August FanFiction

[lar_laughs]

Harry Potter
One Shots
Laying Claim (Hannah/Michael)
The Fun Toys (George, Rose)
In My Head (Gideon Prewett)
At Quite a Risk (Megan Jones/Morag McDougal)

OR... by couple
Kingsley/Dorcas
Forget the Night Out (2)
I Never Imagined (3)
Name Me (4)

Lisa/Cormac
Irrational (3)

And... fandoms other than Harry Potter
Whedonverse
Living Death (Firefly

Comments

[lar_laughs]

I've seen you around, mostly on Elle's blog and the humpdrabbles site. Glad that was helpful because trying to "give back" some of the knowledge I've gleaned over the years but have always been too... afraid that it would be misconstrued, I think I would say. But I put this out there to see what would happen.

You really do ask the tough questions, don't you? *grins*

In anything not Harry Potter, I pick the pairing based on what I see in my head when I take on the assignment or prompt. Some pairings I write better than others because I feel more strongly about them. I think that's when a writer is at her best - when she can see the story in her head and feels something for what is going on. I've watched the Buffy series four or five complete times now so I understand some of what is pushing the characters and I pick my favorites when I can (Willow, Tara, Anya, Xander - I like the quirky, funny characters *grins*). Also, many of the non-HP pairings were requested.

For HP, I still go with instinct but I write my RP characters as well. I'm all about writing the lesser pairings ... the ones that JKR didn't touch (I've been burned with my Tonks obsession!) so that there are more shadows to play in. More room for me to be me and not a mimic of JKR.

I RP with a friend (not anywhere public - it's just for us because we enjoy doing it) and some of those characters seep into these drabbles. They aren't necessarily PART of the RP but they take situations and character pairings.

Sometimes I pick a pairing because I like a specific character and want to try writing them with someone new. Like Goyle... I love Goyle! Partly because he was in an RP that I once wrote for and I loved him then. Partly because he just seems like an interesting character. Sure, we know Harry's POV but Harry is fallible! He saw what he wanted to see!

I write the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs because they don't get enough love. Back in the day (three years ago? Four?) I had people who accused me of writing OCs because I wrote about Megan Jones and Zac Smith all the time. I had the page of the Lexicon memorized that showed Megan on the handwritten class list. Now - she's all over the place! It's exciting that people are getting away from the little mass of people that surround the Trio and really getting into the meat of the other characters that JKR named.

So to get back to your question...

I usually have a character in mind to start out with and I give that character a personality in my head. Then I go looking for a good match (i.e. I go through the names on the Lexicon and look for someone that is the right age and then try to fit the personality that I already have in my head with that first person or I make up a new one). My head is full of one bit RP, to be honest. All the characters have a personality and usually I've come up with a PB for them, as well. I do that with original characters, as well!

With some characters, I like to mix it up. For instance, my Megan/Morag story began because I wanted to do something different with Megan. Mixing things up keeps your options open and fresh!

So... to sum it all up... don't be afraid to ever write exactly who you want to write! Pair them with someone that will make you happy! Don't ever give in to what the fandom at large says is acceptable. If we all did that, Ginny would end up with Draco and Harry would forever pine for Hermione... and there would be nothing else for us to write!

AND I'm glad you friended me! I sometimes feel uncomfortable friending friends of my friends because it looks like stalking but Elle has good taste in friends! You guys crack me up! *grins*

[leigh_adams]

I'm glad we crack you up! Sometimes I think that people outside of our fishbowl just shake their heads and think that we're a bunch of nutcases (which we are, but that's beside the point).

I started out in HP fandom several years ago (in D/G, to be specific) as a lurker. I liked writing, but I never considered myself decent enough to give it a shot myself (and there are days when I still don't and I'm amazed people actually read some of the crap I write). I lurked for about 4 years, just reading and enjoying. Then one day, I saw an ad through a writer whose work I enjoyed for a RPG that shall remain nameless for the time being. I'd never really thought about role playing; the idea kinda made me O.o a bit. But I figured, 'Hey, why not? If I sucked, they wouldn't let me play, and if not, it was a way to work on my writing skills.' (My first character, in case you're curious, was Fleur).

I loved the RP. I loved the people I wrote with, my characters, the storyline, everything. It was so much fun, delving into the minds of my characters and seeing what really made them tick. I made some really great friends (including Elle) and really loved writing there. Unfortunately, there was an explosion over a scene back in January that divided the game, and about seven of us decided there was no option but to leave. It wasn't fun anymore, and it was obvious that we weren't wanted.

Long story short, our muses were still talking, so we started pinksheep_wench. It's a *ton* of fun and since we're not a true RP, there's absolutely no pressure.

Anyway, I like writing the obscure characters because they just didn't get enough love in canon, you know? I mean, if a major character speaks to me, I'll give it a shot (I write Pansy at PS, and she's pretty interesting. A lot darker than most of the Pansy's I've read floating around the internet, which I like). But I like putting meat on the skeletons of personality-less characters that are only mentioned once in canon (like Lisa) or are just on a class list (like Stephen Cornfoot). And I totally agree with you about pairing characters with someone who makes me happy. The only canon ship I write is Bill/Fleur (because pyrobear writes a vereh hawt Bill). My other ships are totally rare pairs because they have so much chemistry (Lisa/Ernie Macmillan and Katie Bell/Stewart Ackerly, for example).

I've never really written anything other than HP fandom, but I'm thinking about giving Supernatural a try (I blame numbaby for that. That and the fact that Ernie's VR at PS is Misha Collins *drools*

And I know how you feel about feeling uncomfortable about friending friends of friends. I feel like I might as well have STALKER stamped on my forehead when I do, lol! :D

[lar_laughs]

I still have to START watching Supernatural! It's one I plan on... and yes, mostly because Caradoc's PB is Jared Padalecki. But it's a show that everyone raves about and I don't really know why I didn't start watching it when it came out. Oh well. NetFlix will save me again!

I think RPs are a great tool for writers. You can sharpen your writing skills while learning to write quickly all the while surrounded by people who UNDERSTAND what it is that you're trying to accomplish. But the DRAMA! Oh, the DRAMA! I've been scared away from two RPs now and will most likely never return to another one. But I adore creating with someone else. That's too much a part of me to lose completely! It sounds like you guys have the same sort of thing going on over at the "island" - you don't have the drama, just all the fun!

I will admit that I write Ron/Hermione but I would say that's the only canon pairing I write without pressure. There's just too much fun to have elsewhere! Your Katie/Stewart stories are on my list to read soon! I'm HORRID at reading these days. If you ever have anything you want me to read, send me a message saying "READ THIS OR ELSE!" I'm much better when terrorized!

You know, the best way I can think to get into a new fandom (and none of them are as big or as welcoming as HP) is to pick a community that is active and just plunge in. I always go with drabbles because those are the easiest to write at first. You don't have to be as precise with your characterizations and you can experiment more easily.

If you find a good Supernatural community, let me know! I'll come stalk it until I understand how to write it!

[lar_laughs]

And another good (and fun way) of getting into Supernatural would be to join on of the "land" communities. A lot of the people that I'm in whedonland are also in the Supernatural one as well. I have SO much fun on the one I joined. It's just a bunch of people who enjoy the shows and hang out, doing different things. At WL, we play a lot of games and I get to drabble to my hearts content! And I've made some friends so big plus!

[leigh_adams]

Girl, I hear you on the RP drama. It was so bad this spring that I dreaded signing into the comm because I was so apprehensive about what might have been posted while I was away from the computer.

Jane (numbaby) writes over at spn_teamfic. Obvi, it's a team fic competition, with peeps writing for either Team Heaven, Team Hell, or Team Hunter. She writes for Team Hell, and is quite frankly amazing at it. (She also writes the Stewart to my Katie at our little haven *grins*)

I used to try and write Draco/Ginny, but I always felt so overwhelmed, especially in comparison to some of the BNFs in that particular fandom (whom I used to RP with as well), that I quit trying. I always felt my characterizations fell flat. >.<

And I'll try not to terrorize you into reading my stuff, but I am a bit of a feeback whore. It's true, I'll admit it. I love getting notifications in my Gmail that someone squeezed on something I wrote. Yes, am awful. So sue me. :D

[lar_laughs]

I've never seen a Fic land community! How cool! These that I'm a part of are a combination of people which is cool because I can ask around for graphics!

I try VERY HARD not to compare myself to other fanfic writers because you'll never find a character or pairing you can write! Besides, most of the BNFs I know about aren't even around anymore. Or writing. Or they're famous and could care less about LJ. *sigh* Someday that will be me!