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The Dark Side
This is a special service for those of you who can't speak or read proper language (Norwegian). I don't think your handicap is severe, although it might do you some damage, considering what you miss out on of norwegian vitality and ingeniuity.
You will find my english articles here, some bad pics of me, and some general fun. I'm not going to be all serious on this part of the place, and I'm not going to help you sort out what is serious, and what's not. This is, after all; the dark side ...
My professional self, a presentation
You may wonder who this bloke is; gasping on the top of the page. He's of course not all together serious, but certainly got a serious side to. This is a short writing on the professional part of it.
I am a STORYTELLER
- creating neverending stories for children, and together with them. I use various tecniques in this work, but always seek to get the public involved in the direction of the stories, to comment on their own life in relation to the story, and to discuss the morals of it. I also get adults to tell me their life-story, and write it down as fairy-tales. This is very interesting, both in relation to the special writing-process, and in relation to their reactions. It's a long term project.
I'm an AUTHOR
- and I had my debute in 1996, with a collection of poems. It got high acclaim, but won no prizes. I'm still writing poems. My last poem was a whole book in itself, an epic wild west tale, on how to be a modern man with outdated beliefs. I'm quite proud of the achievement, but have not found a publisher yet. I write short-stories too, immersing myself in werewolf-fiction now, in the context of additional material for my RPG Fabula. This winter I'm also writing my first novel. It's traditional fantasy, but the main-characters are not, and they are the focus of the story. I'm not interested in art for art's sake. I'm in this to communicate with humans, and try to distance myself from any "arty" notions.
I'm a RPG-DESIGNER
- and I published my Fantasy RPG "Fabula" last year, as the first ever publication of this type in Norway. I'm working hard to support this game now, mostly through the site www.fabula.no , and hope to get it off the ground commercially with the fantasy-novel I'm writing from it's setting, and the wolfie-addition (more adult than the basic game). I've made several private publications in the field before, some of them rather astounding in their innovation, but rather lacking in the field of commercial capability. As the genre goes for the moment, I'm more inclined to direct my attentions in RPG's through my work as a lecturer.
I'm also a LECTURER
- doing lectures on literature, fantasy, storytelling, writing, roleplaying games, children and play. I've also had recent successes with more deeply ploughing courses in these fields, especially in introducing free-form RPG's as a form of playing for adults and youngsters alike.
Education?
I'm doing all this with no formal education besides the obligatory 9 years in elemetary school. I've educated myself, and I'm now discovering the benefits of doing this; I've got my own insights to communicate, and they are valuable in their originality, and clarity. I've worked hard for many years to achieve this. It has been a goal for me to create my own work and life in this way, and I'm happy to experience success with it.
I'm working longer hours now, than ever before, and enjoy it immensely!
On children and roleplaying-games
To take children seriously and give them a good introduction to roleplaying games, is an important job, as important as learning them to sing, draw or dance.
I've been learning children about roleplaying-games on a regular basis since -96. I've done this in after school programs here in Oslo, Norway, with kids in the age 7 to 11. And not only gaming sessions, but proper training and advice in the art of being a games master too (which some of them get the knack at very fast). It's been hilarious at times, and highly rewarding, to give them insight in a popular way of activating their comrades, and a unique way of expressing themselves.
A minor point is; at this age they have not yet taken to heart the definition of roleplaying-games as something solely for boys. There is a 50/50 split of boys and girls in my courses.
This work has led to a number of things:
1: I have upgraded my view on roleplaying games, their importance and
their
possibilities.
2: The kids (and their comrades) have been so keen on this "new" thing, that three junior-roleplaying-clubs will be up and running by this autumn in different parts of Oslo, in cooperation with volunteering parents and school-autorities.
3: I've developed the material used in my work into Norways first ever, professionaly published roleplaying-game, named "Rollespillet Fabula", made for children aged 10 and upwards to adult players (and building a following now in both ends of this scale).
4: I've been contacted by professionals in all parts of the country, and asked to share my experience in lectures on roleplaying-games, fantasy literature, and childrens need for ways to express themselves. Requests I'm more than willing to oblige, and which give me an opportunity to "work the field" both for Fabula and for roleplying-games in general.
So, I'm convinced that children are important, not only as potential
money-spenders or as a reviving influx of new blood to the roleplaying-culture.
They are important to care about, and to give them the chance to try rpg's
is a chance for them to find their form of expressing their lives, beliefs,
ideas, conflicts, you name it, as in any other form (drawing, music, theater,
filming, poetry, singing, etc.). This is caring,
because children need this, much more than adults need it.
Well, that's it.
Almost ...
you may find a manifesto on LARP (Live Action Roleplaying) here.