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[RokofAges75]

I always hate those rabbit holes where you need to go back later to research, because I inevitably get derailed for days when I was in the groove. But, I know that any time I feel like I'm needing more research, I also know that it's not quite as good as it could be. So, it's a catch 22, I guess.

As someone who recently went back and scrapped a lot of already written things, rewriting for the benefit of the story is always better for it in the long run. At least you're at a point where you can decide between two possibly very different things without having to keep a similar vibe and over plot in the chapters. But it does suck when something like that keeps you from writing a story. I feel you.

Yep!  At least it's interesting research.  I don't mind doing it, which is why I tend to get sucked down rabbit holes.

I think you're right about the rewriting.  It has almost always been worth it the times I've done it before, especially when it's just one or two chapters.  It's early enough in the story that I haven't established too much yet, so better to change it now than get further in and regret leaving it the way it is later.

[nicksgal]

2. Do you find that you utilize common tropes from that genre a lot in your writing? Any particular favorites? (If you're feeling brave, give us a list to reference from tvtropes.org!)

I'm looking at the list of medical drama tropes: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MedicalDrama  I have definitely used some of these multiple times.  My favorites...

"Dream-Crushing Handicap" - I've used this one several times (a couple times recently), but my boys usually either overcome said handicap or at least figure out how to keep performing anyway, which is probably a trope in itself.

Love all your favorite tropes; they're definitely you! In regard to this last one, I believe you're looking for "Handicapped Bad***" since "Inspirationally Disadvantaged" is a little more exploitative/objectifying than I feel like you do.

3. What other genres do you tend to include in your writing (as sub-plots, for character development, etcetera)? Would any of these seem surprising to other people?

I don't think I've done horror into romance, but maybe someday! LOL

I hear someone keeps suggesting Backstreet Boys/movie monsters stories. Perhaps it's time.

4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?

I also enjoy writing comedy on occasion.

Have you ever written a straight comedy or is it always "comedy and..."?

5. What is easy about your "wheelhouse" genre? What is difficult or challenging?

The easiest thing is staying inspired because it's always been my favorite genre.  The hardest thing is coming up with new ideas and finding ways to keep it fresh.  I had fun with The Road to Bethlehem because it was kind of a medical drama set outside a hospital, which was nice because I get sick of writing hospital scenes.  It became less fun once they finally made it to the hospital LOL.

Do you find that you have a harder time keeping it fresh for yourself or keeping it fresh for the readers?

7. Are there genres that you thought you wouldn't like that ended up surprising you?

AU is another one I never used to like but have since enjoyed writing.  00Carter and Song for the Undead were both really fun to write.  I enjoyed writing a solo AU with Secrets of the Heart as well.

AUs are awesome. It's fun to put known characters into new situations.

8. Do you feel like there are genres BSB lend themselves better to than others?

Not really.  I think they work well in any genre with the right idea.  Romance is harder now than it used to be if you like to stick to canon/reality just because they're all married, but there are plenty of ways around that.


9. Are there genres that used to be more prevalent than they are now or vice versa?

Judging by AO3, slash seems to be more mainstream than it used to be, whereas het romance has gotten less popular.  There used to be a lot more supernatural vampire/ghost/angel stories back in the day than there are now.  I also don't see as many accident/illness stories, although I'm doing my best to keep the medical drama alive!

Plenty of ways and not all totally gruesome! But maybe everyone here just enjoys the gruesome. Keep that medical drama genre alive, Julie! I'll keep supernatural alive too!

10. Have you ever tried to write a main plot in a genre because that genre was trendy?

My desire to write a relationship-based sequel to Broken was probably based in part on how popular Nick romance was at the time.

I don't know if this counts, but the idea for My Brother's Keeper actually came from a mini trend that popped up in the summer of 2013 (I think) here on AC and then promptly went away.  I won't say what it was, but there were two stories with a specific premise posted here by different authors that summer, and I was like, "Huh... I've never written one of those before.  Maybe I should."  Eight years later, I still haven't, but it's in progress and no longer "trendy" LOL.

The early 00's, we just all wanted better for Nick, I think, as we've said many times.

That's interesting! Now I'm curious as to what that trend was.

12. Give a compliment to your "wheelhouse" genre and to your least written or never written genre.

Fantasy is creative and can put the boys in cool, unique places and situations.

Taking this compliment and storing it in my personal compliments folder. 

[nicksgal]

I totally get this.  I was feeling this way toward the end of Bethlehem because the climactic chapters and their aftermath took me much longer to write than they probably should have, and instead of being ten chapters ahead of myself, I only had a few hoarded and was starting to feel a bit of pressure to be productive enough to make sure I could stick to my posting schedule.  It obviously didn't turn out to be a problem, but I understand that worry.  It sounds like you're still in good shape, though, and I have faith in you that you'll finish this chapter and start amassing your hoard again!

For me, it depends on the day and how long I've spent in front of the computer.  If it's a weekday and I write ANYTHING, that's a success!  If it's a weekend, and I've been on the computer with my story open for most of the day and still haven't hit 1000 words, that's a fail.  Obviously any number of words is better than nothing, but I waste a lot of time not-writing.

The danger of the hoard, haha. Now it's not a worry of "will I feel inspired enough to post the next chapter soon?", it's "now that I've been saving chapters, will I be inspired enough to never have to worry about having a chapter ready to post soon?" I'm not sure which one is worse! Maybe it's the difference between a looming deadline and a hard deadline. Here's to hoping I get the hoard back. I'm sending you good vibes to have a massive hoard before you start posting again closer to summer or at least by the end of summer.

I've written just over 1,000 words by this time, so I'm going with your definition of 1,000 words being successful. Thanks for all your reassurance that I'm a success, haha. You're a success too, even if it doesn't feel like it during the end of Bethlehem chunk or in prewriting.

That is very true.  Those are all important parts of the writing process.  That being said, at some point, you have to stop researching, rereading, etc. and actually write.  No one wants to read a summarized version of a story in an outline; they want to read the actual scenes with action, dialogue, description, and all that jazz.  Researching, rereading, and revising help me stay engaged with a story, but I don't feel truly productive unless I've actually put new words down on the page that move the story forward.  The rest just feels more like "getting ready to write" to me than actually writing.  Still better options than wasting time on social media, which I do a lot of too.  This forum can go both ways; it can be distracting, but it also makes me feel more connected and invested in fanfic, which is important.  Talking about fanfic on here is definitely motivating.

That's also a good point! If all you're doing is "preparing to write," then you'll never have words on paper. Maybe it's the percentage of time spent on each. If overall, more of your time is spent putting words to paper, then all those "preparing to write" things can be considered writing because it's actively pursuing the goal of putting words on paper very soon.

Thank goodness no one wants to read a summarized version of our stories because they would be so boring! I'm thinking specifically about "Kevin's power to heal is awesome as an attack and there's plants" again (as that's something I wrote down verbatim), but I'm sure there are many other chapters I wrote that would be really boring as a summary. Oh, "Howie explains the Pandora legend" or "Justin and Nick get in a fight." Those are really boring summaries for fairly interesting chapters too.

I think that connection piece is key; it makes a solitary hobby feel less solitary, especially in a community without a simple feedback option. There are definitely times where I enjoy it more than writing and it's kept me going despite my trouble with this chapter.  

Yep!  At least it's interesting research.  I don't mind doing it, which is why I tend to get sucked down rabbit holes.

I think you're right about the rewriting.  It has almost always been worth it the times I've done it before, especially when it's just one or two chapters.  It's early enough in the story that I haven't established too much yet, so better to change it now than get further in and regret leaving it the way it is later.

Is any research uninteresting? I'd say maybe there's less interesting research, but I'm a research nerd. I can't think of anything I've ever researched where I thought "This is the worst use of my time. Why am I researching this?" Have you?

Exactly! Do it now when it's a smaller bit to change! And who knows, maybe you'll write it out and decide that what you have is better, but then you'll for sure have justification for it in your mind.

[RokofAges75]

Love all your favorite tropes; they're definitely you! In regard to this last one, I believe you're looking for "Handicapped Bad***" since "Inspirationally Disadvantaged" is a little more exploitative/objectifying than I feel like you do.

Ooh yes... I saw Handicapped Badass and thought of Rose McGowan's character in "Planet Terror," where she loses her leg after a zombie bite and then gets a machine gun prosthesis LOL.  But after reading the actual description, I guess that fits Broken Nick, even though his leg was not also a gun.  And I agree; Inspirationall y Disadvantaged feels cheesier than I like to go.

I hear someone keeps suggesting Backstreet Boys/movie monsters stories. Perhaps it's time.

Do it!  Start a trend!

Have you ever written a straight comedy or is it always "comedy and..."?

Hm... 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter is the only story listed as straight comedy on my site, and that's a story about someone dying... repeatedly... so it's definitely a black comedy.  Rose listed it as a comedy/horror here on AC.  I have several stories I consider comedies first and foremost, like my pandaskunk saga and the Beauty and the Beast parody I wrote for one of the challenges here, but those technically include other genres too.  So I'm not sure... it depends what you consider a straight comedy.

But maybe everyone here just enjoys the gruesome. Keep that medical drama genre alive, Julie! I'll keep supernatural alive too!

Haha, I do!  And yes... we need variety in this fandom!

[RokofAges75]

Do you find that you have a harder time keeping it fresh for yourself or keeping it fresh for the readers?

I typed a reply to this in my last post and must have accidentally deleted it because it wasn't in there anymore when it posted.  Whoops.

I think it's more for me than for readers.  Obviously I want people to like my stories or I wouldn't post them, but at the end of the day, I write for myself first and foremost.  I'm always going to write what I want to write, and if there's someone else out there who wants to read it, awesome!  But now I'm curious...  For people who have read multiple stories of mine, do you get tired of reading hospital scenes, etc.?   You can be honest if you do; I won't be offended.  Like I said, I get tired of writing them sometimes!  But I always end up going back to medical drama anyway and inevitably get stuck writing another damn hospital scene.

[RokofAges75]

Is any research uninteresting? I'd say maybe there's less interesting research, but I'm a research nerd. I can't think of anything I've ever researched where I thought "This is the worst use of my time. Why am I researching this?" Have you?

Well... turns out I don't really enjoy researching things like milking cows and Amish culture.  I thought I would get into that more, but... not so much.  I am weird in that I love history, but don't love historical fiction.  Writing about the Amish is almost like writing historical fiction, and I don't like it.  I don't think it's a waste of time, just not as interesting as I thought it would be.  That's all I can think of offhand though; I generally love looking up stuff too.

[nicksgal]

Ooh yes... I saw Handicapped Badass and thought of Rose McGowan's character in "Planet Terror," where she loses her leg after a zombie bite and then gets a machine gun prosthesis LOL.  But after reading the actual description, I guess that fits Broken Nick, even though his leg was not also a gun.  And I agree; Inspirationall y Disadvantaged feels cheesier than I like to go.

LMFAO!!! I'm just picturing Nick with a gun for a leg. He would get into so many unintended accidents because he would be too stoked to have a gun for a leg! You can be ba without having literal machinery attached to your body.

Do it!  Start a trend!


Hm... 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter is the only story listed as straight comedy on my site, and that's a story about someone dying... repeatedly... so it's definitely a black comedy.  Rose listed it as a comedy/horror here on AC.  I have several stories I consider comedies first and foremost, like my pandaskunk saga and the Beauty and the Beast parody I wrote for one of the challenges here, but those technically include other genres too.  So I'm not sure... it depends what you consider a straight comedy.

Haha, I do!  And yes... we need variety in this fandom!

Me? A trendsetter in BSB fanfic fandom? Never thought that would happen. Perhaps it's time.

I guess "comedy with elements of x, y, z other genres" I would consider a straight comedy. Unless one of those other genres is drama and the story leans heavier into the drama than any of the elements. That fine line between dramedy and comedy, I guess.

I've always been here bringing variety. Why would I change now?

I typed a reply to this in my last post and must have accidentally deleted it because it wasn't in there anymore when it posted.  Whoops.

I think it's more for me than for readers.  Obviously I want people to like my stories or I wouldn't post them, but at the end of the day, I write for myself first and foremost.  I'm always going to write what I want to write, and if there's someone else out there who wants to read it, awesome!  But now I'm curious...  For people who have read multiple stories of mine, do you get tired of reading hospital scenes, etc.?   You can be honest if you do; I won't be offended.  Like I said, I get tired of writing them sometimes!  But I always end up going back to medical drama anyway and inevitably get stuck writing another damn hospital scene.

Do you think you could write a full medical drama without a hospital scene? It seems kind of inevitable if you have medical drama as a main genre, but I'm much less well researched in it.

I can't think of the last time I read a medical drama that wasn't written by you, so at this point, maybe it's more of a "hospital scenes are a necessary part of a Julie medical drama" thing for me. Other people probably have better answers.

[nicksgal]

Well... turns out I don't really enjoy researching things like milking cows and Amish culture.  I thought I would get into that more, but... not so much.  I am weird in that I love history, but don't love historical fiction.  Writing about the Amish is almost like writing historical fiction, and I don't like it.  I don't think it's a waste of time, just not as interesting as I thought it would be.  That's all I can think of offhand though; I generally love looking up stuff too.

Next time you have to research milking a cow, just go to a creamery instead. Learning about milking cows in the context of producing and eating cheese, then getting to eat tasty cheese, was awesome! Plus, I learned that the sports team of the local high school was the "Cheesemakers" and what's not to love about that? Nothing.

I think it depends on the historical fiction for me and whether those pieces of day to day life are the focus or just kind of there. Or maybe if it wasn't historical fiction when it was written, but now it kind of is. Those ones are fine. I'm looking at you Jane Austen and Victor Hugo.

[RokofAges75]

LMFAO!!! I'm just picturing Nick with a gun for a leg. He would get into so many unintended accidents because he would be too stoked to have a gun for a leg! You can be ba without having literal machinery attached to your body.

If he ever loses a limb in 00Carter, you know Professor Pearl would make him a gun leg or arm!  Or this could be a new entry in 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.  Survives choppage... shoots self with gun leg.

Me? A trendsetter in BSB fanfic fandom? Never thought that would happen. Perhaps it's time.

It's time!  Nick falls in love with a sea monster... go!

I guess "comedy with elements of x, y, z other genres" I would consider a straight comedy. Unless one of those other genres is drama and the story leans heavier into the drama than any of the elements. That fine line between dramedy and comedy, I guess.

Yeah, mine are more comedy than dramedy, to me anyway.  They're a lot different from my dramas that contain comic relief.  I have a twisted sense of humor, so some of them still contain death and dismemberment, but played for laughs, not meant to be taken seriously.  Nick in 1000 Ways is basically Kenny in South Park, and I think that same South Park-inspired sense of humor comes across in my other comedies as well.

Do you think you could write a full medical drama without a hospital scene? It seems kind of inevitable if you have medical drama as a main genre, but I'm much less well researched in it.

I can't think of the last time I read a medical drama that wasn't written by you, so at this point, maybe it's more of a "hospital scenes are a necessary part of a Julie medical drama" thing for me. Other people probably have better answers.

Probably not the kind I like to write.  I guess if I spun herpes on the Wheel of Misfortune, that wouldn't require a hospitalizatio n... but knowing me, I would give him some kind of herpes complication that would land him in the hospital anyway because if it's not potentially life-threatening, is it even worth writing? LOL  (Also, I just looked up the potential complications of genital herpes, which include bladder problems, rectal inflammation, spinal cord inflammation, meningitis, encephalitis, and blindness.  Hm, maybe I will write a herpes story after all!  Haha!)

I'm almost positive the only novel I've ever written that doesn't include a hospital scene is my unfinished Harry Potter crossover.  Even the ones that aren't medical drama usually have a character wind up in the hospital at some point LOL.

Next time you have to research milking a cow, just go to a creamery instead. Learning about milking cows in the context of producing and eating cheese, then getting to eat tasty cheese, was awesome! Plus, I learned that the sports team of the local high school was the "Cheesemakers" and what's not to love about that? Nothing.

Good idea!  Also the Cheesemakers is definitely a more fun mascot name than the Packers.  Sorry, not sorry, Rose.

[nicksgal]

If he ever loses a limb in 00Carter, you know Professor Pearl would make him a gun leg or arm!  Or this could be a new entry in 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.  Survives choppage... shoots self with gun leg.

Professor Pearl would! But 00Carter Nick is suave enough to figure it out. I need to stop filling in comments in the middle of your sentences, because I saw "survives" and thought "but Nick has to die, that's the point of the story." And then he tragically accidentally shoots himself. lmao!

It's time!  Nick falls in love with a sea monster... go!

How am I going to have time to write all of these things? The story I'm currently writing, Nick is Brian's guardian angel, Nick falls in love with a sea monster, death by snail?

Yeah, mine are more comedy than dramedy, to me anyway.  They're a lot different from my dramas that contain comic relief.  I have a twisted sense of humor, so some of them still contain death and dismemberment, but played for laughs, not meant to be taken seriously.  Nick in 1000 Ways is basically Kenny in South Park, and I think that same South Park-inspired sense of humor comes across in my other comedies as well.

Black comedy is still valid comedy! As long as it's mostly meant for laughs! Oh South Park... I gotta take you to Casa Bonita someday if it survives the pandemic.

Probably not the kind I like to write.  I guess if I spun herpes on the Wheel of Misfortune, that wouldn't require a hospitalizatio n... but knowing me, I would give him some kind of herpes complication that would land him in the hospital anyway because if it's not potentially life-threatening, is it even worth writing? LOL  (Also, I just looked up the potential complications of genital herpes, which include bladder problems, rectal inflammation, spinal cord inflammation, meningitis, encephalitis, and blindness.  Hm, maybe I will write a herpes story after all!  Haha!)

I'm almost positive the only novel I've ever written that doesn't include a hospital scene is my unfinished Harry Potter crossover.  Even the ones that aren't medical drama usually have a character wind up in the hospital at some point LOL.


Good idea!  Also the Cheesemakers is definitely a more fun mascot name than the Packers.  Sorry, not sorry, Rose.

Poor Nick, going blind from herpes. LMAO at "if it's not potentially life-threatening, then is it even worth writing?"

Maybe that's why you never finished it? It was a crossover and had no medical drama, let alone hospitals. Now try to write a HP crossover with a hospital scene.

You tell her! (I have nothing to contribute to this assumed Packers/Cubs rivalry.)

[RokofAges75]

How am I going to have time to write all of these things? The story I'm currently writing, Nick is Brian's guardian angel, Nick falls in love with a sea monster, death by snail?

Hm... I know you have another idea for the guardian angel story, but perhaps Nick becomes an angel after being murdered by the snail... and then falls in love with a sea monster?  Because if angels exist, why not sea monsters?  Also, then he could hang out underwater without having to surface for air.  Then, after helping Brian solve his problems, Nick would have to decide whether to go to the afterlife or live under the sea with his monster wife.

Oh South Park... I gotta take you to Casa Bonita someday if it survives the pandemic.

Yes!!!  A must-do in Denver!

Poor Nick, going blind from herpes. LMAO at "if it's not potentially life-threatening, then is it even worth writing?"

Maybe that's why you never finished it? It was a crossover and had no medical drama, let alone hospitals. Now try to write a HP crossover with a hospital scene.

I've never done a blindness fanfic, and that was the very first kind of fanfic I ever read!  Although to be fair, it was the girl who was blind, not the Backstreet Boy.

I think the main reason I didn't finish it was because Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cam e out and ruined my idea... although technically I haven't given up on finishing it; I just haven't tried to work on it  in several years...  But yeah, the lack of medical drama may have become a problem at some point.  Hm, maybe Nick infects Hermione with his herpes...

[nicksgal]

Hm... I know you have another idea for the guardian angel story, but perhaps Nick becomes an angel after being murdered by the snail... and then falls in love with a sea monster?  Because if angels exist, why not sea monsters?  Also, then he could hang out underwater without having to surface for air.  Then, after helping Brian solve his problems, Nick would have to decide whether to go to the afterlife or live under the sea with his monster wife.

LMFAO!!!! The best of the jokiest fanfics combined. What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail! LMAO! Of course sea monsters exist. Why wouldn't they?

I've never done a blindness fanfic, and that was the very first kind of fanfic I ever read!  Although to be fair, it was the girl who was blind, not the Backstreet Boy.

I think the main reason I didn't finish it was because Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cam e out and ruined my idea... although technically I haven't given up on finishing it; I just haven't tried to work on it  in several years...  But yeah, the lack of medical drama may have become a problem at some point.  Hm, maybe Nick infects Hermione with his herpes...

Time to twist it and make the Backstreet Boy blind.

lol, I wonder if STDs exist in the HPverse.

[RokofAges75]

LMFAO!!!! The best of the jokiest fanfics combined. What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail! LMAO! Of course sea monsters exist. Why wouldn't they?

Time to twist it and make the Backstreet Boy blind.

lol, I wonder if STDs exist in the HPverse.

I can't stop laughing at "What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail!"  In all seriousness, you must write death by snail as one of the 1000 Ways.

I desperately want the Loch Ness Monster to be real!

I'm pretty sure I've come across at least one story about a blind Backstreet Boy.  Deafness would be worse for a singer though; that would be so tragic.

I'm sure STDs do exist in the Wizarding World, but they probably have a spell or potion to magic them away.  Herpesio evanesco!

[nicksgal]

I can't stop laughing at "What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail!"  In all seriousness, you must write death by snail as one of the 1000 Ways.

I desperately want the Loch Ness Monster to be real!

I'm pretty sure I've come across at least one story about a blind Backstreet Boy.  Deafness would be worse for a singer though; that would be so tragic.

I'm sure STDs do exist in the Wizarding World, but they probably have a spell or potion to magic them away.  Herpesio evanesco!

  Well, I have a beginning and an end, plus bits of middle, in my head. Maybe I'll start trying to put it to paper once I finish ch. 22. What's the typical word count of these things?

I would also love if Nessie was real.

I wonder if you could still sing if deafness developed later in life because of an illness or something? Like muscle memory?

I was going to ask, are hospitals really a thing in the Wizarding World?

[nicksgal]

1. What genre do you consider your wheelhouse?

Fantasy, of course! Mundane is boring, you gotta have people with wings and magic powers!

2. Do you find that you utilize common tropes from that genre a lot in your writing? Any particular favorites? (If you're feeling brave, give us a list to reference from tvtropes.org!)

Obviously. I'd call what I do more akin to a cross between Heroic Fantasy and High Fantasy with a lot of Asian influence. Favorites to use (and these are just the non-spoilery ones!):

• "Loads and Loads of Characters" -- I've said many times that this is PBox. That it is. Loads and loads and loads of them.
• You gotta have "Prophecies." A prophecy heavily figures into Gobosei and I guess the Pandora legend could qualify as a prophecy... among other things... but never as a substitute for character development "Even Though Destiny Says So!"
• "Functional Magic" -- And how! Basically if you want to end up down a TV Tropes rabbit hole, you should probably check out the "Magic and Powers" index and tell me if you can't find anything I've ever used in PBox or Gobosei. An additional hint, if you can't find a character's power in that first one, it might be in the "Elements of Nature" sub-index. And if you see something listed in either of those that you haven't seen yet... it might be coming; sounds so ominous and spoilery!
• Weren't Pandora's Box and Gobosei both named for an "Artifact of Doom"? Indeed.
• And we can't forget "The Chosen ["Five Man Band"]," because they're Backstreet Boys fanfics after all.
• "Honor Before Reason" -- Have you met a Nick I've written? I personally call this "Loyalty Over Sense" for him, but that's fantasy Nick and especially PBox Nick.
• Gobosei doesn't fall victim to "Medieval Stasis," but PBox is forever warring states era.
• Did I mention "Fantasy Races" yet? Or "Ax-Crazy Villains"? Or "Battle Couples"? Or "Manly Tears"? Or "Blood From The Mouth"? Or "World of Badass"? (I'll stop trying to keep it PG13, I say this too much...)
• Gobosei has so many "Calling Your Attacks" moments, it's not even funny. They both feature a lot of "Ki Manipulation" and therefore a lot of "Cast From Hit Points" or "Cast From Lifespan."

Basically... Fantasy has a lot of "Omnipresent Tropes" (oh hey, that's a trope too...) and I love all of them! Realistically, I could keep you here for days telling you all of the ones I love to use. Ask me some time to tell you all of the "hero" tropes Nick takes on, especially if you love rabbit holes and being kept busy for days.

3. What other genres do you tend to include in your writing (as sub-plots, for character development, etcetera)? Would any of these seem surprising to other people?

Oh man... Maybe it's easier to tell you genres I don't include... First, AU and how! It's usually both a fantasy and also a "in a world where the Backstreet Boys are also x, unlike in real life." Other ones that seem obvious based on tropes I listed above would be supernatural elements, action, and adventure. There's usually also elements of romance, angst, some comedy to balance out the angst, some drama to add to the angst, horrific worlds of horror... What with Kevin having healing powers in PBox and Nick's propensity to getting stabbed, there's also some medical drama in there!

4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?

I realize I did not clarify this question well. I think I meant as a main genre if you're not writing a story in your wheelhouse genre. I think I go for comedies, but I think this is because if it's not an epic fantasy, it's very short. That's pretty much what you'll get from me that gets completed: epic fantasies or very short comedies/dramedies.

5. What is easy about your "wheelhouse" genre? What is difficult or challenging?

I think it lends itself well to character development over the plot, which I love. World building is probably the most challenging because there's a lot of things you should have absolutely figured out before you start writing. Basically, I failed you all by being "wibbly" on demonic powers in the beginning of PBox.

6. Which genre(s) do you write the least or not at all? Is that because they don't interest you personally or because you find them challenging to write? (Feel free to answer both if you have a different answer for both of those reasons.)

Seems surprising, but I would say science fiction! I think technology is way less interesting than magic, so I hardly ever write science fiction. The other one would probably be suspense or mysteries. I think they're really interesting, I just don't think I'm very good at keeping things secret! Or building up a bunch of stuff only to reveal it all at the end; I'd rather tell you what you need to know along the way.

7. Are there genres that you thought you wouldn't like that ended up surprising you?

I never say never, I'll try anything once. And by trying everything once, I guess I keep going back to my wheelhouse. So maybe the most surprising thing to me was just finally accepting "this is Dee" and that's cool.

8. Do you feel like there are genres BSB lend themselves better to than others?

Not necessarily. I think there's different trends at different points and like Julie said, it's harder to write "canon" romances these days if you keep your stories more on the realistic side. But, as long as you capitalize on the strong characters of the Boys, they can do pretty much anything -- the real Boys just happen to be best at singing, dancing, and entertaining.

9. Are there genres that used to be more prevalent than they are now or vice versa?

I see a lot more slash and not much else I guess? But also... not as much as there used to be in general? This is a challenge to us all, I suppose. Keep writing and keep writing lots of different things, whether that's slash or medical dramas or fantasy or something completely different.

10. Have you ever tried to write a main plot in a genre because that genre was trendy?

*Looks at all the unfinished Nick romances on her AC page* Yup. I don't know if I decided to write them because they were trendy, but those are definitely the ones I was less invested in.

11. Do you feel like genre determines the readership of your work?

Sure. I know how to manipulate all of you into reading my things. However, I know that what I really like to write has a smaller demographic of fanfic fans. And at this point, I'm just happy anyone wants to read anything I write, I could have come back to a readership of zero (which it was for many years).

12. Give a compliment to your "wheelhouse" genre and to your least written or never written genre.

Oh fantasy, the epic genre. You're fun, creative, and give great characters the opportunity to do the impossible. Plus magic is awesome!

Oh science fiction, you take a level of semi-realistic creativity that I don't have! So kudos to anyone who wants to write fantastical based in realism. Oh mysteries and suspense, your authors are excellent at keeping me on the edge of my seat with so many twists and turns! Their level of planning is so intricate!