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mandysbitch asked
Dec. 27th, 2004 03:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
krazykitkatI'm always reticent to answer these types of things. The members of my flist are so knowledgeable, have an ability to dissect and express themselves, and write lovely entries...while I'll never be accused of eloquence. I'm a little embarrassed by my primary school effort below.
1. We were talking about this before, so let's continue on a theme: do you think your writing has improved and how has it improved?
Yes. Definitely improved. Posting my first WW in the last week was difficult, I had to stop myself from editing the hell out of it. While it's not bad, and overall I think the story and characterisation are pretty good, there's definitely problems.
How has it improved? Ummm...not sure whether I'm the best one to answer that, but I'll try. Less exposition fairy and repetition, cleaner prose, increased subtlety...and I guess I've developed my own style. I like to call it 'bare boned Kat'. It's my natural writing style: in late high school, my English teacher, Mrs Youdale, said I needed to put meat on my bones, both my physical bones and my essays.
2. What would you recommend to someone who wanted to improve? Do you have any secrets to offer?
Don't really feel qualified to recommend anything to anyone. And no secrets.
I guess practise, don't spell everything out for the reader (even though that may mean some readers then don't get it).
Dialogue - try and hear the voices in your head, you'll then know whether dialogue is right for the character. Go for naturalism.
Sex scenes - we don't need to know where every body part is (though positions must be possible), we don't need every thrust and groan, less is more. You don't need to always name body parts, if the reader can't work out what's being pushed into where, they're too young to be reading it.
3. As a scientist becoming a writer do you think there's a division between your scientific and artistic self?
I've always been scientific-minded and I can see the influence on my writing. But as long as I can remember I've always played with tv characters in my head--early fan fiction I guess. Started with A Country Practice (I've always had a thing for wonderful women - Vicky, Alex, Cathy, Anna), then so many other shows especially in more recent years: Picket Fences, Star Trek, Earth 2, Seaquest (season 1), Babylon 5, Christy, Pretender, Crossing Jordan etc etc...
So the "writing" in my head has always been a part of me along with the science.
And I don't think any of that answers the question...simple answer: I don't think so, but I'm not sure ;)
4. You've only written The West Wing fanfiction as far as I can remember - what is it about TWW that makes you write?
My first fanfic was Babylon 5, followed by 3 or 4 Pretender. But The West Wing is definitely my first serious fandom in terms of writing (and probably the last, nothing else has inspired me to put the stories in my head down on paper).
What is it about TWW?
The wonderful characters(/actors), but there are wonderful characters in other shows too.
The CJ/Danny sparks, but I've also loved other pairings.
I guess what it comes down to is Aaron Sorkin's distinctive style. There's nothing like his dialogue. There's a certainty to it (maybe that appeals to my scientific self?).
I've always been confused by people/critics who say that all his characters sound alike. To me the dialogue of each character is clearly delineated. You can't substitute Josh dialogue for Toby, or Jed for Leo. It doesn't sound right.
5. You seem to go through days/ weeks where you want to throw it all away - why do you think this happens? You're still here - what makes you stay?
Why? Because I'm a perfectionist who is constantly frustrated by my inability to put down on paper what's in my head.
Actually I'm my own worst enemy in all areas of my life. As a silly example, in my teens I had a budgie called Snowy. Snowy had been hand raised and was the sweetest, funniest bird, used to sleep on my lap lying on her side or back. Snowy got red mite. I told my parents to get rid of her. It's my automatic response when something isn't perfect anymore (and no, I'm not perfect, but it's a little more difficult to get rid of myself and even if I tried I probably wouldn't do it right). Snowy stayed and we got rid of the mites instead. I'm a little bit looser these days, but I still struggle with it. No wonder I have anxiety and panic problems.
I struggle with writing most of the time, but hang in there because the joy outweighs the frustration. But sometimes...it's usually a build up of problems: several stories not coming together, a story I was so proud of getting little response...the pain just becomes too overwhelming and I'm utterly miserable and throw my hands up in defeat.
What makes me stay? I can't not write for any length of time. This year was particularly hard, about 6 months without really writing anything. The voices disappeared from my head. And just when I thought I was close to the bond being cut entirely, other people's fic was making me so miss writing, and my incomplete fics were taunting me and there was a hole in my soul. Then the voices came back and I'm still here. I'm frustrated at the moment, but they're still yapping away in my head and the hope is still here.
I wish I could have answered better. Sorry.
Ask me some; I'll ask you some. Though I'm no better with the questions than the answers.
1. We were talking about this before, so let's continue on a theme: do you think your writing has improved and how has it improved?
Yes. Definitely improved. Posting my first WW in the last week was difficult, I had to stop myself from editing the hell out of it. While it's not bad, and overall I think the story and characterisation are pretty good, there's definitely problems.
How has it improved? Ummm...not sure whether I'm the best one to answer that, but I'll try. Less exposition fairy and repetition, cleaner prose, increased subtlety...and I guess I've developed my own style. I like to call it 'bare boned Kat'. It's my natural writing style: in late high school, my English teacher, Mrs Youdale, said I needed to put meat on my bones, both my physical bones and my essays.
2. What would you recommend to someone who wanted to improve? Do you have any secrets to offer?
Don't really feel qualified to recommend anything to anyone. And no secrets.
I guess practise, don't spell everything out for the reader (even though that may mean some readers then don't get it).
Dialogue - try and hear the voices in your head, you'll then know whether dialogue is right for the character. Go for naturalism.
Sex scenes - we don't need to know where every body part is (though positions must be possible), we don't need every thrust and groan, less is more. You don't need to always name body parts, if the reader can't work out what's being pushed into where, they're too young to be reading it.
3. As a scientist becoming a writer do you think there's a division between your scientific and artistic self?
I've always been scientific-minded and I can see the influence on my writing. But as long as I can remember I've always played with tv characters in my head--early fan fiction I guess. Started with A Country Practice (I've always had a thing for wonderful women - Vicky, Alex, Cathy, Anna), then so many other shows especially in more recent years: Picket Fences, Star Trek, Earth 2, Seaquest (season 1), Babylon 5, Christy, Pretender, Crossing Jordan etc etc...
So the "writing" in my head has always been a part of me along with the science.
And I don't think any of that answers the question...simple answer: I don't think so, but I'm not sure ;)
4. You've only written The West Wing fanfiction as far as I can remember - what is it about TWW that makes you write?
My first fanfic was Babylon 5, followed by 3 or 4 Pretender. But The West Wing is definitely my first serious fandom in terms of writing (and probably the last, nothing else has inspired me to put the stories in my head down on paper).
What is it about TWW?
The wonderful characters(/actors), but there are wonderful characters in other shows too.
The CJ/Danny sparks, but I've also loved other pairings.
I guess what it comes down to is Aaron Sorkin's distinctive style. There's nothing like his dialogue. There's a certainty to it (maybe that appeals to my scientific self?).
I've always been confused by people/critics who say that all his characters sound alike. To me the dialogue of each character is clearly delineated. You can't substitute Josh dialogue for Toby, or Jed for Leo. It doesn't sound right.
5. You seem to go through days/ weeks where you want to throw it all away - why do you think this happens? You're still here - what makes you stay?
Why? Because I'm a perfectionist who is constantly frustrated by my inability to put down on paper what's in my head.
Actually I'm my own worst enemy in all areas of my life. As a silly example, in my teens I had a budgie called Snowy. Snowy had been hand raised and was the sweetest, funniest bird, used to sleep on my lap lying on her side or back. Snowy got red mite. I told my parents to get rid of her. It's my automatic response when something isn't perfect anymore (and no, I'm not perfect, but it's a little more difficult to get rid of myself and even if I tried I probably wouldn't do it right). Snowy stayed and we got rid of the mites instead. I'm a little bit looser these days, but I still struggle with it. No wonder I have anxiety and panic problems.
I struggle with writing most of the time, but hang in there because the joy outweighs the frustration. But sometimes...it's usually a build up of problems: several stories not coming together, a story I was so proud of getting little response...the pain just becomes too overwhelming and I'm utterly miserable and throw my hands up in defeat.
What makes me stay? I can't not write for any length of time. This year was particularly hard, about 6 months without really writing anything. The voices disappeared from my head. And just when I thought I was close to the bond being cut entirely, other people's fic was making me so miss writing, and my incomplete fics were taunting me and there was a hole in my soul. Then the voices came back and I'm still here. I'm frustrated at the moment, but they're still yapping away in my head and the hope is still here.
I wish I could have answered better. Sorry.
Ask me some; I'll ask you some. Though I'm no better with the questions than the answers.
