So. Why do you write? I write because I enjoy it. I'm happiest when I'm writing, as it turns out. I'm fine when I'm not writing too, because I also really love my work and throw myself into it body and soul, but I'm definitely happiest when there's some writing in there too. Not exclusively though (I think having nothing to do but writing sounds good at first, but after a few weeks it would drive me mad).
How did you learn to write? I've been writing as long as I can remember. I've always been into words. I guess I always figured I would write something eventually, without giving it a ton of thought. So I learned a bit that way. But I learned the most through fandom. I learned how to punctuate dialogue through the feedback on my very first (TERRIBLE) fic in my first fandom (HP). I learned a ton through fandom, I don't think I can even articulate how much I learned from fandom, really. Everything I write, I learn something.
What do you feel you're still learning to do? Everything. I feel like I'm at the beginning of a process that will last the rest of my life. I've learned so much from fandom, so now I'm learning from writing novels that very few people will ever see. I didn't think working in such relative isolation would be as satisfying as writing in fandom, but it actually is, strangely. I don't really know why, but I'm enjoying myself.
How much is your identity wrapped up in your writing and storytelling? I'm not sure it is, at the moment. I'm kind of afraid of that, because I know how fickle it is. Mostly I identify as a librarian, and I like to write, but I don't tend to think of myself as a writer. I don't like the word "writer," it feels too...prescriptive, somehow. And I know too many people who will only accept the term "writer" if what you're writing is something that gets published. I don't know if I'll ever publish anything or not. Maybe I will, eventually. Once I iron out all the details and learn how to do this well. Then the identity question might get more difficult, because more people I know would expect it of me and associate me with it. At the moment I talk about it as a my hobby and I like it that way.
How much does audience play into what you do and how you do it? It doesn't, really. Well, not deliberately, anyway. As I said, I can only write things that I love. Otherwise I get bored and frustrated. I can't really write to order. So I avoid prompts, though I can see how prompt culture could be very useful. Ideas are rarely something I lack (I generally have an array of ideas to choose from without looking to the ideas of others). I love having an audience though, it's fun and motivating for me, and I love the conversations that arise from it. I've learned a lot from people's reactions. I think I'm like a golden retriever that way: I learn mostly from positive reinforcement, what clearly resonates with other people, and gently guess what people like less and why. I'm probably gravitating toward what works best without thinking about it much at all. I love people and I love meeting people and finding out about them and their opinions. Fandom's great that way. Feedback is great, I've learned tons from it, but I can't quite bring myself to consciously write based on what I think an audience will enjoy. I've been accused of being "mainstream" in the past, and while that hurt the intellectual special snowflake in me at first, I accept that it's pretty true. The things that resonate deeply with me are not unique or unusual, but I write things like that because it resonates with me, not because I think it will be popular. I fear extreme fandom popularity, actually. Bit of a fine line: I like getting feedback, but I don't like being under the microscope of BNFdom. I thought I would miss the audience while writing original fiction, and in a way I did. But surprisingly, a handful of friends reading along had generally the same effect. Who knew!
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I write because I enjoy it. I'm happiest when I'm writing, as it turns out. I'm fine when I'm not writing too, because I also really love my work and throw myself into it body and soul, but I'm definitely happiest when there's some writing in there too. Not exclusively though (I think having nothing to do but writing sounds good at first, but after a few weeks it would drive me mad).
How did you learn to write?
I've been writing as long as I can remember. I've always been into words. I guess I always figured I would write something eventually, without giving it a ton of thought. So I learned a bit that way. But I learned the most through fandom. I learned how to punctuate dialogue through the feedback on my very first (TERRIBLE) fic in my first fandom (HP). I learned a ton through fandom, I don't think I can even articulate how much I learned from fandom, really. Everything I write, I learn something.
What do you feel you're still learning to do?
Everything. I feel like I'm at the beginning of a process that will last the rest of my life. I've learned so much from fandom, so now I'm learning from writing novels that very few people will ever see. I didn't think working in such relative isolation would be as satisfying as writing in fandom, but it actually is, strangely. I don't really know why, but I'm enjoying myself.
How much is your identity wrapped up in your writing and storytelling?
I'm not sure it is, at the moment. I'm kind of afraid of that, because I know how fickle it is. Mostly I identify as a librarian, and I like to write, but I don't tend to think of myself as a writer. I don't like the word "writer," it feels too...prescriptive, somehow. And I know too many people who will only accept the term "writer" if what you're writing is something that gets published. I don't know if I'll ever publish anything or not. Maybe I will, eventually. Once I iron out all the details and learn how to do this well. Then the identity question might get more difficult, because more people I know would expect it of me and associate me with it. At the moment I talk about it as a my hobby and I like it that way.
How much does audience play into what you do and how you do it?
It doesn't, really. Well, not deliberately, anyway. As I said, I can only write things that I love. Otherwise I get bored and frustrated. I can't really write to order. So I avoid prompts, though I can see how prompt culture could be very useful. Ideas are rarely something I lack (I generally have an array of ideas to choose from without looking to the ideas of others). I love having an audience though, it's fun and motivating for me, and I love the conversations that arise from it. I've learned a lot from people's reactions. I think I'm like a golden retriever that way: I learn mostly from positive reinforcement, what clearly resonates with other people, and gently guess what people like less and why. I'm probably gravitating toward what works best without thinking about it much at all. I love people and I love meeting people and finding out about them and their opinions. Fandom's great that way. Feedback is great, I've learned tons from it, but I can't quite bring myself to consciously write based on what I think an audience will enjoy. I've been accused of being "mainstream" in the past, and while that hurt the intellectual special snowflake in me at first, I accept that it's pretty true. The things that resonate deeply with me are not unique or unusual, but I write things like that because it resonates with me, not because I think it will be popular. I fear extreme fandom popularity, actually. Bit of a fine line: I like getting feedback, but I don't like being under the microscope of BNFdom. I thought I would miss the audience while writing original fiction, and in a way I did. But surprisingly, a handful of friends reading along had generally the same effect. Who knew!
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