few goodbyes and then hanging out with  hulex until JD's swing dance panel at 3. It was interesting and I was pretty terrible at it, but catchy and a fun time nonetheless. Some more hangouts with whoever happened to be walking by passed the next hour and a half, and then I took a break back at the hotel for dinner and some internet time.

By that point I realized it was nearly 7 PM and I realized it was almost time for me to go. So I packed all my stuff and put it in my car, a process that took a lot longer than it should have since I'm always afraid I forgot something, and then headed over to the con for the last time. Watched my first fursuit parade, a spectacle both captivating and awkward to behold, and then went to the very generously-entitled "dance."

My last hour and a half at FF were spent sitting with Koebi and JD talking about the weekend and making small talk, and ultimately was probably one of the highlights of the whole weekend. Sunday was effectively a nothing sort of day, but just sitting down, all of us tired (JD more rightfully so than most of us) and talking was all I wanted from the start. Once it was clear no dance was actually going to take place, I said my goodbyes and left to appease the worried texts I was getting from my mother. Apparently a dance started while I was on the road. I was really upset I missed it, since I hadn't gotten to make a big enough fool of myself yet.

Then about two and a half hours of driving later, I was home. My parents were asleep, and I told my brother about some of the more general parts of the experience. I later came to hate him the next day when, on the ride back to school this morning, Mom asked if the event had been sexual in nature, citing my brother as a source for what the fandom was. Not exactly a conversation I was excited to be having on a groggy Monday morning, but I told her I just liked cartoons and she seemed to be appeased.

So that was it, Furfright in a comically oversized nutshell. I had a great time and I'm looking forward to my next con, whatever that may be. Thanks to everyone who made it great, and I'll see you all next year! :D

Yeah, I know you normally do these after, but I felt like writing a little so shut up. (I'll do one after this too, don't worry)

I've been "on the internet" for six years. I mark the experience with the first time I made contact with people who weren't my classmates or people from around town, when I joined a forum dedicated to clowning at fourteen. In all that time I've never met a single person I had meet online in person. I've exchanged emails, talked on the phone, seen pictures of and interacted in every way possible. I'd become close and even dependent on a lot of those people, and I like to think the feeling is mutual. But I'd never met any of them, not a single one, until today.

And the weirdest part of all was how natural it was. I knocked on the door of the hotel after two hours of driving,  Koebi let me in saying "HELLO" in that way he always does, and I shoved him out of the way because I really needed to pee. And then we went over to the hall and had a look around, I met a few people, and played Power Grid: Factory Manager, a game I was bested at but enjoyed I'd buy it if anyone I knew back home would ever actually want to play it. And aside from the table of LARPing bronies behind us whose conversation I understood to an embarrassing amount, I was comfortable.

I got to meet people, too, which is super weird. Special thanks to  scurrow and  tahoe for being the first suiters I've hugged and  cyantpc for being a super cool guy and giving me a Rainer badge! The ones I printed I can't wear yet due to lack of lanyard/foresight so that was a huge help as well as a generous gift, thanks a ton!

The defining moment of the night, for me at least, we when Koebi introduced me to someone and I responded "Hi, I'm T- Duino. I'm Duino." Because Tim, for now, is out the window. And even though I'm used to being called Duino for at least half if not more of all my interaction with people, to present myself, in person, as a nickname is both different and a little freeing.

I had more to say but I've forgotten most of it in a flurry of texts to people asking questions. I think overall the weirdest part about this is people who can see this will read it and will see me tomorrow.

So long story short: this is weird and it's awesome. Wheee. :D

I normally like to participate in TMITuesday, but figured I'd do something different this week. What are you guys up to? What's on your mind, anything you'd like to discuss or joke about? Leave a comment or send a note, whichever you're more comfortable with. Tell me something you've always wanted to tell me, or anyone else. Generate conversation with me, or each other.

Let's chat, guys. :)

Yes, Furfright! I'll be there! It's my first con and I'm only going to see a few friends, but if you want to say hi I'll be sure to wave to you awkwardly from across the convention center! I'm going to be super nervous and probably a little awkward so please bear with me. Still got stuff to do beforehand and only got two weeks, jeez! Though I did have a few simple questions:

-Is it worth bringing my laptop? I don't have a smartphone so my laptop is my only portal to the internet, but it'd be cumbersome to pack and I don't want to worry about it. Is internet access necessary?

-How many badges do you typically bring? I figured three, just for swapping out and stuff. And is it in bad taste (or rather would it look stupid) to wear badges for different characters at the same time?

-Is there any place around the con I should know about? Spending money is a bit tight but are there events or food or something that's worth checking out?

And I guess that's it! If you're going, I'll see you there. Here's to hoping it's not the worst time ever, whoooo!

"Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the Angelic Orders? And even if one were to suddenly take me to its heart, I would vanish into its stronger existence. For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror, that we are still able to bear, and we revere it so, because it calmly disdains to destroy us. Every Angel is terror."
-Rainer Maria Rilke, from The First Elegy in the Duino Elegies

I named Duino after this series of poems when I was doing a report of them in my junior year of high school. But re-reading these lines now, after such a long time, and realizing all over again how much they actually resonate with both him, and with me... it's got me feeling sentimental. Just kind of never realized what's in a name, especially my own.

In the time I'm not spending demanding attention, free art, and respect I don't deserve, sometimes I write things. I'm wrapping up an English major in college this coming fall, and will be enjoying all the merits and boons that title brings (like asking "Would you like fries with that?" in an especially defeated tone). But one of the most important aspects of writing is the ability to make a good, believable character. And a lot of people seem to be really bad at it. So I thought I'd try my hand at giving some advice, to any and all that desire it.


1. Don't: Make your character motivations overly complex.

Characters with a lot going on are not only no fun to write for, they're no fun to read. Mental conflict may drive a story but having ten different opposing sides just leads to pointless conversation. Family tradition, societal norms, promises to friends, matters of personal honor, physical urges and needs, and even mental illness are all good ways to cause your character some stress, but giving them one of each at the same time isn't going to go well. Every little choice they have to make in the story will become two pages of thought-out deliberation that no one wants to read.

Do: Keep motivation simple.

Of the examples listed above, or of your own, pick one or two. Maybe three, if you can strike a healthy balance, but no more than that. Figure out what your character really wants out of life, and whittle it down until you've got their deepest desires figured out. A simple character might just want money, and set off on a quest to find it. A more complicated one might be struggling with the approval of his friends and the rules put in place by an authority. Know who wants what, and write your dialogue accordingly.


2. Don't: Give a weightless tragic backstory.

We've all seen the writer on DeviantArt whose OC in a happy cartoon world has dead parents. or whose parents or siblings hate them. But without context those deaths carry no weight, earn the character no sympathy, and only make the tone more brooding. It's especially bad when the character is still portrayed as happy and optimistic; if all I know about them is they've got dead parents and like to make friends, then I'll think they're nuts.

Do: Give death and suffering weight.

If you really want a tragic character, death is a fantastic way to build character. But only if the person who dies matters to the reader. When you hear about a family who suffered a loss that you don't know, you feel sad, but you hardly feel invested. If, however, you pictured the death of a close friend, or someone you knew in your daily life, you'd be saddened, hurt; and most of all, interested. If a character says their parents are dead, they earn no sympathy. But if there's three chapters of the character bonding with the parents, and the parents being likable and interesting and THEN dying, then the reader is going to feel something.
This is just the classic example, of course. Not every story has room for three chapters of parent-bonding. But keep in mind no character can earn sympathy from page one. Think carefully about how you would make a stranger care about someone who is suffering, and try writing scenes around it.


3. Don't: Write the same character more than once.

This is the issue I'm most guilty of. Most people tend to gravitate toward a specific type of character, like you do a genre of music or movie. And there's nothing wrong with that at all; in fact, if you like happy, silly characters most, you're probably going to be able to write a really good happy, silly character. But you're also most likely to have more than one happy, silly character, and that leads to imbalance. If everyone is happy and silly, there's never going to be any interesting conversation. No exchange of different ideas or disagreements. Just a bunch of happy and silly nuts running around in circles.

Do: Give each character three distinct characteristics.

It's a rule that's thrown around in discussion of short fiction more often than novels, but it still remains a good rule of thumb. Take your character and list the three more defining words you can think of regarding them. For example, take my motley crew of idiots:

Duino: Selfish, grumpy, vain
Rainer: Honest, sporting, confident
Royvas: Stoic, silent, plain
Alex: Paranoid, controlling, irritable
Shiva: Single-minded, domineering, competitive

When put on paper like that, it's easy to see they're all meant to be different and interact in unique ways. But I still have the issue of giving them all snide, sarcastic one-liners, since characters like Duino are my absolute favorite. Don't homogenize your characters. Keep in mind their differences, and always be aware of what is and is not in character.


4. Don't: Have useless characters.

Again, more an issue for short fiction, but not every character needs an origin story and a name . If your story is about a journey across fantastic, foreign continents, then you don't need to have three pages of the protagonist talking to the baker about what growing up in the village was like. Again, perhaps it serves some plot purpose, or gives necessary exposition, but if that baker never comes back and don't have useful information, then I'd rather not even have to be affirmed he exists.

Do: Know when to cut characters.

Having minor characters you really like is a pretty common theme. And since you like them, you want to have them overstay their welcome. But sometimes the tavern wench who you orchestrated a thrilling secret agent witness protection kung-fu swashbuckling adventure origin for needs to just serve the drinks to the characters you're focusing on and keep walking. Characters can't stay on the train past their stop because you like writing jokes for the conductor. Either leave those characters as plain throw-aways, or if you're so obsessed, write about them instead in a different story! Nothing says you can't; just don't create a complex character where one shouldn't exist.


Overall these are common issues I've seen both on the internet and in stories written by my classmates in upper-level creative writing. They're easy pits to fall into, and with all writing "rules" there's most likely a bunch of exceptions one can come up with. But, hopefully this gives you something to think about when trying to make unique characters in the future. If this was any good, or you guys would like me to do more writing advice stuff, just let me know. Bottom line- be aware of what you're saying, and know that someone who isn't you is going to be looking at what you work on.

Mostly because I wanted to get the Watchroast journal off my page (apologies again to all who were involved, card house kind of fell apart), but today is kind of weird in a special way.

This past week, there's a program that's been going on in Minnesota called "Mooseburger Camp" or just Moosecamp for short. If you picture when TV shows used to joke about going to clown camp in the summer, that's what Moosecamp is. And when I was fifteen, it was the only place in the world I wanted to go. Money and parental permission stopped me, and by the time I was of age I had fallen out of love with clowning and become more involved with the fandom instead. But, the clown forum I used to be on (yes, it exists) had a decent community of people who went; and so I wound up getting a phone call from the friends I has made on that forum one night from Moosecamp.

It was a significant point in my life because it was the first time I ever really felt like part of a group, or a community, and the first time I realized that distance doesn't necessarily negate friendship. Now, five years later, I've still never met a friend I've made online; come October, I plan to change that, but until then its still never happened. But earlier I had a conversation via phone with another friend of mine, a person I've got a lot of respect for, who got to hear my voice for the first time despite our being so close. And it drummed up a lot of the same ideas, and the memory of that phone call three years ago; and it just kind of struck me as funny they happened on the same day.

Couple that with Megaplex going on and people I'm friends with all having fun together... and I guess I'm just feeling sentimental. I've felt closer and more in tune with people whose voices I've never met and I'm perfectly fine with that. Thanks, internet, for giving me friends when I had none; and showing me how much people really can come to care for me.

Hey guys! Remember when I did this? http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9150553/

Well, I've been wanting to do another one for a while, and with a lazy weekend coming up, I figured it might be fun to throw together. Basically, tell me you want me to, and I'll record myself- my actual voice, LIVE and IN YOUR FACE- insulting you. My mic isn't the best but people seemed to really like this and I have no issues doing it semi-annually or whatever.

Rules:
-Comment on this journal if you'd like in- no need to pimp, no need to pay
-Understand I might be selective if material proves scarce
-If you participated in the last WatchRoast, I'd kindly ask you let others take prescience. You're still free to opt to be in, and I'll get to whomever time/energy allows.

So there you go! I'll work on it sometime this weekend, I think. Here's to hate!

LATE BREAKING UPDATE:
My recording program deleted a few recordings when I was halfway done and has been giving me headaches ever since. My esteem in the project has kind of dwindled as a result, but to those of you I wrote insults for, you'll find them attached to your comments. I'm really sorry about this, and hopefully in the future it won't happen again.