30 Days of Fanfic Writing: Days 7-9
7) Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
I've never written a story that changed my opinion of a character. Read, yes; written, no. That's not really how I operate. Maybe it'd be different if I was writing original fic, but I'm very... meta when I write fanfic and my choices are grounded pretty solidly in my understanding of the canon characters and canon events, even when I go AU. (Sometimes especially when I go AU.) My writing confirms, then explores what I already know about my characters--not in a strict, 'can't colour outside the lines' kind of way, but in the sense of maintaining internal consistency and following the metaphysics of the 'verse. First I know, then I write.
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.
I don't make a point of writing original characters. If I can second a canon throwaway character to do the same job, I go with the canon character even if they're nothing more than a last name or an extra in the background. That said, I have written OCs (a few Mitchells, and Sam Seaborn's mother is pretty much an OC) and have no problem with them as long as they don't take over the plot. I realise some writers enjoy writing OCs as main characters and that's fine for them, but that's not what I read or what I write. (That said, I realise my fic about Sam Seaborn's mother is exactly that kind of fic, except for how it's still all about Sam. I can't decide if it's really feminist or really not.)
I think we throw the term Mary Sue around too lightly when what we mean is "unrealistically awesome given what we know of canon"... for relative terms of "unrealistic" when we're talking about alien technology or spandex-clad superheroes. I try not to let any one character, whether canon or original, take over the plot completely. I try to look at different points of view and allow for competing agendas. I try to spread around the best lines and the moments of awesome. Obviously I can't have everyone experience a minor victory, because a 2k story will end up being 20k, but I don't ever want my fic to only be about the one guy saving the world. That'd get boring pretty quickly, IMHO.
Which is not to say every single one of my stories manages to accomplish this, but it's definitely what I'm aiming for.
9) Pairings - For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favourite pairings to write?
I'm only including fandoms that I've written extensively/hope to write eventually, as well as gen pairings:
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?
2) Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it.
3) For each of the fandoms from day two, what were your favorite characters to write?
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?
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?
6) When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?
7) Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
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.
9) Pairings - For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favourite pairings to write?
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?
11) Genre - do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?
12) Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favourite book or movie but set in a different fandom?
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?
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?
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?
16) Summaries - Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
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?
18) Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?
19) When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
20) Do you ever get bunnied from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?
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?
22) Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favourite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you've thought about doing? And if not, why not?
23) When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
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?
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?
26) What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
27) Where is your favourite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
28) Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
29) What is your current project or projects?
30) Do you have a favourite fic you've written? What makes it your favourite? And don't forget to give us a link!
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I've never written a story that changed my opinion of a character. Read, yes; written, no. That's not really how I operate. Maybe it'd be different if I was writing original fic, but I'm very... meta when I write fanfic and my choices are grounded pretty solidly in my understanding of the canon characters and canon events, even when I go AU. (Sometimes especially when I go AU.) My writing confirms, then explores what I already know about my characters--not in a strict, 'can't colour outside the lines' kind of way, but in the sense of maintaining internal consistency and following the metaphysics of the 'verse. First I know, then I write.
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.
I don't make a point of writing original characters. If I can second a canon throwaway character to do the same job, I go with the canon character even if they're nothing more than a last name or an extra in the background. That said, I have written OCs (a few Mitchells, and Sam Seaborn's mother is pretty much an OC) and have no problem with them as long as they don't take over the plot. I realise some writers enjoy writing OCs as main characters and that's fine for them, but that's not what I read or what I write. (That said, I realise my fic about Sam Seaborn's mother is exactly that kind of fic, except for how it's still all about Sam. I can't decide if it's really feminist or really not.)
I think we throw the term Mary Sue around too lightly when what we mean is "unrealistically awesome given what we know of canon"... for relative terms of "unrealistic" when we're talking about alien technology or spandex-clad superheroes. I try not to let any one character, whether canon or original, take over the plot completely. I try to look at different points of view and allow for competing agendas. I try to spread around the best lines and the moments of awesome. Obviously I can't have everyone experience a minor victory, because a 2k story will end up being 20k, but I don't ever want my fic to only be about the one guy saving the world. That'd get boring pretty quickly, IMHO.
Which is not to say every single one of my stories manages to accomplish this, but it's definitely what I'm aiming for.
9) Pairings - For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favourite pairings to write?
I'm only including fandoms that I've written extensively/hope to write eventually, as well as gen pairings:
- Criminal Minds: Hotch/JJ, Hotch/Duncan MacLeod (HL), Prentiss & Duncan MacLeod (HL)
- Harry Potter: Remus/Sirius, Harry & Teddy, girl!Harry & Sirius
- Highlander: Duncan/Aaron Hotchner (CM), Duncan & Emily Prentiss (CM), Duncan/James Wilson (House) [yes, Duncan is my LBD of fandom, not Methos]
- Smallville: Clark/Oliver, Clark/Lois, Lois/Oliver (and Clark/Lois/Oliver!)
- SG-1/SGA: John/Cam, John/Ronon, John/Jeannie [noticing a trend?]
- Suits: girl!Mike/Harvey, Harvey & Jessica, girl!Mike & Rachel [I even wrote Harvey and Jessica discussing girl!Mike, then realised I couldn't use it. Alas!]
- The West Wing: Sam/Will, Josh/Sam, Toby/Sam [whoops, another trend!]
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?
2) Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it.
3) For each of the fandoms from day two, what were your favorite characters to write?
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?
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?
6) When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?
7) Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
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.
9) Pairings - For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favourite pairings to write?
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?
11) Genre - do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?
12) Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favourite book or movie but set in a different fandom?
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?
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?
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?
16) Summaries - Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
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?
18) Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?
19) When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
20) Do you ever get bunnied from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?
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?
22) Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favourite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you've thought about doing? And if not, why not?
23) When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
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?
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?
26) What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
27) Where is your favourite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
28) Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
29) What is your current project or projects?
30) Do you have a favourite fic you've written? What makes it your favourite? And don't forget to give us a link!
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comment(s)