I'm alive. I'm alive. Still home sick but I'm doing better. I just caught up with @_sims_Yimi's Camelot story. I'm loving where you're heading with it. And such an attractive cast!
Also I am painfully behind with questions. @ajamkeevin (question responses to KCLKF) and @mercuryfoam (last week's story) So sorry folks. Would you prefer I answer here or in PM?
Also I'm a fan of staying in the same order, with a caveat. Maybe we could have 1 week off in between cycles to allow some of us to catch up (*cough cough* me) and have some general reading/writing discussion. It's what I did in my last reading circle and it was nice to have a breather. Sorry if that's a selfish request.
Can't wait to read more of your story, @ajamkeevin. I'm sure my Simselfie would love to be a guest judge! Haha.
I really love this circle. You all are so supportive and talented. Thanks for making this a fun place to be and forgive my awful response time.
@ajamkeevin I'll do the first batch of questions now, and move on to the chapter-specific ones after re-reading, since it's been a while since I've read the earlier ones!
Technical questions
1. Is the blog working well for you? I've spent a lot of time looking for a good theme that kind of gives off the whimsy feeling that I want to put forth in the story.
I love your blog! The pictures at the top are always fun to look at, and I like the blue background a lot. It suits the theme. Also, the paperclip and tape look gives it something playful, much like the episodes themselves. It looks like you’ve really put in effort (more than I ever did for ToC, haha). Full marks from me!
2. I went back and replaced all the images in each episode with ones that are much smaller in file size to make the pages load faster. Is this working well for you?
I hadn’t noticed, but I have a very good internet connection and a great pc. It’s good that you’re thinking of making things easier on your readers, though!
3. The Episodes used to be one big chunk, with Eliminations separate. They're now 2 - 6 parts to make the reading easier, what do you think of this choice?
It’s a very good change. I read in short bursts, and I usually would just barely not get to the end of your episode before I’d need to go do something else (work, dinner, people/animals distracting, etc). Cutting it down into sizable chunks helps a lot! Now I can comment on the parts, instead, and mark where I left off much easier.
General questions
1. What are your first impressions of K&GI?
It reminded me a lot of a super-glamorous television show. I usually don’t watch shows like this, but something about your writing makes it highly amusing to read through. I’ve never seen a story (show? Competition?) like yours before, so it’s really unique!
2. Obviously I want to make this seem like you're watching a tv show/reading a script instead of simply narrating, do you get this impression? Do I capture the spirit of a reality show?
Yup! See my previous comment. I’m totally translating it to a show in my head when I’m reading your chapters.
3. Do you like my style of writing?
Very much. Your depictions of the cast members are hilariously over-the-top sometimes, in a super endearing way. But you know when to tone it down and how to show serious moments, too. That takes skill.
4. What do you think of my images? I spend a lot of time creating a unified "look" for the seasons, with the promo images, the cast pictures, the icons, the confessionals, the fadeout gifs at the end of each episode, etc, so I'd love to know if you like them!
It all looks really well put-together! I’m honestly blown away by the amount of effort you put in the setting and challenges sometimes. The pictures of the cast commenting on the couch in between chapters are always interesting, too.
5. Speaking of confessionals, do you like this aspect of the story? Reality shows tend to have these confessional/talking heads moments so I wanted to include them to advance the story.
Woops, jumped the gun again. See previous comment. I like them. ^^
6. Do you like the story so far? It gets more intense and the characters that last longer get more developed as time goes on, but what do you think of the story at this point?
This is just the first 5 episodes, right? I remember that it took me a while in the beginning to develop favourites in the cast, because there were just so many of them. I still had to get to know their personalities. Some characters were very defined from the beginning, though, which made it easy to root for or against them.
Character questions
1. Do you have a favorite? A least favorite? Why's that?
Currently my favourites are a tie between Harrison, China, Louise and Kyungri. I did not expect Kyungri to end up so high, but she grew on me. My least favourite are Patricio, Todd, Charlee and Marjan, in that order. Patricio and Charlee you can guess, and Todd just drew the short end of the stick with his antics later. As for Marjan – there’s more to her that meets the eye, and I’m very interested in that. In the meantime, her in-the-clouds oddball personality doesn’t mesh well with me, haha.
2. Do the characters seem realistic for the most part? They're exaggerated because characters tend to be in reality shows, but do you see glimpses of realistic emotions in them?
I don’t know if this already happens in the first five chapters, but every once in a while, the curtains drop and we see bits of real emotion. Enca and Harrison come to mind. Again I don’t know if this happened in the first five chapters or not, but she’s genuinely fond of Harrison, and gives him advice without playing an angle. It’s moments like that that I really like.
3. If you could describe each character in one word, what would it be?
Oof. Just one word? I can’t do just one word. Can I do two or three? XD
Charlee: Diet-evil.
China: Elegant.
Enca: Diva.
Enzo: Hot.
Gabriel: Magnet.
Harrison: Adorable.
Jessie: The nice girl.
Kyungri: Driven.
Louise: Tomboy.
Marjan: Oddball.
Matthieu: Romeo.
Mitchell: Homely.
Patricio: Stop friggin’ making moves on other women for crying out loud YOU HAVE A BLOODY DIVA RIGHT – I mean. Player.
Todd: Try-hard.
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
1. What do you think of the character introductions/entrances?
2. What do you think of ajmkv/me? (Rip into me if you must!)
3. Did you have any strong impressions of anyone? Any "oh, they're going home first" feelings?
4. What do you think of the most relevant plot threads at this point? (Matthieu and Harrison's romance, Enca and Patricio, etc.)
5. Were you sad to see Patricio go?
1. Very dramatic! But you immediately get a sense of everyone's personality. I like that their personalities are magnified and larger than life. It makes for the best reality TV shows. I'm excited to get to know the remaining characters better and see them become more than their stereotype.
2. I cringed a little at one of the poses your simself did in the first episode. I think it was when he came in and did the Michael Jackson-type pose. Otherwise, I think your simself is a fun and worthy host!
3. The three people who were nominated to get eliminated were the ones I disliked the most too, so I saw that happening. I'm happy with Patricio leaving and I honestly hope Enca is next. I don't like her much, but she was the most liked one in the elimination poll so I guess I'm in the minority. Louise is the one that jumped out at me the most. When I saw the picture for her profile, she was the one that intrigued me the most and so far, I think her background story is super interesting. I wonder what she's planning on doing to get revenge.
4. The romance between Matthieu and Harrison is going very fast, but I think that's also a play on reality TV. These people match up so fast and call it 'love' until the other person sleeps with someone else or lies about something. That's why we watch reality TV though. It's so far removed from us, it becomes entertainment. I don't think Matthieu and Harrison are the types to cheat though (although Matthieu might become that type if he doesn't watch out and breaks up with his BF). It seems more like lust than anything else at this point, but I'm rooting for them to come out of this unscathed. Regarding Enca and Patricio, I hated them. I feel like Enca was serious with Patricio but he was a lying mess. It made me feel bad for Enca. I want to say she deserves better, but eh.... She's way too jealous for her own good and she needs to work on the 'tude.
@AdamsEve1231 I don't think anyone replied, but I don't think you're selfish for wanting a week-long break in between. We were going to do the whole award thing, right? We need to randomize that person still, but we could put that in the break? So we're not completely gone. All you need to do is either prepare the survey and put the results together (or whatever you want to do) as organizer or answer some questions.
@AdamsEve1231 no worries for me at all, please take the time for yourself to relax and feel better! Don't feel selfish, you've been such a wonderful presence here in the circle. We'll all be here, so there's no rush or anything. You can catch up with my story/the discussion whenever you have some time. You can answer wherever you'd like! I don't mind if you respond to the questions from B2W in the thread while my week is going on, the more discussion the merrier. And thank you! I also love this reading circle, it's been such a bright spot in my life so thank you and everyone for making it one of the most fun places on the internet for me.
And about taking a break for a week, yeah! I think this could be nice to catch up with stories at a leisurely pace if we want, also to take a breather if we need it. I agree with @Duvelina , we could definitely do the awards special during this week as a way to have a little fun. I'm all for that idea and it makes it so the awards don't cut into someone else's week. What categories could we have?
@Skeilah yaaaaaaay, that was awesome! It's time to become a superstar, haha~
@everyone so it's set! Y'all will become part of the K&GI canon as guest judges! I'm so excited about it! I'm currently writing the finale of Season 2, and there are no judges there per se, but I'm also moving on to Season 3 soon after and the first challenge is perfect for a panel of flawless judges like yourself, so keep an eye out for a K&GI mail in your inboxes when Season 3 is in full swing!
@ajamkeevin You're so sweet! I've been having a great time here myself. It really feels like a little community of our own. I'm looking forward to that inbox (and still hoping I can catch up with the show (which is what I call it, even though it's a story 😂) before the finale hits. Do you have an ETA for when it's going to be up? I might need to power through.
In terms of categories... I watch a lot of youtube videos about books (booktube) and there is list of prompts called the 'Bookish Academy Awards'. Someone created that list once upon a time and it's basically the Academy Awards converted to questions relating to books. We're writing stories. It could work perfectly.
You can find it easily by googling but I'll put the categories down here too and then you can all see what I mean and whether you think it's a good idea. We can always add more/other categories. I've adapted some of the questions to fit what we're doing better.
Best Actor in a Leading Role -> Best Male Protagonist
Best Actor in a Supporting Role -> Best Male Secondary Character
Best Actress in a Leading Role -> Best Female Protagonist
Best Actress in a Supporting Role -> Best Female Secondary Character
Best Documentary Feature -> Best Slice-of-Life
Best Animated Film -> Best Picture-Taking
Best Visual Effects -> Best Banner
Best Original Screenplay -> Best Writing
Best Cinematography -> Best Worldbuilding
Best Director -> Best Author (so this is not just writing, basically all aspects put together: who is your favourite writer in this circle?)
Best Story
Best Makeup and Hairstyling/Best Costume Design - Best Sim Styling
1. What do you think of the character introductions/entrances?
2. What do you think of ajmkv/me? (Rip into me if you must!)
3. Did you have any strong impressions of anyone? Any "oh, they're going home first" feelings?
4. What do you think of the most relevant plot threads at this point? (Matthieu and Harrison's romance, Enca and Patricio, etc.)
5. Were you sad to see Patricio go?
1. Very dramatic! But you immediately get a sense of everyone's personality. I like that their personalities are magnified and larger than life. It makes for the best reality TV shows. I'm excited to get to know the remaining characters better and see them become more than their stereotype.
2. I cringed a little at one of the poses your simself did in the first episode. I think it was when he came in and did the Michael Jackson-type pose. Otherwise, I think your simself is a fun and worthy host!
3. The three people who were nominated to get eliminated were the ones I disliked the most too, so I saw that happening. I'm happy with Patricio leaving and I honestly hope Enca is next. I don't like her much, but she was the most liked one in the elimination poll so I guess I'm in the minority. Louise is the one that jumped out at me the most. When I saw the picture for her profile, she was the one that intrigued me the most and so far, I think her background story is super interesting. I wonder what she's planning on doing to get revenge.
4. The romance between Matthieu and Harrison is going very fast, but I think that's also a play on reality TV. These people match up so fast and call it 'love' until the other person sleeps with someone else or lies about something. That's why we watch reality TV though. It's so far removed from us, it becomes entertainment. I don't think Matthieu and Harrison are the types to cheat though (although Matthieu might become that type if he doesn't watch out and breaks up with his BF). It seems more like lust than anything else at this point, but I'm rooting for them to come out of this unscathed. Regarding Enca and Patricio, I hated them. I feel like Enca was serious with Patricio but he was a lying mess. It made me feel bad for Enca. I want to say she deserves better, but eh.... She's way too jealous for her own good and she needs to work on the 'tude.
5. Hahahaha. You're funny. No.
1. Thank you! There are a lot of elements to my show, but the characters and their personalities are what drive the plot and make it more than just a "virtual competition", so I'm happy you can see them instantly. I like what you say here, that you're excited to see them become more than their stereotype. That's very relevant, and I think they do manage to go above their reality TV tropey personas, eventually. Even in the other three episodes up for discussion at this time, I feel like some of them already develop (some don't, haha).
2. Ehehehe, yes, ajmkv can definitely be cringey! That pose, man, I didn't love it either but at that point in the writing I was lazy so I just used it and chalked it up to ajmkv being nervous and trying to be as over-the-top as he could be.~ Thank you! He is a silly guy with an impossible-to-pronounce-quickly stage name, and hosting a reality competition was always his dream, so thank you.
3. Enca is a bit much, I agree. It's funny because, she's so famous in the K&GI universe and yet the people with the more "authentic" personalities become more beloved within the framework of the show, and this affects Enca. Hope you'll see some growth in her! I'm happy you like Louise! Whenever I have any polls that she's on, she's always far and away the favorite, which is interesting to me, since I never expected her to be very well-liked, but that's also something that's fascinating about including some audience participation in my story. Sometimes the things I have in mind don't quite get to happen because characters get eliminated, and it keeps me on my toes and allows me to focus on characters I might not have expected to develop as much, like Louise. She's a fun character to write, and this anger that fuels her at the beginning will definitely get some resolution as time goes by, but it might not be as you expect. No spoilers, though~
4. Exactly this. "Love" on these shows is so fast-paced and kind of overbearing at points because they're in a pressure cooker of sorts. Hehehe, yes, there's a lot of lust there, indeed. But not in a creepy way! There's also a lot of real love in there, promise.~ Yes, Enca is too jealous, which is interesting but it's connected to what I mentioned above about her feelings of insecurity being heightened by the competition. Patricio is just... he's a piece of work. He's been eliminated and good riddance to him, but you'll see more of him and if you hate him, sorry!
5. No? You don't miss Patricio? Hmmm, I wonder why...
@ajamkeevin I'll do the first batch of questions now, and move on to the chapter-specific ones after re-reading, since it's been a while since I've read the earlier ones!
Technical questions
1. Is the blog working well for you? I've spent a lot of time looking for a good theme that kind of gives off the whimsy feeling that I want to put forth in the story.
I love your blog! The pictures at the top are always fun to look at, and I like the blue background a lot. It suits the theme. Also, the paperclip and tape look gives it something playful, much like the episodes themselves. It looks like you’ve really put in effort (more than I ever did for ToC, haha). Full marks from me!
2. I went back and replaced all the images in each episode with ones that are much smaller in file size to make the pages load faster. Is this working well for you?
I hadn’t noticed, but I have a very good internet connection and a great pc. It’s good that you’re thinking of making things easier on your readers, though!
3. The Episodes used to be one big chunk, with Eliminations separate. They're now 2 - 6 parts to make the reading easier, what do you think of this choice?
It’s a very good change. I read in short bursts, and I usually would just barely not get to the end of your episode before I’d need to go do something else (work, dinner, people/animals distracting, etc). Cutting it down into sizable chunks helps a lot! Now I can comment on the parts, instead, and mark where I left off much easier.
General questions
1. What are your first impressions of K&GI?
It reminded me a lot of a super-glamorous television show. I usually don’t watch shows like this, but something about your writing makes it highly amusing to read through. I’ve never seen a story (show? Competition?) like yours before, so it’s really unique!
2. Obviously I want to make this seem like you're watching a tv show/reading a script instead of simply narrating, do you get this impression? Do I capture the spirit of a reality show?
Yup! See my previous comment. I’m totally translating it to a show in my head when I’m reading your chapters.
3. Do you like my style of writing?
Very much. Your depictions of the cast members are hilariously over-the-top sometimes, in a super endearing way. But you know when to tone it down and how to show serious moments, too. That takes skill.
4. What do you think of my images? I spend a lot of time creating a unified "look" for the seasons, with the promo images, the cast pictures, the icons, the confessionals, the fadeout gifs at the end of each episode, etc, so I'd love to know if you like them!
It all looks really well put-together! I’m honestly blown away by the amount of effort you put in the setting and challenges sometimes. The pictures of the cast commenting on the couch in between chapters are always interesting, too.
5. Speaking of confessionals, do you like this aspect of the story? Reality shows tend to have these confessional/talking heads moments so I wanted to include them to advance the story.
Woops, jumped the gun again. See previous comment. I like them. ^^
6. Do you like the story so far? It gets more intense and the characters that last longer get more developed as time goes on, but what do you think of the story at this point?
This is just the first 5 episodes, right? I remember that it took me a while in the beginning to develop favourites in the cast, because there were just so many of them. I still had to get to know their personalities. Some characters were very defined from the beginning, though, which made it easy to root for or against them.
Character questions
1. Do you have a favorite? A least favorite? Why's that?
Currently my favourites are a tie between Harrison, China, Louise and Kyungri. I did not expect Kyungri to end up so high, but she grew on me. My least favourite are Patricio, Todd, Charlee and Marjan, in that order. Patricio and Charlee you can guess, and Todd just drew the short end of the stick with his antics later. As for Marjan – there’s more to her that meets the eye, and I’m very interested in that. In the meantime, her in-the-clouds oddball personality doesn’t mesh well with me, haha.
2. Do the characters seem realistic for the most part? They're exaggerated because characters tend to be in reality shows, but do you see glimpses of realistic emotions in them?
I don’t know if this already happens in the first five chapters, but every once in a while, the curtains drop and we see bits of real emotion. Enca and Harrison come to mind. Again I don’t know if this happened in the first five chapters or not, but she’s genuinely fond of Harrison, and gives him advice without playing an angle. It’s moments like that that I really like.
3. If you could describe each character in one word, what would it be?
Oof. Just one word? I can’t do just one word. Can I do two or three? XD
Charlee: Diet-evil.
China: Elegant.
Enca: Diva.
Enzo: Hot.
Gabriel: Magnet.
Harrison: Adorable.
Jessie: The nice girl.
Kyungri: Driven.
Louise: Tomboy.
Marjan: Oddball.
Matthieu: Romeo.
Mitchell: Homely.
Patricio: Stop friggin’ making moves on other women for crying out loud YOU HAVE A BLOODY DIVA RIGHT – I mean. Player.
Todd: Try-hard.
Technical questions
1. Thank you! I love the pictures at the top, they include some of the other projects I'm working on so it's cute for me to see them displayed randomly as I move around the site. I did put a lot of effort into the look of the site and it took me aaaaages to get to this point where I like it, I'm a perfectionist to a fault, so knowing you love the blog is so, so special to me.
2. Awesome!
3. I'm happy this makes it easier for you! And of course, I love to receive comments so having more opportunities to hear from you as you read along is very satisfying
General questions
1. K&GI, getting that crossover appeal~~~ No, but really, that's awesome! I'm happy you like it even though you don't typically consume reality TV. I'll be honest, the "show" is really just an excuse to write and develop stories, and it's really a character drama in disguise. And I don't know if I can really, truly express how happy your comment about my show not being like others makes me. That was my objective when I began to write it, so knowing you find my "show" unique is....
2. I like what mercuryfoam said before about the breaks in the chapters being like ad breaks, so I hope when you're translating K&GI into a show in your head you include commercials in between for Enca's new singles, Dr. Kim's plastic surgery special packages, and the new chapters in the Epic Sensation that is Tales of Camelot.~
3. Thank you. I think sometimes I feel insecure about my writing for many reasons, so this comment makes me so happy.
4. Yess, thank you! The visual setting and identity surrounding the show is essential to the story I want to tell and the vibe I want to put out.
5. Excellent. The confessionals are rather convenient, they're good at their job of providing some exposition from the perspective of the contestants themselves. But, they are a draaaaaaaag to screenshot and make, haha.
6. Yeah, you're farther along in the story and you know that the characters get a lot more developed as time goes by, so when SPOILER TO ANYONE ELSE READING THIS the eliminated contestants come back and the full cast is there together again, hopefully they all (or mostly) seem more well-rounded.
Character questions
1. Mastress Kyungri getting that love! I think it's easy to dislike Kyungri because she is unrelenting in her quest for the money, but she's so unapologetically herself and actually has a heart of gold, so yeah, I'm happy she grew on you! She's one of my favorites, too. I'm not surprised about your least favorites, they all just kind of shot themselves in the foot with the way that they acted. And Marjan, yes. She's such a goofy airhead for the most part, but I'm so excited for you to reach the moment where she shows a lot more than that...
2. Enca and Harrison is my favorite friendship from the show! They're almost polar opposites in terms of personalities, so when they come together, Harrison is buoyed by Enca's self-confidence and enthusiasm, and Enca is humbled by Harry's generous and sensitive kindness. I'm glad you like them!
3. Ehehehe, I mean, one word only to keep it short, but I'm sure you have more than even two or three words to say about some of these people.~ I love the words you chose for each person! So accurate and hilarious. Poor Patricio, Player is definitely perfect for him, and I'd also add MESSY SLEAZEBALL, haha. And, I can reveal to you that this was a sneaky question, too, because I will utilize these words in the finale, you'll see how
@Duvelina I think the finale will definitely be out by the time my story comes around again, but that's several weeks in the future, so no rush! I've been working on writing it but, gosh, the screenshotting is exhausting and my poor computer is like ajmkv, stahp.
I love these categories! I think they provide a great way to look at the stories and the characters now that we're comfortable with the stories. If I host the awards, I think I'll add some other ones like, "Best meltdown", "Best villain/Villain you love to hate", "Favorite couple", etc. Man, I can already think of nominees for all of the categories and I'm like, YES, the Freezer Bunny Awards are coming! Imagine the little trophies given out, something like this:
But maybe one of us could make another one custom to this group? Imagine, ughhh
@ajamkeevin Ah, great! So I can quietly continue on with Kass' story after this and then move on with yours.
Adding your own categories is super fun too! It add someone's own perspective and touch. I'm so excited to start voting, honestly. And a little award would be the cutest. 😍 I'm not artistically inclined though.
My sad attempt to make a trophy xD I can even choose what the freezer bunny will hold (e.g.: a camera for 'best photo taker'), the text in the trophy, ...
It's a little less fancy than the golden one before :P
I'm so excited about this, I made an image for a nomination category just to play around. I used your trophy, @Skeilah ! I think it looks fab.
I used the ones I thought had main stories, but of course when we submit our characters for nominations, this could change. But seeing our main protagonists there together, eeeee my fanboy heart is fluttering.
I'm so excited about this, I made an image for a nomination category just to play around. I used your trophy, @Skeilah ! I think it looks fab.
I used the ones I thought had main stories, but of course when we submit our characters for nominations, this could change. But seeing our main protagonists there together, eeeee my fanboy heart is fluttering.
Holy cow. You are so talented at this. That looks amazing And now I can't help but wonder what all of them would think of each other!
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
I'm so excited about this, I made an image for a nomination category just to play around. I used your trophy, @Skeilah ! I think it looks fab.
I used the ones I thought had main stories, but of course when we submit our characters for nominations, this could change. But seeing our main protagonists there together, eeeee my fanboy heart is fluttering.
You even made my sad trophy look super good in that. Damnnnnn
Im happy to see baby Ninja once again 😂 oh man if everybody had a pet, we could do a “goodest boy-award” 😂😂😂
@ajamkeevin
Your posters are insane. And Kyungri looks like the ultimate diva there! Loving it!
Technical Questions
1.Is the blog working well for you? I've spent a lot of time looking for a good theme that kind of gives off the whimsy feeling that I want to put forth in the story.
Oh yes! I can’t even remember what was your blog’s last design. Your current design doesn’t give me a whimsy feeling, but your pictures do. The cool blue background is pleasing to the eye and communicates to me that the author takes his/her work seriously. The banners and photos are all professionally shot and gives fantastic ideas as to what to expect of the series. I think the more grounded colors and crisp clear design of the blog compliments the pictures in that one can expect a fun-filled dramatic ride with a sense of stability and dose of reality.
2. I went back and replaced all the images in each episode with ones that are much smaller in file size to make the pages load faster. Is this working well for you?
My internet is pretty reliable so I can’t I feel any difference. I’d say with my screen resolution at 1920x1028 I haven’t noticed a drop in quality of the pictures. The med to far shot pictures are not as sharp so some details are lost but it doesn’t detract from the message or image. Those details are not important anyway if it was a long shot so I get to focus on what’s important instead xD
3. The Episodes used to be one big chunk, with Eliminations separate. They're now 2 - 6 parts to make the reading easier, what do you think of this choice?
Ah I think I’ve elaborated exhaustively on what I think about your decision. I stand by it very much. I tend to like dissecting sim actions and emotions so the pauses allow me to concentrate on one subject. If it were longer I find I won’t be able to keep up and my comments usually end up becoming pretty generic.
4. Do you want more notes? I include a few here and there, but probably 0 after this first chunk of episodes.
I see notes as something extra but not compulsory to read so as long as it’s not too long or immersion breaking its fine .
General Questions
1.What are your first impressions of K&GI?
My first impressions of K&G are that it is made with love. And that the author knows a lot or is super passionate about reality TV shows. I found it impressive and a little intimidating because there are a lot of contestants (as a reality tv show is supposed to be) and feel a little daunted to begin reading, knowing that I will be ‘lost’ very quickly because of my inability to follow many different characters at once. I’m glad you have a character page. That is a life saviour for me
2. Obviously I want to make this seem like you're watching a tv show/reading a script instead of simply narrating, do you get this impression? Do I capture the spirit of a reality show?
Very much. I love that the narration of events are punctuated with cast focus where they express their inner thoughts and attempt to ‘break the fourth wall’ with the readers. The characters are highly dramatised and the announcements are done with showmanship and style. You get pulled into the writing as if you were a person in the crowds or sitting on the couch eating popcorn.
3. Do you like my style of writing?
Yes. I like the light-heartedness and humor you inject in your story. There’s a lot of sass thrown around and each character has a distinct identity and place they connect to. I think those are vital for tv shows, that and your characters clearly have.. character lol.
4. What do you think of my images? I spend a lot of time creating a unified "look" for the seasons, with the promo images, the cast pictures, the icons, the confessionals, the fadeout gifs at the end of each episode, etc, so I'd love to know if you like them!
I think they’re fantastic. They make me wonder if you are in the creatives and I think you mentioned studying writing? I would’ve imagined you did creative design on the side and I wouldn’t be surprised at all. I think I mentioned how professional they are to me. Really love the quality.
5. Speaking of confessionals, do you like this aspect of the story? Reality shows tend to have these confessional/talking heads moments so I wanted to include them to advance the story.
Yes, see above.
6. Do you like the story so far? It gets more intense and the characters that last longer get more developed as time goes on, but what do you think of the story at this point?
I like the story and how as the episodes roll by we get to know the characters on a more intimate level. I can’t wait for the number of contestants to reduce to a more manageable number that would allow us to glimpse into their backstories at a far deeper level.
Character Questions
1.Do you have a favorite? A least favorite? Why's that?
I can’t shake off the feeling that everyone is dispensable. Hence I think I’ve subconsciously maintained an arm’s length with each character so as to not be too emotionally attached when they get eliminated. If I absolutely have to choose a favorite character, I’d pick China for her impressive. I always thought of Patricio as a huge sleazeball but I think Matthieu takes it for me. Can’t stand cheaters.
2. Do the characters seem realistic for the most part? They're exaggerated because characters tend to be in reality shows, but do you see glimpses of realistic emotions in them?
I think they’re fine the way they are, there’s all sorts of characters in this world, I can even imagine Kyungri irl. Their actions and words are consistent with their traits and emotions so I see that as realistic enough for me.
3. If you could describe each character in one word, what would it be?
Charlee: Fiery
China: Successful
Enca: Superstar
Enzo: Balanced
Gabriel: Dependant
Harrison: Trusting
Jessie: Nice
Kyungri: Driven
Louise: Emotional
Marjan: Slick
Matthieu: Disappointing
Mitchell: Unimpressionable (This guy needs a confidence coach)
Patricio: Sleazy
Todd: Untrustworthy
1. What do you think of the character introductions/entrances?
They were well done. You give us a glimpse of each of their personalities, as well as enough to make a decent first impression. I do have to say that it were a LOT of people in the beginning, and I had trouble remembering the cast members that didn’t stand out too much compared to the divas. Of course, this is par for the course in a reality show/elimination contest, and you gradually get to know people, so I don’t hold it against the chapters. 2. What do you think of ajmkv/me? (Rip into me if you must!)
I love your simself! I’m already a bit ahead of everyone else, but every time you make a cameo on screen (or off-screen through messages/phone calls/etc), it makes me chuckle. Also this is totally random, but that little twirl in your hair makes me think of soft ice cream, and now I have cravings, darn it. You keep up being your fabulous self 3. Did you have any strong impressions of anyone? Any "oh, they're going home first" feelings?
Hmm. I think Mitchell, because he seemed so tame compared to the rest of the cast. Of course, he actually ended up surprising me! 4. What do you think of the most relevant plot threads at this point? (Matthieu and Harrison's romance, Enca and Patricio, etc.)
I mean, I love Matthison. They’re adorable together, and their romance is probably their strongest asset. They’re also a stark contrast to Enca and Patricio, whose eyes can’t seem to stop wandering for longer than a second. Dear lord, Patricio, if you’re going to cheat on your diva, at least don’t be painfully obvious about it. Or, oh, I don’t know, DON’T CHEAT ON YOUR DIVA. 5. Were you sad to see Patricio go?
HAHAHAHA. Ciao, dude.
3-4
1. Do you think Charlee has done a good job at becoming the mastermind of the house?
Again, I’m ahead, so I can’t answer this without drawing on my information from the other chapters. But there’s a reason why I called her “diet-evil”. She tries very hard, but she gives me more of a mean girl vibe than a legitimate mastermind. I mean, Jessie even one-upped her at some point, with the stunt she pulled in cahoots with the directors! xD 2. Did you like the challenges? (Photoshoot and dance/makeover challenge).
I really like your photoshoot pictures and makeovers of the cast. Looking back at the first few chapters, I can see how enormously you’ve improved at them over the course of the story, too! You’re really good at it, to the point of blowing me away sometimes. =D 3. Did you like the guest judges? (Jdbw, who is my real life friend, and the Flavor Girls).
So that’s who Jdbw was! I didn’t catch that the first time around, but now it makes sense. =D Some of the commentary really made me laugh, so full marks from me! 4. Are the main plot threads here interesting/believable? (Todd's snooping, Charlee's scheming, Louise's makeover, Matthieu's complicated situation, Enca's descent into feelings of inadequacy, etc.)
Yes. Some (most) of it is very hammed up for the audience, but that’s par for the course for a reality show where your survival depends on the viewers liking and remembering you. So in a way, their behaviour is very believable. 5. Are you annoyed that Enca keeps getting saved?
No, but I was disappointed that Enca won out over China. The girl’s just not feeling it so far this season, but the love of her fans can only get her so far, and she’s quickly running dry there.
5
1. Are Gabriel's feelings towards Todd relatable?
He’s treating Todd likea younger brother that needs to mature. I don’t like either of them too much, but he did warn Todd, and that was a very nice thing to do for a competitor. 2. What do you think of Marjan at this point?
She’s too much of an oddball to me. There’s hints that not all about her is as it seems, but Marjan doesn’t really come to the foreground until later in the story. I find her super interesting now, but back then, I honestly didn’t know what to make of her. xD 3. What do you think of how the situation between Matthieu and Harrison has evolved? Did you feel bad for Harrison after Todd shattered his happiness?
I did. That was a horribly low blow, and Todd deserved the full consequences for it. I hold grudges. xD 4. How do you feel about what Todd did? Do you think his episode of Kev & Get More redeemed him a little bit?
I have to admit I completely missed this chapter the first time around. Will get back to it later! =D 5. And about K&GM, do you like this tonal shift? Do you think I do OK with this different style of writing?
Yes. You actually do this very well – if it was silly drama or hammed-up performances all the time, it would get tiring to read. Instead, you sprinkle the story with serious, heartwarming and even very sad moments here and there. It’s like different flavours mixed into a tasty ice cream sundae.
Arc 1 general questions
1. Are you upset that anyone left? Would you like to see anyone come back?
China I felt had a lot to offer, and she left before we really had the chance to get to know her. But ‘tis the way of elimination contests! Also, any episode with a ajmkv cameo is a good episode. 2. Do you have any predictions?
Ngggghhhhh I reaaaaallly can’t answer this, seeing how far along I am. It would be the mother of all spoilers for people still reading. So. My lips are sealed. =D 3. Do you have any questions for me? Or for the characters? I really liked what Yimi did when her characters answered to your questions, so I'd love to something similar!
YESSSSSSS
I have loads, but most of them are super spoilery, so I'll wait with them until next time.
Kyungri, you know I’m a fan – you grew on me over the story to the point where you’re now one of my favourites. This one is super personal, so it’s fine if you don’t want to answer, but did you turn to plastic because you didn’t like how you looked beforehand?
Enca, darling. Honey. Marvel of nature. You can have any man you want. Probably a good number of women, too. Why in the name of all things gnome are you with Patricio?
Ajmkv, hi =D Has anyone told you that you’re adorable?
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
Comments
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Also I am painfully behind with questions. @ajamkeevin (question responses to KCLKF) and @mercuryfoam (last week's story) So sorry folks. Would you prefer I answer here or in PM?
Also I'm a fan of staying in the same order, with a caveat. Maybe we could have 1 week off in between cycles to allow some of us to catch up (*cough cough* me) and have some general reading/writing discussion. It's what I did in my last reading circle and it was nice to have a breather. Sorry if that's a selfish request.
Can't wait to read more of your story, @ajamkeevin. I'm sure my Simselfie would love to be a guest judge! Haha.
I really love this circle. You all are so supportive and talented. Thanks for making this a fun place to be and forgive my awful response time.
Find me elsewhere:
My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
My Worldbuilding Blog
Simblr
My Sims Pinterest
- Hey Skeilah!
- Would you be interested in Kev's offer to become a Freezer Bunny Judge in K&GI?
- Yeah! Would you or nah?
- Of course you could. You're a replica of me, after all. Chase your dream to become a superstar, Skeilah!
Technical questions
I love your blog! The pictures at the top are always fun to look at, and I like the blue background a lot. It suits the theme. Also, the paperclip and tape look gives it something playful, much like the episodes themselves. It looks like you’ve really put in effort (more than I ever did for ToC, haha). Full marks from me!
2. I went back and replaced all the images in each episode with ones that are much smaller in file size to make the pages load faster. Is this working well for you?
I hadn’t noticed, but I have a very good internet connection and a great pc. It’s good that you’re thinking of making things easier on your readers, though!
3. The Episodes used to be one big chunk, with Eliminations separate. They're now 2 - 6 parts to make the reading easier, what do you think of this choice?
It’s a very good change. I read in short bursts, and I usually would just barely not get to the end of your episode before I’d need to go do something else (work, dinner, people/animals distracting, etc). Cutting it down into sizable chunks helps a lot! Now I can comment on the parts, instead, and mark where I left off much easier.
General questions
It reminded me a lot of a super-glamorous television show. I usually don’t watch shows like this, but something about your writing makes it highly amusing to read through. I’ve never seen a story (show? Competition?) like yours before, so it’s really unique!
2. Obviously I want to make this seem like you're watching a tv show/reading a script instead of simply narrating, do you get this impression? Do I capture the spirit of a reality show?
Yup! See my previous comment. I’m totally translating it to a show in my head when I’m reading your chapters.
3. Do you like my style of writing?
Very much. Your depictions of the cast members are hilariously over-the-top sometimes, in a super endearing way. But you know when to tone it down and how to show serious moments, too. That takes skill.
4. What do you think of my images? I spend a lot of time creating a unified "look" for the seasons, with the promo images, the cast pictures, the icons, the confessionals, the fadeout gifs at the end of each episode, etc, so I'd love to know if you like them!
It all looks really well put-together! I’m honestly blown away by the amount of effort you put in the setting and challenges sometimes. The pictures of the cast commenting on the couch in between chapters are always interesting, too.
5. Speaking of confessionals, do you like this aspect of the story? Reality shows tend to have these confessional/talking heads moments so I wanted to include them to advance the story.
Woops, jumped the gun again. See previous comment. I like them. ^^
6. Do you like the story so far? It gets more intense and the characters that last longer get more developed as time goes on, but what do you think of the story at this point?
This is just the first 5 episodes, right? I remember that it took me a while in the beginning to develop favourites in the cast, because there were just so many of them. I still had to get to know their personalities. Some characters were very defined from the beginning, though, which made it easy to root for or against them.
Character questions
Currently my favourites are a tie between Harrison, China, Louise and Kyungri. I did not expect Kyungri to end up so high, but she grew on me. My least favourite are Patricio, Todd, Charlee and Marjan, in that order. Patricio and Charlee you can guess, and Todd just drew the short end of the stick with his antics later. As for Marjan – there’s more to her that meets the eye, and I’m very interested in that. In the meantime, her in-the-clouds oddball personality doesn’t mesh well with me, haha.
2. Do the characters seem realistic for the most part? They're exaggerated because characters tend to be in reality shows, but do you see glimpses of realistic emotions in them?
I don’t know if this already happens in the first five chapters, but every once in a while, the curtains drop and we see bits of real emotion. Enca and Harrison come to mind. Again I don’t know if this happened in the first five chapters or not, but she’s genuinely fond of Harrison, and gives him advice without playing an angle. It’s moments like that that I really like.
3. If you could describe each character in one word, what would it be?
Oof. Just one word? I can’t do just one word. Can I do two or three? XD
Charlee: Diet-evil.
China: Elegant.
Enca: Diva.
Enzo: Hot.
Gabriel: Magnet.
Harrison: Adorable.
Jessie: The nice girl.
Kyungri: Driven.
Louise: Tomboy.
Marjan: Oddball.
Matthieu: Romeo.
Mitchell: Homely.
Patricio: Stop friggin’ making moves on other women for crying out loud YOU HAVE A BLOODY DIVA RIGHT – I mean. Player.
Todd: Try-hard.
1. Very dramatic! But you immediately get a sense of everyone's personality. I like that their personalities are magnified and larger than life. It makes for the best reality TV shows. I'm excited to get to know the remaining characters better and see them become more than their stereotype.
2. I cringed a little at one of the poses your simself did in the first episode. I think it was when he came in and did the Michael Jackson-type pose. Otherwise, I think your simself is a fun and worthy host!
3. The three people who were nominated to get eliminated were the ones I disliked the most too, so I saw that happening. I'm happy with Patricio leaving and I honestly hope Enca is next. I don't like her much, but she was the most liked one in the elimination poll so I guess I'm in the minority. Louise is the one that jumped out at me the most. When I saw the picture for her profile, she was the one that intrigued me the most and so far, I think her background story is super interesting. I wonder what she's planning on doing to get revenge.
4. The romance between Matthieu and Harrison is going very fast, but I think that's also a play on reality TV. These people match up so fast and call it 'love' until the other person sleeps with someone else or lies about something. That's why we watch reality TV though. It's so far removed from us, it becomes entertainment. I don't think Matthieu and Harrison are the types to cheat though (although Matthieu might become that type if he doesn't watch out and breaks up with his BF). It seems more like lust than anything else at this point, but I'm rooting for them to come out of this unscathed. Regarding Enca and Patricio, I hated them. I feel like Enca was serious with Patricio but he was a lying mess. It made me feel bad for Enca. I want to say she deserves better, but eh.... She's way too jealous for her own good and she needs to work on the 'tude.
5. Hahahaha. You're funny. No.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
And about taking a break for a week, yeah! I think this could be nice to catch up with stories at a leisurely pace if we want, also to take a breather if we need it. I agree with @Duvelina , we could definitely do the awards special during this week as a way to have a little fun. I'm all for that idea and it makes it so the awards don't cut into someone else's week. What categories could we have?
@Skeilah yaaaaaaay, that was awesome! It's time to become a superstar, haha~
@everyone so it's set! Y'all will become part of the K&GI canon as guest judges! I'm so excited about it! I'm currently writing the finale of Season 2, and there are no judges there per se, but I'm also moving on to Season 3 soon after and the first challenge is perfect for a panel of flawless judges like yourself, so keep an eye out for a K&GI mail in your inboxes when Season 3 is in full swing!
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
In terms of categories... I watch a lot of youtube videos about books (booktube) and there is list of prompts called the 'Bookish Academy Awards'. Someone created that list once upon a time and it's basically the Academy Awards converted to questions relating to books. We're writing stories. It could work perfectly.
You can find it easily by googling but I'll put the categories down here too and then you can all see what I mean and whether you think it's a good idea. We can always add more/other categories. I've adapted some of the questions to fit what we're doing better.
Best Actor in a Leading Role -> Best Male Protagonist
Best Actor in a Supporting Role -> Best Male Secondary Character
Best Actress in a Leading Role -> Best Female Protagonist
Best Actress in a Supporting Role -> Best Female Secondary Character
Best Documentary Feature -> Best Slice-of-Life
Best Animated Film -> Best Picture-Taking
Best Visual Effects -> Best Banner
Best Original Screenplay -> Best Writing
Best Cinematography -> Best Worldbuilding
Best Director -> Best Author (so this is not just writing, basically all aspects put together: who is your favourite writer in this circle?)
Best Story
Best Makeup and Hairstyling/Best Costume Design - Best Sim Styling
Once again, feel free to add anything.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Episodes 1 - 2
1. Thank you! There are a lot of elements to my show, but the characters and their personalities are what drive the plot and make it more than just a "virtual competition", so I'm happy you can see them instantly. I like what you say here, that you're excited to see them become more than their stereotype. That's very relevant, and I think they do manage to go above their reality TV tropey personas, eventually. Even in the other three episodes up for discussion at this time, I feel like some of them already develop (some don't, haha).
2. Ehehehe, yes, ajmkv can definitely be cringey! That pose, man, I didn't love it either but at that point in the writing I was lazy so I just used it and chalked it up to ajmkv being nervous and trying to be as over-the-top as he could be.~ Thank you! He is a silly guy with an impossible-to-pronounce-quickly stage name, and hosting a reality competition was always his dream, so thank you.
3. Enca is a bit much, I agree. It's funny because, she's so famous in the K&GI universe and yet the people with the more "authentic" personalities become more beloved within the framework of the show, and this affects Enca. Hope you'll see some growth in her! I'm happy you like Louise! Whenever I have any polls that she's on, she's always far and away the favorite, which is interesting to me, since I never expected her to be very well-liked, but that's also something that's fascinating about including some audience participation in my story. Sometimes the things I have in mind don't quite get to happen because characters get eliminated, and it keeps me on my toes and allows me to focus on characters I might not have expected to develop as much, like Louise. She's a fun character to write, and this anger that fuels her at the beginning will definitely get some resolution as time goes by, but it might not be as you expect. No spoilers, though~
4. Exactly this. "Love" on these shows is so fast-paced and kind of overbearing at points because they're in a pressure cooker of sorts. Hehehe, yes, there's a lot of lust there, indeed. But not in a creepy way! There's also a lot of real love in there, promise.~ Yes, Enca is too jealous, which is interesting but it's connected to what I mentioned above about her feelings of insecurity being heightened by the competition. Patricio is just... he's a piece of work. He's been eliminated and good riddance to him, but you'll see more of him and if you hate him, sorry!
5. No? You don't miss Patricio? Hmmm, I wonder why...
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Best Makeup and Hairstyling/Best Costume Design - Best Sim Styling
@ajamkeevin
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Technical questions
2. Awesome!
3. I'm happy this makes it easier for you! And of course, I love to receive comments so having more opportunities to hear from you as you read along is very satisfying
General questions
2. I like what mercuryfoam said before about the breaks in the chapters being like ad breaks, so I hope when you're translating K&GI into a show in your head you include commercials in between for Enca's new singles, Dr. Kim's plastic surgery special packages, and the new chapters in the Epic Sensation that is Tales of Camelot.~
3. Thank you. I think sometimes I feel insecure about my writing for many reasons, so this comment makes me so happy.
4. Yess, thank you! The visual setting and identity surrounding the show is essential to the story I want to tell and the vibe I want to put out.
5. Excellent. The confessionals are rather convenient, they're good at their job of providing some exposition from the perspective of the contestants themselves. But, they are a draaaaaaaag to screenshot and make, haha.
6. Yeah, you're farther along in the story and you know that the characters get a lot more developed as time goes by, so when SPOILER TO ANYONE ELSE READING THIS the eliminated contestants come back and the full cast is there together again, hopefully they all (or mostly) seem more well-rounded.
Character questions
2. Enca and Harrison is my favorite friendship from the show! They're almost polar opposites in terms of personalities, so when they come together, Harrison is buoyed by Enca's self-confidence and enthusiasm, and Enca is humbled by Harry's generous and sensitive kindness. I'm glad you like them!
3. Ehehehe, I mean, one word only to keep it short, but I'm sure you have more than even two or three words to say about some of these people.~ I love the words you chose for each person! So accurate and hilarious. Poor Patricio, Player is definitely perfect for him, and I'd also add MESSY SLEAZEBALL, haha. And, I can reveal to you that this was a sneaky question, too, because I will utilize these words in the finale, you'll see how
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
I love these categories! I think they provide a great way to look at the stories and the characters now that we're comfortable with the stories. If I host the awards, I think I'll add some other ones like, "Best meltdown", "Best villain/Villain you love to hate", "Favorite couple", etc. Man, I can already think of nominees for all of the categories and I'm like, YES, the Freezer Bunny Awards are coming! Imagine the little trophies given out, something like this:
But maybe one of us could make another one custom to this group? Imagine, ughhh
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Adding your own categories is super fun too! It add someone's own perspective and touch. I'm so excited to start voting, honestly. And a little award would be the cutest. 😍 I'm not artistically inclined though.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
It's a little less fancy than the golden one before :P
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
I used the ones I thought had main stories, but of course when we submit our characters for nominations, this could change. But seeing our main protagonists there together, eeeee my fanboy heart is fluttering.
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Holy cow. You are so talented at this. That looks amazing
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
You even made my sad trophy look super good in that. Damnnnnn
Im happy to see baby Ninja once again 😂 oh man if everybody had a pet, we could do a “goodest boy-award” 😂😂😂
@ajamkeevin
Your posters are insane. And Kyungri looks like the ultimate diva there! Loving it!
Technical Questions
Oh yes! I can’t even remember what was your blog’s last design. Your current design doesn’t give me a whimsy feeling, but your pictures do. The cool blue background is pleasing to the eye and communicates to me that the author takes his/her work seriously. The banners and photos are all professionally shot and gives fantastic ideas as to what to expect of the series. I think the more grounded colors and crisp clear design of the blog compliments the pictures in that one can expect a fun-filled dramatic ride with a sense of stability and dose of reality.
2. I went back and replaced all the images in each episode with ones that are much smaller in file size to make the pages load faster. Is this working well for you?
My internet is pretty reliable so I can’t I feel any difference. I’d say with my screen resolution at 1920x1028 I haven’t noticed a drop in quality of the pictures. The med to far shot pictures are not as sharp so some details are lost but it doesn’t detract from the message or image. Those details are not important anyway if it was a long shot so I get to focus on what’s important instead xD
3. The Episodes used to be one big chunk, with Eliminations separate. They're now 2 - 6 parts to make the reading easier, what do you think of this choice?
Ah I think I’ve elaborated exhaustively on what I think about your decision. I stand by it very much. I tend to like dissecting sim actions and emotions so the pauses allow me to concentrate on one subject. If it were longer I find I won’t be able to keep up and my comments usually end up becoming pretty generic.
4. Do you want more notes? I include a few here and there, but probably 0 after this first chunk of episodes.
I see notes as something extra but not compulsory to read so as long as it’s not too long or immersion breaking its fine .
General Questions
My first impressions of K&G are that it is made with love. And that the author knows a lot or is super passionate about reality TV shows. I found it impressive and a little intimidating because there are a lot of contestants (as a reality tv show is supposed to be) and feel a little daunted to begin reading, knowing that I will be ‘lost’ very quickly because of my inability to follow many different characters at once. I’m glad you have a character page. That is a life saviour for me
2. Obviously I want to make this seem like you're watching a tv show/reading a script instead of simply narrating, do you get this impression? Do I capture the spirit of a reality show?
Very much. I love that the narration of events are punctuated with cast focus where they express their inner thoughts and attempt to ‘break the fourth wall’ with the readers. The characters are highly dramatised and the announcements are done with showmanship and style. You get pulled into the writing as if you were a person in the crowds or sitting on the couch eating popcorn.
3. Do you like my style of writing?
Yes. I like the light-heartedness and humor you inject in your story. There’s a lot of sass thrown around and each character has a distinct identity and place they connect to. I think those are vital for tv shows, that and your characters clearly have.. character lol.
4. What do you think of my images? I spend a lot of time creating a unified "look" for the seasons, with the promo images, the cast pictures, the icons, the confessionals, the fadeout gifs at the end of each episode, etc, so I'd love to know if you like them!
I think they’re fantastic. They make me wonder if you are in the creatives and I think you mentioned studying writing? I would’ve imagined you did creative design on the side and I wouldn’t be surprised at all. I think I mentioned how professional they are to me. Really love the quality.
5. Speaking of confessionals, do you like this aspect of the story? Reality shows tend to have these confessional/talking heads moments so I wanted to include them to advance the story.
Yes, see above.
6. Do you like the story so far? It gets more intense and the characters that last longer get more developed as time goes on, but what do you think of the story at this point?
I like the story and how as the episodes roll by we get to know the characters on a more intimate level. I can’t wait for the number of contestants to reduce to a more manageable number that would allow us to glimpse into their backstories at a far deeper level.
Character Questions
I can’t shake off the feeling that everyone is dispensable. Hence I think I’ve subconsciously maintained an arm’s length with each character so as to not be too emotionally attached when they get eliminated. If I absolutely have to choose a favorite character, I’d pick China for her impressive. I always thought of Patricio as a huge sleazeball but I think Matthieu takes it for me. Can’t stand cheaters.
2. Do the characters seem realistic for the most part? They're exaggerated because characters tend to be in reality shows, but do you see glimpses of realistic emotions in them?
I think they’re fine the way they are, there’s all sorts of characters in this world, I can even imagine Kyungri irl. Their actions and words are consistent with their traits and emotions so I see that as realistic enough for me.
3. If you could describe each character in one word, what would it be?
Charlee: Fiery
China: Successful
Enca: Superstar
Enzo: Balanced
Gabriel: Dependant
Harrison: Trusting
Jessie: Nice
Kyungri: Driven
Louise: Emotional
Marjan: Slick
Matthieu: Disappointing
Mitchell: Unimpressionable (This guy needs a confidence coach)
Patricio: Sleazy
Todd: Untrustworthy
Episode Specific Questions
1-2
They were well done. You give us a glimpse of each of their personalities, as well as enough to make a decent first impression. I do have to say that it were a LOT of people in the beginning, and I had trouble remembering the cast members that didn’t stand out too much compared to the divas. Of course, this is par for the course in a reality show/elimination contest, and you gradually get to know people, so I don’t hold it against the chapters.
2. What do you think of ajmkv/me? (Rip into me if you must!)
I love your simself! I’m already a bit ahead of everyone else, but every time you make a cameo on screen (or off-screen through messages/phone calls/etc), it makes me chuckle. Also this is totally random, but that little twirl in your hair makes me think of soft ice cream, and now I have cravings, darn it. You keep up being your fabulous self
3. Did you have any strong impressions of anyone? Any "oh, they're going home first" feelings?
Hmm. I think Mitchell, because he seemed so tame compared to the rest of the cast. Of course, he actually ended up surprising me!
4. What do you think of the most relevant plot threads at this point? (Matthieu and Harrison's romance, Enca and Patricio, etc.)
I mean, I love Matthison. They’re adorable together, and their romance is probably their strongest asset. They’re also a stark contrast to Enca and Patricio, whose eyes can’t seem to stop wandering for longer than a second. Dear lord, Patricio, if you’re going to cheat on your diva, at least don’t be painfully obvious about it. Or, oh, I don’t know, DON’T CHEAT ON YOUR DIVA.
5. Were you sad to see Patricio go?
HAHAHAHA. Ciao, dude.
3-4
Again, I’m ahead, so I can’t answer this without drawing on my information from the other chapters. But there’s a reason why I called her “diet-evil”. She tries very hard, but she gives me more of a mean girl vibe than a legitimate mastermind. I mean, Jessie even one-upped her at some point, with the stunt she pulled in cahoots with the directors! xD
2. Did you like the challenges? (Photoshoot and dance/makeover challenge).
I really like your photoshoot pictures and makeovers of the cast. Looking back at the first few chapters, I can see how enormously you’ve improved at them over the course of the story, too! You’re really good at it, to the point of blowing me away sometimes. =D
3. Did you like the guest judges? (Jdbw, who is my real life friend, and the Flavor Girls).
So that’s who Jdbw was! I didn’t catch that the first time around, but now it makes sense. =D Some of the commentary really made me laugh, so full marks from me!
4. Are the main plot threads here interesting/believable? (Todd's snooping, Charlee's scheming, Louise's makeover, Matthieu's complicated situation, Enca's descent into feelings of inadequacy, etc.)
Yes. Some (most) of it is very hammed up for the audience, but that’s par for the course for a reality show where your survival depends on the viewers liking and remembering you. So in a way, their behaviour is very believable.
5. Are you annoyed that Enca keeps getting saved?
No, but I was disappointed that Enca won out over China. The girl’s just not feeling it so far this season, but the love of her fans can only get her so far, and she’s quickly running dry there.
5
He’s treating Todd likea younger brother that needs to mature. I don’t like either of them too much, but he did warn Todd, and that was a very nice thing to do for a competitor.
2. What do you think of Marjan at this point?
She’s too much of an oddball to me. There’s hints that not all about her is as it seems, but Marjan doesn’t really come to the foreground until later in the story. I find her super interesting now, but back then, I honestly didn’t know what to make of her. xD
3. What do you think of how the situation between Matthieu and Harrison has evolved? Did you feel bad for Harrison after Todd shattered his happiness?
I did. That was a horribly low blow, and Todd deserved the full consequences for it. I hold grudges. xD
4. How do you feel about what Todd did? Do you think his episode of Kev & Get More redeemed him a little bit?
I have to admit I completely missed this chapter the first time around. Will get back to it later! =D
5. And about K&GM, do you like this tonal shift? Do you think I do OK with this different style of writing?
Yes. You actually do this very well – if it was silly drama or hammed-up performances all the time, it would get tiring to read. Instead, you sprinkle the story with serious, heartwarming and even very sad moments here and there. It’s like different flavours mixed into a tasty ice cream sundae.
Arc 1 general questions
China I felt had a lot to offer, and she left before we really had the chance to get to know her. But ‘tis the way of elimination contests! Also, any episode with a ajmkv cameo is a good episode.
2. Do you have any predictions?
Ngggghhhhh I reaaaaallly can’t answer this, seeing how far along I am. It would be the mother of all spoilers for people still reading. So. My lips are sealed. =D
3. Do you have any questions for me? Or for the characters? I really liked what Yimi did when her characters answered to your questions, so I'd love to something similar!
YESSSSSSS
I have loads, but most of them are super spoilery, so I'll wait with them until next time.
Kyungri, you know I’m a fan – you grew on me over the story to the point where you’re now one of my favourites. This one is super personal, so it’s fine if you don’t want to answer, but did you turn to plastic because you didn’t like how you looked beforehand?
Enca, darling. Honey. Marvel of nature. You can have any man you want. Probably a good number of women, too. Why in the name of all things gnome are you with Patricio?
Ajmkv, hi =D Has anyone told you that you’re adorable?