McShep Match Team War 2009 Interview with lavvyan
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | McShep Match Team War 2009 Interview with lavvyan |
| Interviewer: | |
| Interviewee: | lavvyan |
| Date(s): | August 1, 2009 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | Stargate Atlantis |
| External Links: | online here, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
lavvyan was interviewed in 2009 for McShep Match.
It is part of this series: McShep Match Interview Series.
Excerpts
How long have you been writing fan fiction?
Since 2001. I sucked at it. *laughs*...
I started out writing fanfic for DBZ before moving on to Buffy, Discworld, and Dark Angel. Probably not in that order. Then there was kind of a long break, which ended only because my sister made me write her Gippal/Baralai slash for FF X-2. After that, SGA and now Merlin. The last two are the only ones where I actively participated in fandom, though.
Do you incorporate meta like that cupidsbow's into your writing? Have you always thought about shape and structure and voice and POV or did you just start out writing stories and sort of figure it out on the way?
Hee, I wish! cupidsbow's meta posts are amazing, even if I had to ask her several times to clarify stuff for me because I lacked the vocabulary (or brain capacity) to understand them. I also own several books about writing, but in general, I fail at incorporating anything I learn from them.
This has probably two reasons: for one, most of the books about writing are about a) writing novels and b) the author's personal pet peeves. My format is the short story, alas. I also refuse to let anyone dictate me whether I can or cannot use adverbs.
The other thing is that I'm an incredibly undisciplined writer. I plot, but I don't divide the parts of my plot according to any established formula for dramatic writing. If I manage the end-each-part-with-a-bigger-bang thing, it's pure coincidence. Also, I hate editing, so I'm not nearly paying as much attention to shape and structure as I should, even when the story is finished.
So there's not even any figuring out on the way. The story decides what kind of voice it wants, and who's telling it, and if it's in present or past tense. I hope that some of those decisions come from things that stuck from cupidsbow's posts, but it's hard to tell.
What are your favorite kinds of fic to read? What about a fic (in the summary, ratings, title, whatever) gets you to click the link and start reading?
Oh, pffff. If there's a McKay/Sheppard listed in the header, and the story's not a PWP, and the summary doesn't read like the author never even heard of grammar, I'll read it. I don't think there are all that many John/Rodney stories I haven't read.
But of course I have favourites. Fairy tales and fairy tale-ish AUs always draw me in, except for if I've encountered the author before and didn't like their writing (which happens rarely). AUs in general give me the chance to get to know the characters all over again, so I prefer them over canon fic.
And I love, love, drama. Basically, if you promise me drama with a happy ending, I'm yours.