Writing meme
tagged by @mumblingsage! Thanks babe :D
Where do you publish your work? Since I almost exclusively write fanfiction, AO3. Smaller things sometimes don’t make it beyond tumblr, but if it’s finished and above 500 words in length it’s going on my ao3 page. I’m also published in the anthologies I helped edit, naturally. I think I’d like to keep an eye out for calls for submission in the future, but right now I want to devote most of my writing energy to the two big writing projects I’ve got running, and those are both fanfic, so...
What medium/application/etc. do you write in or with? Microsoft Word. I’ve never really got the point of fancy writing programs, tbh. I used libre office for a while but Word has a handy feature where you can quick-navigate to chapter titles or subtitles, which is a godsend for longer work. So Word it is. I also carry a notebook around for those moments when I’m away from a keyboard and inspiration strikes, but I dislike writing by hand. My typing speed easily hits 100 words/minute and hand writing is frustratingly slow compared to that. Also my handwriting is illegible.
Do you collaborate with others? Nope, but I think I’d like to? (lookin’ at you, @holyfant, @queeriarty)  On the other hand, I’m not an easy person to work with,so maybe that’s why it hasn’t happened yet. There are also the occasional drawing-fic based on drawing- drawing based on fic based on drawing go-betweens between me and @degenezijde, of course.
How much editing do you do before you publish? Ahahaha. God. Erm, lots? t’s hard to put a number on this because my writing process is very layered. First drafts are bare bones kind of stuff, really sparse, so the second job is to reread and add stuff and edit along the way - rinse and repeat that at least a dozen times, I’d say. Globally speaking, I edit until I think it’s finished, then I leave it alone for a while, then I return and edit once more, and then I put it in AO3 drafts and edit one last time (mostly word-level stuff there). What can I say, I’m a perfectionist.
Do you listen to music when you write? Yep, often. I’ve got entire playlists devoted to moods or characters - hell, I’ve even got a song or two tied to one specific scene. I can write without music, obviously, but it really helps with setting the right mood.
How do you decide what to write about? Honestly no idea. Wherever inspiration strikes first, I suppose? I get ideas, I write them down. There’s practically no decision process involved, to be honest.
When do you write? Whenever I can. I think I write best in the evenings, after dinner, but I steal moments whenever I have free time (which these last few months has been often). But I do my most writing when I basically treat like a job, and devote an entire morning/afternoon/day to writing. It’s really satisfying to get that much work done in one go.
How often do you write? I try to write every day. How much I actually write fluctuates wildly, but I think on average I manage at least a few hundred each day? Depends on where the story is at, of course. Sometimes “writing time” is spent doing nothing but re-reading a story and moving scenes around. Do you take requests? Why/why not? Occasionally, yes! I love writing to people’s preferences (which is also why I like stuff like giftfics and Yuletide so much - and why I get frustrated at sparse prompts). I’m not continually open to requests because then I’d get overwhelmed - I’ve got more ideas than I know what to do with already! - but I do like opening prompts to short stories every once in a while. it’s a good exercise to practice my short writing and it makes people happy, so... Is there any genre or type of story you want to write but are hesitant to? Historical fiction. My three-year-old obsession with Richard III is just one of many historical stories I’m interested in, but the level of background knowledge required frightens me off. If I want to do it, I want to do it well. The only period I think I could maybe attempt is 1860-1880 London (don’t ask) but that’s a big maybe. I even almost chickened out of writing Man From UNCLE fic, and it’s also one of the reasons why I struggle so much with the Pride fic.
Any inspirational quotes, videos, tricks, articles, etc. that help you stay motivated?Â
Hmm, not really? Most of my motivation to write is entirely selfish and internal. Asks and comments do help, though (both in a “whee people like it” way and in a vague guilt-inducing way).
Go to page 7 of your wip, skip to the 7th line, and share 7 sentences.
Did you one better and went to the seventh chapter of my wip (guess which one)
Kitty pauses.
“It’s an old trick,” you say thoughtfully. “Divide and conquer. Flip it around, and you’ve got one front that’s pretty much unbreakable. One sex worker breaking confidentiality? She gets banned. Two? Same. But an entire cohort of them?”
She gives you a lazy smile. “Are you saying you want us to found a sex worker union?”
Tag more writers to continue the challenge:Â @holyfant, @moonchildwritessometimes, @ineptshieldmaid, @bisexualcyborg, @reckonedrightly, @peninsulamamoenam, @hsavinien, @meroure/ @lovetheundone, @seiya234
