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Author	Topic: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with Mira_Jade!!
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 3/11/07 5:32pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Great work, interviewer and interviewee These are just brilliant - getting a glimpse at how the authors around here operate. Invaluable advice from those that have been there and wonderfully interesting anecdotes -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
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rebel_cheese Registered: Jul '06	Date Posted: 3/11/07 5:44pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	That is a great interview. I do find it surprising that Ish has been passed over for so long, though. Glad to see that's been fixed. One of these days I'll catch up on Lest Ye Be Judged . . . -----signature----- Padawan of princess_of_naboo E-married to the amazing padawanlost Member of Charon_Force Beginning's End: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28450077&brd=10477&replies=1
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JadeSolo Title: NSF managing NSWFF Registered: Sep '02	Date Posted: 3/11/07 7:15pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Nice interview! Great questions. -----signature----- "If you expect a kick in the balls and you get a slap in the face, it's a victory." "May God bless you and keep you always...I mean that in a civic deist way." -Prof. Siegel "No guaranteed money, but all guaranteed fun!"
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DarthIshtar Title: Former CR Registered: Mar '01	Date Posted: 3/11/07 9:32pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Thanks to NYCityGurl for doing such a cool interview for me. I'm thrilled to finally have been interviewed. -----signature----- "I feel like a more down-to-earth Pink 5 when I'm writing Leah. Same attitude, less lip gloss." ~Me on how to get in the right mindset for Twilight fanfic.
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1Yodimus_Prime Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 3/11/07 10:57pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	These are some great interviews here! Both of the most recent - Ish's and Souderwan's - were incredibly informative and inlightening. Some well-contructed work here...and the talent! Whew! You don't realize just how amazingly awesome some of these authors are until their brains are picked. -----signature----- Rule 12: A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head. --- http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/26481069 - The Wise http://boards.theforce.net/B/b1/21283317 - Planet Hopping
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Healer_Leona Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 3/12/07 4:59am Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Very nice interview. -----signature----- I'm older now and still running against the wind
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Araxie Registered: Mar '06	Date Posted: 3/12/07 10:07am Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	What an interesting interview. I learned a bit more about a writer I admire and enjoy reading! Thanks so much. -----signature----- story index on profile Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present. Speak not Evil of the absent for it is unjust. ~George Washington Member of UPR
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NYCitygurl Title: Manager of SFFBC, C&G, and NSWFF Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 3/12/07 2:08pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	I'm glad I got a chance to interview you, Ish It was very informative and interesting -----signature----- "Not till the moon falls. Not till the world ends."
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager in Combat Boots Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 3/12/07 2:20pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Interesting interview. Nicely done. -----signature----- If you have to choose between tears and laughter, remember that laughter burns more calories. Army Mom! HOOAH! Adopt a soldier: http://soldiersangels.org/
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Courtney_Solo Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 3/14/07 1:02pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Wow! This thread is interesting! I love reading all the interviews. Great job with DarthIshtar! C S -----signature----- "Look for me by moonlight, I'll come to thee by moonlight, Though hell should bar the way." - Alfred Noyes I'm not around anymore. Sorry, fellas.
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DarthIshtar Title: Former CR Registered: Mar '01	Date Posted: 3/17/07 7:34am Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Thanks to all for the nice comments. -----signature----- "I feel like a more down-to-earth Pink 5 when I'm writing Leah. Same attitude, less lip gloss." ~Me on how to get in the right mindset for Twilight fanfic.
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FFAuthorInterviews Registered: Apr '06	Date Posted: 3/18/07 7:54am Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with DarthIshtar!!
	Thank you so much, dianethx, for this interview Knight_Aragorn has been on the fanfiction boards for three years, mostly on the Beyond forum, although she does occasionally dip into Saga. Her stories are always beautifully written in a sleek, clean style that manages to evoke strong emotional images. Her longer stories, full of intricate, captivating plots, beg to be read more than once. No matter where she posts, it's always a treat. ~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Could you share some background information about yourself with us? There’s really not all that much to tell, but sure. I work as a customer service officer in local government and study part-time at university, majoring in English Lit and History. I’m Australian and live in Queensland, for anyone who’s familiar with locations down-under. I absolutely love to read and will read just about anything, but I’m especially drawn to sci-fi and fantasy. I have two younger brothers and a younger sister but I don’t live at home; I’m working on turning my flatmate into a Star Wars fan; and we have a cat that’s kind of our foster pet, because he visits quite a lot but isn’t technically ours. Oh, and I love to write (obviously). I think that’s about it. 2. When and how did you first become a Star Wars fan? Seems like it’s been forever, but my dad actually introduced me and my brother to the original trilogy when I was about eleven or twelve. He’s been a fan since he was in his twenties but up to that point I’d never really been interested – that time, however, I was bored enough to sit and watch the movie, and ever since I’ve been hooked. I read whatever EU books I could get my hands on; I think the first one was Darksaber and the second was Truce at Bakura, so I ended up being a little lost in terms of the EU timeline for a while. 3. And what about fanfiction? When did you first start writing it and what drew you to it? Well, I first came across fanfiction by accident, probably around 1998 or 1999, but I spent a long time lurking – mostly because I didn’t really have regular access to the Internet at that point, but also because I was too nervous to post. I didn’t start doing replies until about 03/04, and posted my first story in October 2004. I got a very warm welcome, and wondered what had taken me so long to get around to posting. I guess the thing that I like most about fanfiction is the way that it allows you to really get into a character’s head and examine the things that drive them. To me, that’s what fanfiction is really about, whether it’s canon or AU, mush or angst. The stories I most enjoy writing are ones that explore something about a character that I haven’t really touched on before. 4. What or who has influenced your writing style the most? Hm, now that is an interesting question. To be honest, I’ve read so much that I don’t know if I can pinpoint one particular author whose style has influenced the way that I write – not that I’m aware of, at any rate. I find that sometimes the books I’m reading at the moment can creep into a story that I’m writing, but I try to limit that if I pick up on it. Having said that, though, I admire the writing styles of a few writers, such as Lois McMaster Bujold and Terry Pratchett, and if I can learn a bit from the way they write I’d be happy. 5. You have a lovely clean style that just seems to flow beautifully. Do you have to struggle to get it the way you want it or is it easy to do? How do you approach writing a story? High anxiety or calm determination? Well, thank you. That’s a tricky question, because the degree of difficulty really depends on my mood and the scene and so on and so on… Usually if I’m having a lot of difficulty writing a scene, it means that there’s something wrong – maybe the characterization of the characters in it, maybe the dialogue, or whatever. So if I’m not getting anywhere, I’ll usually review the scene or story and probably start it over to see if I can approach it in a way that works better. Most of my stories contain a number of scenes that have been at least partially rewritten at some point, which is why I don’t like to post stories until I’m finished writing them. Bleeding Dry For You, for example, was almost entirely rewritten before it was posted because I wasn’t happy with Mara’s characterization in my first version, and in Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore I rewrote the second half of the story a couple of times before I was happy with its flow. The final scene in that story I must have rewritten at least five or six times, and to be honest, I’m still not happy with the final (posted) version. The way I approach writing varies depending on the story. For a vignette, I just sit back and let it flow, generally, but with a longer story I have to concentrate a little more on drawing in all the plot angles and making it flow. My approach would probably be closer to calm than anxious, I guess, though I can get pretty frustrated if I get interrupted when I’m on a roll. 6. Which story has been your favorite to write so far? Do you have a favorite kind of story to write, and if so what kind and why? Ooh, another tricky one. To be honest, I don’t really have favourite. I like most of my posted stories equally. The stories I enjoy writing the most are usually the ones end up being pretty boring – the really introspective, character-heavy reflection-type vignettes. But having said that, lighter vignettes are fun as well and can be a good stress-reliever after a bad day. 7. Which story has given you the most trouble so far? Out of posted stories, or unposted ones? Those that really give me difficulty are the ones sitting on my hardrive that I’m still in the process of writing. I’ve got one there that I’ve been working on for a couple of years, on and off, but it’s taking forever. I find that each story has its own difficulties. The Vespasian stories were difficult in some sections because of the characters: they’d been through so much that it was hard to know exactly how they would react to situations, where they would be the same as their canon counterparts and where they would differ. Also I think because it was such an emotional story (ie super!angsty), it got a little draining at times. But I found Odd Kind of Honeymoon difficult as well for entirely different reasons – it was a very introspective story in parts, and those sections could be hard to write because there was so much involved in them. 8. Who is your favorite character to write and why? No prizes for guessing that would be Luke. He’s been through a lot in his life, and he’s changed in a lot of ways – but in others, he hasn’t changed at all. I think that’s interesting, and I also like that Luke has some aspects that I don’t think are immediately obvious. I’ve been writing more of Mara’s POV lately as well. I used to find her difficult to write (and still have some doubts about my characterization of her, to be perfectly honest) but writing Bleeding Dry For You allowed me to thresh out her character and get a feel for how she does and doesn’t do things. Odd Kind of Honeymoon expanded that a little more, and I’ve written a few more vignettes that are Mara-centric since. I like Mara for the much the same reasons that I like Luke: she has a lot of hidden aspects, and she has been through a lot in her life. It’s interesting to explore why she thinks and acts like she does. 9. We know that you really love to write Luke. You've written several stories with various other characters interacting with Luke – Mara, Wedge, Leia, Han. Which pairings have given you the most problems, the most joys? Obviously I like writing Luke and Mara, as they tend to dominate most of my stories. I enjoy those two because there are a lot of different aspects to explore about them; they’ve come so far in the EU together and apart that there is always something new to look at. Luke and Han I like writing as well, though I find it more difficult – I always think that my Han characterization is going to be terrible. Writing Luke and Wedge was difficult as well because I hadn’t written Wedge before, and, though I like his character, I don’t know as much about him as I do the main characters. I had someone who knows his character well read over the vignette before I posted it which was very helpful, because she pointed out a few areas where I had my facts wrong or where his reactions weren’t quite right. 10. In your AU, Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore , you show Luke as slowly losing himself to the Darkside. How did you build up the tension and the heartache of his fall? Did Mara's reaction give you any problems? Was it difficult writing a dark Luke? Mara’s reaction was probably the most difficult part of that story. I’m less confident writing her than other characters in normal settings, and this was an AU where things are radically changed for the characters in terms of the way that they evolve. Luke’s emotional journey actually flowed quite smoothly while I was writing, surprisingly enough. I've always liked dark Luke stories, and I think he does have a darker side to his character - but at the same time, it's interesting to consider his inherent optimism and how much a part of his character it is, how it interacts with that potential for darkness. In YEABA, I wanted to show a very dark Luke who still retained distorted aspects of the Luke we know. I didn’t consciously make a decision in terms of structure when it came to building suspense, but I did want to reveal things slowly in terms of Luke's emotional state and how he came to be at the point he is, because I know that I always love stories that keep me guessing rather than revealing everything straight away. 11. In your first posted story on the boards, Mutilated Heart, you dealt with Luke's realization that nothing would ever be the same now that he knew that Vader was his father. You had many choices as to where you wanted him to think about the revelation, who was with him, etc. Could you tell us something of what you were thinking when you wrote it? Were you happy with the result? I wrote that one so long ago that I honestly can’t remember much of what I was thinking when writing. I was happy with the result – happy enough that I felt it was worth posting. I know I wrote it differently to everything else I’d written to that point, because I let it unfold relatively slowly, allowing time for Luke’s thoughts to expand. It was also very stream-of-consciousness, so I just let the story flow naturally from point to point. I did have some main ideas of things that I wanted to cover, but only in the broadest terms. If I remember correctly, I wrote them in point form under the main story so that I didn’t forget to include them, because that story was written over a few days, which is also not the usual way that I write vignettes. 12. In Rogue Encounter, you show Luke and Wedge talking and interacting for the first time. What ideas did you want to bring out in this story? Have the same ideas been repeated in some of your other stories? Hm. Again, it’s a while since I wrote that one. I think the basic premise came when someone suggested that I write a story featuring Wedge. I liked the idea, but for a while I couldn’t think of a plot I felt comfortable writing. I didn’t feel that I knew him well enough to write a story that revolved around him entirely, as much as I would have liked to, so I guess I kind of cheated by writing a story from Wedge’s POV that really centres on Luke. I wanted to establish some of the common ground that they share and also touch on what Wedge saw in Luke that made him trust him enough to defer to him in the battle of Yavin when he’d never flown with him before. 13. He is Married Still is written in the present tense and from a first person POV. How do you find writing present vs past tense? Do you often experiment with language? How do you like writing that POV? Easy, difficult? Do you find present tense and first person go together well? Interesting question. To be honest, I didn’t think about it all that much. First person and present tense do go together very well, I’ve found. The real benefit of using that style is its immediacy; reading it, you feel as though you’re right there as the events are unfolding rather than being told about it by someone else later on. I find that it is more difficult than other styles in some ways, however, because you really have to capture the ‘voice’ of the person whose viewpoint you are depicting, otherwise it doesn’t work particularly well. We’ve probably all come across the odd fanfiction or novel written in first person present tense that doesn’t pull the style off especially well. Hopefully He is Married Still isn’t one of them. I don’t really experiment with language deliberately; usually I stick to fairly standard techniques that I feel comfortable with. Most of the time I have the shape of a story in my head and as I start to write I can tell if the style fits it or not. A lot of the time when I write I’m more interested in what I’m trying to write than how I do it, if that makes sense. Style is great, but you don’t want it to smother the story you’re trying to tell. 14. In many of your stories, you write it from the POV of the person who is not Luke. They observe him and interact with him but don't get inside his head. Do you feel that you can explore his character more by having others interact with him? What are some of the problems and joys of writing from a more distant POV? I don’t really do this deliberately, but now that you mention it, I see that it’s true. I suppose the different way individuals view the universe is something that all writers seek to explore in one way or another, and Luke is my favourite character, so exploring how other people might view him is of interest to me. I don’t think that Luke is the most inherently self-aware person in the universe, either, much like Anakin wasn’t. Luke learns to be over time, but it’s a difficult process for him, and he still has a few blind spots when it comes to himself. It’s interesting to see what can be drawn from various POVs in that respect. 15. In Odd Kind of Honeymoon, you have Luke taking Mara to Tatooine on their honeymoon. What aspects of their relationship did you want to explore by having Luke take Mara there? Did you have certain ideas about what you wanted to get out of the story? That you wanted your readers to think about? Do you think you succeeded? One of the reasons I wrote Odd Kind of Honeymoon was that I hadn’t written anything substantial about canon Luke and Mara at an early point in their relationship, and I wanted to explore various aspects of their respective characters and their marriage. They have such an unusual situation, especially at that point in their relationship: unlike most new couples, they have the knowledge of ten years of acquaintance plus the additional layering of their bond in the Force, but on the other hand they both have realms of life experience behind them, have spent a lot of time living alone, and have had a very short engagement. There’s so much to explore in that. I’ve read a lot of great fanfiction that does so, and it inspired me to make my own foray into the timeframe and figure out how I thought they would adjust. 16. Two of your stories, Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore and Bleeding Dry For You take place at the same time in your Alternate universe. Did you have any problems keeping the timeline and backstory straight? And how do you go about organizing stories, with outlines and lots of notes or just typing away and seeing where the words take you? I don’t really organise very well. Mostly I keep it in my head, maybe with a few notes on paper to get things straight – notes that I promptly lose. For the most part in stories I have a general idea of major events and where I’m going, but I don’t make detailed notes. I prefer to find out as I go along. With the stories in the Vespasian universe, I had the backstory figured out very early on, so keeping the stories in line wasn’t too much of a problem. 17. In Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore, you kill Luke. How did it feel to kill off your favorite character? Were there any specific considerations that you had when you knew you'd have to kill him in the story? It felt right in terms of the story, and as much as I hated to do it to Luke and to Mara, there really wasn’t any other way that I could see that story ending satisfactorily. I knew all along that he was going to die at the end, but in my first draft, there were hardly any clues as to his fate and the ending felt too sudden, so I revised the story to include some indications as to where it was going. Not enough to give anything away, hopefully, but enough that it followed logically and that readers would be expecting something like it by the end, whether consciously or not. 18. Your stories always have such emotional punch, Mutilated Heart was a prime example. What tricks/ ideas/ secrets do you use in order to up the tension, the angst, the romance? I wish that I did have a trick as to how to achieve that – I might be able to transform some of the stories sitting on my hardrive that refuse to work. I usually figure that if the story doesn’t move me, if I don’t find it emotionally true, then it’s not going to work for other people either. I’m pretty hard on my stories when it comes to the editing stage for that reason, and it seems to work out in the end. If there is a scene that I’m uncertain about, I’ll usually get someone whose judgement I trust to read it and give me feedback on whether the emotional aspect works. 19. Do you have any tips for fellow fan fiction writers? Hm. Not really, to be honest. Mostly just to have fun with whatever you’re writing, I guess. Make sure that you enjoy the story first and foremost, that it’s something you enjoy writing and reading, and you can’t go wrong. 20. And finally, what are your plans for the future in fan fiction? Where to start? I’ve got a number of short stories in the works, but time has been a serious issue lately, so I don’t know how long it’ll be before any of those stories get anywhere. For the moment it’ll probably just be the odd vignette as I find time. Thanks so much, Knight_Aragorn, for letting us learn a little bit more about you. It’s always wonderful to hear how a talented writer approaches her craft. I hope that some of your stories will escape that hard-drive soon and we get to read another terrific tale. Want to read more? Knight_Aragorn Bleeding Dry For You Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore Odd Kind of Honeymoon Mutilated Heart Rogue Encounter He is Married Still -----signature----- Know a fanfic author you think should be interviewed? PM this sock. Willing to conduct a fanfic author interview? PM this sock. Questions about fanfic author interviews? PM this sock.
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Noelie Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 3/18/07 8:46am Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with Knight_Aragorn!!
	That was a great interview on part of both Knight_Aragorn. The questions were thought out and perceptive, giving greater insight into the author. Great job, both of you! -----signature----- The relationship that has been created in this unique universe is so memorable, and so beautiful. It makes the heart ache. As far as I'm concerned, it's canon.~Ratna on the Noelaverse Proud member of the UPR
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DarthIshtar Title: Former CR Registered: Mar '01	Date Posted: 3/18/07 11:29am Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with Knight_Aragorn!!
	Very interesting and insightful. Great to see this done! -----signature----- "I feel like a more down-to-earth Pink 5 when I'm writing Leah. Same attitude, less lip gloss." ~Me on how to get in the right mindset for Twilight fanfic.
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JadeSolo Title: NSF managing NSWFF Registered: Sep '02	Date Posted: 3/18/07 5:49pm Subject: RE: Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with Knight_Aragorn!!
	I, too, would like to see those stories slowly growing on her hard drive. Wonderful interview! It's great to see the mind behind such beautiful writing. -----signature----- "If you expect a kick in the balls and you get a slap in the face, it's a victory." "May God bless you and keep you always...I mean that in a civic deist way." -Prof. Siegel "No guaranteed money, but all guaranteed fun!"
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