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Ask Me Anything December - catching up
Dec. 27th, 2018 04:47 pmFor the Ask Me Anything December meme
Dec. 18: the one that got away (fic or fandom)
Hel's Bones escaped me with the relentless movement of the MCU canon (and the hole I dug myself into, more on that here).
Fandoms? I have fallen out of a few over the years as I drift from canon interest – Supernatural is a big one, as is Doctor Who. It's more that canon went in directions that didn't interest me so I went onto other ones.
As long-time readers of my blog would know, I set my Anita Blake obsession on fire back in the day but again, a difference of opinion on where the characters were going.
Dec. 19: How do you come up with names and story titles?
In most cases I get partway through the writing and start thinking, what should I call this? What are the themes I want to highlight?
With Turn, Archer, and Heed the Wild Hunt, I wanted to highlight the archery bit that Susan and Clint were using to show the similarities and fit, as well as to riff off the Wild Hunt concept. I ended up throwing words together but I think it works.
With Hands of Clay, it's a riff off the idiom, feet of clay, which means a weakness or flaw in an admired person. The main line in the story is that both Steve and Bucky work their way past their initial illusions of each other, see the other as a whole person, realize they love the whole man, and move to a real relationship. Only with hands instead of feet because part of Bucky's beliefs were around, who could love a man with only one hand (as well as his other flaws)? I thought myself witty when I made that up 4 years ago, but then writers always think that, don't they?
Sometimes, the title is the point-blank theme of the story. Inevitable – well, the final confrontation and Harry's attempt at noble sacrifice was pretty much inevitable, as was Anita's refusal to sacrifice those she loves. Widow Maker was another, where you thought it was going to be about “who made the Black Widow” and then I pull up in the last chapter to have Natasha realize that throughout it all, she's made herself into the person she is.
When I'm desperate, I start looking up poetry online and seeing what I can grab for a title based on thematics (see, And each man stands with his face in the light; and Rosemary, for Remembrance).
Dec. 20: What repeated themes do you see running through your work?
People losing use of their hands seems to be a big one. Found family or lost family members is another. People being smart and pragmatic while still making boneheaded decisions is another. But mostly found family.
Dec. 21: What's your policy on remixes, podfic, and other transformative work?
If you want to remix/podfic/fanart anything I've written? I will come to your house with cookies and clean your garage. I would love anything – I love to see where people take things based on my writing :D
(Seriously. I'll make you cookies).
Dec. 22: Where do you turn when your research is coming up with nothing of value to the story?
If I'm reading this right, it's where I'm looking for information but online gives me nothing. Most cases this isn't the case, as what I'm looking for are popular subjects (mainly medical and heath, mental and physical, along with childhood development and other stuff for kids). On the rare occasions where my plot research is more niche, I have the very good fortune to work for a research-intensive university, with a very large library and access to an immense journal selection. In all my time of writing, I've gone hunting for information in the library stacks about 4 or 5 times? Mostly I can find what I need in the online catalog.
And when I can't find anything, even with those resources and over 20 years of research know-how behind me? Either I take a different direction where I can find more info, or I whole scale make things up. It's fiction, after all.
Dec. 23: any media you enjoy but didn't get into the fandoms?
Mostly comedies, I have a hard time connecting on the fandom side (I enjoy the gifsets and the memes but I don't partake if you know what I mean).
I've also really gotten into shows that have zero fandom presence so that drifts. Best example was a show called Unforgettable (started in 2011, with Poppy Montgomery) with a detective who hyperthymesia and can remember everything she's ever experienced; I liked it, the supporting characters were interesting, but there was no fandom for it and I wasn't robust enough at the time to start up on my own.
Dec. 24: What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever gotten?
All first drafts suck. So write the first draft, let it suck, and then go back and make it better.
Dec. 26: Out of all the characters you've ever written, which one is your favorite? Which one has surprised you the most?
I love Natasha Romanoff in all her incarnations. Be she a five-year-old adopted by Bucky Barnes in modern-day New York, or as a 75-year-old near-indestructible spy. She's fascinating to bring to life.
Surprised me the most, I'd say, more recently, Viktor Nikiforov. He's surprised me in the directions I can take him, and to see where he ends up going in my AUs while based on the canon character.
Dec. 18: the one that got away (fic or fandom)
Hel's Bones escaped me with the relentless movement of the MCU canon (and the hole I dug myself into, more on that here).
Fandoms? I have fallen out of a few over the years as I drift from canon interest – Supernatural is a big one, as is Doctor Who. It's more that canon went in directions that didn't interest me so I went onto other ones.
As long-time readers of my blog would know, I set my Anita Blake obsession on fire back in the day but again, a difference of opinion on where the characters were going.
Dec. 19: How do you come up with names and story titles?
In most cases I get partway through the writing and start thinking, what should I call this? What are the themes I want to highlight?
With Turn, Archer, and Heed the Wild Hunt, I wanted to highlight the archery bit that Susan and Clint were using to show the similarities and fit, as well as to riff off the Wild Hunt concept. I ended up throwing words together but I think it works.
With Hands of Clay, it's a riff off the idiom, feet of clay, which means a weakness or flaw in an admired person. The main line in the story is that both Steve and Bucky work their way past their initial illusions of each other, see the other as a whole person, realize they love the whole man, and move to a real relationship. Only with hands instead of feet because part of Bucky's beliefs were around, who could love a man with only one hand (as well as his other flaws)? I thought myself witty when I made that up 4 years ago, but then writers always think that, don't they?
Sometimes, the title is the point-blank theme of the story. Inevitable – well, the final confrontation and Harry's attempt at noble sacrifice was pretty much inevitable, as was Anita's refusal to sacrifice those she loves. Widow Maker was another, where you thought it was going to be about “who made the Black Widow” and then I pull up in the last chapter to have Natasha realize that throughout it all, she's made herself into the person she is.
When I'm desperate, I start looking up poetry online and seeing what I can grab for a title based on thematics (see, And each man stands with his face in the light; and Rosemary, for Remembrance).
Dec. 20: What repeated themes do you see running through your work?
People losing use of their hands seems to be a big one. Found family or lost family members is another. People being smart and pragmatic while still making boneheaded decisions is another. But mostly found family.
Dec. 21: What's your policy on remixes, podfic, and other transformative work?
If you want to remix/podfic/fanart anything I've written? I will come to your house with cookies and clean your garage. I would love anything – I love to see where people take things based on my writing :D
(Seriously. I'll make you cookies).
Dec. 22: Where do you turn when your research is coming up with nothing of value to the story?
If I'm reading this right, it's where I'm looking for information but online gives me nothing. Most cases this isn't the case, as what I'm looking for are popular subjects (mainly medical and heath, mental and physical, along with childhood development and other stuff for kids). On the rare occasions where my plot research is more niche, I have the very good fortune to work for a research-intensive university, with a very large library and access to an immense journal selection. In all my time of writing, I've gone hunting for information in the library stacks about 4 or 5 times? Mostly I can find what I need in the online catalog.
And when I can't find anything, even with those resources and over 20 years of research know-how behind me? Either I take a different direction where I can find more info, or I whole scale make things up. It's fiction, after all.
Dec. 23: any media you enjoy but didn't get into the fandoms?
Mostly comedies, I have a hard time connecting on the fandom side (I enjoy the gifsets and the memes but I don't partake if you know what I mean).
I've also really gotten into shows that have zero fandom presence so that drifts. Best example was a show called Unforgettable (started in 2011, with Poppy Montgomery) with a detective who hyperthymesia and can remember everything she's ever experienced; I liked it, the supporting characters were interesting, but there was no fandom for it and I wasn't robust enough at the time to start up on my own.
Dec. 24: What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever gotten?
All first drafts suck. So write the first draft, let it suck, and then go back and make it better.
Dec. 26: Out of all the characters you've ever written, which one is your favorite? Which one has surprised you the most?
I love Natasha Romanoff in all her incarnations. Be she a five-year-old adopted by Bucky Barnes in modern-day New York, or as a 75-year-old near-indestructible spy. She's fascinating to bring to life.
Surprised me the most, I'd say, more recently, Viktor Nikiforov. He's surprised me in the directions I can take him, and to see where he ends up going in my AUs while based on the canon character.
