Spikewriter's Place

I'm doing several days together here because my replies are fairly short.

5 –If you have ever had a character try to push their way into a fic, whether your "muse" or not, what did you do about it?

Y'know, I can't remember that happening -- except, it does, because sometimes the story shifts in ways I don't expect and because I'm a character driven writer, it usually comes from the character. If I like what's happening, I go with the flow. If not, I ruthlessly edit backwards until the story is under my control again.

6 – When you write, do you prefer writing male or female characters?

Depends on the character and the story I'm trying to tell. I like mixes of male and female characters, generally, because I think you get more texture and contrast in the way the characters look at the situation. If the story or scene requires just male or female characters, that's the way you go. I write romance in my original fiction; you are expected to be able to write compelling characters of either sex, so it's not something I really think about.

7 – Have you ever had a fic change your opinion of a character?

It probably has happened to a certain extent, but I can't think of an incidence of it. If I truly despise a character, I won't write them -- or I write them out as quickly as possible. I have never written a fic with a character I don't like and decided halfway through, "Oh, this character is wonderful! Why haven't I liked them before?" or "This character is awful! Why do I have them around."

I can write characters kindly or unkindly, depending on the story. The best example of this is in my own writing is Xander in the BtVs fic. I think he acted like a condescending jackass at times during the series -- but he also did some good characteristics. In my "Seven Years" series, he's a jackass, a tightly controlled abusive. In the "Life In Sunnydale" series, he ends up with an uneasy truce with Spike. In Istanbul, he was wounded enough that he left Sunnydale because he couldn't deal with things. In my January 10, 2005 Word of the Day fic, I let him blossom. It all depends on the story.


1 – How did you first get into writing fanfic, and what was the first fandom you wrote for? What do you think it was about that fandom that pulled you in? Dreamwidth | Livejournal

2 – Name the fandoms you've written in, and how much you've written in that fandom, and if you still write in it. Dreamwidth | Live Journal

3 – For each of the fandoms from day two, what were your favorite characters to write? Dreamwidth | Livejournal

4 – Do you have a "muse" character, that speaks to you more than others, or that tries to push their way in, even when the fic isn't about them? Who are they, and why did that character became your muse? Dreamwidth | Livejournal

8 -- Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they're not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.

9 – Pairings – For each of the fandoms from day two, what are your three favorite pairings to write?

10 – Pairings – Have you ever gone outside your comfort zone and written a pairing you liked, but found you couldn't write, or a pairing you didn't like, and found you could?

11 – Genre – do you prefer certain genres of fic when you're writing? What kind do you tend to write most?

12 – Have you ever attempted an "adaptation" fic of a favorite book or movie but set in a different fandom?

13 – Do you prefer canon or fanon when you write? Has writing fanfic for a fandom changed the way you see some or even all of the original source material?

14 – Ratings – how high are you comfortable with going? Have you ever written higher? If you're comfortable with NC-17, have you ever been shocked by finding that the story you're writing is G-rated instead?

15 – Warnings – What do you feel it most important to warn for, and what's the strangest thing you've warned for in a fic?

16 – Summaries – Do you like them or hate them? How do you come up with them, if you use them?

17 – Titles – Are they the bane of your existence, or the easiest part of the fic? Also, if you do chaptered fic, do you give each chapter a title, or not?

18 – Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?

19 – When you have bunnies, do you sit down and start writing right away, or do you write down the idea for further use?

20 – Do you ever get bunnied from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?

21 – Sequels – Have you ever written a sequel to a fic you wrote, and if so, why, and if not, how do you feel about sequels?

22 – Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favorite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you've thought about doing? And if not, why not?

23 – When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?

24 – Betaing – How many betas do you like to use to make sure there aren't any major flaws in your fic? Do you have a Beta horror story or dream story?

25 – Music – Do you listen to music while you write? Do you make playlists to get into a certain "mood" to write your fic? Do you need noise in general? Or do you need it completely quiet?

26 – What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?

27 – Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?

28 – Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?

29 – What is your current project or projects?

30 – Do you have a favorite fic you've written? What makes it your favorite? And don't forget to give us a link!