News from Mikaspace

[meeksp.livejournal.com]

One of my favourite parts of running a crowdfunding project is the inspiration that grows from interaction with, and among members of my audience, and there has been a contagion of creativity surrounding my sketches this week!

Shine On is a sketch based on a poem of the same name by ysabetwordsmith, which was inspired by audience prompts during her latest Poetry Fishbowl. The poem and the sketch in turn inspired siege to write Holy Walking Warrior.

Diapering Dragons comes from a setting created by aldersprig, and prompted a question from kelkyag about dragon sizes, which evolved into an unplanned worldbuilding discussion. Both aldersprig and I are now planning follow up pieces in response to ideas that popped up in the comments :)

Comments

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Are you currently accepting new prompts? If you are, where should we go to leave a link?

[meeksp.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! You can leave a comment on my call for prompts (http://meeksp.livejournal.com/13152.html), send me a PM, or e-mail me (meeks-at-mikaspace-dot-net)

SQUEE!!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Sketch update is linked on my LJ, will comment on that shortly.

I'm really pleased to see these inspiration loops appearing. We had one in the Torn World Muse Fusion this weekend too: I posted prompts involving beads and bears; ellenmillion combined them into a sketch of a bead that she thought would suit the character Vlaran; and I wrote a story, "Beached Fish," about Vlaran's adventure with bears during a fish run.

Re: SQUEE!!

[meeksp.livejournal.com]

Yes! This is the sort of thing that just doesn't happen if a publisher leaves you alone to deal with an assignment, which is a complaint I used to hear from independent creative-types. The internet has given us the benefit of sharing ideas with unlimited co-workers...without having to hear, see, or smell them!

Re: SQUEE!!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's kind of like having a coffeehouse jam or green room chat. The air just swarms with ideas.

Someday I'd love to do the Poetry Fishbowl live at a convention, though, if I can ever afford to attend again. I think it would be so much fun in a lobby or atrium full of curious fen. I could bring a laptop to compose on, and borrow one of those giant notepads for people to write ideas on.

I generally pass the word that if an artist is illustrating my work, and they have a question, just ask me. If I don't already know the answer, I can probably find it out.

Re: SQUEE!!

[meeksp.livejournal.com]

Hee! I see how it could be fun to do a Fishbowl in a room full of other creative people. As someone who would probably be overwhelmed within ten minutes of that, though, I can't emphasize enough how much of a blessing the 'cyber' part of cyberfunded creativity has been. Being free to communicate without the physical act of talking and the process of decoding speech draining my brain power has made a *huge* difference.

Most writers in my experience have been very happy to cooperate whenever I need extra information, and I try to make it clear that they should feel free to let me know if I've gotten anything wrong, so I can make corrections.

Re: SQUEE!!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>As someone who would probably be overwhelmed within ten minutes of that, though, I can't emphasize enough how much of a blessing the 'cyber' part of cyberfunded creativity has been. <<

Most of the time, I get all-peopled-out rather fast. But at a science fiction convention or certain other places, I can surf the ambient energy so that I don't wear out as soon. I'd probably do a live fishbowl for, say, a 2-hour activity slot; I wouldn't try to do the all-day version that I do at home. 0_o Because yeah, that would reduce me to slush.

Re: SQUEE!!

[meeksp.livejournal.com]

*nods* I can survive a convention like that as an attendee, even though most other crowds send me into near-instant meltdown. I can't imagine trying to write (or draw) with a roomful of people yelling ideas at me, though.

Re: SQUEE!!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>I can't imagine trying to write (or draw) with a roomful of people yelling ideas at me, though.<<

Yelling is a whole lot harder. I've tried it in a classroom and found that version sub-optimal. Writing ideas on a blackboard works dandy, though; that's what gave me the idea of using one of those big notebook things. I'd also want to print out a brief description of the project, and have one of my Minions sitting table with me to answer questions and such.