#it also helps my current outline process for my Trek fic based on the two

[skaylanphear]

Hey, so I've noticed that you are active in fandoms that are popular for its ships. I was wondering, is there a "type" of ship that you enjoy most seeing in media or a ship just in general that catches your attention? I would like to hear your thoughts on positive and negative shippings that you see. (I'm sorry if this is worded weirdly).

Ehhhhhh, I dunno, lol. I mean, I think that–to a certain extent–shipping exists in any popular fandom (and unpopular ones). But, like, Miraculous literally has a relationship, or potential relationship, at the center of it, so it’s no surprise shipping is center in the fandom. And Voltron is just filled with so many shippable characters that it’s going to have a lot of ship stuff going on (which has apparently manifested negatively in this case, unfortunately). I mean, shipping is a huge part of fandom culture for a lot of reasons anyway, so that’s going to be a predominant feature to begin with. Like, you don’t have to ship things in a fandom, but a LOT of people do and so content that contains ships is going to be more popular. 

That aside, most of the ships I write about have some kind of basis in canon interactions. Or potential canon interactions. I ship the lovesquare because there’s so much backing it in the canon that I can trace my own stories back to it. I write about Klance because every interaction they have in the canon is dramatic and attention-drawing. Be it negative or positive, Keith and Lance have chemistry and it’s exciting. I like exciting romances if they’re going to be in a narrative. If it’s not going to be exciting and entertaining, I don’t care to create for it. I’d rather put my focus on the plot, etc. This is why I don’t write Shallura. I love Shallura, but it’s the kind of relationship that would form slowly over the time of a bigger narrative, imo. If I were to write Shallura, it would have to be some kind of dramatic AU (like teacher/student) to create tension. Klance is FULL of tension and suspense and dramatics. So too is the love square. So is Destiel. So is Spirk. That’s just where my interests lie.

Like, I can enjoy the idea of Sheith and Hance and Alyanette and Adrinino, but based on the canon, those ships lack the tension that I like and so I don’t have much interest in writing them. Korrasami is the same way. I love Korrasami, but it’s… boring to me, from a creative standpoint. I think it’s very healthy and I love that they’re together, but I have no interest in writing about it. Just like I have no interest in writing about Kataang. Or, say, for Shingeki no Kyojin, I’ve written Ereri, but only in AUs because I like how the characters interact in canon, but in order for me to see a plausible ship, it has to be removed from the canon (which means that I don’t actually ship it). But, like, Jean and Mikasa? Sign me the fuck up, I love that ship in the canon. 

It’s part of the reason I love Chlolya (Alya and Chloe). It’s got the same dramatics as Mari and Chloe, but seems more plausible in the canon because Adrien isn’t there to get in the way. I don’t like ships that are too soft, that are too easy. Like, when I look at Sheith or Hance, it’s too nice to interest me in relation to canon (I like these ships, I just don’t create for them). Just like Shallura, which is, again, why I don’t write it. If I’m going to create content, I want the characters I write about to work for it. 

Which is part of the reason I find reading fanfiction so boring. This isn’t to say anything negative about fanfiction, but I rarely come across fics that present the kind of conflict I write about. Again, there are some–I’m not saying there’s not–but that tends to be something some fanfic writers actively avoid. And I mean that for angst and fluff. You can write angst and be miserable, but if it doesn’t cause conflict, it’s not exciting. There’s a reason why in ACC I write Lance as being as difficult as he is versus him just giving in and letting Keith help him. One, it’s more realistic, but two, it creates tension and conflict. 

I don’t know why fanfic writers are afraid of these things–if maybe it’s because fanfic is a place people find solace away from conflict–but that’s not what I’m interested in, personally. Which plays a role in what ships I write about. I want exciting ships and ships that interact in an interesting way in the canon. That’s why I love Ichiruki and loath Ichihime (one of the few ships I really do actually actively dislike, sorry). 

As far as being active in fandoms that are popular for their ships? Well, again, I think any fandom has popular ships, but writing in a fandom that’s popular in general means more feedback. I’d love to write an epic for Spirk in Star Trek, but it’s not going to get enough attention to justify it. Sure, write for you and write what you enjoy, but I write so much and have so many stories planned that I have to prioritize based on what I’m going to gain from each endeavor. Writing Miraculous and Voltron gets me a lot of feedback. And seeing as I’m not getting paid to write fic, I want the attention instead *shrugs* 

The thing is, if you can get into a popular fandom and gather a fanbase, that gives you more freedom to act freely in other respects. I can create original storylines and characters in SF because I’ve paid my dues and worked my ass off to get where I am. It’d be nice if it wasn’t that way, but it is. What I’m writing in Voltron isn’t some willy-nilly decision that I made out of nowhere.  

I’m going to point out some similarities for you:

My Last Thoughts are of You was the first story I wrote for Miraculous, whereas Running Flat was the first short story I finished in Voltron. Both center on a ship and both have dramatic, yet short storylines. This is a way of introducing readers to me as an author without being overwhelming. It’s a way to test the waters with me before they decide to give a longer story a chance. 

In Miraculous I then wrote One Thing After Another as a character study and precursor to Serendipitous Fate. This was a long fic that would introduce readers more thoroughly to me as an author and give them more than just a short fic to affiliate with me. In this way, they remember me now, because there was a fic that had a big impact on them. It also means that when I drop a bomb like SF that is super plot heavy and not your usual fic–it’s more like an original work than a traditional fic–I have a fanbase that is willing to read it. Because, let’s be frank, a story like SF on it’s own without my reputation to back it up isn’t going to be popular from the get-go. Look at it in comparison to Pick-Up and Chase. SF, despite how popular it is now, had to work it’s way chapter by chapter to get there. Pick-Up and Chase, which lacks the depth, work, and literary intension that SF has–was popular from the get-go. But I hated writing it. It was fun at first, but that’s not what I’m truly interested in writing. If I hadn’t established myself with One Thing After Another and My Last Thoughts are of You, SF wouldn’t be as popular as it is. It’s a kind of advertising. 

And it’s what I’m currently doing in the Voltron fandom. A Commutual Contract is the equivalent of One Thing After Another in my Miraculous works. I’m writing it not only as a character study, but to draw in readers so they can have a piece with which to recognize me as a credible author, so that when I drop my Voltron epic, people will actually fucking read it. I have a Voltron fic outlined that is the equivalent of SF. It’s called Voltron: To The End and it’ll be roughly 48 chapters. But writing it now wouldn’t be advantageous because I’m not popular enough to justify putting that much work into something. Why should I when I could write an original novel instead? I need incentive. I may even have to write another longer Voltron fic before the epic because I’m not sure ACC is getting enough attention in a fandom that is so massive.  

And I’m not saying that writing about rare-pairs or unpopular pairings is a waste of time–it’s not. You do you and create what makes you happy. But to someone who writes as much as I do, I have to make decisions and cuts based on what I’m going to get back. And since fanfic doesn’t pay money, I want that payment in another form, and that’s readers. I want people to read my stuff, so even though I want to write a Shallura teacher/student AU, I’m gonna focus on A Commutual Contract because I think I’ll get more out of it and I’ll likely get equal amounts of enjoyment either way. 

I am overflowing with ideas ALL THE TIME! I will literally be dead before I can write them all down. So yeah, when I have dozens of ships spread out before me that I like, I’ma choose to write about the popular ones because it’s gonna get me more satisfaction. And I like to be happy. It’s healthier for me. I like to feel like what I’m writing is getting to people. Because if my fanfic isn’t getting attention, then I’m gonna go write an original novel instead (I should do that anyway, tbh) and try to get that published.

If I’m gonna work my ass off as much as I do, then I want it to be worth my time. And I’ll take messages and comments and nice readers over money if it’s satisfying to me. But that also means I have to prioritize what I write and why I’m writing it. That’s sometimes why I’ll release outlines and never write the fics. I’m never gonna write that Voltron/Avatar fic–I don’t have time. But it does exist in my head, lol.       

Hope that answers your question, friend. Sorry it got so long, but people are always asking me about my process, so here’s some of it ;D