Writing Meme

[alexisjane]

Well...all the cool kids are doing it and I can never resist a meme : ) x

A. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

B. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

C. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

D. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

E. Share one of your strengths.

F. Share one of your weaknesses.

G. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

H. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

I. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

J. Which fic has been the easiest to write?

K. Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

L. Is there an episode section of canon above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

M. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

N. What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

O. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

P. If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?

Q. Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

R. Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

S. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?

T. Describe your perfect writing conditions.

U. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

V. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style. (Person sending the ask is free to make suggestions).

W. If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?

X. Have you ever deleted one of your published fics?

Y. What do you look for in a beta?

Z. Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?

AA. How do you feel about collaborations?

AB. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

AC. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

AD. Do you accept prompts?

AE. Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

AF. How do you feel about smut?

AG. How do you feel about crack?

AH. What are your thoughts on non-con and dub-con?

AI. Would you ever kill off a canon character?

AJ. Which is your favorite site to post fic?

AK. Talk about your current wips.

AL. Talk about a review that made your day.

AM. Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?

AN. Write an alternative ending to a fic you've written (specify by title, link or general description].

Comments

[wings128.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! Please tell us about AH :D

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Oh man...picked me an easy one to start : )

I find dub-con extremely hot (in fic...just to be clear!) I like the idea of uncertainty or resistance becoming compliance and enjoyment. I'm sure it says something horrible about my psychology but..meh...special hell awaits : )

I think there is definitely a place for non-con in fic...but I think it takes a better writer than me to pull it off in a way that works. When it's done well - tifaching and dreamsofspike immediately spring to mind - it can be immensely powerful. But it doesn't take much for me to find it triggery. If I trust a writer I will read pretty much anything but if it's someone I don't know, I won't avoid a fic with it in...but I'll start it knowing I might not be able to finish.

I've come close to writing it in my headcanon verse but generally I leave to the people that can : ) x

[wings128.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about dub-con being hot in fic. I don't think it says something horrible about you, everyone longs to let go, to have someone take up their burdens even if only for one night of pleasure. Allowing someone else to make decisions, to take control, so that they can enjoy the ride and be all the more able to pick those burdens up again afterward. *laughs* I don't know if that's dub-con or not.

I think non-con is a dangerous tool that should only be wielded by an experienced hand, like you I don't think I'm that skilled. I've no problem killing people violently, or doing rough sex, but there's always the choice and yeah, I'm not able to take that away from my characters any time soon, and I don't think it's something you should write until you're willing to commit all the way.

Thanks for your answer, hun :)

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

: ) I think that a lot of the time we are indoctrinated with what is right and wrong for us, with what we should and shouldn't like, and to have characters be able to move past that and find themselves, is something I really like. I'm a sucker for that whole, finding love in unexpected places thing, and I think dub-con plays into that, somewhat.

I think it's all in the handling. Tifaching's Acoustics works for me because it's so out there. Sammy is sooo off the rails nasty, and brutal like whoa! But it's written so so beautifully (god, it makes my muse ache just thinking about it) I think it works really well...oh fuck that, I love it! Dreamsofspike too but also totally different. In The Last Resort specifically, she handles it so well...it's so tough to read but she does the whole situation such justice, Cas's trauma and Dean's too having realised what he's done...it just phenomenal. I think having read them and then read other stuff which has solely served to make me sick to my stomach for days after...I'm not touching it : )

Thank you for your question, sweetie ♥ x

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

Z please hun :) x

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

I do beta for some folk. I do it mostly by feel rather than education. I was never taught grammar and whatnot at school (I thought maybe I'd been sick that term or something but speaking to someone my own age recently she said that actually they didn't get taught any of that stuff either), but I've always read a lot and been interested in language so I might not be able to tell my conjunctive adverbs from my demonstrative pronouns but I know what sounds right to me.

I think when I beta, apart from correcting spelling and punctuation and pointing out repetition, I mostly just suggest stuff. I think there's a fine line between correcting something and changing the way someone writes. If something doesn't sound quite right to me or takes me out of the moment, I'll say so and then add a couple of different phrasings or words that I think work better. I also make sure I squee at the bits I particularly like. I think knowing the bits that work is just as important as the bits that don't.

I think I'm kinda nitpicky but I always add the note to remind the author that it's their own work and that they can ignore me completely if they want. Which they quite often do : )

I am pretty selfish though. Mostly I beta for people I'm fans of...that way I get to read their new stuff first...mwahahaha!!! : ) x

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

Everything you just said is spot on to how I beta, and to be honest, DITTO like woah for the beta work in general as to who and why. I like to read before everyone else, so wings, sasha, fannishliss and stir are all on my list of have beta'd or gotten sneak peeks lol! Cos I'm a huge fan of their work.

Thanks hun, I love these memes, I am basically the nosiest woman ont he planet, so sneaky peeks inside someone's proces is always gun :) x

Edit: I admitted to someone else ealier too, I'm dyslexic so I'm not really a spelling or grammar beta, but I still feel my way through and I'm more of a characters and situations beta :)

[majestic-duxk.livejournal.com]

B!

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Oooo....I don't know....

I'm currently working on an A/O which I haven't done before and that's kinda interesting. Trying to approach something 'magical' in a way that I'm comfortable with is a challenge but very enjoyable....

I've toyed with the idea of mpreg but I really don't think I could pull it off. Maybe if the right plot bunny turns up...

I did a fill for masquerade that was soooo far away from my usual stuff I hardly recognised it...but it was such fun to do I might do some more of that...

I think...femslash...I have a proto idea for a Jodie/Alex story. I ship them so so hard but don't ever read het or femslash (squicks me!) but I really want this story. I don't know anyone else that ships them or would write them in a way I could read it, so I figure I should do it myself. It is very much far far out of my wheelhouse so I'm going to have to really think about it for a while first. : ) x

[kalliel]

M and AL~

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Oh the best advice was to not fight my muse. If she wants to write torture porn, or crack or kid fic...just don't fight her. My favorite sort of fics to read are those Norah Efron type J2's, coffeeshop/high school type things so the idea of writing...well, what I write...I just didn't want to do it!
But once I accepted just to go with the flow, up think my writing has started to get a lot better and it's a hell of a lot more fun : )

There's one...I'm not sure I can talk about it...I wrote something slightly controversial and was nervous about it. I got a message from someone who had personal experience of the thing and they were so grateful to me for writing it and so supportive...it was such a shock and I just cried and cried. It was just incredible : ) x

[kalliel]

That is beautiful advice. <33

And an even more beautiful comment--well-deserved to boot, I'm sure. How amazing, eeeee!! <3333333333

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

I'll have a G please Bob!

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Narf! Haven't heard that in a while. This was tough!

From "gods and monsters"


Dean doesn't mind, because afterwards John holds him. A million years ago John would rock him and cry, but now John is still and sometimes, for reasons that appear to have no pattern, John kisses him.

Not like he kisses Sam, on the forehead or cheek, but he kisses Dean on the mouth, like a girl. Prying Dean's jaw open with his tongue, licking the taste of himself, sucking Dean's lips clean.

It's not right, but it feels like an apology. And maybe Dean should apologise too. Dean certainly has plenty to feel sorry for, maybe he should feel sorry for this too, so he mirrors his father and kisses him back, licks and sucks and lets his fingers touch his father's face. And when he does, John cries, but neither of them stops.


This was so hard to write. John is not a sympathetic character in this fic and so very far away from my headcanon. But I still wanted to get across that he loved Dean even though he'd manipulated Dean into this twisted relationship. And that Dean loved John...but without taking away from the horror of the situation. I cried when I wrote this. But I really think it works. I'm glad at I stopped chickening out of writing it x

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

Oh I remember that fic so well, it sounds wrong to describe it as a favourite because poor poor Dean!! BUT you handled it all so well and I think I'm going to have to read it again - I'm so pleased you didn't chicken out!

[yonkyu.livejournal.com]

O and P and Y

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

O is easy : ) my bb, I Stumble Forward. The first time I tried to write it was as a screenplay. In my mind it's very cinematic. The visual aspects of a story are really important to me but that one particularly playout in my head like a movie. Also the kitchen sex scene would be so hot!!! : )

J2...boring I know but stick them in an AU...any AU and the world is better for it : )

Oooo...um...brutal honesty. I like to know if something's working or sounds good but I feel like I'm here to learn so unless someone is going to be honest, and point out all the stupid errors and ugly phrasing, that won't happen. But I don't want to be rewritten either. I guess I would like to be betad the way I do it (see previous) that way I can improve and hopefully not make the same mistakes again : ) x

[thursdaysisters.livejournal.com]

I :-D

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

I think Gods and Monsters. I think : )

I really really didn't want to be that kind of writer but my muse just would not let it go. It took me a long time to even consider trying to get it down. The subject matter is pretty hard to stomach and I did cry a lot when I wrote it.

But I still think it's the best thing I written : ) x

[yohkobennington.livejournal.com]

T!

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

: ) Rainy morning, tired dog, PJ's and blankets, chocolate, lots of coffee, more chocolate, empty inbox, couple of games of bubbleshooter and the whole day of nothing ahead of me : )
Oh god, I want that so bad right now : ) xx

[brightly-lit.livejournal.com]

A, my friend. A.

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

*kisses you*

Oooo, that's actual kinda tough...

There are these two boys.
And they love each other.
They might not know it yet or they might have not even met but their love is boundless and timeless and all kinds of romantic.
And they fuck the living daylights out of each other : )
And they have to deal with angst and pain.
But there are still times when they can laugh.
Mostly nothing really happens
Until something does and it's huge and histrionic
And maybe everything changes or nothing does.
But they remain steadfast because their love is boundless and timeless and all kinds of romantic.
And they have more buttsex because their love is...well, you get the idea.

There are usually tears. People eat...a lot. Someone inevitably falls to the ground in despair.
Dean always dislocates his shoulder. Jared always has a dog. The timbre of John's voice gets mentioned a lot. Benny loves Dean more than life even though he knows Dean loves Sam more. Danneel is a good person. Chad isn't quite what he seems...

...and thinking ahead to the ones I have planned...someone usually gets shot...

Rinse and repeat : ) x

[brightly-lit.livejournal.com]

*kisses back, with tongue*

Aww ... this is so cute! An excellent 'you' story.

[saltandburnboys.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I like H. Nice and positive! :-D

Or any letter you want, I'm not picky! :-)

xx

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Sorry this has taken so long...it was hard to choose! I'm so uncomfortable with dialogue still. But I love this scene. I love Ty and his relationship with Jensen and this whole scene...I was so relieved that it turned out okay : ) x


Jensen didn’t turn around when the door swung open. It was one of the quieter bars for this time of day but there had been a steady stream of traffic in and out of the dingy place since he’d arrived an hour ago. It wasn’t until a heavy form slumped onto the stool next to him, that he chanced a glance.

Ty pointed at his glass. “What’s in it?”

Jensen shifted uncomfortably and pushed it over without looking at him. “Just Pepsi.” Ty picked up the glass and smelt it before pushing it back to him. Jensen rubbed a hand across his brow. “How’d you find me?”

Ty spun on his seat, putting his back to the bar, folded his arms across his chest and looked out into the room at the crappy furniture and lunchtime drinkers huddled in the dark corners, away from the sunlight streaming in through the filthy windows.

“Your mom called. She was nearly hysterical. Said something bad had happened. Wouldn’t say what and I figured if it was that bad…” He turned to Jensen and leaned close down to his ear and hissed with something that sounded like rage, “Give it to me!”

[saltandburnboys.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you were uncomfortable with dialogue...you really don't need to be. I think your dialogue flows really well, and, believe me, that's a big thing for me in fics...I'd have noticed if it didn't. So, yeah, I don't think you need to worry about that.

This is from your big bang, right? I loved this scene too. I think I told you how much I liked your Jensen/Ty conversations...that's definitely the kind of friendship everyone is looking for, I think. I love that Ty is so mad because he cares so much...makes me tear up a little...

xx

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't really know how to talk to people in rl so I'm not sure if it sounds right or not. I tend to stick with movie dialogue...it is fiction after all so I figure that's okay. I know it's one of my weaknesses so its what I spend a lot of time on, rewriting and whatnot. It usually starts out very melodramatic in a "Look! Scott!" kind of way and I spend a lot of time paring it down and trying to make it sound more relaxed. I'm so happy you think it comes out all right : )

Oooooh I love Ty. In the second one I'm planning lots more of him. He is so sweet but oh god, such a BAMF on the quiet! : ) Oh and there's some heartbreaking stuff too...I don't know if I'm really going to be able to pull that off : / x

[saltandburnboys.livejournal.com]

Lol, I totally work off that too, but I think they do a pretty good job in the movies. That's how people always talk when I have to go out so... As I say, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would never have had a clue that you were uncomfortable with it. :-)

Lol...'Look! Scott' that's seriously one of my fav gag reel moments...Jensen's face, lol...

I'M NOT SURE I CAN HANDLE ANY MORE HEARTBREAK WITH THIS ONE!!! D-:

Why do you say that? I found so much in the first fic heartbreaking...I don't think you have trouble stirring up emotions with your writing. Oh, god...it's gonna wreck me, isn't it?????

xx

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

I love how Jared's just so embarrassed about it! And Jensen's impression is so funny : ) such a good moment : )1

I did the outline for the second one when my mom was here and I had to message Somer, as I wrote it and was suddenly 'OMG, what did I do?!'

A lot of the heartbreak is looking at Ty's origin story...all the stuff with his first daughter...that's the plan anyway. I could well chicken out and skim over some of the stuff...

Now the third one I think will be tough. That's going to be much further in the future and starts when the J's are on the brink of splitting up, so I think that's going to be really hard to do.

Although my plans change so much. Anything. Could happen : ) x

[saltandburnboys.livejournal.com]

No, don't chicken out. Life is hard sometimes, and it's hard to write about/read but it's real, you know?

Omg... D-: breaking up...NOOOO...*SOBS*. I don't think I'm patient enough to wait, lol. God, it sounds so good already...totally my kind of fic...

Well, all I can say is go where the story and your characters take you...they always steer you right! :-D

xx
xx

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

I can see the beginning of the third one...Its the morning and Jensen's getting ready for work, while the two kids (teenagers) are having breakfast. The girl asks why Jay is staying with Chris, and Jensen's really grumpy and tense. And then the front door opens and its Jay. The kids grab their bags and leave for school and theres just loads of tension between Jen and Jay...I'm not quite sure why yet. My muse is saying that Ty has died and Jensen fell off the wagon so Jay moved out but I'm going to try and dissuade her coz I don't think I can cope with that : ( They will always end up together and happy because thats the law, but...well, we'll see : ) x

[saltandburnboys.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh...I'm not sure my heart could handle that, but I think it would make an excellent fic. I think that's exactly what would happen if Jensen lost that anchor, and I'd love to see how you'd handle that storyline. I think it could really be amazing...and we'll all be here to give you some emotional/porny support whenever your heart needs it while you're writing. :-)

xx

[casey28.livejournal.com]

Q, pls. :)

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

: )
I tend to fixate on key scenes that I can see really clearly in my mind when I'm plotting it out in my head but when I sit down to write I start at the beginning and work through to the end. The key scenes tend to come easily but I make sure I slog through the bits in between first and not skip ahead, otherwise I won't write the tough bits.

Sometimes it's agonising (like right now *shakes fist at minibang*) when I'm having to scratch out 50 words a day, knowing there's a lovely juicy scene coming up that's going to just be scrumptious to write.

Does that make sense? It's been a long day : ) xx

[casey28.livejournal.com]

It totally makes sense. :) And I can imagine how hard it is, when you have to wait to get to a juicy scene.

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

C please!

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Haha...oh I'm pretty sure you could probably talk me into anything : )

I don't want to say 'never' coz...well, I never thought I'd end up writing what I do now.

I'd say very underage...but I've written it...or het but I've written that...handwavy to be sure but still...sci-fi, except...space alpacas...

Historical settings I don't think I could do, my attention to detail isn't good enough for that. I read some very underage puppy play which was just whoa! No friggin' way. And beastiality. I don't think I could do that. Also, out and out noncon. I'm gonna leave that to the people that can...namely you : ) ♥

There are probably more but I think those are the main ones : ) xx

[justmep2.livejournal.com]

I'm really curious to hear your answer for S!

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Oooo yes I do : ) This is her...



I was having a conversation with someone when I was having trouble writing and out of that came the idea that "my muse has horns and a long red tail, with an arrow head on the end that she flicks like a switchblade. And she's a hugger."
When I think of my writing process, I can clearly see her chatting with the plot bunnies and then they write stuff down and give me the ideas. And then when I'm writing, she will just randomly step in and take over. There has been so many times where I write a line or a phrase and as I'm doing it, it just doesn't feel like something I would write. I have no idea where it comes from but it feels like something external is happening. I guess it's that feeling of being in the zone but she's definitely the one that comes up with the good stuff.
She scares the hell out of me though coz she really does push my boundaries. I did resist her wanting to do the really dark stuff for a while...to the point where she packed up the bunnies and left...and it was so awful. I couldn't write for weeks. I totally learnt my lesson and now I just write whatever she wants me to. I figure she knows what shes doing. Its just easier if I don't struggle : ) x

[justmep2.livejournal.com]

Aw, I like her! She looks friendly but a little dangerous at the same time, with that smile and the devilish horns and tail.
Your description of the writing process makes it sound so easy. I'm sure it's not, but when you're in the zone and you write things you feel like you normally wouldn't, that muse be the best feeling in the world.
I'm glad you finally gave up and stopped blocking her and the dark stuff. :) I think writing things to you're not even sure where they came from is the real deal. Everything else is just messing with words around until it happens.

[meus_venator]

E. Share one of your strengths. : )

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Oh man.

I'm not good at that...ironically : )

I think my strength lies in knowing that I'm not a good writer...or a bad one...but I'm here to learn. Everything to me is a learning experience. I won't not post a fic because it's not ready...because they're all not ready. I feel that every time I write something I get a little bit better. I get feedback from you guys and from my betas, and reading other people's work really helps me too.
I love writing and I'd love to say that I work hard at it...except that it's too much fun. It doesn't feel effortful. But I know I can get better if I just keep going.
Something like that : ) ♥ xx