I haven’t been around for a while, and in my absence I’ve been pretty bummed for inspiration. Writing is very much a give and take process, and sometimes it feels hard to make myself write when you can’t generate creativity spontaneously. I don’t know if anyone reads this much, sometimes it seems like a blog goes unnoticed for a page, but if you’re out there I think both Pete and I would like to know.
At the end of the day we are writing for our readers, and at the end of the day Valentine’s Dei would be a pretty sad project without the input and inspiration that is generated by those who are enjoying catching up with us every week. Hundreds of hits occur all around the world and sometimes we’d love for you to give us a shoutout about where you are and what you think rather than logging in and out – it really really makes our day.
And, at this point in time, it might really help me get back into my writing niche. Recently I haven’t really been getting any comments except from a few rl acquaintances telling me the story is a bit too slow, which doesn’t get the mojo going.
Let us know you’re reading, so we can know who we’re writing/drawing for.
Sammi xx
p.s. I couldn’t help but notice a few weeks ago on drunkduck a couple of people drawing likenesses to a certain speech in Bioshock when Selune was talking to Dominique. I just wanted people to know that while I have played Bioshock, my writing and philosophy is probably far more influenced by the primary source of objectivism and the book Rapture in Bioshock plundered for it’s context – Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
While Bioshock is cool, it just can never compare to the raw, meatier stuff that Rand writes. I absolutely adore that book.
—-
I think Sammi made it pretty clear, but I'd just like to add my thanks to those who comment regularly here. You guys rule!
I think I might add some stars to the first and last panels on this page. They're looking a bit bland.
@ smkinoshita Bioshock, Repo: Genetic Opera and Surrogates are the top three citations I find readers compare the story to.
I can stand Bioshock, Andrew Ryan had such Randian philosophy I enjoyed listening to him. Shame about that anti-Randian woman in the second one. God I hated her.
Heh, I know Bioshock was based on "Atlus Shrugged", which I admit to have never read... and I didn't think a game would be your primary source of inspiration. It's just when I hear 'splicing' I think 'Bioshock'.
And thus we enter the whole "hunting" element promised by the cover, eh?
There she goes: good luck, Dom.
And for the record, I do think it´s a little slow, due to the updates, but I´m still enjoying this story.
P.D.: The butler is drinking the scotch.
You guys are absolutely right. I've already pointed out to Sammi that things are bound to seem slower when you have to wait a week between pages, and I too have discovered the benefits of actually getting involved in online communities.
Part of the problem has been that a while back necessity forced us into a pattern where I'd post all the updates (I think it was because I fell behind on my pages). So Sammi wasn't having as much contact with our audience, and in our case that's a really bad thing, because she's much more chatty than I. She's more likely to give you something you can actually respond to.
Hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of the boss from here on out :)
I have to echo what DAJB and Genejoke say. DD's community atmosphere often pays dividends when you comment on other comics that you might read, or even check out comics that you might not have read before. I've noticed this for the last 3 years that I've been here.
I am reading the comic of course, and whilst I might not leave a long comment at times - I am still here enjoying it.
It's probably evident from my previous comments but I do read the blog parts of your pages as I'm always interested in creative process.
One of the things which drew me into Valentine's Dei initially was its more restrained pacing, indeed it was the way you didn't go straight for the dramatic highnotes and action that got me intersted. Those things have their place but I love a carefully developed slowburner, especially a detective story.
So yeah, I'm here, I'm reading and I'm still enjoying the comic! I hope you rediscover your writing mojo soon :)
DD is very much a community site. There's no hard and fast rule but, as a general guideline, I'd suggest you're likely to find that the more you read other people's comics and comment on those, the more likely they are to come here and comment on yours. As I say, there's no guarantee but, when I was updating mine, I tended to receive a lot of very interesting feedback even though my actual readership was nowhere near as high as that of the Big Name comics here.
Anyway, from my perspective, I've no problem with the pacing. Genejoke is exactly right. A few pages of exposition may seem to slow things down when you're reading a page a week, but what matters most with a comic like this is how it reads once it's all put together.
The pace doesn't bother me, it's a matter of perspective.
When you're waiting for updates it can seem slow but when taken as a whole it works. Sometimes there is just no avoiding it.
sammisweet at 12:11AM, Feb. 11, 2011
@ smkinoshita Bioshock, Repo: Genetic Opera and Surrogates are the top three citations I find readers compare the story to. I can stand Bioshock, Andrew Ryan had such Randian philosophy I enjoyed listening to him. Shame about that anti-Randian woman in the second one. God I hated her.
smkinoshita at 6:55AM, Feb. 9, 2011
Heh, I know Bioshock was based on "Atlus Shrugged", which I admit to have never read... and I didn't think a game would be your primary source of inspiration. It's just when I hear 'splicing' I think 'Bioshock'. And thus we enter the whole "hunting" element promised by the cover, eh?
crazy_goodfellow at 8:29PM, Feb. 8, 2011
There she goes: good luck, Dom. And for the record, I do think it´s a little slow, due to the updates, but I´m still enjoying this story. P.D.: The butler is drinking the scotch.
Sturstein at 4:25PM, Feb. 8, 2011
You guys are absolutely right. I've already pointed out to Sammi that things are bound to seem slower when you have to wait a week between pages, and I too have discovered the benefits of actually getting involved in online communities. Part of the problem has been that a while back necessity forced us into a pattern where I'd post all the updates (I think it was because I fell behind on my pages). So Sammi wasn't having as much contact with our audience, and in our case that's a really bad thing, because she's much more chatty than I. She's more likely to give you something you can actually respond to. Hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of the boss from here on out :)
Doctor Shadow at 3:36PM, Feb. 8, 2011
I have to echo what DAJB and Genejoke say. DD's community atmosphere often pays dividends when you comment on other comics that you might read, or even check out comics that you might not have read before. I've noticed this for the last 3 years that I've been here. I am reading the comic of course, and whilst I might not leave a long comment at times - I am still here enjoying it.
wildcard at 8:09AM, Feb. 8, 2011
It's probably evident from my previous comments but I do read the blog parts of your pages as I'm always interested in creative process. One of the things which drew me into Valentine's Dei initially was its more restrained pacing, indeed it was the way you didn't go straight for the dramatic highnotes and action that got me intersted. Those things have their place but I love a carefully developed slowburner, especially a detective story. So yeah, I'm here, I'm reading and I'm still enjoying the comic! I hope you rediscover your writing mojo soon :)
DAJB at 12:29AM, Feb. 8, 2011
DD is very much a community site. There's no hard and fast rule but, as a general guideline, I'd suggest you're likely to find that the more you read other people's comics and comment on those, the more likely they are to come here and comment on yours. As I say, there's no guarantee but, when I was updating mine, I tended to receive a lot of very interesting feedback even though my actual readership was nowhere near as high as that of the Big Name comics here. Anyway, from my perspective, I've no problem with the pacing. Genejoke is exactly right. A few pages of exposition may seem to slow things down when you're reading a page a week, but what matters most with a comic like this is how it reads once it's all put together.
Genejoke at 10:48PM, Feb. 7, 2011
The pace doesn't bother me, it's a matter of perspective. When you're waiting for updates it can seem slow but when taken as a whole it works. Sometimes there is just no avoiding it.
jerrie at 5:23PM, Feb. 7, 2011
hey, i enjoy reading this..i really enjoyed the fight scene between her and the cat chick!now..run ms. Valentine...fast as ya can!!!!!