May Activity #1: How to Choose an Animal Discussion

[trivalent.livejournal.com]

Activity: How to Choose an Animal
Points: Participation 10pts/5kts, Additional comment: 2pts/1kt. 10 point bonus for animagi.
Deadline: Monday, 17 May EDT (7pm UTC)

Everyone has their own way of reading an application, picking up what to look for in a form and narrowing it down to one creature. But, lets open it up - share your secrets, your tips, everything. New voters can learn from the masters, and perhaps even the experienced voters can pick up a thing or two.

Comments

[senbonzakura77.livejournal.com]

I start with an open Notepad page. While reading the application, I list the traits or preferences that strike me. 80% of the time, I get a feel for at least one species, which I then proceed to look up on Wikipedia. If that specific one doesn't fit, I go with nearby families or other animals that live in a similar environment to the original choice. Eventually, I narrow it down and get one creature. I like to find little details and pieces of history that link it to the applicant & what they've stated in their application, too.

In the other 20% of the time, I'll search generic lists of animals - like nocturnal animals, for instance - and even the Animagus Roster to get a solid idea of what that applicant might be well-suited for. And then, repeat the same process of narrowing down and searching until I find a good fit.

Mary//Ravenclaw//Daurian Jackdaw