8. Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read?
Yes and no! Yes, because I do like to read things similar to what I write, but also no, because I definitely like to read much more widely, including things I know I could never write.
9. Are you more of a drabble or a longfic kind of writer? Pantser or plotter? Do you wish you were the other?
I used to be more of drabble writer about a decade ago but thesedays I struggle to keep things short enough. I still try drabbles from time to time but usually end up double drabbles or triple drabbles instead lol.
Iām definitely a longfic kind of writer now, but more one-shots. I love the idea of multichaptered, have a few on the go, but I struggle with update schedules as sometimes I wonāt be able to write for ages. So, if I have any say in the matter I tend to aim for 5-20k oneshots.
I am definitely a plotter. By the time I start writing a fic in earnest (as opposed to recording any odd scenes that come to me out of order) I will always have a general idea of what will happen and where the fic starts, the loose idea of a middle and an overarching end. Often Iāll have a lot of the intervening plot points/scenes worked out too and then it becomes the task of how do I join it all up/pace it well.
10. How would you describe your writing process?
This ended up being a long-ass answer I donāt know if anyone wants, but here it is. I have 3 basic stages.Ā
1) Brainstorming: Writing down notes, ideas, maybe a little dialogue if a particular scene is better formed in my head already. Maybe making a moodboard or fanmix too - something about picking out images or needing a theme for a songās focus helps solidify the idea better in my head. Itās usually here where I hash out the themes I want to grapple with for the story and what I consider the emotional beats, how the characters will feel at different stages of the story.
2) Bulk writing: Actually fleshing out all those notes, kinda like connect the dots with words once I get the ideas all in order. This is the hard slog I tend to find, even when I am enthused for the story, because you have to put the hard time into it. I write at about 1k/hour on a good day but most writing days arenāt as good as that, more like 500 words/hour. Random tidbit, for every 1k of notes, I find that translates to actual prose around 3-5k which is handy for my predicting word counts. Even if I donāt get a scene to exactly where I want yet here, Iāll have a barebones version and give myself permission to not have it be perfect yet, to be finished later. For the ones I already had barebones, with dialogue, then Iād figure out where to add in extra stuff for movement, body language, or sensory details.
3) Rewrites/editing: I probably spend the most time on this stage because, a) I prefer to let my writing sit for a while, to get a fresh perspective from myself, and b) it takes time to find a beta/get it betaread. I really do prefer to get something betaread if I can, though I often find it hard to sit with the criticism, however constructive. I tend to reread a lot, trying to look out for any way to add to details that make it more grounded/more emotive, ensuring my vocabulary is varied and minimising unintentional repetition. I try to do a few passes to shorten my sentences too. Between my rereads and looking over again with new beta comments, I probably go over a typical fic up to a dozen times.
