Zombies Don't Guest Blog

The Top-5 Things
Writing About Zombies Has Taught Me
About Writing YA
By Rusty Fischer, author of Detention of the Living Dead

I always love it when a new book comes out because I get to take all I’ve done in the past year and start blogging about it for guest posts! So, this time around, I wanted to apply what I’ve learned while writing about zombies to what I’ve learned about writing YA. And the weird thing is, they’re surprisingly similar.

So here is my guest post on The Top-5 Things Writing About Zombies Has Taught Me About Writing YA:

The First Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Watch Your World

When you write about zombies, you have to be very careful with the world you’re building. I learned this the hard way after my debut YA novel, Zombies Don’t Cry, came out and I got dinged by a few reviewers for my zombie science. To me, it was simple: lightning strikes teenager, teenager becomes zombie, hilarity ensues.

Well, for a lot of people, they wanted more; much more. As in: How, exactly, did lightning make her a zombie? What kind of zombie is she? Why can she talk? Etc.

So whether you’re writing about zombies, vampires, werewolves, faeries, kingdoms, dragons or just your normal, everyday, non-monster teenager, watch your world. Know what color your main character’s best friend’s hair is. It sounds silly, but how many times has an editor popped me by saying, “Rusty, last chapter she had red pigtails, now she has raven black long hair. Which is it?”

The more you know your world, the more real your characters become for you and your readers.

The Second Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
The Story is the Thing

I love writing about zombies. I love writing YA. So it’s only natural I’d love writing about YA zombies. But there’s a point, I think, early on, where subconsciously you think, “Well, this is about zombies; that’s enough!” I mean, yes, every story has a plot but there is SO much more to writing a zombie book, a YA book or ANY book than just the hook of trying to write a zombie mash-up book or “Twilight for zombies” or whatever.

Writing in a really cool genre isn’t enough to pull off a really cool story. You have to start with the story and then, for me anyway, the genre has to come second. For me, zombies aren’t a genre anyway. They just happen to be what I write about. And young adults are the characters, the people, I most relate to so they’re who I write about.

But it’s really easy to get so caught up in a trend, or as in the case of zombies, a tidal wave and think, “Man, if I just make those vampires I was going to write about zombies instead, I can have this to a publisher by the end of the month…”

But if you’re really going to write about zombies, they’re not just interchangeable monsters you can swap out with, say, vampires or werewolves. They’re a different breed and you have to know and respect that breed. Just like YA; it’s not just “kids,” it’s a very specific, very sophisticated audience with certain rules and lingo and all the rest.

And above all, zombie lovers, YA readers and YA themselves, demand a good story. Something rich and alive with characters they care about and an arc they can follow and get invested in and feel a little sad about when it’s all over. That’s not just zombie or YA writing; that’s any writing.

That’s good writing…

The Third Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Know Your Niche

So, I learned this one pretty fast: not all zombie books are alike. Did you know this? I did not. You see, when I set out reading YA zombie books, I read the first three I could get my hands on at the time, which would be: You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay, Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amada Ashby and Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E. Van Lowe.

Now, if you’ve ever read any of these three books, you know they all are a very specific type of tongue in cheek, funny, zany, teenage drama type of zombie book, which fit perfectly with my sensibilities. So naturally, those were the types of books I was drawn to read and the type of book I initially wanted to write.

But… but… lots of zombie publishers, readers, reviewers, agents, bloggers, fans and so on like another type of zombie book; a gorier, straight-up dystopian end-of-the-world Walking Dead type book. And they’re quick to let you know it, too!

I never thought “cute” would be a derogatory term, but it is to certain reviewers when they come upon a certain zombie book about a certain sentient zombie who can, you know, drive and go to school and wear berets to cover up the lightning scar on the top of her head.

So, yeah, it’s not your job to write solely for reviewers but if you don’t want to be shocked when/if you get slammed for your very specific type of writing, know what you’re writing going in. Know your niche, live it, breathe it, inhabit it.

Know if it’s gory or cute, funny or clever, dark or lighthearted, and own it. Don’t just know your niche, but own it. Me? I’ve kind of settled into this place where a lot of people describe my books as “B-movies in print.” Now, a lot of serious writers might get ruffled feathers to be described that way, but I love it. Why? Because that’s exactly what I’m going for.

Confidence is a really underrated writing skill that is constantly ebbing and flowing. The more you know and own your niche, the more confidently you’ll write in it.

The Fourth Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Know Your Publishers

You would think it’d be easy for a zombie writer to approach a zombie publisher and get… zombie published. I mean, you publish zombie books, I write zombie books, let’s get together, yeah, yeah, yeah.

But for every zombie publisher, there is a personality. Some really, really like gore; some like no gore. Some won’t touch YA; some won’t touch certain types of YA. Some like “Romero” zombies, some “28 Days Later” zombies, lots don’t like “sentient” zombies; the list goes on and on.

Now more than ever, publishers seem to be getting really, really particular about their brand. Particularly zombie publishers. I’ve had a lot of publishers send out really nice rejections that say things like, “You know, we know this would sell well and it’s ‘hot’ right now, but it’s just too violent for our current line…” Or not violent enough. Or too funny, or not funny enough, etc.

Of course, I’m no fan of rejection but this process has really taught me to fine-tune and tailor my submissions much more personally than I have in the past. I’ll really get to know a publisher (or agent) before submitting now. I’ll follow them on Twitter, “friend” them on Facebook, subscribe to their blog, etc., just to get the drop on what kinds of books they put out, how often, how they promote them, where they promote them, etc.

Knowing as much as you can about a publisher before you submit isn’t cutting edge news, but now more than ever it’s a prerequisite for getting published, be it in zombies, YA or gardening books.

The Fifth Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Zombies — and Kids — Just Want to Have Fun

Probably the most important thing writing about zombies has taught me about writing YA is to have fun. Yes, I said zombies, YA and “fun” in the same sentence. I’m not even saying to have slapstick, wearing a clown nose fun (unless that’s your thing), but if you’re writing at all, it should be fun.

If you’re writing about what you love, it should be fun. If you’re writing a 60,000-word YA zombie novel on deadline, it should still be fun. You have to have fun with your writing, no matter what you’re writing about.

Am I saying every day is going to be daisies, wine coolers and lollipops? Heck no. But even so, the idea you’re working on should be fun, crafting a really clever line of dialogue should be fun, capping off another chapter should be fun and writing “the end” at the bottom of the last page should be fun.

Because you know why? When you’re having fun, when you’re really enjoying the genre you write in, the characters you write about, the world you’ve built and the story you’ve decided to write, your readers will have fun as well.

~~~

So there you have it; a few years into this whole YA zombie paranormal genre writing scene and I hope I’ve learned a little more than a lot. I’ve tried to share just a glimpse of what I’ve learned in this guest post, and I hope it helps you no matter what genre you write in! I’d love to hear what you’ve learned on your own writing journey. As always, comment boxes are open below…

PS: And thanks, Vicki, for letting me stop by and bend your readers’ ears for a little bit. I hope I’ve helped!!!

Yours in YA,

Rusty

About the Author

Rusty Fischer is the author of Zombies Don’t Cry, as well as several other popular zombie books, including Panty Raid at Zombie High, Detention of the Living Dead and the Reanimated Readz series of 99-cent living dead shorts.

Rusty runs the popular website Zombies Don’t Blog. There you can read more about Rusty’s work, view his upcoming book covers and read – or download – completely FREE books & stories about… zombies!

You can also check out my reviews of Detention of the Living Dead, Ushers, INC., Vamplayers, and Zombies Don't Cry here at The Wolf's Den. And a HUGE thanks to Rusty!

My Creativity Conundrum

I've been having a bit of trouble posting as of late. Like you hadn't noticed.

Firstly, my sleep schedule is waaaaaay off the normal rotation. Seems living in a cave (my bedroom is underground and has no windows) allows for sleeping during daylight hours a little too easily. Case in point, yesterday I slept from 10am to 5pm.

As you may guess, sleeping during the day doesn't bode well for functioning during that time. It's a little hard to drive your sister somewhere when you're going through REM. So I've been attempting to get to sleep earlier so I can wake up earlier (waking up is the hardest part of my 'day').

Unfortunately, my brain has decided that lying in bed trying to go to sleep is the BEST time to start coming up with ideas. Of course, I can't guarantee they're great ideas—my brain is starting to 'shut down,' after all. But whether it's my subconscious coming to the forefront, my inhibition/critique center shutting down, or the universe conspiring against me, I don't tend to get a lot of my ideas posted.

Because I'm trying to go to sleep, and it sorta defeats the purpose if I get up and write out (or draw or whatever) what I think of. Again, perhaps that's a good thing since a tired brain isn't known to make the greatest decisions. Plus I've noticed that my language gets pretty convoluted when I'm tired—my internal thesaurus/dictionary is downright horrible.

But here's a few of my sleep-deprived ideas:

A review of House M.D. (and why I stopped watching)
A review of the movie Dragon Hunters (mostly focusing on character stories)
A list of Pokemon teams based on Disney movies (...)
Pottermore OC comics
This post...

So that's my conundrum. Should I get up and act upon my ideas, even if it means staying awake longer? Should I ignore my exhausted brain's ramblings completely? Or should I try sleeping pills in an attempt to recalibrate my schedule back to normalcy? Decisions, decisions...

And a bit more randomness to finish off:

Thank you McDonald's toys!
Just let the awesomeness soak in...
Too bad Disney owns Marvel instead of DC, eh?

Have a great weekend!

Critic vs Writer - An Attempt Towards Reconciliation

{Originally posted on DeviantArt}

I am a book blogger.

Since not everyone is familiar with the term, I'll go ahead and lay it out for you. I read, analyze, and write about books. I give my opinion on characters, setting, genre, style, and sometimes even covers. I say what works, what doesn't, and what I'd like to see.

In short, I criticize.

Back - back foul demon! Burn the witch! Don't come anywhere near me!

Yeah, I know you're all thinking it. What gives me the right to rifle through someone's hard work and put its flaws on display? Who do I think I am, slandering authors with false interpretations and quotes made out of context?

I'm a writer.

Yeah, of nothing but muck and lies.

No, no, I mean I write my own fiction. Or at least I did.

What, couldn't take some of your own medicine?

Yes and no.

Huh?

Like most writers, I crave exposure. I want my work out there, read by the masses and enjoyed. DeviantArt, my blog, they're both small outlets where my writing can be seen.

But, as most writers have discovered, exposure can be a double-edged sword. With the good results (loved it! you're great!) come the bad (wow, this is horrible! use spell check next time!). These one sentence wonders are usually good for a 2-minute burst of joy/anguish, then are forgotten.

Moving past these frivolous 'reviews', we move into the longer, more thought-out comments that every writer craves. Unfortunately, you can still get long, eloquent descriptions of how you stink. Case in point, here's a comment on one of my pieces I'd written for class, revised for a challenge, and posted on DA:

I don't want to spend more time in a character's head than necessary; pathos is something to be avoided anyhow, not embraced.

Might I also point out that simply re-writing a story to increase the potency of the effect it already has does not qualify as a revision.

And I don't want to know a character that's going to be murdered a page or two away. I mean, yeah, there's some clumsy writing and some of the detail selection is careless and awkward, but to taunt the reader with a character and then to kill them off is some nerve. I mean, a lot of the breadth here could be summed up in a few good, short, strong paragraphs instead of the engrossing play-by-play the reader is treated to. That way we're not bored and ready to quit by the time the male thief is murdered and don't feel irked with the writer for essentially misleading us and thus wasting our time by teasing us with the eccentricities of a thief we never get to fully explore.

Bottom (yet superfluous) line: Tricking the reader is a cardinal sin, and allowing the reader enough rope to hang themselves with is just plain carelessness--its not much better, but it is excusable, and I think that's the case here. If the story is about the female thief, which it appears to be, then for Heaven's sakes -don't- have the male thief be the object of third-person limited! Don't even use third-person limited at all! Such a beginning requires the use of the omniscient narrator, that way a switch between subjects/people occurs without a second thought, and the narrator is allowed to keep distance between characters the reader isn't supposed to bond with.

Yours Sincerely, [name redacted]

Ouch.

Out of all of the critiques I received on that piece (10 plus replies), his by far hit me the hardest. It was actually hard enough that I wrote a scathing reply about how nothing said was constructive and he stunk as a reviewer. Not quite in that language, but that was the gist. I was hurt and I didn't care who knew.

That's right, I've been there.

So why the hell would you do that to us/other writers?

I'm not finished.

There are also critiques that are actually helpful, more along the lines of, "I liked this, but I didn't understand that," or, "I think you need to work on your dialog tags - it feels choppy when you use he said she said over and over again," or, "I wish there was a bit more buildup to the kiss - I didn't feel it was believable quite yet." These offer that blessed balance of good and bad that gives the writer encouragement, while still pointing out their weak spots.

This is the kind of critique I try to give every time I write. "I really liked ___, it made this a joy to read. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling ____ which was kinda distracting. But on the whole, I think you have a great plot/character/style and I hope to see more from you in the future."

Well, that's not so bad...

Right?

But what about stuff that's already finished and published? They can't go back and fix what you catch! You're attacking defenseless authors & books at that point.

Firstly, I'm flattered that you think best-selling authors are reading or feeling the backlash of my reviews. And even those independent authors are tougher than you think.

Secondly, I treat my reviews just like I do my critiques. I try my hardest to present the good with the bad. And if that fails, I emphasize emphatically that I'm stating an opinion which is solely my own and may in all likeliness differ for other people.

Yeah right.

Okay, here's an example I handled just recently. Over the course of two days I read Crushed by K.C. Blake, an independently published book that she sent me for review. I didn't like it.

I never connected with the main characters, I noticed a couple continuity errors, and I thought there needed to be a lot more polishing overall. I also had a personal issue with the way the main character handled one situation. And I wrote as much in my review.

At the end of my reviews, I always have an Overall & Recommendation section in which I summarize my feelings and generalize who I think would enjoy that book. Here was my final summary for Crushed:

Overall, I was disappointed with Crushed. I thought the story concept was interesting, the mystery surrounding the villain was engaging, but the main characters and writing left me wanting to get it over with. I'd recommend it to those who like YA Paranormal-Romance, but are tired of the vampires and werewolves ruling the scene. Sex, language, and violence are negligible, so I'd say it's appropriate for the middle-school crowd as well as high-schoolers.

Though not my favorite book, Crushed was an engaging introduction into a world of powerful witches, a world I would like to visit again. The second installment, Witch Hunt, features a brand new cast coming into their own trials and triumphs. And while I wasn't too enthused about this particular game, it gave me enough that I may just try my hand at the next one.

Approximate Reading Time: 5.5 hours

I posted the full review here, GoodReads, and DA, plus the final paragraph alone on Smashwords (where she'd originally uploaded it). My GoodReads and Smashwords reviews also received 2-star ratings.

Ouch.

Yeah, I know.

I don't know what made me dislike Crushed so much, but I did. Maybe it was having just read an amazing professionally-published book just before it. Maybe I wanted to read the next book on my list too much. Maybe it was never connecting with the main character. Or maybe I was just in a pissy mood.

To make me feel even worse, it seemed like absolutely everyone else who'd read it (and reviewed) rated it at 4 or 5 stars. What was my problem?

What was your problem?

I don't know. But I wasn't going to lie about it. I wasn't going to suddenly say, "Wait guys, just kidding, I loved it!" Cause I really didn't. But I felt like I needed to fix my review...so I did:

Overall, I was disappointed with Crushed. I thought the story concept was interesting, the mystery surrounding the villain was engaging, but the main characters and writing left me wanting to get it over with. Sex, language, and violence are negligible, so I'd say it's appropriate for the middle-school crowd as well as high-schoolers. While Crushed and I had our differences, I think it could make an enjoyable read for those who like YA Paranormal-Romance, but are tired of the vampires and werewolves ruling the scene.

Approximate Reading Time: 5.5 hours

P.S.
Though not my favorite book, Crushed was an engaging introduction into a world of powerful witches, a world I'd like to visit again. The second installment, Witch Hunt, features a brand new cast coming into their own trials and triumphs. And from the sample I've downloaded from Amazon, I'm already looking forward to reading more.

So you see, I do try to promote the book I read, even if I wasn't too thrilled myself.

But why do it in the first place? What makes you so great?

Honestly? Nothing. I just enjoy reading and writing about what I read.

And why I do it? Well, in theory, I'd love my reviews to spark conversations. I kinda miss the book-fueled conversations we'd have in school, even if they were assigned reads. And even outside of school, I met some great friends while bonding over Harry Potter. By sharing what I read, I'd love if my work somehow facilitated a bond like what I have with my friends.

I'd also love if my reviews prompted someone to read and enjoy a book they'd otherwise not have read. When I was in school, we were forced to read so many depressing books. One year we even had the theme "Man's Inhumanity Towards Man", for which we read A Farewell to Arms, Of Mice and Men, Night, and The Crucible one right after the other. I remember thinking to myself, "No wonder some people hate reading! If this is all they're ever made to read, I'd hate reading, too."

So I'd like to think I'm doing my small part in promoting good literature. I may not reach thousands, or even hundreds of people, but I'm doing what I love.

And if, in the process, I step on some toes or ruffle some feathers, I'm sorry. I always try to be as polite and tactful as I can be, but in the end I'm not going to stifle my opinion. If someone has a problem with what or how I write, please critique me!

And that's why I critique and review. So...we good?

Please do let me know what you think.
Love, hate, agree, disagree - I want to know!

When Posting, How Polite is Too Polite?

Fabulously Young ePubs: When Posting, How Polite is Too Polite?
by Rusty Fischer

I was entering a few book giveaways on Goodreads.com the other day (yes, I’m officially hooked on that “giveaway crack”) and whenever I came across a compelling new (to me) YA book, I would click on the author’s website or blog to check it out.

It was a really nice way to get to know more about some fellow YA authors and I ran across one in particular who was a grade-A, hmmm, how should I put this? A grade-A… personality. And I mean that in the epically most awesome way ever.

Seriously; she had attitude to spare and it was such a… revelation. I think she was ranting about some bad review or another and just really going to town; about readers, writers, publishers, the whole ball of wax. It was great to read because I was like, “Wow, she said what she really wanted in a really honest and unvarnished way… and no one’s running her out of town with pitchforks and torches!”

Personally, I try to come off as very polite, non-feather-ruffling and generally a helpful, nurturing kind of guy. Part of that is the teacher in me; I was trained to be politically correct, helpful, nurturing and generally stay in control of my emotions in front of a class full of kids.

Part of that is just me; if you meet me I pretty much am polite, helpful, calm, even-keeled, etc. But it’s not ALL of me. Drive with me for five minutes and you’ll hear enough cussing to get an NC-17 rating. Stick around while I read a bad review and you’ll hear a whole lot more! And I certainly have VERY strong feelings about writing, reading, reviews, bad reviews, publishing, agents, eBooks, print books and more.

I just always figured I should avoid sharing that hardcore, personal or angry or venting or rant-y stuff with my young, impressionable readers. Then I remembered, most YAs don’t exactly flock to my blog! (Come to think of it, most adults don’t either!) And even if they did, wouldn’t they prefer getting the “real” me versus the watered down version?

It’s not that I’m some big, fat phony when I post. I’m always honest, but I’m generally… polite. I don’t swear or foam at the mouth or rant and rave and, well, would it be so terribly bad if I did once in awhile?

So, I dunno, reading that YA author’s blog the other day was a real revelation. It kind of made it “okay” to be me, or at least a little bit more like the real me.

I don’t think I’ll be swearing and ranting and raving like this one author, but she’s far from alone. I know of several YA author blogs where writers, readers, even reviewers are quite frank, fun, wise, sarcastic, sassy and with plenty of… personality.

So what do you think? How polite is too polite? Or should bloggers abide by a certain “code” and keep themselves to themselves? Comment boxes are open; fire away!"

Yours in YA,

Rusty

~~~

My Reply:
I'm in the same boat as you are. I try to be as polite and tactful in my posts (even my negative ones) while still infusing my personality in what I write. Whenever I read over something of mine and go "Ooh, that's a bit harsh," I delete and re-write it in a less-harsh way.

At the same time, I enjoy reading a couple other blogs that don't hold back anything. They think it - they write it. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I can only wince as books I love get flaming tomatoes thrown at them.

I think that by all means, you shouldn't censor your thoughts or emotions. If something pisses you off, and you think it's worth posting about it, go right ahead.

But most importantly, you still need to tailor your posts to the audience you want to attract. Language, content, and subject matter should focus on them. If you want a blog that can be read by teachers, parents, and teens, you're probably going to be a lot tamer than, say, just writing for high-school/college age.

Most importantly, and I think all writers know this (or will eventually), you can't appeal to everyone. You gotta do what you know how to do, and what you like to do. If you prefer your writing to ruffle feathers, and enjoy reading the responses of such, go for it.

Thanks, Rusty!

Fabulously Young ePubs
Zombies Don't Blog

A Defense of Book Reviews

This is something I posted a little while ago on DeviantArt, and in light of recent developments decided it was something I should share here as well.

If you've never been to DeviantArt, here's a little background info for you. dA is a site whose primary goal is the sharing of art. When you upload a piece (a deviation), whether it be a photograph, drawing, or text piece, you are given a number of categories to list it under. Under the Literature category there are the following choices:

Literature

Characters & Settings

Contemporary
Historical
Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Poetry

Children's
Emotional
Family Life
General Poetry
Horror
Human Nature
Humor
Narrative
Nature
Philosophical
Romantic
Satire
Sociopolitical
Spiritual
Transgressive
Urban

Prose

Fiction

Children and Teen
Family Life
Fantasy
General Fiction
Horror
Humor
Mystery & Suspense
Philosophy & Perspectives
Romance
Science Fiction
Socio-political
Spiritual & Occult
Transgressive

Non-Fiction

Academic Essays
Articles & Interviews
Biography & Memoir
Editorial
Emotional
General Non-Fiction
Letters
Philosophical
Reviews & Guides

Scripts & Screenplays

Full-length Scripts
Monologues & Solioquies
One-Acts
Screenplays & Teleplays
Skits & Sketches

That's 46 different options just for Literature! I use the Literature->Prose->Non-Fiction->Reviews & Guides category for all my book reviews I post there (mirrors of the ones here).

Another thing to note about dA is that it has groups. Groups can be about practically anything. From Dutch Jewelry Artisans to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Fans to Any And All Poetry, there's pretty much a group for anything. And if there's not, it's super easy to make one. Groups are essentially for connecting members (deviants) with similar interests, collecting and displaying art/literature that appeals to that member pool. Some groups require membership in that group before submitting pieces, others allow any pieces from anyone so long as it fits the theme and abides by the rules.

And thus my story begins.

I've been a member of dA for about 5 years and I've never been much about groups. Sure, I run a LXG fan-group when I have some spare time, but as for my own work, I've never been much for exposing it.

That all changed when I started promoting our Smiling Moon Creations account. I realized if we were ever going to get any customers I'd need to start submitting our work wherever I could. We're in over 300 groups now...

But as for my own StormyWolf account, I still didn't do much in terms of promotion. Sure, I uploaded my reviews and linked them back here, but I don't think I ever got many clicks.

And then I read and reviewed Rusty Fischer's Vamplayers. Not only did I love the book, but I found out that it was being offered for FREE through the end of February. And as a book-blogger, I naturally wanted to spread the word to as many people as possible.

DeviantArt provided the perfect audience to get the word out. Between the vampire groups, the literature groups, and the review groups, I figured I could at least reach a couple interested people. So I joined and submitted my review to probably upwards of 30 groups.

A lot of groups turned it down. No big deal - I half-expected it from them. Keep in mind that a lot of literature groups don't accept non-fiction at all, and I don't have a problem with that. Sometimes groups' rules and guidelines aren't 100% clear, so I take a chance and join & submit my pieces anyway. If they're declined, I shrug it off and go along my merry way.

One rejection, however, rubbed me the wrong way.

I came across this particular group fairly late in the scheme of things. It was a literature-based group, and the group description said it would accept all prose, but not non-fiction, fanfiction or character guides. Okay, not a problem, on to the next group...

But wait! There's a Non-Fiction folder in their gallery. Probably a small change that they forgot to edit into the group description. So I thought I'd give them a try. I joined and submitted my review.

Some time later (the next day? I don't honestly remember) I receive a message in my inbox:

Group Admin: Please,submit works written by you,we do not really accept reviews.

Now, I wasn't completely certain what the message meant. Was I declined because they don't accept reviews? Or did they think that my review was copied from another person/source? I mean, I do link to this blog in each review, so perhaps they thought I was copying off another website?

On the off-chance that it was merely a miscommunication, I wanted to clarify that I had in fact written the review. At the same time I was a little insulted so I replied a bit tersely:

Me: So a non-fiction piece written by me isn't accepted? ...okay then.

Honestly, I didn't expect a reply. Oftentimes group admins are busy enough with reading through subscriptions that they only allow one communication per submission. But to my surprise, I got a response within the hour:

Group Admin: You did a review of a book,every person can do it and give a different aspect of a book and our group is not for promoting books,so,this group is about literature: poems,stories,visual poetry,etc...

Non fiction would be a story from real life,perhaps an anecdote in which you are plasming your own experience about something you lived.

Understandably (to any fellow reviewer) I was more than a little peeved, so I slammed back a reply:

Me: No clue what plasming is, but at least I know your narrow definition of non-fiction now.

No, seriously, wtf is plasming??? Anyway, after that I immediately unregistered from the group.

Well, this weighed on me for a few hours (the reply as a whole, not plasming). I mean, did book reviews really deserve such a brush-off? And what about the group description (or lack thereof)? I run a group and I know that as much as I don't approve of some of the art or lit I receive, I haven't made any guidelines or restrictions to the contrary, so I feel I'm obligated to receive those works. I know others don't share this opinion and use themselves as quality or appropriateness judges (honestly, I wanted to save myself the headache).

In the end, I figured the least I could do was address the rest of the group admins (all 26 of them) with my concerns. I sent the group a private note (only visible to the group admins) with the following:

Me: In response to the decline of my submission to the non-fiction folder...

For the record, yes, everyone can give their own opinion of a book, relating their experiences while reading it. But millions of people can also write about how they experienced 9/11, or what they're thinking about for 15 minutes. If what you're looking for is "Creative Non-Fiction," which is in fact a genre, then state that.

In fact, it would be most helpful to post that somewhere in the group rules, folder description or group description. Because right now, all you have concerning non-fiction is in the group description where it states, "We accept all genres of prose except fanfic, non-fiction, and character profiles." Obviously that's not true since you have a Non-Fiction folder.

In short, please don't insult me. I put just as much effort into what I do as anyone writing those non-fiction pieces that you have accepted in your gallery. And if you're rejecting it because of quality of the piece (which I doubt you've checked), then say that.

~StormyWolf
[followed by a transcript of my conversation above]

I received a reply in my inbox the next morning with (in my opinion) an even more flippant and insulting reply than I'd received previously:

Same Group Admin: Nobody insulted you,I gave you an explanation about why we declined your submission,non-fiction has nothing to do with reviewing books.

As I said,we accept literature,we don't need adding 'special names' to the non fiction in which we display or portray the experiences we have lived and we always check all what is submitted to any category,we decline all those works that simply lack quality as well.

Besides,why complaining if you left the group?
Note: I'm not sure whether the missing words were because of attitude or because English isn't her first language (as indicated on her profile page).

I was absolutely livid.

As much as getting into fights is kind of invigorating, I know that hurting and getting hurt doesn't give nearly as much satisfaction as reaching an agreement. It's not about being proven right (though that does feel great for a while) or wrong, it's about reaching a hard-fought state of common ground.

As such, I usually vent a lot, then delete most of what I write and go with a more tactful approach. I don't know if I achieved that in the following reply or not, but I believe I at least provided in a few important defenses for book reviews... This was my reply:

Me: Non-fiction is any written piece that is not fiction. This includes essays, opinion pieces, memoirs, biographies, historical accounts, etc., etc.. A review would be classified as an essay or an opinion piece. Rather than giving an opinion on religion, politics, or how my breakfast was prepared this morning, I gave my opinion on a book.

In other, yet similar, words, Non-Fiction is the over-arching category of all prose that does not fit under the category of Fiction. You/this group is obviously only accepting a small portion of Non-Fiction, of which the proper title is "Creative Non-Fiction" (Creative nonfiction (also known as literary or narrative nonfiction) is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not primarily written in service to its craft.)

I'm merely pointing out that as your group lacks any visible definition (wrong or otherwise) of non-fiction, 'mistakes' or 'disagreements' such as mine are likely to happen again. Obviously I can't force you to take my reviews, but I can advise you toward preventing a repeat of this situation. I may not be submitting my work (non-fiction or otherwise) to this group, but that doesn't mean I can't take an interest in what my fellow writers may come across.

(In short, I agree with _________)

[I discovered before I posted the reply that another Group Admin had posted a reply of his own:

Group Admin 2: my personal opinion is that book reviews are, categorically, considered non-fictional prose, as are guides, essays, letters, position statements, etc. if we're going to preclude this specific type of prose, then we need to state that in our group rules.]

And for the record, I wasn't insulted that you declined my review. Your first response made it sound like you didn't think I wrote the piece, so I clarified that I had, it was my work, and it was non-fiction. Then you come back with a slight against book reviews as a whole. The "anyone can do it" line applies to EVERY form of literature, so why are reviews singled out?

Only reason I come up with is because they must inherently lack as much effort as other pieces. This could be the case if a book reviewer merely regurgitated the same drivel time and time again about every single book she read, but that would still come down to a quality issue. Since this was not sited in your reasons for declining, obviously quality was never investigated, such that it was a stigma against the sub-genre (yes, sub-genre of non-fiction) as a whole.

In your eyes, my work is inherently inferior to stream-of-consciousness or I-remember-when pieces. It's of no consequence that I put hours into researching (aka reading the book, possibly looking up additional information) my material. Or that I spend another few hours crafting my review so that it not only conveys my opinions in a tactful manner, even when I'm stating negative opinions, but so it also appeals to and engages my audience in a way that they are then compelled to act.

And this is different than any other piece of "literature" because...? Oh, because I'm recommending the reading of a specific book? I guess it would be more literary if I were telling them to support local animal shelters. Or take a stance on pro-life/pro-choice. Or telling them that poaching or terrorism or slavery or rape is bad. Yes, all those opinions are literary, but my reaction to the violence, desolation, and other horrors in The Hunger Games trilogy isn't because I have "review" in the title.

And I shouldn't be insulted because?

On some level, I'm still angry. It really is hard to separate yourself from a dispute when you've worked your butt off on one side of it for the past 2 years. I took hiatuses because I was overwhelmed by all the work I'd heaped on myself. I stressed myself out to the point where I didn't want to read at all. Was that all for nothing?

Sure, anyone can read a book. They might need a dictionary for some books, or cliff-notes for others, but the act of turning a page and absorbing information from the words on a page (or words being spoken from an audiobook) is accessible to anyone literate.

But a review isn't a simple, "This book was good!" or "I give it 4 out of 5 stars." A review's goal is to speak to its audience, connect with them, take them on a journey, and ultimately convince them to take a chance (or not) on a book.

Some audiences require critical literary analysis - what metaphors are used, how does the juxtaposition between the character and the setting work in this novel, did the author's divorce during the writing of this novel impact the outcome, etc.. Others might just need that star rating.

In my case, I try to appeal to an audience that reads Young Adult literature, so my tone is typically informal, my analysis focuses on the characters and key plot points, and I include what I think to be an appropriate age-range for each book based on language, violence and relationships/sex.

I write because it makes me happy. I'm not paid for it. I typically don't get much response from it. I've written a few fiction pieces, and even contemplated writing a novel once or twice. But writing reviews allows me to combine my two favorite hobbies: reading and writing. I don't know if I'll ever publish something of my own, but in the meantime, I can recommend the fantastic works that are already here. And that's why I review.

~~~

A couple days after I posted the above journal on dA, I got a reply from Group Admin 2 (the nice one):

Group Admin 2: That was about as well put as could be. FYI, I noted the group founder concerning this question of whether we accept this type of prose. I even suggested that we add a gallery just for this type of piece. I really like that you were able to define the group's slant as being towards "creative non-fiction". If nothing else, this exercise will help us better refine our galleries and define our audience. So, you have done us a service. And I would like to thank you.

~~~

And now, here it is almost a month later and I am ecstatic to announce that the group has recently re-named their "Prose - Non-Fiction" folder to "Prose - Creative Non-Fiction" AND added a "Prose - Essays and Reviews" folder to their gallery!

I haven't yet decided if I'll give them another chance, or if I'm going to resign myself to being happy for them and reviewers in general. What do you think?

The Old Grey Mare, She Ain't What She Used To Be

VS

I remember the first time I learned to spell. I was probably three or four years old, watching a preschool video that was all about words*, then running into the kitchen yelling, "Mom, MOM! Guess what?! C-A-T spells CAT!!!"

It was a simpler time. When a mere three letters was all you needed. Cat. Hat. Dog. Rug. Mom. Dad. Imagine my excitement when I learned how to spell my five-letter name!

And five was only the beginning. Soon I came across longer and longer words. Spelling became a gateway to reading and writing. And reading and writing were a gateway to creativity, to possibilities, to growing up...

But somewhere along the line, spelling became a lot more complicated. Well, when you're dealing with 11-letter words like "complicated", it's pretty inevitable.

You learn the rules. About how certain letters only make certain sounds (G always goes "guh" while J always goes "juh"), how it's always I before E (...except after C...or when it sounds like I), that T or S plus H makes a whole new sound (but it doesn't effect W at all), how E is a big bully that always makes the other vowels change when it's close**, and how these rules are concrete and non-negotiable.

Yeah. Right.

Lessons quickly shift from "these are the rules" to "forget the rules, they don't apply here". For, you see, there are double letters, and silent letters, and words (or names***) that inexplicably defy the rules. Still, you put your time in and studied your pants off for those spelling quizzes. You're writing words backwards and upside-down, left-handedly or in a mirror, using them in sentences that probably don't even make sense...****

And then, even after all that, you still manage to get some wrong.

For the longest time, I was sure that I had "andswered" a question. It wasn't until I started typing things up (OMG SPELL-CHECK!!!) that I was corrected. Then there's "defence", which is obviously spelled the same way fence is spelled, otherwise they wouldn't hold up those signs at basketball games. And, of course, as highlighted in the title, I've had problems with grey vs gray.

I believe my first encounters with the word were g-r-e-y. Whether that was on crayons or from a sing-along video*****, that was how I learned it. But once I decided to start using the word myself, that pesky red spell-check line would always show up. Even now Firefox insists that I change grey to gray. And yet, I'm still consistently writing grey. It just looks more...more mysterious, edgier, grittier, and at the same time more professional to me.

And I've acquiesced to it's request for the better part of my life. Until now.

For you see, in college I discovered the true scope of the internet. How it stretched across to different countries. Countries that seem to enjoy adding U to certain words, or having Z instead of S. Where defence is the norm instead of defense. Apparently Americans have their own way of doing things, even when it comes to spelling.

Now, I won't be changing my tune (or my typing) on all things—most of the differences are still pretty jarring when I come across them—but I have decided that grey (which is apparently much more common across the pond) will now go unedited. I'll be ignoring that pesky red line and leaving it be from now on.

So, what are some of your commonly misspelled words? Do you ever feel more at home with another country's spelling? And what about the rumors that silent letters are really French ninjas?


*Seriously one of my favorite movies growing up. And I can't even remember the name of it! It starred a dog named Groucho and an ostrich who were trying to find a friend and this treasure out in the dessert. They helped alphabetize animals at a watering hole, they helped the ghost of King Tut clean his pyramid by spelling what was in the displays... Man, I kinda wish we hadn't sold it/given it away/lost it.

**No joke, I literally learned the "rules" of E that way

***One kid in my class was Jeff while another was Geoff...yeah, try explaining that to 1st-graders!

****Each week we had to complete 5 exercises with our spelling words. These are a few that I remember. I guess it worked?

*****Wee Sing: The Wee Sing Train included the song The Old Grey/Gray Mare.

My Misadventures in NaNoWriMo

Week One didn't go so well for me. I spent the majority of Sunday and Monday in bed, then just felt drained for a couple days more. This gave me time to reflect on things...and I've decided I'm not going to follow through with NaNoWriMo.

I know what you're thinking,
"Don't give up!"
Or, as my region's liaison wrote,
"First, let's talk about if you're behind schedule. This is absolutely not a reason to give up! Why? Because even if you haven't written a single word, if you start today you will still hit 50K on the 30th if you write 2,083 words a day.
If you've already written some words you'll need even fewer every day to stay on track and win. I bet you'll find that your words-per-day to win are not as heavy a load as you were imagining."

Thing is, I have a few reasons why I'm dropping out:

1
Preparation
In a rookie move, I decided to start literally from scratch on day one. No outline, no notes, no research. Creatively speaking, I should be fine, unfortunately I am too much of a nitpicker (left brain analyst) to let things flow freely. Which leads me to...

2
Stress
Because I've not prepared things to my own standards, my analytical side has red sirens blaring, telling me there's no way I'm gonna get things done. And if the voices in my head say no...well, I can't really argue with them. There's also the guilt factor of...

3
Prior Responsibilities
One of which is my blog. Not that I have a problem with leaving off for a month (as evidenced in September), but I've received a number of books that I've agreed to review, and I feel horrible pushing them off for as long as I have already.
Also, I have a job search to be doing and other family obligations that I cannot push aside for an entire month. And that seems to be the case with the schedule my muse has decided to set...

4
Muse Time Disagreements
For some reason, my muse is MIA during the daylight. I mean, I know I'm a night owl, but she doesn't show up at dusk, or even midnight. No, she decides to show up when I'm trying to fall asleep (3-5 AM) and keep me awake for 2-3 extra hours. Okay, I grant you she is a bit of a demon in nature, and I really shouldn't expect anything less, but it's really bugging me. Don't get me wrong, if that's when she wants to show up, I'm fully willing to submit to her time constraints. Just not when I'm supposed to be alive during the daylight hours.


So, that's where I stand at the moment. My official NaNoWriMo journey is over until further notice. Who knows, I might try to add a bit to my 270 words (after I re-write it because I totally got her voice wrong) and see if I can get my muse to comply to my wishes (she seems to love talking when I'm half-asleep). But I'm not really expecting much.

In better news, I HAVE committed to writing this story.
(I know, a bit of conflicting information, right? Stay with me here.)
I've gone ahead and created my book's cover, as well as a (rough) tagline:

Most people think being fired is the end of the world.
For Kali, it's only the beginning...

I know, I could've/should've spent the time making this actually writing the story, but I needed something tangible, something I could see. Now I just need to fill the insides with equally amazing words!

I just need to get things in order first. To help me, I've enlisted the help of some (what else) books that I've acquired over the years:

I've read pieces and parts of the first two for classes, and the third looks simply amazing, even though I'm not specifically writing "Fantasy".

To help me out a bit more, I purchased this book earlier this year:

I'd originally planned on using it through NaNoWriMo, but I think I might benefit from its services better at a slower pace.

I'm sorry that this month's plan (or lack of a plan) didn't pan out, but I'm still very excited. Kali's story will be written (else I might not ever sleep again) and she'll be unleashed upon the masses.

If there are any other NaNoWriMo's reading this, or other people who would enjoy a bit of inspiration, here's an amazing song/vid I discovered last week. Best wishes!

Pierce in Portland + NaNo Notes

Last week, on the 18th, I had the opportunity to meet one of my author idols, Tamora Pierce.

The event was held downtown, at The Old Church, and was attended by (I'm guessing) upwards of 200 teens, parents, and avid fans of an older variety (such as myself).

There were even a couple cosplayers dressed as Beka Cooper and Barzha Razorwing (Stormwing Queen).

After a short reading from Bloodhound and introduction of her experience as a writer, she then opened the floor up for questions.

Time was short, as it was a school night, so not all the questions were gotten to. Luckily, she was quite talkative afterward during the signing. I had wanted to ask her, "Is there a good rule of thumb for deciding whether or not to kill off a character?" ...But I chickened out and merely asked her, "If you could go to a book signing by any author, alive or dead, who would it be?"

She replied without hesitation:
Neil Gaiman or Stephen King

Of course, as you can see, my picture taking skills leave a bit to be desired. This is partly the fault of the location—lighting was horrible—and partly my own fault for not coming out and asking for a picture.

Oh well, just something to shoot for the next time!

You can listen to (and download) a podcast of the event here.

Keep in mind that she wandered around the stage (and away from the microphones), so you might need to adjust the volume throughout.

And here are my spoils for the evening:

♀ rule!

Alright, technically I got this one signed 2 years ago in Chicago...
But here's what I got that night!

Good luck at NaNoWriMo!

♀ rule!

May you always get
the right idea
at the right time-

Which leads me to my next point...

I'm participating in this year's NaNoWriMo!

Or, at least I'm going to try.

I know I still have work I need to be doing, and I hate to just up and abandon the blog for a month (again)...

Well, there I go, already making excuses for myself.

Alright, bottom line.
I'm going to try to have fun with it.
I'm going to try for the 50,000 word mark.
I'm going to try and continue reading and reviewing.

And I would love for your support.
If you're participating, go ahead and look me up,
Add me as a Writing Buddy!

And wish me luck!

I is for Inspiration

Heh, just kidding about that whole invisible thing...

Inspiration—which I have been sorely lacking recently—is an integral part to the creative process. Be it drawing a picture, creating an add campaign, or working on a blog, the creator has to have that initial spark of inspiration before the masterpiece/project can begin.

Now, some people may try to fly by the seat of their pants, or use a lack of time as their motivation for a piece (trust me, procrastination has fueled many an artist), but the brain never runs on empty and an idea can never pop out of thin air. ...Okay, it sorta does, but I mean it's never derived from nothing. There's history and experience leading into it.

Ever hear of subliminal advertising? Pretty much, if you see or hear something repeated enough times, it sorta gets ingrained into your brain, even if it's not what you're focusing on.

So, let's say you get up in the morning and watch the news while eating breakfast, during which time a commercial comes on for Hot Pockets pizza. You don't really pay attention to the commercial, but you leave the sound on out of habit. You pick up a paper on the way to work, in which is a large full-page ad for Papa Murphy's pizza. At work, everyone's talking about the big promotion of Pete Zamenkus. Your co-worker's favorite phrase is 'For Pete's sake'. On the way home, all you can think about is ordering a pizza... Ta da!

"But what does that have to do with inspiration?", you ask. Well, artists, writers, and other creative people, who are often naturally more open to the environment around them, can be easily susceptible to gaining inspiration from already trademarked sources.

"Hey! I just got an idea for a book! It's about an awkward girl who moves to a new town and falls in love with a mysterious handsome boy, who it turns out is an alien who can't go into direct sunlight. Sounds great, right?"

"Um...actually it sounds really familiar... Have you read Twilight?"

"What? You mean that vampire-flick that came out a couple years ago? Ick, no!"

"You sure?"

"Duh. But my sister drove me up the wall about it! Edward this, and vampire that. Sounded pretty lame."

"Maybe you oughtta watch it..."

*2.5 hours later*

"NOOOOOOO!!!"

Hehe, alright, maybe a little extreme/unrealistic that anyone would not know what Twilight was about and/or try to copy it. And, actually, if you go by Arthur Quiller-Couch's belief that there are only 7 basic plots, then you know that every story has already been written, and it's merely a changing of characters, setting, and style.

But all this seems to be getting a little off-topic.

Inspiration comes from our experiences, our senses. Perhaps you see something on your way to work and you scramble for something to doodle on. Perhaps a particular line catches your attention from a TV show and a whole series of ideas spring from your fingers to your keyboard. Perhaps you hear about how somebody famous did something amazing and you decide to donate to a charity.

Inspiration is taking an idea and putting it to action. Whether it be writing it down, drawing it up, or acting it out, you're always inspired to do something. Sometimes you don't realize it's happening, and it's just a subliminal response. But sometimes, it's simply too huge to ignore.

So tell me, what inspires you?

Some I Books I've Read:

An Intriguing I Group:

The I Font:

F is for Fanfiction

That's right. Fanfiction. Boon of some, bane of others. Is it ripping off published works, or adding to them? Does it aide to a career of writing or one of theft?

Many an author has said something to the effect of, "And I finally had to let it go," or, "And then it was out in the world and out of my hands." Once you've completed your last edit, there's really nothing you can do (barring, of course, the 100th Anniversary edition) and your work is now in the hands of readers. You've released it to the masses for them to read, interpret, and enjoy.

But some authors feel a line is crossed once their characters move from the pages of their story to the pages of someone else's. I mean, it's understandable that you wouldn't want your baby (a common metaphor used for stories) playing around with the wrong sorts of people; they're bound to feel protective. After all, you raised that character from page one. You spent hours upon hours crafting his personality, her look, its way of speaking. And now someone else thinks they can pull the strings? It's an outrage!

But, not 2 seconds earlier, didn't you say you'd released it? That your work (and the characters) was out of your hands?

...Well, yes... But that was before thousands of people started desecrating it!

With the internet boom, there are hundreds thousands a huge number of sites dedicated specifically to hosting fanfiction, not to mention others which host it on the side. Where before you wrote it maybe for your group of friends, or a fan-group that met once a month/year, now you can post it for millions to see. It's as good as being published!

Well, maybe not, since the majority of fanfic writers don't get paid for their work. And the fact that the majority of the pieces I've seen all offer disclaimers at the beginning, stating that the characters/universe is property of its respective author.

I'd even venture to say that the majority of fanfic writers only have the utmost respect for the author. They write because the characters have struck a chord within them and they merely want to show their appreciation and creativity.

And some authors get it. Tamora Pierce, author of a plethora of YA fantasy, states on her website that she is fully supportive of fanfiction:

     As long as no one tries to make a profit from fanfics based on my work, I don't mind in the least. What I do mind, and what my publishers will mind as well (and they're the ones with the attorneys), would be if someone tried to sell work using my characters, maps, etc. That's copyright infringement (the fancy term; the unfancy one is "theft"), and the result would be ugly.
     On fanfics in general, I think they're one way to develop your skills as a writer. Sometimes it's easier to keep a story going if you don't have to create the setting and some of the characters yourself. I'd hope that sooner or later people writing fan fiction would branch out into creating their own worlds and books (hey--I need something to read, too!), but at least they're having fun as they write fan fiction. Besides, when I was a kid, I wrote "Star Trek" and Lord of the Rings stories--we just didn't call them "fan fiction" back then.
     At the risk of using a cliche, some of my best friends are fan fiction writers. Well, when they're paying you to do it, it's called "tie-in" writing. My friend Josepha Sherman has written two "Star Trek" books, three "Highlander" books, "Buffy" and "Xena" books--and her own books as well. The tie-in books help to support her until her own books start earning royalties. I know others who write "Spiderman" books, "Buffy" books, "Star Wars" books, computer game tie-in books . . . We all have bills to pay, and that's how they pay theirs. And a lot of those tie-in books are pretty good!

And Diane Duane's message boards display a similar support:

     No fiction writing of any kind is to be posted on this board.
     DD pays for this board. She likes to come here and read posts. And if she read your fiction, there could be problems. Since she pays for this board, we should make it simple for her not to be tripping over problematic material by making sure it's not here.
     While DD, as a Star Trek author, is well aware of the allure and appeal of writing fan fic, and is thrilled and delighted that she and the YW books may have, in some way inspired you to go write your own stuff, if you put it here, you can open her up to legal implications that could jeopardize her career. We know that you wouldn't be the one suing her in court for stealing your ideas, but all it takes is one nutball (cf. all those folks who have gone after J.K. Rowling because they think they wrote Harry Potter). And if you post your stuff, it could encourage that nutball to do the same. There are other places, like nanowrimo, fanfic sites, or livejournal that are far better for this.
     But yes, write like a fiend! Wizards are good with words. That many of you would also be writers was just in the cards. Just don't post it here.

Wait, so the author can't even read the fanfiction? Back to Tammy for more detail:

As for reading fanfics, I must abstain, politely. There's the time factor, for one, as in, I don't have any. More importantly, though, sometimes in the heat of the battle with a book, we grab any idea that surfaces, without necessarily knowing where it came from. I've since gone back to find things I've fitted to my use in books and movies I read years ago. I can't take the chance that someone else's ideas might enter the stew where my creativity happens, to surface years later: that's how writers get sued for copyright infringement/theft. It's nothing against fanfics or their writers, and everything to do with me covering my behind.

So, I guess it makes a little more sense that some writers would be so against fanfiction, since they can't/shouldn't even read what's out there. It's one thing knowing that your kid's getting a tattoo, it's another if you have no idea where or what the tattoo is.

As for myself, I have written 5 fanfics. I know, GASP! My first was based on the Extreme Ghostbusters cartoon, and it was written in freshman year of high school. My second was a 'missing' scene in the Big Wolf on Campus tv show written later that year. Then came my first literature-based work, a 'final book' of sorts to end the Everworld series by K.A. Applegate. Unfortunately I never got past the first chapter. Same went for my Kim Possible fanfic...and my most recent attempt at an LXG fanfic.

Now I'm more in-tune to my own fiction and I don't see continuing these projects. Well, maybe the LXG one, if I get some more inspiration/time/motivation. Mostly I see these as exercises in plotting, characterization, and writing in general. Going back to what Tamora Pierce said, it's much easier to get things started when you already have a character talking in your ear about what they want to do. But now my own character's taken priority, and she's brought a megaphone.

As far as reading fanfiction goes...I'm not really into it anymore either. There were a few I used to follow religiously, I avoided some genres like the plague, and was completely uninterested in others.

Harry Potter fanfiction (which is HUGE) never appealed to me because I wasn't interested in any stories but the original. I also didn't like the way other writers portrayed the characters. Having mortal enemies snogging each other out of the blue is not my idea of a good story. Meanwhile, I'm very involved in a Harry Potter role-play community who take original characters (OCs) and manipulate them in Harry Potter's world, so to each her own.

Well, what do you think about fanfiction? Have you dabbled in any, or do you stick to more traditional sources of fiction?

Some F Books I've Read:

A Fantastic F Group:

The F Font: