13, 17, 20, & 21 for the fic writers meme?
*cracks fingers* Here we go!
13.Ā Whatās the best writing advice youāve ever come across?A: Thereās a couple good ones.Ā āAll dialogue should be an exchange of power.ā Meaning that, the conversation between characters should have something at stake and it should matter to both parties involved. Verbal grappling for control. Another one isĀ āWrite what you want/like to readā. Do you like to read literary short fiction? Or do you like to read epic fantasy novels? They are two totally different forms and require very different things from their writers. For years I was writing literary short fiction, but was reading epic fantasy and science fiction. The moment I set out to write something I would want to read was the single-most relieving and freeing thing Iāve ever done. Iāve never looked back.
17.Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?A: Start to finish. Iāve tried the other way, and I get bored with the work and give up. If I just bounce around to whatever scenes sound interesting, all thatās left is the hard work, and then I just stop. But, if I write beginning to end, itās like reading. I wonder how the book gets from where it is in the moment to the ending I know is coming up. I get to dig up the pieces and discover how everything clicks together and that is extremely satisfying.
20.Ā Describe your perfect writing conditions.A: Headphones. Haha, If I have a writing implement of some kind and music playing, I can write anywhere. Airplane? Moving car? Boat? Cafe? Mid-hike? Waiting to be seated at a restaurant? Done it all. But, my personal favorite, where I seem to be most productive is either in a busy cafe or bar with my laptop and headphones. Since we bought our house I have an actual office with a dedicated writing space, and thatās going quite well.
21.Ā How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?A: So, I have different approaches for fanfic and original content. I treat fanfic as writing exercises/fun. Iām writing it because itās where my focus is and itās keeping me writing. So, I usually proof read it twice for any glaring grammatical or formatting errors, change a word or two if I think of something better, and then post it.
For original content Iām much more stringent. Iāll do at least 3 drafts, each with considerable amounts of rewriting. My first drafts tend to be thin, with subplots hinted at more than established, so my drafting process usually adds words because I add more meat to the skeleton of my main plot. If itās not where I want it by the conclusion of the 3rd draft, Iāll take step back, work on something else, and come back in a month or two to see if fresh eyes wonāt help.
