Fanfic Meme Answered

These are my answers to my own fanfic meme I posted a few days ago. The very last question on this meme asks people if they have questions for me. Those will be posted on a separate journal as I'm still answering them. Everyone is still welcome to fill out the meme found here: ty-chou.deviantart.com/journal…
And you may still ask me questions as well. I will continue to add them to my list.
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Readers-

Which are your favorite fandoms to read?

Swat Kats, Ninja Turtles, and Transformers

Where do you go to find fanfiction?

FF.Net- It's so easy to navigate. I can peruse dozens of stories in mere minutes, able to see their teaser, rating, genre, chapter and reviews count all in a glance. They also have a lovely search engine to help narrow down my search if I'm jonesing for something specific. I love it!

What do you look for when choosing fics to read?

I look for a teaser that grabs my attention. I'll check out the favorites of other readers who share my taste in fiction.

How picky are you in what you choose to read?

I'll look at the first chapter of most fics. But then it's up to the author to keep me interested.

What are your favorite genres to read?

Anything with a supernatural theme I love. I also love action/adventure with romance sprinkled in as long as romance isn't the main theme of the plot. (Though I still love the romance aspect.)

Which genres/tropes do you avoid?

Slash more than anything else, though I have still looked at a few slash fics where it appeared the plot was the main focus and not the dating/sexy times of the main pairing.

Also, anything that has to do with babies/small children. This trope especially runs rampant in the Transformers fandom. Characters having kids, finding/adopting kids, or becoming kids. I don't think anything less of writers who love this trope, but it's not my thing.

Do prefer to read long chapter stories or one shots?

Chapter stories. I like being pulled into the world and really getting involved in the stories. Unfortunately, my free time is very sparse so it takes me a very long time to get through a long fanfiction. But if the story is worth it, I'll stick with it to the end.

How much fanfiction do you read on average?

Sadly, not much. If I have free time, it's mostly spent writing or drawing. I'll try to make time if I find a fic that's worth my time. Unfortunately, I probably spend more time searching for a good fic to read than actually reading good fics.

Any favorite/least favorite tropes you constantly see in your fandoms?

I will actively look for “Mary Sue” type tropes in hopes I find something entertaining. Most of them are bad, but I get stoked when I find a good one and I always keep hoping the next really good one is around the corner.

My least favorite is the everyone-is-gay trope. Where every single man character is gay for all the other man characters and they have sex with each other indiscriminately. No romance, no fidelity to any partner. Even males with a cannon female partner are suddenly gay for every other man and the story usually just pretends the wife/girlfriend doesn't exist.

Any turn offs that might- or have- caused you to stop reading a fic?

Poor writing skills stop me from looking at more than the first chapter. But once I'm into the story, things that may cause me to stop reading are: sudden graphic slash I was not warned about, romances all about characters A and B dating and no other plot, and the plot suddenly stops moving forward and there are still 20+ chapters of nothing because the writer had no clear ending in mind when they started.

Any fics (not written by you) you would recommend to other readers?

TMNT fics: Clogged Drain: www.fanfiction.net/s/7961873/1… and We Are the Klunk: www.fanfiction.net/s/3836658/1…

Swat Kats fic: My Responsibility: www.fanfiction.net/s/8658558/1…

Fruits Basket: Love Remains: www.fanfiction.net/s/1040692/1… (I haven't read this fic for years so I don't remember exactly how good it is any more. But I do know that this is a perfect example of what an AU should look like when done correctly.)

Writers-

What caused you to start writing fanfiction?

I suspect I've always had a dream to write for animation, even as a small child. I was writing it before I even knew what it was. Before there was internet. And then, when I got online, I found fanfiction and I was like 'hey, that's the kind of stuff I write!' and I was so excited others out there did the same thing and it just snowballed from there.

How long have you been writing fanfiction?

I had fanfiction ideas since I was a little girl, but I first officially put one to paper around 5^th grade.

Which fandoms have you written for in the past 5 years?

Transformers, Swat Kats, Toy Story, Ninja Turtles and Ronin Warriors

What's the first fandom you ever wrote for?

Tiny Toon Adventures

What are your favorite genres to write?

Action, dark supernatural mixed with comedy

How much time do you spend writing fanfics?

I try to make time for them at least a few days a week.

Do you prefer to write one shots or chapter fics?

While one shots are nice because when you're done, you're done, I'm not too good at them. My plot ideas are usually far too complex to shove into all one chapter and I like the opportunity for character growth and world building that multiple chapters can offer.

What story aspects do you find to be difficult to write?

Setting up the visualization of a scene. I always wonder if I described it in the way readers can easily picture it. Interim plot stuff- those scenes that just sort of move the plot to the next part. They have to be there, but they're so boring to write.

What is the easiest thing to write?

Dialog. It's fun to make the character sound in character, but yet say something the reader doesn't expect. Also, really cool fight scenes. At least I try to make them as cool as I can lol

Is there a fandom you haven't written for but want to?

I always meant to write for Yu-Gi-Oh, Digimon, and/or Sayuki, but it never happened. I gotta stick with the stories I got now before I start something new. Plus I'm not as into anime as I used to be.

What do you consider your greatest strength as a writer?

Drawing readers into my worlds and making them feel they are welcome to come along on the adventure. Also letting them get to know their favorite characters better so they (hopefully) feel like reading the stories is like meeting with an old friend.

Greatest weakness?

I can't catch my own typos to save my life. I'm not always clear on proper punctuation rules no matter how much I study them. I'm slightly dyslexic, so sometimes I word things in a weird way. My beta will ask me 'what is up with this sentence?' I'll look at it and say 'looks fine to me', but it is very not fine. That's why I need a beta lol

As a fanfic writer, how important is canon or keeping in character to you?

There is something to be said with adhering to the rules of the universe. It can be an uncomfortable read if the author clearly doesn't understand the universe in which you are accustomed to seeing. But I definitely hold characterization in higher regard than correct world building and history. When you read about your favorite characters, you know who they are and expect them to be portrayed in a certain way. When the author fails to do that, you can feel a little cheated.

I love it when a reader tells me they feel like the characters they see in my story are the way the characters should be portrayed and I got their favorite characters spot on. It's definitely one of my top priorities when plotting and writing my fics.

AUs: love them or hate them? Why?

I often avoid alternate universe fics. Usually the author doesn't really understand what they are and they are disguising their poor writing and characterization skills with the AU stamp. Or, an author has bitten off more than they can chew with their new universe and it turns into a big mess and falls apart.

Tell us where we can find your fanfics

I keep everything on FF.net: www.fanfiction.net/u/280809/Gh…