Epicocity: What got
you into the fandom(s) that you’re currently writing for?
Potat Lasaro (Potat): It was more or less just that I had
watched these shows while growing up and had ideas of stories or events that
never happened in them. So, one day I decided to just start writing them out.
Granted the first few are rather forgettable (and for good reasons).
But I just mainly wanted to get these ideas to actually
happen even if they were just a fan-fiction
Epicocity: Any ideas
in particular that struck your fancy?
Potat: Well, for a series that I feel no one talks about,
Zatch Bell, there were a few characters who were introduced and then written
out. One standing out being a demon named Danny who could heal himself from any
injury. So what if he and the others who were written out without any actual
involvement in the story played actual roles instead of Characters of the Week?
So, I took them and added them into the actual story and
tried to work it out....Let's say it didn't work...haha
Epicocity: Ha ha,
yeah, that can happen. Are you a part of any community as a writer? Do you
enjoy that community?
Potat: I guess you can say I'm part of both the Pokemon and
Dragon Ball communities, though outside of writing stories and talking about
them on Twitter I don't really do much in them.
They can both be fun to be a part of, but a lot of times
they can be frustrating since people are always arguing over little nitpicks
such as "A can't be stronger than B since there's no way they could train
that much!" even with it being implied it could happen or the reasoning
behind the action...
Epicocity: So true,
though I'd imagine more for the Dragon Ball community than the Pokémon one.
Potat: Yeah. It's typically worse in the former...though the
latter can be frustrating at times.
Epicocity: True
enough. Your favorite genre to read or write?
Potat: Reading wise, I enjoy a good adventure with
action. But, the cast has to be
something I can enjoy as well.
Writing though....so far I've only ever written adventure
based stories since the series I've written for are all like that. I haven't
tried to do any other genre...yet.
Epicocity: Your
favorite work that you’ve written? Keep in mind, not the one you think is the
best, just your favorite.
Potat: Honestly, my favorite would be "Breaking Out of
Your Shell" for Zatch Bell. It may have been cancelled since there is no
community for that series, but I just really enjoy writing for that series.
Epicocity: What made
it so enjoyable?
Potat: Just the original cast that Makoto Raiku created in
his story. There are so many different characters to work with and their
interactions with not only other cast members but OCs that were created for the
story as well.
In a series like that, there are endless interactions that
can happen. Granted I never got to the point where the interactions between
everyone really hit it off
Epicocity: Describe
your favorite scene that you’ve ever written, and why is it so?
Potat: Hmm....that's a little tricky since my favorite scene
hasn't been written yet but I'm working to it.
But, out of everything published so far I would have to say
Alain vs Ash in the Kalos League Finals for Champions and Crushes. It was just
a fun time writing those chapters, especially Ash-Greninja vs Mega Charizard X.
Epicocity: You could
tell from the way that the story read, ha ha. Likewise, What do you feel is
your magnum opus?
Potat: That is currently in the works. I like to consider
the Team Rocket portion of Champions and Crushes being my magnum opus once it's
finished...if it all works out how I picture it will of course.
Epicocity: It's all
about how it works out, right?
Potat: Yeah, it is how it all works out.
Epicocity: Are there
any influences you have as a writer? Why so?
Potat: Writers....I'd be lying if I said no. Personally, I
like how Makoto Raiku for how he can handle a cast of around 100 characters and
give each of them defining personalities along with arcs about each of them
even if some are shorter than others. I also tend to follow Akira Toriyama when
it comes to listening to requests: don't. By that I mean if someone asks you to
include a certain character, don't unless you actually have plans for them. If
you can't think of anything useful for them, there's no point to just please
fans with a lackluster showing of a character.
Other fanfic authors I look to tend to be both
AmourshippingCanon and Epicocity. The latter for learning how to stay in one
form of Third Person Limited when writing.
Epicocity: Following
that, Any particular favorite works? Why those?
Potat: Are these just fanfics or any works?
Epicocity: Both,
really. You can do one, the other or both.
Potat: Alright then... For some stories, that I really loved
reading, I enjoyed Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series along
with A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.
Fanfics I have enjoyed would have to be the Kalos Trilogy of
the Ancienverse by Epicocity along with Gotta Catch That One by
AmourshippingCanon. Others would have to be Memories by 11JJ11 and Lights of
Laverre by EllisW.
And of course I can't end it without mentioning my all time
favorite work: Dragon Ball...
Epicocity: Series of
Unfortunate Events was fun back in the day, ha ha. Favorite scene from any
others works?
Potat: A favorite scene...this one is easy for me. No doubt
it is Goku first transforming into a Super Saiyan. Just the entire scene still
excites me to this day.
Epicocity: Always
great to have those scenes that excite you constantly. Does that particular
scene ever inspire your own works?
Potat: Honestly? No..haha....But, there is a moment that
does. Later on near the end of the Buu arc where everything seems done for and
hope manages to poke its head through thanks to Vegeta's quick thinking. Along
with another scene by Vegeta which is right up there in my top 5 moments of
DB...
Epicocity: Describe
your writing process?
Potat: First I jot down a few ideas I would like to try and
write and from there I narrow it down to one single idea to focus on.
From that point, I then come up with a list of possible
characters that I would like to include and how each would be useful to this
potential story. If they are deemed expandable or I'm not able to come up with
a use for them I cross them out.
From there, I come up with a summary before then going into
a bullet point outline for each and every chapter. Once finished with the
outline I tend to go back and read through and edit the outline, cutting out
anything that doesn't really fit or adding something that may make the story
better in the long run. This tends to happen about two or three times per
story.
Once everything is in order I begin to write the chapter,
finishing it and then rereading it. As I read through, I'll edit or completely
change a section I don't feel works well and in some cases rewrite an entire
chapter if I don't like the finished product.
Epicocity: Certainly
an exhaustive process, but one that works well for producing a good product.
Potat: Yeah it can get tiring, but it's just how I am...
Epicocity: Have you
ever thought about branching into other fandoms?
Potat: Yes, I have thought so. I recently rewatched Yu Yu
Hakusho and it's just an overall good story I wouldn't mind getting involved in
with its fandom.
Other series include My Hero Academia and a bigger
involvement in Star Wars.
Epicocity: Any
upcoming tidbits you’d like to talk about?
Potat: Without giving any spoilers, the Rocket arc in
Champions and Crushes and getting towards the climax and will be gaining steam
until finally finished. Once that's completed though, a certain match that Ash
has been waiting for is right around the corner.
Otherwise I have a sequel to Champions and Crushes I'm
working on that picks up after some events at the end of C&C. But I can't
talk about it just yet without giving anything away
Epicocity: It all
sounds rather exciting as the story moves towards its conclusion.
Potat: I hope it sounds exciting, but I tend to overthink
too often when writing...
Epicocity: Any words
to give to aspiring writers that you’d like to share?
Potat: Just write about what you love. Whatever you love
whether it's a certain tv show, manga, cartoon, comic, movie, sport, anything, just
write about it and continue to practice. Also, read. Reading other works can
help you pick up on mistakes you make in your own works by seeing how others
do.
Epicocity: Good
words, especially for those that can suffer writer's block. Thanks a lot for
your time in this interview.
Potat: No problem. Thanks for having me for it!
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