Looking back
Dec. 28th, 2007 12:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
girlyswotAt the start of the year I did two writing memes here. And while I'm not quite ready for a round up of 2007 (there are still 4 good writing days to go!) I was interested to see what I was thinking about a year ago.
There we go. It's interesting to see how focussed I was on fanfic a year ago and now my original stories have taken higher priority.
1. What are your fanfic writing goals for this year? Do you want to try a new ship, genre, rating or style? Tackle new characters?
I'm always wanting to try new styles and think about new characters. But my main goal is to become a master of plot. I just find it really hard to make things happen in a coherent way that does more than just narrate random unconnected events. I want to be able to tell stories that say something, stories that make me (and hopefully others) see the world a little differently or feel a little differently about things, or something. I feel like I'm not bad at characterization, dialogue or even description. But I'm hopeless at action, drama, suspense and the aforementioned plotting. So that's my goal. Oh, and maybe go back to some of my pre-HP fandoms as well.
Master of plot! Hmm, not quite. But I think I may be getting a little better. Perhaps.
2. Do you have any New Year's updating resolutions?
Not exactly. I'm updating my two WIP's fairly regularly. Time's Winged Chariot should be done with in the next two chapters which are basically written but need checking and then sending to my beta. For The Squib, see below.
Well, I finished both those.
3. Do you have original writing goals for the year?
Hmm. Not sure. Last year I did NaNoWriMo for the first time and I've edited, re-written and got the free published copy of which I am inordinately proud. But the plot fizzles out after about 6 chapters. I just think I need to get to be a better writer before I try my hand at original fiction again.
I have two original WIP's at the moment. And a short story that I need to put onroswrites. I've joined Absolute Write and a new writing group focussed mainly on original fic. I didn't do NaNo which I think was a good thing in terms of staying sane.
4. Which of your fics are you most looking forward to getting completed? Do you want them finished before DH comes out? Do you have stories planned out that you are yet to start?
I'd love to finish The Squib. I love writing it and I really enjoy my OC's in it. But I'm scared because they keep insisting on having proper plots and although I have a vague idea where this is ending I'm not absolutely certain how we're getting there. So I'm frightened it may never end, or it may end in a pathetic damp squib. I don't really mind about DH coming out since it's so far in the future that unless something utterly extraordinary happens (Voldemort wins, for instance, or Harry ends up with Hermione - ha ha) it won't matter too much either way.
I don't have stories planned out since that's not really how I work (see above on plot!) but I do have a couple of ideas for a fic exchange I'm doing and the fluff thread Valentine's Day challenge.
I finished The Squib - hooray!!
5. Any exclusive previews/extracts/hints of things to come that you’re prepared to reveal to your trusted f-list?
James and Lily get married. Hermione does more research. Luna goes hunting for mad non-existent things. That do?
Yup, that all happened. Actually I never wrote the story where J/L actually get married, but I had their engagement.
6. Have you learnt anything in the last year of fan fic writing that you hope to continue to make a conscious effort to improve on this year?
So much I don't know where to begin. I think maybe the big thing has been realising that anything can be inspiration for any kind of story. Mundane things can be fluffy, scary things can be funny... I guess I feel I've learnt to be more free to experiment and less bound by genre, form or cliche.
And the learning process certainly continues. I feel a much more confident writer than I did 12 months ago.
7. What's your current burning fanfic desire(s)? (ie - 'Oh, I really must write a story where...’)
I'd love to write a Charlie-centric novel-length fic.
You know, I really should do this.
8. Which updates of other people's fics are you most looking forward to?
New Zealand Chronicles, of course. A Lost Generation. And I've recently been enjoying All's Well that Ends Well. Oh, and I hope Asking for Roses is going to be completed soon.
And in non-HP news, Term of Duty is a must read.
9. Do you have any plot-bunnies that you don't think you'll have time to write, but would love for someone on the f-list to try? Describe the bunny here, and see if you get a volunteer...
Can't think of any actual bunnies, but I do feel that the world always needs more Charlie Weasley.
This has been a good year for Charlie fic, I think. Skipping To The End, of course, but several others that I've really enjoyed.
10. For those who also do original work, do you find that with the seventh book coming out, you're willing to put that on the backburner since you know the window of fanfic opportunity is shrinking?
No. I really don't think the fanfic opportunity is shrinking. I've always been more interested in stories outside the canon time-frame/character focus anyway. I think there'll be lots of opportunity for really interesting post-war/post-Hogwarts fics as these teenagers start to work out how to live normally.
11. After DH comes out, do you think you'll still be as active in the fandom? If most of the important questions have been answered, will you still write fanfic?
Yes. See above. For me, fanfic has always been about imagining what comes after a novel ends. So with HP, the end of book 7 will be the beginning of fanfic for me.
Hah! I clearly hadn't reckoned with the nightmare that is interview-information. That really is killing most of my desire to write fanfic.
12. If you are writing a WIP that contradicts DH once it is released, would you start writing according to the book 7 canon, or would you continue on with your original idea? Would you amend any previous fics if assumptions made have been proved false?
I wouldn't bother changing things.
I haven't changed much, though I did amend Meeting the Weasleys for publication at the Quill and PS. I was surprised by how AU The Squib became after DH - who could have predicted that Amycus Carrow would have such an important role!
13. If you're favourite character(s) dies, will you take it like a man/woman, cry like a baby, or dedicate your life to AU fics where the deed doesn't happen at all?
Who cares?! Honestly, they're NOT REAL PEOPLE!
14. After the seventh book is released, will you focus on "after the war" style fics, or "before the war" (eg: Harry still in school)?
See above. Although I'm also interested in pre-war (i.e. before Philosopher's Stone) fics.
15. If you stay active in fandom post book 7, will you continue to focus your stories on canon characters, or do you think you will be more willing to venture into the realm of original characters?
Already there!
16. Have you ever had to defend the idea behind something you've written from critical reviews? Has it impacted on any future projects?
Um, someone once pointed out that I'd messed up my dates in true JKR style. And another person pointed out that Wolfsbane potion wasn't invented when Remus was in school.
More recently, it's been pointed out that the premise of my WIP, The Squib, is not precisely canon-compliant (if in canon you include JKR's interviews). I have identical twins - one magical, one a Squib. But apparently JKR did once say that magic was genetic, in which case identical twins must have the same magical ability or none. To be honest, I don't care. IT'S NOT REAL. But a few people got hot and bothered about it.
17. Will you consider doing NaNoWriMo this year?
Maybe. It is bad timing in November. But there was a good sense of satisfaction in finishing. I'd like to do more prep so that I have a proper plan and plot and things if I'm going to bother. I don't want to just produce 50,000 words of waffle, since I already know I can do that.
I'm always wanting to try new styles and think about new characters. But my main goal is to become a master of plot. I just find it really hard to make things happen in a coherent way that does more than just narrate random unconnected events. I want to be able to tell stories that say something, stories that make me (and hopefully others) see the world a little differently or feel a little differently about things, or something. I feel like I'm not bad at characterization, dialogue or even description. But I'm hopeless at action, drama, suspense and the aforementioned plotting. So that's my goal. Oh, and maybe go back to some of my pre-HP fandoms as well.
Master of plot! Hmm, not quite. But I think I may be getting a little better. Perhaps.
2. Do you have any New Year's updating resolutions?
Not exactly. I'm updating my two WIP's fairly regularly. Time's Winged Chariot should be done with in the next two chapters which are basically written but need checking and then sending to my beta. For The Squib, see below.
Well, I finished both those.
3. Do you have original writing goals for the year?
Hmm. Not sure. Last year I did NaNoWriMo for the first time and I've edited, re-written and got the free published copy of which I am inordinately proud. But the plot fizzles out after about 6 chapters. I just think I need to get to be a better writer before I try my hand at original fiction again.
I have two original WIP's at the moment. And a short story that I need to put on
roswrites. I've joined Absolute Write and a new writing group focussed mainly on original fic. I didn't do NaNo which I think was a good thing in terms of staying sane.4. Which of your fics are you most looking forward to getting completed? Do you want them finished before DH comes out? Do you have stories planned out that you are yet to start?
I'd love to finish The Squib. I love writing it and I really enjoy my OC's in it. But I'm scared because they keep insisting on having proper plots and although I have a vague idea where this is ending I'm not absolutely certain how we're getting there. So I'm frightened it may never end, or it may end in a pathetic damp squib. I don't really mind about DH coming out since it's so far in the future that unless something utterly extraordinary happens (Voldemort wins, for instance, or Harry ends up with Hermione - ha ha) it won't matter too much either way.
I don't have stories planned out since that's not really how I work (see above on plot!) but I do have a couple of ideas for a fic exchange I'm doing and the fluff thread Valentine's Day challenge.
I finished The Squib - hooray!!
5. Any exclusive previews/extracts/hints of things to come that you’re prepared to reveal to your trusted f-list?
James and Lily get married. Hermione does more research. Luna goes hunting for mad non-existent things. That do?
Yup, that all happened. Actually I never wrote the story where J/L actually get married, but I had their engagement.
6. Have you learnt anything in the last year of fan fic writing that you hope to continue to make a conscious effort to improve on this year?
So much I don't know where to begin. I think maybe the big thing has been realising that anything can be inspiration for any kind of story. Mundane things can be fluffy, scary things can be funny... I guess I feel I've learnt to be more free to experiment and less bound by genre, form or cliche.
And the learning process certainly continues. I feel a much more confident writer than I did 12 months ago.
7. What's your current burning fanfic desire(s)? (ie - 'Oh, I really must write a story where...’)
I'd love to write a Charlie-centric novel-length fic.
You know, I really should do this.
8. Which updates of other people's fics are you most looking forward to?
New Zealand Chronicles, of course. A Lost Generation. And I've recently been enjoying All's Well that Ends Well. Oh, and I hope Asking for Roses is going to be completed soon.
And in non-HP news, Term of Duty is a must read.
9. Do you have any plot-bunnies that you don't think you'll have time to write, but would love for someone on the f-list to try? Describe the bunny here, and see if you get a volunteer...
Can't think of any actual bunnies, but I do feel that the world always needs more Charlie Weasley.
This has been a good year for Charlie fic, I think. Skipping To The End, of course, but several others that I've really enjoyed.
10. For those who also do original work, do you find that with the seventh book coming out, you're willing to put that on the backburner since you know the window of fanfic opportunity is shrinking?
No. I really don't think the fanfic opportunity is shrinking. I've always been more interested in stories outside the canon time-frame/character focus anyway. I think there'll be lots of opportunity for really interesting post-war/post-Hogwarts fics as these teenagers start to work out how to live normally.
11. After DH comes out, do you think you'll still be as active in the fandom? If most of the important questions have been answered, will you still write fanfic?
Yes. See above. For me, fanfic has always been about imagining what comes after a novel ends. So with HP, the end of book 7 will be the beginning of fanfic for me.
Hah! I clearly hadn't reckoned with the nightmare that is interview-information. That really is killing most of my desire to write fanfic.
12. If you are writing a WIP that contradicts DH once it is released, would you start writing according to the book 7 canon, or would you continue on with your original idea? Would you amend any previous fics if assumptions made have been proved false?
I wouldn't bother changing things.
I haven't changed much, though I did amend Meeting the Weasleys for publication at the Quill and PS. I was surprised by how AU The Squib became after DH - who could have predicted that Amycus Carrow would have such an important role!
13. If you're favourite character(s) dies, will you take it like a man/woman, cry like a baby, or dedicate your life to AU fics where the deed doesn't happen at all?
Who cares?! Honestly, they're NOT REAL PEOPLE!
14. After the seventh book is released, will you focus on "after the war" style fics, or "before the war" (eg: Harry still in school)?
See above. Although I'm also interested in pre-war (i.e. before Philosopher's Stone) fics.
15. If you stay active in fandom post book 7, will you continue to focus your stories on canon characters, or do you think you will be more willing to venture into the realm of original characters?
Already there!
16. Have you ever had to defend the idea behind something you've written from critical reviews? Has it impacted on any future projects?
Um, someone once pointed out that I'd messed up my dates in true JKR style. And another person pointed out that Wolfsbane potion wasn't invented when Remus was in school.
More recently, it's been pointed out that the premise of my WIP, The Squib, is not precisely canon-compliant (if in canon you include JKR's interviews). I have identical twins - one magical, one a Squib. But apparently JKR did once say that magic was genetic, in which case identical twins must have the same magical ability or none. To be honest, I don't care. IT'S NOT REAL. But a few people got hot and bothered about it.
17. Will you consider doing NaNoWriMo this year?
Maybe. It is bad timing in November. But there was a good sense of satisfaction in finishing. I'd like to do more prep so that I have a proper plan and plot and things if I'm going to bother. I don't want to just produce 50,000 words of waffle, since I already know I can do that.
There we go. It's interesting to see how focussed I was on fanfic a year ago and now my original stories have taken higher priority.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-12-28 11:48 pm (UTC)I'm not as focused on fan fic, either, although it isn't evident yet. I want to finish what I began with story ideas (and that includes the ending of Ron The Builder) and then I think I can move on. JKR's interviews are blurring together right now, so I'm less and less influenced by them. DH really is a great story to drop characters into since so much of it is the trio in a tent and anything could have been happening outside. Funny how canon can open up fan fic. but interviews can't.
Yes, a Charlie fic. would be lovely from you! And we will ban all questions about Charlie to JKR until you have written it! Perhaps a little something for Valentine's Day? *wheedles*
(no subject)
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