"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things."

- Sir Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British prime minister

If I said something in a review that you didn't like, then know that my intention was never to attack or belittle you. I was simply drawing attention to something that seemed wrong to me and I'm more than happy to clarify what I said if you want to PM me. Before you do so, however, have a read of the 'Reviews' section on my profile.

If you've received reviews or PMs from a bunch of users all claiming that I'm evil and everything I say is wrong, it's actually just one weirdo who flipped out at us after one of her sock accounts was banned from Farla's forum for thinking racial slurs were funny and they've decided to take their anger out on everyone else. For a list of Hybrid of Fate/Sevenways56's many, many alt accounts, head over here! If you block the accounts she'll still try to annoy you by leaving an anon review or two but at least she won't leave five signed-in reviews shouting about everything but your actual story. If you want to know more details, an accounting of events is over at /misc-discussion-post/#comment-72930

Please also note that I have had no direct contact with Hybrid since May 2018, nor have I ever reviewed any of her stories. By contrast, you can find no less than nine reviews posted across my stories by her or her sock accounts and her so-called 'second opinion' reviews on many of the stories I have reviewed. So if you're here because we've been 'bullying' and 'harassing' Hybrid, then know that we've been trying to walk away from this for months now and she has continued chasing us. If, like me, you want this drama to end, then she's the one you need to convince.

All Pokémon Journey-related stuff can be found below - updates are mostly weekly, but I won't make promises. Check the Facebook page if I've missed a 'deadline' since that's where I'll post about delays.

A Certain Mysterious Eclipse is dead - it was intended as a sort-of proof of concept and never had the kind of plot that could have sustained the story. Visit it if you feel the need, but don't expect any further updates.

I can also be found on:

AO3: archiveofourown (dot) org/users/Talarc

Facebook: facebook (dot) com/Talarc24 (Specific to Pokémon Journey)

Twitter: twitter (dot) com/Talarc24

Lake Valor: lakevalor (dot) net/members/talarc.2605

Table of Contents

1. Reviews

2. My Stories

3. Talarc's Guide to Not Messing This Up

4. News

Reviews

I'm constantly trying to improve myself as a writer and for this, I view clear and honest reviews as being vital. Long-time reviewers of the Pokémon Journey series will know that I encourage and readily engage with critical comments and am very eager to learn from mistakes that I've made.

My philosophy in life is to 'do unto others as you would do to yourself' and so, since I want other people to leave reviews pointing out issues with my work that I can use to improve them, I think it's important to do them the same courtesy. This means that I will be honest in my assessment of other people's stories, offering suggestions on what can be improved. I don't offer empty praise these days, so you can be sure that anything I say in my reviews is genuine and not forced. I can't control how others will interpret my reviews, but please know that it's never my intention to insult or belittle anyone - I'm simply trying to help you improve as a writer and I'm not about to force you to do anything I recommend. If receiving a critical review is something that you'd rather avoid, then you can block me by going to 'Account', selecting 'Block User' and entering my pen name, user id or profile URL.

Please note that a review block is also a PM block; I can read any messages you send me, but I won't be able to respond to them. Should you choose to respond to one of my reviews, then I do expect you to adhere to the third point of the community etiquette, which reads:

"Respect the reviewers. Not all reviews will strictly praise the work. If someone rightfully criticizes a portion of the writing, take it as a compliment that the reviewer has opted to spend his/her valuable time to help improve your writing."

Also, before you try and report my reviews for 'cyberbullying' or whatever, keep in mind that the following guidelines are included in the 'report abuse' window:

"Note that critical or harsh reviews are not considered abuses. It is the right of the reviewer to like or dislike this story."

I am not obliged to write the review that you want, just as you are not obliged to write the story I want, and I take offence at accusations of abuses when I'm simply using the site's functions as they were intended.

If you want to request a review, then please read this thread.

Please note that I keep copies of reviews I write and repost them as part of a public record. I do this mainly to compare reviewing methods with other concrit reviewers and to make it easier for mistakes in my reviews to be identified.

What does this mean for you? Functionally, nothing - reviews are publicly visible anyway, so I'm not sharing something that was otherwise hidden from public view. There is a potential bonus though - someone looking through the review threads might see my review of your story and decide that it's worth their time checking it out.

The record for July-September 2018 can be found here. Reviews from after that can be found here instead.

At present, I save copies of PMs for data collection purposes. They aren't currently posted anywhere else. I won't rule out changing this policy in the future should it become necessary, such as if I feel the need to prove that someone is lying about or misrepresenting what I've said.

My Stories

Pokémon Journey

Like many of my ideas, Pokémon Journey developed over a long period of time as an overarching storyline behind my own 'journey' on the Pokémon games. As such, James' team reflects the teams I've used in Platinum, Heartgold, Black, Black 2 and X (as well as teams I've constructed retrospectively for Kanto and Hoenn). Pokémon Journey also reflects my own interpretations of Pokémon lore and so on. I've listed it in the Friendship/Adventure categories, so that's the gist of what you can expect to see.

In terms of plot, it is basically a chronicle of what it would be like for an ordinary trainer going on a pokémon journey, since most other stories tend to throw the protagonist into the traditional battle against Team Rocket (or equivalent). I actually found through writing it that an ordinary journey with pokémon would still be quite exciting, with tense gym battles and battling tournaments appearing. And then there's the excitement of meeting and capturing a new pokémon. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Pokémon Journey stories are trying to stand out by not being special. Does that make sense? As a chronicle, however, I may end up making decisions for it that don't make sense in a story setting (a gang of pokémon trainers all travelling together and all challenging the gyms, for instance, which would result in a conga line of gym battles over the course of several chapters).

Another thing I should mention is that Pokémon Journey revolves around the same group of trainers. For example, the three main protagonists of Kanto (James Burton, Livvi Weston and Richard Winter) are also the main protagonists of Sevii Islands. There may be some switches in the group as more protagonists are introduced throughout the series, but no one will be forgotten about completely.

At the moment, both Pokémon Journey: Kanto and Pokémon Journey: Sevii Islands are complete. These two stories represent the first 'story arc'. With the start of Pokémon Journey: Hoenn on 17 February 2017, we've started a new 'story arc'. Every region will get its own story and some may be revisited to tie in with game sequels (think B2W2) in a second story.

Pokémon Journey: Kanto

Pokémon

Status: Complete

Summary: New trainer James Burton is on a journey to compete in the Kanto League. Joined by his new friends, Livvi Weston and Richard Winter, James travels the Kanto region, catching pokémon and competing to earn the badges that will get him to the Indigo Plateau.

Details: The first story of the Pokémon Journey series. It follows James Burton as he receives his first pokémon and sets off on a journey around Kanto to earn the eight gym badges to compete in the Kanto League. Joining him are Livvi Weston, an enthusiastic girl from Viridian City, and Richard Winter, a boy from Pewter City who initially decided against becoming a trainer. Historically, the story takes place between April and June 2005. As the first Pokémon Journey story, it served as a testing ground for many of the concepts of the series as well as for my battle writing skills. At present, the story has completed its run but I'm continuing to check back and make edits when I find mistakes or areas of improvement.

Ran from: 17 December 2012 - 30 November 2014

Edit Log:

18 August 2018 - I've replaced all of the Kanto extra chapters with new, pokéspeak-free versions.

Pokémon Journey: Sevii Islands

Pokémon

Status: Complete

Summary: With the Kanto League behind him, James Burton and his friends, Livvi Weston and Richard Winter, set out to join the inventor of the Pokémon Transfer System, Bill, in the Sevii Islands. Once there, a quest to find a pair of rare stones and the lure of the Sevii Islands' own league competition lead them into a journey across the archipelago.

Details: Pokémon Journey: Sevii Islands continues the story of James, Livvi and Richard. Unlike Pokémon Journey: Kanto, Sevii Islands will be driven slightly more by the in-game story (i.e. finding the Ruby and Sapphire), simply because no other media has really touched upon it. It has a total of 40 main story chapters and six extra chapters.

Ran from 17 January 2016 - 6 November 2016

Edit Log:

18 August 2018 - I've replaced all of the Sevii Islands extra chapters with new, pokéspeak-free versions.

Pokémon Journey: Hoenn

Pokémon

Status: On hiatus

Summary: To the south-west of Kanto and Johto lies the Hoenn region. For pokémon trainer James Burton, it's a place that offers fresh challenges and opportunities. Alongside him are his old friend, Richard Winter, his younger brother, Will, and a new resident of Hoenn, Nicola Hewitt, all with their own goals in mind. Ahead of them lies the long and difficult path to the Hoenn League.

Details: Pokémon Journey: Hoenn is the third story in the series and follows James as he travels through the Hoenn region with faces both old and new. This story will see the introduction of pokémon contests, as well as multiple protagonists within the group challenging the gyms at the same time. I'm also planning adding a new system for pokémon communication based on feedback I've received on Pokémon Journey: Sevii Islands. Currently, there are 130 planned chapters for Pokémon Journey: Hoenn.

Latest Update: Chapter 110 - Lightning Leaf - James and his team need new combinations for the double performance in the Nishoa Contest.

Next Chapter: Chapter 111 - One Last Chime! - Before heading back towards Sootopolis City, the group decide to visit nearby Ikeri Island.

Please note: any delays in uploads will be announced on the Pokémon Journey Facebook page, which can be found here: facebook (dot) com/Talarc24

Edit Log:

13 May 2020 - fixed a minor error in Chapter 60.

Pokémon Journey: Livvi's Johto Scrapbook

Pokémon

Status: On hiatus (waiting for Hoenn chapters to catch up)

Summary: For Livvi Weston, her goal of surpassing her older sister has led her to part ways with her old friends and set off to the Johto region by herself. But the path to success doesn't always have to be walked alone. Livvi is joined by Alicia Law, a rookie trainer with a mysterious past, who places herself in her care as they both aim to earn gym badges to compete in the Johto League.

Details: A shorter story than previous ones which will focus exclusively on Livvi's journey in the Johto region while James and Richard are in Hoenn. It won't be as in depth as previous stories and will cover primarily key events such as gym battles, new captures, evolutions and so on. It'll have a fairly unique upload schedule, which will be discussed more when the first chapter is uploaded.

Latest Update: Chapter 26 - Land of the Dragon Tamers - Taking on the toughest gym in all of Johto proves to be a challenge for Livvi and Alicia.

Next Chapter: TBA

Please note: any delays in uploads will be announced on the Pokémon Journey Facebook page, which can be found here: facebook (dot) com/Talarc24

Edit Log:

16 April 2020 - Fixed a minor error in Chapter 1 and an error in the team listings for Chapter 26.

A Certain Mysterious Eclipse

Toaru Majutsu no Index

Status: Discontinued

Summary: Misaka Mikoto is the third strongest Level 5 esper in Academy City. Which is why she hates it when she finds someone she can't beat. As well as that idiot, there's also a strange boy, a newcomer to Academy City, who defeats her in battle. Who is this mysterious boy and what are his goals?

Neighbour

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san

Status: Complete

Summary: ‘If you want to win against me so much, then hold my hand, and you win.’

A Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san fanfic. The manga itself and a lot of the existing fanfic for the series is more focused on Nishikata's point of view, so I thought it would be interesting to examine what Takagi's thoughts on her relationship with Nishikata might be. Not quite 'romance' since it's essentially just a monologue with no actual interaction between the two characters, but it's aimed at addressing (guessing) Takagi's personal feelings after all.

Forgotten

Pokémon

Status: Complete

Summary: I tucked myself into a ball that I now rarely left. How many weeks? Months? How long had I been here? Floating near the centre of my poké ball, I clung to the safety it provided. The outside terrified me. How deep underwater was I now? Surely so far that I was completely cut off. This poké ball was my safe haven, the only place I could stay safe. It became my entire world.

This story was originally born from me thinking about the potential problems a pokémon might encounter if they spent too much time in their poké ball without going outside. This led me to the anime episode 'Sandshrew's Locker', the titular character of which spends an unspecified amount of time confined to their poké ball at the bottom of a reservoir, and the story grew from there.

Your Face is Red

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san

Status: Complete

Summary: At last! After all this time, Nishikata finally has a (mostly) foolproof plan to get back at Takagi. If he can pull everything off, then he'll finally get the win he's struggled so hard for. Unfortunately for him, Takagi already has him figured out and is ready to turn it to her own advantage.

I wanted to examine the usual chain of events that normally unfolds in a typical chapter of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san. My original plan was to use Nishikata as the viewpoint character, but I found it way too much fun being inside Takagi's head when I wrote Neighbour and ended up writing from her point of view instead. I think it turned out pretty well and I was able to examine the usual chain of events from Takagi's side, looking at how she breaks down and anticipates Nishikata's thinking. As well as how she might guide him in a certain direction to get what she wants!

News 23 July 2019

Pokémon Journey

All edits for Pokémon Journey: Kanto and Pokémon Journey: Sevii Islands have been completed. There will be no further work on either story.

Pokémon Journey: Hoenn is currently on hiatus over the summer while I attempt to endure the heat and get my motivation to write back. I'm planning on uploading Chapter 109 relatively soon, while regular uploads won't resume until the middle of September.

Pokémon Journey: Livvi's Johto Scrapbook is on hiatus until Pokémon Journey: Hoenn catches up. The Johto League chapters will be uploaded in tandem with the Hoenn League ones. I can't give an estimate on when uploads will resume as it depends entirely on how well Hoenn progresses in the coming months.

Important Reminder: I may have set a bad precedent during Pokémon Journey: Sevii Islands's run, where I regularly uploaded chapters on a rigid, fixed schedule, going so far as to include the upload date in the 'next chapter' listing here on my profile. In Hoenn's case, upload dates aren't included and there is no set upload schedule - chapters only receive an upload date once I've finished writing them, though I have aimed to maintain the once-a-week on a Sunday (now switched to Friday) pattern from before.

This means that Friday isn't automatically 'upload day'. If a Friday passes without an upload, then it means that I a) am on a break (I take a week off uploads after every ten chapters), or b) haven't finished the next chapter yet, in which case it'll be uploaded as soon as it's finished. Additionally, if a chapter hasn't been uploaded, then check the Pokémon Journey Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Talarc24/), which is where I post any news updates about the chapter schedule.

Important Announcement: After spending time reflecting on the problems the Pokémon Journey series currently suffers from, I have taken the decision to end the series after the completion of Hoenn and Johto Scrapbook. In its place, I'll be starting a new series with the working title Daily Lives of Pokémon Trainers (or DLPT for short) that will essentially be a rewrite of the stories I've written so far. Doing this will give me the freedom to fix many of the character and plot problems from the original series that continue dragging my writing down now. There's currently a content survey about what types of content readers enjoy in Pokémon Journey which can be accessed via the Facebook page. If you've got any opinions on this subject, then I'd love to hear them.

One-shots

I recently uploaded a new Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san one-shot called Your Face is Red, which I wrote to coincide with the start of the second season of the anime. I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope that lots of people can read it and enjoy it too.

General

I've been living in working in Japan for just over seven months now and this section has been long overdue an update.

I'm currently contracted to continue working as an ALT in Japan's Chiba Prefecture until March 2020. I haven't made a decision about whether or not I will remain in Japan after that, or return to the UK yet. However, I will be returning to the UK for two weeks from 3rd August to see my family and friends and bring back all the manga and anime I've brought since I arrived in Japan back in December.

While I have plenty of free time over the summer, a combination of the heat and other factors have made it hard for me to focus on writing, so I've effectively suspended all writing activity for the next couple of months. I'm hoping to get started again in September, once the weather has started to cool down again.