Welcome to my little corner of the web! (Pardon the dust and balled-up manuscripts.) My name is Amelia Bruce, and I am a writer – of fantasy, and of other things too.
Ink Raindrops was an idea that crept into my head as a way of handling the many story ideas that I’ve fiddled with over the years. Due to the condition of the publishing industry in today’s economy, and the fact that I have yet to complete anything I would market to a serious publisher, I thought that putting my work online for others to view and critique would be a welcome way to practice and gain readership. I also wanted a way for you, my readers, to tell me which of my ideas you like best and want to see more of soonest.
Thus, Ink Raindrops was born. Here at IR, I can post things in a casual format for your viewing pleasure, and you can let me know which stories you love the most. I can focus on what you want to see, and then work on other things as time permits. The interesting part for me is that I expect that the story you want to see more of will change often, thus requiring me to stay on my toes and be ready to tackle anything that comes my way!
As someone with an extensive background in online forum role-playing as well as formal writing, I have no difficulty starting new projects or “going with the flow” on an idea that may not be fleshed out before I start it. I do, however, have a great deal of difficulty when it comes to staying on top of a story once it hits the middle and/or end. I have made it my goal to focus on completing stories here, as well as making them available to readers who might enjoy following them as they progress.
This means that you will find mistakes, such as continuity errors or inconsistencies, from time to time. I do my best to fix spelling and grammar mistakes before I post, and I run my story chapters by my husband, who is kind enough to point out the worst of the blunders before I go public. Aside from that, these are my drafts, and I would guarantee that any published final version of any of these stories would need to be edited first.
As mentioned before, my main interest lies in fantasy stories, so the majority of stories here will be in that genre. However, don’t be surprised when you see other kinds of creations pop up over time. I am a fan of “soft” science fiction and psychological horror as well, and I have been known to dabble in kiddie literature on occasion. I have made an effort to label stories that I feel contain adult material; please visit the About Color Ratings page for more information on how that works.
Last but not least, a few words about the “first publication rights” conundrum of writing for a blog before formal publication. Before I started Ink Raindrops, I was very concerned about this. I didn’t want to risk the chance of someday getting swept off my feet by a handsome knight-publisher on a white horse, and then hearing him ask me to sell rights that I no longer had before I could visit his castle. My friends and family were so disappointed that I wouldn’t share my gift with the world (and, of course, them!) I wasn’t a writer; I was not writing for fear of losing my chance to write.
It may be that I lose ground with potential publishers for not having the ability to sell first publication rights. The industry is a complicated one, and new writers have the hardest time breaking into the market. It would be wisest to hold back anything that might give me an edge; I do not deny that. However, I am no longer willing to sacrifice sharing my passion with those I love, and my ability to make new friends through it, for that benefit.
If I get popular enough for a publisher to contact me via my blog, I hope that they will be able to overlook first publication rights. If I don’t, then this blog remains what I said it would be: a place to practice, and allow others to help me perfect my craft. At worst, I will have a community of awesome readers that help me to be a better writer and a better person, and I can’t argue with that. Consider it my attempt at forming a group of beta readers in preparation for the future!
That said, I do consider this material copyrighted. You’re welcome to link to it, hand out the link to your friends, print copies out, and talk about it to anyone who will listen, as long as my name stays attached to it. I ask that you do not copy it as your own, attempt to publish it under your own name, or try to borrow my ideas and concepts for your own stories. If you want to be a writer, half the game is thinking up your own ideas. (The exception, of course, is for fan-fiction stories. Those are the property of their respective creators, not me! All I’ve done is add my two cents to them.)
I hope that you enjoy your time at Ink Raindrops, and I offer my deepest thanks and respect to those of you that stop by to offer your support, advice, and votes! Whether you’re just a reader, or you vote loud and proud, my writing is nothing without you. Don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see that isn’t here, or if you think the site would be better without something I’ve added.
Yours in sincerity,
Amelia (Amy) Bruce
brasspetals@gmail.com