A day in a world of digital imagination
An outstanding writer comes in many forms and writes in many formats that doesn’t just come printed on paper. Creative minds have gone so far as to even be digital, which leads us to Mouri Fidel. An imaginative artist/writer that I have the luxury of calling a friend. While you might find some of his work printed on paper you won’t find those books on a bookshelf in stores, but you can buy it online for a pretty penny. From seeing writing as a hobby to actually coming into the idea that this could become a career, one book, four blogs, ten short works and over 30 more short stories on the horizon to be found this digital writer was formed. While the published life has slowed down, this writer still does commissioned work for short stories while he tries to graduate from Old Dominion University with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
I got the pleasure of being able to catch Mouri between class projects, commissions, and right before finals in a place where I could sneak in an interview about what it was like in the life of a web writer, what made him start writing, and where he thinks his web writing will go in the future.
Rebbeca: What does a normal day as a web writer look like?
Mouri: Log on, check what comments were posted for the previous posts, look at messages (like requests), put posts on the schedule, do research on the subject (if there are requests), and start writing.
Rebbeca: How long to you spend writing and researching the piece?
Mouri: If it’s the beginning of the week, I grab at least seven reliable sources – it doesn’t matter how long it takes for the research. The writing of it takes the longest. After the first draft, I let it sit for about two or three days, then come back to it and revise, rearrange, and reshape the it. Then when I’m satisfied, I put it up. It could take a week for one blog post.
Rebbeca: What motivates you to write? How/why do you choose the things you write?
Mouri: I get questions on the blog about specifics, so I choose the subject that has the most questions. For example, when I ran a cosplay information blog, I got questions about wig care. So I wrote down what I knew and did more research into the subject; then posted about that. I write because I like it; I don’t need motivation for writing.
Rebbeca: Do you have to keep your own beliefs in line with that of your readers?
Mouri: Religious beliefs or beliefs in general?
Rebbeca: In general.
Mouri: I don’t write biased posts; I do this because there’s enough biased reporting out there without me adding to it. If my readers are offended with that, that’s not my problem.
Rebbeca: Do you let your readers comment on your works?
Mouri: Sure – I enjoy seeing their comments. What they say allows me to either improve future posts or laugh at their stupidity.
Rebbeca: Do you ever have someone else edit or revise your own work?
Mouri: Yes. When I don’t have the time to revise it myself, I ask friends or family to revise/edit my pieces. Even then, though, I go back over it before I post.
Rebbeca: What first got you into writing?
Mouri: When I was 5, I was a great story teller. I didn’t like to write, though, until I got into books. Books are what started me on writing.
Rebbeca: When did you first start web writing?
Mouri: About… six years ago. That’s when I started the cosplay info blog I mentioned earlier.
Rebbeca: What type of web writing do you do at the moment?
Mouri: Mostly stories that people ask me to write, or ones that I write myself. At the moment, I have three in progress, one that was commissioned and two that are for me.
Rebbeca: Your two personal stories, do you plan to publish them online eventually?
Mouri: Yes, eventually, though I’d rather see my stories in a combined text.
Rebbeca: Do you plan to be doing more web writing anytime soon that is not just commissioned writing?
Mouri: I want to do more, I haven’t had time – my classwork takes up all my time right now
I’d like to do more informational blogs to go into more detail on subjects that few people seem to really understand – like gender gluidity and polyamourus relationships.
But I enjoy fiction writing more often than not, so I’d honestly prefer to go in that direction.
Rebbeca: Was it always a plan to become a digital writer, or did it just seem to happen that way?
Mouri: Just happened, honestly. I’d always wanted to be a fiction writer since I was young, but the digital part came later.
Rebbeca: Would you have it any other way? Would you rather be a paper writer over digital?
Mouri: I like both – I prefer paper because I can see the copies in people’s hands and it gives me an ego boost, but I also like hearing about people talk about the posts when they see them.
When it’s digital, it gets distributed easier and gets to more people. That makes me feel good, and makes me want to write more. So I enjoy the digital aspect just as much as the paper.
I wouldn’t go back and change it, even if you told me 15 years ago that it wouldn’t take me very far. I’d still write.
Rebbeca: Well it’s been a delight being able to interview you and take a step into the life of a web writer and all you do. I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and talk with me, it’s been a wonderful time and I look forward to reading your next piece online. Good luck, and I hope you go further than you thought you could with your writing, digital and otherwise.
For right now with Mouri being focused mostly on school the only available website for taste of his work or commissions is tumblr.
For taste of his work click here.
If you would like a commissioned work, or to even understand a bit more what he commissions you can click here.
If you would like to see/purchase his published book you may click here.