http://www.otakunews.com/dvdreview.php?DVD=134
My review is up and I'm now part of the Otaku News team!!
I've been back in Bath for a while, but have been busy with Uni work and unable to update.
I've now got a news account at Otaku News and they are putting up my review of Haibane Renmei!
I'm also currently working on two scripts, a piece of prose, a poem, another poem for my niece and nephews, drawings and also my comic strip. Some of this is Uni work, but seeing as I do Creative Writing I don't really class it as work lol
I got Fable on Friday and finished it today! It was very good and I really enjoyed it. Compared to the first game, it's a definate improvement (obviously). The graphics have improved of course (seeing as it's on the 360) but also the cut scenes are much sharper because the people don't look like clunky polygons hinged together who end up looking like rather terrifying potatoes in a human suit. The FMVs are beautiful, the music is also very nice though not as awesome as I've hear people claiming. Though that isn't to say there's anything wrong with it, it's just that most of the time I didn't really notice the music. Also, I heard people complaining that the ending wasn't good, that it was boring etc. Where do people get these ideas from? I thought the ending was really good! It was different, which is important. I'm not going to give anything away though, I would hate to spoil it for anyone still playing. Though I will say, that I loved that they set it up for a third! Which they had better make!
Lionhead have always been very good, so I wasn't surprised by how much I loved the game, and how well done it was. A small part of me wished that the characters had been more attractive (especially my female hero) but then I'm used to the people looking the way they do, and I always appreciate that Lionhead make their characters look more realistic, compared to most games. There are no waif thin girls with breasts large enough to block out the sun. Instead there are horny old men and whores asking if you'd "like a roll in the hay". I would'nt expect anything less from Lionhead.
I'm at home right now, I left Tuesday morning and return to Bath Monday.
Warning, the next paragraph might make no sense!
My mum is in hospital with Meningitis. She's been heavily sedated most of the time, but they are hopefully going to bring her round today. She can respond with nods if the nurses ask her questions when she isn't sedated, but she can't more her left side and they aren't sure why yet. They are still testing to find out what strain of Meningitis she has, but the consultant says that they might never find out. She will squeeze your hand and move her foot away if you tickle it which is a good sign. She can't focus on you though, but the nurses think it might be because of the sedation and it might also be because she hasn't got her glasses so everyones a bit blurry. She's had to be heavily sedated because of the pain and because she kept pulling out the tubes. Her lungs are clearing up so hopefully she will be off the breathing machine (can't remember what it's called) soon.
So, Joe from Otaku News got back to me again and the Kanokon review is a go!
I thought I'd include the emails here.
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Dear Joe,
I am writing to you because I wish to contribute a 600 word review, including summary, about Kanokon.
As I am sure you know Kanokon is a relatively new anime from Xebec, based on the manga by Katsumi Nishino. Kanokon is a rom/com, supernatural anime with ecchi themes. The review will focus on this particular niche as well as giving a general overview of the anime.
I am Molly Drury, a Creative Writing student at Bath Spa University. I am currently studying a module in Publication and focusing on journalism.
Yours faithfully,
Molly Drury
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Hello Molly,
Thanks for your e-mail.
It's good to hear from you.
Any submissions to Otaku News would be welcome. ^_^
However, we'd want exclusivity on that content.
Would you be interested in becoming a regular contributor?
As a creative writing student I'm sure you can produce some excellent
content. In return you'd get a lot of visibility and can use Otaku News
as a stepping stone in your career.
In the past our writers have used Otaku News to help get professonal
writing jobs.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
--
Joe Curzon
Editor
Otaku News - http://www.otakunews.com/
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Hello Molly,
Thanks for replying so quickly. ^_^
Please do send the review this way. Once I've read it I'll send you all
the details about setting up an Otaku News account. That way you'll be
able to add content to Otaku News directly.
I look forward to reading your review!
Oh! Also out of interest what other anime / manga do you like?
Take Care
Joe
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So, a 600 word review of Kanokon to do! I will work on it tomorrow seeing as it's a Sunday.
A very quick update.
The editor of Otaku News got back to me saying that they would like me to contribute a review, and asking if I would like to do it regularly for them. They also asked if I would do it exclusively because there are several other, rival, Anime review websites. He also said that they've had creative writing students work for them before.
I wrote back saying that I would love to contribute regularly and could also do reviews exclusively for them.
We went over our query letter again, and discussed how to write a good article or review. Everyone managed to call/email magazines and have got some really good feedback, so that's great.
We've not got to write an article or review. I'm going to do an review of either and anime or game and post it here as well as take it into my class.
Also, in other news! My friend Cheryll drew a lovely piece of fanart of one of my characters
You can find the artist here http://shiolein.deviantart.com/
and my art gallery here http://silverblackcat.deviantart.com/
This week we had to make enquiries about submitting freelance writing to magazines.
Rather than calling Neo Magazine, I managed to find out through the website that Neo Magazine is currently not taking freelance writing.
However, so that I wouldn't turn up to the seminar empty handed I decided to email a few online review sites I frequent because I found out on the website that they are more than happy to take freelance writing, and also Creative Bath, who are also looking for contributors.
I had written a general query letter, but made sure to tailor it for each person I was emailing it to. I wasn't really nervous about contacting these people, however I still wouldn't want to call anyone simply because I hate talking on the phone, regardless of who I'm talking to. Even my own mother. Infact I was more annoyed at how difficult it was to navigate some of the sites when I was trying to find out if they took contributors.
For my Towards Publication module at Uni I have to keep a journal. So I will be doing that here.
My first task was to write a list of all the things that I am qualified to write about, go through Wrtier's and Artist's Yearbook and make notes, and choose and magazine to look through and pretty much pull apart.
Can write about
Philippines
Scotland
England
Burnham-on-crouch
Maldon
South-Woodham-Ferrers
Southend-on-sea
Rochford
Malaysia
Yorkshire
Work experience at Vet
Work at Clements Hall Café
Work with Dad/Mum
Japan
Piano
Drawing
Writing
Gaming
Being a student/Uni
Anime
Simon (Kaiser Chiefs)
Cats
Dogs
Guinea Pigs
Gerbils
Rats
Rabbits
Olly/Freddy/Megan
English Lit
Sociology
History
Secondary School
Primary School
Being a girl
Relationships
Being a teenager/child
Sex
Pancakes
Ok..so I might have gotten a bit silly towards the end.
Neo Magazine
Editor - Gemma Cox
News Editor
Group Art Editor
Additional Design
Advertising Manager/Executive
Marketing Assistant
Editorial Director
Sales Director
Finance Director
Price £4.25 a month
Laminated cover, shiny paper.
Advertises
Games
DVDS
Boxsets
Manga
Toys and figurines
Collectables
Who advertises
Koei.com
HMV (8 times!)
Amazon
Toonity
Warhammer
4 digital media asia
Yu-Gi-Oh GX magazine
Play.com
Artbox
Kawaii UK
Orbital Manga
London Expo
OnYourBreak.com
Fighting Spirit Magazine
Manga Shakespeare
Tokyo Toys
Japan Manga Tour
Games
Subscription
Reviews
Aimed at Anime/Manga/Asia fans.
Make money for
Advertisers
Theirselves
Anime and Manga companies
Record companies
Film companies
(and thus the celebrities too)
Editors need to please
Readers
Advertisers
Distributors
Companies
Writer's and Artist's Yearbook
Books
Anderson Press LTD
Arcadia Books
Atlantic Europe Publishing
Aligator Books
Blackstaff Press
Bloomsbury
Bantam Press
Faber + Faber
Penguin
Corgi
Orbit
Piccadilly Press
The Chicken House
Egmont Books
Flambard Press
Hippopotamus
Macmillan
Magi Publications
The Maia Press
Meadow Childrens Books
New Island Books
The Obrien Press
Orion
Pipers Ash
Random House
Magazines
Interzone
Neo-opsis
The New Writer
Your Cat
Bliss
Mizz
Shout
Writer's News
Writer's Magazine
Neo Magazine
Offical Nintendo Magazine
Looking back
Through doing these activities I have realised just how many adverts there are in Neo! I never really noticed before because I wasn't actively looking at them, and usually just ignore them. I also realised that the entire magazine is adverts, considering that the magazine is mainly reviews and therefore is advertising through those too.
I really enjoyed looking at the magazine like this because, although I read the magazine, I have never looked at it in this detail or for such specific things.
Introductions are always so boring, so awkward. It's hard enough to walk into a room full of people you don't know and introduce yourself, let alone a 'room' full of people who are faceless, just words on a page, and that's only if they comment.
You will have, most likely, stumbled across this blog, so I should start from the beginning.
Which is always a very good place to start.
I am Molly, or Mollfie, as I'm sure you already know. I am twenty years old, and a student living in Bath. I currently live with my boyfriend, and two other housemates in a lovely little terrace house. We have a garden, but sadly are not allowed pets. If we were, then the house would be over run with kittens.
No, I am not a crazy cat lady. Or atleast...not yet.
You are probably wondering why I have started this blog?
I've had various ones over the many years of my residency on the interweb. My first being when I was ten years old and ran my own website (for the Petz game) which was pretty much just my ramblings about living in the Philippines and pictures of animals.
This blog is a little piece of my own personal virtual space.
There will be photos, drawings and little test drafts of ideas and such for stories and/or poetry I am working on. reviews.
Such as now...
I would greatly appreciate any criticism, contributions, ideas or just chit-chat from you, and I always try to reply to everyone who sends me messages. If you want to comment, then do, if you want to chat to me on msn, just ask me and I will give you my email!
I don't bite!
