Fan Fiction--Why?
Ruth Gifford
We've all been defining the term slash on asce in our various ways, while on
asc there's been a thread about how the fan writers are so much better than
the pros. These seemingly unconnected discussions have gotten me thinking.
While I realize that this is not a good thing for me to do, I'll be reckless
and do it anyway. :-)
What with Trek turning 30 and all (it's OK, I still trust it), I have to
assume that people have been writing fan fiction (erotic and otherwise) for
about 29 years and 9 months (give or take a month). We all know (or should
know) that during the long drought years fan fiction was one of the things
(along with syndicated reruns) that kept the interest in Trek alive.
Paramount in fact, does acknowledge this in a sort of back handed way.
Starting with TNG, and continuing with DS9 (and this should happen on Voyager
soon), Star Trek is said to be the only television show in production that
accepts unsolicited scripts and/or story ideas from unagented authors. Oddly
enough Pocket Books doesn't accept unagented submissions for their Trek
lines. (Any comments on why, Mr. Ordover?) So fan fic is important, and
TPTB allow it to continue.
So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
What do you get out of it? What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
etc, think of your "little" hobby? Where do your ideas come from? What do
you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)? Do you
try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write? Asc writers, do
you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and see
one of your stories? Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
to your *own* orientation or kinks? These are just some leading questions
(and I'll answer some of them for myself in a separate post) and if there's
anything you want to add on the subject, please feel free.
I know that this has been addressed in pop culture academic circles more than
once (anyone want to contribute a list of books on the subject?), but this is
strictly an informal survey, designed to not only satisfy my own curiosity,
but get to get some discussion going.
Also, I'm posting this to the two related groups I frequent. Those groups
are alt.startrek.creative, and alt.startrek.creative.erotica. If any of you
want to pass it along to the related groups *you* frequent, feel free.
I have no idea what (if anything) I'm ever going to do with this. Atara's
the pop culture academic in the family, I'm just nosy . . . ah . . . make
that "curious." I can promise that nothing you post will ever be printed or
posted by me without your express permission.
Thanks,
Ruth
--
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wyc...@ag.arizona.edu
eres...@cyberg8t.com (Ruth Gifford) wrote:
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
Good question. I think it just comes down to the fact that we have a
calling for it. Some of us are bored to death, others use it as a
means of expression, and others do it just for the hell of it.
>Where do your ideas come from?
I'm not sure, because a lot of mine appear as if by magic as I'm
typing away.
> What do you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs
>to mind here)?
I think they're great. Most of my work are crossovers.
===================================================
wyc...@ag.arizona.edu
Mimes, by definition, can't point the finger at you, even while they're
doing it, because they point fingers at everyone.
Gary Rogers
Why do I do it? (Write fan fict that is.. ;)
You know that's a good question. I'll be the first to admit that my body of
writing is rather limited (can we say practically non-existent?) but Fan
Fiction does make it easier to get into writing in general, and
specifically lets budding writers hone their talents before making the leap
into more accepted fiction.
Personally the one person responsible for getting me going was Natalie
Bjorklund, back when I didn't frequent the NG's much I crossposted into
alt.startrek.uss-amagosa, and Natalie e-mailed me basically stating to cut
it out or join in. I picked the latter. (thought I do still indulge in some
of the former. *duck*)
When Zeb Prophet came about, I was hooked. It's the characters of
Alt.Startrek.uss-amagosa that keep me going, particularly Cris Francis's
T'Laera.
Fan Fiction allows you to live out other lives that are vastly more
appealing (to me anyway) than what you get out of a MUD, or a chat line.
That stuff can get too like RL, and I deal with that on a daily basis.
Fan Fic is escape, and stretching the bounds of imagination in gentle
little tugs. You don't have to create whole new worlds, just new
situations, and occasionally new characters.
GRR
Ruth Gifford <eres...@cyberg8t.com> wrote in article
<52k6hb$s...@gate.cyberg8t.com>...
>
>
>
>
> We've all been defining the term slash on asce in our various ways, while
on
> asc there's been a thread about how the fan writers are so much better
than
> the pros. These seemingly unconnected discussions have gotten me
thinking.
> While I realize that this is not a good thing for me to do, I'll be
reckless
> and do it anyway. :-)
R.J.
Why do I write fan-fiction? Hmmmm...I guess because I enjoy it. I like reading
fan-fic because it is far better than anything pocket has published in years. I
like writing it for several reasons, one of which is that I enjoy writing
period. Beyond that, you can do a lot that you would never see on the series.
It applies the great writing question "What if?" to trek, it let's you come up
with an interesting answer. I've also written for publication in various
genres, and find just writing for fun and sharing enjoyable.
Where my ideas come from is even harder to answer. Sometimes from episodes, my
postings here (past and upcoming) have only been episode-based. Other writing
can come from articles, curiosity, the great beyond, or where ever.
I've never worked in shared universes, with the exception of two round-robins,
so I can't make an opinion. I don't mind crossover's if they are done well, but
have no desire to write one myself. And anything written is an alterneate
universe as far as TPTB are concerned. And as to what's canon, even paramount
violates that, so....
-RJ, still waiting for comments on Basics3, writing a sequel since the crew of
Voyager have once again captured my hard drive.
Gabrielle Leanne Lawson
Ruth Gifford (eres...@cyberg8t.com) wrote:
Cutting to the chase:
: So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
Well, I write to write. It's wonderful. I remember very fondly a day
when I stayed home, had no visitors, and wrote 26 pages of my DS9 novel
(not published, but posted here). But I don't just write fan fiction. I
used to--and still plan to--write historical fiction. It depends on the
story. The process of creating, of taking the idea, the scene, I see in
my head and making it come to life by finding the words. It really is
wonderful. I thank God for the gift of it, even if I never publish a thing.
: What do you get out of it? What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
: etc, think of your "little" hobby? Where do your ideas come from? What do
Satisfaction. A yearning for more. It's like a drug. I get so happy
from writing a page (not to mention 26!) and sad when I can't find the
time to write or can't find a story idea.
My mother says she takes my writing seriously, but has never read
anything I've written (okay, maybe a short story). My younger siblings
though loved the DS9 story, and many friends and fellow students have
loved my short stories. One even said she wanted to frame one of them.
And reviews like that are a *great* pick-me-up.
My ideas just come. I can't explain it. I can go a year without having
a single idea. Other times they just show up.
: you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
: here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)? Do you
: try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
I try to stick with canon. It's their creation, I just had an idea for
story. I must add "as much as possible" though. My DS9 story won't be
published because it breaks guidelines by going into a major character's
past. Hey, the story takes precedence. I didn't have an idea that
fit the guidelines. I had an idea that broke them. I wrote it.
: If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write? Asc writers, do
Hard to say. Each are just as easy or just as hard for me. It's getting
a story idea and finding the time to write it that's hard. And the
length. There's advantages to both long and short stories. In short
ones you don't have to tell as much of a character's life, but you have
to tell the whole story in a shorter span. In a novel you get to really
get into something, but sometimes you really need to stretch to fill the
empty spaces between some of the more important scenes. So far I've only
had novel-length ideas for Star Trek and short-story-length ideas for my
historical fiction,
: you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and see
: one of your stories?
Nope. I wish! Of course, I also wish that if it did happen, I'd get
credit for it (and some money--I'm going to have some horrendous
student-loan debts once I get my MA). But I'd love to see my story come
to life on the screen.
: Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
: to your *own* orientation or kinks? These are just some leading questions
I don't quite know how to answer that one, except that I usually write
about a character I relate to, so *some* (not all) of the things they
work through, I kind of work through in the writing of it. It can help
me organize my own thoughts into some semblence of order.
--Gabrielle
Michael Francis
In <52k6hb$s...@gate.cyberg8t.com> eres...@cyberg8t.com (Ruth Gifford)
writes:
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do
it?
During Desert Storm, I clacked out stories on an Olivetti for my hubby
who missed Trek, and mailed them to Saudi. He passed them around, and
I actually got letters from other G.I.s! I was hooked. When he got
home I asked him to teach me that there internet thingy, and the rest
is history.
>What do you get out of it?
A rush. Also, lots of practice and an idea of what works and what
doesn't.
What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
>etc, think of your "little" hobby?
They roll their eyes and tolerate it...barely.
Where do your ideas come from?
<G> My standard answer to that one is "They fall outta my butt."
Actually, I get a lot of ideas from watching the shows and getting
miffed when things don't go the way I'd like them to. Also, I'm a
current events nut.
Do you
>try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own
thing?
A little of both, depending on the effect I'm going for.
>If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
Fan fic seems easier at first, because the tech and scenes and
characters don't require a lot of description; but you have to be able
to "step inside" those characters, to make them recognisable. In
"legit" fiction, the reader has to take your word for it on everything.
Asc writers, do
>you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and
see
>one of your stories?
Hey, that ain't funny! Actually, it's a running gag, at my house.
Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
>to your *own* orientation or kinks?
Er...what kinda kinks didja have in mind, babe? Actually, I'm far less
interesting than *any* of my stories and characters. It's almost like
I "channel" some of them. I am essentially warped, though, and it
comes out in my writing. Some of the kinks I throw in there, though, I
do just to be shocking or mean. No soap box, no message, just good old
sensationalism. I'm a sucker for the feedback. ;)
Christine Francis
Jessica Krucek
>What with Trek turning 30 and all (it's OK, I still trust it), I have
to
>assume that people have been writing fan fiction (erotic and
otherwise) for
>about 29 years and 9 months (give or take a month). We all know (or
should
>know) that during the long drought years fan fiction was one of the
things
>(along with syndicated reruns) that kept the interest in Trek alive.
>Paramount in fact, does acknowledge this in a sort of back handed way
>Starting with TNG, and continuing with DS9 (and this should happen on
Voyager
The open submission program is on Voyager already. I hate to say
it, though, but I've never heard of anyone who got a script sold
through the "open submission" process who didn't have an agent or an
"in" already.
> So fan fic is important, and
>TPTB allow it to continue.
We can thank Roddenberry for that. The studio wanted Roddenberry to
regulate Trek fanfic, like George Lucas was trying to regulate Star
Wars fanfic, but the Great Bird shrugged and said "What's the harm?"
(Then again, this could be a fannish UL).
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do
it?
Why? Well, my sister and I started writing fanfic (though I didn't
know it was such) when we were about 9-10 years old. We just "saw
things" (potential romances, ethical questions, continuity glitches,
the occasional onimous revalation about characters) on our cartoons and
had to explain them, do more with them, debate it, etc. We felt a
complusion to "read it fannishly." My mom can't understand why I can't
watch a TV show or movie without "picking it apart" - to me picking it
apart was always the best part.
Michelle cut our fannish teeth on shows like Thundercats,
SilverHawks, He-Man, and Galaxy Rangers (GR being our favorite). There
was always some loose thread, some "throw away" line, some character
work, and several "what if's" going at the same time. We grew to be
pretty canny on what would be followed up on and what wouldn't. If the
show wouldn't resolve our question, it was up to us.
>What do you get out of it?
What I get out of it is some satisfaction. I love to write, and
even would like to do it professionally. I came into writing through
fannish things, and fanfic is still my favorite stuff to write. I love
the idea of sewing with the loose thread, resolving a few questions,
finding out "what if" for myself. Plus, I don't like the "business" end
of writing. Making money was never my goal. Entertaining people, and
altering their perceptions a little, was.
What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
>etc, think of your "little" hobby?
My sister is as bad as I am. My parents shrugged it off and tried
to get me to write something that will make me a living, though they've
stopped the pressuring after seeing my work on a dozen websites. My
roomies think my brain is fried.
> Where do your ideas come from?
The loose threads, the throwaway lines, the issues left undebated.
There's a lot of stuff I've even written on dares from my friends. I'll
get a mental image of the characters in an adventure, kind of like a
short film, and I'll have to construct the story from the mental
images, like sewing a crazy quilt.
What do
>you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to
mind here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your
own)?
I work with the Amagosa newsgroup (on our own "Trek spinoff" called
Starbase Rhiannon). I like the idea of a fan collective constructing a
unverse, and I like alternative universes all the more now that DS9 has
gone in directions I find apalling.
Do you
>try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own
thing?
I used to stick to canon religiously. Now, I just say "screw it"
for Trek. I think the first time I violated canon was writing
"Clockwork," and having Julian be Dr. Soran's kid. "Compatability
Factor" followed, and I have been blissfully ignoring certain aspects
of canon DS9 ever since.
The bottom line is that I'll stick to canon religiously, until the
show itself gives me cause not to.
>If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
Creating a universe from the ground up is difficult for me to do,
if not next to impossible sometimes. Many of my "original" stories are
actually "declawed" fanfic. If I use the real world as a source, I wind
up writing news articles and essays, not fiction.
Asc writers, do
>you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and
see
>one of your stories?
Been there, done that. Didn't like it, but looking back, they did a
better job. The stuff I write now, I wouldn't mind ViaBorg ripping off,
but I know they won't. Richard and I discussed what "The First Tile"
would be like if Paramount got a hold of it. Then again, the stuff I
write is NOT the kind of stuff the studio would air. No Klingons, Dax
and Kira are not strutting around in heels and low-cut outfits, Julian
plays a big role, Odo's a *Bajoran,* and I'm a shameless K/O - J/J er.
>I know that this has been addressed in pop culture academic circles
more than
>once (anyone want to contribute a list of books on the subject?)
Try "Textual Poachers" by Henry Jenkins, "Enterprising Women" by
Camille Bacon-Smith, "Reading the Romance" by Janice Radway, "Fans and
Culture," and "Parasocial Relationships, Motivational Antecedents"
(article) by Dr. Gayle Stever.
- Jessica
*************************************************
"The media comglomertates do not want fans who make demands,
second-guess creative decisions, and assert opinions; they want regular
viewers who accept what they are given, and buy what they are sold."
- Henry Jenkins "Textual Poachers"
"War IS Deception, and illusion is a specialty of mine"
- Ariel "Ariel" (Galaxy Rangers)
"Okay, let's concentrate and send this one out there...Where the
hell are those lights?!"
- Miles O'Brien "Storyteller" (ST: DS9)
************************************************
Jeanita
Ruth Gifford (eres...@cyberg8t.com) wrote:
:
:
:
: So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
: What do you get out of it?
Pretty much for the same reasons I eat chocolate and have sex. It's
pleasant and gratifying, very cheap and you can't beat the feedback though
(scolding now) I think it's very impolite of y'all not to drop us writers
a note saying whether you liked it, and why or why not.
What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
: etc, think of your "little" hobby?
Well, my husband loves it. Nuff said! As to everyone else, when I read
him a TOS story I'd written, my father said, in a tone of delighted
discovery, "You're a storyteller!" Many of my friends are
creative-trekkie-writer types anyway and we share trek and non-trek
stories with each other as part and parcel of what we do together, talking
and eating being the other favorite activities.
Where do your ideas come from?
Everywhere. Mostly from what-if stories that wander through my head,
based on anything that captures my attention. It's not really something I
'do', it just happens.
What do
: you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
: here)?
I could wax philosophical here, but instead I'll just say its a very old
storytelling tradition to take the bones of a story and recreate it in
a way that reflects your experiences/culture/worldview etc. Plus it's
fun.
How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?
::giggle:: They're very important. Everyone should have an alternate
universe at least once, for the experience.
Do you
: try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
Now what's the point of sticking to canon? If you want to, sure, but
we're already breaking the rules just by writing trek at all. If canon
makes sense within the context of your story, keep it. If not, wave
bye-bye.
: If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
They're both hard for different reasons. When I write non-fan stories, I
really need to work hard to define the rules of my universe and keep them
consistent. When I write fan stories, I really need to work hard to make
the characters sound and behave like themselves and not like little tiny
droids whose lives are run by the great goddess Jeanita. :-)
Asc writers, do
: you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and see
: one of your stories?
I don't worry, but I could swear I've seen it happen. Remember "Please,
Captain. Not in front of the Klingons," from ST5 (I think). Tell me that
wasn't a sop thrown to the K/Sers out here. Besides, what would any of us
do if someone took an idea from a story we'd written? Complain that s/he
tried to take what I have rightfully stolen? No. I think we'd just have
to suck it up and deal with it. Of course, if we complained loudly enough
the person would beocme a laughingstock, but s/he'd still walk off with
all the money.
Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
: to your *own* orientation or kinks?
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) Uh, no. Why do you ask? ;-) ;-)
Writing, I explain myself to my self. It becomes a form of self-therapy
(We've discussed this, Ruth.). Sometimes I'll read something I wrote a
long time ago and say, 'I didn't know I thought that.' In that sense it's
almost like a tool that measures the shifts and changes within my psyche.
A useful thing, but I really only do it 'cause it's fun.
Jeanita
--
Ruth Gifford
On 29 Sep 1996 18:02:34 GMT Jessica Krucek remarked:
>
>
>>What with Trek turning 30 and all (it's OK, I still trust it), I have
>to
>>assume that people have been writing fan fiction (erotic and
>otherwise) for
>>about 29 years and 9 months (give or take a month). We all know (or
>should
>>know) that during the long drought years fan fiction was one of the
>things
>>(along with syndicated reruns) that kept the interest in Trek alive.
>>Paramount in fact, does acknowledge this in a sort of back handed way
>>Starting with TNG, and continuing with DS9 (and this should happen on
>Voyager
>
> The open submission program is on Voyager already. I hate to say
>it, though, but I've never heard of anyone who got a script sold
>through the "open submission" process who didn't have an agent or an
>"in" already.
The one instance that I know of for sure is the TNG ep "True Q." The
original premise was by a high school kid named Matthew Corey (and he did get
credit, and--we must assume--money for it). Ok so it wasn't the best TNG (or
even Q) ep ever, but still . . . Not that any of us should have our hopes
too high.
Macedon
In article <52n1va$a...@gate.cyberg8t.com>, eres...@cyberg8t.com (Ruth Gifford)
says:
>On 29 Sep 1996 18:02:34 GMT Jessica Krucek remarked:
>> The open submission program is on Voyager already. I hate to say
>>it, though, but I've never heard of anyone who got a script sold
>>through the "open submission" process who didn't have an agent or an
>>"in" already.
>The one instance that I know of for sure is the TNG ep "True Q." The
>original premise was by a high school kid named Matthew Corey (and he did get
>credit, and--we must assume--money for it). Ok so it wasn't the best TNG (or
>even Q) ep ever, but still . . . Not that any of us should have our hopes
>too high.
I know of people who have pitched, but know of no one who's actually sold.
L.Spier
Ruth asked some very interesting questions - and has received alot of
even more interesting answers! Here's mine (and please excuse any
formatting errors - my machine and I are having trouble deciding who's in
charge today...)
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
Why do I write fanfic? Fun mostly, plus I simply *like* to write them. I've
been writing fanfic since the original appearance of TOS and probably will
continue long after all shows are off the air.
>What do you get out of it?
Harder question to answer - practice at writing (especially experimental
themes/pieces), more fun. I suppose also just the knowledge that I've told a
story I want to tell.
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units, etc, think of your "little"
hobby?
Both my husband and son love it (but only the hubby gets to read the erotic
ones :-) In fact, my writing has encouraged my son to write and develop his own
universes.
>Where do your ideas come from?
Lots of places - random thoughts, songs on the radio, a sentance in a book
>What do you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs >to mind here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)? >Do you try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
SInce TPTB would never consider fanfic to be canon, I figure that it's all an
alternate universe. As for sticking to their canon, sometimes I do, sometimes
I don't. It depends on the story being told.
>If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
Non-fanfic is *much* harder to write. In fanfic you've got a fairly
well-developed character to begin with; you're simply adding different facets.
In your own universe, everything has to be built from scratch.
> Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
to your *own* orientation or kinks?
Nope, not in the slightest. I've written slash, bdsm, straight -just about
everything except the kitchen sink. It all depends on what character is doing
whom. :-)
--------------------------
Lori Spier - lo...@terrapin.umd.edu
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prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
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petition the Government for a redress of grievances - unless they feel like it.
Please, this year more than any other, get out and vote. Let your voice be
heard!
R'rain Prior
I had to think about this. I really did.
>
> Ruth Gifford (eres...@cyberg8t.com) wrote:
> [snip]
>
> : So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
>
A lot of reasons, but first and foremost because I like to. I always
imagined what happens to the characters when the cameras are shut off,
so one day I just began to write it down.
>
> : What do you get out of it?
>
Feedback. Pleasure. I've always been a writer, and the goal of almost
any writer is to get their work read. What better way to get your writing
out there? (short of mass market publication, and I'm afraid I haven't
quite reached that yet) I get great comments and suggestions that are
very hard to get when you hand a story to your friend and say "So what do
you think?" Plus, people here are pretty much guaranteed to be ST fans!
(*unlike* my friends)
>
> : What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
> : etc, think of your "little" hobby?
>
My mother, a long-time trekker, still says "Why don't you write something
you can publish?" Well, my answer to that is I do that too. (okay, well, I haven't
published *much*) But I like trek and boy, you can have a lot of fun with those
characters once you let loose.
My friends? Well, they're divided on the issue. Some of them clamor to get
my stories as soon as I've written them. Some of them are like "Star Trek.
Hmph."
>
> : Where do your ideas come from?
>
Anywhere and everywhere! Sometimes they come from the episodes themselves
(read: "The Chute") and sometimes they come from events in my own life. And
sometimes they just pop into my head out of nowhere and demand to be written.
>
> : What do
> : you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
> : here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?
>
The more the merrier!
>
> : Do you
> : try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
>
Well, I write slash which, by definition, is not canon. But I try very hard
not to contradict what has happened on the show. Like I said before, my stories
take place when they shut the cameras off.
>
> : If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
>
Mmmmm. Good question. Non fan fiction is easy in that there are no
guidelines so to speak, but you also have a lot more work in creating
a universe and populating it. Fan fiction already has its basic premise
set out for you, but you have to work with someone else's characters, and
finding their voice can be the hardest thing to do.
>
> : Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
> : to your *own* orientation or kinks?
>
In a word: yes. :-) Though occasionally they are based on the wicked
stories my friends have told me about their <gasp> sex lives.
>
> : These are just some leading questions
> : (and I'll answer some of them for myself in a separate post) and if there's
> : anything you want to add on the subject, please feel free.
>
Gosh, I had a hard enough time answering *those* questions!
Just a closing statement I guess.
I write because I love to write and I hope that other do the same because
if there's one thing I love as much as writing, its reading :)
R'rain
Natalie Kim Bjorklund
This question gave me a bit of a start. It's kind of tough to answer
because the reasons are complex.
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
For me I do it for three reasons. First of all it's great fun. You get
immediate feedback, lot of praise, and get to "meet" all sorts of neat
people quite literally from around the world.
Secondly I enjoy the opportunity to practice the craft of writing in a
sheltered environment. (Well relatively. I once got flamed by gay rights
people _and_ homophobes for writing a character suffering from homophobia
and coming to terms with it. Boy did I get flamed and it hurt!) Here in
the Star Trek world there are preset parameters to work within that makes
it easy to start but because of the open nature of the universe, once you
start you an go virtually anywhere with it.
Thirdly I use it as a form of cheap therapy. I put my characters through
lots of situations that while they are different carry some of the same
difficulties as my own has had. I have them react both the way I would
and the way I wouldn't to see what happens. Much cheaper than a shrink.
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units, etc, think of your "little"
>hobby?
Mainly they ignore it. Of course my Rabbi is also a Trek fan so we have
had a few discussions. I believe in the truism about writing what you
know so naturally at several of my characters are Jewish, though they are
certainly no where near any sort of ideal of Jewish morality. (That would
be boring, like my real life.) This had led to some interesting discussions.
Can you convert a Klingon? Which way would you face a synagogue on
Vulcan? Do you need two replicators, one for meat and one for dairy? How
do you decide when the Sabbath begins on Friday in the Mutara nebula?
>Where do your ideas come from?
>
Everywhere. Life mainly. I like exploring unfinished business fromt he
old series which is why i did a story on T'Pring's life after she dumped
Spock.
>What do you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human"
springs >to mind here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows
or your own)? >Do you try to stick to canon as much as possible or do
you just do your own thing? >
Having created one myself, namely Moose Jaw, I think it's great. I also
really love it when someone else runs with some of my stuff, sort of fan
fiction of fan fiction. Right now Richard Pugh is continuing with many of
my characters in Rhiannon and I love it.
>If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
I do two kinds of "real" writing. First I am a published scientist and that
kind of writing is a whole other ball game. Months of work boiling down
to a two or three page summary in a journal somewhere, I also recently
started writing real science fiction. I have had a few nibbles but
nothing published yet. That is much harder because there are no limits or
preset characters.
I guess for me the most important part is getting to know all the special
people who have come and gone in my life since I got into the internet. For
me writing fan fiction is almost like being in a hobby club and where I
get to have fun and "meet" people. For me that is the most rewarding part
of all.
Would I be upset if my stuff appeared on TV or in a pocket book novel?
No, not at all. First of all, unless T'Prang and Michael walked onto the
set of Deep Space Nine, I would put it down coincidence. If I can write,
so could someone else. Now if T'Prang and Michael did show up I would be
first and foremost flattered. I would not try to sue them. I mean the own
everything anyway right? If my stuff was good enough to steal I would be
very proud of myself.
Natalie K Bjorklund
(Author of the T'Prang of Vulcan stuff)
Aleph Press
This is an intriguing question. I'm not sure why I write fan fiction. I
always have, and I never grew out of it. I suppose it's because I become
obsessed with characters other people created, and because I have an
infinite capacity for "what if." (I get obsessed with my own characters,
too, but I don't what if them to death.)
I'm a hurt/comfort writer-- I want to see angst and pain and suffering
for my favorites. An episode like Deja Q comes so close to delivering
what I need to see-- Q, who ordinarily cannot be rendered vulnerable to a
hurt/comfort writer's tricks, suffering and in emotional and physical
pain-- but it cops out. He gets his powers back at the end, big whoop.
Yes, the episode is funny, but what I wanted to see was pain, and we
didn't get enough of it. Thus, "what if Q never got his powers back?" And
there we have Only Human.
In writing fan fiction, there's so many things the writers never followed
up on that you can take and deal with. Like, how would human children
react to a Vulcan child in their midst, or how could a Vulcan child
raised by humans ever fit in on Vulcan? What effects of being Borg would
impact the individualized Borg's psychology? Wouldn't they perceive
loneliness as the worst thing? How can one explain the inconsistency
between "Deja Q", in which it's established that a Q can be stripped of
his powers, and "True Q", in which it's implied that if Amanda will not
come to the Continuum the Continuum's only choice is to kill her? Or, how
can one explain why intelligent people like LaForge seriously thought
they could destroy the Borg Collective with a contradictory image?
Once you start "what if'ing" on your favorite characters (in my case, Q
hands down, followed by Hugh the Borg and Spock, followed by the entire
cast of DS9, followed by the entire cast of Voyager except for Chakotay
and Neelix), you can't stop. Sometimes one creates spinoffs of spinoffs.
I created a gay physicist named Harry Roth with a crush on Q in "Only
Human." The plot of OH requires that Roth never have sex with Q, but what
if things had happened different;y? Thus "The Night They Drove The Borg
Down." And so on.
My family all think I should concentrate on professional writing. So does
my boyfriend, though he's supportive of the writing I do and critiques
it. I do do professional writing, but it isn't quite the same, because I
rarely get that obsessed with my own creations.
As far as sex goes, in the three sex stories I've written personal kinks
have turned up in them *all*, but they're subtle enough that I don't
*think* anyone is out there cataloguing my kinks. :-) For me, a sex story
has to be about the character I'm obsessed with-- there's no point to it
otherwise-- and it needs to be plausible. (Q/Picard, Q/Janeway, Q/Paris
are all plausible pairings. Q/Bashir is not, which hurt my enjoyment of
the Q/Bashir story "EsQPade." I sort of had to pretend it was an
alternate universe Bashir, which causes suspension of disbelief to go
splat.) I'll read sex stories about other pairings, but I'll only write
stuff about the characters I'm obsessed with (and bash my head against
the keyboard when they refuse to do what I want... I have been trying
fruitlessly to get Magneto and Xavier from X-Men into bed for months...
they just won't go!)
--
"These are only my opinions. If they were the gospel truth, your bushes
would be burning." -- Nancy Lebowitz button
"Freedom of religion includes freedom from religion." -- My favorite
bumper sticker
-- Alara Rogers, Aleph Press
al...@netcom.com
All Aleph Press stories are available at ftp.netcom.com /pub/al/aleph.
Jeanita
Natalie Kim Bjorklund (umbj...@cc.umanitoba.ca) wrote:
This had led to some interesting discussions.
: Can you convert a Klingon? Which way would you face a synagogue on
: Vulcan? Do you need two replicators, one for meat and one for dairy? How
: do you decide when the Sabbath begins on Friday in the Mutara nebula?
Neat. One of my characters in a story I'm writing lives with people who
practice Islam on a planet very far away from earth. They have little
compasses on all the streetcorners so that everyone knows which direction
Mecca is vis-a-vis their point in space. It's a minor part of the story,
and it may only be mentioned in passing if at all, but I had to *think*
about it. It's little challenges like that which make me enjoy writing,
as well as helping me remember the spirit of IDIC.
All the responses are sounding remarkably similar, aren't they?
Jeanita
--
Killashdra
What an excellent thread! I've really been enjoying the insight into what
makes some of my favorite a.s.c. writers tick. I haven't posted too many
stories here yet, but I hope to rectify that over the next few months.
So, Ruth asks...
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
Because I'm compelled. I love to read Trek fan fic, but there are so many
stories I want to read that haven't been told yet. When I think of one, I
have to try to write it.
>What do you get out of it?
I think my writing is getting a lot better, which is a side effect I hoped
for but didn't really count on. Maybe that sharp-witted fledgling
writer-me I left behind in high school isn't entirely dead after all. I
thought art school had killed her, but a.s.c. seems to have gotten the old
ticker going again.
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
>etc, think of your "little" hobby?
They don't know about it. I was brave enough to tell one close friend
about 2 weeks ago... she's a Trek fan and very open-minded. To my relief,
she understood and I think she's finding her introduction to Trek fan fic
to be a rewarding experience. My husband knows I write fan fic, but he's
never read any of it. I think he's not really sure what he thinks about
it. He gives me lots of funny looks. On the flip side, he seems to
understand when I go hours without speaking to him except to say, "Huh?
I'm sorry, what did you say?"
>Where do your ideas come from?
Conversations with other fans. Episodes that don't tie up all the loose
ends. My own life and relationships. Bits and pieces of pro novels or
movies.
>What do you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human"
springs to mind
>here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)? Do
you
>try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own
thing?
I think they're interesting, but A/U fanfic is not what I like to read.
Canon is very important to me, and I try to stay very true to the original
episodes and films. I figure it's bad enough that I'm (usually) messing
with the main characters' sexual orientation as depicted on screen... the
least I can do is keep the rest of my facts straight. I even sometimes
incorporate places or events from my favorite pro novels, to maintain the
greatest possible continuity.
There are exceptions. The Q Who Fell to Earth and Beside the Wells (both
posted to a.s.c.) are two examples that come to mind, of A/Us that
completely captured my imagination.
>If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
That seems obvious. Non-fanfic, definitely. I'm working on one such
story now, and it's much harder. But the fan fic helps me learn about
writing.
>Asc writers, do you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick
up a book >and see one of your stories?
I'd be flattered, but it's pretty darned unlikely. Besides, I'm pretty
sure I'm not alone in saying that I don't particularly want to see Shatner
in his current shape getting up to such calisthenics on the big screen!!
<g>
>Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
>to your *own* orientation or kinks?
I think erotic fan fic is a kind of kink in itself. I mean, why else
would we spend so much time writing it? However, I tend to agree with
someone who said (on one of the mailing lists) that I find it hard to
write erotically about things that hit too close to home. In actuality, I
tend to write about things that I find appealing but can't actually
experience. (Hence the m/m slash.)
Fascinating thread!! Can't wait to read more responses...
Serena
I write fan fiction, but I don't post any of it. I write because
there are loose threads at the end of an episode and it's really
bothering me, OR because it just comes to me and won't get out of my
head until I write it down.
I like this newsgroup and MAYBE I'll post some stories. Maybe not.
Serena
JJ ARROW
<<So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
>>
Because it's fun!! It makes me happy. And y' know, you have the scenes
playing out in your head, and you just have to let them be seen! If you
want to take characters in a direction they've never been, you've got to
do it yourself. :)
<<What do you get out of it?>>
Hmmm... Writing fan fiction makes me happy. And I love putting Q in
these little scenarios. Sure, it's agonizing, it's soul-searing, it's
gut-wrenching -- but hey, if people like you, you get a lot of praise! :D
(And that's always very nice. :))
<<What do your friends, neighbors, parental units, etc, think of your
"little" hobby?>>
My friends and teachers, etc support it and like it! My parents...
well, I'm going to rant a little now. Just because I'm a ST fanfic writer
doesn't mean I'm some no-talent hack. My parents seem to think that if I'm
not creating my own universe and characters, than what I'm writing isn't
original and quality. Never mind that I make up the plot. Never mind that
I'm sending the characters in original directions. None of it counts if
they're ST cahracters, of course. Grrrrr.
<<Where do your ideas come from?>>
The dark insane maelstrom that is my brain... <g> ;) I don't know. I'm
not very observant, so most of it are just things that pop into my head,
rather than the world around me. And for Spectrum in particular, most of
the h/c scenes are just kind of catharsic. Read Wendy Pini's article
"Women and Comics" in the Big ElfQuest Gatherum(1994, Father Tree Press >>
WaRP Graphics).
<<What do you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human"
springs to mind
here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?>>
YAY! OH!!! Whoopeee!!!
<<Do you try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do
your own thing?>>
Acutally, I try to keep my settings and time frames as vague as possible,
so no one can catch me on canon. <g>
<<If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?>>
Non-fanfic. It's much harder to make up realistic universes from
scratch. And everything's really been done.
<<Asc writers, do you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick
up a book and see
one of your stories? Asce writers, do the things you write have any
bearing
to your *own* orientation or kinks?>>
A TNG movie with nothing but Q, crossing over with ElfQuest??
Suder/HoloDoc? Quark/Odo?? (<--- Those *were* parodies... <g>) Picard
doing Jimi Hendrix impressions??
Frankly, I don't think I have much to worry about here. <g>
And why do I pick the charcaters I write about?? Well, I just thought Q
was tres cool. And the more I wrote him, the more I found in common with
him. That's when it started getting scary... <g>
Great idea, Ruth!! :D
-JJ
----------------
"No cry...! Tall one ever dream to fly? Is so... like that. To die is...
to fly!"
Cutter, ElfQuest: SHARDS #12
"I feel so naked and vulnerable!! ... But not in that fun, spanky kind of
way."
Dick, 3rd Rock From the Sun
JULIE ARENDER
In article <52k6hb$s...@gate.cyberg8t.com> eres...@cyberg8t.com (Ruth Gifford) writes:
>From: eres...@cyberg8t.com (Ruth Gifford)
>Subject: Fan Fiction--Why?
>Date: 28 Sep 1996 21:49:31 GMT
*snip*
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
It always seemed, that in my head, I was changing the endings or altering
story lines of shows that I've watched or books that I've read. So one
day, when I was feeling a little bored, I just decided to write down some
of my ideas and see what came of them. I'd read some of the other stories
posted here and they inspired me to try it for myself. Well, once I got
started, I couldn't stop. It's addicting. I can't concentrate on much
else until I finish a story.
>What do you get out of it?
For me, there's a feeling of great accomplishment when I can finally type in
the words THE END. It's pretty heady.
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units, >etc, think of your "
little" hobby?
I have an uncle who's read my stories, and he likes them. He's encouraged
me to try and make this a profession, but I don't know. If I had to do it
for a living, it might lose something. Right now, I just do it for fun.
There's a friend that reads them, too, and she says she likes them. And
she doesn't even watch Star Trek. *hehe* So, I don't really know how to
measure her opinion .
>Where do your ideas come from?
Oh, just about anywhere. *grin*
>Do you >try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your
own thing?
I try to stay with the major theme and not change things too much. But, hey,
when one is writing, it's his/her universe to do with as they wish. :-)
>Asc writers, do >you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick
up a book and see >one of your stories?
If that were to happen, (which I doubt very seriously), I'd really like to
be given some credit for the idea, but it would be very flattering to think
it was good enough to warrant being used.
>Ruth
Julie Arender
jare...@osage.astate.edu
darkstar
Natalie Kim Bjorklund wrote:
>
>
> Of course my Rabbi is also a Trek fan so we have
> had a few discussions. I believe in the truism about writing what you
> know so naturally at several of my characters are Jewish, though they are
> certainly no where near any sort of ideal of Jewish morality. (That would
> be boring, like my real life.) This had led to some interesting discussions.
> Can you convert a Klingon? Which way would you face a synagogue on
> Vulcan?
>Do you need two replicators, one for meat and one for dairy?LOL !
> How do you decide when the Sabbath begins on Friday in the Mutara nebula?
>
I have a great deal of resprect for orthodox Judaism but I have wondered
about this !
I am (very slowly) writng a non-trek sf novel, and am considering having
a Rabbi and/or a priest on the ship.
Remember when Ivanova's father (or grandfather?) came to Babylon 5?
Shannara
In article <52mdjq$b...@dfw-ixnews2.ix.netcom.com>, allr...@ix.netcom.com
says...
>
> The open submission program is on Voyager already. I hate to say
> it, though, but I've never heard of anyone who got a script sold
> through the "open submission" process who didn't have an agent or an
> "in" already.
One of the writers for my zine "Second Generation" sucessfully
sold the story idea for the STNG episode "Subrosa." She had
submitted a script of it, but they only bought the idea, not
the script. But she did it through the open submission process.
Bernhard Rosenkraenzer
On 28 Sep 1996, Ruth Gifford wrote:
> So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
Good question - I think many factors are envolved. The most important
ones are, I think, that I simply enjoy it, and I want to get a few points
over.
> What do you get out of it?
The best thing I got out of it was a true friend.
> What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
> etc, think of your "little" hobby?
Well, as I've said before, my very best friend got to know me because I
wrote a Trek story. The others have very different opinions - some like
it, others simply don't care about Trek, and I'm relatively sure some
others like Trek, but don't like my stories, and just don't tell me.
My neighbors don't know about it; my parents tend to think I should deal
with real life instead.
> Where do your ideas come from?
Anywhere. Some come out of the series, others out of my life, others just
drop into my head.
> What do
> you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
> here)?
Why not?
> How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?
They're surely interesting...
I have created one, already. See
http://www.startrek.in-trier.de/ufsw/stories/time-will-tell.html
> Do you
> try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
I'm trying not to contradict the established universe, but if DS9 and
Voyager continue developing into (mostly) meaningless action-only series,
I might change that...
> If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
I don't think it's possible to compare fan fiction with articles for
newspapers. Sorry.
> Asc writers, do
> you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and see
> one of your stories?
Worry? Why? I'd be glad to, though I'd prefer to be notified first.
If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me with them.
LLaP
bero
FyrDrakken
>So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
>What do you get out of it?
Since the stories play themselves out in my head *anyway*, mostly what I
get is A) the chance to find those out there who share my obsessions, and
B) a little cheap ego gratification when somebody out there actually
*likes* and *appreciates* the twisted little things that go on between my
ears when I'm supposed to be learning chemistry.
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
>etc, think of your "little" hobby?
My friends who are actually into Trek get a laugh -- they're the only ones
I show my stories to, anyway. My mother seems to just be glad I'm
actually *writing* something, what with all the reading I do.
>Where do your ideas come from?
Mmm... Fascinating characters placed in interesting situations but then
forced to act out frustrating plots... Upcoming tests in boring, useless
subjects like chemistry and history and calculus... Excess hormones...
Oh, and lack of sleep. (No, wait, that's an *effect*, not a cause!)
>What do
>you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
>here)?
Given that the Trek world itself is one big shared fan fic universe...
Yes, I approve. (Obviously, or I wouldn't be writing Trek fan fic!)
>How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?
So many of the stories I see fall into the, "What if, during or after this
show, *this* had happened, instead of *that*?" category. These stories
let us explore possibilities the writers missed/ignored/couldn't show on
network television/were just too damn lazy to go into.
>Do you
>try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
I'm in an interesting position answering this question... (As I type, I'm
in the ancient yoga pose of the Reposing Kumquat, toes behind my right ear,
typing with my left elbow, squinting past my left armpit to see the
screen... No, I'm kidding.) I would *prefer* never to violate canon in my
stories. Writers can make up their own rules, but once they do they need
to follow them. In sharing someone else's universe, you also need to
share their rules. I really don't like it when I run across stories that
flagrantly go against canon. Why bother to define it as "canon" if it
isn't? If you don't want to use the established guidelines, that's what
"alternative universe" stories are for. Labeled as such, they're fine,
too. Unfortunately, I'm a DS9 fan (and a K/O maniac), but I wasn't until
this past season, so I've missed the first three seasons of the show!
Anything from before the fourth season I know from hearsay, novelizations,
or not at all, so I run the risk of violating canon in my stories
*constantly*. (Oh, well. Such is life.)
>Asc writers, do
>you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and see
>one of your stories?
(Teaser:)
Announcer: Something... *strange*... is happening on the station...
(Scene: Sisko, Bashir, and Dax sitting in the conference room listening
to... an obscene phone call?)
Bashir: 1-900-PERVERTED?!?
Announcer: ...Has everyone gone *sex-crazed*?...
(Scene: Dax stalks across a darkened bedroom, a naughty smile on her
face, two sets of handcuffs held behind her back.)
Announcer: ...Or just mad?
(Scene: In the conference room, Major Kira does a spit-take, spraying a
mouthful of raktajino across the table, narrowly missing the madly
cackling Bashir.)
Announcer: And why are the turbolifts running so slow?
(Scene: Young Starfleet engineer, in a turbolift, holding up a pair of
panties to Chief O'Brien's amazed stare.)
Engineer: Uh, Major Kira forgot her underwear. Sir.
Announcer: Next week on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!
Given what I write, all I can say is: "I wish!" Seriously, though, if
the writers really *did* put Kira and Odo together, I know *I*, at least,
would be frustrated because they would *never* get as creative (*or* as
graphic!) as the the fans do. If the relationship actually happened on
screen, I fear the well of inspiration/frustration would dry up for the
fanfic writers. (Sour grapes in advance: I'm convincing myself I don't
*want* to see them together so I won't suffer so much through the upcoming
season... Yeah! That's the ticket!)
>Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
>to your *own* orientation or kinks?
Mmm... I find that if I'm not fantasizing about it, I can't picture it
clearly enough to write about it. That would seem to mean "yes" -- but not
in *real life*, please! Picturing/joking about handcuffs is fine, but I'd
rather *not* have someone come cuff me to my bed in my sleep! (Unless, of
course, we have changelings in our readership. Do we? Hmm? Please?)
>* Better living thru TrekSmut--ask me how! *
Yeah, smut! S! M! U! T! Smut! *Smut*! SMUT!
FyrDrakken
(Co-author of "DS9/TNG: When the Pants Fell", author of "DS9: The
Curious Comm Channel Catastrophe", "DS9: Police Brutality", and "DS9:
Stalled", for those wondering just what the heck do I write, anyway?)
FyrDrakken
In article <52n4e6$g...@decaxp.harvard.edu>, nfma...@husc7.harvard.edu (Nyani-Iisha Martin) says:
>Everyone with cool parents,
>write them/call them/hug them and thank them for being cool. Right now. I
>mean it.)
It's times like this that I am reminded how lucky I am to have a *non*-
reformed hippie for a mom. I actually let her *read* "When the Pants
Fell", *and* told her I co-wrote it. (Not that I let her read any of my
NC-17 work, of course. What? Show "Police Brutality" to my *mother*?
Have you gone *mental*?)
>Ruth, you were pretty thorough. The only question I can think of to add
>is:
>
>How do people pick what characters they want to write about?
>
>Here's my answer:
>
>I pick characters I have at least one concrete thing in common with. Harry
Agreed. Thinking back about why my stories all seem to revolve around Odo:
I know *exactly* how it feels to want someone and know they'll *never*
want me, so I have to never let them know... Or how it feels *not* to fit
in with everyone else around me...
::Ahem:: Anyway, this is a head I can really climb into. I know how he
thinks... And, Lord, but I sympathize (empathize?) with the whole Kira
situation. The boy *needs* something good to happen to him, and that right
soon.
FyrDrakken
R.J.
I also know of someone who submitted to TNG by the open submission process, the
script wasn't bought but she was added to the writing team. And more often than
not Paramount would rather be given an idea and have their writers provide the
script itself, anyway.
Christine Wirick
I have been interested in writing since I was a small child, but never felt like
I was getting anywhere with it until a friend introduced me to fan fiction about
five years ago.
I write fan fiction for two reasons. I love to write and I love Star Trek.
While I still write some original fiction occasionally, I have only been able to
publish my fan material. I think I write better when I use Trek characters.
Established characters, established universe.
My ideas come from everywhere and nowhere. Dreams, stream of consciousness,
conversations, episodes. . . .simply everywhere. For every ten ideas I have, I
write one of them. If only I had more time! I've had crossover ideas, but
never wrote one for Trek.
Do I follow canon? Only the portions I agree with! Naturally, my Worf and
Deanna series is an alternate, but I try to pick up on enough canon to make it
believable.
My writing is my fantasy life--nothing like my reality. Who wants to write
about working as a cashier and struggling to keep up with schoolwork, bills, and
housework? So Trek is my escape from all that.
I think shared universes is a great idea. I love seeing how one author's ideas
bounce off another and (hopefully) compliment each other. To have someone
propose to write a sequel to your story or to use an original character of yours
in one of their stories is the ultimate praise.
I don't know how I came from a family of non readers and non Trek fans That of
course, means that none of my family will read any of my Star Trek stories. So
I seek out friends, pen pals, you guys on ASC for my readership fix. I'm
pleased that my interest in writing is rubbing off on my daughters. Maybe
you'll see their fan fiction here someday.
Hey, to earn money from my writing one day would be nice, but I write foremost
for the pleasure of writing and for the recognition from people who read it and
enjoy it. I feel a lot of gratitude toward anyone who has taken the time to
send me e-mail and let me know what they thought of one of my stories.
Christine
Amethyst
al...@netcom.com (Aleph Press) wrote:
>*think* anyone is out there cataloguing my kinks. :-) For me, a sex story
>has to be about the character I'm obsessed with-- there's no point to it
>otherwise-- and it needs to be plausible. (Q/Picard, Q/Janeway, Q/Paris
>are all plausible pairings. Q/Bashir is not, which hurt my enjoyment of
>the Q/Bashir story "EsQPade." I sort of had to pretend it was an
>alternate universe Bashir, which causes suspension of disbelief to go
Why do you say this? I can see Q/Bashir quite easily. But then I've only
seen the first couple of seasons of DS9. Perhaps later developments make
it more ridiculous. I think Bashir would adore the idea of being wanted
by someone so powerful and different.
>splat.) I'll read sex stories about other pairings, but I'll only write
>stuff about the characters I'm obsessed with (and bash my head against
>the keyboard when they refuse to do what I want... I have been trying
>fruitlessly to get Magneto and Xavier from X-Men into bed for months...
>they just won't go!)
Now I think you may be fighting a loosing battle here. Even I can't see
that and I'm the one that paired up Gambit and Cyclops.
--
Amethyst
http://www.jadzia.demon.co.uk/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Amethyst <-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
| Keeper of the Labyrinth Flame ^^^^^^^^ http://www.jadzia.demon.co.uk/ |
| "Will you stay in our lovers story? http://www.redrice.com/amethyst/ |
| If you stay you won't be sorry, cause we believe in you." David Bowie |
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Aleph Press
Amethyst (amet...@jadzia.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: al...@netcom.com (Aleph Press) wrote:
: >*think* anyone is out there cataloguing my kinks. :-) For me, a sex story
: >has to be about the character I'm obsessed with-- there's no point to it
: >otherwise-- and it needs to be plausible. (Q/Picard, Q/Janeway, Q/Paris
: >are all plausible pairings. Q/Bashir is not, which hurt my enjoyment of
: >the Q/Bashir story "EsQPade." I sort of had to pretend it was an
: >alternate universe Bashir, which causes suspension of disbelief to go
: Why do you say this? I can see Q/Bashir quite easily. But then I've only
: seen the first couple of seasons of DS9. Perhaps later developments make
: it more ridiculous. I think Bashir would adore the idea of being wanted
: by someone so powerful and different.
Yeah, *Bashir* would like it, but *Q* would consider it pointless. Q's
attitude toward Bashir in the only episode where Q was on DS9 was "You
irritating little gnat, go away and out of my hair so I can do more
important things." Bashir is too puppy-like eager to interest Q-- Q seems
to like people who are older and have darker twists to their personality.
All the lovely Bashir-as-sub fiction here to the contrary, Bashir as
portrayed in DS9 seems to me to have *no* elements of darkness to his
personality. He really is exactly what he seems to be.
In the story in question, the writer invented a dark past for Bashir. If
I had been able to buy the dark past, I could have believed in the story,
but I simply don't *see* anything worse than a perfectionist and possibly
emotionally abusive father in Bashir's past. He is entirely too naive at
the start of DS9 to have had a past as a brothel slave or something, so
while the characterization of Q intrigued me-- Q was being played as an
omnipotent stalker, a really scary concept and very well done-- I simply
couldn't accept that the bashir in the story was the same one as in the
show. (Which actually didn't prevent me from enjoying the story as "an
alternate universe Bashir"; I just couldn't accept it as the guy I knew.)
: >splat.) I'll read sex stories about other pairings, but I'll only write
: >stuff about the characters I'm obsessed with (and bash my head against
: >the keyboard when they refuse to do what I want... I have been trying
: >fruitlessly to get Magneto and Xavier from X-Men into bed for months...
: >they just won't go!)
: Now I think you may be fighting a loosing battle here. Even I can't see
: that and I'm the one that paired up Gambit and Cyclops.
No, no, I can *see* it. I just can't get them to *do* it. Their
realtionship has wonderful intense overtones (in a recent alternate
universe, Xavier died to save magneto's life, which caused Magneto to end
up becoming founder of the X-Men)... they're just both too damn uptight
about sex. (Of course, how you got Cyclops to sleep with anyone that
wasn't Jean Grey or falling on him is a thought that astonishes me, and
I'd like to see the story-- maybe it will give me some ideas... :-))
JJ ARROW
Oh, one more thing--
You were the one that created Moose Jaw? WOW! I hadn't caught your screen
name. Just got pt 1 of "Q Stick". I love it! I dont really get some parts,
since I'm not familiar withteh MJ characters, but I love it so far! Does Q
play a big part? Is there any more?
Rachel Rybarczyk
Ruth Gifford wrote:
>
> So my question to all of you who write fan fiction is: why do you do it?
> What do you get out of it?
I have loved fan fiction ever since my fandom began at the age of 14.
Writing it for me started by being inspired by some of the folks on this
newsgroup. Once I started writing it, though, I realized that it was my
own tribute to characters that I love and a way to get those stories out
of my head.
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units,
> etc, think of your "little" hobby?
They, including my sister-in-law who is a professional writer, think
that I ma wasting my time and talent writing something that I cannot
sell or submit.
> Where do your ideas come from?
I get inspiration everywhere. Some of the best comes from seeing a
certain episode for the zillionth time, and seeing something here that I
missed before.
> What do
> you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs to mind
> here)? How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?
One of the greatest thing about fan fic, whether it;s reading it or
writing it, is that you can do whatever you want, whether it's sex,
love, slash, or relationships with omnipotent beings :)
> Do you
> try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own thing?
I stick to ESTABLISHED canon, almost religiously, but if there's
something in betweem the lines that has never been fully explained, or
anythign set after current timelines, then that's fair game!
> If you've written non fan fiction, which is harder to write?
Non fan fic is MUCH harder to write. I am in the process of writing a
non-Trek novel, and I am having a tough time. The main difference is
the characters - in fan fic, they're already there, you just have to
make them come alive. I haven't watched the characters in my novel on
television for seven-plus years.
Asc writers, do
> you sometimes worry that you'll turn on the tube or pick up a book and see
> one of your stories?
To me, that would be the greatest compliment! Although I would make a
call to Paramount, though, and say "Hi, I'm the person who wrote last
night's epsiode. Can we talk?"
> Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing
> to your *own* orientation or kinks?
<grin>
These are just some leading questions
> (and I'll answer some of them for myself in a separate post) and if there's
> anything you want to add on the subject, please feel free.
I think these are great questions, and I look forward to reading
everyone's answers!
Rachel
>
Amethyst
al...@netcom.com (Aleph Press) wrote:
>Amethyst (amet...@jadzia.demon.co.uk) wrote:
>: al...@netcom.com (Aleph Press) wrote:
>: >*think* anyone is out there cataloguing my kinks. :-) For me, a sex story
>: >has to be about the character I'm obsessed with-- there's no point to it
>: >otherwise-- and it needs to be plausible. (Q/Picard, Q/Janeway, Q/Paris
>: >are all plausible pairings. Q/Bashir is not, which hurt my enjoyment of
>: >the Q/Bashir story "EsQPade." I sort of had to pretend it was an
>: >alternate universe Bashir, which causes suspension of disbelief to go
>: Why do you say this? I can see Q/Bashir quite easily. But then I've only
>: seen the first couple of seasons of DS9. Perhaps later developments make
>: it more ridiculous. I think Bashir would adore the idea of being wanted
>: by someone so powerful and different.
>Yeah, *Bashir* would like it, but *Q* would consider it pointless. Q's
>attitude toward Bashir in the only episode where Q was on DS9 was "You
>irritating little gnat, go away and out of my hair so I can do more
>important things." Bashir is too puppy-like eager to interest Q-- Q seems
>to like people who are older and have darker twists to their personality.
>All the lovely Bashir-as-sub fiction here to the contrary, Bashir as
>portrayed in DS9 seems to me to have *no* elements of darkness to his
>personality. He really is exactly what he seems to be.
I guess I never really looked at it from the Q point of view. But it seems
all you need to do is give Q an ulterior motive for wanting to sleep with
Bashir. To annoy someone for instance. I agree with what you said about
Bashir though, he doesn't really seem to have any form of dark side.
>: >splat.) I'll read sex stories about other pairings, but I'll only write
>: >stuff about the characters I'm obsessed with (and bash my head against
>: >the keyboard when they refuse to do what I want... I have been trying
>: >fruitlessly to get Magneto and Xavier from X-Men into bed for months...
>: >they just won't go!)
>: Now I think you may be fighting a loosing battle here. Even I can't see
>: that and I'm the one that paired up Gambit and Cyclops.
>No, no, I can *see* it. I just can't get them to *do* it. Their
>realtionship has wonderful intense overtones (in a recent alternate
>universe, Xavier died to save magneto's life, which caused Magneto to end
>up becoming founder of the X-Men)... they're just both too damn uptight
>about sex.
I think it's just that I find Prof X rather repulsive, I don't like him.
Therefore I find it hard to imagine him having sex with anyone. I think a
lot of X-Men fans are rather down on Xavier at the moment, at least from
the way he's been portrayed in fan-fic.
>(Of course, how you got Cyclops to sleep with anyone that
>wasn't Jean Grey or falling on him is a thought that astonishes me, and
>I'd like to see the story-- maybe it will give me some ideas... :-))
http://www.redrice.com/amethyst/
The story's called Mhairie. Cyclops and Gambit get together in Chapter 9 or
10. Cyclops, Shatterstar and Rictor get together in Chapter 4. Cyclops and
Psylocke get together in Chapter 5. I think you get the idea ;)
Edward McArdle
I was not a fan writer as such. I was sitting about in my retirement when
I had the ideas for two Star Trek plots. I wrote the books, and soon
discovered that the odds of an unknown writer having a novel accepted were
close to nil. They were probably not good enough in that competition.
When I got on the internet and found a.s.c., I posted a short parody, then
decided to dump - er, post for the plaudits of the elite - the two novels
I had written. (I have withdrawn one temporarily to see if I can sell a
de-Trekked version.) Later I tried writing a Voyager episode. As I had no
experience in TV writing this was naturally rejected. rather than waste
the story, I rewrote it as a shorter novelette, and posted it.
I have started a story specifically for a.s.c., but since it has no
urgency, I have gradually drawn to a standstill. It isnıt all that good,
perhaps. but maybe Iıll finish it.
On the other hand, short parody pieces are fun.
--
Edward McArdle.
Edward McArdle
One of the other things that intrigued me while reading these replies was
that at least some of the writers seemed quite young. Are under-17s
writing stories that other under-17s are not allowed to read? Shock,
horror!
I have been intrigued in earlier times to see children on newsstands
selling magazines they are technically not allowed to buy!
Could respondents to the thread give a clue to their age-challengedness?
I am 59 in a couple of weeks. If I were to relate to a character, I
suppose it would be Spock. Presumably at some early stage of life I
decided subconsciously that if I never became emotionally involved I could
never be hurt. I do cry a few tears in movies or books when someone does
something noble or kind, but in real life I can't become involved with
another person, a team, etc.
--
Edward McArdle.
R'rain Prior
> mca...@ozemail.com.au (Edward McArdle) writes:
> One of the other things that intrigued me while reading these replies was
> that at least some of the writers seemed quite young. Are under-17s
> writing stories that other under-17s are not allowed to read? Shock,
> horror!
I hope not...but I'm willing to bet that a lot of those 17ers know more about
NC-17 than I do (oh, the world we live in)
> I have been intrigued in earlier times to see children on newsstands
> selling magazines they are technically not allowed to buy!
>
> Could respondents to the thread give a clue to their age-challengedness?
>
Quite a reasonable query, I think. I will be 21 next week, which is probably
why I write about and relate better to the younger characters such as Harry
Kim. I think it would be wrong to assume though (not that you did, but others
have) that younger viewers are only familiar with the most recent incarnations
of Star Trek, I have been watching the show for as long as I remember (my mother
was an original Trekker...she has a most delightful story about how excited she
was to be able to see the second season in *colour*) and I was as excited as anyone
when the new series debuted in 87 (though I was quite concerned for a 12-year-old
that it simply would not live up to the original series <g>)
After making that arguement, what's my excuse for writing about Voyager? I guess
that's just the show that turns my crank right now! :)
> I am 59 in a couple of weeks. If I were to relate to a character, I
> suppose it would be Spock. Presumably at some early stage of life I
> decided subconsciously that if I never became emotionally involved I could
> never be hurt. I do cry a few tears in movies or books when someone does
> something noble or kind, but in real life I can't become involved with
> another person, a team, etc.
>
> --
> Edward McArdle.
>
Hoping to see a few more responses, even from those
who don't care to reveal their age :)
R'rain
Susannah Mandel
R'rain Prior (umpr...@cc.umanitoba.ca) wrote:
: > Could respondents to the thread give a clue to their age-challengedness?
: >
: Quite a reasonable query, I think. I will be 21 next week, which is probably
: why I write about and relate better to the younger characters such as Harry
: Kim. I think it would be wrong to assume though (not that you did, but others
: have) that younger viewers are only familiar with the most recent incarnations
: of Star Trek, I have been watching the show for as long as I remember (my mother
: was an original Trekker...she has a most delightful story about how excited she
: was to be able to see the second season in *colour*) and I was as excited as anyone
: when the new series debuted in 87 (though I was quite concerned for a 12-year-old
: that it simply would not live up to the original series <g>)
Agreed completely. I'm 19; I discovered the _original_ Star Trek when I
was about 12 (we're talking about 1988, here), and it's been my main buzz
ever since (well, until I discovered Babylon 5 this summer, actually ;). I
fell passionately in love with Spock.... and Uhura, and the color schemes
and pajamas and high-heeled boots fo the old series. Man, the new stuff
just never seemed to me to have the same thrill. CVhemistry between
characters! Frequently brilliant writing! Great retro fashion! _SPOCK_!
And that really... science-fiction-like... optimism behind it all.
I sought other fans, and fan fiction, but wound up failing for
the most part, and bewailing the fact that the old Sta Trek aired and died
ten years before I was even born. It still has magic, but I came too
late to find the community.
: After making that arguement, what's my excuse for writing about Voyager? I guess
: that's just the show that turns my crank right now! :)
Ah, well. Not me.
: > I am 59 in a couple of weeks. If I were to relate to a character, I
: > suppose it would be Spock. Presumably at some early stage of life I
: > decided subconsciously that if I never became emotionally involved I could
: > never be hurt. I do cry a few tears in movies or books when someone does
: > something noble or kind, but in real life I can't become involved with
: > another person, a team, etc.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ai-ya! that sounds like a rather serious problem, actually. do you know
what you're missing?
... But I always related to Spock, too. I think he just has
enormous appeal for kids who feel kind of geeky, or too smart to fit in
with their cohorts, or just.. like so many SF fans... "different" from the
rest of the crowd.
cheers,
--;-;--@ susannah };&)
========================================================================
The Devil, having nothing else to do,
Went off to tempt My Lady Poltagrue.
My Lady, tempted by a private whim,
To his extreme annoyance, tempted him.
-- Hilaire Belloc: 'On Lady Poltagrue, a Public Peril.'
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Susannah R Mandel * sma...@fas.harvard.edu *
************************************************************************
"My God!" ejaculated Phelps.
Tom and Diane Hottle
I don't think anyone here posts because they expect to be the next
Stephen King or Tom Clancy. (Although it's entirely possible someone
here may do just that.) Personally, I have an itch to write, and I
write about a crew not portrayed on Trek because it's easier for me to
get into that Universe with them than having to go through an
established character. Plus there is the idea that all the games I
played as a kid are fodder for fiction as an adult, and some of what I
and my childhood friends did as kids involved Star Trek. As such,
those characters I created have really been with me for 20+ years, and
beg to be put into written word. (Besides, my wife would kill me if I
converted the living room into the Bridge of a starship, and the sight
of a 30-year-old man running around as Capt. Kirk outside of a
convention is grounds for calling the nearest mental hospital.)
In any event, fan fiction, whether writing new characters or those
established on TV and the movies, gives us a chance to hone our
talents. We can experiment without the worry that an editor is going
to brutally savage our work before anyone reads it.
Tom
"You are Jollem. You serve Bill Gates.
You are Jollem. You serve Bill Gates."
-The editors of PC Magazine
Natalie Kim Bjorklund
I too am old enough to remember the joy of the first color TV on the
block. I was just a kid though and was more thrilled about seeing bugs
bunny in color than seeing Star Trek in color. Star Trek came on after my
bedtime and I had to watch it hiding behind a coat covered banister and
pray I didn't get caught.
>
>> I am 59 in a couple of weeks. If I were to relate to a character, I
>> suppose it would be Spock. Presumably at some early stage of life I
>> decided subconsciously that if I never became emotionally involved I could
>> never be hurt. I do cry a few tears in movies or books when someone does
>> something noble or kind, but in real life I can't become involved with
>> another person, a team, etc.
>>
My favorite character was Kirk as a little girl. I figured he was the
greatest man in the universe next to my Dad of course. He was a bigger
hero to me than Brian West's (?) Batman.
As for my age, blush, I'm thirty six. That's chronologically only of
course. I feel a lot younger
Natalie K Bjorklund
Author of the T'Prang of Vulcan stories.
schlock
fyrdr...@mail.utexas.edu (FyrDrakken) wrote:
>By the way, regarding age-challengedness, I'm 18 -- 19 in 19 days --
>but I confess that I started reading this group -- NC-17 stories included
>-- about a month before I *turned* 18.
I can go you one better on that one...I first discovered a.s.c when I
first got to school last year (freshman year in college, no prior exp.
with Internet) at the tender age of <looks both ways, whispers> sixteen.
Yes, I was sixteen. Obviously, I've been horribly corrupted by reading
slash and such over here and over on a.s.c.e. And get this: I won't
be eighteen until November 30. And *I'm still reading this stuff!*
Oh, protect me, Senator Exon, I know not what I do...
Seriously, I'd like to think that as a sophomore in college I can
fend for myself already.
schlock
--
"I like traffic lights." --Terry Jones
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~schlock
FyrDrakken
> ... But I always related to Spock, too. I think he just has
>enormous appeal for kids who feel kind of geeky, or too smart to fit in
>with their cohorts, or just.. like so many SF fans... "different" from the
>rest of the crowd.
>
My God! Could this be why Data used to be my favorite Trek character
until I discovered Odo?!? Bravo, Holmes!
By the way, regarding age-challengedness, I'm 18 -- 19 in 19 days --
but I confess that I started reading this group -- NC-17 stories included
-- about a month before I *turned* 18.
FyrDrakken
Victor W. Wong
Tom and Diane Hottle (mcho...@ix.netcom.com) writes:
> I don't think anyone here posts because they expect to be the next
> Stephen King or Tom Clancy. (Although it's entirely possible someone
> here may do just that.) Personally, I have an itch to write, and I
> write about a crew not portrayed on Trek because it's easier for me to
> get into that Universe with them than having to go through an
> established character. Plus there is the idea that all the games I
> played as a kid are fodder for fiction as an adult, and some of what I
> and my childhood friends did as kids involved Star Trek. As such,
> those characters I created have really been with me for 20+ years, and
> beg to be put into written word. (Besides, my wife would kill me if I
> converted the living room into the Bridge of a starship, and the sight
> of a 30-year-old man running around as Capt. Kirk outside of a
> convention is grounds for calling the nearest mental hospital.)
Well, I for one know exactly why I write fan fiction. It's because
there's no way Pocket would ever TOUCH the type of stuff I do.
Crossover fanfics would be a nightmare to publish for profit, because
you'd have to get copyright lawyers involved and negotiations could drag
on for decades. But it's FUN to speculate about the possible presence
of other characters in the Star Trek universe--characters so well-defined
they can survive a transference on their own. Like manga or comic-book
characters, or characters from other shows.
>
> In any event, fan fiction, whether writing new characters or those
> established on TV and the movies, gives us a chance to hone our
> talents. We can experiment without the worry that an editor is going
> to brutally savage our work before anyone reads it.
True enough--but have you ever heard the adage that the toughest editor
is the author?
>
> Tom
> "You are Jollem. You serve Bill Gates.
> You are Jollem. You serve Bill Gates."
>
> -The editors of PC Magazine
>
Victor Wong
ah...@freenet.carleton.ca
--
Copyright (C) 1996 Victor W. Wong. All rights reserved.
Ruth Gifford
I suppose I should answer my own questions on fan fiction writing. I also
want to thank the people who have been responding to this. It's been great
to get to know everyone. :-)
>why do you do it? What do you get out of it?
Because it's fun. But wait (as if Ruth could ever be succinct) there's more.
I write TrekSmut because I think sex (and how people react to it and how
they do it and . . . so on) is an important part of a person's life
experience and Trek has shied away from things sexual. Well *they* have to,
but *I* don't. ;-) To tell the truth, I also write because I'm a bit (well
maybe more than a bit) of an exhibitionist. As for what I get out of it . .
. Many of you all know the soap opera of my net life (met my future wife
through asfs/asce) and so you know the most *important* thing I've gotten out
of it. It's also been a learning experience and one that has shown me that I
*can* write and that people want to read what I write. Like many of the fan
writers, I do have aspirations to write non fan-fic (and non smut) fiction
and this is a good place to start. And the response and feedback is quick
enough to satisfy this Gen Xer's need for instant gratification. Then
there's the fact that I'll write a passage and realize that I'm writing about
myself or my feelings about something (what I call fan-fic-as-therapy), which
is a good thing. After all fan fic is cheap and therapists cost money. :-)
>What do your friends, neighbors, parental units, etc, think of your "little"
hobby?
The Gifford parental units are used to my weird ways and if finding out
(through Deja News--the USENET search engine at: http://www.dejanews.com)
that I write TrekSmut bothered them, they have the good manners not to
mention it. OTHO they love the Python stuff. Most of my friends write fan
fiction (hi guys!) and the ones that don't, read it. I've had a few of my
friends ask why I don't write something that would sell, but no one looks
down on me for doing what I do.
>Where do your ideas come from?
<vbg> My ideas come from such varied sources as a "what if the shoe was on
the other foot" look at Q gender switch stories, a parody ST group on AOL and
my own inability to take things seriously, suggestions and/or requests from
friends, and the fact that Picard looks good in riding clothes. My most
recent vignette ("Cantara") comes from a discussion of sex and music on one
of my queer mailing lists. The big work in progress (a sequel to "His
Beloved Pet") comes from my insistence that JLP and Q could live if not
happily, then excitingly ever after, my desire to examine the nature of
reality, and an interest in the dynamics of a long term S/M relationship.
>What do you think about shared fan fiction universes ("Only Human" springs
to mind here)?
IMO, this is one of the things that makes fan fiction great. We all know
that our main characters are shared and so we tend to be a lot less
proprietary about our own scenarios. Shared universes work in weird ways; I
wrote something that made someone else write something that then gave me the
opportunity to write something I'd never been able to manage (from "His
Beloved Pet" to Jeanita Danzik's "Object Lessons," and to my "Subject
Lessons"). Also it makes for interesting comparisons; Q-without-his-powers
goes in very different directions in "Only Human," "PropinQuity," and "The Q
Who Fell to Earth."
>How about alternate universes (from the shows or your own)?
A/Us are impossible to avoid (I'm rewriting Star Trek starting after "All
Good Things . .." for my own nefarious reasons), but I intended the question
to be about the more radical A/Us. I have a fondness for the Imperial
universe as seen in TOS "Mirror, Mirror," and Diane Duane's "Dark Mirror" and
I entertain notions of working with it someday (unless I can keep getting
*someone* else to write it for me--you know who you are :-) ).
>Do you try to stick to canon as much as possible or do you just do your own
thing?
I try to stick to canon as much as I can going into a story, but once I'm
there I do my own thing. One of the real challenges of fan fiction is
working something that was a throw away line or fact in an episode or an
inconsistency between episodes into a story that explains it (part of my
story "Friends" came from a confusion between the number of ships lost at
Wolf 359). The other thing is that with smut you don't have to worry about
canon as much as you when writing non-smut. After all Paramount can't show
us what our characters are like in bed and they're hampered by not wanting to
offend anyone (do you *really* think no one in the 24th cent is gay?).
>Asce writers, do the things you write have any bearing to your *own*
orientation or kinks?
This question really *was* a matter of curiosity. I know that most of us
asce writers (I realize it's a sweeping generalization, but the index will
bear me out) are women, and a lot of us women write m/m slash (nothing new of
course, women wrote/write most of the K/S). In spite of the fact that I'm a
lesbian, I've hardly written any f/f stuff. It's not that I don't find Trek
women attractive, I just can't seem to make it work. OTOH I can write m/m