SFH Featured Artist: Mothbanquet

“I believe in a few simple things; quality writing, deep characters and well-constructed plot lines. I do not write fluff or fan-pleasers. Instead, I try to bring something new and fresh to the Mass Effect audience, something they will enjoy and always remember.” ~ mothbanquet

mothbanquet, our Featured artist, is an aspiring author who’s been writing Mass Effect Fanfiction for 3 years now. He’s recently took that big step of turning pro, and started his professional account jjgrimshaw and I encourage everyone to check his work and give him support 

In this interview, he’s talking about his different methods, his life as a writer, and experience! -- Please read and enjoy!

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Rama: What can you tell me about your start as a writer?

Mothbanquet: My start as a writer could be likened to a mechanic who spent his childhood tinkering with toy cars, or a cheap back-alley surgeon who...well, you get the idea. I taught myself from day one, utilising nothing more than an acceptable grasp of the English language and ideas gleaned from a hundred different sources, from games to film to anime. It simply happened one night, beginning with me putting pen to paper (or the digital equivalent, as it was on my bedroom PC at the time) and fleshing out many of the ideas I had in my head. That really is all there is to it; one day I just felt the need to write and I've been doing it ever since, if not quite consistently.


Rama:  Is there any specific genre you enjoy writing in the most? And do you think that this changed as you grew up?

Mothbanquet: Genre for me is quite a fluid thing. I write sci-fi in much the same way I'd write fantasy, and I daresay there would be little difference if I chose to write, say, a historical fiction (except perhaps the absence of dragons and/or aliens). I suppose 'adventure' is my favourite genre. Whether the setting is a distant planet or a mythical land, or even a house in my street, I aim to write a grand tale that excites the imagination. This is something that has always remained constant throughout the past ten years or so that I've been writing. No matter when or where the story is set, the adventure is always as epic as I can possibly make it.


Rama: so, What inspires you the most ?

Mothbanquet: Now there's a question! Inspiration for me has always come in many forms and not all of them traditional. My work can take cues from movies, TV shows, video games, visual arts, and real life experiences. Usually, it's a single moment - a sudden flash brought about by one external source - that then triggers an avalanche of imagination. For example, my current fantasy novel Eternal Empire was brought about by listening to Metallica's Leper Messiah on my walk back home from work. Images, feelings, characters, a whole world was born from a single song. That's pretty much how inspiration works for me, though to maintain enthusiasm for a project I like to surround myself with as much related material to keep the inspiration levels high. Going back to Eternal Empire, because there are stylistic leaning towards anime and video games, I make sure I take in enough of both to keep the 'feel' of the story just right.


Rama: What would you do if the story stopped making sense, or is no longer interesting to you?

Mothbanquet: Then I'd simply move on to something else. I usually keep about a half dozen irons in the fire, some of which have been warming up for the past five to ten years. I think part of being a writer (or at least, a professionally-minded writer) is accepting that sometimes a project can fizzle out or that initial love for an idea can fade. In fact, that's bound to happen at some point, whether it takes a month or a decade, but that's a separate line of discussion entirely... When it happens you have to look at it logically; how close is it to completion? What is causing this halt in motivation? Can it be overcome? If worse came to worse and Eternal Empire stopped being interesting to me, then I'd simply shelve it and pick up something else. No sense in completely throwing away something you can use later, after all.


Rama: ok... What do you do when having a "writer's block" ?

Mothbanquet: I'm going to echo my aforementioned friend RipleyNox here and say 'writers block' is garbage. It's a myth, just like the 'muse', Bigfoot and BioWare's artistic integrity. It's all in your head, just like the runner's wall or that driving test you'll never pass. The first instinct of the human mind when it comes up against difficulty either physical or mental is to recoil and shy away from it. It's easy for us to blame it on something we supposedly can't control. I learned the best way to deal with this 'block' is to fight it head-on, just like the runner powers through the wall, or the driving student sucks it in and gets into the driver's seat. I write, even if what I'm putting down looks like utter crap, even if it's only a hundred words of utter crap. Every single time I've done this, I've looked back at what I've written and thought to myself "wow, that isn't half as bad as I thought it was when I was writing it!". And if it is a mess? I clean it up! It's far easier to write garbage and clean it up later than forever stare at your page in helpless lament. However, the very easiest way to defeat writer's block is simply to prevent it to begin with. As I mentioned before, routine is key - if you're used to writing constantly and consistently, relying less on 'spurts' of creative motivation then the very habit of putting one word in front of another will carry you through periods of low motivation. The discipline of writing a little every day works wonders, I assure you!


Rama: What do you think constitutes "good writing"?

Mothbanquet: Well, for me good writing is a fickle thing. It's as much about the conduct of the author as the work itself and no matter the medium, a piece of art can be somewhat tainted by laziness, impropriety and other assorted faux-pas. In terms of quality, a piece of writing doesn't have to be flawless to entertain me. It doesn't have to rival Shakespeare (hell, the majority of Shakespeare didn't rival Shakespeare), and needs only to tell a good story for me to consider it a success. Sure, we can all sit down and write a dissertation on the linguistic complexity of Interceptor but to do so would be to pore over many, many errors and I know I for one would simply shrug and answer "so long as people enjoy it". So that's pretty much my answer; so long as it's enjoyable to me, I can overlook the odd technical flaw. But if the author takes something they released for free online, calls it something else and make money off of it rather than exercise their imaginations and create something new, then I have no time for them. Naming no names.


Rama: So, How thoroughly do you plan your writing?

Mothbanquet: Ah yes, the great balancing act. My philosophy is that planning is essential, but too much of it and you'll never get anything done. Plot-wise, my stories are generally quite grand and complex in scope, so planning is absolutely vital. The last thing I want to do is write myself into a plot hole and again, Interceptor was a big exercise in storyboarding for that purpose alone.
Characters, however, I think have to remain somewhat organic and open to the odd flight of fancy. While I broadly plan character development, I generally allow events and dialogue to develop naturally as I write. Sometimes this isn't approriate but as a general rule, that is what I do. With regards to how much time I spend, I think a 1/3 ration of planning to writing is necessary. Something you don't want to keep as your sole focus but at the same time something you definitely can't neglect.
It goes without saying that when creating an original universe, the amount of planning you invest in it is reflected in your story. Readers can smell a poorly-constructed lore a mile away.


Rama: You have turned pro, Why have you decided to make that decision?

Mothbanquet: A combination of two things. First, a love of writing and desire to create. Second, an innate hatred of the nine-to-five grind. After a few lacklustre attempts, I've simply come to realise I'm not career-minded person in the usual sense. I derive no pleasure in dancing to someone else's tune and the possibility of making a living, no matter how modest, by doing something I love is my Holy Grail. Of course, I harbour no illusions that my freedom may be limited, especially at first but just the thought of being able to devote my free time to writing alone is enough to give me warm, fuzzy feelings.


Rama: What can you tell me about Eternal Empire?

Mothbanquet:  Eternal Empire will be a series of fantasy novels written under my pen name, J J Grimshaw. In a nutshell, they deal with a young street thug who wakes in his own tomb as a risen vampire five hundred years after his 'death'. The stories track his eventual rise to the throne of a nation and sees him embark on a conquest of entire continents, along with loves, friendships and rivalries that span entire generations. This is only half the tale, however, and as he learns more of his vampiric affliction he must struggle against not only against his mortal enemies but the very powers of creation itself...


Rama: What can you tell me about the main characters? How do you plan them? or, are they based on any RL character?

Mothbanquet: As you can understnad, I'm loath to reveal too much... What I can say is Eternal Empire's cast is large and the characters are inspired in a number of ways. Arias, the lead protagonist, was actually inspired by looks first and his personality came naturally once his appearance had been established. Some, like Mage-Lieutenant Karn (who features in the Legends short story which can be viewed both on DA and jjgrimshaw.wordpress.com) are homages to existing fictional characters in many ways, with basic essences taken and built upon. Some characters come about by the simple need to have them in the story and end up taking on quirks and habits of their own as I write. Though I think of myself as an organised, methodical writer, there have been a couple of times where a character has literally had a mind of his/her own and surprised me by taking a different action to what I had originally planned. It's times like those where you know you're on to a winner. And then, there are rare occasions where I simply want to create an anti-archetype. Cayder (who will feature in the next Legends tale) is one such man; seemingly your run of the mill, honour-bound chivalric knight, he hides some very complex, perhaps even sinister desires that only come to light after many years in Arias' company. That's the wonderful thing about dealing with epics - because this saga takes place over such a protracted period of time, the reader will get to see these people develop and change over the space of decades, and what they end up with may surprise them.


Rama: What can you tell me about your earlier fanfics ?

Mothbanquet: Ah fanfiction. My baptism of fire. This was where I gained the knowledge and confidence to reach the leve of skill I'm at today. About three years ago, I played Mass Effect 2 and the game so stirred me that I immediately felt the need to relay something of my experiences to the wider world (or was it to rant about Tali'Zorah like a lovestruck lunatic? I forget...). Mass Effect 2: Dark Rendition was the result. Now, it's no secret that I'm a big fan of the TV show 24 (warts 'n all) and this flavoured my entire Mass Effect experience, resulting in a Commander Shepard that was quite dark, intense and decidedly more complex than your usual fanfiction fare. The show also inspired me to begin work on my next fic, Interceptor, though that was only half my motivation. What many don't realise is that Interceptor was also my first real attempt to show exactly what I could do in writing terms. It is actually an experimental template for a fantasy story that will likely be written once Eternal Empire is in full swing, a great test that allowed me to try out stylistic methods, planning methods, working practices/routines, a ton of different ways to construct a complex tale. I knew that should I complete Interceptor and it makes sense, I could handle something of equivalent complexity with my own canon. Thanks in some part to the inclusion of pre-existing characters like Garrus and Udina, Interceptor was a great success, a much bigger one than I anticipated and completing such a  mammoth project was a major stepping stone on my path to going pro. I can still pick out a random chapter in that story and smile to myself, thinking "yep, I'm still proud of writing that scene," and I've told myself many a time that should I get the chance, I will most definitely write a sequel. A Fornax Production was actually the result of a late night conversation with DementedAssassin, a good friend of mine. I had already planned to write a story unlike any other, a comedy set within an ill-fated Fornax movie shoot (which itself was inspired by an episode of Adult Swim's Sealab 2021) but the image of a top hat and monocle-wearing volus was just too much to bear and I started work on it immediately after Interceptor was completed. Though only three chapters long, the reception for AFP was fantastic and it was gratifying to see Moxi, Ganorn and co gain such a following. So all in all, fanfiction was my crucible, and though I've moved onto my original works, I enjoy writing within the Mass Effect universe far too much to retire just yet. My current fic, Mass Effect: Dark Saga, is the successor to Dark Rendition brought about by popular demand (read: incessant nagging) to see my Commander Shepard bring his grit and humanity into ME3 and beyond. I decided to do one better and show the entirety of the saga, from glimpses of his childhood on Mindoir to his well-known mission on Torfan, through all three games and perhaps into the future. It's a bit of ongoing fun while I work on Eternal Empire but it's also a way for me to continue improving and refining my style; readers will already notice a big difference between Dark Saga and Interceptor and hopefully they will be considered changes for the better.


Rama: Who/what helped you the most in improving yourself?

Mothbanquet: Early on, it was all down to me. Three years ago I took it upon myself to learn in many ways, whether it was studying the techniques of my favourite authors, analyzing plots or character structures of my influencing canons or most importantly, putting one word down after another and submitting my work to a wider audience. Motivation and routine is a big part of the learning experience and only the writer can break down those mental and physical barriers and compel themselves to write, even when there's no spark there whatsoever. Sometimes those obstacles can be overwhelming but the tools to overcome them are there for everyone to grasp. However, there is only so much you can teach yourself. Eventually, you will need the input of others to broaden your perspective, iron out the wrinkles on technique and provide more practical advice, especially when it comes to going pro. In the past two months I have learned one simple truth; no one person can 'go it alone'. We all need friends and partners in crime and the more contacts you make, the greater the chance you will come across people who will genuinely help you achieve greatness. For me, the main trio have been fellow DA users RipleyNox, whose sterling writing has made me look deeply into my own, as well making the idea of becoming a professional a tangible reality rather than a pipe dream. RioCyan for her assistance and honest feedback throughout all stages of Eternal Empire's writing process and my partner DeliriumGothique for her sharp insight and perspective, as well as her expertise in setting up websites and other internet-thingys that go way over my head. In different ways, each one of these lovely individuals have helped, and continue to help me along that road - improvement comes with every step.


Rama: Who are your favorite authors?

Mothbanquet: I probably don't read as much as I should and I'm the first one to admit it, I can perhaps narrow it down to a top three, all of whom have influenced me in some way or another. First up is Conn Iggulden, master of historical fiction and a true modern great. He is an amazing writer, who combines elegant and vivid imagery with a modern pace into a glorious whole that few, if any, authors can match. I recommend the first book of his Emperor series, Gates of Rome, and go from there. Second, Raymond E Feist, whose writing style literally transformed my conceptions of how a fantasy story should be written. Instantly engaging, efficient and lean prose, with a pinache that I very much try to match in my own work. The third spot, after much soul-searching, I am giving to H P Lovecraft. His mastery of the language to create mood and atmosphere still blows my mind today; perhaps even more so now I can appreciate it. Everyone who writes can stand to learn something from his work.

Rama: What about authors from DA?

Mothbanquet: Cue guilty wince - again, I haven't been able to read as much as I would like but two standout writers exist in the form of aforementioned Abstract 1106 and DementedAssassin. Both write Mass Effect fiction, though in very different ways. The former's stunningly proficient style and constant originality (displayed in her excellent The One That Got Away) is a source of regular wonder to me. DementedAssassin's Pilgrimage is a fantastic journey filled with mind-blowing detail and amazingly vivid and well thought-out characters, one of which inspired me to draw my first and only piece of art to date that has seen the light of day on DA. The fact that he improves throughout and will no doubt go even further makes me fear for my future livelihood.


Rama: Can you take us through a day of your life?
Mothbanquet: Ah, so you have some sort of grudge against your readers? I'll tell, but don't say I didn't warn you... My life is plain, with long hours and little in the way of event. On weekdays I get up at 5am, write for a couple of hours, go to work. I will take my laptop with me to get some more writing done in my lunch hour, but typically I try to get my daily writing quota (1500 words for Eternal Empire, 500 minimum for other projects) done before I get home from work, enabling me to relax. That last part is something that I've discovered is possibly the most important part of all.
And Sundays I devote to doing absolutely nothing!


Rama: What is your favorite reaction/response from your readers?

Mothbanquet: Hmm, that's a tough one. Any reaction is treasured, whether it's honest, in-depth critique that helps me fine-tune my work or just a quick word or two to say they enjoyed it. I suppose my favourite response, the sort that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, is when a reader asks a question or opens a discussion into the subject matter. I still remember the first bit of debate I had with a reader of Interceptor on fanfiction.net as we debated possible Alliance responses to a certain event within the story, touching upon the pros and cons of sending in overt invasions, the political impact of such things; it was just a great thing, to be able to have this conversation about my story as you would any other part of the official plot.


Rama: what advice do you have to all the aspiring writers out there?

Mothbanquet: First of all, routine, routine, routine. Just like learning an instrument of building physical fitness, you WILL get better at writing with regular practice. A little every day will soon have you finishing chapters as regular as clockwork and thus allow you to create realistic deadlines you can work to. For professionals, this is a must! Second, cast out your social net. Find friends, co-conspirators, people who are willing to help you improve and develop your technique. Be prepared to give a little back too! Share and share alike. Finally, no matter what, make sure you take regular rests. I've recently learned from experience that working non-stop will burn you out and turn your writing to mush. A day off every week will refresh you and keep that creative spark strong!

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And, Of course, you can check some of his work here:
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Thanks for reading!
By with