Me me me me

[itsallovernow]

So, themoonbar asked me some questions, and I gave some answers. A lot of answers:)

1. I know you were in fandom for awhile before you tried writing fanfic. What changed for you that made it appealing? How do you think your writing has evolved?

I don't know that I'd say I was in fandom before I started writing for it. I was an avid fan, and an avid reader of fanfic, and an avid lurker on LJ. For me, part of the appeal was the quality of what I was reading, both the good and the bad. And I had written some things in a writing notebook, full of embarrassment for furtively scribbling about a TV show, and then, once the series was over, there didn't seem to be any reason not to try it. I had grand visions:) But I'd never considered myself to be a particularly good fiction writer. I always felt that I wrote crappy dialogue, and convoluted melodrama, and had talked myself out of trying anymore. Fanfic seemed like a good way to see if I was lying to myself so I didn't have to try (and risk failure) or if it just meant that I'd have to really work to produce the result I wanted to achieve.

More importantly, for me, I'd made a vow to start writing for myself again. I got a personal, nonfannish blog - which of course I've mostly abandoned - forced myself to join farscapefriday, and then after the first week of doing that, got a LiveJournal. Most likely, if it hadn't been for the writing aspect, I wouldn't have gotten involved in fandom actively, at all. The writing drew me in, and the community.

I think I've become a less wordy writer (yeah, yeah, still I think it's true). I can say more with less now, even if frequently that happens in the editing process. I've realized I don't suck at dialogue, but yes, I do have to work that hard to make things sound how I want them to sound. I think I've developed a style, not just fallen into one. I also have lost any embarrasment at writing about sex. Is that evolution or devolution? No seriously, I think it's important to write about sex - not to say that I think what I've written is important - but that it's something that drives our species, drives our culture, is at the root of so many things, and basically I just like to write the word fuck down on paper:) I've learned what's good about my writing, what's weak about it, what's choice and what's laziness and that plot is about work. I can plot, I just don't want to very often.

But, hopefully, I've become a better writer, a more conscious writer, more willing to take risks, take criticism, shift my vision and stay true to the character and the voice and the story. I think my writing has only benefitted from me learning to take things out:)

2. Five favorite movies?

Notorious - I love this movie more than I can say.
Aliens - I've seen it so many times that no one will watch it with me. No one!
The Natural/Field of Dreams - Baseball and fathers and perfect moments.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid-Swim, hell the fall will probably kill you.
The Empire Strikes Back/Raiders of the Lost Ark - Gimmee a break. It's generational. I stood in line to see these movies and my mom wouldn't let me see the face melting scene until I was 11:)
Holiday - Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn and I always cry. Always.

Honestly, there are many, many more. Camelot, and The Philadelphia Story and The City of Lost Children and A Fish Called Wanda and The English Patient, and Truly, Madly, Deeply and I'll just stop now.

3. How do you think being involved in LJ/fandom has affected you?

Hmm. It's made me feel connected to a community, which is something difficult to achieve for someone living in a large city. It's validated my thoughts on writing, given me a forum to discuss media, writing, books, movies, so many things. It's given me an outlet to vent, to talk, to ponder, to be silly and snarky and ridiculous.

It's also made me more self-aware, for good and bad.

I don't like that I get antsy for replies and feedback, I don't like the idea that I could inadvertantly hurt someone's feelings or that I'm voicing an opinion because someone might agree with it, that I could be currying favor, maybe. On the other hand, I think it's made me more thoughtful, bolder, sillier and more open to other opinions and more laid back about people disagreeing with mine.

4. What's something that most of us don't know about you? Snort. Is there anything? I don't know, really. I have a horrible singing voice. Um, I'm a perfectionist, but a lazy one:) I kill plants, albeit inadvertantly and have never gone more than six months without a parking ticket. Ok, here's this. I wanted to be an archaeologist because of the Elizabeth Peters books, which got me into college, and into grad school, and I once had a master plan that would allow me to join the FBI then run for president and rule the world. It was my mission statement. This was unfortuntately, less than 10 years ago:) And I claim to be bad at plot. I'm great at plot, not so great on realistic planning:)

5. And since I'm boring, the music question. I need new MP3s, what should I download?
Damien Rice. Go right now, This moment. Really. Download everything.
Hem - Anything, but especially anything from Rabbit Songs
Nick Cave - Into my Arms and anything from Murder Ballads
Bob Dylan - One more cup of Coffee, and Don't Think Twice, It's Alright which is a perfect song, and Love Minus Zero/ No Limit
Joan Baez - Song for David
James - Laid, Sometimes(Lester Piggett)
David Bowie - Seven, Absolute Beginners
Emmylou Harris - Red Dirt Girl
Ryan Adams - Come Pick Me Up
Gorrilaz - Anything
The Dandy Warhols - Get Off
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Belle and Sebastian - Anything
Jude - The Asshole Song
Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

Again, I'll stop now:)

So then it works like this:

Want to be interviewed yourself? Ask here.

1 - Leave a comment, saying you want to be interviewed.
2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.
3 - You'll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.
4 - You'll include this explanation.
5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.
NB: Will limit myself to the first five people who ask, assuming there are that many. ( I like this because I'll end up asking the same questions over and over again.

Comments

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

I'm a perfectionist, but a lazy one:)

so very much so with you there.

wanna interview me?

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

1. You're getting ready to go back to school. Why? What do you want to study and what do you want to learn?

2. You asked for a list of things to read and learn. What things, in your own mind, do you think you should read or study?

3. As a burgeoning writer, what is your biggest fear about writing, and what has been the greatest reward?

4. Top five scenes from film or television. No redeeming value necessary.

5. Five artists - in any genre, books, music, film, TV, multi-media, photography, whatever - that you can't live without.