n_wilkinson | Ask the Author - Torquere Social (Reply)

So, yesterday was Ask the Author day on the Torquere Social list, and I was the one in the hotseat. Since many of you aren't members of said social list, I thought I'd go ahead and post that informal Q&A here if anyone was interested in reading it. I've put each question in italics, with my answer following it.

Vincent Diamond asks: "I'll start: how long have you been writing, and are your characters inspired by real-life folks?"

My response:

And I can honestly say that my characters aren't based on any real-life people. They are usually inspired by characters from media and my slight obsession with anime and manga. I don't even pay much attention to movie and music stars, so I would have to do some serious searching to find someone I think resembles my characters *laughs*. Though I will admit that I love Johnny Depp!

Angie Benedetti asks: "Do you usually come up with plot first or characters? Pantser or outliner? :)"

My response: Plot first or characters? Hmm. That's a toughie. But I think I'd probably have to say plot first. I get a basic idea in the back of my mind but it doesn't flesh out until the characters who make the plot move are firmly developed. And then I work out all the little twists and turns and scenes once my characters have started speaking for themselves.

And I'm totally a Pantser. I might have a basic outline in terms of order of events, or a scene way in the future that I've quickly jotted down for my own reference. But when it comes to writing the story itself, I just sit down and write and let the characters dictate for me what they want. Afterward is the fun part, when I get to wrestle them into submission and coherence for a story to make sense. *chuckles*

AKM Miles asks: "Can you work on more than one book at a time....like several...or do you have to stay on one story until it's done? I'm really interested in that."

My response: After being nagged by teachers to "Write Outlines" and hearing everyone else around me talk about how necessary they are, I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who can occasionally just let the story write itself.

Actually, I'm of the sort that simply can't work on one story at a time. Even when I enjoy it, I tend to get... not bored, but it feels too much like routine if I focus on only one story. So at any given time, I can be working on six or seven different stories. Since I'm still a presence in the world of fanfiction (which is a great way to build a fanbase), I tend to work on those as well as original fiction, which greatly increases the number of fics I'm working on at a given moment. I can be quite productive when the muse is inspired. *laughs*

I've also found that participating in NaNoWriMo (writing a novel in a month) is also a good way to crack down and get some words out. Even if it needs to be edited and fleshed out later, you can still get some good work done in those thirty days. But being able to complete focus on one novel by itself is a good thing, too. Sometimes, I wished my brain worked that way so I'd have more stories finished than so many in progress.

Eden Winters asks: "I have a few questions! How did you get started writing this genre? Who are your inspirations? What one m/m book do you wish you'd wrote? Oh, and one more: What's next?"

My response: Like most of my writing "firsts," my interest began with fanfiction. I think the first ever slash fic I read was something from a video game -- Final Fantasy VII, if I recall correctly. I remember feeling like I was just the kinkiest person in the world for reading it. And after that, I was hooked. It took a friendly nudge from my best friend to actually try writing it. You know, I don't think I've ever thanked her properly for introducing me to this wonderful genre.

Since I'm still pretty new to this genre, I actually haven't read many books. Less than ten, I think? Though I'm rapidly building up a collection as I browse through Torquere and other publishers once or twice a week to find a new book to occupy an evening. I honestly couldn't think of a single one I wished I'd wrote.

Inspiration wise, there's not really any one thing in particular. I tend to listen to a lot of music in a wide variety of styles and a good song can really get me in the mood or give me an idea. I don't have any favorite authors or anything yet, though the first original slash writer I ever read was Tricia Owens and her site Juxtapose Fantasy.

What's next?

Well, I have several stories in the works. The first of which is a romantic murder-mystery entitled "In Darkness Dwells". The rough and first draft of it is available on my livejournal (http://dracoqueen22 .livejournal. com) until I actually finish it. Since it's a work in progress there's only two chapters up with a third one to make an appearance within the next week or so.

I've also an urban fantasy in the works entitled "Shady Hill" which I plan on getting started on here in the next couple of weeks. From what I've got planned, it's a nice mix of action, smut, violence, angst, and romance.

And lastly, I'm smack dab in the middle of an ongoing fantasy series overall titled "War of the Animum" which is a high fantasy ... well, epic is about the only word I can think of because it's going to be long, extensive, and honestly, so far there's no end in sight. It's my Free Fic that I've been writing since before "The Requiem of Janus" and it's soon to be on my livejournal and already on my homesite, The Den of Debauchery (http://dracosdebauchery.tripod. com).

In the middle of all that I've a bunch of ideas, but nothing that's really fleshed itself out yet. I like to be hip deep in projects. It makes me feel accomplished. *laughs*

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And that's the end of the day. I always get so excited when people ask my questions. I love to babble on and on about my writing so really, it doesn't take much to get me started. *laughs* I really enjoy taking part in these opportunities that Torquere provides. I should be hosting the livejournal social again sometime in July or August. I'll let you know when that is so you guys can stop by if you want.