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1) How did you come up with the idea of a shopkeeping guide?
Actually, it wasn't my idea to make a shopkeeping guide. It was my former guild that motivated me to write the guide. They thought that I had much
experience in running a shop than them so they told me to share my ideas. So when I wrote the guide, it was put in the guild's gallery of guides.
2) What audience do you think your guide most effects?
My guide is for all people who are interested in making NP through shopkeeping. And when they get the hang in it, I made a section for people
who want to push it to malling, which for me, a good money-maker.
3) How did the experience of owning your own shop and joining a mall help you write it?
I have to thank my experience in owning a shop and becoming part of the mall. Because of that, I learned the Do's and Don'ts of Shopkeeping,
how to get in visitors to the shop, which hut is most effective when you are in the Marketplace, and more. If I weren't owning a shop, I probably
won't have anything to write in the guide.
4) About how long did it take you to reach your goals you mention in the guide, such as joining a mall?
It took me less than one month of playing to reach a million and it took me maybe a year or two to become part of a mall. After joining a mall, it
took me a year, I guess, to make it Main Market size.
5) What would you say is the most difficult thing about getting started with a shop?
The most difficult thing is PRICING. You need a bit of time refreshing the Shop Wizard to see what is the most effective pricing. You have to be
patient though, as some people would try to beat your price. But when you are, it will eventually sell and you keep your profits. Pricing is also
difficult in malling. You need to price it at a suitable price to maximize your profits.
6) In your guide, you mention four ways customers come across your shop. In your opinion, what is the best way to advertise your shop?
If you are not in a mall, the best bet would be the Shop Wizard and the Shop Ads boards (I can't pick one ). I suggest that if you are not in a Main
Market mall, you put the items that you RS, maybe, at one of the top portions in Shop Wizard price (will add to the guide). If you are in a Mall, the
best way to advertise is picking a good hut, always staying on top of it, and having your co-members do so too. With that, you'll have customers
galore and will have a high sales output.
7) I personally find your tips on restocking very helpful. How did you learn all the tricks for fast restocking?
I have to hand it to restocking for making me what I am now. I personally followed other guides and practicing it everyday. Then I got the hang of it
and started to gain more profits.
8) Why do you think shopkeeping is the best way to make neopoints?
Ahh. What shopkeeping has to offer that others (ways of making NP) don't is that shops do not stop doing business when you are offline (unlike
Rsing, Reselling in the Trading Post, Sniping in the Auctions or Shop Wiz). You can go for a rest and then when you wake up and go online you sell items and gain profit.
9) When did you first realize your guide was really becoming famous on neopets?
I actually didn't know and think that my guide is famous. I think is full of old ideas and really needs updating. When I input all of my new ideas, I am
hoping it would be famous and would be followed by all shopkeepers.
10) In your new addition to the page, you discuss hut positioning. Do most malls require you have a certain level in your hut? If so, how does this
help the mall?
The main goal of malls is to let their members acquire a very high position in their mall hut (first or second). However, there are some malls who
actually let their members have the freedom to upgrade the shop. Of course, the tendency for this is that some mallers who do not know anything
about hut positioning tend to place their shops into random spots in the huts therefore decreasing the overall sales output of the mall.
Hut positioning for me is by far the most important aspect in getting a large sales output. Of course, like what I said in the guide, malling is a
group effort and everyone needs to participate in trying to be in the high positions of the huts. A maller must think that his proper positioning in the
huts can actually EFFECT the sales output of his/her co-members, rather than looking it in the microscopic view of his own shop.
1) Many of your stories have emotional content not usually seen in the NT these days, such as complex morale descisions, internal conflicts, and even some subtle romance. How do you feel about these reacurring themes in your stories?
I try to push boundaries. I feel like there are a lot of experiences that people don't get to read about in the NT due to the rules, so I work to find creative ways to bring these issues to the surface without breaking any of the NT rules. I feel like deeper emotional issues are more of a challenge to write about, and I always try to take my writing beyond convention.
2) What do you like to write the most of? (short stories, articles, series, ect.)
I love writing short stories and series. They're incredibly different, and I like them for different reasons. Short stories allow me to focus on one emotion or situation and delve really deep into it. Series let me weave a story with lots of different elements and present them to the reader.
3) What are some of your comments on your first story, The Choice?
The Choice was a really fun story to write, and I think it set a strong tone for most of my stories to follow. If that story hadn't been a tragedy, I doubt that so many of my subsequent stories would have been tragedies. It showed me my strengths, and I think that was a very valuable lesson.
4) What is your favorite story you've published so far?
I don't know if I could pick a favorite, but Cycle of the Moon definitely took the longest to write, and I'm really proud of it.
5) How did you feel when you won the NT award?
It was really exciting. I didn't expect it at all.
6) Why do you think your stories have stood out amongst the others in the NT?
I always try to make my stories stand out. I try to explore topics and issues that you don't see much in the NT. I want all of my stories to have a very unique feel, and I try to accomplish that by going into deep emotions and thoughts, because when you get deep into the mind and heart, it's hard to be boring or repetitive.
7) What can you tell us about your latest story, Cycle of the Moon?
Cycle of the Moon took a very, very long time to write. I planned out 90% of the story before I ever started writing it. I had to do a lot of research first into Chinese culture, upon which I based much of my Shenkese legends. I had to learn how to give authentic Chinese names to my characters, which I think really helped give the story a more realistic feeling. The plot was really hard to work out, since it involves so many characters and situations. I outlined it and revised it several times before I even wrote a word. Once I started the actual writing process, the story still underwent several revisions, and it took several months before I finished. Now that it's been completed and published, I'm really proud looking back at it. There's always room for improvement, though.
8) What advice do you offer authors who are just starting?
My advice is to think about your experiences and try to come up with a really original idea. Finding inspiration is probably the hardest part of the writing process. If you get an idea that really inspires you, the writing will come naturally. Just don't give up! Be confident in yourself, because giving up will never get you anywhere.
9) What work of yours can we look forward to in the near future?
I'm actually planning a series that takes place in the Space Station. It's one of my favorite concepts ever, but it does push a few boundaries, so I'm not sure if it'll get published. I still have a lot of ideas to put together before I can begin writing, though.
1.) What inspired you to write the petpet detective series that you're so well known for?
I have always loved mystery series and I knew that once I gained a good feel for NT-writing, I wanted to create my own detective team. I didn't realize how much work it would be, but I am very happy with the outcome.
2.) What do you like to write the most of? (short stories, articles, series, ect.)
I very much enjoy writing mysteries, but I think my favorite would have to be short stories.
3.) How did you feel about your first story that was published, a Trade's a Trade?
I was ecstatic. It was back in the day when you had to submit your work by e-mail and when I found the acceptance letter in my inbox, I ran around
the house and told my family. Definitely one of my proudest moments on Neo!
4.) What is your favorite story you've published so far?
That's a toughie! It's incredibly hard for me to choose a short story, but I think I would have to say 'The Watchmaker'. I'm not even sure why. After I
wrote it, I remember being incredibly happy with how it turned out! My favorite series is TPPD: Case of the Absent Anubis. Again, I don't know
why, but I probably had the most fun writing that case. I think it must've been those Sahkmetian temples...
5.) Why do you think your stories have stood out amongst the others in the NT?
First of all - thank you for saying that! I think my writing comes across as very real and heart-felt. I tend to write so that the reader can picture
exactly what is happening as it is happening and people seem to enjoy that.
6.) What can you tell us about your latest story?
Case of the Yanked Yooyus was both very rewarding and very difficult. I have to credit my friend jockylocky for helping me with all of the
technicalities of the Altador Cup and Yooyuball. There was a lot of rewriting and times when I kept backing myself into a corner, but with patience I
was able to finish. It's a very exciting case that incorporates one of the biggest events on Neopets and I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it.
7.) What advice do you offer authors who are just starting?
Always keep your chin up. Rejection stings, but unfortunately, it's something we all have had to deal with. You're never going to get published if
you give up! And if you keep on trucking, it just makes acceptance that much sweeter.
1. Why did you want to make 15k in 15 min and 50k a day?
Back around the end of 2005, I played a certain group of games everyday. I told my friends I could earn 15k in about 15 minutes from games, and they asked me what games. I decided to place this information on a petpage for two reasons so that I could have a personal link to my dailies and games, and to help my friends. 50k a day was a guide that I started up much more recently and I did that as there seemed to be a huge number of people wanting to earn more than 15k a day.
2. Did you know your guide was going to be famous when you started?
No way! I had very little expectations of it being popular when I first started. It was merely a convenient page of links for me to do my dailies and games. But very slowly the page began to grow, from getting 20 visitors a day, to a few months later where it was getting 200 then a few months later when it was getting even more.
3. When did you first realize that you were tasting fame?
The first time I had the feeling that my page was famous was when I saw a board about it on the forums. That really made me feel like I made a huge accomplishment. I still get a kick out of seeing my guide talked about on the neoboards.
4. I for one found your guide most helpful. What do you think makes it different from all those other 18k in 18 min. ect. guides?
I try to keep my guide as simple and as informative and straightforward as possible. I made my guide a simple list of daily links and game links with explanations for those games and neopoint approximations of those games. For my 50k a day, I gave each game a rating out of 5, so that my guide could be used as a full 50k a day, or by picking some of them and earning a smaller amount in less time. I stay away from fancy graphics for my guides to make them as efficient as possible. A new feature I added to make my guide even more helpful is that I display the daily question answer. Each day I try to update the answer as soon as possible after the neo-clock reaches 12:00.
5. Have you always been an avid game player?
Games are where everyone starts on neo, and I was an avid gamer back when I made my guide. Unfortunately, as I got into restocking I began to play games less often. When I reached my main market shop size, I began playing games very rarely. These days, I still occasionally play games, but its not really worth my time anymore since malling and restocking are so much more profitable.
6. Do you ever use your own guide for links to dailies?
Yes! Everyday I visit my page for links to my dailies.
7. Your restocking guide is quite impressive too. Do you enjoy restocking?
Yeah, restocking is one of the most time consuming things I do on neopets. Doing some restocking is how I like to relax and enjoy some of my spare time. It is my main source of neopoints, and I keep a list of all my accomplishments at http://www.neopets.com/~irrits. My shop is mostly used for malling rather than restocking though. Malling is something that I found amazing the very first day I created my account, and I spent a year saving up 25 million neopoints to reach main market.
8. You already had 15k in 15 min. Why make 50k a Day?
I introduced a 50k a day so I could assist a wider range of people. Not everybody in Neopia has the time or the desire to earn the same amount of neopoints per day, so I can provide more help by having both the guides. Plus I thought the two pages would compliment each other, and I have linked them together along with my restocking guide, and maybe more pages in the future.
9. With all the new stuff neopets is adding, is it going to be pretty hard to add all those new ratios to the guide?
New stuff is always being added, so the guides have to constantly be updated. The biggest help of all is the users who suggest games, or notify me if a game needs to be removed as it saves me lots of work and allows the guide to be shaped around what users want. With all the new ratios… I'm going to have some work to do and sit down for a few hours and play every game again, correcting the neopoint values on the guides.
10. Who do you think uses your giude more: Newbies or advanced players?
There does not really seem to be a specific type of people that uses my guide the most. I get feedback and comments from newbie accounts, to very old accounts or both people who play neopets infrequently or everyday.
11. What's your advice to earning neopoints to users who are just starting out?
Games are a brilliant way of making neopoints. They are a fantastic way of earning points up until the point that you have lots of experience restocking and can make more from that. As a beginner, start off with games and then later on ask yourself about how serious you are about neopets. If you play it very regularly, restocking might be a great neopoint making method to get into. Restocking is not instant; it takes months and months of practise to become good and it requires a lot of patience, but it can open up so many doorways for a neopets addict than sticking to games. Also, if you are going to be playing neopets in the long run, begin on the stockmarket! The best advice I have to earning neopoints: Earn neopoints from as many ways as possible! You could accumulate quite a lot of points if you played games, restocked, used the stockmarket, collected your dailies and so on.
1) Have you had many complaints or doubts from users about the agency being allowed on Neopets?
Yes, it's pretty common, actually. Many people assume that we are zapping others' pets- not zapping pound pets. Most know this is against the rules, and automatically flame. We've given about 50 pound pets new homes, and yet people still assume we're scammers....
2) What is a "retrader", and what problems do they cause?
Retraders make requests, and, once they get the pet, trade it away for another pet. The whole point of the agency is to give a person their dream pet, and it rubs all of the zappers the wrong way to see someone's supposed dream pet sitting on someone else's account. We feel very strongly about this, and encourage others to only request their dream pet, so as not to rob someone else of acheiving their dream.
3) What is the color/species you get the most requests for?
I think it's a three way tie- Faerie Xweetok, MSPP Poogle, and Maraquan Gelert are definitely the most requested!
4) How did you get all those other Happy Zappers to join you?
I used to have recruiting boards, which is how I got some of my first few zappers. Now, all zappers apply after either seeing our request boards, or seeing the link to the agency in a signature. Most of the zappers have the link, so I get a lot of applications from curious HCers who came across the page by accident. No recruiting boards required!
5) How did you come up with the idea of the donation shop?
We used to have a donation shop which bought new lab maps for the zappers- for the agency, of course. Sadly, TNT ruled that this was against the rules, and I closed it down. Recently, a lot of the zappers suggested holding 1 np auctions, and now the donation shop is for funding the auctions. All of the zappers look forward to it, and enjoy competing to outbid the other.
6) What is the Zapper Guild?
The Zapper Guild is the guild associated with the agency, for zappers only. All zappers report their daily zaps, announce granted requests, or just chat about random stuff. Many zappers, including myself, are guild haters, but everyone apparently loves this one!
7) Do have any plans for future additions to the agency?
7. We're not really sure at the moment. We are always looking for affiliates, but as for further additions specifically to the agency, we will add to the agency as we think of new ideas!
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