Thoughts on Pan from Anna Reyerson
When and how did you arrive at PanHistoria? How did you find out about Pan?
Quite unexpectedly actually -- like one who stumbles through the wardrobe or down the rabbit hole. I've been roleplaying and writing collaboratively for some time now, dating back to the Red Dragon Inn when AOL had just stopped charging by the hour. *shows her age, but one must admit she looks good for a woman who just turned 30* *wink* Then I made some friends in Yahoo's Ayenee before it tanked. My most recent home was a chat-based HTML driven site where I still hold some ties. There I played some fantasy, had some terrific fun playing a delightfully bitchy mulatto con artist/unrealized voodoo priestess in a modern gothic New Orleans. And most recently created a stable of characters for a Victorian setting, of which Anna here is one. Giselle Sauveterre (my second Pan character) was inspired by another character I created, Michael Lysander, who was a ghost in the London Opera house. (That's right ladies, I'm told I'm a good hand at playing a male lead. *makes a cheesy 'call me' gesture*) Here I 
decided to explore the other side of that story and develop what happened to his beloved Giselle after his death.
Well, my Anna storyline didn't exactly pan out, *snickers at her own bad pun* but I wanted to pursue it, and so I went trolling for another venue. I Googled something like story-based roleplay. And through a series of pages I found a link to Pan with a description. I clicked. I read. I was impressed by the emphasis on story here. And, I made myself wait to register until I completed a big RL project I had my hands in. Yep, Pan and that carton of cherry cheesecake ice cream was my reward.
Have you become a Panaddict yet? What keeps you coming back to Pan?
Hmmm...an addict? No. I can quit whenever I want! What? Oh sure, bring up how everyday of my vacation I found myself wondering if a new post had shown up in my storyline, or if new suggestions were made in the Behind the Velvet Curtain planning boards. That doesn't make me an addict! I'm just a girl who loves a good story. But, my husband must endure regular updates of story developments or plans for future posts or new characters, you say. Well, so what? I can quit whenever I like...just let me hang out for 10 more minutes to see if any interesting IMs pop up.
How often and what time of day do you check in at Pan?
Depends on the season. In the rainy season, I'm an evening and weekends sorta Panner. During the dry season, I'll be around more often.
Is there any piece of work that you are especially proud of that you created here? Why are you pleased with it?
Well, all I've actually posted is some backstory and character development with Anna Reyerson. Many thanks to William who interacted early with me and eagerly volunteered to play her lost husband. I think it's coming along great so far. We're still building backstory, but stay tuned as we move toward a reunion and the characters actually start to interact more. Neither of us has any idea how that little bit of tragedy will end up. But a truly happy ending is hard to imagine.
I've only just started planning Giselle Sauveterre's entrance into Behind the Velvet Curtain. But I think her backstory (posted at her home) turned out well. Just today I wrote up her entry post to the novel, but I'm waiting to post until the new chapter starts. It may be up when this goes to press, but I'm rather proud of the description a live theater experience. I am eagerly joining the Guillaume, Tamsyn, Raisa, Genevieve, Dahlia, Durgurth storyline. Thanks to Guillaume who invited me to BTVC after reading my Anna posts and to Durgurth who came forward to be Giselle's primary writing partner.
What experiences had you had, if any, with online communities other than Pan?
Oh dear. It seems I've addressed this in my earlier ramblings. Accolades and appreciation to those who've helped me grow along the way as a writer, actress, improv ham, etc. Special thanks go to Marok L. and a Charming Fool.
You have only been here a short time, but what about Pan do you think will be memorable for you?
Well, there's truth in advertising. You people really are friendly. The first time I donned the "let's talk" bunny ears, I had like 3 or 4 IMs pop up on my screen. Also, see my answer to the following question.
If someone asked you "Why PanHistoria and not site x, y or z?" what would your answer be?
Well, it's so expansive. I've found some wonderful niches to put my own characters into, but because of the nature of the novel system there are so many stories just waiting to be read at my leisure. At my previous home, there was no real way to know what was going on in other people's stories unless you sat in a room and watched the posts scroll.
Also, I think this will be better for my real life. So yeah, I do confess to being addicted to online storytelling, but with the forum system, I can indulge in much longer posts and only check in once a day if need be. At my old real time site, I'd hang around far too often, sometimes without play, hoping one of my partners would drop by. And while I did enjoy the instant gratification of real time play, the frustration of waiting for a writing partner who may or may not show up was at times vexing and ultimately what sent me looking elsewhere. I wasn't sure about the forum system here when I signed up, but I think I've come to find it's just what I was looking for. I believe it was Quester I was speaking to about how I was used to real time play and expressed my uncertainty of forum play, to which he sagely responded with something approximating "I like to think of this place as more laid back." And if the guru wasn't Quester, I sincerely apologize. Send me a rant at my home and I'll make it right. *wink*
Finish this sentence.. A day without PanHistoria is....
*wants to come up with something witty and poetic but settles for the simple and true*
...spent dreaming up new angles for the next time I log in.
What other thoughts and comments would you like to share?
Well, thanks for featuring me in this fine publication and thanks to all for making me so welcome here.
