I was on tumblr yesterday evening after posting yesterday’s Whumptober post when I came across this post thanks to some… inventive clicking. Don’t look too much into that.
Anyway, I saw this ask post and thought, why not? Content right? So shoutouts to ddarker-dreams on tumblr for originally posting this. (It may be a repost, but I’m not looking too deeply into that.)
Because some of these questions address [Fanfic Name], I’ll be using a random number generator to pick a fic. At current, I have published 85 fics on AO3. I’ll be counting from the first published fic on my AO3 account as #1, and the fic I published today as #85.
1. What’s your favorite character(s) to write for?
Right now, I’m loving writing for Buck in 9-1-1. I also like delving into Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds) and Booker (The Old Guard)
2. What character(s) do you find the most difficult to write for? Why?
Characters that are very technical or have to be athoratative. For some reason I just can’t. I also have trouble finding Andy’s voice (TOG), though I’m getting better about it.
3. Do you have a favorite scene you’ve written from [Fanfic Name] story/chapter?
(#45: Mind Control, The Old Guard, posted Feb 1, 2021)
This was the first Febuwhump fic I wrote, and it’s all one scene. But my favorite part was when I dropped the surprise ending, where Booker says he doesn’t remember anything, which changes basically everything. I’ve developed a quiet love for the surprise or twist ending.
4. Did you have any ideas that didn’t make the final cut of [Fanfic Name]?
(#30: Here Comes the Magic, Now You See Me, Posted Aug 6, 2013)
This fic was actually a 1sentence challenge, where you write a sentence featuring a pairing to a one or two word prompt. This was the last one I did if I’m remembering right, and I don’t think I left anything out. I just wanted to have a solid 12 1sentence challenges done when I finally finished it.
5. Do you listen to music when writing?
Yes! Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of lofi, but I’ve have a really random mix of music that I bounce around through. Depending on the fic, it could be easier to me to write if there aren’t any lyrics.
6. If you listen to music when writing, what were you listening to when writing [Fanfic Name]?
(#77: Tangled Up, 9-1-1, Posted Oct 1, 2021)
This was absolutely a lofi fic. I got really into listening to lofi while writing fic in the last six months or so, especially while working on Whumptober. Since this was day one of Whumptober, I’m almost certain.
7. What story/headcanons do you feel the proudest of?
I mostly follow what fandom dictates as headcanons. One of my favorite is that Reid didn’t get any help from anyone but Morgan when he was detoxing. It’s something that I’m pretty sure of personally, and I really made that a play in my fics.
8. Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi chaptered stories?
Lately it’s been more one-shots than chaptered fics. I’ve been really enjoying only doing snapshots instead of humongous stories. It’s suited my writing style lately.
9. If you had to assign a theme song to [Fanfic Name], which would you assign?
(#5: She Didn’t See It Coming, Push, Posted June 20, 2012)
… I don’t even know. It’s been over ten years since I originally wrote that fic. Probably something sad and dark, considering the end of the fic. Which, by the way, absolutely broke me. I made myself cry.
10. What is the line you’re proudest of from [Fanfic Name]?
(#8: Sun and Moon, Trace Memory, Posted June 20, 2012)
… I had to reread this one. It’s been absolute years since I touched it, or the game that’s associated with it (Trace Memory). But I really love the final line. It’s pretty. (Pretty simple, but whatever. I think I originally wrote this back in late high school.)
11. How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, etc)
I like writing character introspections. I focus on a specific character and their thoughts. It’s really fun to do, at least in my opinion.
12. Who is your favorite author?
I don’t! I read a lot of different fanfic, and I really don’t have an absolute favorite. There are so many different authors that I love, I can’t just single out one.
13. When did you start writing fanfic?
Technically, back in seventh grade. I was writing fics to keep hold of my grief after my father’s passing. I only discovered what fanfiction actually was in mid to late 2004, when I was looking up some information on the anime Gundam Seed and discovered Fanfic.Net. It was a really weird time.
14. How do you feel about your older work?
I wouldn’t say I’m embarrassed by it, but I don’t consider it great. I much prefer the stuff I’ve been putting out in the past year or so, as my newer style has been more perfected to what I like
15. What is the fanfic you’ve written that you’re most proud of?
There really isn’t just one. There’s a fare few that I really put my heart into . One is my old FusionFall crossover fic, which I loved because of how well I was able to make all the different OCs stand out. There’s also my TOG/CM series, which is a crossover that I never want to put down.
I’m pretty indecisive, honestly.
16. What fanfic tropes do you avoid writing for?
I avoid writing romance scenes that go into smut/spicy. It’s just not something that I’m comfortable with writing. The other thing I avoid is Major Character Death, mostly because I just can’t handle it lately.
17. What fanfic tropes do you gravitate to writing for?
I love to write character whump, and hurt/comfort. But it really depends on what the fandom is and which character I’m writing for.
18. Do you prefer editing as you write, or waiting until it’s finished?
I do basic editing while I’m writing, such as when I see marked spelling errors. The majority of editing is done when I take breaks or when I finish a scene/story.
19. What words do you think you tend to use the most?
I use a lot of -ly words. It’s something that I’m trying to break myself from, mostly because I think it’s becoming too much of a habit.
20. What feedback makes you the happiest to hear?
I absolutely love hearing about a reader’s favorite part of a story. It actually helps me to know what readers are enjoying so that I can focusing on it for newer fics.
21. Is there an idea you’ve always wanted to write, but haven’t yet?
I have a plot that I’ve been sitting on since I got into 9-1-1, where I’d have the crew from the OG show and the Austin Lone Star crew have to go to New York to a firefighters’ convention type thing, and have them run into some of the cast of CSI:NY. Because I think it would be funny. Maybe some time in November?
22. Do you enjoy making OCs for your fanfics, or prefer sticking to canon characters?
I used to write a lot of OCs, but I’ve lately moved into focusing on canon characters entirely. It really depends on the fandom as to whether or not I need to have an OC make an appearance at all.
23. How much do you stick to canon?
I try to stick to canon as much as I can, though there are some things I do try to avoid. Or, at least in the case of 9-1-1, I outright ignore certain parts of canon (the entire lawsuit arc).
24. Do you prefer AUs with the characters, or sticking to the original universe?
Absolutely the original universe. I like reading certain AUs, but I’m not much of a writer of them. I stick to the OG as much as I can.
25. What scene in [Fanfic Name] took the longest to write? What was difficult about it?
(#73: Digital Memories, 9-1-1/Digimon, Posted Sept 2, 2021)
This is a three chapter fic. I blasted through the first two, then got stuck. What made it difficult was I seem to have trouble with reunion scenes. Having to write a shocked Buck, on top of introducing two new characters, made me have to really sit back and figure out everything. It took a bit.
26. Are titles for your stories easy to come up with?
It depends. When I did Febuwhump, I just used the prompts as titles. This time around, I’m coming up with my own, and it’s a bit of trial and error. Some are coming easy, and others… are not.
27. What time of day do you prefer to write?
Afternoon and evening after dinner. That’s when most of the people on the Discord I’m on are available to sprint. I used to mostly write at night, especially late night, but I’ve mostly broken myself of that.
28. Is there a part of [Fanfic Name] you’re surprised no one has picked up on yet?
(#76: A (Former) Marine…, Criminal Minds / The Old Guard)
In the final scene, I made a point to show Booker and Nile as a couple without flat out saying it. As this pairing in recent days hasn’t been the best received (fandom sucks sometimes), I’m honestly shocked that no one noticed it. It’s subtle, but also blatant. They’re in bed together, damn it!
29. What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most? (Brainstorming, outlining, writing, editing, etc)
I really love actually doing the writing part of the writing process. I usually come up with plots on the fly, not really planning all that much. Of course, I’m actually planning Whumptober so…
30. Do you write down all your ideas? What makes you decide to write one versus the other?
I have a running post on my notes app on my phone that is just basic ideas. When I’m in the mood to do some writing, I look through all of them, then go onto the prompts channel on Discord and grab one of those. Because of course I did.
31. What was the development process of [Fanfic Name] like?
(#81: Internet Lock Out, 9-1-1, Oct 5, 2021)
So, this was what I want to call a rapid fic. I got the idea about an hour after Instagram and Facebook went down earlier this week. I blasted through the idea… and then forgot to post it until after Instagram came back up (boo.) but it was funny as hell. I think I wrote it in 40 minutes? I was sprinting.
32. What story do you think showcases your signature style the most?
Most anything that I’ve written in the the last year. I’ve developed a style with short stories that have an impact. Pretty much everything that has come out in the last year is a great showcase of my new signature style.
33. Have you ever stopped yourself from writing something? Why?
I’ve had this 9-1-1/Avengers Infinity War/Endgame idea sitting in my head since I got into 9-1-1. I’ve actually been actively brainstorming it… and then someone on discord said they had the same idea, and dropped their first chapter, and it was way too close to what I’d been sitting on. So, no story for me for a while at least.
34. Have you felt emotional while writing a scene before? What scene was it?
Pretty much any time I have to make a character cry, I’m probably also crying. It’s a thing.
35. Where’s your favorite place to write?
Up until this past year, I’d say on my bed with my laptop. But now my laptop has basically died, so now I love to sit in front of my desktop. It’s comfy.
36. What fanfic of yours has the symbolism you’re proudest of?
I hate symbolism. I don’t try to be symbolic when I’m writing. Honestly, it’s just not for me. (Which is why I didn’t get into teaching English when I graduated college with my English Degree.)
37. Would you ever collaborate with another writer for a story?
Honestly? Not really. I’m not really a fan of collaboration. I’m totally cool with gifting fics or doing challenges, but I’m not someone who wants to write the same story with someone else.
38. What story of yours are you surprised that people liked as much as they did?
So, one of the fics I wrote for Whumptober is short as hell (just over 500 words). And yet… It’s exploded the night I posted it. So… Go me.
39. What area of writing do you feel strongest in?
I’d like to think my dialogue, but that’s subjective. I’m trying to be more true to how characters speak when I’m writing now.
40. What area of writing do you want to improve in?
World building. Because I’ve spent so much time writing in the same fandom, I’ve noticed that I don’t need to world build nearly as much as I used to. It’s something that I want to work on in the coming months.
And that’s it, another random question thing in the bag! Fun fact, I actually didn’t look ahead at any of the questions, so I didn’t even know how many there were. So that made it fun.
Until next time!
