Interview - Editor's Choice - Minisinoo (March 2008)
Interview with Minisinoo
Author Profile and Live Journal
- How did you get involved with writing fan fiction?
I backed into it with X-Men. I'd been aware of fanfic for a while, but in RL I write what gets labeled "ethnic literary mainstream" -- not a genre that sees a lot of fanfic! What I knew of it came via friends who published in SF/F, and that was largely negative. Of course, even 15 years ago, fanfic was far less mainstream and few pro authors thought well of it. But I stumbled over an X-Files story while hunting information about the conspiracy arc, thought "What the hay ...," and opened it. As luck would have it, I'd found Lydia Bower, then one of the better Mulder/Scully writers. I continued to read X-Files fanfic off and on for several years, but had no desire to write any as enough people were already writing what I wanted to read.
In 2000, the X-Men film came out even as X-Files was fading. Fascinated by Cyclops, I went looking for stories -- but for the first time, didn't find what I wanted to read. So in a fit of frustration, I sat down to pen my own -- a novel called Heyoka. It dealt with themes I addressed in my original fiction and included several original characters as well, so I suppose you could say I brought my "security blanket" with me into fanfic. Yet I knew from reading in X-Files that a long story with OCs by an unknown author would be regarded with great suspicion -- and it was. I didn't care; I was frustrated and wanted to get the story out of my head. At the time, I never expected to stick around, much less be writing fanfic 8 years later!
I wrote for X-Men about 6 years, produced 6 novels, 7 novellas, a couple novelettes, and some short stories. Yes, I'm a bit prolix! Being a novelist by trade, the bulk of my word-count in any fandom will be long stories because the plots my brain comes up with take space to work themselves out. In 2005 X-Men 3 killed my love for that fandom; I had no new stories to tell. A few months later, the Goblet of Fire film was released, and I was struck by Amos Diggory's reaction to his son's death. As the mother of an only son myself, the actor's portrayal brought home the parents' grief the book didn't portray well (being written from Harry's POV). Inspired, I wrote "The Best Thing I Ever Did." Yet to do so, I had to think more about Cedric, not just Amos, and began to fall in love with that character.
I have a thing for Hero Boys: Mulder, Cyclops -- now Cedric. In an effort to figure out Cedric better, I wrote "The Way I See It" next, and I've been writing for Harry Potter ever since. I tend to be serially monogamous in my fandoms, so I'll likely stay here until, again, I'm out of stories to tell. - Who is your favorite Harry Potter character and why?
As noted above, it's Cedric, followed by Hermione, along with Harry, Luna and Remus Lupin. But the reason I like Cedric is because I'm fascinated by "Good Boys." I find writing them to be "subversive" -- which may sound funny on the face of it, but isn't.* Too often, the "good" characters are dismissed as uninteresting, but as a character writer, it's my job to get in there and understand them. Cedric Diggory was largely a symbol in the books, a literary foil for Harry. Yet who was the REAL Cedric? What might he have been like?
Part of the challenge is to make him 3D without falling into the trap of warping him out of recognition. So he remains a "good boy" and all the things he's presented as in the book remain ... but with depth beneath. WHY is he like that? What drives him? In my fiction, I've built two slightly different Cedrics. (And that's something you can't do with your own characters!) In one version, that in the featured story Nature & Destiny and its sequels, I chose to make him gay, and gay in a society that wasn't accepting. In the other version, the novel I actually worked on first, Finding Himself, he's straight, but didn't escape the graveyard unscathed. He's permanently disabled by a dark curse. So in both, he has issues with which he must deal, and they shape him in slightly different ways. That's fun, taking the same set of fundamental facts, doing a few things differently in two storylines, then seeing where the same basic character winds up.
* "Why Writing Good Girls and Boys is Subversive"
(An LJ entry discussing the topic in a little more detail.) - What was the most shocking moment of the HP series?
For me, I think it was the friendship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. Now, be clear, I'd fully expected some sort of "dark secret" from D.'s past to be revealed, but that particular detail was unexpected. - If you could ask JKR one thing, what would it be?
She's already told so much in interviews, I'm not sure there's a lot left TO ask. :P More seriously, I have two questions. One is minor. I want to know the first name of Mrs. Granger and whether -- given JKR's love for name puns -- she made her "Helen." You see, in Greek myth, Hermione is the daughter of Helen of Troy.
The other question -- more serious -- is one that I'm not sure she'd give me a straight answer to. It concerns the 'aging' of the narrative tone across books. She says that was deliberate, but I'll admit to being skeptical. It seems to have occurred as the books gained popularity with older readers. While she says she wrote them for kids to "grow up with," that would reflect serial publishing. Now that they're all out, I don't think that'll work as well.
Normally readers read all of a series across several weeks, or months. But a child ready for Books 1 and 2 is NOT ready for Books 5, 6 and 7. And if the child waits until ready for 7, then 1 and 2 may no longer appeal. Most series are written at the same basic reading/maturation level. The Harry Potter books aren't, and I find it odd that she'd do that deliberately, because I think it would hurt the books' popularity in the long run. Ergo, I've always suspected it wasn't deliberate, even if she later claimed it had been. (Authors do sometimes fudge!) - What is the defining moment in the characterization of your favorite character?
In the books, Cedric is a tertiary character without many scenes, but I suppose the one that strikes me most is from Book 3, when he argued with Madam Hooch for a re-match after he discovered Harry had fallen off his broom due to dementors. I think in that one detail, we learn quite a lot about him and what he values. Later in Book 4, another moment I think telling is after Harry had been selected by the Goblet, as both boys parted for the evening in the Great Hall, Cedric asked Harry how he got his name in. Harry claims he didn't. Cedric says, "Ah ... okay," and Harry thinks it clear Cedric doesn't believe him -- although he's also not mean or rude. So while he values fairness, he's not inclined to be gullible. He doesn't know Harry; why should he believe him? It all suggests he's a good person, yes, but not in an unrealistic way; he has normal doubts and suspicions. - What advice would you give to first time writers?
Practice, practice, practice. Write every day -- aim for 2 pages' worth (c. 500 words). Make it a routine. Read good writers -- and there are good writers to be found in most genres. Read a variety of types of stories, both in terms of genre and style. Read authors who do plot well, who do character well, who are brilliant narrative stylists. Take writing classes or join a writing group. Listen to the advice given by older* writers. HONE your craft -- and writing is a craft. Don't take critique personally. Yes, it can hurt to have one's story vetted, but good critique is about the story, not the person who wrote it.
Nothing annoys me like poor writing and poorly edited stories excused by, "It's just fanfic." If your writing is "just" anything, quit now -- or at least keep it to yourself and a personal circle of friends. Please don't inflict it on the rest of us.
Yes, that may sound harsh, but Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine once said, "To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift."
THIS ISN'T ABOUT BEING PERFECT. Far from it. We all begin somewhere. It's about respecting one's self, the craft of writing, and one's readers enough to do one's BEST. We should read back over our work, find an editor (beta reader), learn from our mistakes, and do the best job we can do.
The other bit of advice I'd offer is The Big Secret ... there's no "muse." "The muse" is a myth. Inspiration exists, sure, but no muse. I point this out because new writers can fall slave to the notion that they can't write unless the muse is with them, or blame writer's block on no muse -- all sorts of things that cripple them. Truth is, the muse is a fabrication perpetuated by an overly romantic view of writing.
As someone who's been writing for over 30 years and publishing over 20, let me kill that romanticism. Pro authors write on demand and to deadlines. That's why "Practice, practice, practice," is my #1 bit of advice. Write every day. At first, 90% of what one writes may be crap, but after a while, it's only 60%, then 30% ... After some years, one can sit down and turn out moderately readable prose at need. It may not always be "inspired," but it's always readable. Experienced writers make "the muse" dance to their tune -- not them to hers.
* By "older" writers I mean those who've been writing longer. I've led writing groups that had new writers who were 20 years my senior, yet in terms of time at the craft, I was the elder. - Which is your favorite Harry Potter book?
Mostly, I don't have one. If pressed, probably Book 5, although I realize a lot of folks hate it, and it's not well edited, either. So I find it frustrating to read, but do think JKR did a good job writing a boy dealing with grief and guilt at a very tough age: 15. While "caps-lock" Harry may annoy, as a former bereavement counselor, I thought his reactions realistic. I also found such a wonderfully vile character as Umbridge to be interesting. She's a different sort of evil from Voldemort -- one that, unfortunately, is found more often in the real world. - Tell us something interesting about where you are from.
I'm a real Florida Native, as well as a native person, but not a native Floridian -- which is, admittedly, me having fun with double-meanings. a86; I was born and raised in Florida, and I'm an American Indian (native), but my tribe isn't native to Florida. We're from the Ohio/Indiana/Illinois area. Being biracial, I grew up "walking between worlds" ... and tripped over a lot of cultural curbs! - What character is the easiest for you to write? Which character is nearly impossible?
I find Cedric, Hermione, Remus Lupin and Dumbledore to be easiest. I also had a lot of fun writing Umbridge as a badie, and there are characters I don't often write, like Snape, but have no problem with.
Ironically, I find RON tough because he's so WYSIWYG. Thus, I tend to stay away from him, although I actually like him. In fact, I like him enough to want to avoid butchering him! Unfortunately readers sometimes interpret the lack of Ron as my disliking him. Not at all. I did write "Little Things" -- a Ron POV piece -- in an effort to live in his head a little, but I still prefer to stay away from him rather than fail to do him justice.
So yes, if you notice there's not a lot of Ron in my stories, it has nothing to do with liking or disliking him, but in wanting to avoid writing him badly. - What would be the thing you'd miss most?
I'm afraid that's too broad to answer well. - Give us five ways you'd use the Imperius Curse.
I wouldn't. It's immoral. - Fred and George have given you a Daydream Charm. Which four characters would star in your daydream and where would it take place?
I have ... no idea. :) - What is your favorite food and which famous person (non-HP) would you most like to share it with?
My favorite food varies, depending on the day and hour (although I'll rarely to never turn down fry bread or cream-filled doughnuts). Famous person? Hmm, I've often thought it'd like to meet Jesus. Don't laugh. He'd be an intriguing historical figure to talk to. No, I'm not a Christian, but I am a historian. I'd take my tape recorder and try to clear up a few things. Barring Jesus, then Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, or Eleanor of Aquitaine. - What inspires you to write?
A desire to understand people, and to share a hopeful vision of the future, one that's inclusive and compassionate. I come from a family of storytellers, and among Indians, storytelling is 'sacred business.' Not something to be taken lightly.
Beyond that, however, different things may inspire each individual story or scene in a chapter. I can't say it's any one thing. - What type of environment do you like to write in?
I can write wherever. I do get used to a particular keyboard, however, and right now, I do all my writing on my laptop. - Who are your favorite real life authors?
Again, this question varies too much, depending on the day and what I read last. - What do you do for fun outside fandom?
Write. Cook. Garden. Read. Hang out with friends. With a kid and a full-time job + a writing career ... I'm kept pretty busy but most of it is rather dull. - Do you think fandom is dying off with the end of the books?
Slowly, yes. I doubt it'll actually die for many, many years, but it is losing momentum ... although that's probably not noticeable in the more popular pairings. Having watched two fandoms fade before, IME, the place one sees erosion first is "at the edges" -- less popular pairings and characters. They're the "canary in the coal mine," and in HP, several have begun to diminish compared to just a year ago.
So yes, I think it's almost inevitable that it will fade, although to what degree and how rapidly remains to be seen. All good things must come to an end. :( - Word association:
No offense, but I never do well with these. - What was your favorite moment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?
Harry's trip into the forest, realizing that he must die. That scene is, I think, the culmination for the entire series.
Now, given that I sorta flunked some of the above questions (10 - 12, 16, 17 & 19), I thought I'd give a couple of others that I've been asked in interviews before ... Feel free to sub any of these for any of those above. Although as wordy as I am, you can also feel free to just CUT the questions entirely and leave it be! Ha.
- What was the first story you wrote and how old were you?
My first written story was "The Seven Million Dollar Siamese." I was in 6th grade, and The Six Million Dollar Man was popular on TV, which rather dates me, I fear. I walked into English class one day and declared, "I'm going to write a book!" Instead of laughing, my English teacher asked what it would be called, then jumped up and drew two little cat eyes and whiskers on the board, and wrote the title above it. I've never forgotten that moment, and it made ALL the difference in my going on to become a professional writer. I've had many wonderful mentors and teachers since, but it was Mrs. Best -- who didn't laugh -- who made me think that writing a book was as entirely feasible goal.
Incidentally, that "book" got no further than 4 pages -- written in longhand on notebook paper -- and (amusingly) amounted to fanfic! - Do you plot and outline ahead? And if so, how much?
I do, in fact, plot ahead, although I work with something called a "plot arc" rather than a traditional outline. Failure to plan can lead to meandering stories with lots of unnecessary deadwood, bad pacing, and even failure to complete the story. I think new writers can be intimidated by plotting, but it's actually not that hard -- and plot arcs make it easier if outlining seems too daunting.
A plot arc is exactly what it says: I draw a big arc on paper, then mark the scene that begins the story, the one that ends it, and fill in major plot points along the way, noting especially the main climax and any "sub-climaxes" (resolutions that propel events towards the main climax). But I don't try to write down every single scene ... some of which I may work out only as I go.
Plot arcs are a nice middle road, giving a writer an overall idea of the plot's SHAPE: where's it going to end, and what has to happen on the way to that ending. Incidentally, this works for both plot-driven stories and character-driven stories. Character-driven stories still have a plot, it's just a plot that revolves around characterization. I do think it's a bad idea to enter a (long) story with no idea of where one's going. Very few authors can pull that off, and most of those who can still need to do a LOT of revision later, tightening things up.
Short stories can be written without plotting ahead as they tend to come to writers more "as a piece." But novels, novellas, and novelettes need some thinking. (E.g., if you're getting much over 7,500 words, it's a good idea to know where you're going.) - What do you think is the most misunderstood/misinterpreted bit of advice for writers?
"Write what you know." It's an incredibly important concept, but routinely misunderstood. It all revolves around that little word "know," and how it's defined. Yes, it means personal experience, but if all we could write was our personal experience, we'd be in trouble. What we know can also include what we learn via research. And I do mean research, not looking up a few things and assuming that's sufficient.
In fanfic, this is particularly important. In original fiction, one gets to choose settings, events, the ethnicity of the characters, etc. In short, we can tailor things better to what we know. In fanfic, however, we're stuck with what's given in canon.
As writers, we must become empathic sponges. Observe, observe, observe. Be curious. Ask questions. Look things up (don't guess). And if something is just too far outside our experience, we should avoid or write around it rather than make fools of ourselves. Again, I don't consider "It's just fanfic" to be a valid excuse for doing a half-assed job.
We must learn to practice the art of getting it right.