lettered | Singularity - writing style, etc

I was just in a fest that had a poll where you could guess who wrote what while people were still anonymous. I was surprised that so many had guesses about who wrote what, and it really got me thinking about style. Some people certainly have a singular voice--something that is always the same no matter what they are writing. Others have certain elements or character types or details that are always likely to show up, no matter how generic the voice. Still others will always write a certain story; no matter how original and unique the plot, they are always the same tone or style of mystery, etc.

Let us proceed with the following on the premise that being recognizable or not is not a mark of quality. I feel like there are many great writers who are recognizable, and many who are not. I just wrote "are hot." I . . . really like writing, guys. Singularity is wonderful, but so is the ability to adapt different styles or diverse elements.

Per usual, I have questions. You, like RadioShack, have answers.

You can answer them in comments or in your own journal, but if in your own journal it'd be lovely if you'd drop a link, so I know it's there and discussion can happen! I think this is such an interesting topic. As a note, these questions pertain to how you feel about your writing, not your readership. You may feel that not enough people read you to recognize you, which is a totally valid point, or maybe you would never write anonymously, but I'm talking about how you feel about the nature of your writing, not the reception of it, if that makes sense. Also, there are just as many questions for readers, so if you don't write or would rather not address the writing questions, there's more! And feel free to adapt the quesitons for fanart, or vidding--let's discuss, guys!

Do you feel your writing is recognizable? Why or why not?
What do you think gives you away?
Have you written a fic that you feel best exemplifies what makes you recognizable? What was it?
What's a fic you've written that you feel is unrecognizable?
What are some fanfic writers you admire that you feel are recognizable?
What gives those writers away?
What's a fic that you would rec that you feel best exemplifies their recognizability?
What are some fanfic writers you admire that you feel are less recognizable?
What are some fics by those writers that you feel exemplifies difficulty in recognizing them?

For answering with ease!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You read the things I'm happiest with. The other (main) fics I wrote in 2011 were things written on a deadline. I don't think they're my best--they're very fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of things. This may be part of the reason they ended up not having long bits of narration and introspection. But it's also partly from wishing I could recapture whatever the hell I was on when I wrote when-Angel-gets-a-puppy, because that fic was fun, easy to write, and still one of the things I'm most happy with. It's heavy on dialogue, not on long narrative bits of introspection, so I've been playing with that style. I also fangirl Captive Prince so hard that I wanted to write Just Like Freece and have a bad habit of trying to emulate styles.

Interesting post--the tumblr post she's referring to is awesome too. The thing is, even the hate-sex, messy-sex, didn't-go-quite-right sex, awkward sex starts to sound the same when you read a lot of it. Not that people write enough awkward sex to really get tired of it. But sometimes I feel like a large majority of fandom 1) inserts sex scenes because they think they have to, and 2) sits back and has a knuckle crack and a shot, gearing up to the, "Okay, now it's time to write sex," and it feels like a pause in the fic, or like slightly other characters are doing it. I feel like if you plotted scenes of most fics, most dots would be on this conflict-resolution arc, and even many great sex scenes are just slightly . . . off of that line. The sex isn't an exploration of who the characters are or what concerns them.

Oy, now I'm ranting and it's not even quite what you were talking about. But I think the root of both matters is a desire for writers to think about actual real people--even if they're characters--having sex, and how and why they do it. I dunno.

a bad habit of trying to emulate styles.

That's not a bad habit!

Interesting post--the tumblr post she's referring to is awesome too. The thing is, even the hate-sex, messy-sex, didn't-go-quite-right sex, awkward sex starts to sound the same when you read a lot of it.

It is an awesome post. You have a point about all sex starting to sound the same, but I guess I'd have to expand that to all fic in general. Same plots, same sources of conflict, same assumptions about the way lives go (or should go), over and over. Our grooves, they are comfy. The effort to comment count ratio is satisfying. Most people actually aren't in fandom to bust their own asses, and you know, that's fine, I can't judge, even when it's annoying when there are no new works of staggering genius to read on a Saturday night.

I do hope people's private fantasy and/or sex lives are a bit more exciting, though, for their own sakes. :P

Not that people write enough awkward sex to really get tired of it.

Glee has a whole damned meme, bless 'em. A kink meme, an angst meme, and an awkward meme, I kid you not.

But sometimes I feel like a large majority of fandom 1) inserts sex scenes because they think they have to, and 2) sits back and has a knuckle crack and a shot, gearing up to the, "Okay, now it's time to write sex," and it feels like a pause in the fic, or like slightly other characters are doing it. I feel like if you plotted scenes of most fics, most dots would be on this conflict-resolution arc, and even many great sex scenes are just slightly . . . off of that line.

This, exactly this, is my single most frequent comment in ten years of beta reading. Most recent incident was mere weeks ago, actually:

Lis: Wah, Stulti, I can't figure out how to make this sex scene work.
Stulti: *reads* You don't need that sex scene at all, but did you know you've got thirty thousand words of science fiction plot lurking under the rug?
Lis: YOU'RE RIGHT. FUCK YOU.

I think the root of both matters is a desire for writers to think about actual real people--even if they're characters

Ayup. And also to not be afraid of messiness and conflict and postponed resolution! Like, how many scenes have you read where brand new lovers are perfectly in sync and know exactly how to touch each other? Isn't it sexier, more real, and narratively more interesting if there's a learning curve? Meh. YMMV.

Singularity - writing style, etc

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