totchipanda

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As a fanfic writer, I would have to say that in general, I love fanfic. It is, however, difficult at times to slog through piles of dreck (just like published fiction...) to find the gems.

My favourite book to hate on is a published historical "romance" (not in the traditional romance sense lol) in which the main character's eyes were described as everything from caramel to chocolate, and her breasts as "translucent globes" (I wish I was making this up; I finished reading it because I didn't hate it enough to stop). Two of my favourite fanfics were "several years later" scenarios that had so much attention to detail and careful analysis of the source work that I reread them every few months, and enjoy them just as much today as I did when I first read them.

Ultimately, fanfic is for fun. You can write your My Immortal, and I can choose not to read it. Just like published fiction, except for free!

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I had to think about this rather a lot, and I came to realize that writing really is my greatest passion. I've been writing for most of my life, though the prolificness has reduced greatly in the last few years, for many reasons. My head used to be bursting with stories, evidenced by all the fanfic and original stories from high school I found in my boxes (and promptly tossed), and I used to read a lot more too.

Now... even though I participate in Nanowrimo every year, it's not quite the same. I only have the editing of last year's novel, a fanfic prompt challenge, a couple other fanfics on hold*, and... that's it. Where are all the characters I used to create? What are their adventures like? Did they reach their goals? Are they happy in their lives, with the choices they made?

When I tell people that I write novels, the first question is usually "oh, are you published?". I never wrote with the intention of submitting anything to a publisher at all. But it does make me think, so why DO I write? Why is it such a focus for me when there's no "finale" like that? I have tons of half finished fanfics on my hard drive, a few unfinished novels, another complete one, almost no original stuff outside of those novels, and... why am I writing these days?

Would it be something I could give up, if I decided that I am not writing to any purpose? I kinda doubt it, but there is a part of me that says it would be easy to give up, to reduce my computers to the sole use of Facebook games, sudoku and Mah Jong.

I think what I need to do is join some communities, webforums, etc, and get out of this pit, a pit I had no idea I was even in until now.


*The hilarious thing is, I put them on hold with the adage "if I don't like writing it, no one's gonna like reading it" and I was having no fun writing. Just last night, an email list I joined sent an email that basically said the same thing XD

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Wind by Fumiko Orikasa as Rukia Kuchiki. It's been played over 300 times :D

(No Rukia icon.. stupid ads... Have an Orihime one instead!)

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There was a time when I would have given my left lung to be bitten by Lestat, but that was many, many, many years past. Now, I would like the vamps to stay away, ESPECIALLY the sparkly kind (for all that I think Edward is the funniest thing since sliced toast...)

On a similar note, I found and threw away a ton of old fanfic I wrote back in the early days of my new love affair with J-rock, some of it self-insert *hides* When I find the Vampire Chronicles stuff, I think I'll burn it just to be safe.

(what I really want to find is the old Star Wars crap I used to write, if only just to read about the character I was writing about, since all I can remember is her name, but it seems to have magically vanished...)

And to bring this back on topic (sort of), my sisters and I played the Twilight Board Game the other day XD man that was hilarious. I was most impressed by the label "Quillayute" on one square.

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Je suis omelette du fromage!!

Non?

Je suis avec pomme de terre?

...non?

Oh alright. Those are in-jokes anyway XD

I love the best French thing EVAR (or rather, French-Canadian)





POUTINE.

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In order:

Otters
Polar bears
Pandas
Kittens
Ducks

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Totally this one. I can only use it during Hogswatch! (or possibly whenever I'm railing about how awesome Terry Pratchett is, which has been woefully short lately since I need to get the fines off my library card... blah blah blah)

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From some high school volleyball players, that my outfit and my best friend's outfit was really good. They took a picture of us. What made it the best, is that my friend's outfit was mass-produced, and mine was hand-made.

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Deadwood :(

The costuming was stunning and I love Al Swearengen so much.

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I think I mostly walk on by, with some scorn mixed in. Smoking is a choice. You chose to start smoking, you could choose to stop. I won't condemn you for smoking, but don't expect me to sympathize when you have to stand outside in the cold and wet to do it. I have to stand out here too, AND I have to inhale your unfiltered habit. Thanks.

And a big shout-out to my smoking homies who are considerate and try to keep it away from my general direction <333 ILU.