Author Interview: SiDEADde

Tnuccio Recommendation: Luniere By SiDEADde

1.What was it about the Twilight Fandom that made you want to write fanfiction for it?

Honestly it started with my cousin. We read the books together and while waiting for Breaking Dawn we talked about how neat it would be to see different perspectives on the same story. It always bothered me a little that Bella was the only narrator, because I never really felt she was the most trustworthy person as far as narration goes. I’ve been obsessed with Alice since I first picked up Twilight and it only increased when I read NM and EC. My cousin and I first challenged each other to write the first chapter from another POV. After she read mine she told me about the FFN site. So I posted Huis Clos and crossed my fingers.

2. Is writing a new venture for you and how are you finding your way through the process?

Yes, writing is a new venture. I’ve always had a fondness for poetry, and I dabbled and wrote poems when inspired, but had someone asked me last year at this time if I would ever have considered writing a something novel-length I would have laughed myself sick. I’m not really finding my way as much as I’m stumbling along with a TON of support from my closest fic ladies.

3.When writing, do you prefer one genre over all the rest, and why?

Heh…I’m a canon girl. I have written an AH piece, but it was hard for me because I like rules and parameters. I’m a canon-nazi according to Smellyia. =P I just like to take the established and twist it to my own liking. When there is a first person narrator there is just so much left out. That’s what I wanted to explore.

4. What do you do to avoid writer's block? If it's unavoidable, what do you do to surpass it?

Errrr. I can’t say I’ve ever really been terribly blocked. I’m the world’s slowest updater, mostly because I’m crazy lazy, and I would rather be beta’ing. I like to think up prompts, and to do short, structured writing exercises, but the long stuff I have to force myself through. I timed write with the ladies if I’m totally stuck. I’ve found that the timed writing is really the best motivator. There’s pressure to produce, but it’s not a critical environment.

5. Do you find anything particularly inspiring while writing?

Music is pretty inspiring, but I get most of my inspiration brainstorming with Ava. I’ll look over notes I have for a chapter and I’ll come to her with what I would like to happen. And then I gauge a good idea by her excitement. Excitement by a peer is the greatest inspiration.

Reviews are inspiring too. Sometimes I’ll get a particularly insightful review and it motivates me to get that next chapter out there so that reader can compare their theories to my direction.

6.Do you find that any certain characters are more difficult to write than others?

Well, I don’t really write anyone but Alice, but if I had to pick one or two, I think I struggle the most with Carlisle and Esme because I just never felt a connection with them.

7. How do you best deal with the negative critics?

Well, I don’t deal with many negative critics because I don’t write AU/AH. I think that’s where you see the most crazy reviews and PMs. I try to head off any canon arguments by making sure I have looked everything up, aligned all events, and passed the idea by both of my betas who are Twilight experts. I have had a couple of reviews that were bad, but I just look at all the positive ones and ignore those who mutter sour grapes.

8.What do you like to see in a review?

I just like to see reviews, quite honestly, but if everyone had the time, maturity, and inclination I would like to see a review that describes what a particular chapter or the whole story has done to move that reader. I love when readers pick out lines and post them, when they predict what they think is going to happen, or comment on character development. I like the “I love your story” reviews too. Any love is good love.

9. What made you pick your pen name?

Laugh..I am the emo queen. I’ve always been a fan of the dark and angsty, and I like words and puzzles. When I was little, I was in a pull-out class and we would do word and logic puzzles. When the free-email craze started I thought I would be clever and make a sign-on name that would both show my personality and act like a mini test…beings that I’m an elitist bitch. I liked to see who figured out my name without my prompting.

10. Tell us the guiltiest pleasure you indulge in ;)

Hrm….I adore Kim Harrison books. They are writing in its basest, most brainless, and enjoyable form. I think that’ll be my next fandom.

I also have a terrible weakness for McDonald’s, sausage gravy with homemade buttermilk biscuits, and buttered danishes. My heart is screaming in agony!

11. Do you find it hard to stay within the confines of the characters and time lines Stephenie Meyer created while still being creative in building your story?

Well, Alice was really quite the one-dimensional character. It was easy building her into something more complex because Bella never really bothered to compound on her relationship with Alice, or scrape the surface of who Alice really was. I don’t find too many restrictions at this point. The direction I would like to go in might make me say differently 20 chapters down the road, but right now everything seems to be coming together fine.

12. You have written a few different fics now, you have covered more than one genre. Do you have a preference and if so which do you prefer and why?

Canon. I like canon. AH is too open. I don’t think I’m a particularly talented writer, as far as original ideas go. I can work easily within someone else’s constraints, but when there are no defined borders I tend to wander and lose motivation.

13. What is your editing process? How much do you rely on outside help?

My editing process. BAHAHAHA. I managed to drive off one beta with my compulsiveness. So I wrote 7 chapters without the benefit of having a beta…and it’s easy to see which ones. I currently have 2 betas, because I’m a bit of an anal-retentive loon. I have serious perfection issues. Nothing I write would ever get posted because I’m never happy with what I’ve produced. SOOO, I rely HEAVILY on outside help, more for serious insecurities and encouragement than for anything else. Tnuccio and Avalonia are the best anyone could ever ask for. They both read the story in different ways and for different things. A section that one likes, the other will find something to fix. I get my best chapters when they both have the time to read for me. They put up with an amazing amount of my crap, and each chapter comes out its best.

14. What is it like to write a T rated fic when M or NC-17 stories are so popular right now?

Frustrating, but I refuse to change my rating. I want to write intelligent fiction and I think a lot of talented authors are seduced by the high amount of readers a NC-17 rating brings to them, so they sell their soul for the smut. I’m not saying that smut can’t be written intelligently, but I think it’s more of a struggle when you have to include words that would need to be censored out of this interview. I can cuss like a sailor, and have no problem being vulgar, but I feel that it is difficult to take one seriously when profanities and graphic sex are used with no regards as to plot movement or character development. I guess it all comes down to what your agenda is. And before anyone would like to call me out on the pot and kettle argument, yes, I’ve written a NC-17 story, and it turned out ok, I guess. The experience was eye-opening: I spent a great deal of time blushing furiously. It’s just not my cup of tea.