(no subject)
Still don't want to write that paper, so here's a fanfiction meme stolen from sinemoras09.
1. How about a brief introduction?
How brief is brief? Let's see...I'm a senior-but-not-really in college, fervently wishing I hadn't spent so much time flip-flopping around like a fish out of water trying out different majors, because I really want to just freaking graduate already. Fortunately, I finally did find a major that I really quite enjoy for the most part because it involves studying ancient stuff. I love ancient stuff. More recent/modern history bores the crap out of me, but if it's BC and happened in a Mediterranean civilization, I'll most likely be interested. My major dream right now is to travel to Greece and Italy someday (I would kill to go to Rome) but I would also love to take a third trip to Egypt. I enjoy sleeping, pretty much any kind of food that's sweet or salty, Starbucks coffee, and numerous TV shows and movies. I'm also a world-class procrastinator.
Okay, that wasn't brief. Sorry.
2. What got you into fan fiction (and/or adopting muses)?
Honestly, it pretty much just started out with my sister and I writing stupid, humorous (or so we thought, at least) little stories just for fun, using characters from movies we enjoyed. I didn't even think of writing anything postworthy until a couple of years later, when I discovered fanfiction online. It wasn't until probably another year or two after that that I actually did write anything postworthy. :p
3. What kind of fan fiction do you write?
Oneshots, almost exclusively. I've written exactly one chaptered fic in my life...well, technically two, but the other one I never finished and I prefer to just imagine that it doesn't exist. I don't stick to any particular genre, although a number of my stories tend to have undercurrents of angst. I've also dabbled in drama, and the occasional humorous and/or fluffy fic.
4. What is your most popular fic/muse and why do you think people like it so?
Hmmm...I think my most popular are a couple of my X-Men movieverse fics, "Motorcycles and White Mochas" and "White Streaks." I think "Motorcycles" is popular because it's kind of a "feel good" story. It's not wallowing in hopelessly depressing angst, but it's not nauseatingly fluffy either. It's just a simple snapshot of a moment in Logan and Rogue's relationship--a relationship that I think resonated (not necessarily in a shippy way) with a lot of people who watched the X-Men flicks. I also told it from an outsider's point of view, which I think some people really enjoyed and related to, because in a way, that's the stance we all take when we write fanfiction.
As for "White Streaks," I think people liked that one for the same reason I wrote it: because after the debacle that was X3, the Logan/Rogue relationship desperately needed some kind of closure. I wrote "White Streaks" out of sheer frustration, and it really was rather therapeutic. I felt much better about the whole situation after it was finished. Not that I get too emotionally involved in my fandoms, or anything. :p
5. Forget other people, what is the fanfic/post/prompt you've written that you're most proud of?
Well...I'm not entirely satisfied with any of my fics, really. Most of them I can't read through without cringing at least once or twice, and some I can't read through at all. But there are a few that generally stand out in my mind for one reason or another. "White Streaks" is one, for the reasons mentioned above, and also because I think that was my most successful attempt at writing from Logan's point of view. And also "Letters From a Serial Killer," just because it was the longest (and, in a number of ways, the most challenging) fic I've ever written.
6. Do you find writing easy? Hard? What aspects do you struggle with?
I find I'm pretty inconsistent when it comes to writing. Sometimes it flows easily and I'm able to write large chunks in a single bound, other times it's like pulling teeth. I think it just depends on the particular story/scene/dialogue/etc that I'm writing, as well as what mood I'm in, and that sort of thing.
7. Do you write for the same pairings/characters?
Absolutely. I can't just write about any random pairing or character, it has to be something that really strongly interests and inspires me. That's why all my X-Men movieverse fics feature Logan and Rogue, and why all my Heroes fics center on Sylar. That's also why I'm amazed by people who take fic requests or challenges. If someone just gave me a random character/pairing and prompt word and told me to write a fic, I don't think I could do it. Well, maybe I could, but I doubt it would turn out any good.
8. Write a few sentences of your favorite pairing or character.
...Isn't this question kind of the same as number 12?
9. Are there any fanfiction trends/clichés you hated?
Hated? What's with the use of past tense? :p The fanfic trend (though I don't think you can really call it a trend) I despise the most is the use of Mary Sues, and all the clichés that come with them. Sues are why I generally avoid like the plague any fic featuring an original character. Other things I hate in fanfics include poor characterization, ridiculously implausible pairings, canon butchering, horrific abuse of the English language, etc.
10. Are you guilty of any of the trends you hate?
I'll never be guilty of Sueage, because I just plain don't write fics featuring original characters. As for the other stuff, I routinely freak out about my characterization, but hopefully I've never written anything that was blatantly out of character. *fingers crossed*
11. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Do you still write for it?
I think the first fandom I really wrote for was Stargate SG-1, and no, I don't write for it anymore.
12. Name your OTPs and explain what it is about them you love to write.
I've got tons of OTPs, but strangely enough, I've only written fic about a couple of them.
Logan/Rogue, X-Men movieverse--I love this relationship in the films, particularly the first one, in part because it felt so natural to me. Too many movie/TV relationships have this forced, overly scripted feeling to them, but Logan and Rogue just seemed to click. I think they're very alike in a number of ways--particularly in how they both feel like outcasts even among other mutants--allowing for that strong connection between them which is lots of fun to explore in fanfic.
Sylar/Heidi, Heroes--I kind of hesitate to actually call this an OTP because...aw, what the heck, it totally is. I love this pairing because on the surface it's completely bizarre--the characters have never even been onscreen together--but when placed within the context of 5YG-verse, it's totally plausible. I love getting comments on my Sylar/Heidi fics that say something along the lines of "I had never considered this pairing before, but after reading this it makes perfect sense!" Another great thing about it is that it allows for all sorts of deliciously angsty possibilities.
13. What would you call your writing style?
Wordy and meandering? Honestly, I don't think I really have any definitive style.
14. Do you read other people's writing? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
I'm kind of weird about reading other people's fics. It really depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Sometimes I'll have this huge craving for fic, and then I'll go out and look up as many fics as I can find. At other times, I don't read much at all. Most of what I read these days is written by the lovely and talented people on my friends list!
15. Name one thing you'd love to write but have been too afraid or too shy to do.
Hmmm. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that I really want to write and haven't. Certain individuals on my flist have *ahem* encouraged me to try my hand at smut, but I kind of don't think that's going to happen. :p
16. Do you feel uncomfortable taking criticism? Or worse, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
My experiences with getting concrit have been pretty few and far between, but on the times that it has happened, I admit I tend to feel a little defensive at first--especially if the criticisms just seem like nitpicking. But that said, I definitely see the value in concrit, and I absolutely do want to improve as a writer. So if somebody points out an issue in my writing that genuinely needs improvement, that's fine. As one of my professors is fond of saying, "the day I get to be perfect, I'll run for God."
17. When you write, is there anything that helps?
Generally, solitude. I can't write if there's someone looking over my shoulder. But it's not like I have any one particular environment or set of conditions that I Absolutely Must Have in order to be able to write.
18. What inspires you?
My favorite characters and pairings are generally all the inspiration I need, but I am sometimes inspired by reading other people's works.
19. Lastly, how would you sum up your fan fiction/RP experiences and you as a writer?
For me, fanfic is a way to be creative while expressing my adoration enjoyment of my favorite fandoms, characters and pairings. I'm not the best writer out there and I never will be, but writing fic is fun nonetheless.
20. Tag some friends, because they'll hate you for it.
I don't tag. Anybody who wants to do it, do it. :p
1. How about a brief introduction?
How brief is brief? Let's see...I'm a senior-but-not-really in college, fervently wishing I hadn't spent so much time flip-flopping around like a fish out of water trying out different majors, because I really want to just freaking graduate already. Fortunately, I finally did find a major that I really quite enjoy for the most part because it involves studying ancient stuff. I love ancient stuff. More recent/modern history bores the crap out of me, but if it's BC and happened in a Mediterranean civilization, I'll most likely be interested. My major dream right now is to travel to Greece and Italy someday (I would kill to go to Rome) but I would also love to take a third trip to Egypt. I enjoy sleeping, pretty much any kind of food that's sweet or salty, Starbucks coffee, and numerous TV shows and movies. I'm also a world-class procrastinator.
Okay, that wasn't brief. Sorry.
2. What got you into fan fiction (and/or adopting muses)?
Honestly, it pretty much just started out with my sister and I writing stupid, humorous (or so we thought, at least) little stories just for fun, using characters from movies we enjoyed. I didn't even think of writing anything postworthy until a couple of years later, when I discovered fanfiction online. It wasn't until probably another year or two after that that I actually did write anything postworthy. :p
3. What kind of fan fiction do you write?
Oneshots, almost exclusively. I've written exactly one chaptered fic in my life...well, technically two, but the other one I never finished and I prefer to just imagine that it doesn't exist. I don't stick to any particular genre, although a number of my stories tend to have undercurrents of angst. I've also dabbled in drama, and the occasional humorous and/or fluffy fic.
4. What is your most popular fic/muse and why do you think people like it so?
Hmmm...I think my most popular are a couple of my X-Men movieverse fics, "Motorcycles and White Mochas" and "White Streaks." I think "Motorcycles" is popular because it's kind of a "feel good" story. It's not wallowing in hopelessly depressing angst, but it's not nauseatingly fluffy either. It's just a simple snapshot of a moment in Logan and Rogue's relationship--a relationship that I think resonated (not necessarily in a shippy way) with a lot of people who watched the X-Men flicks. I also told it from an outsider's point of view, which I think some people really enjoyed and related to, because in a way, that's the stance we all take when we write fanfiction.
As for "White Streaks," I think people liked that one for the same reason I wrote it: because after the debacle that was X3, the Logan/Rogue relationship desperately needed some kind of closure. I wrote "White Streaks" out of sheer frustration, and it really was rather therapeutic. I felt much better about the whole situation after it was finished. Not that I get too emotionally involved in my fandoms, or anything. :p
5. Forget other people, what is the fanfic/post/prompt you've written that you're most proud of?
Well...I'm not entirely satisfied with any of my fics, really. Most of them I can't read through without cringing at least once or twice, and some I can't read through at all. But there are a few that generally stand out in my mind for one reason or another. "White Streaks" is one, for the reasons mentioned above, and also because I think that was my most successful attempt at writing from Logan's point of view. And also "Letters From a Serial Killer," just because it was the longest (and, in a number of ways, the most challenging) fic I've ever written.
6. Do you find writing easy? Hard? What aspects do you struggle with?
I find I'm pretty inconsistent when it comes to writing. Sometimes it flows easily and I'm able to write large chunks in a single bound, other times it's like pulling teeth. I think it just depends on the particular story/scene/dialogue/etc that I'm writing, as well as what mood I'm in, and that sort of thing.
7. Do you write for the same pairings/characters?
Absolutely. I can't just write about any random pairing or character, it has to be something that really strongly interests and inspires me. That's why all my X-Men movieverse fics feature Logan and Rogue, and why all my Heroes fics center on Sylar. That's also why I'm amazed by people who take fic requests or challenges. If someone just gave me a random character/pairing and prompt word and told me to write a fic, I don't think I could do it. Well, maybe I could, but I doubt it would turn out any good.
8. Write a few sentences of your favorite pairing or character.
...Isn't this question kind of the same as number 12?
9. Are there any fanfiction trends/clichés you hated?
Hated? What's with the use of past tense? :p The fanfic trend (though I don't think you can really call it a trend) I despise the most is the use of Mary Sues, and all the clichés that come with them. Sues are why I generally avoid like the plague any fic featuring an original character. Other things I hate in fanfics include poor characterization, ridiculously implausible pairings, canon butchering, horrific abuse of the English language, etc.
10. Are you guilty of any of the trends you hate?
I'll never be guilty of Sueage, because I just plain don't write fics featuring original characters. As for the other stuff, I routinely freak out about my characterization, but hopefully I've never written anything that was blatantly out of character. *fingers crossed*
11. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Do you still write for it?
I think the first fandom I really wrote for was Stargate SG-1, and no, I don't write for it anymore.
12. Name your OTPs and explain what it is about them you love to write.
I've got tons of OTPs, but strangely enough, I've only written fic about a couple of them.
Logan/Rogue, X-Men movieverse--I love this relationship in the films, particularly the first one, in part because it felt so natural to me. Too many movie/TV relationships have this forced, overly scripted feeling to them, but Logan and Rogue just seemed to click. I think they're very alike in a number of ways--particularly in how they both feel like outcasts even among other mutants--allowing for that strong connection between them which is lots of fun to explore in fanfic.
Sylar/Heidi, Heroes--I kind of hesitate to actually call this an OTP because...aw, what the heck, it totally is. I love this pairing because on the surface it's completely bizarre--the characters have never even been onscreen together--but when placed within the context of 5YG-verse, it's totally plausible. I love getting comments on my Sylar/Heidi fics that say something along the lines of "I had never considered this pairing before, but after reading this it makes perfect sense!" Another great thing about it is that it allows for all sorts of deliciously angsty possibilities.
13. What would you call your writing style?
Wordy and meandering? Honestly, I don't think I really have any definitive style.
14. Do you read other people's writing? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
I'm kind of weird about reading other people's fics. It really depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Sometimes I'll have this huge craving for fic, and then I'll go out and look up as many fics as I can find. At other times, I don't read much at all. Most of what I read these days is written by the lovely and talented people on my friends list!
15. Name one thing you'd love to write but have been too afraid or too shy to do.
Hmmm. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that I really want to write and haven't. Certain individuals on my flist have *ahem* encouraged me to try my hand at smut, but I kind of don't think that's going to happen. :p
16. Do you feel uncomfortable taking criticism? Or worse, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
My experiences with getting concrit have been pretty few and far between, but on the times that it has happened, I admit I tend to feel a little defensive at first--especially if the criticisms just seem like nitpicking. But that said, I definitely see the value in concrit, and I absolutely do want to improve as a writer. So if somebody points out an issue in my writing that genuinely needs improvement, that's fine. As one of my professors is fond of saying, "the day I get to be perfect, I'll run for God."
17. When you write, is there anything that helps?
Generally, solitude. I can't write if there's someone looking over my shoulder. But it's not like I have any one particular environment or set of conditions that I Absolutely Must Have in order to be able to write.
18. What inspires you?
My favorite characters and pairings are generally all the inspiration I need, but I am sometimes inspired by reading other people's works.
19. Lastly, how would you sum up your fan fiction/RP experiences and you as a writer?
For me, fanfic is a way to be creative while expressing my adoration enjoyment of my favorite fandoms, characters and pairings. I'm not the best writer out there and I never will be, but writing fic is fun nonetheless.
20. Tag some friends, because they'll hate you for it.
I don't tag. Anybody who wants to do it, do it. :p