Just a California boy.

Do me a favor and leave a review (I enabled anonymous reviews for a reason). I've only recently started to take my writing seriously, so it helps me improve if my readers are telling me what they think of my work. I read all the reviews that are sent to me. Really!

It's probably already known, but I'm going to say this just for the sake of putting the information out there: Please note that I cannot directly respond to anonymous reviews, but don't let that stop you. I will instead respond to them at the bottom of the relevant chapter, so check after posting!

Favorite Quotes:

"The key to a happy ending is knowing when to stop the story." - Unknown

"The enemy is one, and you are one. What is there to fear?" - Zangetsu (Bleach)

"I reject your reality, and substitute my own!" - Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

"When in doubt, C4 it!" - Jamie Hyneman (Mythbusters)

"You know what the hardest part is? The hardest part is cleaning up afterwards." - Master Shifu (Kung Fu Panda)

"When a man strays from the right path, a kind man needs the courage to raise his fist and correct him." Jamil Neate (After War Gundam X)

"I would never stab you in the back, Shepard. People like you and me? Straight to the face." - Grunt (Mass Effect 2)

"The best work that you can put out is the work that best reflects who you are. Others might see black ink, but what you should see is your own blood, sweat, and tears." - Me

My personal rules of writing (in no particular order):

1) Establish a workplace - Some first time writers (myself included) entered the field under the impression that coming out with a chapter can take as little as ten minutes. This is not the case. When picking out a place for you to write, make sure it is a place that is comfortable, and a place where you can work undisturbed for several hours at a time.

2) Keep yourself sustained - It is also a good idea to keep a healthy supply of snacks and water handy. The reason for that ties into...

3) Do not break "the Zone" - What I mean by "the Zone" is the Zen-like (or not) state of mind in which the creative juices are flowing at an optimum level. Entering it can be very easy or very hard, but leaving it is always easy. And by easy I mean "getting up to refill your cup of water," easy. The Zone is your friend. Don't carelessly lose it.

4) Get others to proofread and beta read - You, by yourself, are highly unlikely to catch everything that's wrong with your writing, even if you go over it several times. You don't necessarily have to use this site's beta reader function (though doing so is, by no means, a bad idea), but you do need to get someone other than yourself to go over your writing. Get others to read it, preferably those who also have an interest in literature.

5) Have a plan - I consider this to be, by far, the most important rule. If you are going to write a story, you need to have a plan for what you are going to do with it. A story without a plan is a story that is likely to die. Make an outline and stick to it. Changes along the way are fine (after all, the best plans are the ones that can adapt), as long as the effects that they can and will have on the story are taken into account, and your outline reflects this. Architects and engineers don't begin drawing up a plan of something while said thing is being built. Neither do writers.

6) Hold onto scrapped ideas - You never know when that crazy-awesome idea you had a long time ago but never managed to implement could come in handy. Sometime later in development, you might be able to find a way to adapt it into the story, or maybe a different idea will be born that retains some elements of the original. Or, maybe you can include the idea into a different story altogether. The same goes for ideas that, at the end of the day, just really weren't all that great. You may be looking over it again while shaking your head when suddenly inspiration will strike, and you'll find a way to make that idea awesome enough to use. Who knows?

7) Have a good night's rest - This rule is arguably just as important as rule #5 (have a plan), and this is something I say this from first hand experience. Unless you are nocturnal, whatever you produce at three in the morning is only going to look good at three in the morning. If you're a stone's throw away from passing out but have an awesome idea that you don't want to risk losing by going to sleep, then by all means, jot it down. But before you go and integrate it into your story, make sure you have a good night's rest first, otherwise the results will be... less than pleasing. You may even wake up and realize that the idea wasn't all that awesome to begin with. And if that's the case, then you can apply rule #6 to it.

8) Understand the setting - Another of my "most important" rules, this one is, again, arguably just as important as rule #5. Understanding the setting is something that should go without saying, especially in regards to fan fiction. If you are writing a story like that and you don't understand the way things work, then really, why the hell are you writing it? If you don't understand the mechanics of the setting, I can guarantee that there are others who do, and they will not be pleased. The most prevalent sources of information are dedicated wikis, and if you ask or look around, you can find other sites as well.

Current Projects: Exactly what it says on the tin. Stuff I'm working on right now.

Gundam 00: Wings of the Master - Highest priority. Will involve an altered continuity and original characters. Rewrite currently in progress (kids, this is what happens when you start writing and break rules #5 and #7).

Homeworld: Advent - On hold.

Side Projects: Essentially things I'm working on that aren't necessarily a priority, nor is it important that they go up here.

Sword Art Online: Chronicle Solo - Another interesting little idea I came up with after being exposed to the Sword Art Online anime (and getting my hands on a translated version of the novel). A story-in-progress which currently only serves as a means for me to practice a different writing style than what I'm used to, though if I manage to get enough serious work on it done I'll consider posting it up here.

Concepts: I usually have a lot of ideas running around inside my head. The ones that manage to hold my attentiont he longest (and manage to get their foundations laid out) are what gets listed here (in no particular order). Assume that all titles are placeholders.

The Blade's Edge - Final Fantasy Tactics A2 fanfic. Focuses on side character Frimelda Lotice and a continuation of her in-game questline after it is supposed to have ended. This should (hopefully) end up short, but knowing me I'm going to pile on the storyline until it grows into something more... again.

Mobile Suit Gundam 00: The Angels of After War - An interesting little idea I came up with after finishing up with the Gundam X anime (a very underrated show, IMHO). What happens when those who swore to end wars by fighting those who would start them end up in a world where conflict between Earth and her space colonies has left the planet a barren, lawless wasteland?