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Reflecting on arc 3, SV and character refreshes
9 months ago
Story information: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10826933/
Universal information: https://www.heavy-weapons.com/
Universal information: https://www.heavy-weapons.com/
Hey everyone! I'm sitting here typing this a few short days after finally finishing arc 3 of Sweet Venom and I thought I'd reflect on my journey through the rewrite and the arc itself.
Three years ago I committed to rewriting Sweet Venom, initially just the beginning but the scope evolved to a full reboot of the series. Now, I'm three arcs in and I've written more than double than the original series. With on-going and continual support from my wife, I think the new series far outshines the original. Not just in terms of writing quality, but also character development/growth and plot points. I can definitely feel the difference, hell, even compared to the first new arc, arc three is a total beast. It had some incredibly difficult scenes to write, things I'd never attempted before but I think I pulled them off. I'm incredibly proud of what i've written so far and i'm pretty psyked for the future. We're taking a break for the rest of December, with arc 4 beginning next year and I think its going to be awesome, even if it goes eat a lot of my time.
My personal favourite scenes to write in arc three were the Vora Baron scenes, starting with Lead Eater. I think I managed to capture the sheer brutality of both Barons themselves, and Seeth, who still appears to be a fan favourite, but more on her later. But closely behind that however were the DA scenes, which are much more involved than the original. Evangeline is a total bitch of a character and wicked fun to write, daddy Theo is a fantastic addition to any scene and Scyler is just a slimey as he always was. The DA scenes surprised me with both how much I enjoyed writing them and how well they were received. Overall, there's so much of arc three I enjoyed writing, even if it was really difficult (Looking at you, court scene & Darkpaw) and its really expanded my horizons as a writer.
Onto characters. I've been overwhelmed by the people saying how well written my cast is. Characters feel rich and deep, their motivation tangible and their presence felt. Or so I've been told. Not sure if its my place to say. But I'm super happy with how the enrichment of my cast is going, plus the new additions. Jace was wildly reworked and is practically a different character, but he feels much more integral to the story and I like his new version. The new node cast is going well! Tani and Mina are great fun and I love having them in scenes. Mook's tragic backstory played out beautifully but I feel like she needs more fleshing out in arc 4. The new crew are a mixed bunch, purposefully. I didn't want the marks escaping in arc one to feel like a pre-selected bunch who all fit into different team roles, I wanted them to feel like rag-tag bunch of people who got their act together long enough to resist the allure of the Controllers. So the crew consisting of Tivy, Trent, Geralt & Oxyi should feel grounded and realistic, a bunch of people forced into situation, rather than a hand-picked crew of main characters. I had a ton of reasons for this, the main one being that the Controllers themselves are main characters, I needed people closer to reality to not only help ground the story, but elevate the Controllers further. Despite that, I don't find the crew boring at all. Tivy is a funky lil' treasure of a girl, Geralt is an older gentleman suffering through mental trauma and trying to bounce back, Trent is an everyman who's trying to keep himself together in spite of the hunger within and Oxyi is a tough-as-nails gal who never stops fighting and is deeply loyal. Seeing their struggles after the first two arcs is the much needed grounding to further show just how devastating the Rewritten are and how uplifting someone like Diego is.
On that note, the boy! Diego! Having received a pretty substantial power buff since the original, he's much less of a victim now. Diego is now a force of nature, charging into danger head first to save others. The result is, he feels much less like a bottom bitch and far more worthy of the Controllers focus. I've been teasing more and more about him, with arc 3 finally showing something substantial about his past and capabilities, only further cementing his status with the Rewritten. An enigmatic soul who feels like he's teetering on the edge of something very dark and dangerous, but holy fuck would you want him by your side at a fight. Diego's transition from bottom boy to alpha powerhouse was a huge change from the original and he feels much better for it. I feel like i've struck the balance between powerful and balanced nicely, we see him lose, we see him use his brains, we see him overpower and destroy people, I'm looking forward to drawing the curtain back on him entirely and revealing what exactly he got up to and why he is the way he is. You can feel the impact he has on peoples lives and that's a great thing for the story.
The Controllers are a fantastic cast who always dominate whatever scene they are in and I adore writing about them. Seeth recieved a minor aesthetic update and retains her "cold bitch who'll fight tooth and nail for those close to her" with all the brutality of a Controller, plus her new warping capabilities. She's mostly the same as she was, if less sadistic than initially introduced. Leech has only recieved a personality update, with the latest chapter revealing that she isn't the insane loose-cannon that people perhaps originally thought. Super sassy and far more sane than first suspected. Plasia's soft side has been really softened and she's a wonderful person, when she's not going apeshit and corrupting people, her story is really heartbreaking and i'm looking forward to treating the blueberry muffin with a softer story soon. Moltezz easily received the biggest glow-up, both physically and personality wise. The queen now rules the kingdom fully, with a nuclear arsenal of psyonics and a personality than commands respect and attention. Old Moltezz feels very hollow and "all bark no bite" compared to the new Moltezz. Of all the glow-ups, I think she earns the top spot. Ink mostly received a physical update but her backstory seems to really capture people. I've had numerous people comment that Lamp's story in arc one was a tough read for them, for the right reasons. Seeing her transform into a monster is both cathartic and also horrifying. You're never sure if you you want Ink to win or not, which is what I intended for now, but we'll see how long that lasts. RIP Maloch, we hardly knew ye.
There is still plenty of work to be done and things to improve though. Despite my praise above, I know I can do better and there are still multiple storylines playing out that I need to see through. I'm hoping that the various clues I've been leaving in the arcs will make more and more sense as we progress. With the crew coming back together, arc 4 and beyond should feel more focused that 3, which hopped around an awful lot between the various characters. I don't think arc 3 was too long, I don't think theres anything than feels filler'y, but it did take a while for certain plot points to happen. We ended up cutting a few scenes and ideas to keep the pace, which I think was the right decision ultimately. Which brings me onto my final thoughts.
Rewriting Sweet Venom was the right decision.
I'm super happy with how its turning out, everything feels much more fleshed out and real, and the fact i've been able to share it with people IRL and they've enjoyed it is a sign that i'm doing something right. Feedback on FA has been light, but i've had a few people come out to directly tell me how much they're enjoying it, and that as been an absolute pleasure to hear.
So thank you for reading my little introspective. I realise its been quite wanky, i've talked very positively about myself here, but i'm honestly proud of what i've done. I'm just going to enjoy the moment for what its worth.
Been keeping up with SV? Please do let me know your thoughts. They're much appreciated. If you feel so inclined, I have some questions:
1. If you read the original, how do you compare the two?
2. How do you find Diego as a main character?
3. Favourite arc?
4. Favourite character?
5. Which Controller do you think understands Diego the best?
Three years ago I committed to rewriting Sweet Venom, initially just the beginning but the scope evolved to a full reboot of the series. Now, I'm three arcs in and I've written more than double than the original series. With on-going and continual support from my wife, I think the new series far outshines the original. Not just in terms of writing quality, but also character development/growth and plot points. I can definitely feel the difference, hell, even compared to the first new arc, arc three is a total beast. It had some incredibly difficult scenes to write, things I'd never attempted before but I think I pulled them off. I'm incredibly proud of what i've written so far and i'm pretty psyked for the future. We're taking a break for the rest of December, with arc 4 beginning next year and I think its going to be awesome, even if it goes eat a lot of my time.
My personal favourite scenes to write in arc three were the Vora Baron scenes, starting with Lead Eater. I think I managed to capture the sheer brutality of both Barons themselves, and Seeth, who still appears to be a fan favourite, but more on her later. But closely behind that however were the DA scenes, which are much more involved than the original. Evangeline is a total bitch of a character and wicked fun to write, daddy Theo is a fantastic addition to any scene and Scyler is just a slimey as he always was. The DA scenes surprised me with both how much I enjoyed writing them and how well they were received. Overall, there's so much of arc three I enjoyed writing, even if it was really difficult (Looking at you, court scene & Darkpaw) and its really expanded my horizons as a writer.
Onto characters. I've been overwhelmed by the people saying how well written my cast is. Characters feel rich and deep, their motivation tangible and their presence felt. Or so I've been told. Not sure if its my place to say. But I'm super happy with how the enrichment of my cast is going, plus the new additions. Jace was wildly reworked and is practically a different character, but he feels much more integral to the story and I like his new version. The new node cast is going well! Tani and Mina are great fun and I love having them in scenes. Mook's tragic backstory played out beautifully but I feel like she needs more fleshing out in arc 4. The new crew are a mixed bunch, purposefully. I didn't want the marks escaping in arc one to feel like a pre-selected bunch who all fit into different team roles, I wanted them to feel like rag-tag bunch of people who got their act together long enough to resist the allure of the Controllers. So the crew consisting of Tivy, Trent, Geralt & Oxyi should feel grounded and realistic, a bunch of people forced into situation, rather than a hand-picked crew of main characters. I had a ton of reasons for this, the main one being that the Controllers themselves are main characters, I needed people closer to reality to not only help ground the story, but elevate the Controllers further. Despite that, I don't find the crew boring at all. Tivy is a funky lil' treasure of a girl, Geralt is an older gentleman suffering through mental trauma and trying to bounce back, Trent is an everyman who's trying to keep himself together in spite of the hunger within and Oxyi is a tough-as-nails gal who never stops fighting and is deeply loyal. Seeing their struggles after the first two arcs is the much needed grounding to further show just how devastating the Rewritten are and how uplifting someone like Diego is.
On that note, the boy! Diego! Having received a pretty substantial power buff since the original, he's much less of a victim now. Diego is now a force of nature, charging into danger head first to save others. The result is, he feels much less like a bottom bitch and far more worthy of the Controllers focus. I've been teasing more and more about him, with arc 3 finally showing something substantial about his past and capabilities, only further cementing his status with the Rewritten. An enigmatic soul who feels like he's teetering on the edge of something very dark and dangerous, but holy fuck would you want him by your side at a fight. Diego's transition from bottom boy to alpha powerhouse was a huge change from the original and he feels much better for it. I feel like i've struck the balance between powerful and balanced nicely, we see him lose, we see him use his brains, we see him overpower and destroy people, I'm looking forward to drawing the curtain back on him entirely and revealing what exactly he got up to and why he is the way he is. You can feel the impact he has on peoples lives and that's a great thing for the story.
The Controllers are a fantastic cast who always dominate whatever scene they are in and I adore writing about them. Seeth recieved a minor aesthetic update and retains her "cold bitch who'll fight tooth and nail for those close to her" with all the brutality of a Controller, plus her new warping capabilities. She's mostly the same as she was, if less sadistic than initially introduced. Leech has only recieved a personality update, with the latest chapter revealing that she isn't the insane loose-cannon that people perhaps originally thought. Super sassy and far more sane than first suspected. Plasia's soft side has been really softened and she's a wonderful person, when she's not going apeshit and corrupting people, her story is really heartbreaking and i'm looking forward to treating the blueberry muffin with a softer story soon. Moltezz easily received the biggest glow-up, both physically and personality wise. The queen now rules the kingdom fully, with a nuclear arsenal of psyonics and a personality than commands respect and attention. Old Moltezz feels very hollow and "all bark no bite" compared to the new Moltezz. Of all the glow-ups, I think she earns the top spot. Ink mostly received a physical update but her backstory seems to really capture people. I've had numerous people comment that Lamp's story in arc one was a tough read for them, for the right reasons. Seeing her transform into a monster is both cathartic and also horrifying. You're never sure if you you want Ink to win or not, which is what I intended for now, but we'll see how long that lasts. RIP Maloch, we hardly knew ye.
There is still plenty of work to be done and things to improve though. Despite my praise above, I know I can do better and there are still multiple storylines playing out that I need to see through. I'm hoping that the various clues I've been leaving in the arcs will make more and more sense as we progress. With the crew coming back together, arc 4 and beyond should feel more focused that 3, which hopped around an awful lot between the various characters. I don't think arc 3 was too long, I don't think theres anything than feels filler'y, but it did take a while for certain plot points to happen. We ended up cutting a few scenes and ideas to keep the pace, which I think was the right decision ultimately. Which brings me onto my final thoughts.
Rewriting Sweet Venom was the right decision.
I'm super happy with how its turning out, everything feels much more fleshed out and real, and the fact i've been able to share it with people IRL and they've enjoyed it is a sign that i'm doing something right. Feedback on FA has been light, but i've had a few people come out to directly tell me how much they're enjoying it, and that as been an absolute pleasure to hear.
So thank you for reading my little introspective. I realise its been quite wanky, i've talked very positively about myself here, but i'm honestly proud of what i've done. I'm just going to enjoy the moment for what its worth.
Been keeping up with SV? Please do let me know your thoughts. They're much appreciated. If you feel so inclined, I have some questions:
1. If you read the original, how do you compare the two?
2. How do you find Diego as a main character?
3. Favourite arc?
4. Favourite character?
5. Which Controller do you think understands Diego the best?
