TLW Fix Interview with Rann
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | TLW Fix Interview with Rann |
| Interviewer: | |
| Interviewee: | Rann |
| Date(s): | December 2003 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | The Lost World |
| External Links: | archive link |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
In 2003 fanfiction writer Rann was interviewed by the moderators at The Lost World archive TLW Fix.
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Is there any advice that you could give to new fan fiction writers?Listen to what you write. Does it sound like the way that character speaks, could you hear them saying those lines? If necessary copy down pieces of the dialog from the show, it will help you get the cadence of each character's speech. It's very important with Marguerite's character to recognize how she says something and not always what she says. When you think about how the characters talk and the kinds of things they say, it will help in keeping their actions true to the show's canon.
When reading a work of fan fiction, what makes you want to read more and what would cause you to lose interest?I'm very fussy about fan fiction. When the characters are true to the way they are portrayed on the show, I'm interested, if you add in a good plot or a missing scene that rings true, I'm hooked.
Anyone who turns the characters into something else loses me in a heartbeat. The most common one is portraying Marguerite as needy. Other pet peeves include repeatedly having the characters screaming and yelling.
How would you describe your approach to writing fan fiction?Most of the time I work from scenes outward. Once I see a scene in my mind, I write that out. I begin to build until I have a story outlined. Then it begins to take shape. I write scenes as I begin to see them, not always in the order that they'll end up. I need to complete a work before sharing it so that I can be sure it flows and that I've laid the proper groundwork for actions and character behavior later in the story. Research is also something that I find important. I don't want to play fast and loose with historical events, scientific fact or the established background of characters and TLW history.
What compelled you to become a writer of TLW stories and were you apprehensive about sharing your work with the readers?I found myself visualizing scenes that filled in the gaps, or expanded on something I noticed in an episode. Finally I began jotting them down. Eventually some of them I've filled out to complete stories or missing scenes.
I was extremely nervous about sharing my stories. Frankly, I hadn't written anything that wasn't business writing or some type of report since my high school days in the 60's. So it wasn't until earlier this year I decided to see if I could build the skill set necessary to write fiction. I agonized over my seven or so pages of Tying Off the Threads for a couple of months, tweaking it and reviewing it, before I finally had enough courage to post it. My beta readers have been wonderful in helping me begin to build some of those skills.[1]