Additional info for my sshg exchange mystery author/artist
Okay, here’s my somewhat late post expanding on my likes and dislikes.
I covered most of the biggies in the original sign-up post, so I don’t really have much to add to that. However, I do agree with practically everything fic-related in scatteredlogic’s post about this (find it here ).
To her bottom line, I’ll add that what really gets me hooked every single time is compelling, complex characters (why else would I adore Snape so?). I’ll buy almost any plot, so long as I can buy characters’ motives as being true to their characters. If they screw up, their mistakes should be the sort they would normally make (e.g., Snape refusing to take the word of a Gryffindor; Hermione missing something important because she thinks she can find all the answers in books), or I would expect an in-character explanation for why they seem to be OOC. Thus, if student!Hermione were to suddenly decide she’s not all that fussed about NEWTs, after all, there really needs to be an explanation consistent with her character for why (as opposed to ‘it served my story that she wouldn’t bother with NEWTs’). Similarly, if Severus is going to reveal his soft underbelly, why is he not the prickly, defensive enigma he usually presents?
One more thing: chances are good I’ll be absolutely thrilled with pretty much anything you come up with, so don’t angst about getting it just right as long as you avoid my major squicks (please, no horror!). Like so many other people, I often find myself liking things I never thought I would.
Finally, as to art, all I can say is I love just about anything as long as it’s not so abstract that I can’t recognize the content. I like Asian styles just as well as Western, and I adore color, but I also love simple charcoal or pen and ink. Photomanips are great, too - I’ve sometimes thought Minnie Driver could be a good adult Hermione, but I’m open to other representations, and other than AR, I haven’t thought of anyone to represent Severus, so it’s up to you who you choose if you go that route. Just please don’t make me anything like a Jackson Pollock or a late-career Picasso. Hard as I try, I just don’t get those styles. Bottom line, though, is I don’t have any talent whatsoever in visual arts, so I’ll almost certainly be delighted with practically anything you do.
6/4/2012 Edit: The above still holds true. To that, I'll add that if you are a crafter, I'll probably be thrilled with whatever you come up with, as I'm not particularly crafty myself. And thank you in advance for all your effort! :)
I covered most of the biggies in the original sign-up post, so I don’t really have much to add to that. However, I do agree with practically everything fic-related in scatteredlogic’s post about this (find it here ).
To her bottom line, I’ll add that what really gets me hooked every single time is compelling, complex characters (why else would I adore Snape so?). I’ll buy almost any plot, so long as I can buy characters’ motives as being true to their characters. If they screw up, their mistakes should be the sort they would normally make (e.g., Snape refusing to take the word of a Gryffindor; Hermione missing something important because she thinks she can find all the answers in books), or I would expect an in-character explanation for why they seem to be OOC. Thus, if student!Hermione were to suddenly decide she’s not all that fussed about NEWTs, after all, there really needs to be an explanation consistent with her character for why (as opposed to ‘it served my story that she wouldn’t bother with NEWTs’). Similarly, if Severus is going to reveal his soft underbelly, why is he not the prickly, defensive enigma he usually presents?
One more thing: chances are good I’ll be absolutely thrilled with pretty much anything you come up with, so don’t angst about getting it just right as long as you avoid my major squicks (please, no horror!). Like so many other people, I often find myself liking things I never thought I would.
Finally, as to art, all I can say is I love just about anything as long as it’s not so abstract that I can’t recognize the content. I like Asian styles just as well as Western, and I adore color, but I also love simple charcoal or pen and ink. Photomanips are great, too - I’ve sometimes thought Minnie Driver could be a good adult Hermione, but I’m open to other representations, and other than AR, I haven’t thought of anyone to represent Severus, so it’s up to you who you choose if you go that route. Just please don’t make me anything like a Jackson Pollock or a late-career Picasso. Hard as I try, I just don’t get those styles. Bottom line, though, is I don’t have any talent whatsoever in visual arts, so I’ll almost certainly be delighted with practically anything you do.
6/4/2012 Edit: The above still holds true. To that, I'll add that if you are a crafter, I'll probably be thrilled with whatever you come up with, as I'm not particularly crafty myself. And thank you in advance for all your effort! :)