Author Interview: Jezziejay
Author Interview: Jezziejay
jezziejay wrote 3 fics that are featured on the House "What-If" Rec List. She can be found online as jezziejay [LJ] [AO3] [DW] / jezzer [FF].
Please give her a warm welcome and interact in the comments section below.
What-If Genre
As a writer and/or as a reader, what draws you to what-iffy fic?
Possibilities. Not knowing what’s going to happen next is something that thrills me as a reader and a writer. Almost all of my fics have started with a what if thought - what if Wilson changed his mind about treatment, what if something challenged their newly established relationship, what if a baby showed up… Sometimes I sit down to write and I have nothing but the what if.
As a Reader
What was the first House fic you remember reading, and why has it stuck with you?
The first H/W fic I ever read was by magie_05 - I don’t remember which one it was as I immediately gobbled up everything else she had written. She made it very easy for me to buy into these guys being a couple. Her works were often tagged as PWP, but I’ve never agreed; there was always a very satisfying level of emotional depth for me. Plus warmth, humour, dialogue that made me grin from ear to ear, and exceptionally well written smut.
What types of fics draw you in / are you drawn to as a reader?
I have a fondness for certain tropes - established/domestic, AU, friends-to-lovers, flangst (I think barefootpuddles and flywoman have the ™ on that.) But good writing and interesting characters will always attract me. And there will always be a special place in my heart for those fics that I wasn’t be really sure about when I clicked, but ended up being utterly blown away by.
Some of your favorite House fics, and why? (Can be in what-iffy genre or any other type - categorize any way you like.)
This rec list is the tip of a very large iceberg. What I read - or reread - very much depends on my mood, whether I want to indulge it or escape it, and my favs list is pretty much a spectrum of my moods. As to why I like them, well all have affected me in some way - whether it was tears or smiles or heart flutters or catching my breath or just thinking about the story for a long time afterwards. Some blew me away with the writing, some with the concept, some with the characterisation. Some had all of those. All of them are great stories. And to answer another question here - these are all fairly much my favourite writers. I’ve come across some of them in other fandoms and that’s always exciting.
What kind of fic would you like to see more of in the fandom?
AU - gimme all the AU. *grabby hands* It took me to travel to other fandoms to even think about writing AUs, and they now make up the bulk of my fics. I regret not writing more of it for House - although, I do now have a couple of pieces in the pipeline.
As a Writer
What genre/length/pairing/challenge/prompt do you most enjoy writing?
It depends. In terms of not frustrating myself with my own neurosis, I enjoy quick one-shots. Little quirky ficlets that are prompt-inspired. Write, post and go. I tend to be more self-indulgent when writing these pieces, and I allow myself to push the boundaries of humour and ridiculousness.
That said, I also enjoy the meatiness of longer, more complex fics. Throwing all those balls in the air and seeing if I can catch them before the end. However, I fight with myself a lot with longer stories, and I can struggle with keeping the tone consistent.
I especially love writing AUs. Taking established characters out to play with in a completely different field is always a blast.
House and Wilson are my OTP within this fandom. I generally write and read fanfiction with slash pairings. I haven’t quite got to the bottom of why that is…
What do you struggle with as an author?
Exposition/worldbuilding. I can really struggle with setting a scene. I just want to get to the dialogue. Also, smut is a bit of a challenge, and in recent years, I’ve learned that less is definitely more for my writing. When my sex scenes get too long and detailed, they turn into what I call my IKEA porn - insert peg A into slot B and jiggle around. Not hot.
Do you plan to continue writing House fic? (Please say yes.)
I do. I am.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the writing process?
Editing. It’s like the homework you leave until last, and it can take so long.
Self-recs - your favorite fics that you've written (and why)?
House fics - Persona, Positive, and Succour. I think these are the ones I can reread without cringing, or wanting to change too much. They also have some of my favourite lines I’ve written.
The overall piece I’m most proud of is Yes is a World, which I wrote for the sterek [Teen Wolf] fandom. It’s not by any means a perfect fic, and I often think of tidying it up a little, but I’m oddly proud of the POV characterisation.
How have you grown as a fanfic writer?
Hugely, I hope. Mostly in terms of tighter writing, keeping the tone more consistent and less jarring, (attempting) greater complexity with characterisation and plot, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. All that said, I’m still learning lots, still getting it wrong at times, still a WIP!
What genres/works outside fandom have influenced you as a writer?
There are so, so many. I’ve written pieces based on Game of Thrones, Japanese Folklore, Irish mythology, and even my own job. Movies that inspired fics include Love Actually (twice), Sweet Home Alabama, and She’s All That (although more subverting the general theme). In terms of House fics specifically, Hey, Hey, I Saved the World Today and Bang, Bang, That Awful Sound were songs that absolutely inspired the content of the stories.
What are you currently writing?
I’m not actually writing anything right now, but I am editing four fics, three of which are House fics.
The first is a long overdue promised piece in which Wilson finds out that he has a baby from a woman who has recently died. The baby comes to stay with him and House while waiting for the necessary paperwork for her to join her maternal aunt in Australia. Wilson is not too taken with his daughter. It’s 20k+ words and has a few time-stamps.
The second is an AU, in which House is a construction worker who is fascinated by the guy that comes out to sit on the window-ledge every lunchtime. And then it delves into hookers, lawyers, depression, divorce, piano bars and some identity politics. It’s pretty choppy at the moment, and I’m not really sure if it’s more of an experiment than a story.
The third is a story where House and Wilson meet up every summer during their teenage years. Although very AU, there’s a lot of homage paid to the show. That’s the one closest to being finished.
Describe how you collaborate with other writers to produce fic (co-authoring, betaing, etc.).
As flywoman mentioned in a previous interview, we’ve been mutual betas and friends for some years now, and I very much value her feedback and opinion. She makes my work better. I’ve also been very lucky to work with homo_pink, who has become another lifelong friend and fic-plotter. They are my go-to’s when I’m banging my head against a brick wall of my own making.
I don't co-author very much. I am always terrified that I'll take the story in a direction that the other author(s) don't want to go in, and terrified that I'll ruin it. I also never post WIPs, as I change my mind constantly and often need to go back and add in bits to earlier parts. I'm actually a bit of a nightmare to beta for unless I send a completed or near completed fic.
What’s one of the most memorable comments/reviews (sentiments) you’ve ever received?
Across the board, I’ve had mostly lovely and thoughtful comments and reviews. Also some very interesting ones, some that have been very emotional and reactive, and a couple that have been intentionally nasty. But the one that stands out was for a fic that I wrote for the hockey fandom, in which one of the main characters has DCD/dyspraxia - which is something I am very familiar with. I got a personal message on tumblr from a girl who loved the story and was very generous with her praise of it. She finished by saying that it really resonated with her because the DCD characteristics reflected a lot of her own behaviours, and she was considering going for an assessment. I didn’t hear from her a while, and then she pm’d me on LJ to say that she now had a diagnosis of DCD. For most of her life she had been called lazy, clumsy, weird, careless, scattered, and she had believed all of this about herself until she sought out a professional opinion. She spoke at length in a very personal manner about how much knowing this was changing her life and her opinion of herself, for the better. I was insanely moved that she chose to share this with me, and really humbled that all of this happened because of something I wrote.
Could you describe a memorable moment of fic inspiration?
I remember reading an article about a guy who was diagnosed with testicular cancer by a pregnancy test, which highlighted tumour markers. And so Positive was born.
What is the strangest/most interesting thing you ever researched for a fic?
I would not even know where to begin. All I’ll say is that I clear my browsing history every time I turn off my computer. My friend, Dee, is charged with double checking, if something were to happen to me. And to any government authority monitoring my activity…umm. Sorry?
Canon
Favorite House episodes? When did you start watching?
I watched from the very beginning. My mother and I used to watch it together when I lived at home. The House/Wilson goggles came much later. Three Stories is my favourite episode. I thought that I might not enjoy the show so much at the end of season 3, when the original team was fired/resigned, but I really loved the season four opening ep. It’s another of my favs - Wilson stealing the guitar is a scene that I could watch over and over. And have done. Also have a fondness for House and Wilson living together during season two. I stopped watching regularly at the end of season six. It was pretty much done by then for me.
Personal headcanon(s)?
Wilson grew up in a family that was also dysfunctional. I’ve always thought that, and it’s pretty much a theme in the pieces I’m writing at the moment.
Which House characters speak to you (while you're trying to do other things…), or resonate with you?
House and Wilson, obviously. I’m fond of Foreman and a fan of Cuddy, but not Huddy. I found Thirteen far more ‘Mary-Sue’ than Cameron. I love Taub - I didn’t always like what he did, and I hated that the woman he chose to cheat on his wife with was a beautiful twenty-two year old. And still, I love Taub.
Other
Did you write fanfic before you got into the House fandom? What/when were your first fandom(s)?
I used to read a lot of Goren/Eames [Law & Order: Criminal Intent] fic, but House was my first active fandom, and the one I think of as my home.
Anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
This past year has been a very difficult one for me fandom-wise. I haven’t posted a fic in over a year, and there was a time when I didn’t even want to turn on my computer. Thank you to all who listened to me rant, indulged my temper tantrums, and were endlessly patient with my whining. You guys are why I’m still here, and why my enthusiasm for fandom is once again blossoming. <3
jezziejay wrote 3 fics that are featured on the House "What-If" Rec List. She can be found online as jezziejay [LJ] [AO3] [DW] / jezzer [FF].
Please give her a warm welcome and interact in the comments section below.
What-If Genre
As a writer and/or as a reader, what draws you to what-iffy fic?
Possibilities. Not knowing what’s going to happen next is something that thrills me as a reader and a writer. Almost all of my fics have started with a what if thought - what if Wilson changed his mind about treatment, what if something challenged their newly established relationship, what if a baby showed up… Sometimes I sit down to write and I have nothing but the what if.
As a Reader
What was the first House fic you remember reading, and why has it stuck with you?
The first H/W fic I ever read was by magie_05 - I don’t remember which one it was as I immediately gobbled up everything else she had written. She made it very easy for me to buy into these guys being a couple. Her works were often tagged as PWP, but I’ve never agreed; there was always a very satisfying level of emotional depth for me. Plus warmth, humour, dialogue that made me grin from ear to ear, and exceptionally well written smut.
What types of fics draw you in / are you drawn to as a reader?
I have a fondness for certain tropes - established/domestic, AU, friends-to-lovers, flangst (I think barefootpuddles and flywoman have the ™ on that.) But good writing and interesting characters will always attract me. And there will always be a special place in my heart for those fics that I wasn’t be really sure about when I clicked, but ended up being utterly blown away by.
Some of your favorite House fics, and why? (Can be in what-iffy genre or any other type - categorize any way you like.)
This rec list is the tip of a very large iceberg. What I read - or reread - very much depends on my mood, whether I want to indulge it or escape it, and my favs list is pretty much a spectrum of my moods. As to why I like them, well all have affected me in some way - whether it was tears or smiles or heart flutters or catching my breath or just thinking about the story for a long time afterwards. Some blew me away with the writing, some with the concept, some with the characterisation. Some had all of those. All of them are great stories. And to answer another question here - these are all fairly much my favourite writers. I’ve come across some of them in other fandoms and that’s always exciting.
What kind of fic would you like to see more of in the fandom?
AU - gimme all the AU. *grabby hands* It took me to travel to other fandoms to even think about writing AUs, and they now make up the bulk of my fics. I regret not writing more of it for House - although, I do now have a couple of pieces in the pipeline.
As a Writer
What genre/length/pairing/challenge/prompt do you most enjoy writing?
It depends. In terms of not frustrating myself with my own neurosis, I enjoy quick one-shots. Little quirky ficlets that are prompt-inspired. Write, post and go. I tend to be more self-indulgent when writing these pieces, and I allow myself to push the boundaries of humour and ridiculousness.
That said, I also enjoy the meatiness of longer, more complex fics. Throwing all those balls in the air and seeing if I can catch them before the end. However, I fight with myself a lot with longer stories, and I can struggle with keeping the tone consistent.
I especially love writing AUs. Taking established characters out to play with in a completely different field is always a blast.
House and Wilson are my OTP within this fandom. I generally write and read fanfiction with slash pairings. I haven’t quite got to the bottom of why that is…
What do you struggle with as an author?
Exposition/worldbuilding. I can really struggle with setting a scene. I just want to get to the dialogue. Also, smut is a bit of a challenge, and in recent years, I’ve learned that less is definitely more for my writing. When my sex scenes get too long and detailed, they turn into what I call my IKEA porn - insert peg A into slot B and jiggle around. Not hot.
Do you plan to continue writing House fic? (Please say yes.)
I do. I am.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the writing process?
Editing. It’s like the homework you leave until last, and it can take so long.
Self-recs - your favorite fics that you've written (and why)?
House fics - Persona, Positive, and Succour. I think these are the ones I can reread without cringing, or wanting to change too much. They also have some of my favourite lines I’ve written.
The overall piece I’m most proud of is Yes is a World, which I wrote for the sterek [Teen Wolf] fandom. It’s not by any means a perfect fic, and I often think of tidying it up a little, but I’m oddly proud of the POV characterisation.
How have you grown as a fanfic writer?
Hugely, I hope. Mostly in terms of tighter writing, keeping the tone more consistent and less jarring, (attempting) greater complexity with characterisation and plot, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. All that said, I’m still learning lots, still getting it wrong at times, still a WIP!
What genres/works outside fandom have influenced you as a writer?
There are so, so many. I’ve written pieces based on Game of Thrones, Japanese Folklore, Irish mythology, and even my own job. Movies that inspired fics include Love Actually (twice), Sweet Home Alabama, and She’s All That (although more subverting the general theme). In terms of House fics specifically, Hey, Hey, I Saved the World Today and Bang, Bang, That Awful Sound were songs that absolutely inspired the content of the stories.
What are you currently writing?
I’m not actually writing anything right now, but I am editing four fics, three of which are House fics.
The first is a long overdue promised piece in which Wilson finds out that he has a baby from a woman who has recently died. The baby comes to stay with him and House while waiting for the necessary paperwork for her to join her maternal aunt in Australia. Wilson is not too taken with his daughter. It’s 20k+ words and has a few time-stamps.
The second is an AU, in which House is a construction worker who is fascinated by the guy that comes out to sit on the window-ledge every lunchtime. And then it delves into hookers, lawyers, depression, divorce, piano bars and some identity politics. It’s pretty choppy at the moment, and I’m not really sure if it’s more of an experiment than a story.
The third is a story where House and Wilson meet up every summer during their teenage years. Although very AU, there’s a lot of homage paid to the show. That’s the one closest to being finished.
Describe how you collaborate with other writers to produce fic (co-authoring, betaing, etc.).
As flywoman mentioned in a previous interview, we’ve been mutual betas and friends for some years now, and I very much value her feedback and opinion. She makes my work better. I’ve also been very lucky to work with homo_pink, who has become another lifelong friend and fic-plotter. They are my go-to’s when I’m banging my head against a brick wall of my own making.
I don't co-author very much. I am always terrified that I'll take the story in a direction that the other author(s) don't want to go in, and terrified that I'll ruin it. I also never post WIPs, as I change my mind constantly and often need to go back and add in bits to earlier parts. I'm actually a bit of a nightmare to beta for unless I send a completed or near completed fic.
What’s one of the most memorable comments/reviews (sentiments) you’ve ever received?
Across the board, I’ve had mostly lovely and thoughtful comments and reviews. Also some very interesting ones, some that have been very emotional and reactive, and a couple that have been intentionally nasty. But the one that stands out was for a fic that I wrote for the hockey fandom, in which one of the main characters has DCD/dyspraxia - which is something I am very familiar with. I got a personal message on tumblr from a girl who loved the story and was very generous with her praise of it. She finished by saying that it really resonated with her because the DCD characteristics reflected a lot of her own behaviours, and she was considering going for an assessment. I didn’t hear from her a while, and then she pm’d me on LJ to say that she now had a diagnosis of DCD. For most of her life she had been called lazy, clumsy, weird, careless, scattered, and she had believed all of this about herself until she sought out a professional opinion. She spoke at length in a very personal manner about how much knowing this was changing her life and her opinion of herself, for the better. I was insanely moved that she chose to share this with me, and really humbled that all of this happened because of something I wrote.
Could you describe a memorable moment of fic inspiration?
I remember reading an article about a guy who was diagnosed with testicular cancer by a pregnancy test, which highlighted tumour markers. And so Positive was born.
What is the strangest/most interesting thing you ever researched for a fic?
I would not even know where to begin. All I’ll say is that I clear my browsing history every time I turn off my computer. My friend, Dee, is charged with double checking, if something were to happen to me. And to any government authority monitoring my activity…umm. Sorry?
Canon
Favorite House episodes? When did you start watching?
I watched from the very beginning. My mother and I used to watch it together when I lived at home. The House/Wilson goggles came much later. Three Stories is my favourite episode. I thought that I might not enjoy the show so much at the end of season 3, when the original team was fired/resigned, but I really loved the season four opening ep. It’s another of my favs - Wilson stealing the guitar is a scene that I could watch over and over. And have done. Also have a fondness for House and Wilson living together during season two. I stopped watching regularly at the end of season six. It was pretty much done by then for me.
Personal headcanon(s)?
Wilson grew up in a family that was also dysfunctional. I’ve always thought that, and it’s pretty much a theme in the pieces I’m writing at the moment.
Which House characters speak to you (while you're trying to do other things…), or resonate with you?
House and Wilson, obviously. I’m fond of Foreman and a fan of Cuddy, but not Huddy. I found Thirteen far more ‘Mary-Sue’ than Cameron. I love Taub - I didn’t always like what he did, and I hated that the woman he chose to cheat on his wife with was a beautiful twenty-two year old. And still, I love Taub.
Other
Did you write fanfic before you got into the House fandom? What/when were your first fandom(s)?
I used to read a lot of Goren/Eames [Law & Order: Criminal Intent] fic, but House was my first active fandom, and the one I think of as my home.
Anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
This past year has been a very difficult one for me fandom-wise. I haven’t posted a fic in over a year, and there was a time when I didn’t even want to turn on my computer. Thank you to all who listened to me rant, indulged my temper tantrums, and were endlessly patient with my whining. You guys are why I’m still here, and why my enthusiasm for fandom is once again blossoming. <3