Lois & Clark Nfic Archive Interview: Where Are They Now? -- Wendy Richards
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Lois & Clark Nfic Archive Interview: Where Are They Now? -- Wendy Richards |
| Interviewer: | Annette? |
| Interviewee: | Wendy Richards |
| Date(s): | 2001 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman |
| External Links: | Lois & Clark, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
In 2001, Wendy Richards was interviewed for the Lois & Clark Nfic Archive.
This interview was part of a series of checking back in with previous interviewees in the series: "Welcome to the Writer's Showcase *new* monthly feature!! Have you ever wondered what happend to your favorite writers? Are they still a part of FoLCdom? Have they moved on to bigger and better things? (Who am I kidding, there's nothing better than LnC!) Are they still writing at all? Well, look no further ... At the beginning of each month we will feature a previously showcased author, beginning with those authors who were interviewed by Annie Lansbury when she founded the idea and web site of The Writer's Showcase."
For similar interviews, see Category: Lois and Clark Fan Interviews.
Some Excerpts
What have you been up to since the last interview?
In terms of FoLCdom, quite a lot! I've written lots more stories... (Yeah, I know, too many!). In relation to my own stories - shameless plug here - the one I'm proudest of is For The Greater Good, which explores the limits of Clark's desire to do what's right for the world, as opposed to considering the needs of those he loves. Just how much is he prepared to sacrifice in the interests of 'the greater good'? Not long after my first interview, I was honoured to win two Kerth Awards, including one for the Best New Author of that year, and I was overwhelmed and hugely flattered when that was followed by more Kerths and nKerths the following year. (Yes, I *did* go on to write nfic, despite what I said then! <g>)
I've also co-written stories with some of my favourite writers: Strange Visitor Revisited with Irene Dutchak, Brief Encounter with Yvonne Connell, and several 'unintentional' duets with Tank Wilson, which turned into a series of challenges. A couple of other co-authoring projects are still on the go - see below.
Besides writing, I became a General Editor for the Fanfiction Archive three or four years ago. I'm one of a team of people responsible for editing and rating every story before it's uploaded. It's an important responsibility, but also great fun - we get to read some terrific fics before anyone else! <g>
I've also discovered the delights of beta-reading, both in terms of using beta-readers for my own fic (and my readers, you know who you are and you're very much valued!). I also beta-read for some of my very favourite authors, which is an enormous privilege and very enjoyable. It's a highly rewarding experience!
Oh, and I've actually managed to meet a few of my writer friends in the flesh! Who says online friendships aren't as meaningful as 'real-life' ones?
Although a FoLC is forever, are you still an active part of the fandom? What holds your interest now?
See above, really! <g> I'm a diehard fanfic fan, both in terms of reading and writing. That, as well as the many wonderful friends I've made through FoLCdom, holds my interest. I love to see new writers emerge and go on to become favourites: that's one thing which really delights me about Lois and Clark fanfiction. It's four years now since the series was cancelled, and yet new and wonderful writers emerge all the time, both people who've been around for a while and only just started writing, and those completely new to the fandom. Zoomway's message boards have me hooked; what a place to post and discuss works in progress? It's a wonderful community over there, and I know that the boards are responsible for encouraging many new authors to dip their toes in the fanfic waters.
Has your view on the characters and the show changed, and why?
I'm not so sure that it has, really. I think I'm better at judging when characters are *in* character in fanfic, and I hope I'm better at writing them in character, both overall and for the particular season the story might be set in. As for the series overall, I'm not sure. I re-watch episodes less frequently now, but then that's because I've seen them so often; there are favourites I'll sometimes skim through to get to the Lois and Clark interaction. There are episodes I will never watch again if I can avoid it, too! However, it's still the TV programme which has most moved me in so many ways. It's addicted me, and I can still say that it's the only one which has inspired me to write fanfic. As much as I enjoy a couple of other programmes on TV, none of them has ever inspired this need to write in me.
Are your tastes in fanfic, as well as your view of writing in general, different from what they used to be? Why?
I'm more fussy about what I read now, both in terms of fanfic and published fiction. Like probably everyone else, when I first found the Archive I avidly read every story, absolutely amazed and delighted to discover that this resource existed. Now, though, I am much less likely to read badly-written stories. With the Archive's stringent editing process, not a lot of errors get through, though of course no editor can spot everything. But there are stories on other sites where the spelling and grammar are so poor that I just won't read them. Style, sentence construction and the 'flow' of a story also matter. Technical issues aside, I don't enjoy stories in which the plot isn't thoroughly worked out, or in which the characters are badly out of character, or in which the author has introduced a huge conflict and then resolved it in far too convenient a manner in the space of a page.
Like every reader, I suppose, I have my own favourite types of story; there are also types of story I'm less keen to read. Favourites include romance stories, revelation stories and in particular stories involving these themes which are long and angsty. Alt-world and elseworld stories also fascinate me. I enjoy episode rewrites. And there are some next-gen stories which enthral me. However, I'm less likely to enjoy stories which focus on Lois being pregnant/giving birth (yeah, I know, I wrote Super Night/Super Life!), and in which young children play a major role; crossovers are less of interest to me as well, apart from the exceptional and compelling Timeless, by Becky Bain.
As for published fiction, I can't just read anything any more! Weak plotting, plot holes, poor spelling and grammar, convenient plot devices, inconsistent characterisation and the like all stand out like sore thumbs for me now. So - like fanfic - I have favourite authors, from whom I will read *anything*, and I'm more careful about further work from authors whose work has disappointed badly. As anyone who's read my reviews on Amazon.com will know!