Memage

[jadesfire]

I'm working on the background for my SGA fic, which is a whole other type of writing from working on the story itself. I thought it would be kind of dry, but it turns out I end up even writing notes in a story-type style. This is probably fortunate for the guys wading their way through it...

So it seems to fit quite nicely with this meme, most recently seen at seti_drd's:

What would you say are the trademarks of my writing? What themes or quirks or turns of phrase have you noticed? What is it that makes a story by me -- well, a story by me?

Comments

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

When I think of you I mostly think of your Waiting Years/Wandering Years verse. I know you've written TONS of other stuff, but that's what comes to mind first. So, keep that in mind...

Mostly I think of you as the creator of this perfect OC/ficverse, that's pretty PG. More recently you have ventured into pg-13, even the occassional allusion to R, but I get the feeling you're not quite comfortable with PWP or fluff and thus don't write it. Which is great, it's nice to read something and know it won't leave you in a puddle on the floor due to the wibbleness or grossed out by the violence or random uncomfortable sex scene.

Stories by you are STORIES. Even drabbles and ficlets have plots, it may be just a snapshot of one, but it's there. (As opposed to others who write mood pieces with not much else to them)

Oh, and you're a bit obsessed with the comma. Sorry, but it's true.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I knew this was going to be interesting...

I know you've written TONS of other stuff,
You'd think so, wouldn't you? But I'm not as prolific as you'd think, apart from with drabbles, which I can churn out by the dozen. This is probably due to the plot-addiction, and the obsession with details, which slow me down somewhat. I've got up to about an R, I think, but no, unless I write something with a really horrific injury, that's about as hard as it's going to get.

I can do drabble mood-pieces, but not really fics, not without something resembling a plot. They're just not me somehow. I still read mostly very plotty books, and get impatient if nothing's happening.

Oh, and you're a bit obsessed with the comma. Sorry, but it's true.
Obsessed doesn't begin to cover it. Nor does pedant or grammar nazi. But it matters to me that these things are right. For one thing, a well-punctuated fic is sooo much easier to read :D

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Grammar nazi is a good thing, poor punctuation can really hinder a piece.

Even your drabbles seem to have more plot than most peoples, I don't know how to explain it. But it's like the drabble is this small snapshot of a larger fic, it works completly on its own, but makes me interested in the rest of the story (which I know doesn't really exist, but that's besides the point).

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I think usually the drabble is a condensed version of a bigger fic. I have to shuffle bits and shift them around, but there's always a whole story there. For whatever reason, I'm completely incapable of writing without plot, however slim it might be. Even for the character studies, I know what story has got the character to that point. It's like a compulsion...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

But, that's great! And it's what makes your drabbles YOU.

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

Your stuff, for me, means something's always going to happen - and it's going to be awesome and interesting stuff. And I'm going to learn things about the characters, through the action.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*grin* I definitely seem to be plot-girl. I keep reading introspective pieces and thinking 'damn that's good' but my own attempts never come off, for some reason. Like me, my characters seem to have a constant need to be doing something.

And I'm going to learn things about the characters, through the action.
And I'm grinning insanely because that's what I'm always going for. It's been causing me problems with the SGA fic - things were happening with no character notes - but I think I've got it figured out now...

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

Your plot is my sex. It's there. It's interesting. A lot of what makes it interesting is what it's showing the reader about the characters and the characters about themselves. You do it *fantastically*

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

It took me three goes to read the comment properly because the first sentence had me giggling so hard :D

I think most of mine results from learning to write in an environment where 'show don't tell' was pretty much the mantra. When you learn like that, there's not a lot else you can do!

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

Laughing's good!

I know that learning to write (mostly) in RP has been a huge help for me there. Unfortunately, I usually write from so deep inside someone's head that I'm *still* doing a lot more showing. I may have to pull it back and figure it out, but I have really got to get more comfortable with other POVs. Like omni. Which confuses me, a lot. I think it's a voice thing - and I need a narrator voice that's more solid than I have.

And I'm babbling at your journal.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Babbling's good!

I've never done any 'proper' RP, but it's more or less how I write, except I think I use it in the opposite way to you. I use it for visual perspective and to pull the reader in, rather than getting into the introspection. But I'm working on it :)

I don't think I could write from an omniscient POV. I find it off-putting in most stories I read - switching is fine, but omni is distracting. Unless it's Terry Pratchett, but when you're that good, rules are made to be broken.

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I am really relieved to hear you say that. I have a hard time reading it and I don't know HOW to write it - oh, I understand in theory, but I think trying to do it would break my brain. I can't hold that much close stuff in my HEAD. *I* would get distracted.

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

I'd say that the biggest thing I've noticed about your stories is that they have a great deal of substance to them regarding plot and characterisation. Even if it's simply a drabble, there's always so much more going on behind the scenes. Also, in regards to your Wandering Years 'verse, you do have a great deal of talent when it comes to creating original OCs that are intriguing in their own rights and compliment Jack so very well. Plus, you do love your gen. :)

Does not admit to having wondered what it'd be like if you wrote a story with Nine, Rose and Jack with trends towards either Jack/Rose or OT3

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

It's funny, but I always think of my stories as being icebergs - about 10% of the thoughts that I have about them end up on the page. I'm intrigued that it shows...

And yes! I love my Gen. And I plan on writing Nine, Rose and Jack for my Big Bang story - I can do UST, even if OT3s aren't really my style...

[dark-aegis.livejournal.com]

Squee! No worries on the OT3. I know it's not your style - even though Jack/Hugh/Marion(?) (Gah, too long since I last read them if I'm forgetting her name!) is definitely a good grouping ;)

I like to believe that a lot of fics are icebergs, really. :)

[szm.livejournal.com]

You write stories with a clear begining, middle, and end. And they are paced well and easy to follow. *g*

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*grin* I'm working on some meta about structuring a story - I'm starting to feel actually qualified to write it...

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

I think that the biggest theme is that you always get under the character's skin. You're incredibly good with plot, you research what you write, and you write OCs that are as complete as the characters that are already in the show. If I read your fic, I always know it'll be an adventure. Even with the drabbles.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I've never grown out of adventure stories. My preferred genre in anything is action, and the more travelling, plot and action there is, the happier I am.

And *sigh* I love research. Research makes me happy. The problem is always to stop researching and start writing...

[unfeathered]

Replying without reading the other comments, otherwise I'll just copy them...

Your writing is very concise and perhaps a tiny bit dry for me. It also tends to be a bit less dark (I wouldn't go so far as to say light) and a lot less porny *g* than what I tend to prefer to read - I read your stuff because it's good, not necessarily because of its subject matter.

I think of it as clever and extremely well-crafted. And you come up with very interesting insights into your characters.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Concise and dry are definitely me, on the page if not necessarily in person. It's a strength and a weakness, and I'm still learning how to use them properly.

I read your stuff because it's good, not necessarily because of its subject matter.
*blinks* Gosh. Uh... thank you!

And I'm of the firm belief that writing is a craft - not an art, not a science, a craft. So craft is definitely something I work on.

[unfeathered]

Oh God, yes, you yourself are definitely not dry! :-) But I know you've said before that you find it hard to get enough emotion in, and I think I can sense that when I read without necessarily pinpointing it.

As for the subject matter, when people ask me (in real life, not fandom) what I like to read, my reply is always, "Anything, as long as it's well written." I read Dick Francis, not because I'm interested in horses and racing, because I'm not at all interested, but because he writes fantastic characters and thrilling situations. For a fanfic example, I still read most of what janedavitt writes, even though she's long since abandoned Buffy for Stargate and now Sentinel, neither of which I have seen, simply because her stuff is always, always good. (And if she knew how many times I use her as an example and spread her name across my flist, she'd probably die of embarrassment, but there you go!)

Anyway, sorry, rambling as always.

Writing is a craft, and you are one hell of a craftswoman.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I like Dick Francis too, although I made the mistake of reading too many in one go - you start to spot the trick :) I tend not to read outside fandoms I know, but, like you, I can be tempted by the right writer.

And rambling is good - that's why I have an LJ!

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

You're probably the only one on my flist who'll get an answer from me, as your fics are the only ones which I'm able to tell you exactly why I love them so much... I usually tend to be much more incoherent in comments ;)

One word, just one: Depth. Incredible depth. Well, those were three words, but still.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*happy grin* Apparently my obsession with backstory, detail and research isn't such a bad thing after all :D Thank you!

[laurab1.livejournal.com]

The OCs that just fit so very well.