(no subject)
Tomorrow I have my first test of the semester. Ack! I did manage to write my take-home essay, which drew heavily on one of the featured chapters in the test, so I'm sure I've got anything related to that down. I've been studying the other chapters too, and I've attended every class and done well on every lab, so I think I can do well on the test... *crosses fingers*
Now to distract myself, have a fic meme I gacked from unfolded73.
1. Your favorite story?
At the moment, it's Rounded with a Sleep. That story was exactly what I wanted it to be and more. I still love it a rather ridiculous amount.
2. Your least favorite story?
Some of the things I wrote when I was just starting out in HP fandom were pretty bad. Rather, really bad. I think "Christmas Presents" is the worst of the lot, almost as much for the stupid title as for the cliche story and purple prose. XD But this was over five years ago so I've definitely improved.
3. Your longest story?
Feet on the Ground, at 41,000 words. Btw, this was also in contention for "favorite"--it's more than two years old, and I still love it. I just wish I could manage to get the sequel finished. *sigh*
4. Your shortest story?
Um, I've written a damn lot of drabbles, all of which are basically a story in themselves, even if I group them together for convenience's sake. So basically the collected Here's to You drabbles.
5. Your strangest story?
I've written a few strange things. XD Not even counting all my smutty filk, there's the strange style of Bugger That Novel and an untitled thing, which are my odd little poem fics. For content, it might be my Harry Potter/Good Omens crossovers, Karma and That Old Bookshop (especially Karma).
6. Your most unpleasant story?
For Thine is the Kingdom, for incest, dubious consent, and mind games.
7. The story that surprised you most with its reception?
In terms of how many comments I got, Unbelievable, because it was just a silly little ficlet about to be jossed and I got over twenty comments, which is a damn lot for me. In terms of people liking it more than I thought they would (in the sense that I got long comments calling me brilliant, which I didn't expect), With a Little Help from My Friends. I do rather love that fic myself, but I wasn't expecting some other people to be as taken with it as they were. Nice surprise, though! :D
8. Your funniest story?
Again, probably "With a Little Help from My Friends". It started off being crackfic and ended up being a more serious humor fic (if that's not an oxymoron :p). It's definitely very wry, but other people seem to think it's funny, so hurrah!
9. Your most angst-ridden story?
And Would Suffice, because it's the Doctor in Turn Left, where it's implied that he basically passively committed suicide. o.O It's...hard to get more angsty than someone committing suicide. XD
10. Your most smutty story?
Hmmm. I don't write sex that often anymore. It might be the filks (which can be found under my filks tag) because they're just unredeemably raunchy, or it might be "For Thine is the Kingdom", because sex, and what happens in the sex, is an intrinsic part of that story.
Speaking of fics, and especially "With a Little Help from My Friends", there's more I want to write in that universe, but I'm not sure about tone. The first fic is funny and vaguely cracky and tries not to talk itself too seriously, but at heart, I don't think I'm a humor writer. Most of my ideas just won't be written that way.
I've never really written a universe of fics before. Well, I sort of have, with "Walking the Sky" and "Feet on the Ground", but I didn't want to change tones there, so I wasn't worried about that aspect of it, at least.
But what I'm sort of wondering is if a cohesive universe needs to establish and continue a certain tone. I mean, tone can shift within a fic, but it does have something overall. I would characterize "With a Little Help from My Friends" as a humor fic, though it has its moments of angst, poignancy, romance, etc. But I think it's a humor fic, and a lot of the commentors appreciated that humor.
And the thing with that fic is that it would be the first fic in the universe, setting the stage for all the others. Does it also have to set the tone as well? Can I shift tone within a universe without it being jarring to readers, who might come to the fic thinking they're going to get one thing (because of familiarity with the previous fic) and instead find something quite different?
Because the next fic I have in mind does not want to be funny. It might have its moments of humor, but primarily it wants to be an exploration of some of the issues I glossed over in the previous fic, and I'm not sure I can make them funny without devaluing them. (This is not a comment saying that it's impossible for serious ideas to be written successfully in a funny manner; only one where I distrust my ability to do that.)
I want to write this fic, but I'm not sure whether or not it will be out of place. Advice welcome. *g*
Now to distract myself, have a fic meme I gacked from unfolded73.
1. Your favorite story?
At the moment, it's Rounded with a Sleep. That story was exactly what I wanted it to be and more. I still love it a rather ridiculous amount.
2. Your least favorite story?
Some of the things I wrote when I was just starting out in HP fandom were pretty bad. Rather, really bad. I think "Christmas Presents" is the worst of the lot, almost as much for the stupid title as for the cliche story and purple prose. XD But this was over five years ago so I've definitely improved.
3. Your longest story?
Feet on the Ground, at 41,000 words. Btw, this was also in contention for "favorite"--it's more than two years old, and I still love it. I just wish I could manage to get the sequel finished. *sigh*
4. Your shortest story?
Um, I've written a damn lot of drabbles, all of which are basically a story in themselves, even if I group them together for convenience's sake. So basically the collected Here's to You drabbles.
5. Your strangest story?
I've written a few strange things. XD Not even counting all my smutty filk, there's the strange style of Bugger That Novel and an untitled thing, which are my odd little poem fics. For content, it might be my Harry Potter/Good Omens crossovers, Karma and That Old Bookshop (especially Karma).
6. Your most unpleasant story?
For Thine is the Kingdom, for incest, dubious consent, and mind games.
7. The story that surprised you most with its reception?
In terms of how many comments I got, Unbelievable, because it was just a silly little ficlet about to be jossed and I got over twenty comments, which is a damn lot for me. In terms of people liking it more than I thought they would (in the sense that I got long comments calling me brilliant, which I didn't expect), With a Little Help from My Friends. I do rather love that fic myself, but I wasn't expecting some other people to be as taken with it as they were. Nice surprise, though! :D
8. Your funniest story?
Again, probably "With a Little Help from My Friends". It started off being crackfic and ended up being a more serious humor fic (if that's not an oxymoron :p). It's definitely very wry, but other people seem to think it's funny, so hurrah!
9. Your most angst-ridden story?
And Would Suffice, because it's the Doctor in Turn Left, where it's implied that he basically passively committed suicide. o.O It's...hard to get more angsty than someone committing suicide. XD
10. Your most smutty story?
Hmmm. I don't write sex that often anymore. It might be the filks (which can be found under my filks tag) because they're just unredeemably raunchy, or it might be "For Thine is the Kingdom", because sex, and what happens in the sex, is an intrinsic part of that story.
Speaking of fics, and especially "With a Little Help from My Friends", there's more I want to write in that universe, but I'm not sure about tone. The first fic is funny and vaguely cracky and tries not to talk itself too seriously, but at heart, I don't think I'm a humor writer. Most of my ideas just won't be written that way.
I've never really written a universe of fics before. Well, I sort of have, with "Walking the Sky" and "Feet on the Ground", but I didn't want to change tones there, so I wasn't worried about that aspect of it, at least.
But what I'm sort of wondering is if a cohesive universe needs to establish and continue a certain tone. I mean, tone can shift within a fic, but it does have something overall. I would characterize "With a Little Help from My Friends" as a humor fic, though it has its moments of angst, poignancy, romance, etc. But I think it's a humor fic, and a lot of the commentors appreciated that humor.
And the thing with that fic is that it would be the first fic in the universe, setting the stage for all the others. Does it also have to set the tone as well? Can I shift tone within a universe without it being jarring to readers, who might come to the fic thinking they're going to get one thing (because of familiarity with the previous fic) and instead find something quite different?
Because the next fic I have in mind does not want to be funny. It might have its moments of humor, but primarily it wants to be an exploration of some of the issues I glossed over in the previous fic, and I'm not sure I can make them funny without devaluing them. (This is not a comment saying that it's impossible for serious ideas to be written successfully in a funny manner; only one where I distrust my ability to do that.)
I want to write this fic, but I'm not sure whether or not it will be out of place. Advice welcome. *g*