Fanfic writing meme
Aug. 21st, 2006 09:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snorkackcatcherThe latest one that seems to be making the rounds.
Keyboard or biro?
Keyboard, definitely. Occasionally I've roughed out a story or chapter in biro when I don't happen to be at the computer, but I type fairly fast by now, and find the malleability of words on screen much easier to work with.
Beta or no beta?
No beta, most of the time -- I'm not organised enough. And the delays in getting chapters of NTLJ out would be even worse if there was another stage before posting! Although I have been trying to get oneshots betaed recently, especially where I'm not too sure the premise works.
Plot?
Yes. I sometimes feel I'm short-changing the reader if the fic doesn't have some sort of development or twist, even if it's just a little character study type thing. Possibly more than one twist if I can work them in!
Title?
Rather uninspired, usually. I tend to assign one early on and just stick with that (quite often that affects the actual writing as I try to work a reference or two to the title into the fic itself).
Smushy or smutty?
Smushy, if anything. I don't write that many romance scenes, they've never really needed to get explicit, and most of the time they're secondary to whatever the main plot is.
Summary?
Not my strong point. I'm rather verbose, and so struggle to write 'hook' lines for the stories!
Funniest fic?
Possibly Indistinguishable (the Weasley twins go into business in the Muggle world) -- a fic which plays on the reader knowing more than the POV character.
Most popular fic?
Based on the number of hits across all sites where it's posted, that would have to be the oneshot Triofic You Tell Her (Harry & Ron have a secret they're finding it hard to tell Hermione. No, it's not that they're shagging, the premise is somewhat crackish but not that crackish!). It contains a fair bit of shippy subplot -- largely R/Hr, but some H/G and R/T -- alongside the main theme, and has racked up a quite respectable 5000+ hits (mostly at Checkmated).
Best and Worst?
Best -- well, NTLJ just for length, I suppose! The best oneshot is perhaps The Wolf Covers Its Tracks; I was trying for a different style there and it seemed to work without getting too overblown. Worst -- well, Whatever You Say, Blood's Important was the first fic I ever wrote and is rather weak, although none of my fics actually make me want to cringe now.
Coulda been Contenders?
I've always been rather fond of Conspiracy Theory (which takes a couple of decades of classic US conspiracy theorising and puts a Potterverse spin on them), although it doesn't get that many hits. Same sort of thing more recently for Dangerous Driving (Ernie Prang is 'invited' to be an informer by the Ministry). Then again, both stories are based on OCCs and OCs and doubtless therefore deserve everything they don't get. :D
Strengths?
Characterisation -- sound, if a bit archetypal. Dialogue -- I'm usually happy that this sounds natural. Plots -- generally of reasonably solid construction. Canon-compliancy -- I don't think I make many slips in this area.
Weaknesses?
Descriptive writing -- generally, there's isn't very much of it, which doesn't help to set scenes or fix character appearance. Romance/sex scenes -- I usually wince when writing the former as they sound horribly clunky; I've never risked writing the latter.
Dirty Little Secrets?
I don't take the 'craft' as seriously as I might. Stories tend to start with a basic idea and then are literally made up as I go along.
Lyrics: Last time the song was the Hollies classic Bus Stop, familiar to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
the_jackalope, lucie_p, and modestyrabnott (to whom thanks for the idea :D). So here's another oldie I really like:
I ride my bike I roller skate don't drive no car
Don't go too fast but I go pretty far
For somebody who don't drive I been all around the world
Some people say I done all right for a girl (1970s)
Keyboard or biro?
Keyboard, definitely. Occasionally I've roughed out a story or chapter in biro when I don't happen to be at the computer, but I type fairly fast by now, and find the malleability of words on screen much easier to work with.
Beta or no beta?
No beta, most of the time -- I'm not organised enough. And the delays in getting chapters of NTLJ out would be even worse if there was another stage before posting! Although I have been trying to get oneshots betaed recently, especially where I'm not too sure the premise works.
Plot?
Yes. I sometimes feel I'm short-changing the reader if the fic doesn't have some sort of development or twist, even if it's just a little character study type thing. Possibly more than one twist if I can work them in!
Title?
Rather uninspired, usually. I tend to assign one early on and just stick with that (quite often that affects the actual writing as I try to work a reference or two to the title into the fic itself).
Smushy or smutty?
Smushy, if anything. I don't write that many romance scenes, they've never really needed to get explicit, and most of the time they're secondary to whatever the main plot is.
Summary?
Not my strong point. I'm rather verbose, and so struggle to write 'hook' lines for the stories!
Funniest fic?
Possibly Indistinguishable (the Weasley twins go into business in the Muggle world) -- a fic which plays on the reader knowing more than the POV character.
Most popular fic?
Based on the number of hits across all sites where it's posted, that would have to be the oneshot Triofic You Tell Her (Harry & Ron have a secret they're finding it hard to tell Hermione. No, it's not that they're shagging, the premise is somewhat crackish but not that crackish!). It contains a fair bit of shippy subplot -- largely R/Hr, but some H/G and R/T -- alongside the main theme, and has racked up a quite respectable 5000+ hits (mostly at Checkmated).
Best and Worst?
Best -- well, NTLJ just for length, I suppose! The best oneshot is perhaps The Wolf Covers Its Tracks; I was trying for a different style there and it seemed to work without getting too overblown. Worst -- well, Whatever You Say, Blood's Important was the first fic I ever wrote and is rather weak, although none of my fics actually make me want to cringe now.
Coulda been Contenders?
I've always been rather fond of Conspiracy Theory (which takes a couple of decades of classic US conspiracy theorising and puts a Potterverse spin on them), although it doesn't get that many hits. Same sort of thing more recently for Dangerous Driving (Ernie Prang is 'invited' to be an informer by the Ministry). Then again, both stories are based on OCCs and OCs and doubtless therefore deserve everything they don't get. :D
Strengths?
Characterisation -- sound, if a bit archetypal. Dialogue -- I'm usually happy that this sounds natural. Plots -- generally of reasonably solid construction. Canon-compliancy -- I don't think I make many slips in this area.
Weaknesses?
Descriptive writing -- generally, there's isn't very much of it, which doesn't help to set scenes or fix character appearance. Romance/sex scenes -- I usually wince when writing the former as they sound horribly clunky; I've never risked writing the latter.
Dirty Little Secrets?
I don't take the 'craft' as seriously as I might. Stories tend to start with a basic idea and then are literally made up as I go along.
Lyrics: Last time the song was the Hollies classic Bus Stop, familiar to
the_jackalope, lucie_p, and modestyrabnott (to whom thanks for the idea :D). So here's another oldie I really like:I ride my bike I roller skate don't drive no car
Don't go too fast but I go pretty far
For somebody who don't drive I been all around the world
Some people say I done all right for a girl (1970s)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 09:23 am (UTC)I've got that song. I have a terrible soft spot for it!
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:24 pm (UTC)I've been singing that bloody song all day, you know. No, not singing. Warbling.
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Date: 2006-08-21 01:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 07:43 pm (UTC)Don't know the song *whines* but it's a good lyric.
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Date: 2006-08-23 08:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 10:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 02:28 am (UTC)And I so know that song. I put it on MP3 player and when it popped up last weekend during a drive, my friends gave me the oddest looks. Whatever, they think the Counting Crows are the first band to sing "big yellow taxi."
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Date: 2006-08-23 09:19 am (UTC)And thanks for the kind words. Mind you, regarding sex scenes it'll be interesting to see where the CoW characters go now, I suspect they have a number of such scenes lined up for them. :)
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Date: 2006-08-22 04:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 11:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 01:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-27 11:14 am (UTC)That really is a 'dirty little secret'! I wish I could relax a bit more about fic writing. I expect I'd be much more productive!
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Date: 2006-08-27 12:55 pm (UTC)The advantage of Robards is that he really is just a name, so you can pin basically any personality you like on him. (