Citizens Against Bad Slash Interview with Bennie

Interviews by Fans
Title:	Citizens Against Bad Slash Interview with Bennie
Interviewer:
Interviewee:	Bennie Robbins
Date(s):	July 13, 2001
Medium:	online
Fandom(s):	Roswell, slash
External Links:	interview is here, Archived version
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Citizens Against Bad Slash Interview with Bennie was posted in 2001.

It is part of a series of interviews posted to Citizens Against Bad Slash in which fans were each asked the same ten questions.

Some Excerpts

What it comes down to is: it's fanfic. If it doesn't start with the show, with some aspect of it that you think could be developed more, better, or differently, then why are you writing it? The show is there for you. Use it.

Of course, this has to be balanced by the element of "you" that goes into the story, to take it beyond mere regurgitation and into the realm of creative writing. Are you a person of deep emotion? Explore that. Identify with a character or five, and find all the hidden or not-so-hidden depths that will make a reader sit up and empathise. Are you comfortable sharing your sensual side? Indulge it. Exploit the sexual tension that just emanates from every onscreen scene/ conversation/ blink of an eye.

But write what you know. Or do a lot of research. Or write anonymously, so later you can change your username and try again with a little more humility and respect for your audience, lol.

[I struggle with] Mary-Sueing. Or to a lesser extent, projecting onto and into a character. For instance, somehow I got it into my head that Liz is a screamer. That's right, with only a few scenes from one measley S1 episode to go on, I say she's vocal. And I think Michael likes oral, Maria's a pouter, and Isabel gets off on breast worship. I can just *see* it, you know? (Or in Liz's case, hear it. Kind of scratchy and gaspy, a neat little blend of girlish huskiness ... oh yeah.)

Uh, where was I?

Excessive verbosity. Failure to follow up on plot leaders. Overreaction to valid criticism. I plead guilty to all of the above.

My rehabilitation programme includes having a great beta reader, remembering to listen to her, and recognising that not every story has to be the end-all and be-all of storytelling. Sometimes, it's enough just to write.

Which is as it should be, I guess.

I start by reading stories written or recommended by friends and then move to archives that update regularly. Every now and then I'll go through a search engine for new material, check out mailing lists, and scan 'message board' style sites.

Feedback ... that's a toughie. Don't get me wrong; I love coming across something incredible and then penning a long, detailed response about how much I enjoyed it and why. It can be a real rush. But when you read as much fic as I do *and* have limited time online, you get choosy. I still feedback a lot, but relatively speaking, I feedback a smaller percentage of the fic I read overall.

I'm better about leaving feedback for friends whose work I enjoy as much for the author as for the story itself, because I think it's important to remember the human behind the electronic document.

But I won't leave constructive criticism unless asked, and consider flaming pointless to give and tedious to receive.

First of all, if there wasn't a lot of good writing to be found in the Roswell fandom, I wouldn't put so much time and effort into looking for it. That said, there is a huge spectrum of fic awaiting the unwary and unsuspecting reader.

I have come across fic so bad I thought about waiting around for someone to laugh and tell me it was a joke. And again, I could do without the mindless bashing. (If I am subjected to one more snide "gerbil" or "lizbot" comment I may well lose it. Big time. I don't care how brilliant her fic is, how are you supposed to respect an author who stoops to such ... such ... ah hell, I can't even think of the words to convey just how disappointed I get every time I see this.)

But I've also read fic so heart-stoppingly beautiful, or breathtakingly clever, or otherwise emotionally evocative, that it makes me want to read more, to write more, even as I despair of ever reaching such heights myself.