This month’s spotlight is coming a few days late, as you might have noticed. Not such a great kickoff to the new year. Can you believe another year has passed? This year will be fourteen years of fandom for many of us, and the writer I’m spotlighting this month has been there from the start.
Jenna has, as I’ve said, been a hanfic writer from the start. Her stories include Forever and a Day and the popular Damaged Series. You can read her hanfic on her website, Infinitely Poetic.
Why did you start writing hanfic? How long have you been writing?
Well, I started writing hanfic on a hot night in June 1998. My best friend and I were sitting at home depressed because Hanson were playing in Toronto and we couldn’t go. Our parents thought we were too young to go to a concert. We drank too much soda and had too much sugar. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing, but we just started writing a story about us meeting Hanson. And that blossomed into what would become “Forever And A Day”, a story that I still write today.
So, long story short. I’ve been writing for thirteen years, and it started out of boredom.
You’ve written several long stories (and series of stories). How do you stay inspired to keep writing?
There are some times that I have no idea how I stay inspired to keep writing. There are a lot of times like many other writers in this genre that I just feel like giving up. One of the main reasons why I keep writing is because I love it. It’s the only thing I’ve ever been (somewhat) good at. Another reason I keep writing is because people sign my guestbook or email me and just let me know that they’re reading or enjoying what I write. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that someone would even read a word that I write. My greatest goal is to be a published author, so it’s like having my dreams come true! The third reason is because I get attached to the characters or the plots. I start to care about what happens to them, and how their lives turn out.
What are your favorite hanfic stories and authors?
Eeep. This is going to sound horribly self indulgent, but I don’t actually read very many other fics. I spend so much time writing, I don’t read at all. I’m constantly editing or rewriting, so It doesn’t leave much time for reading. I think the last hanfic I read was “Catapult” by Ella or “Tempest Tossed”. This was back when Hanson.net allowed fiction to be discussed in the forums. I can also remember there being a small community of Hanfic writers who used to write horror and science fiction. I can’t even remember what it was called, it was so long ago. Of course, I’m still me so I’ll read anything smutty. 😉
What is your writing process like?
My writing process is actually probably very spontaneous and not very disciplined at all. I essentially sit down in my usual chair in the living room and as I’m watching television I just start writing. When that fails, I go to my room and turn on some music.
Where do your ideas and inspiration come from?
My ideas generally come from every day life. I work with the public and I have a tendency to watch people interact, which probably sounds really creepy. I’m not sure where my inspiration comes from, sometimes it just comes from the characters or the way I’ve shaped the plot. I tend to get very attached to characters and I get inside their heads enough to let them kind of decide where they’re going or what they’re doing. I’ve also been known to dream about my characters, or even complete strangers who are strikingly similar to the one’s I’m writing about. Which is why I always keep post-its and a pen next to my bed.
Which stories are you most proud of having written?
Umm… I think one of my favorite stories that I’ve written are the least favorite among my readers. One of the stories I’m most proud of writing that comes to mind right now is “Duplicate”. It came out of two semesters of studying gothic literature and I was struggling with the genre and struggling with including symbolism and hidden meanings and I was quite pleased with the way it turned out. Another story I’m very proud of writing has to be “Damaged.” When I started writing that story, it was originally just a way for me to deal with my own father’s death. But it very quickly blossomed into a great story that I want to rewrite and hopefully publish. It’s the first thing I’ve ever written that I think I can actually publish. I hope.
Favorite songs to listen to while you write or which inspire your writing?
Oh man. There are so many! It depends on what I’m trying to write. If it’s a dark scene, Nirvana or Silverchair always work. Of course Hanson is an absolute must. But I also like more mellow acts like Michelle Branch or Jason Mraz. I love Rooney, Pat McGee, Gavin DeGraw or Rilo Kiley. As lame as it probably makes me, I love anything from Glee too. Lately the only thing I’ve been listening to, whether writing or not is Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers’ album “Live From the Heart, The 1000th Show.”
Thank you, Jenna, for being brave (or naive!) enough to answer my tweet and make yourself my latest victim — I mean spotlight 😉