I write. You write. He, she or it writes. Wait; what??
Fanfic writers everywhere (or it seems like everywhere, at least on my flist) are all doing that 'fanfic/writing meme'. So of course, I just *had* to do it too.
1. How about a brief introduction?
LttleDvl is my pen name. It also happens to be my internet nick/screen/username for just about every website/forum/chat/im that I’ve ever been to. (hey; I’m nothing if not consistent ;)
Chances are if you’ve ever seen LttleDvl anywhere on a fic, no matter the archive/webpage, it’ll be me.
2. What got you into fanfiction?
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away I found a little forum and met some interesting scifigeekynerds. We started im and chatting with each other. Someone mentioned that they’d just finished reading a good fic which prompted me to ask what a fic was.
The rest is history.
3. What kind of fanfiction do you write?
Primarily, Power Rangers SPD. I may toy with some Mystic Force and who knows; possibly Jungle Fury at some point too. (though neither of those will happen until I watch more of the series)
I also sometimes write Stargate Atlantis and have whipped out some shorty Babylon 5 here and there. I have a strong feeling that I will soon be writing for yet another small fandom, and no, I ain’t gonna tell you what it is yet. ;P
4. Do you write for the same pairings/characters?
I like to mix them up, though I do tend to run through stages. For a while, it was chunks of Bridge/Z, now I’m doing more Sky/Z. I think it is just a habit of mine to ‘bounce around’. I like exploring how the characters interact, and by placing them in different pairings, I can explore that interaction further.
5. What is your most popular fic and why do you think people like it so?
Oh good grief, I have absolutely no clue what is considered my most popular fic. Interestingly, I do not have a large amount of long, expansive chapter fics. Most of mine tend to be stand-alone, short ficlets. It’s hard to judge which is the most ‘popular’ of that assortment.
6. Forget other people; what is the fanfic/post/prompt you've written that you're most proud of?
That’s a tough call, and I’m not sure I can pick just one. I like ‘It’s Not Easy Being A Leader’. The discussion between Jack and Sky about making one of the toughest calls of all, sending your friends into combat, really meant something to me. Possibly because it’s not just fictional character angst, but something real that some people have to do every day.
‘Last Kiss’ is one that I’m immensely proud of. Yes, I killed him off; yes, I know not everyone likes deathfic, but I think what I like about it isn’t so much the content itself, but the context in which I did it. Not once in the story did I use the word death, die, dead or any other form of death. Never said it was about a funeral either. It was the scene itself that clued the reader into what was going on. And really, it wasn’t so much about the character death itself, but the loss of love and the retrospection of that love. In fact, there was no character speech at all, something that isn’t often seen with fics, I think. That also is what endears me to this particular story.
7. Do you find writing easy? Hard? What aspects do you struggle with?
Sometimes its easy, sometimes not. It largely depends on my mood. There are times where I just can’t seem to get anything written at all. Then there are those times where I’m so flooded by plotbunnies that I swear I’m drowning in them. (honestly, I think they all just hang out in the corner and do what rabbits are most famous for. making more bunnies! lol!)
What aspect do I struggle with? That’s easy; battle/fight scenes. I can’t write them worth a shit. I know; I’ve tried. The result tends to be painful. So instead of trying to write them, I avoid them all together. I either gloss over the fight or start a story *after* the big fight has ended. Convenient, no?
8. Write a few sentences of your favorite pairing or character.
I hate having to pick favorites. I suck so badly at it. My favorites of anything can (and does) change with frequency. Or at least semi-frequency. Personally, I also have a hard time placing the importance of one thing over another. It’s no wonder I’m so wishy-washy. hee! But ok; since you asked, I’ll at least try...something.
Bridge makes a most excellent woobie. Probably because he has that whole ‘I canz red yur thoughts. I canz sees yur feelinz.’ So much potential to beat his cute little butt with. He’s soft and squishable. And that makes him fun to angst on. But Sky also has a great deal of potential too. If anything, I see him as more emo-boy than Bridgey. Bridge gets dumped on by others a lot. Sky dumps on himself. What a nice angst toy that is! No assembly required, I can angst all by myself in a fic, thanks.
9. Are there any fan fiction trends/clichés you hate/dislike?
Funny you should ask, I did explore the fic pet peeves some while back. There was some interesting discussions there and I think the main thing that came out of it, is that it’s not so much a particular fic trend/scenario, as it is the context in which its presented. It really comes down to how well a writer can pull it off. All in all, I’m pretty open.
Oh, that is except for RPF/RPS. Those I cannot stand. *shudders*
10. Are you guilty of any of the trends you hate?
I’ve written a MarySue (once even *quite* deliberately), had Syd working to become a minor baby factory and quashed two fandoms together simply because I thought it would be amusing. (really; who *doesn’t* want to see Bridge and Rodney run verbal circles round each other? *snerk*)
11. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Do you still write for it?
Stargate Atlantis is the first fandom I ever put out fanfic for. Truthfully however, it is not the very first I ever wrote for. That honor goes to Mercedes Lackey’s Heralds of Valedmar series and a story I wrote out on a legal pad about 10 years ago. Before I had any clue what fanfiction was. I still have that story, dunno what to do with it.
12. Name your OTPs and explain what it is about them you love to write.
Much as I stated in question 4, I tend to shift my trends fairly often. There is a tender place in my heart for Bridge/Z, but I am liking the Sky/Z I’m doing now. And Bridge/Sky are so lovey-dovey together. Jack/Sky is just plain hotness.
Boom love! Let’s not forget everyone’s beloved, dorky tech guy. Simply adorkable and shippable with just about anyone. :D
13. What would you call your writing style?
Uh...mine? *hee* Honestly, I have no fraggin’ clue as to what the question is asking. What do you mean by ‘style’? Is there a particular manner/way of writing I do all the time? Is there some supersekrit formulaic pattern I’ve been following completely unbeknownst to me?? I can’t describe *how* I write, I just know that I do. And that’s good enough for me.
14. Do you read other people's writing? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
Heck yes I do! I like writing, but I enjoy reading too. Helps keep my own creative juices flowing, ya know?
I find myself mainly reading the flist. Unless I stumble across another fandom and going seeking fanfic for that. Which...also tends to be on livejournal. Seeing a trend here?
15. Name one thing you'd love to write but have been too afraid or too shy to do.
I think I’m still working up to the true smutty femslash fic. I haven’t done much fic-wise yet, other than to have the gals smooching. I don’t know why, but it seems harder to write femslash than guyslash.
16. Do you feel uncomfortable taking criticism? Or worse, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
Please give me criticism! How else am I going to improve my writing if I don’t know where I need improvement? That’s not to say I want to be flamed, mind you. There *is* a difference between blatant flames and constructive crits. If you don’t like something I’ve written, tell me *why* you don’t like it. Either the writing was poor, the plot was weak or the character interaction did not flow well. Just don’t tell me ‘this sucked massive balls!’ without being able to back up your claim. Otherwise, I may poke you with a large stick. ;P
My ego is only bloated on the second Sunday after the Great Pumpkin orgtasticreverly takes place. I’m sure I have some sort of ego. But do I think I’m hot shit because I write fanfic? No. But once I write that best-selling, award-winning, multi-million dollar-earning novel, *then* I will be hot shit. Lol!
17. When you write, is there anything that helps?
My writing is most helped when the kids are in bed.
18. What inspires you?
A little pixiefairy muse-like creature who likes to torment me. In exchange for such abuse, I give her chocolate.
19. Lastly, how would you sum up your fanfiction experiences and you as a writer?
My experiences? Uhm...ff.net sucks amass? Yes, I have stuff there too. Most of it I cringe at. I *could* just delete the things I think are crappy, but it does give me a benchmark of where I’m at now. And also serves as a reminder of what *not* to do.
I think I’m more of a sprint writer than a marathon one. As in, I seem to do better with short shot stories vs. long multi-chapters. (let’s ignore the fact that I’m writing one now, shall we) I think it is because I am semi-fickle. That and I have the attention span of a gnat. Well, not really. It’s more that I can become easily bored with something. This is why I think I play in other fandoms on occasion. It keeps me from getting too bored with just the one. And probably why I ship and slash a few different pairings. Helps keep the boredom bug at bay.
1. How about a brief introduction?
LttleDvl is my pen name. It also happens to be my internet nick/screen/username for just about every website/forum/chat/im that I’ve ever been to. (hey; I’m nothing if not consistent ;)
Chances are if you’ve ever seen LttleDvl anywhere on a fic, no matter the archive/webpage, it’ll be me.
2. What got you into fanfiction?
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away I found a little forum and met some interesting scifigeekynerds. We started im and chatting with each other. Someone mentioned that they’d just finished reading a good fic which prompted me to ask what a fic was.
The rest is history.
3. What kind of fanfiction do you write?
Primarily, Power Rangers SPD. I may toy with some Mystic Force and who knows; possibly Jungle Fury at some point too. (though neither of those will happen until I watch more of the series)
I also sometimes write Stargate Atlantis and have whipped out some shorty Babylon 5 here and there. I have a strong feeling that I will soon be writing for yet another small fandom, and no, I ain’t gonna tell you what it is yet. ;P
4. Do you write for the same pairings/characters?
I like to mix them up, though I do tend to run through stages. For a while, it was chunks of Bridge/Z, now I’m doing more Sky/Z. I think it is just a habit of mine to ‘bounce around’. I like exploring how the characters interact, and by placing them in different pairings, I can explore that interaction further.
5. What is your most popular fic and why do you think people like it so?
Oh good grief, I have absolutely no clue what is considered my most popular fic. Interestingly, I do not have a large amount of long, expansive chapter fics. Most of mine tend to be stand-alone, short ficlets. It’s hard to judge which is the most ‘popular’ of that assortment.
6. Forget other people; what is the fanfic/post/prompt you've written that you're most proud of?
That’s a tough call, and I’m not sure I can pick just one. I like ‘It’s Not Easy Being A Leader’. The discussion between Jack and Sky about making one of the toughest calls of all, sending your friends into combat, really meant something to me. Possibly because it’s not just fictional character angst, but something real that some people have to do every day.
‘Last Kiss’ is one that I’m immensely proud of. Yes, I killed him off; yes, I know not everyone likes deathfic, but I think what I like about it isn’t so much the content itself, but the context in which I did it. Not once in the story did I use the word death, die, dead or any other form of death. Never said it was about a funeral either. It was the scene itself that clued the reader into what was going on. And really, it wasn’t so much about the character death itself, but the loss of love and the retrospection of that love. In fact, there was no character speech at all, something that isn’t often seen with fics, I think. That also is what endears me to this particular story.
7. Do you find writing easy? Hard? What aspects do you struggle with?
Sometimes its easy, sometimes not. It largely depends on my mood. There are times where I just can’t seem to get anything written at all. Then there are those times where I’m so flooded by plotbunnies that I swear I’m drowning in them. (honestly, I think they all just hang out in the corner and do what rabbits are most famous for. making more bunnies! lol!)
What aspect do I struggle with? That’s easy; battle/fight scenes. I can’t write them worth a shit. I know; I’ve tried. The result tends to be painful. So instead of trying to write them, I avoid them all together. I either gloss over the fight or start a story *after* the big fight has ended. Convenient, no?
8. Write a few sentences of your favorite pairing or character.
I hate having to pick favorites. I suck so badly at it. My favorites of anything can (and does) change with frequency. Or at least semi-frequency. Personally, I also have a hard time placing the importance of one thing over another. It’s no wonder I’m so wishy-washy. hee! But ok; since you asked, I’ll at least try...something.
Bridge makes a most excellent woobie. Probably because he has that whole ‘I canz red yur thoughts. I canz sees yur feelinz.’ So much potential to beat his cute little butt with. He’s soft and squishable. And that makes him fun to angst on. But Sky also has a great deal of potential too. If anything, I see him as more emo-boy than Bridgey. Bridge gets dumped on by others a lot. Sky dumps on himself. What a nice angst toy that is! No assembly required, I can angst all by myself in a fic, thanks.
9. Are there any fan fiction trends/clichés you hate/dislike?
Funny you should ask, I did explore the fic pet peeves some while back. There was some interesting discussions there and I think the main thing that came out of it, is that it’s not so much a particular fic trend/scenario, as it is the context in which its presented. It really comes down to how well a writer can pull it off. All in all, I’m pretty open.
Oh, that is except for RPF/RPS. Those I cannot stand. *shudders*
10. Are you guilty of any of the trends you hate?
I’ve written a MarySue (once even *quite* deliberately), had Syd working to become a minor baby factory and quashed two fandoms together simply because I thought it would be amusing. (really; who *doesn’t* want to see Bridge and Rodney run verbal circles round each other? *snerk*)
11. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Do you still write for it?
Stargate Atlantis is the first fandom I ever put out fanfic for. Truthfully however, it is not the very first I ever wrote for. That honor goes to Mercedes Lackey’s Heralds of Valedmar series and a story I wrote out on a legal pad about 10 years ago. Before I had any clue what fanfiction was. I still have that story, dunno what to do with it.
12. Name your OTPs and explain what it is about them you love to write.
Much as I stated in question 4, I tend to shift my trends fairly often. There is a tender place in my heart for Bridge/Z, but I am liking the Sky/Z I’m doing now. And Bridge/Sky are so lovey-dovey together. Jack/Sky is just plain hotness.
Boom love! Let’s not forget everyone’s beloved, dorky tech guy. Simply adorkable and shippable with just about anyone. :D
13. What would you call your writing style?
Uh...mine? *hee* Honestly, I have no fraggin’ clue as to what the question is asking. What do you mean by ‘style’? Is there a particular manner/way of writing I do all the time? Is there some supersekrit formulaic pattern I’ve been following completely unbeknownst to me?? I can’t describe *how* I write, I just know that I do. And that’s good enough for me.
14. Do you read other people's writing? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
Heck yes I do! I like writing, but I enjoy reading too. Helps keep my own creative juices flowing, ya know?
I find myself mainly reading the flist. Unless I stumble across another fandom and going seeking fanfic for that. Which...also tends to be on livejournal. Seeing a trend here?
15. Name one thing you'd love to write but have been too afraid or too shy to do.
I think I’m still working up to the true smutty femslash fic. I haven’t done much fic-wise yet, other than to have the gals smooching. I don’t know why, but it seems harder to write femslash than guyslash.
16. Do you feel uncomfortable taking criticism? Or worse, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
Please give me criticism! How else am I going to improve my writing if I don’t know where I need improvement? That’s not to say I want to be flamed, mind you. There *is* a difference between blatant flames and constructive crits. If you don’t like something I’ve written, tell me *why* you don’t like it. Either the writing was poor, the plot was weak or the character interaction did not flow well. Just don’t tell me ‘this sucked massive balls!’ without being able to back up your claim. Otherwise, I may poke you with a large stick. ;P
My ego is only bloated on the second Sunday after the Great Pumpkin orgtasticreverly takes place. I’m sure I have some sort of ego. But do I think I’m hot shit because I write fanfic? No. But once I write that best-selling, award-winning, multi-million dollar-earning novel, *then* I will be hot shit. Lol!
17. When you write, is there anything that helps?
My writing is most helped when the kids are in bed.
18. What inspires you?
A little pixiefairy muse-like creature who likes to torment me. In exchange for such abuse, I give her chocolate.
19. Lastly, how would you sum up your fanfiction experiences and you as a writer?
My experiences? Uhm...ff.net sucks amass? Yes, I have stuff there too. Most of it I cringe at. I *could* just delete the things I think are crappy, but it does give me a benchmark of where I’m at now. And also serves as a reminder of what *not* to do.
I think I’m more of a sprint writer than a marathon one. As in, I seem to do better with short shot stories vs. long multi-chapters. (let’s ignore the fact that I’m writing one now, shall we) I think it is because I am semi-fickle. That and I have the attention span of a gnat. Well, not really. It’s more that I can become easily bored with something. This is why I think I play in other fandoms on occasion. It keeps me from getting too bored with just the one. And probably why I ship and slash a few different pairings. Helps keep the boredom bug at bay.