I'm feeding the cycle : ) Fan Fiction Meme

[dawnofme]

Snagged from ms_scarletibis   I hope other authors on my flist do this one.

Fan Fiction Meme:

1. What was the first story you ever wrote? What inspired you to write it?

A Perfect Fit.  After seeing Not Fade Away the first time, I was a little peeved that my favorite character didn't get more good stuff coming to him : )  I kept thinking:  this should happen to him and that should happen to him and on and on.  Then the first scene of the story just popped into my mind and I had to write it.  It was more for myself, but I did post it.


2. Which of your stories received the best response? Why do you think that is?

I've only written four stories so far and one is a work in progress, so I don't have much to go by yet.  I think the best response was for Unreal Together, so far.  Why?  Simply because it is Spuffy and because my writing skills improved somewhat from the previous stories I wrote. 


3. Which of your stories received a less favorable response than you expected. Why do you think that is?

I'd have to say none.  I didn't expect responses for A Perfect Fit, but I got some nice reviews anyway.  No one has ever really said anything negative about any of my stories.  It will happen, I'm sure.  I'm still new, I'm not out there enough and my reading audience is small yet.  I am my toughest critic and I plan to always think I need improvement, so even if I get a negative response for a story, I will still have expected it.  : )

4. Which character do you enjoy writing the most? Why?

Spike.  He's complex, yet simple at the same time. 


5. Which character do you enjoy writing the least? Why?

Any of the characters that I could take or leave in the shows.  It's easy to write the ones you love or hate, because you feel something strong for them.  I think for me, it would be Willow. 

6. You wrote it and you loved it. Quote your favourite opening line. Quote your favourite closing line. Your favourite title.

Favorite title would have to be:  Where Blood and Bones Meet.  *Shugs*  I thought it was clever : )  I have no favorite opening or closing line.  I don't concentrate on them or make a big deal out of them.  I want the opening scene and closing scene to make the impression.  The first and last line itself doesn't have to be brilliant. 

My favorite thing that I wrote has to be in my first story, A Perfect Fit.  Angelus says something snide about Spike having a soul and comes up with a new club.  V. E. T. H.  (Vampires for the Ethical Treatment of Humans).  LOL!  It makes me laugh every time I read that.  He makes a remark that P.E.T.A. would come and stake his a** for drinking pig's blood.  Then later, the OC has business cards made up and Angel complains that he's only the secretary, while Spike gets to be president. 

7. Do you identify with one pairing? If so do you tend to write mostly that pairing? When you don't- what inspires you to step off the beaten track.

I'm a Spuffy girl.  Strangely enough, I wrote two non-Spuffy stories before I even got started with them.  My love for Spike inspires me to step off the beaten track.  I'm just barely a fan of Buffy.  I like her in fan fiction way more than I did in canon.  I'm happy to see Spike loved or lusted after by anyone really.  I don't think I could write Spike with any other canon character.

8. Do you re-read your fic? Why or why not? Do you have a favourite fic to re-read?

I did re-read my first story after it was finished and posted.  Just to get the feel of how it all came out.  I re-read Unreal Together before writing the sequel just to get my verse straight.  My favorite fics to read over and over again are not my own, but are by other authors.


9. Some writers find writing difficult. For others, it comes easily. Tell me about the experience of writing for you. How do you write? When? Where? Do you plot your stories or just start writing. Which of your stories was the easiest to write? Which was the hardest?

Writing is not difficult for me.  Sometimes it doesn't come easy, but I know that that is just part of the process.  I don't panic when I get stuck somewhere.  I take a deep breath and go do something else. 

I write in different places, but I prefer to always use my laptop.  I don't know what I'm going to do when this things dies.  I also keep a spiral notepad (one that has the spirals at the top because I'm left handed) with me all the time.  I also use a certain type of felt tip pen.  Ideas and scenes will pop into my head at the strangest times.   I pull it out and write everything down. 

I usually write in the very early morning or very late at night, but the key for me is to write everyday, without fail. 

I start with an idea that has formed and I'm getting better at plotting things out before I get started.  I've started using outlines for each chapter as well. 

Easiest to write was, Where Blood and Bones Meet, because it was a one shot/quick scene.  I saw the whole thing in my head the moment I read the nekid_spike challenge and just opened a blank word processor page and just started writing.  That was fun to do. 

The hardest to write would be the one I'm working on now, Soul Survivors.  I've had to do a lot of research, but I love research.  The challenge is trying to build suspense for one of the chapters.  I'm at that point now and I feel like an actor would right before they go on stage.  Terrified.  But it's a great feeling.  I love to challenge myself.  I'll tell you how I feel after reviews start coming in : )  I don't know if I can pull this one off. 


10. How has the delivery of fanfic changed since you first started in fandom? Where did you first start posting? Do you have a web site? Do you maintain it? Did you belong to lists? Do you now? How do you find new fic to read?

I'm fairly new to the fandom,  so no changes that I can see.  I posted my first story on Fanfiction.net because it wasn't Spuffy and the only other archives I knew of where Spuffy.  I have no website outside of my livejournal.  I don't belong to any email lists, but I joined a heap of LJ communites.  I find new fic to read by recommendations by others or watching the competed lists on the Spuffy Realm and the BloodShedVerse.  I also watch/friend some of my favorite authors who have LJ accounts, so I can see right away when they post a new story or chapter.

11. No shows = no inspiration. Let's face it, it's all been done, right? Or has it? How do you find inspiration in the Buffyverse? Do the comics help? Do you consider them canon?

I started writing way after the shows ended.  Most of it has all been done, but I have read a plot or idea from many authors and everyone brings something new to it.  I have BTVS , every season, on DVD and I have AtS five on DVD.  I watch them all the time.  I don't read the comics and really, I try not to know what is in them. 

12. Feedback - how important is it to you? What sort of feedback do you like to receive? Do you leave feedback when you read?

Feedback is important to me.  I like all the feedback.  I don't care what they write, really.  I just like to know if they are reading.  I do enjoy the feedback where a person tells me what they did or didn't like and give details.  I'd be happy with con-crit as well, but I rarely get that.  I think readers just don't want to be "mean" and say what is wrong with my fiction, but I'm really okay with it.  I do leave feedback when I read.  I have skipped leaving feedback if I stumbled on something that I couldn't say something nice about.  When I'm reading a long story, I will sometimes skip chapters and review only every other one or something like that. 

13. How has fanfiction changed your life?

I've met some really neat people.  Writing it has pushed me and challenged me to get better, but it has also slowed my writing of original works down.  I don't think that's a bad thing though.  I think I'm getting better; improving, and that only means that I'll have a better chance of getting published once I do get around to my original works again.


14. Do you write professionally? Did you before you started writing fanfic or did fanfic pave the way?

My goal is to write professionally.  I've wanted to be a writer since I was a pre-teen.  I wrote a novel when I was in high school and I've alway written poetry.  Fanfic got me interested in writing again and now that I have a little more time for such things, I'm excited to do both fan fiction and original stuff.  Only time will tell if I ever get paid for writing.