Personal update~
Mar. 26th, 2008 02:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
croikI've been making mostly fandom posts lately, so I thought maybe I'd update about what's going on in CROIK'S REAL LIFE OMG D:
I just finished writing out my checks to the IRS. OUCH. Bye, monies~~~ I'm still doing okay, but it sucks having to dish out that much cash at once. I made more this year than last, but that means Sam takes a bigger bite! At least this time I printed out some pre-vouchers that I can pay off through the year, so it won't be a big ass check come tax time 2009.
I know there are peeps on my Flist who are interested in self employment, so if you want to hear some actual numbers, I'd be willing to share them privately.
But the much more exciting news is... TK and I are buying a house!! :D
Now by that I really mean, "TK is buying a house, and I am going to pay to live in it with her." I certainly don't have the income to pay off a house on my own, or even half a house. But TK is brilliant and lovely and generous, so we're coming to a compromise.
We've already looked at a few cute places in the area (little three bedroom, one bathroom places), and hopefully will be able to line up some actual showings for this weekend. Wish us luck!
Of course, that also means things are going to get even more expensive, so I've been peeking around other areas where I can pick up extra cash. I don't really want to sign up with another translation company/publisher, since I'm already getting a good deal of work with my current employer and I don't want to get burned out on Japanese every day. So lately I've been turning my attention towards original fiction. My dad has been bugging me for years to turn my writing into profit, and...I think it's worth a shot.
BNF goes pro? IT WORKED FOR THAT HP GIRL, RIGHT!?
Of course, I would never be one of those people who changes the names on their fanfic and passes it off as original - I've heard stories of fanficcers who did that, and it really seems dishonest to me. There's a big difference between being inspired by something and using it as a crutch.
Anyway, I'm not ranting, I'm just saying, anything original I do is definitely not going to be reworked fanfic. What I'm working on now is Asian fantasy. Yeah, I know, everyone on LJ is a fantasy author, blah blah. But I really want to write the kind of story that I've been wanting to read for years: a very political, very reality-bound fantasy in the style of Final Fantasy Tactics, but IN ASIA. Something that will be read by people like me, who have an interest in southeast Asia and want to see more than just teenagedorange ninjas and Nobunaga the demon king.
(hoshit I love Nobunaga, but...come on, his real life is so much more interesting than him being possessed by the devil. Even when the devil is as hot as Fortinbras)
MY POINT BEING, I'm not going to abandon my fanfic by any stretch (I have more planned than ever >.>) but I'm also working on some original stuff. Being the feedback whore I am, I would like to get people's opinions, but at the same time I feel kind of guarded about it... I've always felt that as a fanfic author I've done a good job of tuning into the characters andtaking advantage of them sexually using them in interesting ways, but it's literally been years since I sat down and did original work. I'm not nearly as confident about it as I am, say, Well Frogs, or PWP lawyercest.
Which is maybe the best thing for me - to start taking criticism on things that I take most personally. But at the same time, I don't want to treat my original writing like a fanfic, expecting to get the kind of feedback I get as CR's BNF.
So what I'm really getting around to asking (to anyone who's read this far) is...
[Poll #1160973]
Anything original I post would definately be under a friend cut, possibly on a strict filter. I'm not even sure yet if I would want to post full chapters or just ideas. I just feel like I want to start taking my writing more seriously, and they say the best way to fulfill your goals is to tell other people about them, so they can help hold you to it.
That and a Daruma doll <3
So please, give me your honest opinions!
I just finished writing out my checks to the IRS. OUCH. Bye, monies~~~ I'm still doing okay, but it sucks having to dish out that much cash at once. I made more this year than last, but that means Sam takes a bigger bite! At least this time I printed out some pre-vouchers that I can pay off through the year, so it won't be a big ass check come tax time 2009.
I know there are peeps on my Flist who are interested in self employment, so if you want to hear some actual numbers, I'd be willing to share them privately.
But the much more exciting news is... TK and I are buying a house!! :D
Now by that I really mean, "TK is buying a house, and I am going to pay to live in it with her." I certainly don't have the income to pay off a house on my own, or even half a house. But TK is brilliant and lovely and generous, so we're coming to a compromise.
We've already looked at a few cute places in the area (little three bedroom, one bathroom places), and hopefully will be able to line up some actual showings for this weekend. Wish us luck!
Of course, that also means things are going to get even more expensive, so I've been peeking around other areas where I can pick up extra cash. I don't really want to sign up with another translation company/publisher, since I'm already getting a good deal of work with my current employer and I don't want to get burned out on Japanese every day. So lately I've been turning my attention towards original fiction. My dad has been bugging me for years to turn my writing into profit, and...I think it's worth a shot.
BNF goes pro? IT WORKED FOR THAT HP GIRL, RIGHT!?
Of course, I would never be one of those people who changes the names on their fanfic and passes it off as original - I've heard stories of fanficcers who did that, and it really seems dishonest to me. There's a big difference between being inspired by something and using it as a crutch.
Anyway, I'm not ranting, I'm just saying, anything original I do is definitely not going to be reworked fanfic. What I'm working on now is Asian fantasy. Yeah, I know, everyone on LJ is a fantasy author, blah blah. But I really want to write the kind of story that I've been wanting to read for years: a very political, very reality-bound fantasy in the style of Final Fantasy Tactics, but IN ASIA. Something that will be read by people like me, who have an interest in southeast Asia and want to see more than just teenaged
(hoshit I love Nobunaga, but...come on, his real life is so much more interesting than him being possessed by the devil. Even when the devil is as hot as Fortinbras)
MY POINT BEING, I'm not going to abandon my fanfic by any stretch (I have more planned than ever >.>) but I'm also working on some original stuff. Being the feedback whore I am, I would like to get people's opinions, but at the same time I feel kind of guarded about it... I've always felt that as a fanfic author I've done a good job of tuning into the characters and
Which is maybe the best thing for me - to start taking criticism on things that I take most personally. But at the same time, I don't want to treat my original writing like a fanfic, expecting to get the kind of feedback I get as CR's BNF.
So what I'm really getting around to asking (to anyone who's read this far) is...
[Poll #1160973]
Anything original I post would definately be under a friend cut, possibly on a strict filter. I'm not even sure yet if I would want to post full chapters or just ideas. I just feel like I want to start taking my writing more seriously, and they say the best way to fulfill your goals is to tell other people about them, so they can help hold you to it.
That and a Daruma doll <3
So please, give me your honest opinions!
