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From: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com (arfic-l-digest)
To: arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com
Subject: arfic-l-digest V1 #34
Reply-To: arfic-l-digest
Sender: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com
Errors-To: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com
Precedence: bulk
arfic-l-digest Friday, July 20 2001 Volume 01 : Number 034
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 09:17:43 -0400
From: "Michele Bumbarger" <mbumbarger@hotmail.com>
Subject: (arfic-l) Essay on fanfiction
While we're discussing fan fiction do's and don'ts, likes and dislikes, I
wanted to share this essay as well, which also came from a list that I am
on. Then I'm going to dive into conversation, play devil's advocate and in
general, probably really make somebody mad.
~Michele~
- ----Original Message Follows----
Hi everyone! Grammar nazi here again.
Well, from everyone's comments on the list, I got the picture that a lot of
people were a little unhappy as to the quality of a) their own and b) other
people's spelling, grammar and so on. So, from all the comments here, I
finally sat down, thought 'screw it!' and wrote an essay. Please read it-
you might just find something of use. In fact, I think every American etc
should read the part on characterisations of British people, and
translations of Spike speak.
It's not specifically Cordelia/Angel oriented, apart from a small part which
deals with their characterisations. It contains parts of my original post,
elaborated, and whole new sections. In the words (sort of) of Shakespeare:
"if this writer has offended, think but this, and all is mended, that you
have but slumber'd here, whilst this essay did appear." :-)
*Fanfiction, from a Grammar Nazi's/Brit's/Beta's Point of View*
An essay on the ins and outs of character writing, and managing to remain
grammatically sound. Includes the hows and how-nots of writing British
characters.
Disclaimer: This is getting really repetitive and boring, but I really just
had to point out a few things. I'm not proclaiming myself superior to anyone
- - most people probably already know all this stuff, and write far better
than I do. Don't be insulted over the more basic things; I'm just pointing
out the most consistent errors I see. Please take the time to read it,
though, as I speak from a great deal of painful, punctuationless, tormented
experience. I have betaed.
*Spelling*
Okay, firstly, the most commonly misspelled word in the whole of fandom -
vicious. Not viscous. Viscous is a descriptive word for a gungy type of
liquid. Otherwise, the main kind of errors creeping in are a) typos or b)
those little words every individual has that they just cannot spell. One of
mine is 'amount.' I just insert two 'm's. Just watch out for quirks like
that, and, if all else fails, use a spellchecker. I know they're not always
reliable, but they do pick up the most atrocious mistakes.
*Grammar*
This post was inspired by a complaint about the poor quality of basic
grammar on the AngelCordelia fanfic board. In fact, this entire essay is the
result of a shorter, smaller rant I wrote in reply to a post by Aunt Lorna,
who was complaining about the poor grammar in fics (kudos to her for
admitting she's as guilty as anyone). Another poster wrote:
"There are times when I'm writing off an 'episode high' (You know that time
when you run to the computer right after the shows over with multiple ideas
for a fic), my brain is all a jumble with info from the show, the following
weeks promo and the main theme for my next fic. So, it shows when I don't
reread."
I think that passage is fairly self-explanatory. I completely understand and
agree with it. Thank you Danyeal. Moral - no beta? That's fine, some don't
need one. If you feel that you're capable of catching your own mistakes, and
that a beta slows you down, that's all well and good. But Reread, Reread,
Reread.
I'm probably the most neurotic spelling/grammar nazi I know, but I still
manage to spell at least a few words out of the average 8000 wrong. Not bad
really, but still. Typos happen, and everyone has a few words they
consistently misspell. Rereading really does help, but I sympathise with
those who don't like it- I'm dreadful at rereading, because I start to feel
very embarrassed about what I've written, and wonder what the hell I'm
doing. Another thing people might find, and I'm doing it as I write this, is
that their brain gets ahead of what they're actually writing, and you end up
putting words in the wrong order/skipping them out/missing out letters.
Again, re-read, get a beta, use a spellcheck.
A few of the more common errors-
Know the differences:
to, too, two
"Angel went to see the oracles."
"Cordelia decided to go too."
"The two of them went together."
their, they're, there
"Their car was stolen."
"They're angry because their car was stolen."
"Xander and Anya stood there, angry because their car was stolen."
were, we're, weir (?!?!)
"Buffy and Spike were getting married."
"'We're engaged!' she said, as she and Spike were to be wed."
"The water went through the weir." [Sorry, couldn't think of a relevant
example]
your, you're
"Your hair is adorable," Cordelia said.
"You're adorable, and your hair is fine," she said.
its, it's
This is a harder one, which anyone can get wrong at times.
"It's getting dark," as in 'it is'.
"Its body was scaly and slimy" - belonging to it.
loose, lose
"The demon was on the loose,"
"I've got nothing to lose."
choose, chose
"I choose" in the present.
"I chose" in the past.
Know, now, no
"I know all about it!"
Now that made Cordelia angry. "I know all about it already!"
"I know already! There is no way you're getting out of this one."
etc
Use correct tenses. I know that sounds silly, particular assuming English is
your native tongue, but I've read whole fics written in the present. That's
fine if it's intentional (POVs, maybe? Can't think why else it would be,
but...) A third person narrative (ie "Once upon a time, there was vampire
named Angel who was running a business with his seer, Cordelia") should
ALWAYS be in the past. Hence the 'was'.
Please, please use commas and other punctuation appropriately! Neverending
sentences are *not* fun. Hint- commas can*not* be used instead of full
stops/periods. Commas always come at the end of speech: "_____________,"
unless you use an exclamation mark/point, or a question mark/point. (!/?)
You can write using slang, but not so much that it sounds that the entire
story is being narrated either by a) Drusilla on crack or b) Harmony on a
better day.
*Characterisation*
Very, very first point: spell the character's names correctly. These are the
most commonly misspelled names as written in the Watcher's Diary and
Shooting Scripts:
Drusilla (no 'c')
Xander Lavelle Harris (not Zander)
Willow Rosenberg (we have never been told her middle name is 'Anne', but so
many people seem to have picked this up from somewhere. In fact, in one cut
line, Willow says: '____ is my middle name. Or at least it would be if my
parents hadn't chosen Danielle') Her mother's name is Sheila, father Ira.
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce (oh, the controversy. Wyndham? Wyndam? Well, the
shooting scripts say 'Wyndam', so that's what I'd lean towards.)
Don't give characters new nicknames without explaining it. For example,
Cordelia has only ever been called Cordy, Cord by the Cordettes, and on one
occasion 'CC' by Xander. Therefore, she is *not* Delia, or Cora, or similar.
The Host: Krevlorneswath of the Deathwok Clan, or Lorne.
Willy the Snitch, not 'Willie'
My own little pet hate - if you want to start calling Spike 'William' for
some reason, and feel the need to shorten it, please don't call him 'Billy'.
It just sounds incredibly strange. Needs must, go with 'Will'. Much for
manly and flattering. Oh, and if you make up a surname for Spike, go with
something that sounds remotely British. Just find some mainly unknown dead
and buried British author, and steal their surname. Remember, Spike was
originally alive in Victorian England.
Hate to dredge up the memories, but Riley, not Reilly.
Jonathan has a surname. It's Levenson. So does Devon. It's MacLeish. Harmony
Kendall. Oz's real name is Daniel Osbourne, but for the love of God don't
start calling him Danny or similar.
Anya possibly has two surnames. Originally, she called herself Anya Emerson,
then, in Checkpoint, called herself Anya Jenkins. The first could be a quirk
of the demonic persona (Anyanka), but the second could be her trying to
obscure her identity to make sure Watchers couldn't find out any more about
her.
If you're writing a character (usually necessary in fanfiction), make sure
you're capable of it. You cannot, I repeat for emphasis and with a slightly
desperate note in my voice, can*not* just write your own characters, and
give them the names of the people in the series. It's just not right. Also,
I beg of you, do *not* resort to a Mary Sue. In case you were unaware, a
Mary Sue is when you just write yourself into the story as a new, 'original'
character to fulfill your own fantasies. An even worse version of this is a
Cordelia Sue or more often a Willow Sue - you're writing a character with
the name of someone on the show, but it's just you again in disguised. Now,
let me make myself clear on this - You Will Get Flamed. Or at least emails
from the discontent readers. If you think Buffy's a bitch - fine. Just don't
let it creep into your story, and have another character (translation - you)
beat her to a pulp. I read Willow/Spike fic for a while, and in this ship,
Buffy is, more often than not, a super-bitch who is supremely nasty
(translation - brutally honest) to her best friend when she finds out poor
innocent Willow is sleeping with a self-confessed homicidal maniac, and is
into S&M. Because if that happened to your best friend, you'd just bottle it
up and help address wedding invitations.
Now, the characterisations rant is applicable to all 'ships, but this part
is geared a little towards Cordelia/Angel, as this is one of my 'ships, and
I myself occasionally write for it. Now, a few helpful hints to get you on
your way if you're writing either of those characters- Angel does *not*
commonly talk in huge, long, continuous sentences, and Cordy does *not* talk
like she has won a Nobel prize for literature. Angel has been around for a
bit, and doesn't use too much modern slang (he's only just got comfortable
with calling Cordelia and Wesley 'Cordy' and 'Wes', for God's sake).
Although, that doesn't necessarily apply to evil Angel. Angelus says
whatever the hell he likes, but the 'hearing voices' rule still applies.
'Hearing voices technique' - This is how I write. I try to actually hear
the characters saying the lines, and see their faces as they say them. If
you can't, the odds are the lines are out of character. It takes a while to
perfect it, and it can be quite dangerous to have, let's say Spike living in
your head, but it is incredibly helpful.
Cordelia's not unintelligent, but she also does not sound as if she should
be on the cast of Dawson's Creek. She likes to occasionally live up to the
'shallow cheerleader' stereotype. Occasionally, she can be fairly profound,
but usually she's happy with talking like a *normal* person. I do recommend
you perfect your Angel and Cordy characterisations before you embark on that
epic novel-style fic.
The key to the writing thing is - whatever you come up with, it's yours. You
have ultimate creative control. You have artistic license. If you want to do
a Curse? What curse? story, that's fine. Just make sure you do deal with it
at some point in another fic, instead of repeatedly taking the easy way out.
*British Characterisations*
If you're writing a Brit (eg most commonly Spike, Wesley or Giles), don't
just assume that you can get away with inserting the words 'bloody',
'bollocks' (not bollix! Jesus, Mary and Joseph, they even get that wrong on
the shooting scripts themselves, and it's how JM ends up saying it),
'bugger' or similar intermittently. It's offensive to those of us with
English heritage. Get some English consultation, if you're really stuck. You
won't be told to go to Hell, believe me. I don't think I'm the only beta who
is desperate to fix the poor wrting of British folks. Again, pointers to
follow.
Posher Brits (ie Wesley, Giles) tend to use long words, have the British
Stiff Upper Lip, try not to get emotional, and are not very good at
expressing things they can't get out of text books or newspapers, ie - of a
personal nature. However, both Giles and Wesley have developed as
characters, and are prone to language during emotional outbursts. These
outbursts will usually happen when the character in question has kept the
issue pent up, boiling over inside them until they finally snap. See
'Checkpoint' for examples.
Spike and Drusilla style Anglians tend to speak their minds rather
colourfully, not minding dropping in the odd 'bloody hell' etc, but not so
often that you start to wonder if they actually know of the existence of any
other words. Spike in particular still has the stiff upper lip, and only
really gets extremely emotional when drunk (another common trait in British
people, trust me. A little alcohol, they open right up and let loose all the
things they've been wanting to say for quite some time.) or it involves
matters of the heart. Because Spike is sappy like that. Remember, he hardly
ever shows it! He's really a manly man. Just think of any guy you know, and
multiply his ego by ten, and you could be close to Spike (who is, for the
record, my favourite character).
Oh, random Spike-related definitions I just thought of:
'Chit' is a derogatory word for a young girl.
'Bint' - bitch, stupid woman
'Bloke' - guy. You can*not* use 'mate' in this circumstance. I've seen it
done. 'Mate' is only used in the context, "Alright, mate?" "Hello, mate,"
etc.
'Bird' - woman, usually of attractive variety.
bloody/bleedin' - damn ______ (followed by word/phrase: "Bloody women"
"Bleeding idiots" etc)
bloody/bleedin' hell! - damnit, crap, etc
piffle - crap (load of piffle = load of crap)
peaches - pet name, sometimes derogatory
ducks - pet name
sod - idiot
sodding - damn (see 'bloody' etc)
poof/poofter - gay man (often used as a derogative description for any man)
nancy-boy - see 'poof' etc
shag - screw, sleep with
bollocks - technically, testicles. General exclamation.
And just for the record, neither Giles, nor Wesley, nor Spike is from
Yorkshire, Lancashire, or anywhere too far from London, to be safe. In fact,
it's actually been said on the show that Spike is a Londoner, I assume
originally West, but now putting on a North London accent. Contrary to one
line from Cordelia: "You little Cockney!" Spike is NOT a cockney. If you
want cockneys, watch EastEnders some time on BBC cable. Actually, I
recommend that for developing a good all-round knowledge of British accents.
However ear-drum-shredding it may occasionally be. With Drusilla, I never
can tell where in London she's from, if at all. Depends on the accent Juliet
Landau decides to go with for each particular episode. Here are some
counties you can get away with for characters such as Giles or Ethan, or
maybe a fictional character of your own creation.
Counties:
Sussex (West or East)
Surrey
Buckinghamshire
Hertfordshire
Essex
Hampshire
Kent
More northern cities, which all have very different dialects: Birmingham,
Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle. There is not a chance in Hell that
any of the British characters that have been introduced to us on Buffy are
from any of these places. The casting directors are probably a little
worried that people who are not native Brits, or in fact
Mancunians/Scousers/Geordies/Brummies (from
Manchester/Liverpool/Newcastle/Birmingham - quite useful to know the
collectives for different cities) will not understand the variations on
English. Probably true. That's why mainly only Queen's English is
represented. As in Southern England. East Anglia is also a whole other
dialect.
I've read some fics adamently claiming that Spike is a northerner, in
particular, a Scouser. It's like saying someone from Oklahoma has never left
Los Angeles. The dialects are *that* different. One final thing: pig Latin
does not constitute real Latin. You cannot just take random Latin words,
string them together in the order they come in English, and expect them to
be credible. It's not how the long dead language works. Find someone who can
do Latin, and get some help. It's really quite complex to write, and people
more in the know *will* be irritated by half-assed attempts.
*Betas*
One third, final little thing; the beta reader. I just want to point out,
from a beta's point of view, how insanely irritating it is when someone
sends you a fic with abominable... everything, really, and actually expects
you to rewrite it for them, line by line. It's the stuff of countless
nightmares. If I have a lot of time, and the writer is very nice about it, I
may attempt it. The last time I did, however, a 4000 word fic took me three
and a half hours. Now, that's a lot of time I could spend writing my own,
studying and so on. So I just ask that authors show us some respect when
sending fics. I love to beta, but sometimes I get something in my inbox that
just makes me want to scream.
I am so, so sorry to demonstrate my literary naziness. Every beta means
well, and criticism is always constructive. You're not going to get a story
back with the note 'This is crap. Try again.'. The points a beta will make
will be individualised, and usually very helpful; we just want to reduce the
amount of block text on the internet, splitting it into readable sections,
and refine storylines. Gotta say, though, even published authors are guilty
of the crime of continuous sentences and little to no grammar. If anyone's
attempted to read Joyce's "Ulysses", they'll know what I mean.
The moral of this essay is: take some pride in your writing. Get a beta, but
don't submit them to such torture they want to curl up in a ball and wish
for death. Betas are particularly sensitive to bad spelling, grammar etc (I
wonder why?) and it can actually be quite upsetting when faced with a tale
of epic proportions that only has three periods, a comma and 407 exclamation
points. That is not what a beta's there for. A beta is an editor - he or she
will put right occasional typos, point out continuous mistakes, and give you
ideas as to how to improve or continue your story. Some betas will do line
by line editing, but bear in mind how time consuming this is. All the best
writers have editors - letting you in on a secret, very few journalists or
authors can spell or do grammar. It's an editor's raison d'etre. There are
relatively few people cursed with the inherent ability to do spelling and
grammar. It's a very good idea to make good use of these people, if they're
offering their services, but treat them with respect. Sending a beta an
enormous fanfic with no puctuation is not going to inspire warm, fluffy
feelings. It's more likely to cause clinical depression and multiple
aneurysms.
I'd just like to end with one of my most brilliant pieces of advice: USE A
THESAURUS. There's one at
http://www.thesaurus.com
I couldn't write without it. Make sure you use appropriate synonyms, because
otherwise it can backfire, but once you get used to it, you'll suddenly find
your writing improving by tenfold, and also your day by day vocabulary.
Fanfiction writing isn't just a skill that's completely detached and
irrelevant to other areas of your life. It can really help you get ahead.
Thesaurus.com also has select Latin phrases, which can be useful in proving
your intellectual-ness, and in suitable parts of your story. Just don't use
them throughout fics trying to prove how wonderful you are - you'll just
confuse those readers who don't speak the Roman tongue fluently.
Bearing this all in mind, grab a thesaurus, open Wordpad or similar, and
write that story that's been simmering away in the muddle that is your mind.
Anyone can write a fic. It just takes the basic writing skills we all have,
practice, encouragement and pride enough in yourself to take into account
all things I've pointed out. In the end, it's all worth it when you think
how much others enjoy to read your work, and moreover, the sense of
achievement you get from the finished product.
Thank you for listening to my cacoethes loquendi! (in other words, babbling.
Cacoethes meaning manic, I thought it was apt) Normal services will now be
resumed.
Katharine
Some fantastic links:
http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang
All the British slang under the sun
http://www.thesaurus.com
OnlineThesaurus
http://www.dictionary.com
OnlineDictionary
'Nuff said.
http://www.pantheon.org
The Encyclopaedia Mythica
Wonderful resource for all mythos and lore
http://btvswritersguild.dymphna.net
The Writer's Guild For finding sites that help you write specific
characters.
* * *
"Give me your hands, if we be friends, and Katharine shall restore amends."
I apologise for mangling Shakespeare. Won't happen again.
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
Cordelia: "I learned men are evil... oh wait, I knew that. I learned that
LA is full of self seving phonies. nope, had that one down too. uh, sex is
bad?
Angel: "We all knew that"
eScribe Archive: http://www.escribe.com/tv/AngelCordelia/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
AngelCordelia-unsubscribe@onelist.com
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 09:37:26 -0400
From: "Michele Bumbarger" <mbumbarger@hotmail.com>
Subject: (arfic-l) Questionnaire
Well, this list is up to 85 subscribers, and I've been hit with the
curiosity bug. I'm curious to know why people are subscribed to this list
and what their interests in fan fiction are. So, I've created a short
questionnaire. Take a minute to answer a few questions, and let's see what
we all have in common:
What's Your Name/Handle?
Favorite Fan Fiction Fandoms?
Favorite Characters?
Do You Write Fan Fiction?
Favorite Fandom to write in?
Favorite Fan Fiction story(ies)?
Favorite Fan Fiction author?
Do you have a website? (And if so, what's the URL)
Any other comments, suggestions or words of wisdom?
_________________________________________________________________
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with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message.
For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
"help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 11:39:41 -0400
From: "Michele Bumbarger" <mbumbarger@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (arfic-l) Questionnaire
Ok, I'll go first seeing how I started this thing :-)
What's Your Name/Handle?
Michele Mason Bumbarger. Some of my older work is published on the 'net
under my maiden name, Michele Mason. I also go by the handle 'CheleSedai.'
Favorite Fan Fiction Fandoms?
My favorite fan fiction fandoms are The Tomorrow People (New Series), Buffy
the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Highlander. I do watch and occassionally read
X-Files, (but I'm not a die-hard X-Phile), ST:TNG, ST:DS9, and ST:Voyager,
Farscape, and what little Poltergeist: The Legacy fic can be found that does
not have Derek/Rachel 'ship overtones. (Actually, my favorite characters are
Nick, Alex and Kat, so if anyone knows of any *good* fic featuring them, let
me know!)
Favorite Characters?
This question is always fun because I've noticed that sometimes it changes a
bit from year to year even within the same fandom. So, I'll just take my
list and go from there.
Tomorrow People: Ami is my favorite character. I know I'm in the minority on
that one, but that's life. Anyone who has read my fic prob has already
figured that out by now though.
Buffy: Depends on the season. Season 1 and Season 2 fiction would be Willow,
hands down. Season 3 introduced Faith, enough said. Season 4 would have to
be the comedy stylings of Xander and Anya, and of course, Spike. Season 5,
again, Spike, Xander and Anya take center stage. And, I loved Glory.
Wonderful, wonderful villain.
Angel: Believe it or not, Cordelia. I mean, I think Angel is beautiful to
look at, but I like Cordelia because of her growth. And Lorne, of course.
Who can not like Lorne?
Highlander: While I'm not sure it comes out much in my fiction, Richie Ryan
and Joe Dawson have a special place in my heart.
Do You Write Fan Fiction?
Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I do a *few* bits of dribble out there.
Favorite Fandom to write in?
I started off writing in the Highlander universe. From there, I moved onto
the Tomorrow People. I have only written two (three if you count "Ophelia")
completely Buffy-verse fics in my whole life. I am a crossover freak (why,
I'm not one hundred percent certain, guess I just like the "what-if"
questions), and most of my work tends to be crossovers. Mostly crossovers
with The Tomorrow People (New Series). My latest work (98% of which is
unpublished) features the Tomorrow People crossed over with Buffy and Angel.
(I have two original crossover universes based on that premise, "Shadows &
Light" and "Dark Horizons" - each of them has taken a different direction,
however, and aside from similiar characters, they really do not resemble one
another).
But other combinations are possible, such as an unfinished, unpublished
Buffy/Highlander crossover (where Buffy is NOT the Immortal), and a
Titanic/Highlander crossover (yes, you can use your imagination on that
one), and of course, "Forever Tomorrow" which is a Highlander/Tomorrow
People crossover universe.
Favorite Fan Fiction story(ies)?
Oh boy. Of course, this would happen. I have so many and the moment I get to
this question, all of them fly out of my head. It would probably be easier
to list one from each universe but ... still my brain is dying.
Favorite Fan Fiction author?
This is easier, although I am not going to list just one. I am going to list
the authors that give me a happy when I see something with their name on it
in my email, or ones who's sites I return to again and again.
For Highlander, Sandra MacDonald is wonderful. I will re-read and re-read
her work time and time again. Also, I enjoy the work of Alice in Stonyland.
My favorite Buffy/Angel writers are Yahtzee and Rheanna (Ruth Hanna). Their
work reads like an episode of the television show.
And of course I can't forget my wicked conspirator, and partner in crime,
Caroline Fales.
Do you have a website? (And if so, what's the URL)
Um, yes, I do. Several.
The Alternate Realities Fan Fiction Archive
(http://www.alternate-realities.net)
Shadows & Light (http://www.alternate-realities.net/shadownslight)
Dark Horizons (http://www.alternate-realities.net/darkhorizons) (Majorly
under construction!)
And forthcoming Forever Tomorrow
(http://www.alternate-realities.net/forevertomorrow)
Any other comments, suggestions or words of wisdom?
I love it when writers try to do something different. I'm not talking about
writers who can't stay in character, and take our favorite characters and
make them unrecognizable, but writers who take a premise or idea and twist
is to make something new and original. Don't be afraid to do that; and I
don't want new writers to be afraid to write :-)
~Michele~
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Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 19:02:53 +0200
From: "Birgitt Schuknecht" <birgitt.schuknecht@uni-essen.de>
Subject: Re: (arfic-l) Questionnaire
Hi there!
Okay: lurker delurking! Great opportunity to do so, Michele! Thanks! :)
What's Your Name/Handle?
Birgitt
Favorite Fan Fiction Fandoms?
That's going to be a long list... So I concentrate on my favourite
favourites! ;)
Angel/Buffy
Batman
Highlander
Due South
Star Wars (both Classic and TPM)
Robin of Sherwood
Professionals
Man in the Iron Mask
Favorite Characters?
Angel: I miss Doyle...
Batman: Batman
Buffy: Spike
Due South: Ray V
Star Wars Classic: Han Solo
TPM: Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in equal parts
Robin of Sherwood: Will Scarlet
Professionals: Bodie
Man in the Iron Mask: Athos
Do You Write Fan Fiction?
yes, oh yes! slash mainly
most of my stuff is Star Wars, Due South, Highlander
Favorite Fandom to write in?
Star Wars, Due South, Highlander - that may change any day, well any second!
;)
Favorite Fan Fiction story(ies)?
if I have to pick one: Snow and Cinder by Hyperbunny
Favorite Fan Fiction author?
I cannot answer that one.
Do you have a website? (And if so, what's the URL)
together with my soulmate and partner in writing fanfic, Britta
World of Slash: www.stormpages.com/worldofslash/Default.htm
Any other comments, suggestions or words of wisdom?
writing fan fiction has changed my life
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Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 14:19:06 EDT
From: Slayervick@aol.com
Subject: Re: (arfic-l) Questionnaire
okely dokely. Not really a lurker on this list, I'm usually pretty vocal
about fic, even if i post my feelings on the wrong list <sorry, michele. my
brain is dying too> finally, a questionaire that doesn't ask the proverbial
annoying question, "boxers or briefs?"! Here goeth nuthin...
<< What's Your Name/Handle?
As my friend cinta would say, "Mi nombre es Tambien". But that's because
she's phsyco. Umm, my name is Victoria Coady, and my handle is Slayervick.
Favorite Fan Fiction Fandoms?
Jayzus..well, I started reading fanfic as an avid Buffy fan, and then I
realized that I was not the only person who watched that silly TV show
Highalnder when I was in middle school. I stumbled upon the Jagged Edge
Archive of Michele's making, and started looking into the TP's, and
discovered that this had been in fact my favorite TV show when I was growing
up, and I just didn't remember much of it. So, to make a long story short, I
read BTVS, Angel, Highlander, HL:Raven as well, Sentinel, Tomorrow People, La
Femme Nikita~my weakness~, And a load of other smaller fandoms that I brave
on occasion.
Favorite Characters?
BTVS: Seas.1: Willow
Seas2: Buff and Angel
Seas3: Faith- Representing Boston, baby!
Seas4:Buffster, Willow and Oz
Seas5: Glory, Tara+Will, and Buffy
HL: Richie Ryan
HL:The Raven: Amanda
TP: Adam is cuuuute
Sentinel: Blair
La femme Nikita: Birkoff
Original Characters I love (i know some of their authors/creators, but not
all. Just remember enjoying them): Sherezade Mackenzie (Amandr), Mahleah
Brennan, Matthew Brennan, Calypso Wilde, Rachel Hudson (Trilby), and many
more...
Do You Write Fan Fiction?
Weel.. umm... not that it will ever see the light of day, but yeah. I write
Badfic. really really Badfic. My principle purpose in the fanfic world is as
beta and sponge: i read EVERYTHING
Favorite Fandom to write in?
Well, I write in a cross between Buffy and Highlander, but I only use the
lore and storyline behind the shows, I never use existing characters, I make
my own based upon what the show says is possible, and what I want to be
possible for my characters.
Favorite Fan Fiction story(ies)?
Again, too many to name. There was one that I had posted to Alternate
Realities that I loved, and was very adament about. it was wicked long...
"You Forgot to Mention Hell, Horatio". It was a lot of fun. took me a few
days of concentrated hour after hour reading.
Favorite Fan Fiction author?
Well, Michele, you do hold this honor as the first TP writer that could draw
my attention in so I could remember this show that I hadn't thought of in
years, along with Sandra Macdonald, DocAnvil, Amandr and Dana Woods for
making me laugh every time, and countless others that I have read in
passing. Sue kelley, I am your devoted beta, dahlin'.
Do you have a website? (And if so, what's the URL)
Well, there's this site called Alternate Realities... no, I don't. I am a
slave to others' masterpieces.
Any other comments, suggestions or words of wisdom?
Wisdom? Me? naah... just..naah. wisdom aint my bag, baby
~V
>>
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Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 20:38:50 +0000
From: "Lore Krajsman" <lilith93@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (arfic-l) Questionnaire
What's Your Name/Handle?
Lore, Liliaeth or Demonmother. I mostly use Lore though
Favorite Fan Fiction Fandoms?
Highlander
Angel/Buffy
Forever Knight
Harry Potter (no slash though)
Crossovers in general
Favorite Characters?
Methos, Duncan, Richie, Cassandra and the Kurgan in Highlander
Buffy, Angel, Xander and Spike in Buffy
Nick and LaCroix in Forever Knight
Harry and Snape in Harry Potter
I like Mulder and Scully in crossovers, though I never read X-files fic
that's not a crossover, not my fandom, love the crossovers though.
Do You Write Fan Fiction?
Yes lots of it
Favorite Fandom to write in?
Highlander
Favorite Fan Fiction story(ies)?
Detente (Kethrinet): It's 'the' best crossover I've ever read and it isn't
even in my main fandoms.
It's Kindred/Poltergeist the Legacy and it's incredible.
True to both fandoms, correct characterisations. No overdone shipping and a
storyline that you can believe the shows themselves would follow.
You can find it at
http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=335953
and when you go there, please review it and make the author write a sequel.
This one deserves it.
I've seen few authors who manage to write so real and lovingly gritty with
respect to both fandoms.
Well Author, from what I read, they're actually two authors writing together
and damn fine at that.
Favorite Fan Fiction author?
Kethrinet, Sandra MacDonald, Janeen Grohsmeyer, Dawn Cunningham, Dawn
Nyberg, the author from the Soulworld saga, whatever his name is again, I
keep forgetting it <eg>, HonorH, AC, Ecolea ...
Too many to mention
Do you have a website? (And if so, what's the URL)
http://members.nbci.com/liliaeth
(though that one will be moved before the end of the month)
http://www.dtl.be/lore
(also temporary)
Any other comments, suggestions or words of wisdom?
It's better to say a word of praise than to bash.
There is no worse plague in fandom than the bashing of characters. It makes
for terrible stories and totally ruins the fun for any non-hater of the char
getting bashed.
Lore CWPack
"It's better to burn out than to fade away."
The Kurgan
"Definition of a gentleman:
Someone who knows how to play the bagpipes
but doesn't play them."
http://members.xoom.com/liliaeth
http://www.onelist.com/group/PositivelyScifi
http://www.egroups.com/group/BraveNewWorldHL
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Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 16:50:26 -0400
From: "Psycho Babble" <amethystmaiden@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (arfic-l) Questionnaire
What's Your Name/Handle?
Kristin, but I have a hangover from AOL that makes me identify myself as
Amethyst Maiden most of the time.
Favorite Fan Fiction Fandoms?
Tomorrow People (New Series), Buffy, Angel, Pretender, Sentinel... pretty
much anything if it's well written.
Favorite Characters?
Hee hee. Um, I'm totally devoted to Megabyte at the moment because he's
great fun to write, and I think on some level I identify with anyone who
displays little or no aptitude for tact. I'm always amused by post-implant
Spike, and I'm forever wanting to give Willow a big 'ol hug, so I'll read
anything with them in it. I tend to gravitate towards Methos for some
reason, as well as Doyle (Dammit, I miss him!) and Cordy, I think I'm just a
sucker for a wise ass. :-)
Do You Write Fan Fiction?
Yep.
Favorite Fandom to write in?
The Tomorrow People is pretty much the only thing that inspires me to spend
long hours in front of my computer. I'm still trying to figure out why that
is, exactly.
Favorite Fan Fiction story(ies)?
My absolute all time favorite is called When I Was Your Age, by Nicole Grey.
It's just really good characterization and it's funny as hell.
Favorite Fan Fiction author?
I have to choose? Ok, most are TPfic, the aforementioned Nicole Grey (who
actually made me rethink all those years spent watching Millennium),
Michelle Bumbarger (and unending source of well written *everything*),
Caroline Fales (Who I'm pretty sure I read at the beginning of my foray into
fanfic, so I apologize profusely for the utter *lack* of feedback), Renay
Walker (I usually don't read adult fic, but the girl can write), and Anne
Olsen. (Most of whose best stuff hasn't been published yet, but being as I
am the evil nagging beta I've read it all and it rocks. *g*) Which is
mostly the crew at Alternate Realities, so I guess you all know why I'm on
this list. I also go *way* out of my way to read two Xmen authors (and I'm
completely out of my Xmen phase, so figure that out) Minisinoo (who is an
unending supply of mind blowing plotting) and Jenn (who dragged me kicking
and screaming into the fun world of slash fic).
Do you have a website? (And if so, what's the URL)
Why yes, I do. *g* And it's being redecorated at the moment, so I suggest
avoiding anything but the TPfic page for the next few days.
www.angelfire.com/scifi/amethystmaiden/tomorrowpeople.html
Any other comments, suggestions or words of wisdom?
Feedback is a wonderful thing. I must admit that I didn't start out as the
most consistent reader, <ducks> but I've realized since then that it's
really the only thing that keeps writers writing, especially on lists like
this whose general purpose is to generate opinions. A simple 'that was
cool' can totally make a writer's day. (Although more can make their
week..)
~Kristin
"There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'." -Dave Barry
www.angelfire.com/scifi/amethystmaiden
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End of arfic-l-digest V1 #34
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