Fandom Writing Meme
Aug. 4th, 2014 11:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dizzojayRequested, by 
milly_gal, here are my answers to this latest little meme - I can't guarantee they'll be all that interesting!!!
How did you first get into writing fanfic, and what was the first fandom you wrote for?
By discovering Supernatural, then falling in love with Dean Winchester. It was while I was watching the episode 'The Monster at the end of the Book' for the first time where the boys were talking about slash fanfiction, I became curious and then started reading Supernatural fanfiction and after about six months of lurking and reading, I decided to take the plunge and start writing!
Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it.
Only Supernatural, and yes, I'm still very active in it.
Do you have a "muse" character, that speaks to you more than others, or that tries to push their way in, even when the fic isn't about them? Who are they, and why did that character became your muse?
Always Dean - I love to write about him, or from his POV, and I find it really difficult to write a completely Dean-free story.
If you have ever had a character try to push their way into a fic, whether your "muse" or not, what did you do about it?
Bobby. I love Bobby, and often find him shoehorning himself into my stories. I just have to remind myself that Sam and Dean are NOT morons, and are capable of wrapping up cases without Bobby's help, but it's hard!
When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?
Definitely prefer writing male characters, certainly the canon ones, anyway.
Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
No, don't think so.
Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they're not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.
Yes I often put an OC into my stories, I really enjoy the process of building a character. They are generally good guys and I try to make them quirky, and often slightly flawed. My favourite OC is:
Tom Mathews - a middle-aged doctor who is, in fact, an ex-police medical officer who runs an 'off the books' clinic for looking after injured hunters. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Supernatural creatures and their physical effects on people. He is short and plump with dark brown eyes and an honest face. He is a long-standing old friend of Bobby's, and is a lovable grumpy old git just like Bobby. I've used Tom in four stories.
Pairings - For each of the fandoms from question two, what are your three favorite pairings to write?
I haven't got into writing pairings yet, but hey - never say never, right?
Pairings - Have you ever gone outside your comfort zone and written a pairing you liked, but found you couldn't write, or a pairing you didn't like, and found you could?
See previous answer.
Genre - do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?
I have a huge leaning toward humour - I love it.
Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favorite book or movie but set in a different fandom?
No, can't say I have!
Do you prefer canon or fanon when you write? Has writing fanfic for a fandom changed the way you see some or even all of the original source material?
Canon is important, but it's open to so much interpretation and there are so many little nuances that you need to remember if you're going to stick rigidly to it. I prefer to deviate from canon in my stories, and give myself some freedom. One of the first warnings in any of my author's notes is always 'bears little resemblance to canon'.
Ratings - how high are you comfortable with going? Have you ever written higher? If you're comfortable with NC-17, have you ever been shocked by finding that the story you're writing is G-rated instead?
I tend to rate all my fics as a minimum of K+, even the really innocuous ones, because sadly there's no rhyme nor reason to what some people can be shocked or offended by. I've written up to rating M for het non-con. I have no problem with that.
Warnings - What do you feel it most important to warn for, and what's the strangest thing you've warned for in a fic?
Personally, I would always appreciate a warning for death of a Main Character, but beyond that I'm not really bothered - if a story is heading in a direction that doesn't float my boat, I'll just stop reading it.
It's difficult to know because some people are a lot more sensitive and triggery than others and I have seen stories where there are so many warnings listed that the author might just as well have posted the whole story in the warning section instead.
I guess, as an author, you get to know your readers and you have to base your warnings on their feedback.
Summaries - Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
I love summaries - they are vital. A good summary is the difference between me reading or not reading a story. Simple as that.
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?
Titles can be a challenge, but I love thinking of titles that are snappy or punny or just fun.
Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?
Oh, anywhere or anyhow. Something I've seen or heard, an episode of Spn, a film or just - ping! - a thought that pops into my head from nowhere in particular. Challenges are always a good way of getting inspiration - there are always lots of wonderful stray bunnies left hopping around!
When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
I'm a linear writer - I can't have more than one multi-chapter fic on the go at any one time. So if I have got a story on the go, any eager bunnies have to wait their turn!
Do you ever get bunnies from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?
Oh yes of course. There is such a wealth of treasures in our fandom; but I try to avoid doing that because, however hard you try, it's difficult not to end up copying aspects of the original.
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?
Yes, I've done that twice, one was because of a love interest I introduced for Dean, and I wanted to bring them together again, and finalise their relationship, because I felt she would always be around wanting to get back together with Dean if I didn't. The other was just a bit of fun with a story where the boys (unwillingly) had to share a bed, and Dean gave Sam a really hard time - so in the sequel I gave Sam a bit of payback.
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 done Summergen and various SpnBigPretzel challenges, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them. The spnBigPretzel stories are always a blast because the ethos of the comm is so in line with what I like to write. I'd love to do a Big Bang, but I'm nervous about committing to something so huge when I often struggle to fit in all the normal commitments that I have!
When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
I post to livejournal, Fanfiction.net and AO3.
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?
I don't actually use betas as a general rule. I'm confident enough with my standard of grammar and spelling to post unbeta'ed. I do double check all my work, and generally post the day after I finish the piece, so I can check it with a fresh pair of eyes first.
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 prefer silence, or something on TV in the background that I'm not going to get too invested in like the news or a sports game.
What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
Where is the best place on the torso to get stabbed and have the best chance of surviving. Scary, huh?
Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
Computer, always computer.
Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
I collaborated with
siennavie on the Spn Bigpretzel spring challenge this year, which was a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. I have also written a lot of triabbles with 
amber1960 and 
edina_clouds128.
What is your current project or projects?
I've got a multi-chapter on the go over at Fanfiction.net called Rest and Relaxation.
Do you have a favorite fic you've written? What makes it your favorite? And don't forget to give us a link!
I'm going to nominate two fics:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/563087/chapters/1006316
Blood Brothers is a fairly angsty fic that focuses on the brothers and Bobby and it has a number of fight scenes throughout it that I'm really rather proud of!
http://archiveofourown.org/works/395875/chapters/650764
Wish You Were Here is a fun fic where I got to give the brothers (and Bobby) genuine happiness and of all my fics, this is the one that gave me the most personal pleasure; I actually got quite tearful when I was wrapping it up!!
How did you first get into writing fanfic, and what was the first fandom you wrote for?
By discovering Supernatural, then falling in love with Dean Winchester. It was while I was watching the episode 'The Monster at the end of the Book' for the first time where the boys were talking about slash fanfiction, I became curious and then started reading Supernatural fanfiction and after about six months of lurking and reading, I decided to take the plunge and start writing!
Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it.
Only Supernatural, and yes, I'm still very active in it.
Do you have a "muse" character, that speaks to you more than others, or that tries to push their way in, even when the fic isn't about them? Who are they, and why did that character became your muse?
Always Dean - I love to write about him, or from his POV, and I find it really difficult to write a completely Dean-free story.
If you have ever had a character try to push their way into a fic, whether your "muse" or not, what did you do about it?
Bobby. I love Bobby, and often find him shoehorning himself into my stories. I just have to remind myself that Sam and Dean are NOT morons, and are capable of wrapping up cases without Bobby's help, but it's hard!
When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?
Definitely prefer writing male characters, certainly the canon ones, anyway.
Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?
No, don't think so.
Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they're not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.
Yes I often put an OC into my stories, I really enjoy the process of building a character. They are generally good guys and I try to make them quirky, and often slightly flawed. My favourite OC is:
Tom Mathews - a middle-aged doctor who is, in fact, an ex-police medical officer who runs an 'off the books' clinic for looking after injured hunters. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Supernatural creatures and their physical effects on people. He is short and plump with dark brown eyes and an honest face. He is a long-standing old friend of Bobby's, and is a lovable grumpy old git just like Bobby. I've used Tom in four stories.
Pairings - For each of the fandoms from question two, what are your three favorite pairings to write?
I haven't got into writing pairings yet, but hey - never say never, right?
Pairings - Have you ever gone outside your comfort zone and written a pairing you liked, but found you couldn't write, or a pairing you didn't like, and found you could?
See previous answer.
Genre - do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?
I have a huge leaning toward humour - I love it.
Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favorite book or movie but set in a different fandom?
No, can't say I have!
Do you prefer canon or fanon when you write? Has writing fanfic for a fandom changed the way you see some or even all of the original source material?
Canon is important, but it's open to so much interpretation and there are so many little nuances that you need to remember if you're going to stick rigidly to it. I prefer to deviate from canon in my stories, and give myself some freedom. One of the first warnings in any of my author's notes is always 'bears little resemblance to canon'.
Ratings - how high are you comfortable with going? Have you ever written higher? If you're comfortable with NC-17, have you ever been shocked by finding that the story you're writing is G-rated instead?
I tend to rate all my fics as a minimum of K+, even the really innocuous ones, because sadly there's no rhyme nor reason to what some people can be shocked or offended by. I've written up to rating M for het non-con. I have no problem with that.
Warnings - What do you feel it most important to warn for, and what's the strangest thing you've warned for in a fic?
Personally, I would always appreciate a warning for death of a Main Character, but beyond that I'm not really bothered - if a story is heading in a direction that doesn't float my boat, I'll just stop reading it.
It's difficult to know because some people are a lot more sensitive and triggery than others and I have seen stories where there are so many warnings listed that the author might just as well have posted the whole story in the warning section instead.
I guess, as an author, you get to know your readers and you have to base your warnings on their feedback.
Summaries - Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?
I love summaries - they are vital. A good summary is the difference between me reading or not reading a story. Simple as that.
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?
Titles can be a challenge, but I love thinking of titles that are snappy or punny or just fun.
Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?
Oh, anywhere or anyhow. Something I've seen or heard, an episode of Spn, a film or just - ping! - a thought that pops into my head from nowhere in particular. Challenges are always a good way of getting inspiration - there are always lots of wonderful stray bunnies left hopping around!
When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?
I'm a linear writer - I can't have more than one multi-chapter fic on the go at any one time. So if I have got a story on the go, any eager bunnies have to wait their turn!
Do you ever get bunnies from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?
Oh yes of course. There is such a wealth of treasures in our fandom; but I try to avoid doing that because, however hard you try, it's difficult not to end up copying aspects of the original.
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?
Yes, I've done that twice, one was because of a love interest I introduced for Dean, and I wanted to bring them together again, and finalise their relationship, because I felt she would always be around wanting to get back together with Dean if I didn't. The other was just a bit of fun with a story where the boys (unwillingly) had to share a bed, and Dean gave Sam a really hard time - so in the sequel I gave Sam a bit of payback.
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 done Summergen and various SpnBigPretzel challenges, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them. The spnBigPretzel stories are always a blast because the ethos of the comm is so in line with what I like to write. I'd love to do a Big Bang, but I'm nervous about committing to something so huge when I often struggle to fit in all the normal commitments that I have!
When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?
I post to livejournal, Fanfiction.net and AO3.
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?
I don't actually use betas as a general rule. I'm confident enough with my standard of grammar and spelling to post unbeta'ed. I do double check all my work, and generally post the day after I finish the piece, so I can check it with a fresh pair of eyes first.
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 prefer silence, or something on TV in the background that I'm not going to get too invested in like the news or a sports game.
What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
Where is the best place on the torso to get stabbed and have the best chance of surviving. Scary, huh?
Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
Computer, always computer.
Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
I collaborated with
edina_clouds128. What is your current project or projects?
I've got a multi-chapter on the go over at Fanfiction.net called Rest and Relaxation.
Do you have a favorite fic you've written? What makes it your favorite? And don't forget to give us a link!
I'm going to nominate two fics:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/563087/chapters/1006316
Blood Brothers is a fairly angsty fic that focuses on the brothers and Bobby and it has a number of fight scenes throughout it that I'm really rather proud of!
http://archiveofourown.org/works/395875/chapters/650764
Wish You Were Here is a fun fic where I got to give the brothers (and Bobby) genuine happiness and of all my fics, this is the one that gave me the most personal pleasure; I actually got quite tearful when I was wrapping it up!!
