Writers Questionnaire
I decided to take a moment and participate in a Writers Questionnaire over on deviantART. I actually commend the member who created it, NemoX7, for taking this initiative because I've noticed two things about being a writer on deviantART: One, we're on the sidelines of the community, since Visual Arts garner more interest; and two, writers are notoriously "bubble creators" and we don't seem to socialize with one another, at least not to the extent that artists do in my humble opinion.
For my personal space here, however, I will leave out the questions pertaining solely to dA. Anyway, to quote some Dead by April song lyrics: "I clutch my fist in the air and here I go~"
1. How long have you been writing?
I've been writing since I could hold a pencil, and I'm not trying to be witty or sarcastic there. I've literally always enjoyed writing down my imagination, in some form or fashion. I remember being very young and wanting to be an author. I would hand write my own stories, illustrate them with crayons, and then staple or tape the pages together into makeshift books.
2. Why did you become a writer? Is your reason to write the same now as it was then?
Originally, it was a source of entertainment. Always a daydreamer and voracious reader―and a bit of an ignored loner―I enjoyed creating my own fantasy adventures for fun. But as I got older, writing stories became more of an escape, since I was painfully shy and didn't set foot outside the house except for school, where I was bullied. Leaving reality for sword-and-sorcery worlds, becoming characters not at all similar to me, was a coping mechanism.
“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of.” ― JOSS WHEDON
Now that I'm all grown up, I write to keep doing what I love; it's a deeply rooted part of who I am, the one thing I continue to go back to. I spent the past few years learning the art of writing and honing the technical aspects of the craft, and now I enjoy editing and proof-reading too. Plus, I've always been a word-whore, to the point I like browsing the dictionary, reading thesauruses, and trying to learn languages. I just... really like words.
But as a storyteller, I've definitely matured. I gave up writing big fantasy adventures and creating magical worlds; I'd rather explore the horrors of our own. I guess it's a way to share bits n' pieces of myself, and often times I find it hard to explain just how personal my stories are to me, why I'm writing them. I cannot just write anything; it has to mean something to me, the stories―and more so the messages―have to matter. Not just for myself, but hopefully on levels where other people "get it" too.
“We are lonesome animals. We spend our life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say―and to feel―'Yes, that's the way it is, or at least that's the way I feel it. You're not as alone as you thought'.” ― JOHN STEINBECK
I'm going to put an addendum and explain why I write fan fiction. And it's for the love of the characters, those fictional people who I enjoyed and connected with. Although not of my own creation, I do grow so invested in certain characters and their lives to the point I feel they have so much more potential than was shown (and in many cases they were overlooked in their titles completely). I love to explore not only their psyches, but my own perceptions and attachments, while attempting to stay true to who they are in canon.
A long time ago, back when I lived and breathed musical theater, the producer of Les Miz said something in an interview which stuck with me, and I adhere to it when I write fan fiction:
“The magic in Les Misérables, I think, will always be personal… it is very rare in popular entertainment to have something both entertaining, thrilling, and moving, and you come out of the theater feeling that you've learnt something about yourself and about your fellow man.
“…the brilliant job Alain [Boublil] and Claude-Michel [Schönberg] have done is to write a truly popular work which never once betrays its original source material. And I believe if Victor Hugo saw it he'd be very proud of it.” ― CAMERON MACKINTOSH
Of course nothing I write will ever be on such a memorable and gorgeous scale as the musical adaption of Les Miz, yet the idea behind this thought is beautiful, something I aspire to, the sense of interconnection within a fandom. And do I think my Young Justice fanfics would make creators Greg Weisman (a published author himself) and Brandon Vietti proud? I hope so. Let's just say I wouldn't be embarrassed to let them read my stories.
3. Do you compose haiku? Or are you a dabbler in six word stories? Share what type of literature is your go to when you put pen to paper.
I struggle with brevity, I'll admit, and I do not actively enjoy any form of poetry, reading or writing it. However, I do wish I could write song lyrics, since I adore music and use it often as inspirational backbone.
Being rather long-winded, I consider myself a novelist, more specifically in the novelette-novella range. I like writing fiction prose, in modern settings with a hint of supernatural suspense.
4. What in your opinion makes a good writer?
Passion! I like to read stories that make me feel, where I can connect to one or more characters. When something is written with passion, it has a clarity you can't over-analyze―it makes you want to keep on reading, even if it means staying up until 4 a.m.. And you can forgive flaws or faulty plot points if the writing is passionate. When a character expresses an emotion strongly enough to move the reader to tears, or burst out laughing, or share their anger―it's something you don't ever forget.
“You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ― PAUL SWEENEY
Passion also extends to how you write, attention to detail. I like to see writers take even the tedious technical aspects seriously. I don't care why you're writing, or what you've decided to write about, I just want people to appreciate every little nuance that is authoring a work. Whether you're writing an informative blog post, sharing your crackfic fandom ideas in a fan fiction, or penning the next New York Times best-seller: write it like you mean it!
“He who writes carelessly confesses thereby at the very outset that he does not attach much importance to his own thoughts.” ― ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER
5. Share a literature piece you wrote that you're proud of.
Bring Him Home is up there. It received a Daily Deviation and resides in the folders of Clash-Of-The-Titans at deviantART which made my jaw drop, to be considered good enough to sit beside some dA heavy-hitters. I'm honored and very proud, and of course this character introspect was written completely heartfelt, because the family relationship is one that rather hits close to home for me. Being able to delve into the parent's mind-set was like asking Ed Jr. to go a day in his father's shoes, and it helped me explore, even realize, a thing or two...
But my most recently completed fan works are those I'm very proud of them:
Into the Nothing
Louder Than Words
Not only did I have a lot of fun writing these under-appreciated characters, but I'm finally happy with the quality of my storytelling (I never like anything I do, to be honest). I feel like for once I achieved what I set out to do, and that's to tell a story with purpose. I put the characters through Hell, in plots respecting of their canon source material and who they are within that fandom world, but I managed to explore heavy, personal issues which are near to me, and (I hope) relatable to others as well. I'm proud of that because it's like, finally! This is me, as a writer. And they're actually finished, not sitting in limbo like my original stuff.
6. Writers, share a literature piece you wrote which you don't like. Briefly explain why.
There's plenty of trial-and-error, unfinished, and just generally crappy writing all over this Journal. XD However, I did at one time write a fan fiction multi-chapter which seems to be my "legacy" on FanFiction.net, but I sadly fell to the pressure of hopeful reviewers and included a specific "near kiss" scene for the readers who wanted yaoi. I regret that. I'm happy I made people happy with it, but for myself, I felt like I sold out because it wasn't what I intended from the get-go.
7. As a writer, what are your literary goals?
I learned we all cannot be Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, a.k.a. full-time career writers, which was my childhood dream. So I just want to have one novel professionally, traditionally published before I die. Just once to see my name on the cover of a book (first edition hardcover, with subsequent issues in paperback, old-school style), filed away on the shelf of a book store or library. (Although with the growth of eReaders and online self-publishing, I'm sure by that time there will be no more book stores around...)
8. Using six words, what advice would you give to new writers?
Just keep writing no matter what.
“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” ― RAY BRADBURY
9. Who or what influences you as a writer?
Music is my biggest inspiration. Songs have this way of bringing life to words, capturing a feeling through music, and being open to personal interpretation. It helps me focus. There's nothing quite like relaxing to soundtracks or ambient music and just letting your mind go wherever. It's how all my stories start, watching a scene in my head set to music or songs. For instance, Louder Than Words started with a what-if Tye and Ed went head-to-head in a fight, and the specific idea I envisioned while listening to Starset's "Point of No Return". That moment built into the whole plot by asking questions of how and why that might happen.
Characters are also everything to me. Every story has already been told, and there is hardly any originality left in the world as far as plots go. I believe it is the characters that move the tales forward, who make the outcomes different, because each individual makes different choices. This is true even in fiction. So I focus a lot on characters, how they react, their emotions and inner thoughts, and I let them inspire me.
10. Have any published poets, authors, or playwrights, living or dead, inspired you as a writer?
Not greatly. Stephen King, of course, has given some of the best writerly advice (see here). And actually falling in love with Neil Gaiman's works have shown me novels don't have to be three-book epic monsters; you can create something just as fantastical and rich in one, under 200 pages book as you can with 800 pages each in a trilogy. It inspired me to be as clear-cut with my writing as possible.
11. List five things about literature you love.
The fact we can create amazing stories with just words. We don't have the luxury of emotional music, talented actors, pretty pictures―yet we can achieve the same epic results without them. I think that's pretty cool.
The ability to both dream and learn, think and feel: "Some books make us dream, others bring us face to face with reality. What matters most is the honesty with which a book is written." (unknown)
BOOKS. I love books, especially old-fashioned hardcovers. Keep your swipe-screen Kindles, I like turning pages and using tassel-ended bookmarks.
Flexibility. For all the formatting rules of the written language, writing itself is free and open-minded. I like literature where there's style and individual voice, it shows a creativity which makes each book or article personal.
Empathy. Writers have the unique ability to understand everyone, protagonists and antagonists, broken minds and happy homes―writing every character deeply, as realistic individuals, writers have to be something of a psychologist and social worker. Putting parts of ourselves into characters who also give back traits we normally don't have in us. It's quite eye-opening.
12. List five things about literature you hate.
Writer's Block and Doubt. Not having motivation, or feeling not good enough, hurts.
The slush pile. I like quality control, but damn.
How much attention is put on mainstream genres and marketing mediocre novels to Hollywood.
Writers who Internet self-publish without bothering to even spell-check, let alone self-edit grammar, punctuation, etc.. Hate to tell ya, but you cannot skip the tedious editing process, it's part of lovin' Lit.
The idea fan fiction cannot be quality literature.
13. Final question. Are you happy with the state of the literature community? If not, why?
(I'm keeping this question because I find it true for all Literature groups.) Not really, no, but the reason for it... yeah, I'm guilty of myself. As I said at the start, writers seem to stay in their own little bubbles. We all complain no one reads our works, no one offers feedback or comments, and yet we sit back and do nothing ourselves. Nobody seems willing to critique-for-critique, and we're all so caught up in our own works that we don't think about talking to other writers about their ideas and struggles. I see a lot willing to offer technique advice and harsh opinions about the industry, but more than often it comes across... well, jaded, snarky and defensive. Which is a reason I stopped visiting most Literature Forums.
It seems to me, too, the Lit community is slight and tight-knit, and it makes newbies and outsiders feel unwelcome. I tend to keep to myself nowadays because there's this intense clique vibe about most Groups which I personally don't favor. I had enough of that in grade school.
For my personal space here, however, I will leave out the questions pertaining solely to dA. Anyway, to quote some Dead by April song lyrics: "I clutch my fist in the air and here I go~"
1. How long have you been writing?
I've been writing since I could hold a pencil, and I'm not trying to be witty or sarcastic there. I've literally always enjoyed writing down my imagination, in some form or fashion. I remember being very young and wanting to be an author. I would hand write my own stories, illustrate them with crayons, and then staple or tape the pages together into makeshift books.
2. Why did you become a writer? Is your reason to write the same now as it was then?
Originally, it was a source of entertainment. Always a daydreamer and voracious reader―and a bit of an ignored loner―I enjoyed creating my own fantasy adventures for fun. But as I got older, writing stories became more of an escape, since I was painfully shy and didn't set foot outside the house except for school, where I was bullied. Leaving reality for sword-and-sorcery worlds, becoming characters not at all similar to me, was a coping mechanism.
“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of.” ― JOSS WHEDON
Now that I'm all grown up, I write to keep doing what I love; it's a deeply rooted part of who I am, the one thing I continue to go back to. I spent the past few years learning the art of writing and honing the technical aspects of the craft, and now I enjoy editing and proof-reading too. Plus, I've always been a word-whore, to the point I like browsing the dictionary, reading thesauruses, and trying to learn languages. I just... really like words.
But as a storyteller, I've definitely matured. I gave up writing big fantasy adventures and creating magical worlds; I'd rather explore the horrors of our own. I guess it's a way to share bits n' pieces of myself, and often times I find it hard to explain just how personal my stories are to me, why I'm writing them. I cannot just write anything; it has to mean something to me, the stories―and more so the messages―have to matter. Not just for myself, but hopefully on levels where other people "get it" too.
“We are lonesome animals. We spend our life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say―and to feel―'Yes, that's the way it is, or at least that's the way I feel it. You're not as alone as you thought'.” ― JOHN STEINBECK
I'm going to put an addendum and explain why I write fan fiction. And it's for the love of the characters, those fictional people who I enjoyed and connected with. Although not of my own creation, I do grow so invested in certain characters and their lives to the point I feel they have so much more potential than was shown (and in many cases they were overlooked in their titles completely). I love to explore not only their psyches, but my own perceptions and attachments, while attempting to stay true to who they are in canon.
A long time ago, back when I lived and breathed musical theater, the producer of Les Miz said something in an interview which stuck with me, and I adhere to it when I write fan fiction:
“The magic in Les Misérables, I think, will always be personal… it is very rare in popular entertainment to have something both entertaining, thrilling, and moving, and you come out of the theater feeling that you've learnt something about yourself and about your fellow man.
“…the brilliant job Alain [Boublil] and Claude-Michel [Schönberg] have done is to write a truly popular work which never once betrays its original source material. And I believe if Victor Hugo saw it he'd be very proud of it.” ― CAMERON MACKINTOSH
Of course nothing I write will ever be on such a memorable and gorgeous scale as the musical adaption of Les Miz, yet the idea behind this thought is beautiful, something I aspire to, the sense of interconnection within a fandom. And do I think my Young Justice fanfics would make creators Greg Weisman (a published author himself) and Brandon Vietti proud? I hope so. Let's just say I wouldn't be embarrassed to let them read my stories.
3. Do you compose haiku? Or are you a dabbler in six word stories? Share what type of literature is your go to when you put pen to paper.
I struggle with brevity, I'll admit, and I do not actively enjoy any form of poetry, reading or writing it. However, I do wish I could write song lyrics, since I adore music and use it often as inspirational backbone.
Being rather long-winded, I consider myself a novelist, more specifically in the novelette-novella range. I like writing fiction prose, in modern settings with a hint of supernatural suspense.
4. What in your opinion makes a good writer?
Passion! I like to read stories that make me feel, where I can connect to one or more characters. When something is written with passion, it has a clarity you can't over-analyze―it makes you want to keep on reading, even if it means staying up until 4 a.m.. And you can forgive flaws or faulty plot points if the writing is passionate. When a character expresses an emotion strongly enough to move the reader to tears, or burst out laughing, or share their anger―it's something you don't ever forget.
“You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ― PAUL SWEENEY
Passion also extends to how you write, attention to detail. I like to see writers take even the tedious technical aspects seriously. I don't care why you're writing, or what you've decided to write about, I just want people to appreciate every little nuance that is authoring a work. Whether you're writing an informative blog post, sharing your crackfic fandom ideas in a fan fiction, or penning the next New York Times best-seller: write it like you mean it!
“He who writes carelessly confesses thereby at the very outset that he does not attach much importance to his own thoughts.” ― ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER
5. Share a literature piece you wrote that you're proud of.
Bring Him Home is up there. It received a Daily Deviation and resides in the folders of Clash-Of-The-Titans at deviantART which made my jaw drop, to be considered good enough to sit beside some dA heavy-hitters. I'm honored and very proud, and of course this character introspect was written completely heartfelt, because the family relationship is one that rather hits close to home for me. Being able to delve into the parent's mind-set was like asking Ed Jr. to go a day in his father's shoes, and it helped me explore, even realize, a thing or two...
But my most recently completed fan works are those I'm very proud of them:
Not only did I have a lot of fun writing these under-appreciated characters, but I'm finally happy with the quality of my storytelling (I never like anything I do, to be honest). I feel like for once I achieved what I set out to do, and that's to tell a story with purpose. I put the characters through Hell, in plots respecting of their canon source material and who they are within that fandom world, but I managed to explore heavy, personal issues which are near to me, and (I hope) relatable to others as well. I'm proud of that because it's like, finally! This is me, as a writer. And they're actually finished, not sitting in limbo like my original stuff.
6. Writers, share a literature piece you wrote which you don't like. Briefly explain why.
There's plenty of trial-and-error, unfinished, and just generally crappy writing all over this Journal. XD However, I did at one time write a fan fiction multi-chapter which seems to be my "legacy" on FanFiction.net, but I sadly fell to the pressure of hopeful reviewers and included a specific "near kiss" scene for the readers who wanted yaoi. I regret that. I'm happy I made people happy with it, but for myself, I felt like I sold out because it wasn't what I intended from the get-go.
7. As a writer, what are your literary goals?
I learned we all cannot be Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, a.k.a. full-time career writers, which was my childhood dream. So I just want to have one novel professionally, traditionally published before I die. Just once to see my name on the cover of a book (first edition hardcover, with subsequent issues in paperback, old-school style), filed away on the shelf of a book store or library. (Although with the growth of eReaders and online self-publishing, I'm sure by that time there will be no more book stores around...)
8. Using six words, what advice would you give to new writers?
Just keep writing no matter what.
“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” ― RAY BRADBURY
9. Who or what influences you as a writer?
Music is my biggest inspiration. Songs have this way of bringing life to words, capturing a feeling through music, and being open to personal interpretation. It helps me focus. There's nothing quite like relaxing to soundtracks or ambient music and just letting your mind go wherever. It's how all my stories start, watching a scene in my head set to music or songs. For instance, Louder Than Words started with a what-if Tye and Ed went head-to-head in a fight, and the specific idea I envisioned while listening to Starset's "Point of No Return". That moment built into the whole plot by asking questions of how and why that might happen.
Characters are also everything to me. Every story has already been told, and there is hardly any originality left in the world as far as plots go. I believe it is the characters that move the tales forward, who make the outcomes different, because each individual makes different choices. This is true even in fiction. So I focus a lot on characters, how they react, their emotions and inner thoughts, and I let them inspire me.
10. Have any published poets, authors, or playwrights, living or dead, inspired you as a writer?
Not greatly. Stephen King, of course, has given some of the best writerly advice (see here). And actually falling in love with Neil Gaiman's works have shown me novels don't have to be three-book epic monsters; you can create something just as fantastical and rich in one, under 200 pages book as you can with 800 pages each in a trilogy. It inspired me to be as clear-cut with my writing as possible.
11. List five things about literature you love.
12. List five things about literature you hate.
13. Final question. Are you happy with the state of the literature community? If not, why?
(I'm keeping this question because I find it true for all Literature groups.) Not really, no, but the reason for it... yeah, I'm guilty of myself. As I said at the start, writers seem to stay in their own little bubbles. We all complain no one reads our works, no one offers feedback or comments, and yet we sit back and do nothing ourselves. Nobody seems willing to critique-for-critique, and we're all so caught up in our own works that we don't think about talking to other writers about their ideas and struggles. I see a lot willing to offer technique advice and harsh opinions about the industry, but more than often it comes across... well, jaded, snarky and defensive. Which is a reason I stopped visiting most Literature Forums.
It seems to me, too, the Lit community is slight and tight-knit, and it makes newbies and outsiders feel unwelcome. I tend to keep to myself nowadays because there's this intense clique vibe about most Groups which I personally don't favor. I had enough of that in grade school.