#writhingg

What's your favorite character or aspect of Stranger Things to create for?

No surprise here that I love Eddie Munson. There's just something about him that makes me want to put him through situations. 😅 I'm also a big fan of horror, so when I can combine my love of both, I'm a happy camper. I also find that writing for Robin is fun! I love silly, chaotic characters, and I can channel that love through her and Eddie.

What's your artistic process like? Any tools you favor?

My artistic process is...not that exciting lol. I get an idea, I daydream about it for a long time, I get the urge to write so I start writing, then the words/inspiration abandon me for a bit. Then, a few weeks or months later, inspiration strikes again, and I go back to the project. Rarely do I use an outline; usually, everything is in my head (which can sometimes be overwhelming when there are so many details floating around up there!) but it works for me. It does help now that I have some close fandom friends (lookin' at you @londonfog-chan! 🖤) that I can rely on to help me brainstorm or work through fic ideas. It helps hold me accountable when I want to write, and again, it's just nice to be excited with another person about creating something! The same goes for when I am beta-reading a story. Encouragement goes a long way, but of course, it's important to sit down together and think about what you want to accomplish, what kind of story you want to tell. Communication is important in the beta process because you want to make sure that you understand the author's vision; and once you do, you can make suggestions or help them plot out a fic that keeps in mind that vision.

What was it like to work on A Freak and a Basket Case?

So, I've beta-ed a few pieces for my bestie @londonfog-chan, and it's always fun because we have similar interests and we take the time to really think about who the characters are and what we're trying to communicate through them. Her story "A Freak and a Basket Case" was initially a reader-insert story, but it's being re-written as an OC fic (with Eddie Munson as the love interest) which was the original intention. Something that I like about this story is that the OC is a Latina, so there's an added layer to the storytelling in that it's through the perspective of someone who could be considered an outcast in Indiana in the '80s. For me, it's easy to step into the character's shoes and envision her thought process/reactions because I can see myself in her. I think it also helps that we both like to write Eddie a little unhinged and not suave but still charismatic in his own way, so when we work through his dialogue, we usually have the same vision. Overall, I think it helps to work with someone who gets your characters, and whose characters you can understand, too.

What was it like to work on "the devil in me (likes a devil in you)" and "heard you, saw you / need you, love you."?