interview.
Cheryl Dyson - Please click on the cut below for her interview.
1. Please introduce yourselves as an author.
My name is Cheryl Dyson and I generally go by "dysonrules" on my fanfiction, although a Google search on either name will turn up plenty of reading material. My fics can be found in three main places: www.fanfiction.net/~cheryldyson http://dysonrules.livejournal.com/ http://archiveofourown.org/users/dysonrules
I also have an original fiction site here: http://dysonrules.dreamwidth.org
2. What is writing to you?
Writing is much more than a hobby to me. If I go a day without writing I start to feel grouchy and irritated. It's more than a hobby; I find it relaxing and a great way to express my creativity. Plus I've always loved fiction and immersing myself into different worlds, which became an even better experience when I began to fashion my own worlds. Recently, it has also become a way to connect with global friends, as I see most of my stories as presents to them. I love giving gifts!
3.Were you always good at writing? A lot of aspiring writers worry about this the most- if they have enough talent.
Yes, I've always been a natural writer. I think you can improve as a writer, but it definitely helps if you are an intuitive writer to begin with. Certain people can just sit down and start writing with an ability to draw people into their story. I first started writing when I was ten years old and when I was twelve a teacher allowed my school class to put on a play I had written, so even then I knew how to construct a plot and develop characters, albeit at a juvenile level.
4. What are your opinions on beta-ing? Have you considered beta reading for others?
A good beta is a NECESSITY. I actually prefer to have more than one, because each reader is different and will catch errors (or point out turns of phrase, plot-holes, etc.) that another may not. I do beta-read for several of my fellow fandom authors. We sort of trade beta-favours.
5.What do you normally look for in a good fanfiction you'd like to sit down and read? Or, on the other hand, what would completely turn you off from a fanfic?
The things I look for in a good fic: General storytelling ability, good characterization, believable situations and pacing, and romance! What can I say; I am a sucker for a love story. Things that turn me off are too much explanation (tell, tell, tell writing), excessive backstory, excessive emotion (in m/m fiction, sometimes they are written too feminine), and violence or too-dark themes. I'm not a fan of angst or tormented characters, mostly because I get too involved emotionally and it throws me out of my own writing groove.
6. Just a quick yes/no question- do you normally give critique? Either in the form of reviews, PMs, blogging, etc.
I generally do not give critiques except to my friends and even then only if I'm sure they can take the brutal truth. Most authors don't want to know where their writing is going wrong, because it's a very emotional process and they aren't just words on a page - it's closer to a piece of their soul. Criticism is extremely hard to take and it's also true that every reader is different, so what applies to one reader will have an opposite reaction from another. I discovered my own writing mistakes by joining a writer's group where you submitted chapters to complete strangers for the sole purpose of critique. It was eye-opening.
7. What can you tell us about your writing style? Do you tend to focus on the dialogue, emotion, or description?
I think my specialty is dialog, action, and giving just enough description for the reader to populate the rest with their own imagination.
8. What do you base your writing on? Pure fiction, or your own experiences?
Everything. Experiences, songs, news stories, everything I see and hear and feel can be pulled into a story. I love to watch people and listen to them. With fiction, even something completely fantastical (like one of the characters being a ghost) will be coloured by the writer's experiences and emotions. You don't have to actually be a ghost to get it right.
9. What do you think is the problem that writers nowadays have most? If you had that problem, how would you try to solve it?
I've noticed recently that many writers try to say too much. I read a fic some time ago wherein the summary mentioned that the main character was going to a foreign country. The fic opened with the character packing, talking to his parents, and then meeting with his friends prior to going away, when the reader already knew he was leaving! By the time he actually departed, the reader was bored. The fic should have started with him arriving at his destination, or even better in the midst of whatever situation later arose. If there was one lesson I could teach it would be: Cut to the chase.
10. How do you become inspired?
Usually, I finds songs to be the most inspirational. I listen to a lot of new music and sometimes the lyrics of the feeling generated by a certain song will cause an image to burst into my head and from there I construct a plot around it. Many times it will be nothing more than the mood of a certain piece-one song I can't listen to without picturing one of my characters standing pensively at a window looking out into the rain. Next to that I would say just going to different places and seeing new things. I once saw a coffee shop and immediately had to build a story around it. Something about the ambiance just drew me in. So the short answer is anything!
11. How do you begin your stories? What do you think an opening should achieve?
Whenever possible I try to open the story in the midst of the action or in a situation that will immediately cause the reader to want to know more. Why is the character there? What is happening? If you can evoke those types of questions, you will have hooked your reader. The goal is to draw them in and keep them reading.
12. What techniques to you use to develop your character/make it believable/move others?
I think the most effective way of making your characters believable is to give them flaws that your readers can relate to, or to put them in situations in which your readers would react in a similar way, or make them want the characters to behave in a certain way. One "trick" I use is to not have static characters in a scene. They walk around, they touch things, they drop things, they recoil at the ugly curtains-small details that make them seem more like people and less like cardboard constructions.
13. How do you write an ending/epilogue?
Goodness, endings are the hardest things for me. I can keep them going and going and sometimes I just don't want the story to end. With that said, once you have wrapped up all the plot pieces and everything is neatly tied up, it's time for the story to end. I always try to end it with humour some amusing twist, just to give it that feeling of completion. Also, I feel longer stories deserve an epilogue, especially if you have a happy ending after a lot of drama. Your readers have been through a lot with your characters and they deserve a glimpse into how things have turned out. It can be a way to ease them into the fact that the story is over, rather than having it abruptly end.
14.What do you think makes a good plot?
A good plot can start with just about any premise. The way to make it good is to involve your character in it in such a way that the reader wants to live the story with them. Walking down to the corner for a cup of coffee can be a plot, depending on what happens to your character along the way. He can be nearly killed six times and rescued by the love of his life. (And now I want to write that! Inspiration is everywhere.) To me, the plot should simply be a means of driving your character development.
15. What advice would you give to people with a writer's block in the middle of a lengthy story, or lose interest halfway through?
That is the worst thing ever! Some stories simply do not want to be written, even if you love the idea. It's so frustrating. The only advice is to power through it, even if you can only write 25 words per day. I've found a block usually only lasts for a couple of pages at most, so if you can get through it the writing tends to get easier. Also, if it's a particular scene annoying you, write it from the POV of a different character, even if you can't put it in the story. Often a new point of view will give you a fresh outlook on the scene and help shift the writer's block. I've written whole chapters that never make it into a story, just so I know what an alternating character is doing or thinking. I have lost interest and tossed a story (or ten) into the slush pile. Unless you're writing it for yourself, you can't always do that, in which case you might need to drastically alter your plot, or even go back and rewrite.
16. Any general tips for the either the newly budding writer or just someone aiming to improve their writing?
Write all the time. Keep a notebook with you and any time you get inspired, pull it out and write, even if it is only to jot down your impressions of the scene. Sometimes I will see someone interesting and I will open a notebook and describe them in detail, occasionally even crafting mini-plots around them. The more you write, the easier it gets. Also, don't second-guess yourself. I know many good writers who are paralyzed by the fear that their writing isn't "good enough", so they begin a story and either edit it so many times that they end up hating it, or they simply give up. Even if you think it's not good enough, write it anyway, and keep trying to make the next one better.
-Fin-
1. Please introduce yourselves as an author.
My name is Cheryl Dyson and I generally go by "dysonrules" on my fanfiction, although a Google search on either name will turn up plenty of reading material. My fics can be found in three main places: www.fanfiction.net/~cheryldyson http://dysonrules.livejournal.com/ http://archiveofourown.org/users/dysonrules
I also have an original fiction site here: http://dysonrules.dreamwidth.org
2. What is writing to you?
Writing is much more than a hobby to me. If I go a day without writing I start to feel grouchy and irritated. It's more than a hobby; I find it relaxing and a great way to express my creativity. Plus I've always loved fiction and immersing myself into different worlds, which became an even better experience when I began to fashion my own worlds. Recently, it has also become a way to connect with global friends, as I see most of my stories as presents to them. I love giving gifts!
3.Were you always good at writing? A lot of aspiring writers worry about this the most- if they have enough talent.
Yes, I've always been a natural writer. I think you can improve as a writer, but it definitely helps if you are an intuitive writer to begin with. Certain people can just sit down and start writing with an ability to draw people into their story. I first started writing when I was ten years old and when I was twelve a teacher allowed my school class to put on a play I had written, so even then I knew how to construct a plot and develop characters, albeit at a juvenile level.
4. What are your opinions on beta-ing? Have you considered beta reading for others?
A good beta is a NECESSITY. I actually prefer to have more than one, because each reader is different and will catch errors (or point out turns of phrase, plot-holes, etc.) that another may not. I do beta-read for several of my fellow fandom authors. We sort of trade beta-favours.
5.What do you normally look for in a good fanfiction you'd like to sit down and read? Or, on the other hand, what would completely turn you off from a fanfic?
The things I look for in a good fic: General storytelling ability, good characterization, believable situations and pacing, and romance! What can I say; I am a sucker for a love story. Things that turn me off are too much explanation (tell, tell, tell writing), excessive backstory, excessive emotion (in m/m fiction, sometimes they are written too feminine), and violence or too-dark themes. I'm not a fan of angst or tormented characters, mostly because I get too involved emotionally and it throws me out of my own writing groove.
6. Just a quick yes/no question- do you normally give critique? Either in the form of reviews, PMs, blogging, etc.
I generally do not give critiques except to my friends and even then only if I'm sure they can take the brutal truth. Most authors don't want to know where their writing is going wrong, because it's a very emotional process and they aren't just words on a page - it's closer to a piece of their soul. Criticism is extremely hard to take and it's also true that every reader is different, so what applies to one reader will have an opposite reaction from another. I discovered my own writing mistakes by joining a writer's group where you submitted chapters to complete strangers for the sole purpose of critique. It was eye-opening.
7. What can you tell us about your writing style? Do you tend to focus on the dialogue, emotion, or description?
I think my specialty is dialog, action, and giving just enough description for the reader to populate the rest with their own imagination.
8. What do you base your writing on? Pure fiction, or your own experiences?
Everything. Experiences, songs, news stories, everything I see and hear and feel can be pulled into a story. I love to watch people and listen to them. With fiction, even something completely fantastical (like one of the characters being a ghost) will be coloured by the writer's experiences and emotions. You don't have to actually be a ghost to get it right.
9. What do you think is the problem that writers nowadays have most? If you had that problem, how would you try to solve it?
I've noticed recently that many writers try to say too much. I read a fic some time ago wherein the summary mentioned that the main character was going to a foreign country. The fic opened with the character packing, talking to his parents, and then meeting with his friends prior to going away, when the reader already knew he was leaving! By the time he actually departed, the reader was bored. The fic should have started with him arriving at his destination, or even better in the midst of whatever situation later arose. If there was one lesson I could teach it would be: Cut to the chase.
10. How do you become inspired?
Usually, I finds songs to be the most inspirational. I listen to a lot of new music and sometimes the lyrics of the feeling generated by a certain song will cause an image to burst into my head and from there I construct a plot around it. Many times it will be nothing more than the mood of a certain piece-one song I can't listen to without picturing one of my characters standing pensively at a window looking out into the rain. Next to that I would say just going to different places and seeing new things. I once saw a coffee shop and immediately had to build a story around it. Something about the ambiance just drew me in. So the short answer is anything!
11. How do you begin your stories? What do you think an opening should achieve?
Whenever possible I try to open the story in the midst of the action or in a situation that will immediately cause the reader to want to know more. Why is the character there? What is happening? If you can evoke those types of questions, you will have hooked your reader. The goal is to draw them in and keep them reading.
12. What techniques to you use to develop your character/make it believable/move others?
I think the most effective way of making your characters believable is to give them flaws that your readers can relate to, or to put them in situations in which your readers would react in a similar way, or make them want the characters to behave in a certain way. One "trick" I use is to not have static characters in a scene. They walk around, they touch things, they drop things, they recoil at the ugly curtains-small details that make them seem more like people and less like cardboard constructions.
13. How do you write an ending/epilogue?
Goodness, endings are the hardest things for me. I can keep them going and going and sometimes I just don't want the story to end. With that said, once you have wrapped up all the plot pieces and everything is neatly tied up, it's time for the story to end. I always try to end it with humour some amusing twist, just to give it that feeling of completion. Also, I feel longer stories deserve an epilogue, especially if you have a happy ending after a lot of drama. Your readers have been through a lot with your characters and they deserve a glimpse into how things have turned out. It can be a way to ease them into the fact that the story is over, rather than having it abruptly end.
14.What do you think makes a good plot?
A good plot can start with just about any premise. The way to make it good is to involve your character in it in such a way that the reader wants to live the story with them. Walking down to the corner for a cup of coffee can be a plot, depending on what happens to your character along the way. He can be nearly killed six times and rescued by the love of his life. (And now I want to write that! Inspiration is everywhere.) To me, the plot should simply be a means of driving your character development.
15. What advice would you give to people with a writer's block in the middle of a lengthy story, or lose interest halfway through?
That is the worst thing ever! Some stories simply do not want to be written, even if you love the idea. It's so frustrating. The only advice is to power through it, even if you can only write 25 words per day. I've found a block usually only lasts for a couple of pages at most, so if you can get through it the writing tends to get easier. Also, if it's a particular scene annoying you, write it from the POV of a different character, even if you can't put it in the story. Often a new point of view will give you a fresh outlook on the scene and help shift the writer's block. I've written whole chapters that never make it into a story, just so I know what an alternating character is doing or thinking. I have lost interest and tossed a story (or ten) into the slush pile. Unless you're writing it for yourself, you can't always do that, in which case you might need to drastically alter your plot, or even go back and rewrite.
16. Any general tips for the either the newly budding writer or just someone aiming to improve their writing?
Write all the time. Keep a notebook with you and any time you get inspired, pull it out and write, even if it is only to jot down your impressions of the scene. Sometimes I will see someone interesting and I will open a notebook and describe them in detail, occasionally even crafting mini-plots around them. The more you write, the easier it gets. Also, don't second-guess yourself. I know many good writers who are paralyzed by the fear that their writing isn't "good enough", so they begin a story and either edit it so many times that they end up hating it, or they simply give up. Even if you think it's not good enough, write it anyway, and keep trying to make the next one better.
-Fin-