Describe your writing process from idea to posting/publishing?
If I have an idea that I cannot stop thinking about, I immediately scream it at a few of my other fanfic author friends. I workshop a LOT with @mystical-blaise. If it's something small, I might just start writing after that.
If it's a big idea, I'll start planning. Typically my plot points come to me in little movie snippets in my brain, so I know which big (typically painful) scenes I NEED to have, and then build out after that. I also use those if I'm struggling with writing. For example, the first thing I wrote for Verzavar Haz was the end of chapter 15 (iykyk).
I go between writing by hand or typing my first draft. I'm not good at sprinting and tend to edit as I go. Writing by hand allows me to do a pretty thorough edit as I type it into Google Docs, but writing a novel-length fic by hand is... a lot. I think I wrote ~25 chapters of The Raven and the Songbird by hand. Conversely, I wrote all of VH in docs and had beta readers.
For the vast majority of my work, I haven't used beta readers - mostly because I'm very rejection sensitive and even the slightest bit of constructive criticism has a high probability of sending me into a tailspin of self-loathing and feeling like I'm an utter failure. Is it unreasonable? Absolutely. Is it real? Also yes.
What I ALWAYS do is read EVERYTHING out loud before I publish it. It helps me catch repeated words and makes me read through everything without skipping. It's really helpful for spelling mistakes. And, I'll be honest, I'm reading in full audiobook narrator mode - voices and everything. Too bad you'll never hear it.
For Verzavar Haz, I had beta readers, because my goal for that fic was to be the top Crescent City fic. Did I achieve my goal? No. But I learned a lot by having beta readers - namely that I don't suck just because someone had some suggestions for me. And it is the highlight of my writing career thus far.
I don't do anything fancy when I post to AO3. HTML? Don't know her. I literally copy and paste the text. It's a pain when my docs on my iPad doesn't copy over italics...
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I'm a plotter if it's big. Or if I'm trying to create something with a full arc. Once I'm plotted, I'll definitely go off the rails. But I DO plot first. And I have certain non-negotiable scenes that I know MUST be there.
What do you listen to when you are writing?
I am NEVER consistent, but when I wrote VH I listened to a couple RuhnLidia and Gwynriel playlists on Spotify. I should get back to that, because I do think that helped with my productivity. A lot of time I have sports or TV on in the background, which isn't particularly conducive.
What’s your drink of choice (while writing)?
Ummmm probably water or Celsius.
Promote yourself! What’s your favourite thing you’ve written?
Verzavar Haz is my magnum opus. I wrote this after House of Sky and Breath broke my brain, and it is by far the best thing I've ever created. Read the trigger warnings, and HEAR ME when I say that my motto is "the worse the hurt, the better the comfort". But if you stick with it, I think it's pretty great. You know, if I do say so, myself.
Share a fic of yours that you think is underrated/deserves more love.
By Death or Decree is a canon-divergent From Blood and Ash fic. I've lost my love for the FBAA series and universe, and I worked hard to have this fic out before The War of Two Queens was released. I wanted that, because I knew that after TWOTQ we would all know, for sure, that Malik wasn't the cruel creature that I thought would have been MUCH more compelling.
BDOD explores the possibility of Poppy being married to Malik as the Blood Crown had intended, and Casteel coming face-to-face with them again in Atlantia.
Again, check the content warnings (see a theme here?)
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Don't be afraid to write dark things. I learned this from the author of Savage Lands, and it's what gave me the courage to write Verzavar Haz. The reality of the world is that it is often ugly and cruel, and you shouldn't feel afraid to write about it.
Make sure you include content warnings, when you do.
What is a writing style/technique that others do really well that you'd like to get better at?
Prose and scene setting. I don't consider myself a particularly gifted weaver of stories. My writing, though rarely first-person, is VERY internal. I struggle with giving descriptions of people and places. I'd love to get better at being able to illustrate for my readers.
Is there a character you were surprised you enjoyed writing as much as you did?
This is just another instance of me asking, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!" But there's something about making someone just the ABSOLUTE WORST. Pollux was the definition of diabolical and evil when I wrote him for VH, and I find myself intrigued when other bad guys do or intend to do the most horrendous, soul-shattering things. I'm here to break everyone so I can piece them back together.
