Forum:Newsletter-January 2014

 The Wikian

January 2014

So yeah...it's been awhile since the last Newsletter. Sorry for that, a lot of things got in the way. But I have scored some really great Featured Interviews that end up discussing a range of topics. I hope you guys enjoy them and contiune to support the Newsletter and the wiki :)

Novemeber 2013's Featured Character
Novemember's Featured Character was...Creed created by JERealize. Creed, labeled as The No-Excuse Workhorse inTotal Drama America, understands the value of labor in an increasingly tech-dependent world. He keeps his eyes on who he can't trust, and stays as loyal to his team as he can allow. I talked to both JER and Creed about the win.

'''Rhonda: Thank you for meeting with me JER. This is your second featured character right?'''

''JER: Yes. Vivi was the first, back in March, I believe it was a slow month.''

Rhonda: Why do you Creed is a good character for Featured Character?

''JER: Well, I have once heard he was a good character, and I decided, why not. I tried a few times before, with Allister and Nova, and they didn't work but I think I cheated a bit when nominating Creed. That month brought the rule that no pictures were to be added with FC nominations. The rule was ratified the next month.''

'''Rhonda: Well you can always try again with the other characters. My most popular character lost FC at least once before winning. And at least it helped establish a new rule.'''

Do you enjoying writing for Creed?

''JER: He's alright. I set up a basic story for him. The others, more or less, were less stereotypical than canon characters with a few... radical exceptions.. ''

'''Rhonda: I can see that. A few are pretty radical xD When trying to develop characters, what is your method?'''

''JER: When I created my first few characters, I try to think as to what their environment would be couple that with an identifiable stereotype. And lastly, find their hometown. They're mostly secondary cities. I tried to stay away from the larger ones.''

''My later characters, though... In future stories, beware, as they will be more based off of other shows and stories.''

'''Rhonda: Interesting. I like the idea of thinking of their environment, I'm gonna try that  And that's fine with me, some of our most popular characters are based on other characters. What was the environment you thought of when trying to create Creed?'''

''JER: I thought... just someone who knows the more... agrarian way of life, just someone who is adept at rural situations. But on the contrast, the stereotype I named him, a bit of it was influenced by Steve Austin, even though Austin is a different breed. ''

Rhonda: Steve Austin the wrestler?

''JER: Yes. The same. Someone named him a "workhorse" one time, and I thought, why not? Also, let me say something. I originally thought of the idea to give Creed some black hair, like the main character of Metalocalypse, but I'm fine with what Suta drew for me. Thanks, Suta, for taking your time to help me.''

And thanks to Fire, for adding him (Creed) in the Brawl Project.

'''Rhonda: I like the blonde hair personally. So Creed, how does it feel to be Featured Character?'''

''Creed: I... well, at least I like the honor. A bit different from what the other campers gave me, and Chris. Chris can go a bit too far in his pursuits for ratings. But, it's weird you know, to get an honor from the fans. Fans who only knew me for so long. Fans I never knew I had.''

Rhonda: Well, hopefully you'll find out you had more fans  How do you think you're doing in Total Drama America?

'''SPOILERS START HERE FOR NOW. '''

''Creed: I don't know. I made it this far, and with Hector gone, I guess I have a little less to worry about. But, that doesn't mean I'm done with some issues yet. Some others, I have to watch closely.''

'''Rhonda: Spoken like a true competitor. I remember Hector; he basically poisoned you. Guessing you still hate him for it?''' ''Creed: I was taught to not hold a grudge for too long, but Hector didn't make a good impression on me. Luckily, I won't see him for a while, and even if I get kicked out, there may be no Playa des Losers to stay in. Maybe Chris left one out. He did say we were going home after we get kicked out.''

'''Rhonda: Of course you can never trust Chris. Although removing Playa des Losers makes sense, he'd probably wanna save the money.'''

''Creed: For his gold statue we saw get blown to dust that other time. Can't say he didn't deserve it. But still, what a waste of money...'' '''SPOILERS STOP HERE FOR NOW.  Rhonda: Hahaha, he had it coming. ...Someone should go find that gold dust and try to make some money off it... So Creed, what do you plan to do with the money if you win?'''

''Creed: I do desire to invest in my own farm but buying out Tulequoia might be a good investment too. ...unless Chris just rented the place. Rumor has it that Chris rented it from the YMCA. I don't know how he did it. That must be a lot of red tape.''

'''Rhonda: Chris has his ways I suppose. So Creed, as a hopeless romantic I must ask, anybody on the show you're interested in hooking up with?'''

''Creed: Can't say I have one directly interested in. We come from all over the USA. But Dominique is a good rival. She manages her team well, and does value hard work. At least, I hope so. She works in the same city where Kelloggs headquarters is, right?''

'''Rhonda: Can't say I know honestly. But I'm gonna start shipping you now <3 So I'm afraid are interview has reached it's end. Any final thoughts Creed?'''

''Creed: Well, I don't know, really talking with a fan? That's a first. But I do know, the Canadians went through some rough patches to reach the end, and I do wish I knew what I would end up with. Well, whatever.''

''At the end of all this, I doubt anyone in my neighborhood is going to care. Unless I win. But I still have my own life when all this ends. And there will be that day when I wake up before sun's rise in my own bed, to start a new day making an honest living.''

'''Rhonda: Thanks for the time Creed. Good luck, I hope you win, though it seems like you'd be fine if you don't. Now if you excuse I have to go hunt for some gold dust ;)'''

Creed: You take care now!

Decemeber's Featured User
The Featured User for Decemeber was That Epic! That Epic has been a member of this wiki for almost two years, and has made over 700 edits in that time. His main project is currently Total Drama Forest, and he's also a very active member on chat. I interviewed Epic on his win, his current projects and his feelings on the wiki.

'''Rhonda: So thank you for meeting with me Epic, and congrats on becoming Featured User. How does it feel?'''

''Epic: It feels awesome! ''

'''Rhonda: You've been a member of this wiki for almost two years now. Why did you decide to run just recently?'''

Epic: Well, I wasn't very active for my first year or so on the wiki, and I wanted to get a good "resume" so to speak on the wiki before I ran.

'''Rhonda: I can understand that. So let's talk about some of your on the wiki. You currently writing a story called Total Drama Forest, right?'''

''Epic: Yes. ''

Rhonda: Are you enjoying it?

''Epic: I like it. It's fun to write wi\and get to develop all new characters. ''

'''Rhonda: I hear that. Characters are my favorite part of most anything :3 Do you have a favorite yet?'''

''Epic: I really like writng for G.oddess (it's a long story XD) and Rosa. ''

'''Rhonda: G.oddess sounds like a hilarious character <3 Another currently talked about idea is the Wiki Project, which you've rebooted. Why did you decide to redo it?'''

''Epic: I thought that something the wiki could all do as a group and everyone could be involved in would be really fun! :3''

'''Rhonda: I agree wholeheartedly <3 You decided to go a Second Chances route with the story. Why so?'''

Epic: I thought it was an interesting idea many had suggeted for a canon season, and I'd like our wiki project to be something original.

'''Rhonda: I think it's pretty original. Not to mention this wiki has a love of most of the Underdogs.'''

''Epic: Yeah, Noah especially. XD''

'''Rhonda: There is a high love of Noah. And an ironic love of Staci XD So do you feel good about this Wiki Project?'''

''Epic: Yeah, definitely. A lot of people that seemed skeptical seem to be coming around, which is great.''

'''Rhonda: I'm glad to hear that. I think the Wiki Project is something that'd really unite us :3'''

''Epic: Same here. ''

Rhonda: What are your feelings on the current state of things on the wiki Epic?

''Epic: Well, I don't think it's exactly flourishing, but I think things are starting to look up. ''

'''Rhonda: Agreed. What do you hope to accomplish in the future on the wiki?'''

''Epic: I just hope that I can help the wiki be the best it can be. :3''

Rhonda: That's a wonderful thing to say Epic <3 Thank you agreeing to let me interview you!

''Epic: Thanks for interviewing me! :) ''

Decemeber's Featured Character
The Featured Character for December is Brett's Mother. Brett's mother, also called "The Storyteller", is the Scheherezade expy in the Season 1 reimagining, The Legend of Total Drama Island. She tells the main story to her teenage son in the style of The 1001 Nights, ending every night with a cliffhanger.

She also engages in "Greek chorus" byplay with her reader surrogate son. Her identity is still unknown, except that she was one of the 11 girls competing in that first season. In interviewed both LTDI's author Gideon and Brett's mother.

'''Rhonda: First Gideon, I have to say I love The Legend of Total Drama Island (but you know that). Why did you decide to reimagine Total Drama?'''

''Gideon: My muse has always been better at refining than creating, so all of my works in the Total Drama fandom are derivative in some way. Total Drama Island, by Gilbert and Sullivan was technically an adaptation of TDI (though really more a work of scholarship), Legacy was a what-if story, Courtney and the Violin of Despair was mostly based on true stories or expanded on incidents in the TD canon, and my Fake Souls chapters ran with a preexisting idea.''

''With a history like that, a reimagining seemed the way to go when I decided to try my hand at a competition story. I chose Season 1 because that's the one I liked the best and because I wouldn't be bound by any canon incidents from earlier seasons.''

'''SPOILERS START HERE FOR NOW. '''

'''Rhonda: Ah, that makes sense to pick season one. Now I have to ask, what is your favorite cliffhanger from LTDI?'''

''Gideon: For sheer evilness, it's hard to beat the first elimination ceremony, where I left the reader hanging just as Chris was about to dispense the last marshmallow. (That trick only works once, so you won't be seeing it again.) ''

''For emotional power, though, the one where Sadie is trying to keep the unconscious Katie alive is going to be hard to top. I've got a couple of great cliffhangers in store for future episodes, most notably in the "chainsaw psycho" and "castaway" episodes.''

'''SPOILERS STOP HERE FOR NOW. '''

'''Rhonda: I'd say Sadie and Katie is a great one too. I'm excited about the others now! What change from the canon do you think works best?'''

Gideon: From a narrative standpoint, I'd say that playing the story arc for drama instead of laughs is really what makes LTDI what it is.

''Heather and Leshawna's quarrel on the diving cliff, for example, had only minor changes from the original, but the way I played the scene gave it a very different tone. Katie and Sadie getting lost in the woods probably wouldn't have been all that memorable if I just gave my version of their fight--the sort of creative shortcut that is all too common in remake stories--but it didn't take all that many changes to turn their misadventure into the desperate life-or-death ordeal that anyone who's read that far is sure to remember.''

From a characterization standpoint, I think the most successful and important change thus far was to have Sadie instead of Katie switch teams during the first challenge.

'''Rhonda: I don't think about it like that but that actually is a really clever idea with playing the drama. I was over thinking the answer to the question. What has been the hardest part of writing LTDI?'''

''Gideon: The hardest part, quite frankly, is trying to get other things done and still keep to the posting schedule, seeing as I have an adult life to balance. My other major hobby (fast action sports photography) takes a great deal of my time during the fall and winter, and over the last eight months I've been porting my stories to fanfiction.net, which is yet another big time sink.''

''In sum, my progress on LTDI over the last 6 months or so has been very disappointing. Add to that the fact that I'm getting into a stretch of episodes where I don't have all that much pre-written, and you have a fair idea of why Fourteenth Night has already been delayed twice and now seems likely to be delayed a third time. (On the bright side, the third delay, if it comes to pass, would probably be only one week, from the weekend before New Year's Day to the weekend after.)''

''' Rhonda: I had a feeling you would say that :3 Do you have a favorite character in LTDI, and if so, who? '''

''Gideon: The thing about remake/reimaginging stories (the difference being in how closely you follow the original, with reimaginings taking more liberties than remakes) is that one's favorite characters in these stories tend to be the same as one's favorites in the original. That's probably the biggest reason why you rarely see character ranking blogs for these types of stories.''

''It's the same way with the authors, I think. Even if the author's not playing favorites (and I most definitely am not--of the seven most prominent campers in LTDI to this point, only Gwen is among my favorites in canon), the characters one likes are generally easier to write for than the character one doesn't like. So, I'm going to somewhat duck the question and, instead of telling you who my favorites are, I'll tell you who I most enjoy writing for.''

''I would say that the character I've had the most fun writing for is Izzy, probably because she's the main comic relief character. I had a blast (so to speak) writing my version of the "atomic fire starter" scene, as well as some of her "mind dump" monologues. Katie/Sadie and Ezekiel are rewarding to write for because they got so little development in the original that fanfic writers have a lot of room to run with them.''

''Despite Courtney's prominence in LTDI, she's not the easiest character for me to write for. It seems to me that LTDI Courtney really isn't quite as bossy and self-important as she ought to be, although she's certainly had her moments. Granted, a major conceit of my story is the "behind the scenes" perspective that makes everyone more multidimensional, but still.''

''On the other end of the scale, a major reason why I got rid of Owen so quickly is because I didn't feel comfortable writing for some of his quirks. The other major reason is that I simply couldn't pass up the chance to make a fart joke dramatically important. D.J. has been largely invisible because, quite frankly, he didn't do all that much in the original, either, and is largely a one-joke character.''

''In fact, the only reason he's still around is because I have specific need for him in certain later episodes. Just as Bridgette and Geoff were victims of the elimination order following the storylines, so D.J. is a beneficiary of that.''

''Duncan is another whom I have some trouble writing for, and the fact that I don't like his canon characterization doesn't help. LTDI Duncan is tough as nails--arguably tougher than in the original--but he also strikes me as more good-natured than he probably ought to be. Maybe he just feels that he doesn't have anything to prove.''

'''Rhonda: I'm not surprised Izzy isn't hard to write for, but I am surprised Courtney is. And I will admit your Duncan is a lot nicer, which I like. Now, what gave you the idea to make the narrator a former contestant turned mother?'''

''Gideon: The main pitfall to avoid with Izzy is the temptation to make her a caricature. As for your question, when I started work on LTDI, I wanted to do something more suited to my highly descriptive writing style than the script narrative style popularized by Nalyd Renrut and Sprinklemist. I had read the Mardrus & Mathers translation of The 1,001 Nights, and I quickly settled on that as my structural model.''

''There are two major reasons for the narrator to be a mother. First, she's my Shahrazad (Scheherazade) expy, and a Shahrazad needs an audience. (In the original, the storyteller's main audience was her husband. In LTDI it's her son.) Second, Brett's backstory becomes very important later.''

Rhonda: I definitely think you did something different that worked.

''Gideon: When I joined the wiki, there was a well-established pattern of writers seeking to break new ground with their first competition stories. One writer had the wiki's first couple to reach the finals together, another had the first returner to win, etc.''

'''Rhonda: i think it certainly broke new ground. I think it's originality is what helps it stick up and get readers. Did you expect Brett’s mother to be nominated for Featured Character?'''

''Gideon: That, and the fact that I had three Featured Stories by the time LTDI officially launched. And no, the notion of Brett's mother running for Featured Character never occurred to me. My 10,000th Edit blog (when I finally get it posted) will go into that whole situation in more detail.''

'''Rhonda: Thank you for the informative interview Gideon. Now let’s talk to the woman herself, Brett’s Mother! Now I can’t see you Brett’s Mother, but I assume you look wonderful.'''

''Brett's Mother: Thank you. I've been told that the premature gray flatters me. Sort of like highlights.''

'''Rhonda: It suits you. Before we continue, is there something you’d prefer I call you by than Brett’s Mother? '''

''Brett's Mother: You may call me "Adrienne". That's my middle name, and I've been using it since my college days. "Ms. Tomlinson" and "Storyteller" will also do.''

'''Rhonda: I'll use Ms. Tomlinson, it seems more respectful. First out Ms. Tomlinson, how do you feel about winning Featured Character?'''

''Brett's Mother: Well, obviously, I didn't see it coming. In fact, until recently I had no idea that I was a fictional character in the first place. Leave it to "Three Wall Rhonda" to be the one to enlighten me on that point..''

'''Rhonda: Sorry to share that news with you, but it's not all that bad, or so I've heard. So you’ve done a lot reminiscing about your past for some nights now Ms. Tomlinson. How does it feel looking back? '''

Brett's Mother: It's rather like hosting a high school reunion.

'''Rhonda: I think that's an accurate way to put it. Now being a hopeless romantic I have to ask, any romantic parts of your experience you really remember? '''

''Brett's Mother: Indeed there is, and it's probably the main reason why I remember everything so well, but that is another story for another time. I'll admit that the protection failure wasn't terribly romantic at the time, but it's become more so in retrospect. It gave the feeling that some things were just meant to be.''

Rhonda: That's such a sweet thing to say <3 So I take it you enjoy storytelling Ms. Tomlinson?

''Brett's Mother: I suppose I do. There's another purpose, though, although I haven't mentioned it before. You see, Brett wasn't very attentive in school when he asked me to tell him about my experience that summer, so that's why him keeping up with his homework was the price I set for continuing my tales each night.''

''In any case, this was a story that I thought really needed to be told, for reasons that will become clear in the fullness of time. ''

'''Rhonda: You're a very clever gal Ms. Tomlinson. And I'm curious to see why you really needed to tell this story, though I'm developing my theories. In any case, why is that you’re particularly fond of cliffhangers? I'm guessing it has to do with keeping Brett invested?'''

''Brett's Mother: There's nothing like a good cliffhanger to keep the audience coming back for more. And if you don't mind my saying so, Rhonda--may I call you Rhonda?--I wouldn't mind hearing some of your theories, even if I can't confirm or deny them yet. I've heard so much about you, not least that you have an unusual way of looking at things. (Exhibit A would be that German intern, Staci...)''

'''Rhonda: Of course you can call me Rhonda. Well, my first theory based on why you tell the whole story, is to scare Brett out of going. Or perhaps to tell him about his heritage which you've been holding back till you felt he was ready. And I'm honored to hear you've heard so much about me :) '''

Brett's Mother: I don't think it's giving away too much to say that Total Drama Island was indeed an important part of Brett's heritage, which is why the story had to be told sooner or later.

''As for trying to scare him out of going, that would probably have been fruitless because he knows that Chris McLean won't be the host. (Those poor interns...) Besides, there are some things that kids just have to learn for themselves.''

Rhonda: I have heard Chris's niece is a much nicer lady. So, Ms. Tomlinson, What tale happens to be your favorite from your whole experience?

Brett's Mother: The tale of the dodgeball match was probably the most fun to relate from a stylistic standpoint, but even I got tears in my eyes telling of that ordeal during the camping challenge.

''As for the tales that you haven't heard yet, I have a particular soft spot for the heroism in the... whoops, almost gave you a big spoiler there. ''

You probably know the Biblical passage of John 15:13 - "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Rhonda: Ms. Tomlinson, has anyone ever told you you're a tease?

Brett's Mother: In point of fact, yes, most notably when I was relating the events of the first elimination ceremony and called it a night just as Chris was about to award the last marshmallow.

'''Rhonda: That's probably the biggest moment you've teased, at least the one with the most suspense. Now, how would you describe your relationship to Brett, Ms. Tomlinson?'''

''Brett's Mother: "Most suspense", eh? Even more than the one in the rainstorm during the camping challenge?''

''As for Brett, he's a teenager, so he's been testing my tolerance for a couple of years now, but I love him dearly. And sometimes I still see "little Brett" in him.''

'''Rhonda: Well, it was built up with the most, though the camping challenge did admittedly have a lot. And that is so sweet. Are you worried about Brett competing?'''

''Brett's Mother: As his mother, I'm naturally somewhat worried--he's only 15, after all, since his birthday isn't until near the time shooting starts, but I'm not nearly as concerned as I'd be if Chris was hosting Next Gen. I have assurances that Brett and his opponents won't have to go through what I and mine did. Accidents can happen, of course, but there's no such thing as a risk-free life.''

'''Rhonda: Agreed. You could die getting out of your bed or even not getting out of it. Is there any feelings of honor you feel towards him, for lack of better words, carrying on the torch?'''

''Brett's Mother: I don't want to put that kind of pressure on him. He's liable to feel plenty of pressure of his own making, because I'm sure he'll be disappointed if he doesn't do at least as well as I did.''

''Whether being Total Drama's first second-generation player affects how the other players deal with him will depend, at least in part, on whether the host sees fit to mention it to them. I've advised Brett to not be the one to bring up the subject until the game is over, because if the other players learn of it, they might (quite understandably) see him as a threat.''

In any case, a player's fate in these elimination games isn't necessarily in their own hands, as I saw when I was eliminated, but that is another story for another time.

'''Rhonda: Again with the teasing Ms. Tomlinson! Is there any other advice you would give Brett to make sure he doesn’t get eliminated in a similar way you did (whatever that way is) or at all?'''

''Brett's Mother: I don't think I could say it much better than Alejandro did when he offered his wisdom-of-experience counsel during the first challenge. As for my elimination, it even shocked Chris. There are some things that you just can't anticipate.''

'''Rhonda: Dang, you're driving me crazy Ms. Tomlinson. Any last comments before we end our interview? '''

''Brett's Mother: Indeed, I have. I've been away for too long, but around New Year's Day, I think, you'll hear all about the paintball deer hunt. Expect a major plot twist. Also, the shippers out there will get a tease involving D.J., who's been rather neglected to this point.''

'''Rhonda: I'm excited to hear this! I can't wait till then. Thank you for the interview Ms. Tomlinson.'''

''Brett's Mother: My pleasure. And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting back to my side of the Fourth Wall''.

Rhonda: If you run into anyone I know tell them I said hi ;)