Iam the writer of an upcoming scifi graphic novel called BLUEFALL. AMA!

A brief intro to Bluefall:

THE VIRTUAL WORLD OF CIRCUS

In 2041, the planet has a new global superpower – the virtual Universe known as Circus. Accessible in seconds from anywhere on Earth, Circus is everything that modern VR wishes it could be – a fully immersive fantasy experience where everything looks, feels, and tastes completely real. The virtual landscape is composed of hundreds of disconnected “zones,” which can be as large as a dozen miles across or as tiny as a studio apartment. Each zone has been developed by users into a unique environment, from cyberpunk metropolises, to lavish casinos, to jungle tree-house hamlets, to idyllic island resorts.

But Circus is more than a game – it is an autonomous nation with its own economy, fashion, industry, politics, exchangeable currency, and law. The GDP of Circus has surpassed Finland’s, and its money – called “credits” – trades at better rates than the Japanese Yen. By 2041, the concept of a virtual world has evolved, so that it is no longer simply a place to live out fantasies; it is a gathering place, a home, a place to go to work, or fall in love, to become wealthy, or famous, to drink away the sorrows of the day, or build an empire.

THE BAZAAR, LAKESIDE, AND MUSI'S COTTAGE

Two of the important zones in the virtual world of Circus include a virtual metropolis called The Bazaar – which looks like a cyberpunk version of Tokyo and is the most densely populated section of the virtual Universe – as well as the luxury resort getaway of Lakeside, a paradise playground open exclusively to members of the virtual uberwealthy and elite. There are also "private" zones, like Musi's Cottage, accessible only with the permission of the zone's moderator or owner. These zones are only available to users who are willing to pay large sums of money to rent them. Customization costs extra.

EDIT: If you want to learn more after reading the AMA, you can check out www.bluefall.tv. Thanks!

Sounds like a very interesting read! Love what you’re doing!

Thanks so much!

How do you keep the whole thing organized? I mean, it must become very cluttered when making up a whole new universe. How do you keep the loose ends tied, the facts straight and the distribution of information (in the book, about the book) in a non-overwhelming flow?

I don't know if any other writers go about worldbuilding this way, but I don't feel as if you need to know every single detail of a Universe to create one. You start with the big blocks and fill in some little ones, and when you're confronted with making a choice you just decide what works or makes sense with what you already have. It's a strange kind of cause and effect process, i.e. you make X decision, so the next decision must be Y, and because you chose Y then the next decision must be Z. You can ask yourself any possible question about a Universe and answer it with some variation of that same process. There will always be inconsistencies but rarely a situation where they can't be resolved, so if you're paying attention and aren't afraid to make adjustments or rethink details whenever necessary, it doesn't all feel so overwhelming.

Hey, sounds interesting. What sets your VR world apart from the ones established in books/movies like Ready Player One and Gamer?

Hello! Thanks for your question.

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on Ready Player One by any means, but I'll do my best to answer!

The future in Bluefall is not dystopian, and Circus (Bluefall's virtual world) functions rather as an extension of the real world than an escape from it. Avatars look just like real people (with some... enhancements... available to those who will pay, although some users, called "authentics" -- like Musi -- choose to look just like their real selves, wrinkles and all.) Everything about Circus is driven by a consumer culture and it has adult institutions of all kinds. In brothels like The Love Diamond, users shell out credits to have virtual liaisons with other real users who work full-time in Circus as prostitutes.

Story-wise -- and I think this gets to the heart of your question about what makes Bluefall stand out -- the focus of Bluefall revolves around a grounded financial conspiracy rather than a treasure hunt. There are certainly some similarities to RP1 in the scope of the virtual world and in the inciting incident of the story with the creator's murder, no use trying to dodge that, haha! But Bluefall -- and, by extension, Circus -- endeavors to say something very different about virtual worlds and how they are susceptible to being misused. The plot of Bluefall errs closer to something like The Big Short than it does to Ready Player One.

As someone with no real artistic talent, currently writing a graphic novel.

How did you manage to find an illustrator? Also, did you straight up hire them, or set up some sort of profit sharing deal. I'd love to be independently published, but I can't see myself having thousands of dollars (without a GoFundMe/Kickstarter) to hire an illustrator any time in the near future.

There are plenty of artists looking for commission work on places like DeviantArt and ArtStation. Look around and see what stands out to you as special! In my case, I hired the artist, and I'm investing my own money into this, but I don't think you should be too put off by the idea of needing to do a Kickstarter to get going. There's no shame in raising money to create something that you believe in.

That's awesome! Thanks so much. And if you don't mind my asking (feel free to PM me) what was your budget for illustration? I have next to no experience in this realm, and am slowly trying to find my way so I can plan appropriately for my release.

No problem! For illustration you should plan the costs to come to about $150-200 per page on the low end. Best of luck with your release.

Can you give a shout out to your concept artist? Would love to support both you and your artist in this and future projects.

The incredible artist who created these works is VINCENTIUS MATTHEW! You can check out his Artstation page here.

I've also edited the main post to credit him there. He deserves all the praise and support in the world!

Concept art is beautiful! It’s a tasteless question but, as someone who may want to work with artists in future, I’d love to get a rough figure on how much it cost you to get an artist to work on an entire book with you?

For an entire book you're looking at ~$150-200 per page in most cases. Not a tasteless question at all!

The novel universe reminds me of the novel The Eye of Minds by James Dashner. Similar ideas but taken a step further. Was his work an inspiration?

I'm ashamed to say I've never read it, but I have to stay honest with my answers here, even the embarrassing ones, haha. For a long time I felt threatened by works that were similar to what I was personally doing. Not anymore, but for years. So I have a lot of catching up to do. Sounds super cool though and like something that I could easily get sucked into, so I'll make a mental note to check it out!

Blue Waffle?

NO!

What is the central allegory or message in the book?

I want to come back to this one! I think it deserves a great answer.

Thanks! What were you trying to say with the book?

Finally back to answer -- thanks for being patient!

There's a couple of layers to this, but I the most important message (to me personally, at least) in Bluefall is that we cannot escape who we are -- not even in a virtual world. Not through wealth, not through escapism, not through addiction, not through obsession, not even through the lies we tell ourselves and the ones we love in our desperation to dull the pain of reality. Until we can face ourselves as we are, we will always be unhappy.

How much did it cost to get to 1600 upvotes on this post?

It cost a lot of time and energy in trying to create work that people will engage with. Also, one million dollars.

How did you realize you wanted to make your story into a graphic novel vs. A book?

I come from a screenwriting background, and making the jump to another visual format like the graphic novel seemed more natural (and, honestly, less intimidating) to me than doing a book. I do think Bluefall could work fantastically as a book, but I didn't necessarily feel at the time that I would be the best person to write that book. Hope that makes sense!

Sound interesting, if I can afford it will definitely purchase it, what is the price?

Still TBD! I'll have more info on that up on the Bluefall Facebook page (@Bluefalltv) in the next few weeks. Thanks for your interest though! Stay tuned.

What’s your writing process like ?

I come up with an idea that I think is cool and I try to hold onto that initial feeling of excitement for as long as I can. When it's gone, I try to remember what I loved about it and that sometimes helps me get back on track. I write when I feel like it and sometimes that means staying up all night. Other times it means I won't write for weeks.

I start with a cool idea, then form it into a story, then create a world for that story, then I populate that world with people. From the characters comes everything else. The specifics are different every time, but most of the things I've written (that were actually finished or turned out any good) have come about in that general way.

What made you think anyone would want you to do an AMA?

I made a post about Bluefall on r/worldbuilding a day ago, and people seemed to really enjoy hearing about it. I wasn't sure if the r/IAMA community would be interested in the same way (in fact I expected this post to get only a few questions), but I figured I would offer myself and my work up here for questions regardless of that uncertainty. I don't think it's a bad thing to put yourself out there, even if you're not sure whether people are going to care about what you're doing.

What were your influences?

I'm a gamer who has over a year's worth of playing time on WoW and another year spread out among a couple other MMOs since back in the days of Everquest, so I've always been interested in virtual worlds and fascinated by them. I studied Economics in college before I went into writing, so this concept is really just a direct blend of those two different parts of my past.

Where is the actual book art? I applaud your investment and your story has me intrigued but the art is everything in a graphic novel and I'd love to see it!

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Notes on costs for writers who are interested in commissioning an artist:

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$150-200 a finished page is a completely reasonable expectation for finished sequential art whether you use a classic comic workflow (pencils -> inks -> colorist (often separate person) or full digital paintings (like Saga). Traditional painted comics like Esad Ribic's Silver Surfer Requiem would be quite a bit more (I'd probably charge $300 per painted board) and you'd still have to letter them which is an art unto itself.

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Concept art varies wildly, but you can get great digitally painted land/city/sky scapes for $100-150 from American artists, character sheets with turnarounds may be a bit more and you often get what you pay for there. Covers vary the most, $300 will get you something amazing it will guarantee you a full 8 hours a work. Talented artists love to WILDLY exaggerate the time it takes to make things because so many casual artists are out there boasting/time-lapsing their 60-hour photo-realistic drawing of Ian McKellan. Part of what makes an artist a pro is that they can do A LOT in 60 hours.

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Most illustrators work in multiple mediums and styles so be sure not to overlook someone based on a small sample size. The best advice I can give is to hire a professional, someone who paints/draws for a living -- that person is far more likely to understand the tremendous effort and time it takes to make a comic book a reality. Don't find someone who made a great pin-up, find someone who can tell a story. Find someone who shares your vision and excitement and pay them a small amount ($75) to do a test page so you can agree on a shared vision/style/feel. Educate yourself about good and bad comic art, talk to working artists. Go to cons and look around, not just in the alley, find those guys with 100-200-300 square feet that are able to make a living painting incredible things because they often want to make comics but have to paint everyday to pay the bills and if someone comes along and hands them $150 a page, they will be happy to blow your mind because it means they don't have to do the worst part of being a professional artist: finding work. I know 10 of those guys and you won't find them pandering for work, they are already working.

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Good luck. Show. us. the. art.

Hi, thanks for your interest, and I also appreciating you offering such an in-depth guide for other writers on the commissioning subject! You did a much more informed and detailed job with that then I ever would have been able to.

You can check out some of Dillon Snook's ink work on the GN's interior art here and here! The second link is slightly NSFW for tastefully illustrated nudity. Thanks again!

How do start to write your book ? I've always wanted to write a novel but never could start it cause I didn't really where to start. How do you gather all your ideas ? Do you just write it somewhere then regroup it chronologically ? I'd like to get a serious answer from someone who knows about this. Anyway good luck for your novel !

Everyone does it differently, but I think the one absolutely essential step is to start with a concept that you think is the coolest thing you've ever heard.

Answered something similar elsewhere so I'm going to paste it here:

I come up with an idea that I think is cool and I try to hold onto that initial feeling of excitement for as long as I can. When it's gone, I try to remember what I loved about it and that sometimes helps me get back on track. I write when I feel like it and sometimes that means staying up all night. Other times it means I won't write for weeks.

I start with a cool idea, then form it into a story, then create a world for that story, then I populate that world with people. From the characters comes everything else. The specifics are different every time, but most of the things I've written (that were actually finished or turned out any good) have come about in that general way.

I hope this helps in some fractional way to convince you that writing a novel or anything else is not impossible. It is a collection of many smaller steps. Go for it!

Is it true that blueballs is really bad for my balls, and can lead to ball cancer in my balls?

I'll leave this one to the medical professionals.

What'll make it different from other scifi books?

I think that what makes Bluefall different from other scifi books is that aside from its futuristic virtual environment it doesn't try (or even want) to "be" scifi at all. The story is first and foremost a neo-noir murder mystery, and it stays grounded in that identity always.

I don't know how far along into the writing process you are but do you have any idea how long the book will be? Also, any plans for a sequel down the line? Or more works in the same world maybe? It sounds really interesting!

The graphic novel is fully written and will be totally ready for launch -- lettering and all -- in the very near future! The release is planned for June. I'm definitely interested in writing a sequel and going even beyond that, as Bluefall is a complex story that deserves time to play out over a longer period of time and with many different characters having a chance to appear at the forefront of the action. The end of the Bluefall graphic novel is like the end of the first chapter in a much larger work yet to come.

Thanks!

Awesome I'll definitely be checking it out then! Have you released any interior art yet (as in, not just concept art)? I'd be interested in seeing what it'll look like

PS: sorry if these are kind of daft question that could be answered by simple research but I'm on mobile right now - and more importantly very lazy haha

Great! There's some ink-work from the graphic novel's interior art posted on the blog www.bluefall.tv. Definitely go check it out! I think the illustrator, Dillon Snook, brings something equally awesome to the story in his own way. :)

For laziness purposes, because that's something I understand, here is a direct link to the ink-work for one of the pages:

https://bluefall.tv/f/page-8-revealed---an-exclusive-look-at-the-ink-work-of-bluefall

Is this your first time writing something? How much b time did you put towards if? What was the most difficult part of writing?

It's not my first time writing something, but it is my first graphic novel! I have been working on Bluefall for two years, and I first approached the idea 4-5 years before that, but never finished it. Once I felt ready to revisit the subject, there was nothing remotely difficult about Bluefall at all -- it was a sheer pleasure. But it wasn't until I was able to approach the story with that fresh perspective that everything finally opened up for me. So I guess I'll say the most difficult part was the initial failure, but I see now that it was a necessary part of the process and I look back on even that part of the journey as part of the greater joy of writing Bluefall.

Thats a very interesting synopses. What made u go down the route of a graphic novel rather than a book?

Thanks! Answered this here

Are you going to try to translate your graphic novel into other languages? If you do, in what languages would you like to see it translated into?

I would be absolutely thrilled to see Bluefall translated into other languages, but no plans for that yet. Hopefully the day will come -- it would be an amazing feeling for me! I'm going to go with Spanish because my girlfriend is from Mexico. But honestly any language!

Do you have a sample of what the final art looks like? The concept art is nice. Sorry if this was already asked.

Hi! Answered this elsewhere but pasting it here for you as well. Thanks!

You can check out some of Dillon Snook's ink work on the GN's interior art here and here!

How do you deal with writer's block and building the universe and lore of your book?

Bluefall was the easiest thing I've ever written. It came to me so naturally that I didn't have to confront any of those issues like I've had to with other works in past. But in those other cases, I just kept going. I would agonize for weeks over not writing then finally feel ready, and everything that seemed like a complete mess would take shape and fall into order in the course of fifteen minutes. I still don't understand how all that works, but I've learned to write when I feel like it and do anything else when I don't. It's not worth the stress trying to force your creativity. It will suck the life out of you, and you still won't get anything done.

You said Ask Me Anything sooo... Do you like pie and if so which flavour? Any toppings or things like ice cream or custard?

I love pie, and I can't find it at any grocery stores around me these days but my absolute favorite pie of all time is Coconut Custard.

Favourite type of pizza?

The kind that is pizza. Seriously I love pizza of all kinds. I think my preference changes based on how I'm feeling on the day and who I'm eating pizza with.

Hi. It looks quite cool! Is there anywhere you are accepting preorders?

Hi -- thanks so much for asking! Not accepting preorders quite yet, but that's something I'll be looking into setting up on the graphic novel's website (www.bluefall.tv) in the next few weeks. You can follow Bluefall on Facebook or subscribe to the website blog if you want to make sure you don't miss the announcement! Cheers.

Are you planning to launch your novel globally /is it US only for now?

I would love to launch globally, but for now I'm focusing on the U.S. for a physical release, just because that's the first thing I have to focus on tackling and I want to do it right. But it's important to me that International readers can check out Bluefall, so I'm leaning towards making it available for download on the www.bluefall.tv website in some format at the very least!

Very interesting concept!

In normal society there are 'classes'. Upper class, middle class, etc. Is there a class system in this virtual world? If so, is it based on who has the most money, or are there other factors?

Cheers!

There are certainly classes in the virtual world! And just like in real life, money is indeed the largest factor. But again like real life there are other things that matter too, like who you know, how you dress, how you carry yourself, what groups you're a part of, and where you hang out. Fame, reputation -- all of these things matter in Circus, because Circus is bound by the same social rules as the real world that it is an extension of.

Art style is dope do you have any computer wallpapers?

Thanks man! Sadly, no wallpapers that work for computers. I'll speak to the artist and see if I can get something that would work for that done soon, because that would be cool to have, but for now you'll have to settle for using one of these concepts as your phone background instead!

Did you start off knowing where you wanted the story to go, exactly how it would look, etc or did you build it up as you went?

Great question. I actually began working on the concept that would turn into Bluefall almost five years ago, but became so stuck and disillusioned with the idea that I gave up on it. It wasn’t until not that long ago that I felt drawn back to the project and decided to reimagine it as a graphic novel, and I then almost immediately stumbled upon something -- in what was only going to be a period of cursory research -- that opened up the whole plot for me. But all the imagery, the general concept, and even some of the characters, come from (or were adapted from) that first miserably failed attempt -- a work which is virtually unrecognizable as a story and concept to what Bluefall has become today.

What do you think of writing stand-alone episodes in the same universe? There's a lot of potential in this kind of world and I think it'd be awesome if in the future we got to learn about characters unrelated to the main storyline.

Also, what's a book anyone should read?

Glad you brought this up because I'm super into the idea and I've actually already been playing around with some concepts! I'll hopefully be posting some shorter-form, standalone content of that nature on the blog at www.bluefall.tv in the coming weeks.

A book anyone should read: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

Thanks!

What other kinds of stories are you toying around with?

I’ve been revisiting a contemporary fantasy of mine that’s set in the real world. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I’m excited about seeing where it can go. Thanks for asking!

Don't take this personal, but I hate that most books' premises start with a murder. So I guess my question is, Did you think of that and go with it any anyway, or you just really have a good story that had no other way of beginning?

I just went with what felt right for me and my story. I think as a writer you have to trust what your own instincts tell you is cool and avoid looking at where your work fits in the greater literary scheme. It's too easy (and tempting...) to get discouraged and start second guessing yourself, otherwise.

Thanks for the question!

HOW GRAPHIC???

Yes.

The concept sounds super cool, and the artwork looks fantastic. What I want to know is what the process was like working with the artists to turn your vision for the graphic novel into a reality. Did you just hand them a script/world-building document and have them go at it, or was there a more complicated back and forth process so you could have better control over things like page counts and story details?

For the most part I put my trust and faith fully in the hands of the artists. There was some back and forth as we initially discussed the ideas, but then I let them do their thing, and I'm so glad I did! I think it's important as a creator of a collaborative work that you give any artist as much freedom as possible to execute their own vision their own way before you start trying to direct them. Their ideas for their own medium of expertise will usually be cooler than yours! Haha.

How do you get past mental blocks, the "I just don't feel it", the uninspired times, and all the things that come along with writing a book.

I've been working on a book for quite a very long time. But I find that I only write when I am "in the mood" or really inspired. But given that pace, it may never get published.

How do you get through all of that?

I think it takes a lot of practice and experience, but as a writer you need to get to the point of knowing, innately, that no matter how hard it seems on the day or how lost you think you are, you will finish the work.

Once that is a given, you can find sanctuary in that understanding whenever you're struggling. It takes a lot of the fear out of the process and you can learn to see the insecurities and doubts as occupational annoyances, not things to take too seriously.

What's your favourite sci-fi movie?

The Matrix!

What inspired you to write this? Was it an ongoing thing in your mind or a realization?

Hi! Answered this in two parts here and here!

What gave you the inspiration to start writing? Or just what gave you motivation to use a creative outlet in general?

I think whether I knew it or not I was always drawn to escapism, and writing was just something that I accidentally discovered which offered me not only the greatest form of escape, but also a sense of purpose. It just felt “right.” I haven’t looked back and even now that I’m happier and more at peace with myself, and don’t feel such a need to seek relief in escape, it still feels right. That’s an amazing thing.

Hows it end?

"." ;)

Reminds me a tad of an older (1999) young adult series set in the Tom Clancy universe called Net Force Explorers but that's not a bad things. We are likely going to see an increase in virtual world stories and fictions as VR continues to develop.

A lot of famous sci-fi was written by people alive when the setting of their stories was in the infancy of development. 'The Big 3 of Sci-Fi' watched the space race between the USSR and US.

Anyhow on to my question. While Ready Player One became very popular the setting of Virtual Worlds is still very under represented in the world of Sci-Fi literature. Why do you think that is?

That’s a great question. The short answer is that the important executives that control the flow of this stuff tend to believe that virtual worlds don’t have any stakes. I think that’s nonsense. The problem is that as a result authors have convinced themselves that they have to somehow justify “dying in the virtual world means you die in the real world” as a means to satisfy the stakes, when in my opinion that just makes the whole thing feel forced and insincere. You don’t have to have the threat of death inside the virtual world to have stakes. Someone could just find out your identity and kill you in the real world. Isn’t that just as dire of a threat? Besides, everyone has something to lose that is important to them independent of that thing dying. But I truly believe that’s the reason why we aren’t seeing much VR literature out there and the same goes for TV & Film.

Enjoyed answering, thank you!

Where can i buy this?

Thanks for asking! If you're in the U.S., Bluefall will hopefully be in a comic shop near you in the near future (planning an initial launch for June!), but the graphic novel will also almost certainly be available on the www.bluefall.tv website for online order. More specifics on this to come over the next few weeks, so definitely don't hesitate to subscribe to the blog or follow Bluefall on social media so that you don't miss any announcements about the release!

How are you tackling character development and making them and their world relatable to the reader?

I try to create characters that I feel personally sympathetic to, for whatever reason. Even the "bad" ones. If I can care about them and love them for who they are, then I feel like I've done my job, and then anyone who can relate to me -- and who I am as a person -- can then conceivably relate to the character in just as real of a way.

I’m using the city picture as a wallpaper on my phone for about a month and didn’t know it was connected to a novel, that’s pretty cool. Do you have any sample of your upcoming book?

Haha! I'm glad to hear people are connecting all over with Vincentius's amazing work.

There are a couple samples of the ink-work (by a different, equally talented artist) up on www.bluefall.tv for you to check out!

Here's a direct link to one of them.

How much does the illustration cost? They look amazing.

Thank you so much! I commissioned these two pieces from artist Vincentius Matthew. I don't feel comfortable giving you exact figures without consulting the artist, but it was nothing crazy by any means! If you're looking for someone to do concept art, I would highly recommend Vincentius for his rates, and (more importantly) his incredible talent, in a heartbeat.

How tall are you?

5'11

Are you Happy with Your height?

Yes, very!

Really? I am also 5'11 (in the morning) and Wish me every day that i am 6'3 or more :/

Haha, yes! Something to consider -- the confidence, peace of mind, and self-satisfaction that you would gain from ceasing to worry about things you can't change about yourself would make you even more attractive than an extra few inches would.

Writing a graphic novel seems quite different from world building or writing a traditional novel for that matter.

Do you find that you are able to retain your artistic direction when you commission the art? What made you choose this medium over an other? How easy or difficult did you find it to work with the artists on a story and world you created? What is the most rewarding part as youre reaching a publication date?

Sorry for so many questions. Congratulations though. I hope everything is a success.

Thanks for your question! I explained my reasons for going the graphic novel route here, and as to your other questions, I actually found it super fun to work with the artists (Dillon Snook for illustration, and Vincentius Matthew for concept art) and to let them lend their own unique vision to the material. If you collaborate with people whose work you respect and admire, it doesn't feel like a sacrifice for them to offer their own ideas and point of view about your creations!

The most rewarding part for me is finally getting to see people react to and engage with a project that has existed only in my mind and on my laptop for almost two years. It's an incredible, exhilarating feeling. Thanks for the questions and the good vibes!

In this fantasy that you've built, do you think people will have the power to time travel and alter their stories for good?

Not in this particular story. Bluefall is near future and time-travel is something I think is still very far off!

Would you rather fight one horse sized duck, or a hundred duck sized horses?

I might get lucky against one horse-sized duck, so I'll go with that.

How can i get a signed copy?

Haha! Best shot is to follow Bluefall on Facebook and win a giveaway! I'll be holding signings after the launch as well, so if you're on the West Coast you could always stop by one of the events.

Who is the Indonesian artist you hired? Why not give them credit in the bio

Vincentius Matthew! You can see his Artstation page here.

And you're right, I definitely should have done so initially -- Vincentius is incredibly talented, and (you'll see this if you look at my post history) I absolutely love shouting him out and giving him his due, enormous credit. Edited the post text to add his name there. :)

When you write, do you see everything in your head? All characters, all settings, everything? That might be a dumb question but always wondered how it is when others write.

Absolutely -- I love this question and don't think it's dumb at all. I see the scenes in my head when I write. It's definitely a visual manner of writing. Never "full detail" like life, but enough that it feels real to me and so (hopefully) feels real to the reader. When I'm really in the zone it feels like I'm merely transcribing images and voices that someone else is projecting into my mind onto the page.

Do you like writing?

Most days! Some days, no! But I always love it because I believe it's what I'm meant to do.

What inspired you to start a graphic novel?

I come from a film/screenwriting background and have always been drawn to the visual aspects of storytelling. A graphic novel was something that was in my ability to create entirely out of my own pocket, and I just wanted to story of Bluefall to be told no matter what it took! So I began researching graphic novels and when I saw the quality of some of them out there I was inspired to just go for it and make my own.

I’m not very familiar with this genre, so perhaps there are subtleties I’m missing, but this sounds almost exactly like Ready Player One?

Check out my response to u/DigitalAssassin on this. Thanks!

Are you trying to rip off Beth's IP Redfall?

Sorry, I don’t know what that is! And definitely not.