Author Interview: Nightdog_Barks

[house_what_if]

Author Interview: Nightdog_Barks

Nightdog_barks is a prolific writer within the "what-if" genre and has more pieces on the House "What-If" Rec List than any other author. Some were written in collaboration with blackmare, and one as part of the black_cigarette collective. Nightdog's own rec list is on her LJ. You can find her online as nightdog_barks [LJ] [AO3] [DW] / nightdog_writes

Comments

[menolly_au]

Finishing a fic. Lately I find myself writing the scenes I really want to get down and then just stopping. It's not that I've lost interest in the fic; it just gets harder and harder to actually sit down and do the hard work of creating a finished story.

+1000 to that. I wish it were more acceptable to just write and post story fragments :)

It involves House and Wilson going antique-ing and encountering something unexpected.

Okay, that sounds promising!

Is any of your ST:TOS fic online?

[nightdog_barks]

Heh, there have been a few times I've posted fic fragments that I just didn't think were going to go anywhere. It's so hard to let go, though, and whenever I consider doing so I can't help but remember the few times (and okay, admittedly they were very few) a story has suddenly taken on new life after X number of years. Maybe there should be a comm just for orphaned fic fragments! :D

Is any of your ST:TOS fic online?

I'm afraid not. Those early attempts were written years and years before the Internet. I'm not sure where the paper copies are now. I do remember that one was about Captain Kirk drinking alone in a bar and being observed by some of the other bar patrons, who all agreed that it was terribly sad how the famous starship captain had never been the same since he'd lost his First Officer in some battle on some faraway blah blah blah and oh my god I'm sure it was the most angsty emo thing ever. But if I can find it I'll post a bit of it. *g*

[cuddyclothes]

Finishing a fic. Lately I find myself writing the scenes I really want to get down and then just stopping. It's not that I've lost interest in the fic; it just gets harder and harder to actually sit down and do the hard work of creating a finished story.

I understand this, even though we have opposite problems!

There are several stories mentioned here that I haven't read! Whee!

[nightdog_barks]

Yay! I'm glad to hear that -- happy reading!

♥ :D

[taiga13]

I have no problem believing that The Annals inspired someone to study Classics, because you are just that good.

[nightdog_barks]

AW, TAIGA ♥ ♥ ♥

It's ... awfully dusty in here. :D ///hugs\\\

[srsly_yes]

...it just gets harder and harder to actually sit down and do the hard work of creating a finished story.
Boy, can I empathize with that. On longer stories, even if everything is in my head, I have this urge to post a summary of what I had in mind and walk away. lol.

Love The Annals. Did you once say you were thinking of adding more?

Have you written any original fiction?

[nightdog_barks]

As a matter of fact, I did once say that I was thinking of adding more to The Annals. I even wrote more, then tore it up and started over. I haven't touched it in a long time and I don't know if it will ever be finished, but here's a sample fragment:

"What are you two doing here?" Longinus asked. "I thought you were still on shore, dosing the harbor priest."

"The priest is beyond our help," Gregorius said. Longinus looked alarmed, and James quickly explained.

"What Gregorius means," he said, "is that the priest will recover on his own. The oysters he dined on last night surely did not help matters."

"Only a fool eats oysters in the heat of summer," Gregorius observed. His caustic tone left no doubt as to who the fool was. He turned away from James and Longinus and scanned the deck. "Where's the captain of this scowbucket?" he demanded, then shook his head without waiting for an answer. "We should be on our way by now."

Longinus looked at him sidewise. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to simply take command?" he said. :D

[srsly_yes]

Thank you for the wonderful tidbit. So IC. Think it's about time for another reread of The Annals.

[nightdog_barks]

:D

♥ ♥ ♥

[yarroway]

House and Wilson go antique-ing? Yes plz!

...it just gets harder and harder to actually sit down and do the hard work of creating a finished story.

This is all too familiar. I am far less motivated than I used to be. I'm content to let story pieces hang out in my head rather than write them down...and the less I write the fewer ideas for new stories I have so that's really a terrible habit for me.

Whatever parts of old works you want to post, I want to read.

[nightdog_barks]

YES, THIS IS ME EXACTLY

Story pieces in my head -- there are a few where I even know how the story ends, but the work involved in getting there somehow seems almost insurmountable. Part of it, I think, is due to my health issues over the last few years, and the rest of it, I guess, as you say, ... is motivation. It shouldn't be so hard to simply sit down and make oneself write -- and yet, it is. Ugh, I just don't know.

Whatever parts of old works you want to post, I want to read.

There are a few posted (in my LJ) under the tag Fly Free Little WIP. I'll go through what I've got and see what else I can let go. *g* I had actually thought about creating a comm where people (not just me) could post fragments, but IDK if it's worth the effort of modding. Or maybe have a Housefic Amnesty Fest, where folks let go of stuff. Things to consider. ♥

[yarroway]

I've read through your WIPs before, but it's been a while. I think I should go back and take another look. :)

[nightdog_barks]

I'll post some new ones pretty soon. :D