Writerly Questions
As seen on juno_magic's LJ.
In the spirit of the Fandom Snowflake Challenge, I am trying to be more active on LJ. And I would love it if people copied this and answered it themselves.
How are you all?
1. of the fic you’ve written, which are you most proud of?
Had difficulty with this in the Fandom Snowflake Challenge. I am proud of having finished anything I have finished! Before writing fanfic I had goodness knows how many millions of words of unfinished stories. So actually finishing anything makes me not proud -- more relieved!
2. favorite tense (past/present/future)
Past. I don't mind present if it is brief.
3. favorite POV (first/second/third/etc)
Third person. I have tried first person on and off for decades, and found it restricting. I don't want to be limited to one person's head. For one chapter perhaps, not a whole story.
4. what are some themes you love writing about?
Contrary to what my fics might suggest, love and hope, but I also like to explore guilt, self-loathing and taboo relationships.
5. what inspires you to write?
The writing I've already done, in part, in that I think: 'Don't give up, now!' Also nothing gives me more of a kick than reading something that I love! I often use that when I am a bit bogged down. It never fails!
6. thoughts on critique
Depends what sort of critique. Plot points and characters are off limits. I know where the story is going, and why people do the things they do. By the end of a story that should be obvious. It wouldn't occur to me any-one would want my critique, except maybe in the area of typos, since I am not the person writing the story, and that's my attitude to critique in general.
7. Create a character on the spot…. NOW!
All of them remembered when they first set foot on Arda, coming down with wings of red and gold, and bronze, all the colours of fire, falling like meteors onto a ripe, living world. And slowly, inexorably, changing until the memory of their glory was an offense, a mockery.
There were some who would have found a bitter amusement in the duel that ended his life.
Glorfindel could have been his twin once. The Valaraukas' hair had been the streaming gold of a new-risen sun, and his form as beautiful. Only their eyes would have differentiated between them. Glorfindel's were a profound and unfathomable blue, while his own were the colour of his hair. Or had been. But when Angband hurled its power against the white walls of Gondolin all of them had long-since darkened, their fire burning inwards to a black place of hate until they unleashed it upon the world. Daachas had blinded those blue eyes, melted the flesh from the face that had, once, been his own. It was insufferable that this warrior should stand before him, show him his unfallen self.
Falling with the warrior's dagger buried in his breast, his clawed hands tangled in the streaming golden hair, he had felt no triumph. Falling, but he had fallen long ago.
***
(Not exactly on the spot, as I have mentioned this Balrog, Daachas, once, but never written him)
8. is there a character you love writing for the most? the least? why?
I love writing whomever I am writing at the time. Of canon characters I always love writing Fëanor, (especially with Fingolfin) and I have a special place in my heart for OC's simply because as long as they fit within the borders of my 'verse I can do anything with them. I am not sure I have a least favourite. If I don't like writing certain characters I ignore them. If I have to mention them (as sometimes happens) I only write them briefly. But yes, there are some I have had to write and not enjoyed at all.
9. a passage from a WIP
From Magnificat of the Damned: Book III.
Celegorm dropped his hands. “It would not surprise me at all,” he said, tightly-wound rage in his words. “But whether in the Valars' hands or Eärendil's it will not be easy to reclaim. And that is what we will do. One day. My father will take the war to the Valar. Thou hast never spoken if this to him?”
“I think he knows. How would he not? His silence regarding the Silmarils has been...profound.” Finrod ran a finger over the sleek muscles of Celegorm's shoulder, felt his quiver. “I do not think they obsess him, but I will never believe he has forgotten them. And there is something else,” he continued. “The Valar must know thy father was willing to give up a Silmaril. All they have to do is hold some-one he loves hostage, as Orodreth did. Thinks't thou he would not give up his own life? And then the Silmaril incarnate, the true Silmaril would indeed be broken, as the tale of the Dagor Dagorath declares.”
10. what are your writing strengths?
Burble...perseverance, lol.
11. what are your writing weaknesses.
The main one I can think of, apart from hah! - everything! is: I feel far more comfortable writing male characters, than females. If I try to write women, I feel like I am writing myself which I absolutely hate! There is no place for me in my fic except at the keyboard, and I would not do well in a place where most women seem to have kids and get married, or have done so in the past. I cannot get inside that kind of head space. It is more alien than an Alien.
I think I would get along with Haleth; maybe I should try and write her one day. I could get into her head pretty easily, I think. (Hey sister, soul-sister).
12. what’s your favorite place for writing resources?
Anywhere. I have books scattered around that I delve into. I read a lot of varied sites.
13. who are your favorite writers?
Of published authors. John Connolly, Edith Pargetter, Julian May, Mary Stewart, Patricia McKillip, Tad Williams, Steven Erikson. Tolkien for The Silmarillion. Fanfic authors? - You know who you are! :)
In the spirit of the Fandom Snowflake Challenge, I am trying to be more active on LJ. And I would love it if people copied this and answered it themselves.
How are you all?
1. of the fic you’ve written, which are you most proud of?
Had difficulty with this in the Fandom Snowflake Challenge. I am proud of having finished anything I have finished! Before writing fanfic I had goodness knows how many millions of words of unfinished stories. So actually finishing anything makes me not proud -- more relieved!
2. favorite tense (past/present/future)
Past. I don't mind present if it is brief.
3. favorite POV (first/second/third/etc)
Third person. I have tried first person on and off for decades, and found it restricting. I don't want to be limited to one person's head. For one chapter perhaps, not a whole story.
4. what are some themes you love writing about?
Contrary to what my fics might suggest, love and hope, but I also like to explore guilt, self-loathing and taboo relationships.
5. what inspires you to write?
The writing I've already done, in part, in that I think: 'Don't give up, now!' Also nothing gives me more of a kick than reading something that I love! I often use that when I am a bit bogged down. It never fails!
6. thoughts on critique
Depends what sort of critique. Plot points and characters are off limits. I know where the story is going, and why people do the things they do. By the end of a story that should be obvious. It wouldn't occur to me any-one would want my critique, except maybe in the area of typos, since I am not the person writing the story, and that's my attitude to critique in general.
7. Create a character on the spot…. NOW!
All of them remembered when they first set foot on Arda, coming down with wings of red and gold, and bronze, all the colours of fire, falling like meteors onto a ripe, living world. And slowly, inexorably, changing until the memory of their glory was an offense, a mockery.
There were some who would have found a bitter amusement in the duel that ended his life.
Glorfindel could have been his twin once. The Valaraukas' hair had been the streaming gold of a new-risen sun, and his form as beautiful. Only their eyes would have differentiated between them. Glorfindel's were a profound and unfathomable blue, while his own were the colour of his hair. Or had been. But when Angband hurled its power against the white walls of Gondolin all of them had long-since darkened, their fire burning inwards to a black place of hate until they unleashed it upon the world. Daachas had blinded those blue eyes, melted the flesh from the face that had, once, been his own. It was insufferable that this warrior should stand before him, show him his unfallen self.
Falling with the warrior's dagger buried in his breast, his clawed hands tangled in the streaming golden hair, he had felt no triumph. Falling, but he had fallen long ago.
***
(Not exactly on the spot, as I have mentioned this Balrog, Daachas, once, but never written him)
8. is there a character you love writing for the most? the least? why?
I love writing whomever I am writing at the time. Of canon characters I always love writing Fëanor, (especially with Fingolfin) and I have a special place in my heart for OC's simply because as long as they fit within the borders of my 'verse I can do anything with them. I am not sure I have a least favourite. If I don't like writing certain characters I ignore them. If I have to mention them (as sometimes happens) I only write them briefly. But yes, there are some I have had to write and not enjoyed at all.
9. a passage from a WIP
From Magnificat of the Damned: Book III.
Celegorm dropped his hands. “It would not surprise me at all,” he said, tightly-wound rage in his words. “But whether in the Valars' hands or Eärendil's it will not be easy to reclaim. And that is what we will do. One day. My father will take the war to the Valar. Thou hast never spoken if this to him?”
“I think he knows. How would he not? His silence regarding the Silmarils has been...profound.” Finrod ran a finger over the sleek muscles of Celegorm's shoulder, felt his quiver. “I do not think they obsess him, but I will never believe he has forgotten them. And there is something else,” he continued. “The Valar must know thy father was willing to give up a Silmaril. All they have to do is hold some-one he loves hostage, as Orodreth did. Thinks't thou he would not give up his own life? And then the Silmaril incarnate, the true Silmaril would indeed be broken, as the tale of the Dagor Dagorath declares.”
10. what are your writing strengths?
Burble...perseverance, lol.
11. what are your writing weaknesses.
The main one I can think of, apart from hah! - everything! is: I feel far more comfortable writing male characters, than females. If I try to write women, I feel like I am writing myself which I absolutely hate! There is no place for me in my fic except at the keyboard, and I would not do well in a place where most women seem to have kids and get married, or have done so in the past. I cannot get inside that kind of head space. It is more alien than an Alien.
I think I would get along with Haleth; maybe I should try and write her one day. I could get into her head pretty easily, I think. (Hey sister, soul-sister).
12. what’s your favorite place for writing resources?
Anywhere. I have books scattered around that I delve into. I read a lot of varied sites.
13. who are your favorite writers?
Of published authors. John Connolly, Edith Pargetter, Julian May, Mary Stewart, Patricia McKillip, Tad Williams, Steven Erikson. Tolkien for The Silmarillion. Fanfic authors? - You know who you are! :)