Fanfiction Meme
It's been awhile since I posted anything besides a prompt entry. I meant to put up a Bruins banner to celebrate their championship, but forgot. I'm not a huge hockey fan, but I've been watching them in the playoffs for a few years, and I'm glad they won. Playoff hockey is pretty exciting.
So here's a meme I ganked from kiramaru7.
Day 1 - How did you first get into writing fanfic, and what was the first fandom you wrote for? What do you think it was about that fandom that pulled you in?
It started out as an experiment, because I couldn't quite get enough of Inuyasha on TV. I wasn't expecting much; I didn't realize how good some of the fanfiction authors were. After reading avidly for a couple years, I finally got the guts to write (and post) something myself.
Day 2 - Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it.
Inuyasha is my primary fandom, though I have written one story for Fullmetal Alchemist. I had a couple ideas for Samurai Champloo and Black Lagoon that never got off the ground, and I've also done a few Original Fiction pieces.
Day 3 - For each of the fandoms from day two, what were your favorite characters to write?
My favorite characters? Um, all of them? Aside from the major characters, I enjoy writing for Mrs. Higurashi, probably because we don't see much of her in canon and I can pretty much run with my own characterization.
Day 4 - Do you have a "muse" character, that speaks to you more than others, or that tries to push their way in, even when the fic isn't about them? Who are they, and why did that character became your muse?
I don't think I really have a "muse" character. I guess Inuyasha does speak to me. I am very comfortable writing for him.
Day 5 -If you have ever had a character try to push their way into a fic, whether your "muse" or not, what did you do about it?
Not that I can remember.
Day 6 - When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?
I don't really have a preference, though I do enjoy writing for female characters. It's fun to try to see things from a woman's point of view, especially during a lemon! ;)
Day 7 - Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
No, I'm pretty set in my ways when it comes to characters. My views of certain characters have changed somewhat over time, but I can't point to one particular story that did it for me.
Day 8 - Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they're not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.
Yes, I write a lot of OCs. And I do consciously try not to make them Mary Sues. I think the key is variety. Try to make each character different; give him a quirk or trait that you don't usually see in people like him. Real people are complicated; all aspects of a person's personality shouldn't line up with each other. None of us are that well-adjusted. For example, try to avoid writing bad guys who are just completely evil. Takahashi didn't even do that with Naraku, as we saw at the end. I try to make people identify with most of my OCs, even the bad guys. If readers are feeling a variety of emotions toward a character--anger, sympathy, exasperation--then I've done my job. An interesting backstory helps too; it gives the character more depth.
Day 9 - Pairings - For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favorite pairings to write?
I'm a pretty standard guy with pairings:
Inuyasha/Kagome
Miroku/Sango
Those are really the only two pairings I write on a regular basis. Really? I guess I'm stuck in a pretty small box. Oh, well, that's what I like. I had fun writing for Sesshoumaru/OC one time; I guess that would be my number three.
The only FMA pairing I wrote was Ed/Winry
Day 10 - Pairings - Have you ever gone outside your comfort zone and written a pairing you liked, but found you couldn't write, or a pairing you didn't like, and found you could?
I wrote a yuri Kagome/Sango for IYhedonism. That was outside my comfort zone at the time. But it was such a blast! (and freaking hot, too)
Day 11 - Genre - do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?
My longer stories are a blend of romance, action, adventure, angst, and hentai, with sprinkles of comedy. My one-shots are usually romance or comedy. I really like writing fight scenes; it's like choreographing your own movie. Sex scenes too, but those are a different kind of movie. :)
Day 12 - Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favorite book or movie but set in a different fandom?
No, nothing like that.
Day 13 - Do you prefer canon or fanon when you write? Has writing fanfic for a fandom changed the way you see some or even all of the original source material?
I mostly prefer canon with one major exception; I really don't mind the whole Inu/Kag "mating" thing. I don't like the biting on the neck, but if you make it not so explicit, and more subtle, I'll come on board with that.
Day 14 - Ratings - how high are you comfortable with going? Have you ever written higher? If you're comfortable with NC-17, have you ever been shocked by finding that the story you're writing is G-rated instead?\
I've written stuff for every rating, so NC-17 doesn't bother me a bit. How else would I be able to swear and write smut? And no to the last question; when I set out to write an NC-17 rated story, I make it deserve the rating.
Day 15 - Warnings - What do you feel it most important to warn for, and what's the strangest thing you've warned for in a fic?
I take a 'better safe than sorry' approach to warnings. I've done warnings for attempted suicide, underage alcohol use, and animal brutality. But if I have to choose between giving a warning and giving away a major spoiler, then I'll take my changes without a warning.
16 - Summaries - Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
A lot of people hate summaries, but not me. On average it probably takes me less than 30 seconds to come up with an adequate summary for an LJ entry. I don't write them for chapters in multi-chapter fics anymore, so that helps. I guess I just try to point the reader toward what the story is about without giving too much away. I do want them to actually read it. :)
Day 17 - Titles - Are they the bane of your existence, or the easiest part of the fic? Also, if you do chaptered fic, do you give each chapter a title, or not?
Titles are sometimes harder than summaries for me. I do give every chapter and entry its own title. A lot of times I can't come up with a good one until the chapter is finished. Then as I'm editing--reading the whole thing through for the first time--a good one will hit me. Don't stress so much about titles and eventually they'll come to you.
Day 18 - Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?
I do some of my best brainstorming when I'm not trying to think about fanfiction at all. Like when I'm lying in bed half-asleep, or walking to school daydreaming. I'm not usually that productive when I actually try to brainstorm fanfic ideas. Like titles, they have to come naturally.
Day 19 - When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
My memory is not great, so when I think of an idea, I'll get it onto my computer right away. Whether it's cranking out an LJ prompt or adding to my outline for a longer story, I have to do it quick or the idea will be forever banished to the abyss.
Day 20 -Do you ever get bunnied from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?
Only a few of my LJ entires were inspired by others, but my longer stories have sometimes been different takes on another person's idea. "Metamorphosis" was inspired by all the variations on a certain type of Inuyasha fanfic I read, none of which I liked. So I decided to write my own which was completely different. I've also done a couple comedy collections twisting off various TV commercials. I guess I'm getting inspiration from all over the place.
Day 21 - Sequels - Have you ever written a sequel to a fic you wrote, and if so, why, and if not, how do you feel about sequels?
Yes, a couple times. Short stories that I came up with fresh inspiration for later. I don't mind sequels, but I prefer long stories that have a beginning, middle, and nice complete end.
Day 22 - Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favorite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you've thought about doing? And if not, why not?
Nope. Between LJ, writing "Entrapment," and real life, I don't have the time to do anything else fanfiction-related.
Day 23 - When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
Multi-chapter fics - Mediaminer (complete collection). Fanfiction.net, Inuyasha-fanfiction, Eternal Destiny each have some of my stuff, but not all of it.
One-shots - Medaminer, LJ (for LJ prompts)
Day 24 - Betaing - How many betas do you like to use to make sure there aren't any major flaws in your fic? Do you have a Beta horror story or dream story?
I don't use a beta. I generally read through a chapter/story twice before posting it. As I'm typing I periodically go back and check what I just wrote, and then when it's done I read the whole thing through carefully. That seems to strike a good balance between catching errors and making efficient use of my time.
Day 25 - Music - Do you listen to music while you write? Do you make playlists to get into a certain "mood" to write your fic? Do you need noise in general? Or do you need it completely quiet?
I wish I could. But music completely ruins my concentration, because I tend to get too into it. Pretty soon my fingers are drumming instead of typing. :) I can have noise, like a soft TV in the background. One thing I cannot stand is the annoying crickets outside my window; I put the TV or fan on to tune them out.
Day 26 - What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
I pretty much researched every aspect of childbirth for "Metamorphosis": conception, pregnancy stages and symptoms, fetal development, emotional states of the parents, labor, delivery, breastfeeding, etc. It was very fun, and I learned a lot. I'm really glad I put in the effort instead of just skimming over that part of the story.
Day 27 - Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
It has to be on my computer. My handwriting is atrocious; if I write too fast I'll have trouble translating it. My desk at my apartment is where I'm most productive, though I have gotten some writing done in the library at school.
Day 28 - Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
Yes, two of my fondest fanfiction memories stem from collaboration. I wrote the "Roast" with SplendentGoddess, and a back-and-forth style lemon with sunsingergirl. I've never collaborated with an artist though.
Day 29 - What is your current project or projects?
"Entrapment," and LJ prompts, when I get the inspiration for them. I used to write for every one, but now I find I can come up with ideas for about half. That's okay; it's still fun to read what other people wrote and vote.
Day 30 - Do you have a favorite fic you've written? What makes it your favorite? And don't forget to give us a link!
It has to be "Metamorphosis." I suppose I could choose one of my comedy collections, but with the amount of time and love I put into that story, it's really no contest.
So here's a meme I ganked from kiramaru7.
Day 1 - How did you first get into writing fanfic, and what was the first fandom you wrote for? What do you think it was about that fandom that pulled you in?
It started out as an experiment, because I couldn't quite get enough of Inuyasha on TV. I wasn't expecting much; I didn't realize how good some of the fanfiction authors were. After reading avidly for a couple years, I finally got the guts to write (and post) something myself.
Day 2 - Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it.
Inuyasha is my primary fandom, though I have written one story for Fullmetal Alchemist. I had a couple ideas for Samurai Champloo and Black Lagoon that never got off the ground, and I've also done a few Original Fiction pieces.
Day 3 - For each of the fandoms from day two, what were your favorite characters to write?
My favorite characters? Um, all of them? Aside from the major characters, I enjoy writing for Mrs. Higurashi, probably because we don't see much of her in canon and I can pretty much run with my own characterization.
Day 4 - Do you have a "muse" character, that speaks to you more than others, or that tries to push their way in, even when the fic isn't about them? Who are they, and why did that character became your muse?
I don't think I really have a "muse" character. I guess Inuyasha does speak to me. I am very comfortable writing for him.
Day 5 -If you have ever had a character try to push their way into a fic, whether your "muse" or not, what did you do about it?
Not that I can remember.
Day 6 - When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?
I don't really have a preference, though I do enjoy writing for female characters. It's fun to try to see things from a woman's point of view, especially during a lemon! ;)
Day 7 - Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
No, I'm pretty set in my ways when it comes to characters. My views of certain characters have changed somewhat over time, but I can't point to one particular story that did it for me.
Day 8 - Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they're not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.
Yes, I write a lot of OCs. And I do consciously try not to make them Mary Sues. I think the key is variety. Try to make each character different; give him a quirk or trait that you don't usually see in people like him. Real people are complicated; all aspects of a person's personality shouldn't line up with each other. None of us are that well-adjusted. For example, try to avoid writing bad guys who are just completely evil. Takahashi didn't even do that with Naraku, as we saw at the end. I try to make people identify with most of my OCs, even the bad guys. If readers are feeling a variety of emotions toward a character--anger, sympathy, exasperation--then I've done my job. An interesting backstory helps too; it gives the character more depth.
Day 9 - Pairings - For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favorite pairings to write?
I'm a pretty standard guy with pairings:
Inuyasha/Kagome
Miroku/Sango
Those are really the only two pairings I write on a regular basis. Really? I guess I'm stuck in a pretty small box. Oh, well, that's what I like. I had fun writing for Sesshoumaru/OC one time; I guess that would be my number three.
The only FMA pairing I wrote was Ed/Winry
Day 10 - Pairings - Have you ever gone outside your comfort zone and written a pairing you liked, but found you couldn't write, or a pairing you didn't like, and found you could?
I wrote a yuri Kagome/Sango for IYhedonism. That was outside my comfort zone at the time. But it was such a blast! (and freaking hot, too)
Day 11 - Genre - do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?
My longer stories are a blend of romance, action, adventure, angst, and hentai, with sprinkles of comedy. My one-shots are usually romance or comedy. I really like writing fight scenes; it's like choreographing your own movie. Sex scenes too, but those are a different kind of movie. :)
Day 12 - Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favorite book or movie but set in a different fandom?
No, nothing like that.
Day 13 - Do you prefer canon or fanon when you write? Has writing fanfic for a fandom changed the way you see some or even all of the original source material?
I mostly prefer canon with one major exception; I really don't mind the whole Inu/Kag "mating" thing. I don't like the biting on the neck, but if you make it not so explicit, and more subtle, I'll come on board with that.
Day 14 - Ratings - how high are you comfortable with going? Have you ever written higher? If you're comfortable with NC-17, have you ever been shocked by finding that the story you're writing is G-rated instead?\
I've written stuff for every rating, so NC-17 doesn't bother me a bit. How else would I be able to swear and write smut? And no to the last question; when I set out to write an NC-17 rated story, I make it deserve the rating.
Day 15 - Warnings - What do you feel it most important to warn for, and what's the strangest thing you've warned for in a fic?
I take a 'better safe than sorry' approach to warnings. I've done warnings for attempted suicide, underage alcohol use, and animal brutality. But if I have to choose between giving a warning and giving away a major spoiler, then I'll take my changes without a warning.
16 - Summaries - Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
A lot of people hate summaries, but not me. On average it probably takes me less than 30 seconds to come up with an adequate summary for an LJ entry. I don't write them for chapters in multi-chapter fics anymore, so that helps. I guess I just try to point the reader toward what the story is about without giving too much away. I do want them to actually read it. :)
Day 17 - Titles - Are they the bane of your existence, or the easiest part of the fic? Also, if you do chaptered fic, do you give each chapter a title, or not?
Titles are sometimes harder than summaries for me. I do give every chapter and entry its own title. A lot of times I can't come up with a good one until the chapter is finished. Then as I'm editing--reading the whole thing through for the first time--a good one will hit me. Don't stress so much about titles and eventually they'll come to you.
Day 18 - Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?
I do some of my best brainstorming when I'm not trying to think about fanfiction at all. Like when I'm lying in bed half-asleep, or walking to school daydreaming. I'm not usually that productive when I actually try to brainstorm fanfic ideas. Like titles, they have to come naturally.
Day 19 - When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
My memory is not great, so when I think of an idea, I'll get it onto my computer right away. Whether it's cranking out an LJ prompt or adding to my outline for a longer story, I have to do it quick or the idea will be forever banished to the abyss.
Day 20 -Do you ever get bunnied from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?
Only a few of my LJ entires were inspired by others, but my longer stories have sometimes been different takes on another person's idea. "Metamorphosis" was inspired by all the variations on a certain type of Inuyasha fanfic I read, none of which I liked. So I decided to write my own which was completely different. I've also done a couple comedy collections twisting off various TV commercials. I guess I'm getting inspiration from all over the place.
Day 21 - Sequels - Have you ever written a sequel to a fic you wrote, and if so, why, and if not, how do you feel about sequels?
Yes, a couple times. Short stories that I came up with fresh inspiration for later. I don't mind sequels, but I prefer long stories that have a beginning, middle, and nice complete end.
Day 22 - Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favorite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you've thought about doing? And if not, why not?
Nope. Between LJ, writing "Entrapment," and real life, I don't have the time to do anything else fanfiction-related.
Day 23 - When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
Multi-chapter fics - Mediaminer (complete collection). Fanfiction.net, Inuyasha-fanfiction, Eternal Destiny each have some of my stuff, but not all of it.
One-shots - Medaminer, LJ (for LJ prompts)
Day 24 - Betaing - How many betas do you like to use to make sure there aren't any major flaws in your fic? Do you have a Beta horror story or dream story?
I don't use a beta. I generally read through a chapter/story twice before posting it. As I'm typing I periodically go back and check what I just wrote, and then when it's done I read the whole thing through carefully. That seems to strike a good balance between catching errors and making efficient use of my time.
Day 25 - Music - Do you listen to music while you write? Do you make playlists to get into a certain "mood" to write your fic? Do you need noise in general? Or do you need it completely quiet?
I wish I could. But music completely ruins my concentration, because I tend to get too into it. Pretty soon my fingers are drumming instead of typing. :) I can have noise, like a soft TV in the background. One thing I cannot stand is the annoying crickets outside my window; I put the TV or fan on to tune them out.
Day 26 - What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
I pretty much researched every aspect of childbirth for "Metamorphosis": conception, pregnancy stages and symptoms, fetal development, emotional states of the parents, labor, delivery, breastfeeding, etc. It was very fun, and I learned a lot. I'm really glad I put in the effort instead of just skimming over that part of the story.
Day 27 - Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
It has to be on my computer. My handwriting is atrocious; if I write too fast I'll have trouble translating it. My desk at my apartment is where I'm most productive, though I have gotten some writing done in the library at school.
Day 28 - Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
Yes, two of my fondest fanfiction memories stem from collaboration. I wrote the "Roast" with SplendentGoddess, and a back-and-forth style lemon with sunsingergirl. I've never collaborated with an artist though.
Day 29 - What is your current project or projects?
"Entrapment," and LJ prompts, when I get the inspiration for them. I used to write for every one, but now I find I can come up with ideas for about half. That's okay; it's still fun to read what other people wrote and vote.
Day 30 - Do you have a favorite fic you've written? What makes it your favorite? And don't forget to give us a link!
It has to be "Metamorphosis." I suppose I could choose one of my comedy collections, but with the amount of time and love I put into that story, it's really no contest.