Meme: On writing fanfic...
I've had this journal for almost six months now, and I love reading this meme, so it's time for a little self-assessment. This post is about my writing, mostly for my own purposes but here for those of you who are interested in the writing process.
By the way, flist, I'm interested in seeing what you have to say in response to this meme. Give it a try.
On writing fanfic
Original meme devised by cynicalpirate, format taken and adapted from minnow_53.
New to fanfic?
Yes. Have been reading regularly for about eight months, writing for about five.
Prolific?
For me? Yes! To date I've written:
* 45 stories or serial installments
* one complete, very lengthy serial, half a dozen chapters for a co-written serial, and half a dozen assorted independent stories
* approximately 90,000 words in total
Go, me!
Keyboard or pencil and paper?
Keyboard, supplemented by pencil and paper for diagrams. (Don't laugh; I tell you, diagrams make everything clearer and more interesting, even fanfic.) The diagrams are primarily for sketching out the relationships characters have with one another, not for plot.
Caffeine?
Definitely. Usually strong tea, but recently I've had to resort to coffee, which I don't much like.
Location?
I wish I could work at my desk, because we've sacrificed the dining nook so that I could have a study, but I do a lot of typing while sitting on the chair or the couch with my keyboard in my lap.
The start of the writing process?
I'm not usually inspired by specific stories I've read, but I think that reading fic is the best starting point for writing it. Memorable, well-written stories stay with me for a day or two and often get me thinking about issues I want to address.
I usually go for a morning walk that lasts an hour, and I come up with and work through story ideas then. Something about walking and thinking really works for me.
Length of process?
I try to limit my daily LJ time by setting the microwave timer for an hour, but when I write I always have to give myself another hour and sometimes have to reset the clock two or even three times. I'm slow.
Much suffering involved?
Surprisingly, not usually. I'm a terrible academic writer--painful, slow, and inefficient--but I really enjoy fanfic. It's a bit of a revelation for me.
Favored topics?
I love stories that are directly or indirectly about the worldview of a character or group of characters. Politics and social issues are fabulous; all the better if I can actually integrate them into the plot or the characterization. I like thinking about various kinds of social and cultural difference--queerness, class/blood status/race, relations with the Muggle world--and how they play out in everyday life.
Favored characters?
What I think of as the "parents' generation" of HP characters. Sometimes the circle of friends known as MWPP seems a little claustrophobic, and I wish we knew more about Lily and her friends or Snape and his. I also really like McGonagall and imagining the parents of this generation.
Characters you avoid?
Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle, both of whom are a little too extraordinary and omnipotent for my tastes.
Topics that you avoid or find difficult?
Sex. Perhaps it's a stage that will pass, but I'm just not that comfortable with it. I also have a hard time devising plots that include a lot of action. In my universe, everyone would sit around a talk all the time. In addition, few characters actually use magic in any creative way in my stories, though I love thinking about witches and wizards exploring the Muggle world.
Attitude towards canon?
I'm still using my fic to work out problems I have with canon, but I'm interested in canon mostly at the most abstract level: what caused Voldemort's rise? Why did various characters respond to his rise the way they did? Details confound me. I have a fairly good memory for the books, but relying on it has gotten me into trouble sometimes. I've recently discovered the Lexicon, though, which is good.
Most fun to write?
I love doing serials and sketching out a whole world for my characters to inhabit. Only two of those so far, and both are quite close to my heart. I wish I had more time to devote to these projects.
As for one-shots? "Out of the Cupboard Under the Stairs," a story about Harry coming out to his friends and adoptive family after defeating Voldemort and saving the known world. There was something enormously gratifying about giving Harry that nudge to come out of the closet, and it was fun to think about how the other canon characters might react to his announcement.
Most difficult?
"The Year of Cold Feet," a story about Remus coming to terms with his relationship with Sirius and moving in with him, which is embarrassingly autobiographical in certain respects. Lesson learned? One of the things that fanfic is good for is giving us *non-autobiographical* material to use while we learn to write. I should take advantage of this.
Beta or no beta?
Sadly, none before posting to my own journal, though I'd like to have someone edit before I start posting to other communities and archives. I'm not at that stage yet.
Attitudes towards comments?
I love comments. I think most people do, and that's fine, I think. (Can you tell I'm trying to have a healthy attitude about this?) I especially love getting a handful of comments that get right at the point of the story. Knowing the message has gotten across makes me quite happy. I also have a lot of affection for my flist, which has been very supportive, and like the idea that I write for them as well as for myself. (Thank you, LJ friends!)
Attitude towards sharing fic with RL friends and acquaintances?
I'm so shy about my writing that even my partner is forbidden from reading it--though this bothers her to no end--and I can't imagine asking RL friends to visit my journal. But generally I try to be open about myself in life, so I do tell people that I write fanfiction and even talk about it in very general terms sometimes. My friends seem to think that's odd and a little obsessive of me, but that's fine.
Dirty little secrets?
I got almost no RL academic work done the month I wrote Alignments.
After finishing and posting a story I'll re-read it half a dozen times within the next few hours.
I thought I read a story the other day that took and developed an idea of mine, and I was so happy I laughed out loud.
Would love to hear from others on the f-list... *tempts*
By the way, flist, I'm interested in seeing what you have to say in response to this meme. Give it a try.
On writing fanfic
Original meme devised by cynicalpirate, format taken and adapted from minnow_53.
New to fanfic?
Yes. Have been reading regularly for about eight months, writing for about five.
Prolific?
For me? Yes! To date I've written:
* 45 stories or serial installments
* one complete, very lengthy serial, half a dozen chapters for a co-written serial, and half a dozen assorted independent stories
* approximately 90,000 words in total
Go, me!
Keyboard or pencil and paper?
Keyboard, supplemented by pencil and paper for diagrams. (Don't laugh; I tell you, diagrams make everything clearer and more interesting, even fanfic.) The diagrams are primarily for sketching out the relationships characters have with one another, not for plot.
Caffeine?
Definitely. Usually strong tea, but recently I've had to resort to coffee, which I don't much like.
Location?
I wish I could work at my desk, because we've sacrificed the dining nook so that I could have a study, but I do a lot of typing while sitting on the chair or the couch with my keyboard in my lap.
The start of the writing process?
I'm not usually inspired by specific stories I've read, but I think that reading fic is the best starting point for writing it. Memorable, well-written stories stay with me for a day or two and often get me thinking about issues I want to address.
I usually go for a morning walk that lasts an hour, and I come up with and work through story ideas then. Something about walking and thinking really works for me.
Length of process?
I try to limit my daily LJ time by setting the microwave timer for an hour, but when I write I always have to give myself another hour and sometimes have to reset the clock two or even three times. I'm slow.
Much suffering involved?
Surprisingly, not usually. I'm a terrible academic writer--painful, slow, and inefficient--but I really enjoy fanfic. It's a bit of a revelation for me.
Favored topics?
I love stories that are directly or indirectly about the worldview of a character or group of characters. Politics and social issues are fabulous; all the better if I can actually integrate them into the plot or the characterization. I like thinking about various kinds of social and cultural difference--queerness, class/blood status/race, relations with the Muggle world--and how they play out in everyday life.
Favored characters?
What I think of as the "parents' generation" of HP characters. Sometimes the circle of friends known as MWPP seems a little claustrophobic, and I wish we knew more about Lily and her friends or Snape and his. I also really like McGonagall and imagining the parents of this generation.
Characters you avoid?
Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle, both of whom are a little too extraordinary and omnipotent for my tastes.
Topics that you avoid or find difficult?
Sex. Perhaps it's a stage that will pass, but I'm just not that comfortable with it. I also have a hard time devising plots that include a lot of action. In my universe, everyone would sit around a talk all the time. In addition, few characters actually use magic in any creative way in my stories, though I love thinking about witches and wizards exploring the Muggle world.
Attitude towards canon?
I'm still using my fic to work out problems I have with canon, but I'm interested in canon mostly at the most abstract level: what caused Voldemort's rise? Why did various characters respond to his rise the way they did? Details confound me. I have a fairly good memory for the books, but relying on it has gotten me into trouble sometimes. I've recently discovered the Lexicon, though, which is good.
Most fun to write?
I love doing serials and sketching out a whole world for my characters to inhabit. Only two of those so far, and both are quite close to my heart. I wish I had more time to devote to these projects.
As for one-shots? "Out of the Cupboard Under the Stairs," a story about Harry coming out to his friends and adoptive family after defeating Voldemort and saving the known world. There was something enormously gratifying about giving Harry that nudge to come out of the closet, and it was fun to think about how the other canon characters might react to his announcement.
Most difficult?
"The Year of Cold Feet," a story about Remus coming to terms with his relationship with Sirius and moving in with him, which is embarrassingly autobiographical in certain respects. Lesson learned? One of the things that fanfic is good for is giving us *non-autobiographical* material to use while we learn to write. I should take advantage of this.
Beta or no beta?
Sadly, none before posting to my own journal, though I'd like to have someone edit before I start posting to other communities and archives. I'm not at that stage yet.
Attitudes towards comments?
I love comments. I think most people do, and that's fine, I think. (Can you tell I'm trying to have a healthy attitude about this?) I especially love getting a handful of comments that get right at the point of the story. Knowing the message has gotten across makes me quite happy. I also have a lot of affection for my flist, which has been very supportive, and like the idea that I write for them as well as for myself. (Thank you, LJ friends!)
Attitude towards sharing fic with RL friends and acquaintances?
I'm so shy about my writing that even my partner is forbidden from reading it--though this bothers her to no end--and I can't imagine asking RL friends to visit my journal. But generally I try to be open about myself in life, so I do tell people that I write fanfiction and even talk about it in very general terms sometimes. My friends seem to think that's odd and a little obsessive of me, but that's fine.
Dirty little secrets?
I got almost no RL academic work done the month I wrote Alignments.
After finishing and posting a story I'll re-read it half a dozen times within the next few hours.
I thought I read a story the other day that took and developed an idea of mine, and I was so happy I laughed out loud.
Would love to hear from others on the f-list... *tempts*