The Fan Fic Plans 2007 Meme
Jan. 20th, 2007 08:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snorkackcatcherAnother meme from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gilpin25! No Remus/Tonks questions on this one, unless that's what you write. :)
1. What are your fanfic writing goals for this year? Do you want to try a new ship, genre, rating or style? Tackle new characters?
I keep trying new characters for variety or because they fit a new idea anyway, so I don't suppose that will change. I hardly ever write ships for the sake of ships as such, so that just comes under the general heading of new ideas. I might try to branch out in genres and ratings -- darkfic and R.
2. Do you have any New Year's updating resolutions?
No WIPs, so not really -- except there are at least three longish oneshots I keep telling myself that I really must finish ...
3. Do you have original writing goals for the year?
Not really. Well, not fiction writing anyway. I should probably make a proper start on my British registered mail e-book idea. :)
4. Which of your fics are you most looking forward to getting completed? Do you want them finished before DH comes out? Do you have stories planned out that you are yet to start?
Probably the Rita Skeeter one (one of the three mentioned above) which could be quite good. If they're not finished before DH comes out, they probably won't be as it's likely they'll be canon-shafted. There are a few ideas in the bank in reserve also, yes.
5. Any exclusive previews/extracts/hints of things to come that you're prepared to reveal to your trusted f-list?
That would assume anything is finished. :) Apart from the ones mentioned last year, there is a Trio + Ginny + others in Vegas fic in progress for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
omniocular (best described as "not quite crackfic"). I do intend to revise NTLJ, and it looks as if (from an interesting comment from a recent reader) it would be wise to work hard on the earlier chapters to make the style match the later ones. The sequel is looking sadly unlikely.
6. Have you learnt anything in the last year of fan fic writing that you hope to continue to make a conscious effort to improve on this year?
I actually feel like I'm getting worse -- certainly more perfunctory. Main target at the moment is to write shippy moments better, I suppose.
7. What's your current burning fanfic desire(s)? (ie - 'Oh, I really must write a story where...')
Nothing especially at the moment!
8. Which updates of other people's fics are you most looking forward to?
I think most of the WIPs I was following have actually been completed now, or nearly so -- although as always it's great to see new stories from authors I like. But I'll definitely be looking out for new chapters of the following:
Harry Potter and the City of Woe bycassieverte
Hesitation bymodestyrabnott
The Diggory Papers by MachiavelliJr
Remorse bya_t_rain
9. Do you have any plot-bunnies that you don't think you'll have time to write, but would love for someone on the f-list to try? Describe the bunny here, and see if you get a volunteer...
Well, I mentioned this briefly before, but here goes ... a spin on Remus/Tonks that I'd like to see (if done well) would be one where Harry was right the first time -- she was genuinely in love with Sirius, and her new Patronus is Padfoot, not Moony. (Quite how deep the feelings are, how much of them are lust, and how much they are requited and actioned upon is adjustable, but this will probably need Remus, poor bugger, to start to fall for her during OotP, and for her to get subconsciously fond of him too in parallel with her feelings for Sirius.) During the Lupin-trying-to-talk-her-round process, she makes a play for him early in HBP -- the results being enough for her to be quite sure what he feels for her, but him not believing that what she feels is more than standard on-the-rebound stuff.
Yes, this is the flipside of a suggested R/S --> R/T pattern (although I didn't realise that until I started thinking how it might pan out), and yes, you could write in some parallels with James/Lily for Remus too. A lot of his romantic angst and unwillingness to get involved here would come not from agonising over how he's no better than Greyback, but over how he's much worse than Sirius, which would at least make a refreshing change -- the "too old, too poor, too dangerous" bit would have to be tackled as well, and blended into the S/T --> R/T dynamic, but needn't be the full woe-is-me-I'm-a-poor-lousy-werewolf stuff which (while probably canon) is something I'm getting a bit overdosed on in R/T fics. (Perhaps he could overhear Tonks and Sirius joking about how his wealth offsets his age or something, and take it to heart.)
This could be done with or without lots of raunch in the S/T or the R/T parts, although the way this is described above I'd prefer there to be a fairly strong physical side to the relationships, even if the focus is on the emotions and the transition of affections. It would also have to be a fairly long fic to do the dynamic justice, which is why I don't really have the time to try it, but there are a number of excellent R/T writers who I reckon would do an excellent job if they cared to tackle it!
10. For those who also do original work, do you find that with the seventh book coming out, you're willing to put that on the backburner since you know the window of fanfic opportunity is shrinking?
Not applicable ...
11. After DH comes out, do you think you'll still be as active in the fandom? If most of the important questions have been answered, will you still write fanfic?
Hard to say -- it depends on how active the fandom itself is. It's bound to feel like (and in fact be) the end of an era. If it's still active after the first few months of fallout from DH, I imagine I'll still be there! As for fanfic, I tend to write missing moments or somewhat odd scenarios anyway, so would probably still be in a reasonable position -- but DH is bound to close off large areas of speculation, there's no getting round it, which will hit many fic genres.
12. If you are writing a WIP that contradicts DH once it is released, would you start writing according to the book 7 canon, or would you continue on with your original idea? Would you amend any previous fics if assumptions made have been proved false?
I aim not to be in the middle of any WIPs when DH comes out, unless they're declaredly AU. If unfortunate enough to be so nonetheless, I'd probably do what I did with NTLJ when HBP came out -- try to adjust for the new canon if possible, call it AU if not. As for previous fics, I'd certainly amend them if the necessary changes to make them basically 100% compliant again weren't too large, but if they couldn't be changed without major rewriting I'd leave them as they were
13. If you're favourite character(s) dies, will you take it like a man/woman, cry like a baby, or dedicate your life to AU fics where the deed doesn't happen at all?
I'll be gutted if some of the characters get bumped off -- the Trio, Ginny, Remus, and Tonks in particular -- but yes, I'll take it like a man (i.e. go off and sulk :D). Tonks especially would be a downer for purely fanfic reasons -- it would make NTLJ feel quite literally like a story about a character cut off in her/its prime. AU is going to be much more prominent anyway, I suppose, but since I tend to be hardline on canon-compliancy I might not be keen on it.
14. After the seventh book is released, will you focus on "after the war" style fics, or "before the war" (eg: Harry still in school)?
Good question! Don't know the answer. :) Probably a mixture like now.
15. If you stay active in fandom post book 7, will you continue to focus your stories on canon characters, or do you think you will be more willing to venture into the realm of original characters?
I've never really had a problem with OCs and invent them as and when necessary, although I like to use canon characters if (and only if) a suitable one is available to fill a particular plot role.
16. Have you ever had to defend the idea behind something you've written from critical reviews? Has it impacted on any future projects?
Only in a fairly minor way, really. I had Can't I Like Girls Too rejected once because Remus and Tonks were too out of character, which was a jolt but not unfair (that was the Wolfstar-teasing fic where both of them are bi, although I did try to get the personalities roughly right). And one NTLJ reviewer took issue with the concept suggested in that fic that an AK could fail if the caster didn't have enough power, by pointing out that in that case Harry wouldn't be all that special as a survivor of it. That's a very good point and one I'll definitely be taking into account.
17. Will you consider doing NaNoWriMo this year?
You have GOT to be joking. :)
gilpin25! No Remus/Tonks questions on this one, unless that's what you write. :)1. What are your fanfic writing goals for this year? Do you want to try a new ship, genre, rating or style? Tackle new characters?
I keep trying new characters for variety or because they fit a new idea anyway, so I don't suppose that will change. I hardly ever write ships for the sake of ships as such, so that just comes under the general heading of new ideas. I might try to branch out in genres and ratings -- darkfic and R.
2. Do you have any New Year's updating resolutions?
No WIPs, so not really -- except there are at least three longish oneshots I keep telling myself that I really must finish ...
3. Do you have original writing goals for the year?
Not really. Well, not fiction writing anyway. I should probably make a proper start on my British registered mail e-book idea. :)
4. Which of your fics are you most looking forward to getting completed? Do you want them finished before DH comes out? Do you have stories planned out that you are yet to start?
Probably the Rita Skeeter one (one of the three mentioned above) which could be quite good. If they're not finished before DH comes out, they probably won't be as it's likely they'll be canon-shafted. There are a few ideas in the bank in reserve also, yes.
5. Any exclusive previews/extracts/hints of things to come that you're prepared to reveal to your trusted f-list?
That would assume anything is finished. :) Apart from the ones mentioned last year, there is a Trio + Ginny + others in Vegas fic in progress for
omniocular (best described as "not quite crackfic"). I do intend to revise NTLJ, and it looks as if (from an interesting comment from a recent reader) it would be wise to work hard on the earlier chapters to make the style match the later ones. The sequel is looking sadly unlikely.6. Have you learnt anything in the last year of fan fic writing that you hope to continue to make a conscious effort to improve on this year?
I actually feel like I'm getting worse -- certainly more perfunctory. Main target at the moment is to write shippy moments better, I suppose.
7. What's your current burning fanfic desire(s)? (ie - 'Oh, I really must write a story where...')
Nothing especially at the moment!
8. Which updates of other people's fics are you most looking forward to?
I think most of the WIPs I was following have actually been completed now, or nearly so -- although as always it's great to see new stories from authors I like. But I'll definitely be looking out for new chapters of the following:
Harry Potter and the City of Woe by
cassieverteHesitation by
modestyrabnottThe Diggory Papers by MachiavelliJr
Remorse by
a_t_rain9. Do you have any plot-bunnies that you don't think you'll have time to write, but would love for someone on the f-list to try? Describe the bunny here, and see if you get a volunteer...
Well, I mentioned this briefly before, but here goes ... a spin on Remus/Tonks that I'd like to see (if done well) would be one where Harry was right the first time -- she was genuinely in love with Sirius, and her new Patronus is Padfoot, not Moony. (Quite how deep the feelings are, how much of them are lust, and how much they are requited and actioned upon is adjustable, but this will probably need Remus, poor bugger, to start to fall for her during OotP, and for her to get subconsciously fond of him too in parallel with her feelings for Sirius.) During the Lupin-trying-to-talk-her-round process, she makes a play for him early in HBP -- the results being enough for her to be quite sure what he feels for her, but him not believing that what she feels is more than standard on-the-rebound stuff.
Yes, this is the flipside of a suggested R/S --> R/T pattern (although I didn't realise that until I started thinking how it might pan out), and yes, you could write in some parallels with James/Lily for Remus too. A lot of his romantic angst and unwillingness to get involved here would come not from agonising over how he's no better than Greyback, but over how he's much worse than Sirius, which would at least make a refreshing change -- the "too old, too poor, too dangerous" bit would have to be tackled as well, and blended into the S/T --> R/T dynamic, but needn't be the full woe-is-me-I'm-a-poor-lousy-werewolf stuff which (while probably canon) is something I'm getting a bit overdosed on in R/T fics. (Perhaps he could overhear Tonks and Sirius joking about how his wealth offsets his age or something, and take it to heart.)
This could be done with or without lots of raunch in the S/T or the R/T parts, although the way this is described above I'd prefer there to be a fairly strong physical side to the relationships, even if the focus is on the emotions and the transition of affections. It would also have to be a fairly long fic to do the dynamic justice, which is why I don't really have the time to try it, but there are a number of excellent R/T writers who I reckon would do an excellent job if they cared to tackle it!
10. For those who also do original work, do you find that with the seventh book coming out, you're willing to put that on the backburner since you know the window of fanfic opportunity is shrinking?
Not applicable ...
11. After DH comes out, do you think you'll still be as active in the fandom? If most of the important questions have been answered, will you still write fanfic?
Hard to say -- it depends on how active the fandom itself is. It's bound to feel like (and in fact be) the end of an era. If it's still active after the first few months of fallout from DH, I imagine I'll still be there! As for fanfic, I tend to write missing moments or somewhat odd scenarios anyway, so would probably still be in a reasonable position -- but DH is bound to close off large areas of speculation, there's no getting round it, which will hit many fic genres.
12. If you are writing a WIP that contradicts DH once it is released, would you start writing according to the book 7 canon, or would you continue on with your original idea? Would you amend any previous fics if assumptions made have been proved false?
I aim not to be in the middle of any WIPs when DH comes out, unless they're declaredly AU. If unfortunate enough to be so nonetheless, I'd probably do what I did with NTLJ when HBP came out -- try to adjust for the new canon if possible, call it AU if not. As for previous fics, I'd certainly amend them if the necessary changes to make them basically 100% compliant again weren't too large, but if they couldn't be changed without major rewriting I'd leave them as they were
13. If you're favourite character(s) dies, will you take it like a man/woman, cry like a baby, or dedicate your life to AU fics where the deed doesn't happen at all?
I'll be gutted if some of the characters get bumped off -- the Trio, Ginny, Remus, and Tonks in particular -- but yes, I'll take it like a man (i.e. go off and sulk :D). Tonks especially would be a downer for purely fanfic reasons -- it would make NTLJ feel quite literally like a story about a character cut off in her/its prime. AU is going to be much more prominent anyway, I suppose, but since I tend to be hardline on canon-compliancy I might not be keen on it.
14. After the seventh book is released, will you focus on "after the war" style fics, or "before the war" (eg: Harry still in school)?
Good question! Don't know the answer. :) Probably a mixture like now.
15. If you stay active in fandom post book 7, will you continue to focus your stories on canon characters, or do you think you will be more willing to venture into the realm of original characters?
I've never really had a problem with OCs and invent them as and when necessary, although I like to use canon characters if (and only if) a suitable one is available to fill a particular plot role.
16. Have you ever had to defend the idea behind something you've written from critical reviews? Has it impacted on any future projects?
Only in a fairly minor way, really. I had Can't I Like Girls Too rejected once because Remus and Tonks were too out of character, which was a jolt but not unfair (that was the Wolfstar-teasing fic where both of them are bi, although I did try to get the personalities roughly right). And one NTLJ reviewer took issue with the concept suggested in that fic that an AK could fail if the caster didn't have enough power, by pointing out that in that case Harry wouldn't be all that special as a survivor of it. That's a very good point and one I'll definitely be taking into account.
17. Will you consider doing NaNoWriMo this year?
You have GOT to be joking. :)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-01-21 07:54 pm (UTC)Also, I really think it's sad the sequel to NTLJ looks unlikely, I was secretly hoping for that one. But the other things you talk about (like the Vegas fic) sound fun, too, so I guess I'll just look out for them instead.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-22 08:24 pm (UTC)