Questions taken from AO3 Comment of the Day.
Image: ginnith
It started out as a hobby, but even then I cared about craft, and I spent time learning and practicing it even though it was “just a hobby.” As I wrote more and more, however, it became a hobby that consumed a lot of my time. In addition, I started developing and working on original work as well. I also began to look for (and find) like-minded friends.
When I told a therapist about it during the first decade of this century, she laughed and gave me a description that I’ve used as my self-image ever since: “Catherine, you have a good head for business, but you have the soul of an artist and a heart full of compassion.”
Over the years, writing morphed from a hobby into a passion. The way I knew for sure came around 2013, when I was asked to respond to an RFP at work and ended up spending the entire day working on it. I had a blast, and realized that this was something I could happily do as a living. Since then, I’ve seen writing — both fiction and non-fiction — as more of a passion than a hobby. Even more than that, I’ve begun identifying as a writer who earns money by working as an employee benefits specialist. I’ve also been looking into ways to become a paid writer. This blog, in fact, is a part of that last effort.
12. Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?
For my current fandom obsession (Scarecrow and Mrs. King)? No, not really. I have episodes that I enjoy more than others, but none of them serve as a direct inspiration.
I have had episodes of other shows that have fallen into this category. One in particular is the first-season Star Trek: Discovery episode, “Lethe.” This, combined with the first-season episode, “The War Without, the War Within,” has led to a number of fics and fic ideas. I also was extremely unhappy with the direction that Captain Lorca ultimately took during this season; a complex and complicated character morphed into a one-dimensional, dictatorial megalomaniac who was obviously patterned after a simplistic (and erroneous) view of Donald Trump. That led me into wanting to explore the character more, particularly with respect to his relationship with Admiral Cornwell.
13. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?
That it’s okay to write original fiction like it’s fan fiction, at least for the first draft. I didn’t manage to get a single work of original fiction off the ground until I tried that. These days, I’ve intentionally blurred the line between original fiction, shared universe fiction, and fan fiction in my mind. This helps me focus on what I’m trying to do, as opposed to being worried about whether readers will understand what I’m trying to depict.
The other piece of writing advice that worked really well was actually a bit of career advice, from an article about what you can do if you hate your job but can’t leave: one of the items was “don’t make your job the reason you get up in the morning.” Instead, start your morning with an activity that you like doing, even if it means getting up earlier. I tried getting up earlier so that I’d have an hour or two to write every morning. It worked beautifully, and I still do that to this day. It dovetails very well with the common advice to set aside specific blocks of time for writing.
14. What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?
“Write what you know.” What does that even mean? Writers aren’t omniscient; we have to do research, and yes, that applies even for fan fiction. (In fact I can’t think of anything I’ve done that didn’t require research, aside of some short one-shots.) Further, that advice often leads writers to never stray outside their comfort zone or try and stretch themselves as a writer. I’ve come to consider “write what you know” to be lousy — and lazy — advice.
15. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?
During the initial drafting process, I imagine a lot of my fics as if they’re filmed; that’s the root of my tendency to use dialogue to advance the plot. That said, the final versions of my fics often wouldn’t translate well into film.
Of course, my extended scene for the Star Trek: Discovery episode “Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum” is written in the format of a filming script. And I think that my Star Trek: Enterprise story, “Late Night Contemplation,” would have been an excellent scene for earlier in the series. Archer’s distrust of Vulcan everything was a little too grating for someone who supposedly embodied the spirit of exploration. I like to think that, in more private circumstances, he wasn’t as militant and, instead, was a little more open-minded and willing to engage in cultural exchange-type conversations.