MNat
- United States
- Deviant for 21 years
Sprung fully formed from beneath a mossy rock, MNat now resides in the foggy regions of northern California with hir tech-savvy wife and a small company of feline ne'er-do-wells. Since graduating in May 2016 from the Academy of Art with a MFA in Illustration, ze subsists largely on a diet of tea, books, and spite. Ze currently whiles away hir time with freelance illustration, video games, and obsessing over nerd things.
Ze does not always refer to hirself in the third person.
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Comments
Yes, I'm always delighted by stories like Chosen of the Changeling and Rampion because they subvert the romance-as-default narrative that so many stories rely on. At some point, it feels flattening and lazy to simply use romance as shorthand for "investment", "character growth" or "intimacy" between characters. I even remember reading a screen writer talking about romance being popular narrative devices because they can use it to "short hand" relationships and quickly imply a great many things without actually taking the time or energy to ...you know...write it. Writers writing? GASP!!! What a concept! lol So when an author actual goes that extra mile, actually writes about more complex or nuanced relationships that can't simply be written off with "well of course because that's a boy and that's a girl and of course they are in love and get married because they stood next to one another" it's always something worth paying attention to.
While I do feel like editing is always valuable, reader feedback is not always equal to proper editing. I would be careful with using free feedback from readers as a form of editing unless your intent is purely fan-engagement rather than a cohesive story. Some readers will try to sway you to change entire plot points, character beats, or themes depending on their personal preferences, expecting you to tailor your story to their personal tastes regardless of the sort of story you're trying to tell or what your intent is. Sensitivity reading, and a critical eye for story structure are always important. People pointing out cultural blind spots, or what might be seen as harmful stereotypes are also valuable.
I remember being so proud of myself when I did this painting but I think the line drawing actually looked better! Or perhaps I just took a really bad photo of the painting, because Temeraire looks like blue mush! lol I'm happy you knew who it was, though, even if my critical eye only sees the mistakes I made now. I'm still very happy with the way trhe light looks on that sailcloth!
