Knowing yourself

[watty]

I find it difficult to analyze my writing. Some people are very good at articulating their motives, understanding their own style and can document the exact process that they go through when they sit down and write. Personally I find it extremely difficult because writing is something I do almost by gut feel. If asked the question "how do you write?" the only answer I can give is "type on my laptop" -- which isn't the point of the question.

I came across this meme in a couple of LJs. The idea is to look back at your own writing and answer these questions. For someone who was essentially a 'freshman' in 2005, it helped me take stock of what I have achieved, identify what I enjoyed, what I least enjoyed, what I found difficult, and where I might go from there.

Not suggesting to post your answers here, but if you find it useful, please feel free to do so. Will also appreciate comments about how to better know yourself as a writer.

• Stories I wrote:
• My favorite story (of my own):
• My best story:
• Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:
• Most fun story:
• Sexiest story:
• Hardest story to write:
• Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
• Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005?
• Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?
• Do you have any fanfic goals for this year?

*** the original meme had "pairing/genre/fandom" but I changed it so it's more appropriate in this forum.
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[FineyMcFine]

Stories I wrote: Give Me Some Sugar, Sonicare, Eat or Be Eaten, The Power of Positive Thinking, UberCon '05, Candle, Squeeze These Plump Melons, A Dream Come True

My favorite story (of my own): UberCon '05

My best story: that's a tough one. Maybe Candle? I think my writing is in the process of maturing, so although UberCon '05 is my favorite story, I think that if I were to go back and edit it, I would rewrite some things in a different style, and maybe alter the plot slightly. I think that Candle is the most "mature" so far of my stories, so that's why I say it's the "best."

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: This is also slightly tough, since I don't want to sound "poor me, nobody appreciates this story." But maybe Give Me Some Sugar - it was my first, and the humorous (in my opinion) underlying theme might be obscure, as well as the allusion to "Once More With Feeling." I'm not sure if anybody got that (because I'm not sure I made it very clear).

Most fun story: UberCon '05, although perhaps Eat or Be Eaten

Sexiest story: I guess I would have to say Candle since it has an actual bona fide sex scene in it. But then again, sometimes metaphor is more powerful, and anticipation - so maybe A Dream Come True.

Hardest story to write: Well, the length and intricate plot of UberCon '05 and the sheer stick-to-it-iveness needed to write a 14-chapter story made it challenging. Emotionally, though, Candle was the hardest to write (and it kept being so dang long - it ended up at 1/4 the total length of UberCon '05, and was just a one-shot.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted? Definitely more. I don't know if I thought I would write at all this year, although I wanted to.

Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005? I was surprised at how much I liked writing Anya in every story, because obviously in a WT fic community you'd think I'd like writing them. But Anya, I just find her immensely satisfying to write and she's very funny - she always seems to have a lot to say in my stories. Oh, and I was pleasantly surprised to be inspired to write a story with WT as elementary particles.

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them? Yeah, I participated in a group project and was nervous that my story wouldn't measure up to the wonderful authors who made up the rest of the group because I really admire their writing, and I'm such a neophyte. (Stop, really!) But I think that I ended up doing a good job. Also, Candle was a risk because it drew on my own life so much.

Do you have any fanfic goals for this year? Yes, I would like to write UberSmut, the sequel to UberCon '05, and post the first chaper on Feb. 14, 2006. In July or August I'd like to start UberCon '05. I'd like to participate in at least two or three more group projects, co-write a fic with Carleen, and I have another multi-chapter idea that I've been kicking around for a while that I'd like to write and post at least the first part this year. I'd also like to write a story, perhaps a short story, that makes people laugh so hard they fear they'll wet their pants.

[Katharyn]

Stories I wrote: - Sidestep Chronicle. Sidestep - Second Chronicle (in progress). The Beginnings Cycle (my first). 3 Xmas fics with Forrister. A few shorts. Not that many, but I'd guess on sheer word count I probably am close to the top of the list LOL. Longwinded? Moi?

My favorite story (of my own): Sidestep Chronicle.

My best story: Sidestep Chronicle. (Being as I don't personally distinguish Second Chronicle from it and they sit in the same thread I get two for the price of one here!)

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Like Sally said I don't want to appear needy, I nearly failed to answer it - but then I think I should answer. It's a valid question. Second Chronicle isn't getting the feeding back readers I'd like - but to be fair I was seriously ill for over a year in the middle of it and it's about 8 novels of writing (175 parts and counting) to get up to date (inc Sidestep) so it's intimidating as hell for new readers.

Most fun story: The last Xmas fic I did with Kerry.

Sexiest story: NOT Sidestep. A lot of feedback described Vamp Willow in that as sexy. She wasn't sexy she was, literally and realistically, evil and abusive. A real vampire - not some pathetic mockery of what a vampire should be like a certain character who's name begins with S. So much so I refused to write a sex scene for that fic until real Willow was back (the point of the fic). Most readers would probably say Sidestep though. For me, Beginning Cycle... I love the early days of their relationship and the sensuality not shown on screen I wrote there.

Hardest story to write: Physically, Second Chronicle simply because I can't write like I used to be able to. Mentally... finishing Sidestep properly.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted? More - due to my accident I didn't think I'd get back at all at some points.

Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005? See above!

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them? No risks I hadn't already planned in. I guess I should look back to 2004 being as I was out of the game for most of 2005. In which case yes, writing a deaf character having little personal experience of deaf friends and not being deaf myself. It's a challenge to write a character who can't hear speech... technically difficult for that reason. Also her life experiences are different as are her attitudes to life.

Do you have any fanfic goals for this year? Finish Second Chronicle - at least in first draft. Redraft and beta before posting might take a little longer. Only half a million words to go then! I swear - it's my last huge fic but desire to write it again kept me going when things were very hard - I owe it to myself and those who are still reading to finish it.

[The_Lord_J]

This would probably be quite useful for me if I'd actually written enough fic to answer the questions...Ah well.

[JustSkipIt]

Great topic:

Stories I wrote: – Ok, I have to go look it up. Survivor – Ash Island, Shadow and Sunlight, Feeling Kicks, Water, Friendly Friends, Please part 14B – Switch, Nuts (in the lost Challenge thread), and a few unposted stories and story parts.
My favorite story (of my own): Shadow & Sunlight (by a lot)
My best story: Shadow & Sunlight (by a lot)
Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Nuts
Most fun story: Survivor – Ash Island
Sexiest story: Shadow & Sunlight or Water.
Hardest story to write: Please 14B - Switch
Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted? More. Much more.
Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005? – A G-rated fic.
Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them? – Wrote some non-fiction. That it’s freaking hard to pour your heart out. Started to collaborate. That no one can kill me with criticism and that it’s like gold in value.
Do you have any fanfic goals for this year? – Cure cancer and depression and lose 20 pounds. Oh, not those kind of goals? Have fun.

[JustSkipIt]

Well it seems like it’s that time again to take stock of my year of writing.

Stories I wrote: – Menorah Tales parts 2 – 12, The Tara Maclay Affair, W T Love Boat, Waiting for Dani Parts 1 – 5b, a few more parts of Waiting that are unposted and part of a story for another series that is unposted.

My favorite story (of my own): – Waiting for Dani

My best story: Waiting for Dani

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: I don’t know. Maybe Tara Maclay affair? Maybe Menorah Tales? Honestly, the feedback has been tremendous and I always appreciate it.

Most fun story: Tara Maclay Affair

Sexiest story: Tara Maclay Affair

Hardest story to write: Menorah Tales Part 8

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted? More

Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2006? Something totally in a Fantasy AU
.
Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them? – See above. What did I learn? (not just from that risk): the power of leaving some things up to the reader to speculate on or figure out on his/her own.

Do you have any fanfic goals for this year? – Finish Waiting for Dani as strongly as it started.

[SithLordWiccan]

Nice topic!

Stories I wrote: Star Witches Episode I: Across the Stars, Star Witches Episode II, Sins of the Future, Star Witches: Art of the Saber, Star Witches: Seeds of the Future, Under the Sea, Cosplay, Role Reversal, The Little Techno Girl, Best Birthday, Working through the Pain, One Day at a Time, The Greatest Gift of All, Slippery When Wet, Going the Distance, Moonlight Densetsu and Moonlight Densetsu: A Dramatic Surprise! The Moon Princess Appears

My favorite story (of my own): "Moonlight Densetsu", with "Under the Sea" being a close second. They're both fics I'm really proud of, and it's hard for me to choose just one.

My best story: "Moonlight Densetsu: A Dramatic Surprise! The Moon Princess Appears." I've had a year to get some writing skills, both in previous fics and in real life college courses, and I'd like to think that its paying off, at least in this instance.

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: "Moonlight Densetsu: A Dramatic Surprise! The Moon Princess Appears." Like I said before, I've gained some decent writing skills in the past year, and I really think that this story is my best work when it comes to showing them off. So how come I only have one or two people leaving feedback for it?

Most fun story: "Star Witches Episode II: Sins of the Future". Having stuck to the original movie when writing Episode I, I knew I wanted to deviate a bit when writing this one. And I daresay it's been fun to do, even if only two people leave feedback for it (which doesn't seem like much and matters even less when you realize that those same two people are the ones who beta it for me...)

Sexiest story: "Under the Sea". It was my first attempt to write smut, and I would like to believe that it earns the NC-17 rating I gave for it, even if it underwent a change halfway through to a more angst filled tale.

Hardest story to write: "Under the Sea". As said above, this fic was plagued by numerous problems: my original two betas bowing out about a quarter of the way through, my replacement beta not being as good enough as I would like, a story that seemed to be losing steam despite my best interests in keeping it going, and a readership that began with lots of people reading at the start to one or two select individuals reading by the end. Needless to say, even though I enjoyed writing it, I was finally glad when I got it done.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?: Well, seeing as how this was the first year that I wrote fic here, I'd say that I did about as much as any newbie can expect to do. The early stuff wasn't as good as the later stuff, though.

Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005?: I really never thought that I would write Faith as being a sympathetic character ("Under the Sea") or Anya as being serious ("Moonlight Densetsu") or killing Buffy for dramatic purposes ("Under the Sea" again) or Willow as being sorta butch ("Star Witches" and "Moonlight Densetsu") or Tara as an action hero ("Moonlight Densetsu" yet again, and "Star Witches", I guess, even though it's less so there than in "Moonlight Densetsu")

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?: I wrote a story that had both Willow and Tara get killed, yet remain together in spirit (which couldn't get posted here but is up @ Muse for all those interested in reading it), that I thought was a big risk. I guess it was too big of a risk, otherwise it could be posted here. I also took a risk in not really plotting out what I write, which worked in some cases ("Star Witches Episode II" and "Moonlight Densetsu") and didn't really work that well in others ("Star Witches Episode I" and "Under the Sea"). I guess doing that taught me the value of being patient and adding in the small details that make a story feel more fleshed out.

Do you have any fanfic goals for this year?: Finish "Star Witches Episode II", write the bridge story stories for that, try to finish my "Moonlight Densetsu" series, and hope that the quality of my writing improves. I'd also like to get an opportunity to write for the RKT team, though I suspect the all likelihood of that is about as great as me actually having a nice Christmas.

[Artemis]

Ah, retrospective time...

Stories I wrote: Some (not nearly enough) Smut Bunnies, The Sword of She-Ra and Let It Snow, Anthology of Interest's Godzilla and Thundercats segments and the Futurama wrap-around, Space 1999: Love and War for Sally's UberSmut (of course that was Xena/Gabby rather than Willow/Tara), Willzilla vs Mecha-Warren, Space Quest!, God of War, Princess Tara and the Dragon, and The Scoobies: A Call to Arms (the Goodies one). Not a lot of serious fics this year, huh?

My favourite story (of my own): Oh, tough one. The She-Ra stories, though - I just love looking at them once they're all done, with the animation cels, and Dawnie hiding in there somewhere, and so on.

My best story: I think God of War, because it was serious, and it's more or less original.

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Love and War, but that's understandable because I doubt a lot of people wanted to pause in the middle of UberSmut's final chapter to go read something else entirely, and it's not even a W/T fic - but the people who did read it send along kind feedback, so I can't complain.

Most fun story: No contest, Space Quest! by far, because I can do practically anything, no matter how dumb, and get away with it.

Sexiest story: I haven't written a lot of smut this year, have I? Darn. Smut Bunnies, obviously, but I think Princess Tara will be sexier (rather than smuttier), because there's always an element of escapist farce to Smut Bunnies, and Princess Tara takes itself a little more seriously. And with luck I'll have the final chapter done before the new year, so it qualifies.

Hardest story to write: Smut Bunnies, because while it's rewarding when it works, it's difficult to come up with sexy scenes that aren't completely gratuitous, now that Willow and Tara's relationship is essentially established for the remainder of the story. Smut is best (and easiest to write) when it's driven by urges deeper than 'hey, this is fun!'

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted? Definitely less - I'm amazed (and sorry) that I haven't finished Smut Bunnies ages ago. I look back to when I did a chapter of Hellebore every week (or TARA every day, almost) and wonder how the heck I did it. Of course, I had no life, so that helped... darned social life...

Which genre/topic/character *** did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005? Writing Xena and Gabrielle (again, not that any of my old X/G fics ever saw the light of day, and trust me that's for the best). And Willow and Tara as giant monsters were a bit of a surprise.

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them? Willow as a dragon, in a serious (albeit funny) role was something I wasn't sure would work, especially with the suggestion that the story would get smutty eventually. What I learned: kittens not only accept, but demand, dragon-smut.

Do you have any fanfic goals for this year? Finish Smut Bunnies (and finish it well). I'd really like to get into the overall arc I've got planned for the She-Ra stories, partly because I think it'll be fun, and partly because now that the setting is established, I think it could get a bit darker and more interesting - more like Hellebore, and less like a Saturday morning cartoon, and hopefully win over a few people who're hesitant about the whole animated children's show thing. And of course, leave more feedback more promptly for the fics I'm reading!

[watty]

Heh. Since I started the thread I should add something.

Stories I wrote: Geek Love, Challenger, Mistletoe & Wine and a bunch of recaps for the WTTV series.

My favourite story (of my own): GL, because we're all geeks.

My best story: I like Challenger myself because it was written quickly and "fixed" a very sad event.

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: the WTTV recaps, but I suppose they are supposed to be overshadowed by the stories they were based on.

Most fun story: the recap for DoH. It's hard to separate the recaps but this one had the most fun bits, like the convo between CB Daddy and ircdude and the mapquest thing that Car wrote (but I did the signage!).

Sexiest story: no smut this year, apart from some making out against the Space Shuttle and kissing under the mistletoe.

Hardest story to write: Futurtara recap, because I hadn't seen any of the shows, and we had 3 shows plus transitions.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?: less, much less.

Which genre/topic/character did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2006?: fluff, or at least a story that wasn't full of angst.

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?: not really, I hadn't written enough.

Do you have any fanfic goals for this year?: finish Lamplight, write Atonement (even finish it). An angst-ridden 2007 for the readers.
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