The second half of the 30-Day Meme
Jun. 26th, 2011 04:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sroniAnd now we have Days 16-30.
16 – Summaries – Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
Hate them. I hate writing them. My summaries suck. So I tend to not write them. I’ll write them if necessary, but … yeah. They’re really not my forté.
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?
I actually enjoy coming up with titles. I have a list of possible titles to use, and usually, when I think of a title, the story that should go with the title pops into my head. I have a goal of going through the alphabet in BtVS and Veronica Mars. To clarify, that’s go through the alphabet twice, once in each fandom, not use the two fandoms to go through the alphabet. I have a list of Buffy titles and the stories that will go with it, and I have a list of Veronica Mars titles, and the stories that match each title.
18 – Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka “bunnies”) from?
Reading. Canon brings on most of them. For me, it’s quite common for me to see something in the show/book and say, “Oooh! What would have happened if this had happened?” and then I run with it. Sometimes it’s from other fanfic. Which can lead into the question that I’ve asked my dad: if a story inspires me, and I run with the idea, is that plagiarism? I don’t think so, though I do try to give credit when it happens. I do my own thing, I don’t lift lines. If I’m inspired, I’m inspired by a situation, which is generally generic enough.
19 – When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
Either/or. Depends on what’s going on. If I choose to simply write the idea down and use it later, it’s because I’m already doing something, I have a lot going on, or because I can tell right off the bat that it’s going to be long. But I always write down the idea. Always.
20 –Do you ever get bunnied from other people’s stories or art in the same fandom?
Oh, yeah. A lot. Like I said with number 18, though, I try to give credit where credit is due. If someone inspires me, I want them to know it. I also try to not ever run the possibility of being accused of plagiarism. That’s a good way to be kicked out of fandom circles. :P
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?
Oh, golly, yeah. I tend to think of a story, and then realize that it’s going to have to be broken up into smaller stories, or it’s going to be a monster. Case in point would be my Queensverse. It was supposed to just be the one story, and then I realized that it would need a follow-up. Then I realized that the sequel would need a sequel, and in discussing things with my dad, we realized that the third story would be better split into three stories itself. And then, once we get into what would have been Season 4 of Buffy, just in my AU-world, I’ll have a spin-off series in LA, to take the place of Angel. All in all, I think I have eleven stories planned, with timelines and outlines and pages and pages of notes and everything.
However, for the most part, I tend to not do sequels. I’m not averse to them, but if it happens, it’s because something really grabs me. If I write a sequel, it’s something that I knew would happen while writing the first story.
22 – Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favorite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you’ve thought about doing? And if not, why not?
I’ve participated in Remix_Redux every year since I first found out about it. I really enjoy doing it, and look forward to doing it every year. My first few years, I was very true to the source; if it hadn’t been a remix, I would have been accused of plagiarism and deserved the accusation. The last three years, I’ve really tried to expand, and rather than just do a simple POV change, actually build upon the original story.
Remixes have been far kinder to me that I’ve been to them, but I’m proud of my last two entries, and my entry in the Remix Madness.
I’m interested in doing a Big Bang, I just don’t know how to find any in the fandoms where I’m active.
23 – When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
It depends on the story. Typically, I post here. If it’s a story for my RP characters, they go on the RP site and DeviantArt. If it’s an original story, it usually goes to DeviantArt. As I said, it just depends on the story.
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?
My dad is my best beta. Other than that, I listen to feedback that I get from everyone, and I decide for myself if things need to be paid attention to. If it’s pointing out punctuation or spelling, I will always listen. If it’s a story thing, I decide for myself if the person is right in that particular instance.
Some people get more automatic belief for what they’re saying than others. For instance, on one of the RP sites, there was one person who, no matter what I did, would find something wrong with the story. She was someone who had to find fault in everything. I would always listen to what she said, but as time went on, I decided more and more that she was wrong in those instances: not because I disliked her or took issue with her (though I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t take issue with the way she went about things in general, and with anything pertaining to me in particular), but because the vast majority of the time, she was wrong.
However, I do take something to heart: “People can’t know what my intentions were. They can only know what I wrote.” That means it’s my job to make my intentions clear, and if things aren’t known that should be known, I have failed in my job and it needs to be fixed.
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?
I enjoy listening to music. I’ve had times where I’m inspired by music, and stories have come out of that. Nothing that has appeared here, but it’s happened. I tend to tune things out when I write, though, so music doesn’t always actually get heard. I’ve never made a playlist for anything, let alone writing stories.
26 – What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you’ve had to research for a fic?
I research a lot of things. For RP, I’ve researched for guns, fighting styles and moves, cars, motorcycles, safes and the best ways to get into them, building plans, cultures, and how much rent and utilities would cost in Las Vegas.
If something appears in a story or an RP, I research it first to make sure that I’m giving accurate information.
27 – Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
I prefer writing on computer, because it’s just plain faster. The vast majority of my stuff, though, gets written by hand and then keyed into the computer. I’ll write anywhere, though I do definitely prefer sitting comfortably in a nice air-conditioned place in the summer, or a heated place in the winter. :D
28 – Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
I talk to my dad about a lot of my stories, and he and I have co-written a few. While I consider the Queenverse to be mine, it definitely wouldn’t be what it is without him, either the stories that we’ve done together, or the future stories that have yet to be written. If I run into writer’s block, he’s the first person that I talk to. If I run into a wall and don’t know what to do with a character, I talk to him. If I have an idea, and don’t quite know just what to do to get there, I talk to him. So in a sense, even though we’ve officially co-written a few stories, I’ve collaborated with him on almost all of my stories. The only exceptions that I can guarantee off the top of my head are the stories that I’ve written for remixes. Because those are supposed to be secret. :D
29 – What is your current project or projects?
I’m currently working on a bunch of Veronica Mars stories, in various stages of completion. The vast majority of them have a title and basic summary, but I have three actually in progress because, while I want to focus on one thing at a time, if a muse takes me somewhere I buckle in and start writing and ride that sucker for as long as it’s willing to go.
I do have an original story that I’m working on, and have somewhere around ten thousand words.
I also have the next installment of the Queenverse started, but haven’t actually written on it lately.
I have a few Firefly stories in the back of my mind, but haven’t actually started them.
I have a few Harry Potter stories that I’ve written down, but haven’t started.
Mostly, I’m working on my VM stories and the original one.
30 – Do you have a favorite fic you’ve written? What makes it your favorite? And don’t forget to give us a link!
Honestly, my favorite story right now is “ A Light in the Darkness (The ‘Wish I Were a Hero’ Remix)”.
It’s my favorite because I love Neville. This story grabbed me for the Remix Madness, and I knew immediately what I wanted to write. It popped into my head, and I just had to start writing. However, the story did change on me partway through, and I think it’s better for it.
I love it when stories make something so clear to the reader, and the characters involved have no clue. I know that other people have done it better, but I am damn proud of this story.
16 – Summaries – Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
Hate them. I hate writing them. My summaries suck. So I tend to not write them. I’ll write them if necessary, but … yeah. They’re really not my forté.
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?
I actually enjoy coming up with titles. I have a list of possible titles to use, and usually, when I think of a title, the story that should go with the title pops into my head. I have a goal of going through the alphabet in BtVS and Veronica Mars. To clarify, that’s go through the alphabet twice, once in each fandom, not use the two fandoms to go through the alphabet. I have a list of Buffy titles and the stories that will go with it, and I have a list of Veronica Mars titles, and the stories that match each title.
18 – Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka “bunnies”) from?
Reading. Canon brings on most of them. For me, it’s quite common for me to see something in the show/book and say, “Oooh! What would have happened if this had happened?” and then I run with it. Sometimes it’s from other fanfic. Which can lead into the question that I’ve asked my dad: if a story inspires me, and I run with the idea, is that plagiarism? I don’t think so, though I do try to give credit when it happens. I do my own thing, I don’t lift lines. If I’m inspired, I’m inspired by a situation, which is generally generic enough.
19 – When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
Either/or. Depends on what’s going on. If I choose to simply write the idea down and use it later, it’s because I’m already doing something, I have a lot going on, or because I can tell right off the bat that it’s going to be long. But I always write down the idea. Always.
20 –Do you ever get bunnied from other people’s stories or art in the same fandom?
Oh, yeah. A lot. Like I said with number 18, though, I try to give credit where credit is due. If someone inspires me, I want them to know it. I also try to not ever run the possibility of being accused of plagiarism. That’s a good way to be kicked out of fandom circles. :P
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?
Oh, golly, yeah. I tend to think of a story, and then realize that it’s going to have to be broken up into smaller stories, or it’s going to be a monster. Case in point would be my Queensverse. It was supposed to just be the one story, and then I realized that it would need a follow-up. Then I realized that the sequel would need a sequel, and in discussing things with my dad, we realized that the third story would be better split into three stories itself. And then, once we get into what would have been Season 4 of Buffy, just in my AU-world, I’ll have a spin-off series in LA, to take the place of Angel. All in all, I think I have eleven stories planned, with timelines and outlines and pages and pages of notes and everything.
However, for the most part, I tend to not do sequels. I’m not averse to them, but if it happens, it’s because something really grabs me. If I write a sequel, it’s something that I knew would happen while writing the first story.
22 – Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favorite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you’ve thought about doing? And if not, why not?
I’ve participated in Remix_Redux every year since I first found out about it. I really enjoy doing it, and look forward to doing it every year. My first few years, I was very true to the source; if it hadn’t been a remix, I would have been accused of plagiarism and deserved the accusation. The last three years, I’ve really tried to expand, and rather than just do a simple POV change, actually build upon the original story.
Remixes have been far kinder to me that I’ve been to them, but I’m proud of my last two entries, and my entry in the Remix Madness.
I’m interested in doing a Big Bang, I just don’t know how to find any in the fandoms where I’m active.
23 – When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
It depends on the story. Typically, I post here. If it’s a story for my RP characters, they go on the RP site and DeviantArt. If it’s an original story, it usually goes to DeviantArt. As I said, it just depends on the story.
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?
My dad is my best beta. Other than that, I listen to feedback that I get from everyone, and I decide for myself if things need to be paid attention to. If it’s pointing out punctuation or spelling, I will always listen. If it’s a story thing, I decide for myself if the person is right in that particular instance.
Some people get more automatic belief for what they’re saying than others. For instance, on one of the RP sites, there was one person who, no matter what I did, would find something wrong with the story. She was someone who had to find fault in everything. I would always listen to what she said, but as time went on, I decided more and more that she was wrong in those instances: not because I disliked her or took issue with her (though I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t take issue with the way she went about things in general, and with anything pertaining to me in particular), but because the vast majority of the time, she was wrong.
However, I do take something to heart: “People can’t know what my intentions were. They can only know what I wrote.” That means it’s my job to make my intentions clear, and if things aren’t known that should be known, I have failed in my job and it needs to be fixed.
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?
I enjoy listening to music. I’ve had times where I’m inspired by music, and stories have come out of that. Nothing that has appeared here, but it’s happened. I tend to tune things out when I write, though, so music doesn’t always actually get heard. I’ve never made a playlist for anything, let alone writing stories.
26 – What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you’ve had to research for a fic?
I research a lot of things. For RP, I’ve researched for guns, fighting styles and moves, cars, motorcycles, safes and the best ways to get into them, building plans, cultures, and how much rent and utilities would cost in Las Vegas.
If something appears in a story or an RP, I research it first to make sure that I’m giving accurate information.
27 – Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
I prefer writing on computer, because it’s just plain faster. The vast majority of my stuff, though, gets written by hand and then keyed into the computer. I’ll write anywhere, though I do definitely prefer sitting comfortably in a nice air-conditioned place in the summer, or a heated place in the winter. :D
28 – Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
I talk to my dad about a lot of my stories, and he and I have co-written a few. While I consider the Queenverse to be mine, it definitely wouldn’t be what it is without him, either the stories that we’ve done together, or the future stories that have yet to be written. If I run into writer’s block, he’s the first person that I talk to. If I run into a wall and don’t know what to do with a character, I talk to him. If I have an idea, and don’t quite know just what to do to get there, I talk to him. So in a sense, even though we’ve officially co-written a few stories, I’ve collaborated with him on almost all of my stories. The only exceptions that I can guarantee off the top of my head are the stories that I’ve written for remixes. Because those are supposed to be secret. :D
29 – What is your current project or projects?
I’m currently working on a bunch of Veronica Mars stories, in various stages of completion. The vast majority of them have a title and basic summary, but I have three actually in progress because, while I want to focus on one thing at a time, if a muse takes me somewhere I buckle in and start writing and ride that sucker for as long as it’s willing to go.
I do have an original story that I’m working on, and have somewhere around ten thousand words.
I also have the next installment of the Queenverse started, but haven’t actually written on it lately.
I have a few Firefly stories in the back of my mind, but haven’t actually started them.
I have a few Harry Potter stories that I’ve written down, but haven’t started.
Mostly, I’m working on my VM stories and the original one.
30 – Do you have a favorite fic you’ve written? What makes it your favorite? And don’t forget to give us a link!
Honestly, my favorite story right now is “ A Light in the Darkness (The ‘Wish I Were a Hero’ Remix)”.
It’s my favorite because I love Neville. This story grabbed me for the Remix Madness, and I knew immediately what I wanted to write. It popped into my head, and I just had to start writing. However, the story did change on me partway through, and I think it’s better for it.
I love it when stories make something so clear to the reader, and the characters involved have no clue. I know that other people have done it better, but I am damn proud of this story.
