Questions taken from AO3 Comment of the Day.
Image: RMHare
At least three or four; sometimes more. When working on something that I don’t write at a single sitting, I’ll often start the next session by going back through what I’ve already written, and invariably I find myself doing some light editing when I do that. In addition, I often find myself going back through and doing a full formal re-read; and in cases where there’s a delay between completion and posting, it’s not at all unusual for me to do one last read-through (and more editing) before I pull the trigger.
As a general rule, I don’t edit; I rewrite. It’s actually faster for me to do that, and I have fewer errors that way. The bottom line, though, is that my first drafts rarely — if ever — make it off my hard drive. The hard part for me isn’t editing/rewriting; it’s drawing the line and calling it done.
22. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style.
My earliest fics have all been taken down, so I’m not able to respond to this one. To be honest, though, there wouldn’t be much of a difference. My writing style has evolved iteratively over the years, and it’s hard to point to specific items that are different now than they used to be. (My writing process has changed a good bit more than my writing style.) I also didn’t start writing fan fiction to be shared until I was an adult, albeit a young one, which means I skipped over some of the more awkward stages.
23. If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?
The very first fic I shared was a novella written in the Star Trek: Voyager universe, called “Limits.” I’m already planning on revising it sometime in the future. I’m not sure exactly when it will happen, though. “Limits” is already in its second or third posted version — I don’t remember which one — and the rewrites have primarily addressed structural problems, plot holes and clichés. I’m also not very pleased with the characterizations in it, as they’re oversimplified to the point of error in some places. However, they’re not way off so I suspect that just fixing the other problems will go a long way toward fixing those, too. Thus, I’m not planning to specifically revise that aspect of it.
24. Have you ever deleted one of your published fics?
More than once! I’ve been working on my current “revise and republish” project since early 2022. It’s going in fits and starts depending on what else I may be working on at any given time; at the moment, I’m not doing a whole lot with it because I’m focusing on Standing in the Dark, although I sometimes will work on Tales from Winter Camp as an alternative, particularly when I need a break. (I also sometimes work on my original stories as well.)
Much of the reason I decided to start that project involved all the little changes I needed to make in nearly every fic. Again, it’s not so much a change in my writing style as it is an improvement in my writing skills. Thus, the changes are usually on the micro level as opposed to the macro: phrasing, pacing, and the like. I have yet to change any major plot points in anything I’ve written, and don’t expect I will in the future.
I will admit that, if I’m going to take a fic down, I always save a copy of the review(s) page(s) first. Re-reading them never fails to improve my mood, though I try not to do it too often so that I don’t ruin the effect.
25. What do you look for in a beta?
I’m just now starting to formally work with beta readers, although I’ve had family members and friends look over my fics prior to them being posted in the past. This means I’ve not yet fully developed my preferences for a beta reader. At this point, the two things I consider most important are an attitude of constructive criticism (along the same lines as the collaborative feedback method under development at Signum University*), and the understanding that I might not always choose to accept the beta’s updates or advice. That said, with Standing in the Dark, I’d estimate I’ve been going with 80-90% of my beta’s recommendations.
More than anything, though, I just look for synergy and the ability to communicate. From there we can always talk about it.
* Yes, that is my husband in the video. And yes, I’ve been peripherally involved in this project; I was an early tester, and I’ve had some long conversations with the preceptors about the way feedback works in the fan fiction world, which they’ve used as a minor source of inspiration. When it comes to my own work, though particularly the fan fiction, I am fine with whatever works for both the beta and me. It doesn’t have to be as formal.