YOUR VOICE Revisited

[Surreptitious Cardboard Box]

Over half a year has passed since the idea for YOUR VOICE was first conceptualised. Issue One became delayed by a month, but eventually it was released on the 1st of January, marking a new year, and a new version of the forum. Seven months on, I am revitalising the publication; I am strengthening your voice; I am waving my wand and shouting the incantation Sonorus! so that you can all be heard.

(Yes, I am aware that this sounds slightly lame.)

If you are reading this, then it is quite possible that I have recently contacted you about writing for the publication. You have each received differing information independently and I realise that that could lead to inconsistencies regarding your understanding and interpretation of what the publication is to now become, and thus, I have called you all here, so that we can all discuss together what the publication shall now entail. Might I remind you of the sort of assignments that were previously available, and then take a moment to consolidate for you now that much more freedom shall be available for the publication contributors to write about what interests them. Additionally, any suggestions for themes, types of articles, format of the publication and so on may be made in this thread.

Here, however, we shall discuss what each of us want to see in the publication, and what each of us is keen/willing to write about. This is a thread for collaborating. Now get to work!
Iiiiit's collabor'ing time! (Benefits to the first person to get the reference ...)

[lycoris]

That was a Fantastic Four reference.

I willing to write about pretty much anything I know about but it is likely that I will end up writing about whatever I'm obsessing over at that time. Thankfully that changes fairly quickly.

[Otzlowe]

I'm fine with anything, really. I can tend to write something about anything, given the opportunity.
However, I'm not entirely creative when it comes to "topics" so that probably shouldn't be left to me. >.>

[Surreptitious Cardboard Box]

Wow, thanks for your quick responses, guys. I won't say much - this is mostly for you lot to discuss with each other your ideas and so on - so I'll just post the 'issue theme' ideas I have currently come up with, and remind you that not all articles within an issue have to relate to the overarching theme, but it would bring some sense of unity to them all if they did.
So, currently, I have:

• Violence
  
• Super Powers
  
• Gender
  

Discuss them to your heart's content.

[lycoris]

Super powers is my best topic but I wouldn't have too many problems with violence. Gender is a little harder I think but I can still think of a couple of things I could write about.

[Otzlowe]

Well, I'll put it this way -

I can write a good bit about Violence and Superpowers, but if we go gender, my article is mostly going to me bitching. Just so you know.

Reading Wheel of Time infuriates me... exactly how Robert Jordan wanted. _{Nyaneve, you naive asshole... >_O}

They're all fine with me though.

[Richard El Britannia]

Violence, I could write about. A few things really. Fight scenes in anime and manga, the stance on violence in video games affecting people (this would be a fun rant ), youth culture ... and so on.

Super powers. I dunno ... perhaps something from anime or manga. Dunno if I could make that interesting though.

Gender, sure. I could talk about sexism or maybe even how gender is represented in various mediums. Hell, again, anime and manga. Haruhi from Ouran who pretends to be a boy and then there's Revi from Black Lagoon who's even more of a boy than I am (and yet still being incredibly hawt. )

[lycoris]

Super powers is easy, there are films, comics and of course, Heroes.

Violence...I'd leave that to Sophie after the commentary of Kill Bill I got last night.

Ah yes, I've remembered a few more gender bender manga that are good to mention.

[Surreptitious Cardboard Box]

Also, don't forget you don't have to interpret it as literally as the themes suggest themselves. You can write about super powers or lack thereof. X-Men for a start has tonnes of material about the good and bad points of having some sort of 'super power' and the ordinary public's perception of that, and well, I need to read Watchmen, but it's my understanding that only one of those characters has a super-power of any kind. Then of course, there's the fact that some really famous 'super heroes' don't even have any special powers too; Batman for instance.
Or, you don't have to relate it to comic books at all. You can take a more realistic stance on it, and question whether any form of super power is possible in this day and age, and of what use it could be; you could daydream about what super power you would most like; or you could get a little philosophical and wonder to yourself if there are any public figures, or famous people that do have a sort of super power, in some way.

Don't forget that you don't even have to write about these things as they are represented in the media - be it films, games, or comics and so on. Gender is a prevalent 'issue', if you will, in society and and cultures, as is what people do with their gender, and how it is perceived. Then of course, bringing in the links with the media - how that might affect things in real life, or how it inspires things/is inspired by things - shows off your knowledge.

[lycoris]

Of course, I always consider Batman when it comes to super powers since he doesn't have any and is a more intriguing character for it. Heroes also has plenty of characters lacking powers and yet they get on just fine (or not, it all depends on the plot). Batman though has a been a favourite of mine since I was young and though I've not read many of the comics, I know quite a bit about The Animated Series and of course the films.

Wow, for once I feel like I might actually be able to write something good.

[Surreptitious Cardboard Box]

Glad to hear it ^^.

Hmm, I thought of a new idea for a theme today:

• Dreams [vs./are reality?]
  

Interpret it how you will. I already wrote half an article in my head for that theme, so I've got enough ideas buzzing around, I think.

[lycoris]

May I be the first to claim Eternal Sonata then? It being the most obvious example of that theme.

[Surreptitious Cardboard Box]

You can claim whatever you like . Frankly, I need to get everybody to claim their areas of expertise anyway, so that that's all clarified. I don't mind if there are overlaps, e.g. with more than one person writing about video games or whatever, but it would be nice if everyone could have a sort of sub-area of expertise if you get what I mean, so within video games, one person has a lot to relate to RPGs, while another might be really familiar with a particular developer's works.

As for myself, I'm going more along the 'writing as a writer, for the benefit of other writers' road. So my articles will hopefully contain some sort of advice or even just my opinion on techniques or themes within writing. But of course, I'll relate it to whatever media I can. Generally, I would say my 'area of expertise' if that's what we're to call it, would be mostly along the film/TV route, though frankly, I should imagine I'm gonna be throwing myself around in all sorts of areas.

Do you guys mind if you start listing the sorts of areas that you are most likely to explore in your articles? I don't mind if you deviate from those, or add to them later, it's just to get a general idea of the sort of variety we might have within each issue, but also to help give you all some sort of indication of where you're likely to fit with other articles, and where perhaps you might overlap, and how you can overcome that.

[lycoris]

Areas I'm likely to explore, well I guess you probably already know them but I'll list them anyway.

Games (mostly JRPGs)
Comics (mostly Marvel)
Manga (mostly Shojo)
Anime (mostly Shonen)
Music (mostly Jrock and Jpop)
Films (mostly comic book adaptations and Satoshi Kon)
Books (mostly fantasy)
TV (mostly comedy)

Mostly though, I'm a collector at heart so I know a little about searching stuff out, especially games. They tend to be the trickiest so I've spent the longest on them.

[Richard El Britannia]

Hmm, I guess I'll be exploring similar things to Kat mostly.

Games (I'll probably not focus on one genre more than another.)
Anime/Manga (probably more manga, but I won't really be sticking to any demographic more than another.)
Music (Metal and possibly some other form of music that's been interesting me at the time.)
TV (just some of the stuff I watch. LOST, Heroes, QI ... well, whatever I watch.)
Other random stuff. Could be stuff that I feel passionate about or stuff that I really want to moan about, I dunno.