Thank you @illarian-rambling for leaving an open tag here
What is your absolute all-time favorite idea you’ve ever had?
It's probably going to be a toss up between the unnamed work I have in mind that has a kitsune and tpcg series including the short works to tag along.
Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about sometimes?
Which of my OC's do I relate to the most ..
What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?
I love writing and wold building and crafting the characters but... editing and formating are me weakness... although I really am trying to improve at both and compared to the fanfictions i wrote last year I have came a long way already but alas I still have a lot of room for improvement...but even it can be fun.
What is your greatest motivation to write/create?
My friends on here and the characters themselves, plus it is something I find fun.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?
Your writing doesn't have to be perfect we all begin somewhere, you can't learn if you don't try.
What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?
Don't outline if you must use bullet points (as a mostly pantser who just know the general direction...outlines are a waste of time for me) Also make up a chart of how to use punctuation and keep it next to you while editing...I still need to add em dashes to it....
What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!
I'm not sure.. depending on the mood...and I'm still working on my original works
Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?
Um... Braith was raised an assassin her opinion of what a killing offense is would be controversial.
Adoh's vengeance arc...0_o spoilers so can't go there and Kieran is out for a similar reason.
Amon he would be the sort to kill one to save many...or kill many to save one...it just depends on your value to him.
If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?
Depending on the age ....some would be more positive than others.
Thanks @drchenquill, @the-letterbox-archives, @the-golden-comet and @ominous-feychild the tags!
I haven’t posted in a little bit because of real life, but I might be back soon. I miss you guys…
how long have you had your writing tumblr/writeblr? a fast and loose estimate is fine!
Just over a month.
what led you to create it?
I wanted to chat about my world and I really didn’t like the atmosphere in other social medias.
what’s your favourite thing about the writeblr community?
All of the talent and love <3 Making this account has motivated me to plan 3 different WIPs and write the first few chapters. I had never been able to get to this place before, so thank you everyone!
what’s one thing you’d like your mutuals to know about you?
Feel free to ask things. Even if it is just a hello! I love interacting with people, any questions about my world or my writing process. Or Physics if you are particularly curious…
is there anything you’d like to see more of on your dash?
I like my dash. Lots of great people!! I wouldn’t really change anything.
which wips or writing projects are you noodling about, lately?
I have just finished by full outline of the Xaeren WIP and have written a draft of chapter one. I have also finished chapter 3 of Paeliae.
how long have you been working on them?
Well I started building the world years ago, just daydreams, maps and languages. I wrote the history mostly last year and this year and then the characters developed from the places and history.
do you remember what inspired them/what got you started?
The world was a project I started just for fun, then acted as a setting to tell stories in. I then liked the stories a lot and decided to write them.
how much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them?
A long time. Not even just my current characters, many many more people who don’t even fit in this world as well.
when someone asks the dreaded, “what do you write about,” question, what do you usually say?
Umm… I say Sci-fi fantasy, and worldbuilding, then when they look blankly at me I say like tolkein and then they leave me alone.
name any characters you created. side characters, protagonists, antagonists, characters who’ve never been written, the first original abomination you ever pulled from your ass; whomever you’d like!
The main characters in chronological order:
-Ez and Rin (they are the the first romantic relationship I wrote and I love them.)
-Paeliae (His story describes the dissolution.)
-Xaeren (The inventor of most runes and the last godkiller.)
-Apollo and Tyro (Essentially modern day)
-Marsh and Daimion (I’m still not sure how future-ish I want this.)
who’s the most unhinged?
That really depends.
I’m sure lots of people would expect Marsh, but while he has no internal rules against murder, he keeps closely to the rules he does hold for himself and is really loyal when it comes down to it. Even if he doesn’t realise this he does care deep in some hidden part of him.
Xaeren cares the least about his own moral code. The only motivator he has is killing the goddess, and there is nothing he won’t do to get there regardless of the fact he knows it is wrong. He assumes he will die in the attempt so lives like a dead man because he has no life beyond this purpose. He might appear kind at first but you will always be second to his mission.
who comes the most naturally for you to write?
Apollo or Marsh. Apollo because he is lovely, I always like writing him comfort the team and also his fight scenes are really cool. Marsh because he acts so carefree and his humour is great.
do you ever cringe at them?
Yes. Mainly because I hate my writing, but also I just don’t like writing romance in general, so writing Zahra and Daimion has always been a bit weird. Strangely I never got that vibe with Ez and Rin, that might be because they are such a beautiful tragic couple that the story feels less like a romance.
how much control do you feel you have over your characters? do they ever “write themselves,” refuse to cooperate, or do things you didn’t expect? to what degree? are some less cooperative than others?
Well… I have a very clear idea of who they are and would much sooner change a plot point than a character so in that sense I have little control, but also they are my people so I can get them to cooperate.
do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters? and do you have a preferred means of receiving said questions? for example, as asks, as replies, as reblogs, as tag notes, as comments on ao3, etc.
Yes!!! I love it, any method is great! I am more likely to see asks and reblogs, but anything works!
what makes you want to follow another writeblr account? do you follow ‘em as you see ‘em, or take time scoping out the blog to make sure you align with its content? do you follow based on wips, or vibes?
Vibes. If they seem cool, I will follow them. I’ll likely do a quick check to make sure that they seem like a real person and that they make posts that I would like to see, but this is not usually based on their WIP type.
what makes you decide against following?
If I wouldn’t like to see their posts, I won’t follow them. This could be for many reasons, but common ones include: They seem like a bot, they post overobscene stuff, they make me feel uncomfortable, etc.
do you interact with non-mutuals often?
Sometimes, but if I interact with someone I am likely to then follow them.
do your mutuals’ characters occupy space in your noodle?
Yes! I have so many peoples characters whom I love and cherish.
Tagging @saturnine-saturneight, @theink-stainedfolk, @phoenixradiant and @oliolioxenfreewrites
Taking the open tags from @the-golden-comet here and @illarian-rambling here!
Rules: answer the questions!
Basics
How long have you had your writing Tumblr/Writeblr? A fast and loose estimate is fine!
I think it was November of 2022.
What led you to create it?
Twitter was going down so I moved elsewhere.
What’s your favorite thing about the Writeblr community?
The engagement and overall positivity! I was surprised how welcoming everyone was, and how touched I was when people gave compliments and how excited I was when people expressed interest!
What’s one thing you’d like your mutuals to know about you?
Well I'm always open to chat about whatever though I do have mild social anxiety. I'm always hyper analyzing whether I did something wrong or whatever. So if I come across as awkward I'm trying my best but I am always being genuine!
Is there anything you’d like to see more of on your dash?
Hm. This is a hard one. I guess I just wish I saw more interaction and engagement in people's work? Idk, it's always there, and I love seeing it, but having full conversations about each other's OCs and WIPs aren't as common. So idk more of that!
WIPs
Which WIPs or writing projects are you noodling about, lately?
Mainly I'm working on TSP but occasionally I'll dip my toes into SOTL again. Whenever I get an idea for a side project I barely have anything for, I'll write it down and get obsessed with it for a while.
And I also have a side project where I write reviews and analyses of TV shows or movies but I haven't gone back to it in a while despite having live notes of several movies and TV episodes in drafts.
How long have you been working on them?
TSP - spring of 2013, technically
SOTL - first came into my brain I think 2014-2015 but the first draft was 2015-2016
The first media analyses I wrote were in 2019 I think.
Do you remember what inspired them/what got you started?
TSP - I liked fairies as a kid due to the Rainbow Magic series, but thought I was too old for fairies so when I was assigned to write a fictional story I wrote about kids with powers
SOTL - I loved different takes on fairy tales due to The Land of Stories and wanted to write my own
Analyses - getting Disney+ because I unironically had always wanted to review every single Disney movie so I did. It extended after I watched two seasons of DC's Titans (the live action one) and I hated it so much I shat out 10k+ words in a single fever driven day
How much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them?
Pretty often, I'd think, unless I'm deep in a hyperfixation stage of an existing show.
When someone asks the dreaded, “What do you write about,” question, what do you usually say?
"Fantasy mostly."
Name any characters you created. Side characters, protagonists, antagonists, characters who’ve never been written, the first original abomination you ever pulled from your ass; whomever you’d like!
For TSP the characters I've put any effort into characterizing include: Lexi Morgan, Maddie Morgan, Ash Hathaway, Gwen Amante, Noelle Bishop, Rose Hernandez, Kelsey Newman, Robbie Stafford, Akash Singh, Jedi Moon, Carmen Asghar, Carla Baxter, George Baxter, Liam Beaumont, Ewan Traeger, Jazlyn Nyambura, Wade Attwood, Parker Cassidy, Tyler Nakashima, Gabriel Medina, Niri Shyaka, Sam Stafford, Hye-Jin Song, Alex Vaughn, Issa Johansen, CJ Reynolds, Wendy Amante, Anathi Makeba, Teo Nguyen, Xitlali Zepahua, Atsila McLain, and Raissa Kamanzi. Everyone else is insignificant.
For SOTL, I have so many OCs I have no idea who the relevant ones will be. So far, the most are Jack McDonald, Tierney Wayne, Úrsula Lobo, Beau Bellerose, and Bai Xue. Again, so far. I have so many characters for this it's not even funny.
And then there's the others from my other works but I'll stop there.
Who’s the most unhinged?
I'm not entirely sure who's the most. Parker is the most chaotic but Carmen is just the character, y'know? Jack I give whoever I want and Zainab of SOTL is pretty insane.
Who comes the most naturally for you to write?
Probably Robbie, honestly. The way his brain works and goes on random tangents is very similar to me. He's like if I was extraverted sometimes.
Do you ever cringe at them?
All the time.
How much control do you feel you have over your characters? AKA, do they ever “write themselves,” refuse to cooperate, or do things you didn’t expect? To what degree? Are some less cooperative than others?
I only have minimum control. I decide what to do with them but then they say "how about this instead?" And I listen to them all the time. Ash is the most uncooperative one, though. But Noelle has been given me trouble recently. She's told me I need to change her role in Part One. It's frustrating. But awesome.
Interaction
Do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters? And do you have a preferred means of receiving said questions? For example, as Asks, as replies, as reblogs, as tag notes, as comments on AO3, etc.
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES I love questions about my characters!! And no I don't have a preference, although AO3 would be hard because I don't have an account. Any way of interacting with me that you can, I love to hear the comments!
What makes you want to follow another Writeblr account? Do you follow ‘em as you see ‘em, or take time scoping out the blog to make sure you align with its content? Do you follow based on WIPs, or vibes? What makes you decide against following?
I do check the bio and scroll through their blog to see if there's anything I don't like or stands out as stuff. Sometimes it's a writeblr in the bio but I don't see any WIP posting so I don't follow.
Do you interact with non-mutuals often?
Yep! Constantly. Sometimes I forget people aren't mutuals.
Do your mutuals’ characters occupy space in your noodle?
Honestly @illarian-rambling's characters are amazing and I finished her manuscript of Mortal God for beta reading and it was awesome.
How long have you had your writing Tumblr/Writeblr? A fast and loose estimate is fine! What led you to create it? What’s your favorite thing about the Writeblr community? What’s one thing you’d like your mutuals to know about you? Is there anything you’d like to see more of on your dash? Which Works-in-Progress (WIPs) or writing projects are you noodling about, lately? How long have you been working on them? Do you remember what inspired them/what got you started? How much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them? When someone asks the dreaded, “What do you write about,” question, what do you usually say? Name any characters you created. Side characters, protagonists, antagonists, characters who’ve never been written, the first original abomination you ever pulled from your ass; whomever you’d like! Who’s the most unhinged? Who comes the most naturally for you to write? Do you ever cringe at them? How much control do you feel you have over your characters? AKA, do they ever “write themselves,” refuse to cooperate, or do things you didn’t expect? To what degree? Are some less cooperative than others? Do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters? And do you have a preferred means of receiving said questions? For example, as Asks, as replies, as reblogs, as tag notes, as comments on AO3, etc. What makes you want to follow another Writeblr account? Do you follow ‘em as you see ‘em, or take time scoping out the blog to make sure you align with its content? Do you follow based on WIPs, or vibes? What makes you decide against following? Do you interact with non-mutuals often? Do your mutuals’ characters occupy space in your noodle?
thanks for tagging me @theeccentricraven ! I've never done one of these before, it was a lot of fun :)
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?
The best advice I ever got was from my dad, back when I first showed him a scribbled first chapter of The 13th Kat at a music festival. He said 'write the thing you want to read', and I've done that ever since.
What do you wish you knew when you first started out writing?
I wish I knew it's okay to not have a romance subplot for the main character. If I'd known at the start, I probably wouldn't have written Kandrina and Remlik getting together, at least not the way they did. It worked out fine in the end, but it's definitely something I felt rushed into doing.
What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you like and can!
As much as I love my novels, I'd have to say my all time favourite story is Zombies at 6am. it's here on my tumblr, take a look!
Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?
That would probably be Archon Nightbreeze, the elven leader. He's definitely seen as an antagonist in the narrative, but I think some people would be able to see where he's coming from. He wants the best for his own nation and people, regardless of what it costs or how it affects others. While his intentions may have started out good, the methods he's chosen to use are pretty terrible, and are going to result in more harm than benefit, even to his most loyal supporters. Personally, while I can understand the intentions and the frustration behind what he's doing, I don't agree with him.
If you, when you first started writing, meet you now, what would younger you think?
I think she would be amazed that I ever found the confidence to share any of my writing. I've been making up stories since I was about 6, maybe before but I don't remember that far back. When I first wrote one of them down, I tried showing a teacher who pretty much dismissed it, and I was told off for wasting my time. 6 year old me would need a hug and a confidence boost for a lot of reasons lol.
I'll tag @agirlandherquill , @eli-t-spoon , @frostedlemonwriter plus open tag!
What is your absolute all time favourite idea you’d ever had?
I don't know. I'm so attached to all forms of my weird brainspew and I couldn't choose a favourite.
Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about?
Probably something about why I don't want to pursue traditional publishing or mainstream self-publishing. The answer is very boring. Nothing about either of those options would be enjoyable for me and it doesn't make sense to me to focus something I love towards an end point that feels so deeply unappealing.
What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts can you take or leave?
I love creating characters. Or discovering characters, since they land in my brain as full people who yell at me to write about them. There's not really anything I don't like.
What is your greatest motivation to write/ create?
The sheer joy and creative hedonism of it.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?
Write for the audience you want, not the audience you're scared of.
What do you wish you knew when you first started out writing?
That I can write whatever I want and publish it in whatever way makes me happy. I don't have to follow any conventions or meet anyone else's expectations.
What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you like and can.
Stop asking me to choose favourites! Bridge From Ashes and November Breaks are complete and available to read, and Spin Cylinder is complete and currently posting twice weekly, all free to read on winterandwords.com.
Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?
All of them. They're a shower of bastards. They tend to embody some aspects of me alongside some traits that are the complete opposite of me, which is a total trip to dig into and explore when I'm writing them.
If you, when you first started writing, meet you now, what would younger you think?
Younger me would be so impressed and grateful that I finally shook off all the shoulds that were stopping me from being truly in love with writing.
Tagging @indecentpause, @thegreatobsesso, @revenantlore, and @tragicheirs if you'd like to do it, with an open tag for anyone else who wants to join in 💜
Blank questions under the cut ⬇️
Reblogs, replies etc on my tag posts are always welcome, but if you're doing this tag yourself, please make your own post instead of using mine to start a reblog chain.
What is your absolute all time favourite idea you’d ever had?
Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about?
What is your favourite part of being a writer? What parts can you take or leave?
What is your greatest motivation to write/ create?
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?
What do you wish you knew when you first started out writing?
What is your favourite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you like and can.
Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?
If you, when you first started writing, meet you now, what would younger you think?
This is a very in-depth questionnaire for writers, suitable for original fiction writers, fanfic writers, and people who aren't writing but who are messing around with OCs. It's a lot of fun and I'm glad I stumbled over it.
Original post here.
About You
When did you start writing?
Very, very young. I would write and draw picture books about horses. Occasionally I finished them. The first chapter “book” I completed was called Starlight's Fury and heavily based on The Silver Stallion and similar wild horse stories. It was also only 3100 words. Short chapters, big writing, and lots of illustrations.
Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?
Sometimes. I have no interest in writing romance novels from the 1960s, but if I can find them cheap secondhand, I will snatch them up. I'm trying to think if there's themes I seek out without wanting to write them myself, and I sort of have the opposite... I tend to avoid stories centered on love triangles, but in my original fiction, I keep writing relationships that, if they aren't exactly triangles, veer awfully close. Eider-Diarca-Yew, Charmian-Jimson-Rigmor, Akantha-Alexandros-Genesius, and, yes, another one for the fourth book. In my own mind, I can declare these aren't love-triangly love triangles, but possibly I am kidding myself.
Is there an author (or just a fellow writer?) you want to emulate, or one to whom you're often compared?
I wrote last week about how Tanith Lee greatly affected my voice was I was developing it in the mid-2000s. The combination of her conversational tone and unexpected imagery really struck me, and I still find myself looking back to her and thinking how she would approach certain narrative moments.
I once heard a professor say that Emily Dickinson's writing style “scared him” because it was so spare and direct, and, my golly, I would love to be able to do that, and it's something I keep in mind when heading into heavier subjects. (I don't always want to scare the reader, but I often want that direct impact.)
Recently, my mother read The Alice Network by Kate Quinn and said its style reminded her of mine. But I don't think there's anyone I've been often compared to.
Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.)
I love the idea of writing in a cozy coffee shop, but the truth is that I would probably be too distracted. I tend to write in my bedroom, cross-legged on the floor. When I was younger, I mostly wrote longhand and would snatch whatever writing time I could, during free periods, in cars, that sort of thing; I would take my writing notebook to school and on trips.
What's your most effective way to muster up some muse?
The muse, she does not come when she's called. She likes music though. A lot of the time, any music will do, just to create a sense of shut-in-ness and a barrier from the world. If I'm writing something emotional, then I might go for really emotional music. (I wrote the last chapter of The Stars Are Fire with “Weight of the World” on repeat.)
But I don't rely on my muse if I can help it. When I was younger I did, and my (original) first drafts spanned years, and en route I often ran out of interest and momentum and they languished unfinished. So now, when life allows it, I try to set time aside (a 30 minute block, say), and that's for writing (includes editing) and you just have to sit and write, sorry, but yes, you may take breaks between paragraphs. This allows me to write much more quickly, and the idea that I won't be working on this first draft for years affords me a light at the end of the tunnel. I don't expect it to always work, but right now, it works enough.
Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?
Yeah, somewhat. Relatives' homes, different areas where they lived (the differences in scenery, animals, overall moods), and then where I grew up, traces of it have shown up in my writing. As for people, that's a tricky thing to cop to, basing characters on people you know. I don't have any characters that are one-to-one analogues of people I know. When it comes to antagonists (dangerous territory), I try to draw more on my own negative traits and bend or exaggerate them rather than settle scores writing someone I know as a villain.
Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?
Ones that I've noticed include guilt, a sense of being cursed, conflict between once-friends, untrustworthy romantic interests, large snakes, learning how to break free/express anger in a useful way. They're not surprising. Not that I'm an edgelord or something, but these are things I'm interested in, these are things that I think make for really powerful stories.
I could also sweepingly say DEATH, because that is something I return to, though I think more in fanfiction than in original fiction. Lost Savior, Elysion, Death and Ker, The Stars Are Fire, parts of The Muse Trilogy, definitely parts of the unposted Fate stuff – they all focus on mortality and what it means for you (the person dying) and how you cope with it (the person surviving).
I'm sure there are themes that would surprise me, but that's the sort of thing a reader figures out before the writer does.
Your Characters
Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)
I'm the author, and I'm irresponsible, and I'm saying Alexandros, the trickster prophet from To the Ravens. He's not my favorite in that I think he's particularly admirable. You could definitely pick a better role model. But I love writing him. He's creative, intuitive, over the top, very fun in how he talks and how he acts. He can be warm and reassuring and heroic. He's beautiful and eloquent and he can cut right to the heart of the person he's talking to. But he's always operating from an angle, coming up on your side. He spins explanations quickly, he lies with a smile, and he never looks back. He's exhausting, but so fun to write.
Which of your characters do you think you'd be friends with in real life?
I feel sorry for Diarca, and he's shut up in a mirror, he could use a friend. I would also love to be friends with Wuxle, just an absolutely steady presence, someone who will watch your back when you're in danger while undramatically pointing out you're maybe not making the best decisions. I could see myself befriending Akantha and Karyai and probably even Kokkonas, though we might bicker a lot.
Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?
It's probably too easy to just list off antagonists, particularly the ones who head into Actual Villain territory. Among the “good” or more neutral characters, I think I'd find both Charmian and Yew sometimes frustrating in real life. But then, their bad decisions are part of why their stories happen. I don't think I'd actually dislike them, but there might sometimes be words exchanged.
Tell me about the process of coming up with one, all, or any of your characters.
I don't have any one method. With Eider, I set out to make her very appealing – I designed her to be extremely beautiful for that fairy tale factor, and I wanted her to be very brave and earnest in the hopes the reader would really get behind her. So there were a lot of deliberate choices made in her creation. Similarly, Arsen was intentionally written to evoke gothic romantic hero tropes, hopefully to examine them in an interesting way. Other characters come along in a more as-you-go sort of way. I've talked about how Jimson was originally a more villainous character, and I'm not sure what exactly changed him – the needs of the story versus how I felt while writing the character – but he definitely circumvented my plans. Akantha was originally a defiant trickster character, but researching the lives of Greek women in antiquity ended up being more interesting to me, so I wrote her well within those confines, defying them in a more slowly building way.
Right now, I'm brainstorming a possible ghost character, but at this stage I don't have much set in stone – some world-building ideas for where the ghost comes from, some tropes I might use for their personality. I think part of this process is going to involve reading different ghost stories from different sources and seeing if that shakes any interesting ideas loose. From there, I might just start listing possible tropes, origins, arcs, regardless of whether they're good, and see what connections form. Or maybe I'll work on a different character from that project and the arc of that character could end up shaping the ghost's arc secondarily. It's still early enough that things could head in so many directions; the ghost doesn't even have a name yet.
Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?
Many! There's the stuff I mentioned above, like Yew, Charmian, and Akantha all considering themselves cursed in some respect. I see some similarities between Jimson and Alexandros, these charmers who have some pragmatism behind their smiles. Mabry and Yew are also somewhat similar, bold, irreverent, even having some similarity in their designs with their long sleek hair and big dark eyes. Charmian and Akantha both deal negatively with arranged marriages. These characters aren't identical, but they share some themes and ideas I've been turning over and exploring from book to book.
How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc.)
I'm able to draw them, and that's another way I refine their characters. (Though in many cases, I don't draw them until after the project is finished.) Even so, it's not perfect. I can draw a figure with the necessary traits, but it doesn't necessarily capture the character. I still feel like I haven't ever properly drawn Arsen, and though I've gotten closer with Diarca, he's still elusive. Still not entirely pleased with any pictures I've done of Genesius – I don't think I've quite gotten his maturity, maybe. Real people do sometimes influence the characters' designs; I'd been watching lots of Poldark ahead of writing The Price and Prey of Magic, and my goodness, Aidan Turner and his deep sultry voice definitely passed some DNA on to Arsen.
I realize though that's not quite the question. How do I see them in my mind, as real people or drawings? I think it's closer to real people, but real people whose faces are still sometimes a bit blurry and uncertain to me.
Your Writing
What's your reason for writing?
I've always done it, and I've always been considered good at it (for my age group, when that was still applicable). As with a lot of writers, there's a sense in which writing's difficult and I drag my feet, but simultaneously I can say that I love it, I get an emotional and even a physical sense of well-being from it. It makes me feel accomplished, it organizes my thoughts. Being able to write, especially original projects, often feels like it's a sign of my mental health being good. When my mental health isn't as good, writing fanfiction allows for a lot of comfort and fun, emotional release, and interacting with other fans. (Which is not to say I only write fanfiction when things are going wrong in my life – don't worry about that! But for years I felt like I couldn't write original stuff anymore and fanfic gave me a way to keep writing.)
In a more exterior way, there's a quote from the Matilda movie that I can only paraphrase, but which has always stood out to me: That writers send their books out like ships to bring messages to people. I'm not claiming to have very deep material, but I think about how much enjoyment other writers' books (and fics) have given me, and I would love to pass that on as a writer.
Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?
All comments made in good faith, even criticism, are generous gifts. But the comments that really stand out tend to be specific – lines people liked, twists that surprised them, theories they have. One comment I remember from years and years ago was an anon on Fanfiction.net who noticed I updated a certain fic the same day every week, and that made them look forward to that day all week. Another reviewer said that years after first reading it, they still quoted one of my fics. Learning that is so touching and I'm feeling all fuzzy writing about it now.
As for criticism, I've definitely gotten it, and while I don't always agree with it, I think I can tell when the reader's put thought and honesty into their feedback. So even if I don't make the changes they suggest, the feedback is still valuable. Other times, the critic's been exactly right, and even if the feedback comes too late for me to change a project, I can still keep it in mind as I write new things.
In general though, comments in and of themselves are motivating. You might know people are reading a fic, you might see the hit number going up, but not hearing what people think about it is discouraging.
How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work? (For example: as a literary genius, or as a writer who “gets” the human condition; as a talented worldbuilder, as a role model, etc.)
It's that Matilda quote again. I really, really want you to enjoy my writing, whether it's original or a fic. I want you to read it and remember it years later, and it gives you a warm nostalgic feeling, taking you back to that time in your life. When it comes to characters and world-building, I hope people find them intriguing and worth studying for their own writing, and I hope the themes and my takes on them resonate with people. But the real thing, the crucial thing, is that I hope you like my writing and remember it.
What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?
It's hard not to think of an answer that doesn't come from someone else. It's also easier to focus on shortcomings. Part of the problem is that quality is subjective, so something I really like about my writing could be just the thing a given reader hates.
I think I'm capable of some good poetic language. For some people, it might shade too purple; other people might say it doesn't go purple enough. Some would say that if I like a line, I should make like Faulkner and kill it, but I don't subscribe to that motto. If you let all your darlings live, will you let some awful cringey lines survive? Yeah, probably. But experience will make you better able to hear what sounds awkward and what doesn't, and, honestly, better that your writing be awkward and memorable than serviceable and anonymous.
What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?
People note my descriptions, my dialogue, especially funny one-liners. Readers have also liked (or at least been affected by) my emotional endings, particularly in fanfic. On reflection, my fics' endings tend to be received pretty well.
How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in whatever way you interpret this question.)
It's tiresome to harp on, but I do see a lot of flaws in my writing. I often feel my plotting is weak and I can fumble when it comes to internal rule-/world-building.
On the positive side, right now, at this point in my life (the last 7 – 5 years or so) I'm very happy that my writing's been happening, projects emerging quickly, projects getting finished. I can't know if that will last, but I'm grateful for it as it's happening.
As for the writing itself, looking at it separately from me, my feelings are complicated. Like many (most? all?) writers, I'm writing the stories I want to read, so that's fun. On the other hand, they're written by me, so I can see backstage, as it were, see all the scaffolding and compare the story to an ideal non-existent version of it in my head. So that harshes the fun.
I've written before that when it comes to my fanfic, I'm able to go back after posting and reread it and enjoy it a lot. But rereading my published stuff doesn't offer much relaxation – I'm too caught up in things I can no longer change. I still feel that way with The Price and Prey of Magic and The Escape of Lady Aigle, but with To the Ravens, I have been able to go back and reread it, at least some sections. And while I still see small things I question and wish I could go back and alter, I do enjoy rereading it. I don't know if I've turned some corner or if there's just something special for me about To the Ravens.
If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?
If I'm looking at this literally, I think I would be too depressed to write. But looking at it theoretically, at the broader question – or maybe just hoping that my initial depressed paralysis would be temporary – yes, I think I would write even if I didn't expect anyone to read. I have writing projects that I never plan on sharing. I have a diary I don't ever want anyone who knows me to read. My favorite fanfic has never been posted, and I'm still torn on whether it ever will be. Like I said above, writing makes me feel good. So if I'm the last human, I think writing would help. And I think I'd want to document things, just in case someone ever did come along.
When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it’s a mix of the two, which holds the most influence?
I don't know if anyone can write with such selfish purity, if they're intending to share their work. (Again, see my favorite fic, just for me, utterly self-indulgent. But even there, I didn't write it without ever considering what other people would think of it. The barrier of outside criticism was lower, but it was still there.)
So yeah, I think about the audience, in terms of making my ideas clear, or trying to make sure I'm not unwittingly offensive or insensitive, and then, yes, what they might enjoy. On the other hand, I'm very much writing the stories I want to write. My fanfic is mostly for niche JRPGs from the 2000s, 2010s, not exactly white-hot fandoms; even within those fandoms, I don't think I'm writing the subjects or characters that will get the most hits. As for the original stuff, if I was going for mass appeal, all three novels would be markedly different. I don't think I would've written a book about a second-century snake cult on the moon.
But I think there's a subtler answer. There's “readers” as in generic, mainstream readers. And then there's people who read my stuff. These are people I do and don't know, and if they like some of my writing, I'd like to think they'd enjoy more of it. I wouldn't want someone to read one of my fics/books and be majorly disappointed by another. At the same time, you can't expect to hit the target for every reader every time; that's unreasonable.
This answer is just getting more garbled. Yes, I do both. I have no idea what the percentages are, but I think generally it's always best to be true to yourself in writing, even if it might alienate some readers. Again, better to alienate and make an impression than to be palatable and easily forgotten.
I started in 2001 lol. But then I took like a 10-year break from 2005 to 2015. Been writing on and off since then.
2. Who most influences your writing style?
Honestly it’s all based on the characters I’m writing. Since I’m writing already-established characters, I try to make my writing style match their personalities, or in the case of HP fanfics or other fics based on books, I try to make my style match the author’s original style.
3. Favourite type of scene to write?
Dialogue definitely. Most of my fics are characters sitting around talking lol. If I’m writing an explicit fic, I actually prefer writing kink negotiation more than the sex itself lol.
4. What trope is your favourite to write and/or read?
Write: Coming out. I like when a character is worried that they’ll be judged by the people close to them when they find out they’re LGBT, and then they’re pleasantly surprised that they’re wrong.
Read: “There was only one bed” :D
5. What is one trope that you dislike?
I’m not the biggest fan of some sickfics. When I read a character getting whumped, I like it to be their own actions or decisions that led to the whumping, rather than something that just happened to them. That said, when a sickfic is written well and is more about the comfort and dialogue than the whump, I enjoy it.
6. What AU do you wish to write but feel like you won’t manage?
I’ve never actually considered writing AUs (except for this crackfic thing I’m working on, that a few of my friends on here know about). I like reading AUs, but I’ve never considered writing a serious one of my own.
7. Do you outline, or write as you go?
For oneshots, I outline in my head. For longer fics, I try to write an outline and stick to it. Only once have I ever started a fic not knowing how it would end. And that fic was published in 2005 and sits unfinished to this day. I should finish it and maybe get an award for longest time between chapter updates on FFN.
8. Past tense or present tense? Why?
I used to always prefer past, but then I switched to present and haven’t gone back since. No idea why—just feels more natural this way. (This was whumphoarder’s answer and it’s identical to mine, so I’m leaving it as-is.)
9. Do you prefer to write one-shots or multi-chapters? Why?
Definitely one-shots. Set it up, tear it down, get in, get out. On to the next fic. (Again, this was whumphoarder’s answer lol. I’m similar. Though I’m slowly starting to warm up to multi-chapter stuff, so maybe I’ll keep trending in that direction, who knows?)
10. What is the kindest comment you’ve received on a fic? (Feel free to paraphrase or generalize!)
That would be @gayspiderboy‘s comment on my fic “Welcome to the Inner Circle”, it really made my week. (Most of the comments on that fic made me very happy, I really thought it would be the opposite reaction, but the comments restored my faith in humanity.)
11. What is the most gratifying aspect of writing fanfic for you? That the story exists now, so I can go and read it again. Not gonna lie, I reread my own stuff, like, frequently. I just like having created something that I wanted to exist in the world, you know? (also getting comments) (Literally whumphoarder’s answer verbatim, because I’m exactly the same lol.)
tagging (only if y’all wanna do it—no pressure): @twentyghosts, @gayspiderboy, @trammelsb, @ellewritesfiction and anyone else who’d like to participate!
i was tagged a few weeks ago but I can't find it now. I had it mostly done in drafts 0_o (I forgot about it sorry) @thatuselesshuman tagged me as well
Short stories, novels, or poems?
Novel length fanfiction although I'm working on my first novel. Short stories are way harder for me as I have to many ideas to keep them short usually.
What genre do you prefer reading?
Basically, I’ll read anything interesting. Usually: mystery, fantasy, grimdark fantasy, dark fantasy, romance, horror, murder mysteries, historical, educational, western (I'm blaming @tragedycoded for that one as my parents couldn't get me hooked on the genre 0_o And @tragedycoded succeeded with DMLS )
(I don't have many genre's I won't give a chance)
What genre do you prefer writing?
I'm game for whatever ideas running amuck right now I'm working on a fantasy series that will probably end up labeled dark fantasy.
My next project after the series will be historical fantasy just not sure which of these ideas I'm going for (3 different time periods but they will still have some form of magic in them)
Are you a planner or a write-as-I-go kind of person?
Combine the two but usually I have a general idea and let the characters have fun driving me insane.
What music do you listen to while writing?
Depends on the day some days that would be highly distracting others it's either old classic rock or folk music
Fave books/movies?
That's listed in my pinned intro and it's a long list and you can not make me pick.
Any current WIPs?
I'm currently writing the pirate king of deaths redemption book one if the pirate's cursed god series.
For fanfiction I have several at different points and I'm posting three wip's that I'm working on as I post 0_o (bad idea but I'm adjusting to it)
If someone were to make a cartoon out of you, what would your standard outfit be?
Comfortable sweaters, jeans, combat boots and a pocket knife holding several books
Create a character description for yourself: ash blonde shoulder length hair, hazel eyes (blue, green,grey) pale skinned and freckled.
Do you like incorporating people you actually know into your writing?
Not particularly.
Are you kill-happy with characters?
not particularly, especially if you know them.
Coffee or tea while writing?
Water or sweet tea
Slow or fast writer?
Most people say fast but to me, I'm slow but that has to do with the fact that my brain moves quicker than I can type.
Where/who/what do you find inspiration from?
Anything and everything
If you were put into a fantasy world, what would you be?
Healer or cryptid in the library spotted by others once in a blue moon as I learn about the new world.
Most fave book cliche? Least fave book cliche?
Most fav: long list but enemies to lovers or psychopaths and golden retriever personality.
Least fav: cheating (I will usually stop reading right there) amnesia (not really my cup of tea) abortion or miscarriage (sensitive subject given some of my relatives histories) major character death (definitely need to be in a certain mindset for that) bullying (personal trauma there sometime I have to back away from a book for a while before trying again.)
Fave scenes to write?
Fluffy dialogue or arguing although bone chilling or traumatic memory flash backs are a blast to write
Most productive time of day for writing?
It depends – day for editing night for writing or that's how it usually works for me.
Reason for writing?
Creativity, I like the fact that other people can connect with the story.
Also I have made a few friends via writing and I love that fact considering I have issues making friends usually. My friends might be online friend but they are still friends.
Np tags @the-golden-comet @gioiaalbanoart @aintgonnatakethis @lillybaaaka @adhdprincess @drchenquill +open tag
