Oook here I go! Might take me all night, but I'm up for the challenge
1) Do you go by a pen name when you write? If so why did you choose it?
Not really... I mean my name on the boards is Mellz Bellz just cuz there are so many Mel's that write fan fics. Its just a nickname one of my friends started calling me and it kind of stuck.
2) Name a story you wish you had written and why (meaning a fanfic that already exists)
Hmm... I'm not sure if I can think of a story I wish I'd written. I respect a lot of stories, but mostly because I couldn't write them quite like that. Dunno if I'd go as far as saying i wish I wrote a certain one though.
3) What is the most creative idea you have ever had for a story?
I've had some pretty out there ideas. In both the good and bad sense lol. I think Sexcapades is rather brilliant if I can toot my own horn (well and Laura's too) I also had a really awesome idea for lke a supernatural kind of story involving Nick and some girl to find themselves the last two people on earth, but that isn't my cup of tea when writing, so it'll prolly never get written
4) What is the most cliched story you have written?
"Don't Wanna Lose You Now." Not only was it my first real fic which is buried on my original site which maybe some day I'll share just to show how far a writer can come, but the plot was retarded. My main character of course was named Melissa. She met Nick in Cancun and fell n love in like 3 days and then she had brain cancer and stuff. It was just real sappy and in the end they got engaged after 3 months of knowing each other at the ripe age of 19 LOl
5) What is the most overused plot line out there in fanfic today?
I just get sick of the predictable "Boy meets girl. They fall in love. She gets pregnant. He cheats on her. She forgives him. Then they married." kind of story. Also a lot of best friend plots kind of irk me. I've used the friend thing in the past, but you have to put a new spin on it somehow.
6 ) What started you on writing fan fiction?
I don't remember exactly LOL. I think I came across some of it and I thought hey I like to write and I can do this. It looked lke fun, so I gave it a whirl
7 ) Is fan fiction more of a hobby or is it a stepping stone to something you want to persue realistically?
It could lead to something more. I know a lot of authors who use their fics as drafts to hopeful novels. Personally, for me its more of a hobby. I've always flirted with the idea of writing a novel on the side some day, but I'm not sure if I'm a good enough writer or if I have the paitence to write and rewrite and edit. So, for now its all in fun!
8 ) If your fan fiction career ended tomorrow, what would you regret?
Well if it ended tomorrow I'd be pissed that I didn't finish anything I've started. As of right now I think my writing is the best its ever been and I think I'd like at least one completed testemant to that.
9 ) Is there anything that turns you off about fan fiction readers as a whole?
Sometimes you have to spell things out to them word for word. Subtle clues just seem to fly right over their heads.
10 ) What are your thoughts on including Kevin in a piece of fan fiction these days, assuming the piece is not an AU?
Good question! I think its fine to include him. He was and still is a HUGE part of the other guys lifes. I think life after him in bsb is an interesting path to take with a story.
11) What's one genre you'd never write about & why?
Slash cuz just the idea makes me wanna gag... And I guess fantasy cuz its just too complicated to me
12) Did you ever write a story not because you wanted too, but because you felt you HAD too [like, you were forced to write it]?
Not necessarily forced, but I definitely had ouside pressure urging me to write something that wasn't really in my comfort zone.
13) What's one story you've written that most people would be shocked to find?
A lot of my earlier stuff cuz there's SUCH a difference. And prolly Strangers in the Night my Nick vizzy/vampire fic that was only 4 chapters. I'm ashamed of writing it lol. I found it not too long ago and parts of it made me blush now LOL
14) Do you have a story you've written & posted online, but will never post on absolutechaos because you're afraid of what people night think?
All of my earlier work
15) Do you have a favourite absolutechaos author? If so, who is it & why?
I don't think I can pick just one. There are SOOO many talented authors on there that I've read who I try to leave feedback for as much as I can
16) What story pulled you out of your writing comfort zone and why?
Sexcapades definitely. It's a lot more blunt and in your face then I'm used to, but its helped me be more relaxed in even other stories like Under my Skin. It's definitely helped me add more humor into my writing and not to be so shy lol
17) Name a relatively unknown writer who you feel needs to be recognized, one of her/his fics and why.
Hmm... I can't think of anyone on AC because i think most authors are recognized there in some form or another
18.) Has a music video inspired one of your stories? How?
Not that i can recall
19.) What skill do you feel you need to work on as a writer?
Descriptions kill me. Also minor things like overusing dialogue tags.
20.) What do you feel is your best skill as a writer?
I think I'm pretty good at developing characters and building a relationship between them. I also think I'm pretty good at dialogue flow between characters. I'm especially proud lately of the way that Alyssa and Nick seem to play off each other dialoguewise in UMS
21) If someone started professionally publishing Backstreet novels (multi-genre; anything from suspense to action to romance), would you be likely buy them?
I suppose so
22) On which TV show would you most want to see the BSB guest star--either as themselves or as characters on the show? (Can have them all on the same show, or if prefer they’re each guest staring on different shows--which one stars on which show?)
That's a toughie... I'm not sure
23) If you tired of writing BSB, do you think you would continue to write fanfiction for another fandom, or would it likely be the end of your fanfic “career”?
Probably... I can't see myself writing any other kind of fan fic besides BSB. Maybe i'd write original fiction (but BSB might still be the inspiration for my characters lol)
24) What Alternate Universe would you most want to see a story about? (examples: BSB as doctors, as firefighters, as police officers, as squirrels (hmm actually I challenge anyone to write that one!)
BSB as normal everyday guys... They don't have to be anything special.
25) Going back to question# 11. What would it take for you to reconsider writing a fic of that dreaded genre? (i.e. Would you if challenged? Would you for money? For a best friend’s birthday? Under absolutely no circumstances?)
Slash... No way I just can't lol Fantasy? Maybe with an experienced cowriter and a VERY simple plot lol
26) What influences you to continue writing? Is it reader support, number of reviews, your own determination, or something else? Why does it influence you?
I write because I love it, but I'll admit that positive feedback definitely motivates me to write quicker. Otherwise I'd write VERY slowly probably. Seeing others become excited about my story definitely makes me wanna churn out more for them to talk about.
27) Was there ever a time you felt that you could no longer write fan fiction and took a "hiatus"? What did you do during that time?
Yea sorta... I kinda slacked off fiction for about a year or 2 about my sophmore and junior years of college. BSB wasn't doing much and the fan fic world was kina dead then
28) If for some reason, due to circumstances beyond your control, you were forced to give up your fan fiction career, who would you want to finish your incompleted works?
I dunno if I'd want to anyone to finish my stories. I think I'd leave them unfinished. Except sexcapades I'd prolly give to Teri to finish if she wanted
29) If you could no longer write fan fiction, what is the one thing you would like to be remembered for?
A creative writer who always offered help and support to fellow writers
30) What is your main goal in your writing? Do other people influence this goal, or is it more of a singular thing?
Wow thats deep... I guess to entertain others. To share my ideas with others. To make them escape reality for a little bit.
31) Do you share your fan fiction with the people you know uotside of the internet? Or is it a secret part of you that only us special people get to see?
It's a deep, dark, secret. Nobody knows beside people on the net, so feel damn special lol
32) Kind of relating to #29, if you were asked to select one of your fanfics to be put in a time capsule and preserved, which one would you choose and why?
I think UMS since I'm the proudest of it and it is my most sucessful. Or maybe Quarter Life Crisis even though I just started it. It's supposed to be mirroring what is going on in my life currently, so that might be a cool choice
33) Name a story you read the summary of or heard a synopsis of and scoffed, thinking it sounded like a terrible idea, and then read, only to be pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
Hmm... I dunno. I try not to judge a story by its summary. This isn't from the summary, but I'll admit when I first started reading Broken I thought it was goin to be boring and predictable and WHOA was I wrong LOL
34) If one of the Backstreet Boys emailed you and said that he had stumbled onto your site/fanfics, what would your reaction be? (Let's say you know for sure that it's the real him, not a poser.)
I'd be REALLY embarassed Lol
35) As a follow-up to #34, if you had the chance (or were forced) to give one of your stories to the Boys to read, which one would it be and why?
LOL Hmm... I think I'd like Nick's reaction to Sexcapades. Of course I'd explain that its humor and I REALLY don't think thats the way he acts at all
LOL
36) Name a story that you think would make an excellent book (as in a published novel) or movie, and tell us why you think so.
Wow... Hmm I'm not sure there a lot out there
37) Is there any story that you think could make a great screenplay for a movie (if it were made into non-BSB or if it’s an AU)? Again... Not sure. I alwas picture everything I read like a movie in my head
38) Going off of #9, what is one thing that annoys you most about fanfic authors? Why? (I figure, we’re all authors, so why not? I critique myself all the time!)
When they expect other authors to tell them where their story should go
39) When you read a synopsis for a story, what would make you not want to read the story (i.e. what about the story idea would turn you away from it)? Why?
Any kind of slash I guess. If it sounds too teeny or too cliched
