Hey, writers.  So there’s this thing that I’ve been doing.  Essentially it’s writing things that don’t exist…that I also don’t intend on publishing.  Hm.  That sounds pretty weird.

Hit the jump, writers, and let’s discuss.

When I work on a novel or a short story, I already know my plans with it.  I want to publish.  Yeah, I know, duh.

But sometimes I write…other stuff.  (I was going to write about why I write what I write and when I write it, but then…that’ll probably be better on another post.  Moving on.)  So today we’re going to talk about that other stuff.

In Overwatch, each character has his/her/its back story.  Some characters get more than the others.  For instance, Tracer, arguably the face of Overwatch, has starred in multiple animated shorts and has a comic or two to her name.  Meanwhile, others barely get any lore.

D.Va was one of those characters.  For a very long time the players were asking/begging/demanding more DVA* lore.  So I thought to myself, “Alright, I’ll write that.  Why not?”

So what I have written is of course what I thought would be best.  Generally, that’s where the story ends.  Having said that.  Check out this animated short (that I had nothing to do with):

Overwatch Animated Short | “Shooting Star”

Not it, not it, not it

Today, writers, I found myself in an interesting position.  See, the stuff I write is never written by someone else.  I created these characters, and they don’t exist elsewhere, so I don’t really get to see other people’s takes on them.

DVA, of course, was not created by me.  The story I wrote, when I wrote it, didn’t exist.  But now it does.

I got the rare (& weird) privilege of seeing the other side.  Would they use the same plot points?  Would they use the same abilities?

Well, we’re going to find out in an upcoming article *wink wink*.  Haha.

Adoption

Okay, let’s get to the “lesson” for today.

If you’re like me, then you’ve dismissed writing for other characters.  I want to create, it’s what I do.  The drive to create is literally why I do what I do.  But here’s a scenario for you all:

Say you go up to someone.  “Hey, Mr. or Mrs. Editor/Publisher Guy/Person Guy/Lady.  I am a writer.  Hire me please.”

Then you hear, “Well, I have these five books.  They sell well.  We need someone to work on the third book.  That could be you.”

Do you then say, “No way!  I only work on my own creations!”

Psht.  Of course not.  You would then be writing for someone else’s characters.  That is a real and very legitimate way of earning a living as a writer.

So how do you practice that?  Well, you write for someone else’s characters now.

Is there a character/team that you would like to write for?

Sound off in the comments!

Aloha,
Alvin

*When you type in D.Va in to certain programs/apps, the device thinks you want to create a website.  That isn’t what I’m doing, so I’m writing Hana Song’s name a different way.

P.S.  Someone once decided to write fanfic of Twilight.  That story?  That became 50 Shades of Grey.  Yo, seriously, that’s some serious money and some incredible success.  That was all birthed from fanfic.  Just saying.