Team Interviews: lavvyan
Name: lavvyan, also known as "that nut with the flower porn" and "the bitchy mod"
Team: War! \o/
Let's talk about: lavvyan!
1. How long have you been writing fan fiction?
Since 2001. I sucked at it. *laughs*
2. Have you participated or are you participating in any other fandoms?
I started out writing fanfic for DBZ before moving on to Buffy, Discworld, and Dark Angel. Probably not in that order. Then there was kind of a long break, which ended only because my sister made me write her Gippal/Baralai slash for FF X-2. After that, SGA and now Merlin. The last two are the only ones where I actively participated in fandom, though.
3. What fanwork are you most proud of? Or, what is your favourite of your fanworks? (links, please!)
I'm proudest of Dearest, because it's one of the few stories of mine that really work without seeming rushed. Plus, I just like drama.
4. As far as creative processes go, what type of writer are you? Do you create an outline/find photo references/make maps, etc., or do you jump in and go with the flow?
Most of the time, I outline a story, even if it's just in my own head. Having some kind of frame work helps with keeping track of where the story is supposed to go. The few times I just went with the flow resulted in stuff like Life in Full Bloom and Knievel the Mighty and the Eye of the Gods - in other words, me going with the flow is likely to result in crack.
5. Where can interested readersfind more of your work?
Here on LJ
6. Do you write original fiction (poetry, screenplays)? Do you create original art (comics, photographs, quilts, wedding cakes)? Care to share?
I do write original fiction, yeah. Most of it's not very good, though, so no sharing. Also, I stitch a mean moon bunny.
7. How are you so awesome?
I was born that way. Seriously, I can't help it. I'm naturally modest, too. ;)
~~~
Let's talk about: SGA!
8. What do you enjoy most about SGA and/or SGA fandom?
The inclusiveness. The fandom welcomes crack, drama, romance and just about everything in between, and though it tends to focus on the American parts, it's really amazingly international. I've made friends around the world, literally, and I wouldn't want to miss that. As for the show, SGA was a fun romp that stole its ideas left and right and managed to make it entertaining. The cast of characters in particular was a mixture I could relate to, and sometimes almost painfully human. I like that.
9. Why do you ship McKay/Sheppard? What draws you to the pairing, what do you like and dislike? Favourite scenes or episodes? Quotes?
I ship them because of the banter, and the trust, and the way one relies on the other to Make Things Right. They complement each other in their strengths and faults, and they look pretty together. What's not to like?
My favourite episode featuring those two is Echoes: They go on a whale-watching date and won't quit acting hilariously like a married couple for the rest of the episode. Great as The Shrine was, I prefer the teasing and working-together to the drama.
As for quotes, I'll have to go with The Brotherhood:
Rodney: "Shut up, please, I'm trying to think."
John: "I'm not gonna shut up, Rodney, my life's at stake!"
Rodney: "Exactly, so simmer down and let me save it!"
John: "Ever heard the term 'two heads are better than one'?"
Rodney: "It's a common misconception."
John, to Genii: "Give me the gun, I'll shoot him myself."
McShep in a nutshell. :D
10. Why did you choose to join Team War?
I was asked to. :D
Seriously, though, my stories, when they're not all out crack, are mostly about conflict and drama and misunderstandings. Team War would have been the obvious choice anyway.
11. C'mon, you know you wanna! Just a bit of squee about your Match fic?
I had been planning to write something very different originally (ask neevebrody), when the idea to my current fic popped into my brain and took over. I love it when that happens.
12. What are your 'tells'? How can a fic of yours be spotted in the wild? Run-on sentences and an overuse of "and"?
Really, I've no idea. I dabble in some very diverging genres, so I couldn't say if there are any obvious tells pointing to me as an author. Also, I know which stories I write, so it's not like I ever had to guess. ;)
~~~
Let's talk about: questions by other people
13. chkc: Where does all the crack for your...more innovative fics come from? :D That is to say, where do you usually get inspiration from? Or do ideas just spontaneously come into existence in your awesome, awesome brain?
My inspiration usually comes from truly innocuous things or throaway sentences in other stories. Like, Cycle came from someone holding the door open for me in a parking garage. Routines came from being annoyed at fanon. And The Eternally Unnamed was written on a dare (I'll write just about anything on a dare *facepalms*).
That said, I still have no idea where the flower thing came from. Or the thing where they're quite literally living at the End of the World. Or the thing with Jeopardy. :)
14. telesilla: You have such an impressive range--you go from crack to sweet romantic fic to AUs and even some somewhat dark stuff--and I'm wondering, do you sit down and think, "okay I'm in the mood to write fluff," or if your ideas just kind of ambush you.
First of all, I can't write fluff. I tried, but as a genre I find it incredibly hard to manage, so kudos to all who do.
And yeah, definitely the ambush thing. I blame my parents, who had a wide range of books for me to steal from their shelves and then went and bought me more. About how the littlest mouse became King. About two kids fighting Evil in a magical circus. About the girl who fought the wolves, and the woman who was the first professional cook, and lots and lots of fairy tales. Plus, my father was a huge fan of the Neue Deutsche Welle, which explains a lot if you know just how much crack was among that. One of my favourites was and remains a song about a queen with wheels stuck on below, and how she rules quite differently if she has to roll uphill.
So, yeah. I guess I write a lot of different things because I grew up on a lot of different things, and I still haven't found "my own" style as a writer, so I can play with everything I want. ♥
15. kisa_hawklin: Do you incorporate meta like that [cupidsbow's] into your writing? Have you always thought about shape and structure and voice and POV or did you just start out writing stories and sort of figure it out on the way?
Hee, I wish! cupidsbow's meta posts are amazing, even if I had to ask her several times to clarify stuff for me because I lacked the vocabulary (or brain capacity) to understand them. I also own several books about writing, but in general, I fail at incorporating anything I learn from them.
This has probably two reasons: for one, most of the books about writing are about a) writing novels and b) the author's personal pet peeves. My format is the short story, alas. I also refuse to let anyone dictate me whether I can or cannot use adverbs.
The other thing is that I'm an incredibly undisciplined writer. I plot, but I don't divide the parts of my plot according to any established formula for dramatic writing. If I manage the end-each-part-with-a-bigger-bang thing, it's pure coincidence. Also, I hate editing, so I'm not nearly paying as much attention to shape and structure as I should, even when the story is finished.
So there's not even any figuring out on the way. The story decides what kind of voice it wants, and who's telling it, and if it's in present or past tense. I hope that some of those decisions come from things that stuck from cupidsbow's posts, but it's hard to tell.
16. neevebrody: What is your most favorite kind of tea? Brand? Flavor? Bag or leaf? Milk or lemon? Sugar?
Um. Chamomile, actually. Yes, I'm the most boring person on the planet, stop laughing. Don't care about the brand, bag, no milk-lemon-sugar-whatever. Just plain chamomile.
17. pennyplainknits: Why do you think McShep fit so well into fairy stories?
Because unlike so many other characters from TV shows, they're not defined by their surroundings. Nor are they the stereotypical blueprints you find in the science fiction genre. Or rather, I think they were meant to be, but they have too much character to just be a slot in the story that had to be filled somehow.
If that makes any sense.
Take Rodney: early on, we learn that he's brilliant, yes, but also arrogant and incredibly bad at relating to anyone. He's also allergic to citrus, quit the piano when he was a kid, got sent to Siberia, had a cat, doesn't like kids... As for John, he liked Antarctica, got a black mark for trying to do the right thing, has a head for maths, refuses to leave people behind, and has a playful streak that allows him to throw Rodney off a balcony.
What I mean to say is, they are characters who really do have character. You can stick them into literally any kind of story and they'll fit right in and do their own thing. And I love fairy tales, so for me, those are the obvious choice of setting. :)
18. perspi: What are your favorite kinds of fic to read? What about a fic (in the summary, ratings, title, whatever) gets you to click the link and start reading?
Oh, pffff. If there's a McKay/Sheppard listed in the header, and the story's not a PWP, and the summary doesn't read like the author never even heard of grammar, I'll read it. I don't think there are all that many John/Rodney stories I haven't read.
But of course I have favourites. Fairy tales and fairy tale-ish AUs always draw me in, except for if I've encountered the author before and didn't like their writing (which happens rarely). AUs in general give me the chance to get to know the characters all over again, so I prefer them over canon fic.
And I love, love, drama. Basically, if you promise me drama with a happy ending, I'm yours.
19. darsynia: Tell the truth--you have a folder full of awesome unrealized ideas just waiting for time/inclination/Godot, don't you? If so, just how cracky and/or unrealistic (and hence, unwritten) is the most cracky/unrealistic one?
Uh. That would be the one where they're promo cardboard cutouts in a comic book store. Although, in my defense, smuffster came up with that one. *g*
And if you've read so far, kudos to you. I don't usually talk that much. *facepalms*
Team: War! \o/
Let's talk about: lavvyan!
1. How long have you been writing fan fiction?
Since 2001. I sucked at it. *laughs*
2. Have you participated or are you participating in any other fandoms?
I started out writing fanfic for DBZ before moving on to Buffy, Discworld, and Dark Angel. Probably not in that order. Then there was kind of a long break, which ended only because my sister made me write her Gippal/Baralai slash for FF X-2. After that, SGA and now Merlin. The last two are the only ones where I actively participated in fandom, though.
3. What fanwork are you most proud of? Or, what is your favourite of your fanworks? (links, please!)
I'm proudest of Dearest, because it's one of the few stories of mine that really work without seeming rushed. Plus, I just like drama.
4. As far as creative processes go, what type of writer are you? Do you create an outline/find photo references/make maps, etc., or do you jump in and go with the flow?
Most of the time, I outline a story, even if it's just in my own head. Having some kind of frame work helps with keeping track of where the story is supposed to go. The few times I just went with the flow resulted in stuff like Life in Full Bloom and Knievel the Mighty and the Eye of the Gods - in other words, me going with the flow is likely to result in crack.
5. Where can interested readersfind more of your work?
Here on LJ
6. Do you write original fiction (poetry, screenplays)? Do you create original art (comics, photographs, quilts, wedding cakes)? Care to share?
I do write original fiction, yeah. Most of it's not very good, though, so no sharing. Also, I stitch a mean moon bunny.
7. How are you so awesome?
I was born that way. Seriously, I can't help it. I'm naturally modest, too. ;)
~~~
Let's talk about: SGA!
8. What do you enjoy most about SGA and/or SGA fandom?
The inclusiveness. The fandom welcomes crack, drama, romance and just about everything in between, and though it tends to focus on the American parts, it's really amazingly international. I've made friends around the world, literally, and I wouldn't want to miss that. As for the show, SGA was a fun romp that stole its ideas left and right and managed to make it entertaining. The cast of characters in particular was a mixture I could relate to, and sometimes almost painfully human. I like that.
9. Why do you ship McKay/Sheppard? What draws you to the pairing, what do you like and dislike? Favourite scenes or episodes? Quotes?
I ship them because of the banter, and the trust, and the way one relies on the other to Make Things Right. They complement each other in their strengths and faults, and they look pretty together. What's not to like?
My favourite episode featuring those two is Echoes: They go on a whale-watching date and won't quit acting hilariously like a married couple for the rest of the episode. Great as The Shrine was, I prefer the teasing and working-together to the drama.
As for quotes, I'll have to go with The Brotherhood:
Rodney: "Shut up, please, I'm trying to think."
John: "I'm not gonna shut up, Rodney, my life's at stake!"
Rodney: "Exactly, so simmer down and let me save it!"
John: "Ever heard the term 'two heads are better than one'?"
Rodney: "It's a common misconception."
John, to Genii: "Give me the gun, I'll shoot him myself."
McShep in a nutshell. :D
10. Why did you choose to join Team War?
I was asked to. :D
Seriously, though, my stories, when they're not all out crack, are mostly about conflict and drama and misunderstandings. Team War would have been the obvious choice anyway.
11. C'mon, you know you wanna! Just a bit of squee about your Match fic?
I had been planning to write something very different originally (ask neevebrody), when the idea to my current fic popped into my brain and took over. I love it when that happens.
12. What are your 'tells'? How can a fic of yours be spotted in the wild? Run-on sentences and an overuse of "and"?
Really, I've no idea. I dabble in some very diverging genres, so I couldn't say if there are any obvious tells pointing to me as an author. Also, I know which stories I write, so it's not like I ever had to guess. ;)
~~~
Let's talk about: questions by other people
13. chkc: Where does all the crack for your...more innovative fics come from? :D That is to say, where do you usually get inspiration from? Or do ideas just spontaneously come into existence in your awesome, awesome brain?
My inspiration usually comes from truly innocuous things or throaway sentences in other stories. Like, Cycle came from someone holding the door open for me in a parking garage. Routines came from being annoyed at fanon. And The Eternally Unnamed was written on a dare (I'll write just about anything on a dare *facepalms*).
That said, I still have no idea where the flower thing came from. Or the thing where they're quite literally living at the End of the World. Or the thing with Jeopardy. :)
14. telesilla: You have such an impressive range--you go from crack to sweet romantic fic to AUs and even some somewhat dark stuff--and I'm wondering, do you sit down and think, "okay I'm in the mood to write fluff," or if your ideas just kind of ambush you.
First of all, I can't write fluff. I tried, but as a genre I find it incredibly hard to manage, so kudos to all who do.
And yeah, definitely the ambush thing. I blame my parents, who had a wide range of books for me to steal from their shelves and then went and bought me more. About how the littlest mouse became King. About two kids fighting Evil in a magical circus. About the girl who fought the wolves, and the woman who was the first professional cook, and lots and lots of fairy tales. Plus, my father was a huge fan of the Neue Deutsche Welle, which explains a lot if you know just how much crack was among that. One of my favourites was and remains a song about a queen with wheels stuck on below, and how she rules quite differently if she has to roll uphill.
So, yeah. I guess I write a lot of different things because I grew up on a lot of different things, and I still haven't found "my own" style as a writer, so I can play with everything I want. ♥
15. kisa_hawklin: Do you incorporate meta like that [cupidsbow's] into your writing? Have you always thought about shape and structure and voice and POV or did you just start out writing stories and sort of figure it out on the way?
Hee, I wish! cupidsbow's meta posts are amazing, even if I had to ask her several times to clarify stuff for me because I lacked the vocabulary (or brain capacity) to understand them. I also own several books about writing, but in general, I fail at incorporating anything I learn from them.
This has probably two reasons: for one, most of the books about writing are about a) writing novels and b) the author's personal pet peeves. My format is the short story, alas. I also refuse to let anyone dictate me whether I can or cannot use adverbs.
The other thing is that I'm an incredibly undisciplined writer. I plot, but I don't divide the parts of my plot according to any established formula for dramatic writing. If I manage the end-each-part-with-a-bigger-bang thing, it's pure coincidence. Also, I hate editing, so I'm not nearly paying as much attention to shape and structure as I should, even when the story is finished.
So there's not even any figuring out on the way. The story decides what kind of voice it wants, and who's telling it, and if it's in present or past tense. I hope that some of those decisions come from things that stuck from cupidsbow's posts, but it's hard to tell.
16. neevebrody: What is your most favorite kind of tea? Brand? Flavor? Bag or leaf? Milk or lemon? Sugar?
Um. Chamomile, actually. Yes, I'm the most boring person on the planet, stop laughing. Don't care about the brand, bag, no milk-lemon-sugar-whatever. Just plain chamomile.
17. pennyplainknits: Why do you think McShep fit so well into fairy stories?
Because unlike so many other characters from TV shows, they're not defined by their surroundings. Nor are they the stereotypical blueprints you find in the science fiction genre. Or rather, I think they were meant to be, but they have too much character to just be a slot in the story that had to be filled somehow.
If that makes any sense.
Take Rodney: early on, we learn that he's brilliant, yes, but also arrogant and incredibly bad at relating to anyone. He's also allergic to citrus, quit the piano when he was a kid, got sent to Siberia, had a cat, doesn't like kids... As for John, he liked Antarctica, got a black mark for trying to do the right thing, has a head for maths, refuses to leave people behind, and has a playful streak that allows him to throw Rodney off a balcony.
What I mean to say is, they are characters who really do have character. You can stick them into literally any kind of story and they'll fit right in and do their own thing. And I love fairy tales, so for me, those are the obvious choice of setting. :)
18. perspi: What are your favorite kinds of fic to read? What about a fic (in the summary, ratings, title, whatever) gets you to click the link and start reading?
Oh, pffff. If there's a McKay/Sheppard listed in the header, and the story's not a PWP, and the summary doesn't read like the author never even heard of grammar, I'll read it. I don't think there are all that many John/Rodney stories I haven't read.
But of course I have favourites. Fairy tales and fairy tale-ish AUs always draw me in, except for if I've encountered the author before and didn't like their writing (which happens rarely). AUs in general give me the chance to get to know the characters all over again, so I prefer them over canon fic.
And I love, love, drama. Basically, if you promise me drama with a happy ending, I'm yours.
19. darsynia: Tell the truth--you have a folder full of awesome unrealized ideas just waiting for time/inclination/Godot, don't you? If so, just how cracky and/or unrealistic (and hence, unwritten) is the most cracky/unrealistic one?
Uh. That would be the one where they're promo cardboard cutouts in a comic book store. Although, in my defense, smuffster came up with that one. *g*
And if you've read so far, kudos to you. I don't usually talk that much. *facepalms*