fanfictioncritiquegroup

Okay, it's catch-up time.

Week 56: February 1st, 2009.

Winner: Peaceloverainbow

TQ: When writing a classic character/story in a modern setting what can be gained or lost in translation?

I'm not too sure since I've never done something like that, but from reading things about that (AU Star Trek fics - don't ask), a lot can be gained (and lost).

Introspect into the character and how they would fare in the modern world is definitely something that can be gained. It's entertaining, especially if it's written well and in-character. That could be difficult for some, though - I once read this fic where Spock was in our world and half the time it was out of character, but it was a joy to read.

In-characterness can be kidnapped, killed, tied up in a bag, and thrown in a river with classic stories/characters being set in modern times. It doesn't happen all the time, but normally, when I see something like "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde retold in modern times", I usually expect things being totally OOC and just being bad.

Also, some people tend to have the mind-set of "Oh, God, this is gonna suck," when reading a story about a classic set in modern times. And most of the time they're right, but not always. That kind of thinking makes it too hard for people to actually enjoy the story, and I will admit I had something of that mindset when I clicked the link for this (It went away as soon as I read the first chapter, though =)).

Sometimes, people don't want to see their classic stories being ruined by this and some even avoid them like the plague. They're prejudiced against it because they either a) don't want to see their classics ruined or b) can't imagine something like that and find it hard to relate to the characters anymore.


Week 57: February 8th, 2009

Winner Giorgia

TQ: Tell me about Mary Sue and her twin brother Gary Stu. Be volitile. Be passionate. Be down right cruel! What is a Mary Sue or Gary Stu? What defines them? What are major flags that one's coming up? Are they ever beneficial to the story?

Mary Sue: In agreement (mostly) with PLR, but there's a few different things that make a Mary Sue. Firstly, there's the evil thing of putting oneself into one's story. Which, I am going to say, is a vile thing to do. It just makes me think, "No, you idiot, you are not that important, you do not have the solutions to everything, and it is very sad to want fictional characters to like you." I think it's like writing FF for bands.

"And I/she was at a My Chemical Romance concert, and [insert lead singer's name here] came off the stange and took me/her back into his dressing room, and he fell in love with me/her and it was the best kiss ever. We/they made out for, like, hours."

*Shudder*

It's just wrong.

But then there's the more fantasy genre Mary Sue. (Try out this link; it's awesome fun. I couldn't stop laughing.)

Then there's the combination of the prior definition and proper fanfiction. There's this thing that people (almost always teenagers) do that drives me absolutely insane. It is taking thirty-something year old characters and making them like high school students. Or actually making them high school students. And I don't mean AU they-met-in-senior-year. I mean...

I read an Alias fic a while ago that was horrible. It was basically, "Sydney, Vaughn, Weiss: undercover in a high school for a few weeks. Make friends, lose friends, get angsty about said lost friends, groan about doing homework and OMG, Weiss falls in love!" With a high school student.

Okay, so. If you can't relate to a thirty year old, you probably shouldn't be watching the show, let along caring about the characters, and don't drag them down to your level. Channeling your own emotions into a adult like that (with so much experience, very worldly, etc.) is just a little sad. So basically, it's making an already-established character a Mary Sue. Which is, essentially, just bad FF.

But I'm getting a little off-topic.

Gary Stu. I actually haven't heeard that before. But, again, I agree with PLR. It's pretty much just the author's idea of The Perfect Man. The perfect but entirely cliched man, really. The man who is usually suave, funny, angsty, hot-as-hell-fire, etc.

I agree with Luis being a Mary Stu. Anne Rice's characters all are. Well, the male ones anyhow. But, in thier defense, they have the excuse of Anee Rice's weird obsession with not only androgyny, but free-love. You know? Like, after Lestat kills his mother, she's almost like his lover. All their lines of love and gender and such are entirely blurred.

That, and she was probably one of the very first people to create a legitimate and popular Mary Stu.

I think that if they're written well, and aren't of the criteria of I'm-living-vicariously-through-my-characters-because-I'm-awesome, then they can be beneficial. Otherwise they wouldn't be such cliches. I mean, cliches are cliches for a reason, right? They obviously have to have been enough uses and users for them to become so popular in the first place.

If it's the other, less obvious kind, and there's a reason for them to be there, then yeah. Like... Like when you need a character to be everything that is the opposite of another; or a character to mock because they are such a stereotype; or an established character's latest lover (who you don't ship).

As in:

Ship One: "Why don't you be with them? They are so perfect, they can give you everything, I can give you nothing... you deserve better than me."

*Angsty sigh*

Ship Two/One with Mary Sue lover: "Because I want you! They're perfect, but I love you."

I'm rather scathing today, aren't I? How depressing. Hehe. Well, the TQ requested down right cruelty. I could probably run on for a few more... pages... but I'm going to stop.

I like this TQ! It's a lot of fun...

But I'll shut up before I fun myself out. There are fireworks on tonight! Oooh. Pretty.


Week 58: February 16th, 2009

Winner: Zelda49

TQ: How is writing the aftermath of a character death (or other tragic event) that actually happened in the verse of the show different/harder/easier than writing the aftermath of such an event in a fanfiction verse?

There are two sides to my answer this week. On one hand, the writer is more confined when dealing with any event that occurs on the show because s/he has to stick to the script—literally. When writing a tragedy of your own creation you can set the scene any way you want to, kill/maim/injure/etc. whoever you want to, and in whatever way suits your needs. But when dealing with something that has been shown, certain aspects of the scene are unchangeable, forcing you to work around them. That, of course, is the second part of my answer: forcing an author into a specific set of circumstances gives him/her the opportunity to do things the show writers didn’t do, or didn’t think of, or to put a different spin on things. You can focus on a specific character, extend the scene, show the aftermath, express thoughts left unspoken in the episode, etc.


Week 59: February 22nd, 2009

Winner: happyharper17

TQ: How can the way you conduct yourself as a writer affect the readership of your piece? That is will you have a greater number of happy readers if you honor promises to them, update promptly, and go out of your way to read and review other people's work? Or will a good story speak well enough for itself?

To the TQ, I think it can make a tremendous difference, especially in terms of building up general reader loyalty. When I read a story by a writer who goes out of his or her (but almost always her) way to review, reply to reviews, update regularly and generally be considerate and kind toward readers, I always feel so much more of a duty to review.

In general, I pretty much only browse stories with Greg, Riley or Ray, but two of my current favorite stories don't star any of the three. I probably never would have given these stories a chance because they weren't listed as having Greg, Riley or Ray as a main character, but their authors both reviewed my stories quite regularly. I promised that I would review stories of writers who reviewed mine, so I went off to check theirs out and, lo and behold, they were wonderful. In general, authors that go out of their way to review other stories are definitely more likely to be rewarded (or, IMO, should be more likely to be rewarded) with reviews of their own.

As to regular updates and following through on promises, I think it depends. It definitely does contribute toward my respect and trust in the writer over an extended period of time. One of my favorite writers of all time just about always updates every one to two days, and this (as well as the stellar writing) makes me appreciate her as a writer more.

That said, I honestly don't know if it helps bring in more reviews or make happier readers. While I absolutely love and appreciate when authors update regularly and honor promises, if a story is a good story, then I'm still going to love it, and, by connection, love its author, regardless. I also have seen stories that don't get updated for a month, or even years, that manage to accumulate a lot of reviews in the meantime. (These are stories that generally seem to promise a great deal of angst.) While I love that the authors finally update, I wish they would do so sooner.

Personally, I remember one of my betas telling me when I was working on my first story how it's a good idea to update regularly just so readers will get used to seeing your story on the 'Just Updated' list on FFnet and, eventually, will give it a try.

I've definitely gotten comments from readers saying how much they appreciate that I update regularly. I've also heard (and agree) that, with mysteries and other stories where you have to keep track of a lot of details, it really helps to update regularly. I honestly don't know how my story would work if I waited a month between updates, because my readers would probably forget about or lose track of certain details.

Overall, I guess I think that it's just good to be courteous. I think the best way to look at how an writer treats their readers and fellow writers is through the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. So if you want people to review your stories and if you want the stories you read to be updated frequently and to have promises in them honored, then you should do the same for other readers and authors.


Week 60: March 1st, 2009

Winner: Zelda49

TQ: How often do you think it's appropriate and/or advantageous to switch between different characters' perspectives within a story? Within a scene? Within a chapter?

"Switching perspectives" seems like a phrase that is defined by each person individually. Case in point, I once had a reviewer who told me that with a little practice I would learn to write in just one perspective (this was just last year), but 1) I couldn't figure out why switching POVs would be a bad thing and 2) I wrote the story in question in the third person, and just added in the characters' thoughts occasionally. So my definition of perspective is basically point of view--writing through the character's eyes and in their voice.

If we go with that definition, I don't switch perspectives much at all. I like to write in the third person (most of the time). When I do branch out it's into first person, and I usually stay with just one character's POV because it helps me stay consistant. If I start jumping around all over the place I'll get lost, and if I'm lost then my poor reader has no hope.

If we loosen the definition a little to include things like adding in a character's thoughts or feelings, then I switch perspectives all the time, in a story, a chapter, a paragraph. But I don't think of it as a problem, or even as "switching". I think of it as layering in detail, giving the reader a glimpse of what I think is inside that character's head at that moment. So I guess what I'm saying is that perspective, like so many other parts of writing, is really up to the author. But I would suggest that major changes be kept to a minimum and/or be clearly deliniated so that the reader knows whose eyes they were seeing through.

That's my two cents for the week. Can't wait to see what y'all think of Turn the Page. I'm also soliciting suggestions for the last couple of chapters--I've forgotten how I originally wanted to end the story, and am in need of some inspiration.


Week 61: March 8th, 2009

Winner: Everyone - you guys seriously went to town this week!

TQ: Pick a character from you favorite fandom and write about their history. Who are some of their most significant friends? Their family? Non-friend people who have impacted them? Pets? Tell us everything you know about them. Things you know from being familliar with the fandom and things that you have decided are facts about their life.


Week 62: March 15th, 2009

Winner: racefh

TQ: How can basing a relationship in fanfiction or writing in general loosely on one you've had yourself benefit or diminish the dynamic of the story?

I think basing relationships on real-life makes the story feel more real. It makes it seem more relate-able, because it's something that's really going on. And I think it enhances the story when there is a real element to it.


Week 63: March 22nd, 2009

Winner: Giorgia

TQ: How do you decide what's the end to your story? Is it by design from the beginning, or is it
something you feel from the course of the story? Does the length go into your decision? What makes you decide the story's over?

Hehe. My favourite topic.

Well, usually, it's one extreme or the other. I either find the ending is one of the very first things to come to me (and I work backwards from three), or it takes me forever to get it right. Often I end up still not really liking it, but I usually won't post it until I'm at the very least satisfied.

Chapter stories can be much easier, too. If you have any sort of outline (even a mental one) it is easier to know where you want to cut off. Then all that's left to do is figure out exactly how to cut it off.

I think I usually know pretty well when a story is over. I mean, you strive for the ending, right? Well, maybe not 'strive', but my point is that I'm of the mind that if I'm not satisfied with it, or if I feel the need to continue, or if there's still something I want to get across that I perhaps haven't done yet, then it's essentially unfinished.

I also think that an audience knows when a story should finish, even if there are... discrepancies. As in: I like this, write another chapter. Or: The ending was rushed. Etc.

Still, though, there are some stroeis in which I write simply to write, and don't really think about the ending at all until I get there.

Be amazed, guys, I'm about to update this thing...

Week 64: April 12th, 2009

Winner: Zelda

TQ: What do you expect when you're featured? What do you want to see out of the critiques? What are you feeling when you submit it for critique? Are you ever worried it won't e well accepted? Do you think a week is enough time? Too much? Explain the critquee's experience to me.

The couple of times I’ve been featured I’ve gone through pretty much the same mental process: excitement and curiosity followed by a healthy dose of panic, and all three emotions come from the same place. I’m excited and curious to know what you all think of whatever I’ve written, and I know that you’ll give me the straight dirt with all the details…which I think induces the panic. I’m always a little scared submitting a story no matter where I’m posting it, but here we’ve been taught to pay such close attention to everything that I know I can’t sneak anything past you! Always, though, the critiques submitted when I’ve been featured are helpful, containing encouragement, constructive criticism (the principals I’ve worked for could take a lesson or two from this place!), and any errors in spelling and grammar I may have missed (or not even known). The information I get from your critiques makes my work stronger, including stuff I might write in the future

A week is plenty of time for me, even when I’m working full time and/or going to school because I know that I can always submit my critique for the week on Saturday when I don’t have any academic obligations (like today, lol).


Week 65: April 19th, 2009

Winner: Giorgia

TQ: Discuss your favourite writing techniques. What makes them so effective and why do you love to use them? Do some stories make better use of them than others?

Okay, I'm using this answer legitimately (i.e. not as a cop-out), but I think that it all depends on the author.

I never used to like AU fics until I found a site with really good WATFF ones that were absolutely amazing, and well worth reading, well-written, clever, intricate, witty and in character.

I don't really like song-fics, but some of the ones I've read are fantastic, if the lyrics are incorporated well, relevant and not a really, really bad song (which makes it hard to take anything seriously).

Stories without speech can be incredibly dull, or incredibly effective, depending entirely on whether the author's done a good job.

I tend not to like stories with only speech, either, but I've rea d a few that have made me giggle.

Drabbles are kind of the same: really bad or really good. If an author can write something worthwhile in a couple hundred words, then sure.

I read a really good story a while ago that had speech, but it wasn't spoken, as such. As in, there were no speech marks. There would be a paragraph of insight into the character's head, then just a single line in italics which was the dialogue.

And the whole story went that way: paragraph, line, paragraph, line.

And it was really very effective because it portrayed exactly what the story was presenting, which was a weird melancholy calm.

There's another author I know of who can write anything from totally plotless smut to totally innocent fluff in the most intelligent and hysterically funny way. And it works, because they're genuinely good at it.

As for what I like to use, that's a totally different story.

I think that the writing techniques I use tend to basically set themselves up. I don't sit at the computer and think, "Okay, so which writing style will best put across the mood I want?", mostly because I'm too lazy, but hey.

But I think (hope, really) that a good story almost writes itself.

I've written one or two stories with absolutely no speech, and that wasn't really deliberate at all. I just didn't have anything for the characters to say, because there was too much else going on and I didn't want to 'break the moment'.

I've written stories will painfully little description (though I tend much more toward the opposite).

Though, all that said, I do prefer more descriptive writing. I either like writing something that is in a very sarcastic, flippant manner (because it's just fun to be flip sometimes), or I write something that is more... poetic?

I think that you can get across different parts of different genres depending on how you do this. I mean, it's really, really hard to write good angst when you're writing like everything is absolutely hilarious.

Amounts of dialogue usually just kind of follow. Usually, if I'm writing angsty stuff, I don't use as much speech beuase it usually a little more about emotion and inner turmoil. Whereas if I'm writing something more sarcastically, dialogue adds another dimension.

Any style can work, as long as it doesn't read as forced. If I have to sit down and think about what type of sentences and what kind of words and what style of language to use, then I usually just leave the story/idea and get back to it later, or alter it so it feels natural. Otherwise it's no fun to write, and too hard for others to read.

That all said, for all I know, my writing style may be absolutely horrid, so. Hehe.


Week 66: April 26th, 2009

Winner: Zelda

TQ: Have you ever read a fanfiction and felt ispired by it? Are there any particular pieces you read over and over again to give yourself that extra writing push? Yours or someone else's? Please provide links.


I will admit to re-reading my own work, sometimes out of nostalgia (especially if it’s a piece or a fandom I haven’t visited in a while), sometimes to get myself in the right frame of mind (if I’ve been watching Bones all day and want to work on a CSI:Miami story, it’s important that I hear Tim Speedle’s voice in my head and not Agent Booth’s), and sometimes just for something to read. I’ve actually re-read some of my own stuff and found parts I didn’t remember writing! There is one piece of mine that I go back and read every once in a while for a more emotional purpose (it deals with Speedle’s death), but it hasn’t been posted anywhere yet (because it comes chronologically further along in a series I’m working on) so I can’t provide a link yet. I don’t even like to read it, honestly—it’s really sad—but sometimes I feel compelled to go back through it and I do. Mercifully, I don’t cry reading it anymore, but heads up for any of you that do!

As for other authors’ work, a lot of it inspires me, both in general and more specifically as well as positively and negatively. Generally, I’ll see a piece that badly needs a beta and feel the need to go back and proofread my own pieces. Lately I’ve had this idea for a Cold Case story worming its way around my head, but I’ve only just begun watching the show and the show hasn’t been released on DVD, so I don’t have access to the backstory that I need. Instead, I found a wonderful piece by oucellogal on ff.net (and a new member here!) called Sticking that has helped so much with that missing backstory. Plus, it’s so well written that I get involved in the plot, in the feeling of it all, and feel like I’ve been along for the Cold Case ride the whole time, which inspires my writing immensely, to the point where I might actually get the piece finished

I’ve been inspired in more specific ways, too. The most recent example is the last challenge piece I wrote a few weeks ago that involved a dog rescued from an animal shelter (Confessions). The idea to use the pooch was partly due to the fact that my own critter was a rescue, but I would never have even thought of it if I hadn’t read LLK’s To Rise Above And Beat It which deals with the same concept…though in a completely different way. I adored that story so much it stuck with me (now I get a big grin on my face every time I hear John Mayer on the radio) and it provided the missing piece for me in the challenge fic.


Week 67: May 3rd, 2009

Winner: Racefh

TQ: Talk to me about style. How are you more or less stylized than other authors of your fandom? Tell me about your style? What's unique about your writing?

I like to think my style changes with each piece I write, but I know that's not true. I can say it's changed a lot in the 6 or so years I've been writing fanfiction, but that's for two reasons. 1. I've dappled in a lot of fandoms and 2. I've grown up a lot since then.

I think my style is stylized to a point, but it's not the most stylized writing. I try hard, but I also tend to just spew (in a way) what words come to my head because I'm excited to get it out. I think it shows too. And I feel like my style changes sometimes within stories (especially with longer stories).

I think I have a few unique attributes. I write angst that most of the time never ends up resolved (especially in one-shots). I also tend to weave things into corners that make people confused but then tie everything up at the end. And if it's not tied up (no pun intended), then there's probably a sequel.

I'm very rambly tonight, but I think I'm done.


Week 68: May 10th, 2009

Winner: ThePeril

TQ: Tell me about the most unique stoy you've ever read? Written? What made it so unique?

Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 1:03 am Post subject:
TQ: Tell me about the most unique stoy you've ever read? Written? What made it so unique?

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to respond to this in my own critique thread, but I suppose that at best, you all can ignore it if I'm not.

For the most unique story that I've read, I guess I'd have to go with this pokemon fiction I found about a year ago. I can't remember it's name, but I remember it being really beautiful in its simplicity. It was highly generic in its premise: An OC trainer that his pokemon, left home, and went on a journey. Said trainer meets conflict in team Rocket.

However, what made it so unusual was that the main character was very much an eleven year old child leaving home to see the world for the first time, things had to be explained to him, and he didn't have some awesome link between himself and his pokemon right off. Everything he went for, he worked for, and it was interesting to watch the entire time.

What made it special, though, was the constant underlying aura of menace that existed in this characters world. He would get help from teenagers, only for them to leave abruptly with the words,"Don't trust kids my age." His pokemon, Persian, was prone to very unpredictable dangerous behavior, and something was very wrong with the Pokemon centers.

It was all very subtle, but a very nice change of pace from "The plucky hero gets his pokemon and gets a team!"

Now, as for the most unique story I've written? As far as fanfiction goes, I'm going to say either Crashing Konoha.

I mean, what makes it typical is that Naruto has violent midgets. But what makes it unique is that it's awesome like gangbusters, yo.

*Ahem* Moving on.


Week 69: May 17th, 2009; Week 70: May 24th, 2009.

Winner: N/A as twas a generic question

TQ: Ask me anything you might want to know about the FCG!


Week 71: May 31st, 2009.

Winner: LLK, because never before has such an easy question been posted on the FCG. And certainly not one which makes Giorgia answer in less than a paragraph. (I jest!)

TQ: Have you done a major edit and worried about the story's transition from its old form to its new? How confident were you in the final result?


Week 72: June 21st, 2009.

Winner: marymagdalen

TQ: Which part of your body do you most use when you write? Yes, I'm serious. Use 500 words or more to explain. Enjoy!

Three things occur to me right away: head, heart and hands. And it occurs to me that they usually go on and on in a kind of never-ending circle.

First of all, naturally I use my head – as in brain, mind, and imagination. To begin with, I obviously need to have some kind of an idea for a fic, and then use whatever thought processes I can muster to work on that idea, developing it and augmenting it. There are so many aspects to a story that need thinking about: the characters (as in who’s actually going to appear in the fic, either “real” characters or OCs), the characterisation, the scene, the setting, the flow of the story, the ideas I want to convey in the story, and – probably the bit I find most difficult – the working out of any crime aspect that I’m including. All of these need working in to the story, and it takes some really hard thought sometimes to make it work, to make it all flow together to one cohesive whole, into a fic that makes sense.

Sometimes that’s easier when I’m writing a single chapter fic than when I’m writing a multi-chapter fic, but not always – it still all has to be worked out carefully whatever the fic.

Also, using my head, I often find myself sitting at my desk with my eyes closed thinking my way through a scene, picturing it in my mind, working out how it all works out, trying to see the expressions on people’s faces, the scene around them, everything that’s going on, etc, again, to make sure it all flows and works out properly, and works as I want it to.

Which leads on to the heart, in a possibly weird kind of way. As well as trying to see the scene, I often find myself trying to feel the scene too, which can often be a really difficult thing to do. I try to feel whatever emotions the characters might be feeling, which is sometimes not that hard, but then the difficult bit is trying to convey those feeling in writing, trying to actually express emotions and feelings, to actually put them into words that convey the meaning I want.

Which leads on to my hands. Obviously, in the case of fanfic, the story’s no use to anyone till it’s written down! I love being able to type, and to type really fast, because that way my writing can usually keep up with my brain, so I can get things written down before I forget them. Many years ago I also developed my own way of typing in shorthand, which is completely incomprehensible to anyone but me, but is great when I have a surge of inspiration – I can get it all written down quickly before the thoughts or words disappear into the great abyss of forgetfulness!

I said at the outset that this head-heart-hands thing goes around and around in a never-ending circle, so I’d better explain that. Even when I’ve got everything written down, I’ll usually re-read it over and over, and I find myself sitting there again, eyes closed, thinking my way through the scene all over again, feeling my way through the scene, and often re-writing it because it wasn’t quite right first time, or another thought occurs, or I find better ways of expressing it.

And I forgot one thing - I always have music playing, any music, quietly in the background when I'm writing. I'm not necessarily listening to it, rather letting it just permeate my subconscious; it's just there as I'm writing. Maybe it inspires, maybe not; either way, it's there, and I like it.


Week 73: June 28th, 2009.

Winner: Sarai

TQ: Retell the featured story. Tell it better. Use 100 words or fewer.


An explosion at a crime scene leaves most of the team with minor injuries, except for Tony who is critically ill. McGee goes to see Tony at the hospital because it looks like he is going to die. Tony is hovering in a limbo between life and death, with Jen, Kate and Paula for company. They give him a choice, live with a lower quality of life, or die. Somehow he is able to see McGee sitting at his bedside, crying and apologising. He makes an agonising decision, and an apology himself, to McGee, as he chooses to let go.


Week 74: July 5th, 2009; Week 75: July 12th, 2009.

Winner: LLK

TQ: In 500 words or less, write a descriptive monologue from your favorite character in any fandom. <---- Man, this was harsh!

Everyone says they hate being a CSI on a rainy day in the hot days of a Las Vegas summer but the truth is I can’t help but love the rain when I’m working with her. The way it runs down the back of her neck from her hair. The way it makes her clothing dangerously see-through. And the way the rain makes it feel so much less wrong.

Then there’s knowing that she’s going to have to change when we get back to the lab. The way she’ll shed the layers of her clothing without a second thought as I take my time getting ready to finish my shift. The way she’ll let her long strawberry-blonde hair fall from her pony-tail.

The way she studies me when she catches me watching her. She moves a bit more slowly, teasing me. I can’t help but want to move closer to her. Wrap my long arms around her and watch the way the dark and light tones of our flesh mingle.

Oh--unlike my team I love hot summer days in Las Vegas. Especially when it’s raining.

Week 76: July 19th, 2009

Winner: Sarai

TQ: Pick a section of lyrics from any song that reminds you of a character from any fandom. Provide the lyrics and explain.

The song I've chosen is Never in A Million Years by Cara Dillon. She's an irish folk singer who's not very well known but I'm in love with this particular song and the shipper in me really thinks it sums up Jack's relationship with Sam in Stargate:SG1.
If you want me I'll be at your door
And if you need me I'll be by your side
Cos every day is a long winding road
And I'll always be here don't you know.
It's the same old story- he's always there for her, when she's been taken over by a goa'uld, when she nearly dies many many times, and when they lose other teams members etc. They have this unspoken connection and he always seems to known when she needs him and when she needs him to back off. And also the chorus fits them too.
Everytime I look at you I feel the blues
Can't hide the pain inside
No-one ever told me that my heart could break a hundred-thousand times
Never in a million years I thought the tears could break a heart of stone
If you need me let me know.
There's no way they can actually be together. It's not just like Booth and Brennnan getting together and it being frowned on. Sam and Jack can't get together because she's under his command; there'd be major repurcussions for both of them. So the chorus kinda shows how even though Jack feels the pain of not being able to actually be with her as a lover, he still wants to be there for her as a friend.


Week 77: July 26, 2009; Week 78: August 2, 2009.

Winner: Miizaylor

TQ: Write a short scene in which your two favorite characters (they don't have to be from the same fandom) discuss the film Gattaca. A maximum of 250 words.

Well, I’ve never seen this movie. So I have also looked it up.

Two employees of the Las Vegas Crime Lab moved about in the small layout room. Greg Sanders, the recently field-bound lab rat, scurried about, placing pictures on the lighted table. Gil Grissom, his superior and Supervisor of the Grave Shift, stood off to the side, studying his movements. When Greg was done, Gil stepped forward and picked up one of the photos.

“Look at the way his arm is positioned.” Greg looked up, studied the position, then tried to replicate it with his own limb. Unable to do it, they younger man frowned.

“You know, this is exactly like to movie Gattaca,” he said with a small smirk. Gil raised an eyebrow. “They killed this man because he wasn’t as good as the rest. Even though their company stresses non-discrimination.”

Gil placed the picture back on the table and turned to face the man. “Greg, that movie was about destiny and how the characters dealt with it. They were genetically altered; there was nothing they could have done about it.”

Greg chuckled, rolling his eyes, before turning back to the case.


Week 79: August 9, 2009.

Winner: marymagdalen

TQ: Briefly describe the first fanfiction you've ever written.

OK, now we’re dredging up memories! I think the absolutely first fanfic I ever wrote would be... when I was about nine years old - probably before “fanfic” had even been invented, and definitely before posting things on the internet for all and sundry to read was a reality!

My dad’s friend bought me one of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books to cheer me up when I was in hospital, and I became a huge fan of Little House on the Prairie, the books and the TV series (well, I was only nine years old!). However, I thought some of the TV episodes were a bit far-fetched, and decided I could write just as well if not better (I was really very modest in those days!), and I wrote a story about an Indian girl who made friends with Laura.

All I can remember was that she was called Sky, and she had blue eyes – weird for an Indian, but I had (still have!) a thing for blue eyes - and they had all sorts of not-very-girlie adventures together, usually involving getting the better of any male of the species, riding horses bareback all over the place, and generally saving anyone and anything that needed saving! Sky ended up being adopted into the Ingalls family – but then I think that was obligatory if you hung around long enough!

I even remember that I wrote it in a notebook that my favourite Aunt gave me for my birthday; it was one of those little hard-cover books, with a small lock and a little gold key on a chain. I used to hide it in my bedside drawer so that my two big brothers couldn’t get at it; obviously, at nine years old I assumed it was beyond their capabilities to walk into my bedroom and pull open an unlocked drawer, then work out how to use the key that was actually chained to the book!

I have absolutely no idea where that little notebook got to. I suppose it’s one of the many things that mysteriously went missing during one of many house-moves. I do, however, still have every one of my “Little House” books, sitting on a shelf, looking rather dog-eared from many readings, awaiting a girl-child to join the family – I never could get my two sons to read them...! But those books were my first inspiration for many things, not least my first attempts at writing.

And now that I’ve unashamedly bared my soul...!

Week 80: August 30th, 2009

Winner: Racefh

TQ: Tell me about the best review you've ever recieved? In what ways was it satisfying? The worst? Was it in any way satisfying? What did you learn from each?

I have a few that I would say are the best. First, from this most recent challenge piece. It was a really thorough review, and it gave me confidence in my characterization ability... something I had been worried about with that story. It was nice to see that someone else liked it.

Second good one: The story was Day's Ending (another challenge piece), and Giorgia's review was just... amazing. I don't know that I can even appropriately describe it. It was such a complete review... actually, more like a critique in a review... and I really enjoyed reading it.

Finally, this isn't a particular review so much as a reviewer. There's one person on ff.net that always reviews my NCIS series I got going on, and every review is thoughtful. She comments on each part of the chapter and offers her own theories and some advice, and I really like that.

All of these have been satisfying because they all are detailed, helpful for me to grow as a writer, and just great reviews. They made me feel good about myself, and I loved them.

The worst review was on a story of mine called "The End of the World or The Last Thing I See" in which the person reviewing basically said the story sucked because it didn't end happily (and for anyone who hasn't read it, I won't spoil the ending). It wasn't so much the person saying that they didn't like it that bothered me. It was the fact that the story was very personal to me (and writing it was very cathartic), and it was something I wasn't completely comfortable putting out there (but managed to be convinced to release), and then for that to be the first reaction to it... it really made me kinda upset.

I learned that I need to start writing better reviews... haha. No, I learned that you really can't please everyone all of the time, and despite the fact that the 'worst review' kinda stung, at least someone's actually reading it.


Week 81: September 6th, 2009

Winner: *Sarai*

TQ: What appeals to you about certain fandoms enough to make you want to write for them? How do you know when you're "ready" to jump in with a new fandom? Which fandoms do you choose not to write for? Why?

Oooh what an amazing TQ I'm not quite sure how to answer it though lol. The first fandom I started writing for (CSI:Miami) has never been my favourite fandom, yet I've written the most fics for it. Why? I think it's appealing because it isn't my favourite, and if I ended up writing something that doesn't do the show or the characters justice, it wouldn't have mattered too much.

Then I stopped watching Miami and had to start writing for other fandoms, specifically Bones and NCIS, again not my favourite fandoms but ones of which I had enough knowledge of the characters and plot lines to piece together some semi-decent fic, thats's mainly how I felt ready to write in these new fandoms, well that and the fact I had some fellow writers within the fandom who I could sound ideas of off. That was important too, having people in the know who could tell me if I was doing a rubbish job and what I could do to fix it.

Now the fandoms I always thought I would never write for are my favourites (Stargate, Farscape and X Files). I've since written a few Stargate fics and am in the process of writing a Farscape one, admittedly they are all AU's , and I've only started writing for them because the plot bunnies became unbearable. I'll never write for X Files though, there's no way I'm messing with those characters. Mulder and Scully are off limits and I know that I'd never be able to do them justice (there are some incredible authors in this fandom and I'll never be that good) and I've also seen how badly other people get it wrong and it's so annoying, I don't want to be annoying and shockingly bad.