Whilst looking over some older and newer works of mine, and doing a
little comparison, I've come to the disturbing conclusion that my
writing, while overall becoming a little better, hasn't changed much at
all. I'd like to ask all you other fanfiction writers out there one
thing: How do you do it?
Does writing not changing styles mean that it's no good? Personally, I
don't notice styles of writing (I can't even compare people's acting
abilities in movies when other people are talking about it. I just don't
really notice these things, because I just enjoy the movie/book/fanfic
etc) ...
I'd like to think that I know how to write good fanfiction, but the sad
truth is that I don't think my abilities are the caliber that they
should be. I'd appreciate any pointers, suggestions, or comments on how
I know most of my stuff isn't really that good till it's gone through
editors many times. I don't put a 'finished piece' out on the FFML till
it's been through a few of my RL friends (as editors), then I've edited
that, given it to them again, then edited that, let them check it over and
then I put it on the FFML, asking for people to edit it!
When it comes to writing my series, at least, I try to be a perfectionist.
I still find errors when I re-read the stories myself, and edit them on my
home page. (You can see the last time I read it by looking at the dates
they were edited on my fanfic page!!)
But I still think that there are big flaws in there that I can't edit,
just because it might change the story line, or something. Especially that
university one. I knew smeg all about Japanese university back then, and
thought it was sort of like here. Boy was I wrong... but editing that
story would requite _major_ work, and it would have to be totally changed!
:p
to write better fanfiction. People I'd most like a reply on this subject
from would include: Richard Lawson, Andrew Huang, The Scriviner (if at
all possible), TimeRunner, The Eternal Lost Lurker, Ranma Al'Thor,
Jospeh Palmer, Carolyn Seawright, and Gary Kleppe, to name a few of the
BTW, 'Caroline'. ^_~ (I had a girl in my class in high school called
'Carolyn' and the teachers always called out the wrong name, and got
pissed off when no-one answered, or when the wrong girl answered!)
people whose works I consider great. How do you write like you do?...
Thank you... *smile* Glad that you enjoyed it, anyway! ^_^
It's a mystery to me, one I'd like to try to crack, if at all possible.
Basically, I started my series as a present for someone. That's why I
started writing in the first place. And, as a gift, I wanted the story to
be as perfect as possible.
I wrote it during my off times at work (I was working over the
summer/Christmas holidays at the computing department of an oil refinery,
an hour or so drive away from home), so I wrote in the car (I was a
passenger, of course!) and at the end of the day when I was waiting for my
lift, and at lunch time.
But I noticed that I had to be in the mood to write.
If I didn't feel like writing, I couldn't string two words together. When
I am forced to write, it ends up as total crap.
Don't know why it's like that... maybe because of high school English,
always forcing me to write about boring things, so probably ended up
resenting being forced to write. But when they did let me write something
interesting, I could write! @Whee!
But, anyway ... I read a lot, and so stored somewhere in my mind are many
resources to draw on, though I don't consiously think of them at the time.
I read on the train on my way to work every day, too, so I'm always
picking up new things. I guess ideas and styles come from that... though I
probably ended up developing my own style in high school (though none of
those stories were lemons!) There's still a few things that I did in high
school that I think aren't too bad, and could probably be fixed up and put
out as a story, one day.
Another thing would be having a vast Ranma 1/2 resource to browse through
to find characters, to study the characters, to get to know the
characters, to think of ideas, etc. Since I'm a character writer (I
guess... I put the characters into situations rather than creating
situations for characters), I've got to know them pretty well. So studying
the characters is another thing that I do. Though I don't like various
characters, hopefully it doesn't come through too much in my stories (in
my series at least. The once offs don't matter, IMO.), so I also try to
write 'fairly' with all the characters, and try to make them as IC as
possible.
Of course, through my series, they change because of the situations they
get into, and so you'll end up with characters that aren't quite the same
as in the manga/anime, but... that's just what I let happen in my series.
I don't want them static, because letting them grow creates more potential
for story ideas. But what I try not to do is have them change suddenly for
no reason.
Another thing is that when I write, I tend not to make up a plot
beforehand. I just write and let the characters take me where they want to
take me... and that's the story.
But when I know that I'm not going to be able to write the story in the
next few days, I'll sketch out a plot (ie. just points to show me what I
want to happen, when I got the ideas when I _was_ in a writing mood), and
work from that.
I won't be too ridgid on following that plot, and if the story goes off in
another direction while I'm writing, that's fine.
I also use spell checkers as well as editors. They're pretty good, except
you've got to keep adding Japanese names, etc, to the spell checker list.
:p
So, that's what I do - I just follow my muse. Stick it through a spell
checker. Run it through the editors a few times and fix it up. Read it
again, fix anything up. Put it on the FFML and ask for C&C. Edit it again,
maybe give it back to my editors. And eventually put it on RAAC and my
home page.
Though for the really silly stories I've done (such as Gaijin in Nerima,
etc), I just throw them up and don't care too much about editing. :p
So ... I guess you can say that I _care_ for my stories, and I care what
happens to the characters. ^_^
Humbling yourself in front of the entire FFML isn't an easy thing, and
I'd appreciate any help I could recieve pertaining to this subject.
Good luck to you!
Kun-chan...
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* http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~caseawr *
* http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~caseawr/cor.html *
* http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~caseawr/kunoichi/fanfics.html *
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* High Priestess of the Church of Ryouga (COR) *
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