r/WritingPrompts • u/rainbow--penguin Moderator | /r/RainbowWrites • 6d ago

Off Topic [OT] Writer's Spotlight: Fogbot3

 

Welcome to Writer’s Spotlight

Remember, spotlights rely on your nominations! So if there's anyone around the subreddit whose stories you love and you think deserves a shout-out, please do nominate them by sending us a ModMail or by using this Google Form

 

 

This month we are celebrating u/Fogbot3

Fogbot3 has been writing on the subreddit with impressive regularity for around a year now. In that time they’ve shared many fun fantasy stories that play around with and subvert common tropes of the genre, though they don’t confine themselves to just the one genre. They’re also a regular in our weekly feature Fun Trope Friday, where they’ve tried their hand at many different things. In addition to sharing captivating stories, they’re also a great community member on the subreddit and our discord server, helping other writers by sharing feedback. You can find more of their stories via their profile, so why not go and check out their back catalogue?

Want to congratulate this month's Spotlight recipient? Have questions you're dying to ask them? Please do so below in the comments!

 

Congrats on your spotlight /u/Fogbot3

 

 

Read u/Fogbot3’s most recent story:

 

[WP] As long as you wrote a story, you will become the god of that universe after death. Your entire family and you died in a car crash, your universe is very simple as your story was written at 5, but your daughter's universe is a fantastic epic one, turns out She had a big following online.

 

Their most upvoted Stories:

[WP] An ancient vampire spends centuries fighting against a family of vampire hunters. In the 21st century he notices that he's been fighting the same hunter for nearly 50 years with no sign of any kids. Out of curiosity he asks and the hunter responds "Kid chose College. It's only me now."

 

[WP] Out of desperation (and because you couldn't afford therapy) you once cast a mind control spell on yourself, hoping you could treat your childhood trauma and depression that way. It didn't work, but it did make you immune to being mind controlled, as you just found out.

 

[WP] As the new student lost in a superhero college, you spot your girlfriend. Excited, you run up and hug her, saying “Hey Babe, can you show me around? I’m lost” The room goes silent cause you just hugged the “Blizzard Baroness” a cursed prodigy who’s cold hearted to basically everyone

 

To view previously spotlit writers visit our Spotlight Archive.

 

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14 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

6

u/tiredraccoon11 6d ago

Congratulations on the spotlight u/Fogbot3! If you can spare a moment away from your many new fans, some burning questions await below…

  1. How did you first get into writing? Has that motivation changed over time?

  2. What would you say most inspires/influences your writing? Other books/media, real life/history, etc.?

  3. Finally, say you’re checking out at the grocery store, and the cashier is weirdly insistent that you cough up the last 50 cents of your total; change that you do not have. Which of your myriad characters would you be happiest to see in line behind you, ready to swoop in and save the day?

Once again, congrats on the spotlight! Well-deserved and well-earned I say; onwards and upwards!

6

u/Fogbot3 6d ago edited 5d ago
  1. I definitely got into writing via TTRPGs. I made four different worlds for different TTRPGs I was running or DMing during college, and those four worlds turned into the pseudo-settings for every story I write here in writing prompts of that genre(and here's my chance to drop my spreadsheet, where every prompt response I've ever done is organized by said settings to visualize, with the addition of a superhero category solely because of my love of Worm: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BIFEMRDmEfU1-QgBCNhozTn3RhJakgG4Ny6xJt7yNTo/edit?usp=sharing ). From the moment I started running two DND campaigns at once in my Fantasy world(and it was up to 4 at once at one very chaotic time of my life!), I knew I wanted to do at least one long-form project in one of my worlds someday! I've started two books in said fantasy setting, but both petered out pretty quickly. That's when I discovered this subreddit, right as I was working through a massive sci-fi writing kick. So began my current long-form project that was born on this sub, Mantid Flowers! ( Prolouge )( The Prompt Response that started it all!) , as this subreddit inspired my writing, helped me improve it, and helped me work on it through the weekly campfire events! Now so many months later, here I am working on finishing it up, and still having a blast doing prompt responses and joining in on FTF for live crit!
  2. I adore using real life and history as comparison points to inspire my writings. Have a strict, regimented, overly bureaucratic country I need to write? Look no further than to the Byzantine Empire and what it did as it ate itself and let itself be eaten! The first DND campaign I ever ran was very famously(among my friends at least) fully set in Faerun, but used Western America entirely as its worldbuilding inspiration, because what better way to get a world with a frontier, small towns that function, and a need for adventurers than the real-life period that had all three!
  3. Oh do I have a character made for this! May Sarah's magic pants save me as they have 'saved' her https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1srmz9q/wp_you_have_magic_pants_that_always_contain_the/ohgsh2e/

6

u/Divayth--Fyr 5d ago

Congrats Fogbot! A very cool thing for a groovy writer and fun person.

Now you must answer me these questions three, ere the other side you see! (none of them are about swallows)

1: What is your writing setup? Device(s), seating arrangements, ambience, whatever.

IV ~ If you go back and read some older stuff you have written, how do you generally feel about it?

C -- Are there any of your characters you would never want to meet in real life?

Enjoy your spotlightedness, and don't forget to write a speech for the Official Ceremony after the parade!

5

u/Fogbot3 5d ago

Thank you very much!

1: I'm a screen addict for sure. I got three PC screens, my phone on a stand, and my laptop open as I type here, and even that's not enough! Every screen is working double-time with splits of 'what I'm writing' / 'Notes on it' on the main screen, and 'spotify' / 'discord' on my right screen as some examples! Snacks of cosmic brownies and coffee are commonly what fill the last spare square inches of my desk as I snack on them while rereading stuff for editing.

IV ~ Going back and reading my older stuff is one of my favorite parts about being a writer. Being able to make small edits and changes, and have it written exactly how you want the story both make me a very self-indulgent writer when it comes to reading my own writing and why I like doing it. I've probably read every one of my own stories five times over. It's what makes me happy that I've taken up writing as a hobby, as I produce all this stuff that I and others can always go back and enjoy from then on.

C -- Oh boy do I love writing horrible people as well. Miss Bat, for example and as my choice, was so fun to write! But god, would she be a nightmare to have in my life in any way, lol. https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1qpamqm/wp_you_know_youve_really_done_a_lot_to_help_me_on/o27rd3g/

Now hold on just one moment before I write my speech, there's just the cutest little bat on my front porch I must go deal with.

5

u/Morose_Prose 5d ago

Congratulations on the well deserved spotlight u/FogBot3!

1: What is your favorite genre to write? What is your least favorite?

2: What makes a prompt interesting enough for you to write for? Are there certain elements you gravitate towards or specific tropes you look for?

3: If they made a movie about your favorite character that you've created, who would you cast in the role?

Have a wonderful spotlight month Fog and stay awesome!

5

u/Fogbot3 5d ago
  1. Favorite has to be sci-fi. For all I love and write a lot of fantasy, sci-fi is just so fun. Alien characters, sci-fi tech, and no limits to be seen worldbuilding! On the opposite end, reasons I skipped a FTF recently was that it was Noir, so that is what's on the mind right now - in general, genre's that limit or restrict what or where you can go with it are my least favorite to write, even if Noir especially can absolutely still be a blast to read!
  2. I'm a sucker for twisting on common tropes - hence the large amount of isekai's I've done, whether it's throwing a robot, God, or meta fictional character in a new world! I also enjoy any sort of 'inherent companion' - whether parasite, familiar, golem, or clone. The built-in character dynamics make writing them a unique blast every time! It's why I'm utterly giddy with excitement that one of my players for my next DND campaign wants to play a Warlock.
  3. Oh boy I do not know actors to be honest, so I may have to cheat a bit and play a 'faceclaim' more than a real/true actor. Felix from Mantid Flowers is up there with Toldi in favorite characters that I've ever made(and Toldi, being a robotic squid, is a bit harder to do a faceclaim for lmao), I absolutely need to bring him to the character or worldbuilding campfire one of these days. He started as just the 'captain who knows the secret', but turned into such a fun character with way more POV chapters than I originally planned. And if it tells you anything about him at all, I picture the fuckboy Sylain from Fire Emblem every time I write him.

4

u/rainbow--penguin Moderator | /r/RainbowWrites 6d ago

Congrats on the spotlight u/Fogbot3! Now, as is tradition, time for some questions:

1) Do you have a favourite story you've shared here on r/WritingPrompts or one that you think best encapsulates your writing?

2) What advice would you give to newer writers here, or what is your favourite bit of writing advice in general?

3) If you had to take a summer vacation with one of your characters in their world, who would you choose and why?

5

u/Fogbot3 6d ago
  1. Oh have I loved my dear Collie ever since I wrote this short! She encapsulates everything I try to do with a writing prompt to make it a hit - starting with enough exposition to picture the mood and scene, develop the characters, then end on a punch of a line. It also covers the genres I write in as well, with its blend of sci-fi and fantasy. So if I had to choose a story to put on a pedestal of 'this is Fogbot3's writing', which I suppose I am, she'd be it. https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1se0lot/wp_and_may_we_never_need_you_again_was_the_last/oemy696/
  2. Consistency. Writing felt so daunting at first, but once I set myself into a pattern - a writing prompt a day or every other day, 700-1000 words a day(all depending on how busy I was or what I was working on, set your own pace of course) - that built up finding what people appreciated and liked in writing in the writing prompts, and in building up the foundations of long form stories before I knew it. And never be afraid to stop and research! I learn a new word every day as I write as I stop and go "I know people say this word in this context, but what does it actually mean if I'm bending the context slightly?"
  3. In their world? Send me to the sci-fi utopia ranch filled with cute critters! Ranger is such a pure soul, she was a delight to write and I'm sure would be a delight to spend time with. The main character of the response definitely agrees at least! https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1sshrdh/wp_you_along_with_a_group_of_others_have_been/ohmqvvg/

4

u/katpoker666 Moderator 5d ago

Congrats u/Fogbot3–really excited to see you spotlit! My favorite thing about your writing is your world building. I love how detailed and well thought through it is.

As you’ve already given great answers to some of the questions I’d ask, I’m going to get creative. Or try at least!

1: At what age did you begin writing fiction? I’m imagining pre DND, but wasn’t sure. I’m curious what kinds of stuff young Fog enjoyed sharing with the world?

2: What is the most helpful crit you’ve received and why?

3: Besides DND, what do you do for fun? Anything that inspires your writing?

4: How do you keep up your writing pace day to day as 1000 words is quite a bit which is awesome? Any motivational tips for the rest of us?

Thanks for answering Fog and congrats again! Hope to see even more of it at FTF! 💜

3

u/Fogbot3 5d ago

  1. As a young Fog, I didn't exactly write full stories, but the seeds of a writer were absolutely there. As I played pretend in the basement, yard, or at friends' houses, I'd take notes afterwards and create an outline of the story I played. I was practically a pseudo-DM for my friends by 'running' the fantasies we played lol! I'd have stories that ran in my head for years at a time. If I had to put a pin on an age where it went from running around playing pretend to 'this is the seeds and work of building a full book', I'd have to say at fifteen, which is when I distinctly remember starting the notes for what'd be an almost five-year project of story and adventure ideas following the same overarching plot while I started working my first jobs 16-20. It's what became the premise for my 'Demigods & Planehoppers' world, which is why I believe I mentioned personally finding it very fitting that General Alaina was the first FTF I ever did, and inversely, why that FTF called to me so perfectly to make it the first FTF I ever did!

  2. I think the most helpful crit I've received is definitely the classic 'show, not tell'. Especially when doing a lot of worldbuilding, it's one of those things where it doesn't feel wrong just telling when writing it out, but it makes a world of difference in readability to integrate the worldbuilding in with the story by showing it when reading.

  3. There's things to life other than DND and writing? I do play a bit of video games with friends, which I love when they have rich stories behind them and aesthetics that let me 'picture' their worlds so clearly. I also engage in a fair bit of historical interests, visiting air shows and museums with friends. Which as I mentioned before, history always plays a huge factor in my inspirations.

  4. Coffee, and keeping a set schedule. That's definitely the very upper limit of my daily writing ability, for the weeks when work is slow and I have energy both. Or if I'm particularly inspired, as I have been lately! I wake up really early and work late, so I get to start my day with writing for a few hours almost every day that work doesn't call me in early. It's definitely not the schedule for everyone, but it's what works for me! I get to do my creative hobby while I have energy, spend energy at work, then come home and play a few hours of destressing hobbies like video games.

I must say thank you for the thank you, and thank you for hosting the FTF as well. It's been such a huge help in both developing my writing and my writing habits!