#thotscorpio

1) is there a story you’re holding off on writing for some reason?

Whew. Recently I’d been holding off writing anything for Between Who You Are for a lot of reasons: generally feeling rubbish, home life, work life, but there were times when I’d pull my shit together for five minutes and open up my drafts and just not be able to pump anything out (or even do any editing) because of the reactions I was getting. I always kind of assumed that if people didn’t like what they were reading then they would just mark it as DNF, but some were carrying on regardless and sending messages/leaving comments and reviews that went beyond constructive criticism. And I just didn’t want to subject myself to that, and it obviously stopped me from enjoying it. Then I did a few collabs with one of my best mates (Hyacinthed, who is an a m a z i n g author and editor, go check her out and give her all the love for being just about the only Leah/Quil shipper in the world) and she also offered to beta a few chapters of BWYA. She even said she'll ghost write a few chapters, which just blows my mind. That, and really kind comments from other readers has definitely helped get my mojo back.

2) what work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing?

Probably fics from when I was deeeeeeep in my Merlin phase about 10 years ago. I ignore them on FFn and I’ve moved them to another pseud on AO3 :’)

3) what order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

Usually ‘front to back’ but I often have a side-doc running for jotting down scenes that hit me out the blue. The ‘scenes/outtakes/archive’ doc I have for BWYA is leaning slightly on the diabolical side, currently standing at around 12k. Half of that will probably never see the light of day.

4) favorite character you’ve written

L E A H M F K N C L E A R W A T E R

5) character you were most surprised to end up writing

Sam, probably. I dislike him/her in both universes but their POV makes for great angst, and the reviews/comments that result from their chapters is always entertaining when people get out the pitchforks.

6) something you would go back and change in your writing that it’s too late/complicated to change now

In terms of writing style, nothing much because it’s all been a massive learning curve. But if we’re talking about within a story, probably the way I began BWYA because it gives me such a headache sometimes. I’d probably stop myself from committing to the canon timeline and would have long since finished it by now!

7) when asked, are you embarrassed or enthusiastic to tell people that you write?

Not so much embarrassed, and far from enthusiastic, but only a handful of people know. My mum knows but has no idea what any of it is about (she just calls it “your stories”, but is still super supportive) and the majority of other people who know are friends I don’t get to see too often and/or who write too.

8) favorite genre to write

Angst angst angst angst angst

9) what, if anything, do you do for inspiration?

Reading!

10) write in silence or with background noise? with people or alone?

Mostly background noise, like the telly or music. Sometimes people are around, but usually alone.

11) what aspect of your writing do you think has most improved since you started writing?

Actually following a plotline/structuring things and taking notes. Years back (in the Merlin phase) I used to be all over the place and would stick random scenes in that I thought were cute and fluffy, but really they were there for my own entertainment and added nothing to the story at all. Probably lost me more than a few readers along the way.

12) your weaknesses as an author

Repetition and wordiness. Often while editing I'll have to axe a few hundred words and will spend the whole process with my head in a thesaurus.

13) your strengths as an author

Oof, I’m not sure. People leave positive comments about character development, so maybe that. Also angst and pacing.

14) do you make playlists for your current wips?

Friend, I have playlists for my playlists.

15) why did you start writing?

When I was 12 or so, I had made a friend in secondary school who’d started writing and wanted to practice. We used to write together on this website called GaiaOnline, which is actually where I met one of my best mates who lives in Canada (we started a Twilight roleplay together - I was Jacob!). That was about eight years ago. We fly back and forth to see each other :’)

16) are there any characters who haunt you?

L E A H M F K N C L E A R W A T E R. In the best way. (Unless I’ve left her abandoned for too long and there’s a story niggling away at me until I can’t sleep and have to get something on paper.)

17) if you could give your fledgling author self any advice, what would it be?

Stop trying to impress other people - it’ll save yourself a headache and you’ll get more done!

18) were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? what were they?

I spent months and months binge reading and re-reading everything written by Sarah J Maas which undoubtedly left its mark - and not necessarily a good one. Her repetition and one-line paragraphs drive me up the bleeding wall, but still I find myself doing it sometimes. An unconscious habit I have yet to break.

19) when it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.?

Gdocs is my best pal. I create timelines for each fic (BWYA’s timeline is absurd) and note when in that timeline each chapter occurred, often with a few words to summarise major plot points. I don’t have too much trouble keeping track with characters because the majority of what I write at the moment is Twilight and the characters (the Pack!) have become second nature. I don’t have to reference anything too much for them.

20) do you write in long sit-down sessions or in little spurts?

Recently it’s been little spurts, but when preparing to edit/post I usually have to set aside an evening to work on it for a few hours, if not more.

21) what do you think when you read over your older work?

Delete delete delete. I know a few authors who have completely purged their old works in the name of growth/improvement but I’m not quite there yet. Most I’ve done is move stuff on AO3 to another pseud so it’s not glaringly obvious that this Arthur/Merlin shipper was beyond obsessed.

22) are there any subjects that make you uncomfortable to write?

Smut probably. Although not so much uncomfortable, but more because it’s such a slow process for me and I get super frustrated that I can never seem to make it work the way I imagine it… which is probably a waste of time because I never post it anyway. There’s not a lot of topics that make me uncomfortable (nothing that I’ve tried yet, anyway), but if there was something then I’d probably change things up to avoid dealing with it.

23) any obscure life experiences that you feel have helped your writing?

It probably can’t be called obscure, but maybe being a bit of a target for bullies when I was in school helped because it meant I was mostly always on the computer during free time, writing and writing and writing. Sob story alert. But it definitely helped and gave me a hell of a lot of time to improve.

24) have you ever become an expert on something you previously knew nothing about, in order to better a scene or a story?

I’ve pretty much devoured anything and everything I can get my hands on about indigenous peoples, especially the Quileutes. Wouldn’t call myself an expert but I’ve definitely learned a lot from what information is available about them. Also America in general -- maps, lingo, you name it. I’m not sure what people would do if I made the Pack a bit British and had them saying ‘blimey’ and ‘bloody’ all the time (because I do).

25) copy/paste a few sentences or a short paragraph that you’re particularly proud of

It’s not short but… This is from a Jacob/Leah drabble series I started which I’ve always loved. Maybe one day I’ll be able to make this one into a series: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12860435/7/The-Jacob-and-Leah-Drabbles

The Cullen mansion is boarded up, the last of their belongings and cars shipped this morning.

His own worldly possessions fit into one red toolbox and one single duffle bag, both of which once belonged to Billy. Understandably, the duffle bag is in worse shape than the toolbox; it's fraying at the seams and looking extremely sorry for itself on the passenger seat beside him whilst he waits impatiently for the convoy to roll out.

Nessie had wanted to ride along with him, and he'd instantly hated himself when he'd told her no. Leaving La Push — leaving Washington — is a pretty big fucking deal, and driving away from it . . . This feels like something he needs to do on his own.

He hadn't been able to explain it in a way that Nessie would stop asking questions, and even now she is still upset with him. Fifteen minutes ago, he'd tried to reason with her that driving alone was kind of like how she'd needed to say goodbye to every single room in the freakin' house — fourteen fucking rooms he'd had to walk through, twice — but, in spite of his imprint's otherworldly intelligence, he knows that she's still having trouble fully understanding what he had said.

(Maybe he's the stupid one. He's joining a coven of bloodsuckers, after all.)

"But we did that together," Nessie said plaintively.

Because you asked me to, had been the response he couldn't voice. But it hurts to hurt her, so he couldn't — can't say these things. He will never be able to say these things.

The only person who seemed to understand was Bella, and thankfully she'd managed to coerce Nessie into their black Mercedes instead.

(If his former best friend didn't smell like acid then he might have hugged her properly — not the now-normal one-armed hugs and fleeting kisses on her head which still make his stomach roll. Whatever. He's working on it.)

Jacob drums his fingers on the steering wheel, and finally, finally, the last of them are piling into their vehicles and that marvellous Jeep of Emmett's is roaring and—

"Wait!"

As soon as he hears that voice Jacob is leaping out of the Rabbit, as shocked as the bloodsuckers its owner has bolted past without acknowledging. Then he sees the backpack bouncing on her back, the relief in her eyes that she's not too late, and hope sparks.

Leah throws herself at him. He opens his arms to catch her without a second thought.

"I know what you have to do," she says quietly against his ear, breathless and trembling as her nails dig into his shoulders, "and I understand, Jake, I do, but — please. You don't have to do this on your own."