To say that we're enjoying the Phase Two Applications would be a horrible understatement. Without exception, the applications have been thoughtful and interesting to read. We spend so much time talking about SFA and thinking about SFA, I sometimes feel like we're in our own little world. It's like JLY, KM Ricker, and I have been having a party and suddenly we look up to realize other people are there, standing in the room with us. Which is cool. We spend so much time building that world... It's nice to be able to share it with people who are just as excited about it as we are.
That being said, for anyone who applied, you're probably curious about just what's going on behind the scenes over here. Well, I'll tell you.
First, JLY catalogs everything. You know how she likes spreadsheets. I half suspect she doesn't really need them--when we were printing them out, I'd call out each person's name so she could check them off the list and she'd offhandedly reply with the character name and a fun fact about that person. That's how good she is--she knows each and every one of you.
Anyway, after JLY, KM Ricker, and I printed out each application, we sorted them according to majors.
After that, well, let me describe the scene for you.
JLY sits at my desk, at the corner. She's in her chair--aptly appropriated by her since it's the chair that she sits in every time we work on SFA. She has the stack of Thief applications as well as the stack of Cleric applications. KM Ricker is on the couch flipping through the Warrior applications. Me, I'm in a chair at the table, taking a look at the Mage applicants. We've each got a slice of chocolate cake, because, why not? I felt like baking.
Two of us read through each application. We go through about a batch of ten, and then we discuss whether or not the applicants might be a good fit.
I really must say, I'm pleasantly surprised by how awesome all of the applications are. And I applaud everyone's bravery for applying. It's not an easy thing to write like this, to bare your innermost thoughts. When you do academic writing (essays, or the stray thesis), there are "therefores" and "thuslys" to hide behind. But to write fantasy... That's putting yourself out there, vulnerable, and saying "I think this is cool" or "I think this is funny". And that takes guts.
Personally, I don't think I would have had the courage to put SFA up on the internet or out in printed form if it weren't for JLY. I can hide behind her and see all of the good parts that she's written instead of worrying over all the flaws I've introduced...
Anyway, the point of this post is to thank everyone who has applied... Thank you for all of your courage to put yourselves out there, thank you for your time and effort in writing your characters, and thank you for the entertainment. =)
Take care,
KL
"I like how you turned my stalkerish nature into something endearing."
-JLY, after reading this post
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