Cured?

I just managed to actually post something to legendland - can it be that LJ is working again?

I feel like I've been holding my breath (metaphorically, anyway) all week, waiting for this moment - now to actually click 'post' and see what happens ;)

30 Day Fanfic Writing Meme, Day 18

Day 1, 2, 3, 4+5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14+15, 16+17

18 – Where do you get the most inspiration for your fics (aka "bunnies") from?

I'm going to quote meridian_rose here, and say EVERYWHERE. Things people say, lines of dialogue or a particular phrase in a book, prompts, fic, character discussion, places - as in, outside under a tree, on the beach, in the attic, etc - anything. Sometimes it's even the old standby, ie, 'what's the worst thing I can do to character So-and-So?' (Although I usually back off of that a bit.)

Also, I ship a lot of rare and non-canon pairings and triads, which can lead to 'how can I possibly get character x and character y (maybe with an option on character z) together, in a way that's actually believable and interesting?'

Alternately, there's 'our heroes may have neatly sidestepped this particular issue, but what if reinforcements hadn't gotten there in time?' or 'What if So-and-So hadn't spotted that convenient plot point?'  (or 'what if So-and-So had spotted that convenient plot point much sooner, when it would actually have done some good?')

The oddest thing, though, is not when I'm working out the details of an idea or inspiration on purpose, but when something clicks in my head and then won't leave me alone. I think that experience is both one of the best and the most unsettling about being a writer. I keep thinking about the story until I write it (and I don't always get it right the first time), and I'm all distracted and out of touch with everything else. But those are the best stories, I think - the ones that demand to be written.

( rest of the days )