Writing in the Summer is a Little Sad

Just a shout out to everyone struggling to finish their final papers in the midst of this beautiful weather.

I totally get it.

Fanfiction. It's Serious Business.

No, but seriously, it kind of is. Because of that, I hope you forgive me the sheer scroll-iness of this post; I've got a lot of ground to cover

Fanfiction (or fan fiction; you can write it either way) is any original writing based on an existing work, such as a television show, a movie, or a book. Usually, fanfiction involves characters and places from this work, but it can also just take place in the same world. How closely related it is to the original is up to the author.

This probably sounds like copyright infringment, and to a point, it is. With rare exceptions, fanfiction can't be published for financial gain, and there is even a (very small) group of authors who ask fans to not publicly share fanfiction online, even if it's for free.

As disappointing as that might seem, the point of fanfiction really has nothing to do with money. The primary reason to write fanfiction is to more fully enjoy and connect with the original. Side benefits include connecting with other fans, indulging in some wish fulfillment, and even improving your writing. To anyone who has read the notoriously catastrophic/beautifully troll-tastic fanfic "My Immortal," that probably seems like a lie, but I swear to you, fanfiction has a lot to offer.

So, what do I mean by "wish fulfillment?" Fanfiction just takes a story and retells it, right? Not so, friends. Not so. There are two major camps of fanfiction: there's "canon," which applies to stories that that use only information given in the original, and then there's "fanon," which can twist or even completely change ideas from the original work. Example: a canon Harry Potter fanfic could include Ron and Hermione spending time with their kids at Christmas, while a fanon Harry Potter fanfic could be about Neville and Hermione's wedding.

A personal example: I just burned through all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Aside from the soul-crushing sadness of finishing the series, it also gave me a new favorite fictional couple: Willow and Xander. Though the two of them finally had a very brief fling, they never ended up together, which always disappointed me. Right now, I'm working on fanfics that have the two of them together so I can enjoy the stories it would create while still being able to enjoy the show for what it is. It gives me a release valve for that disappointment; instead of having my enjoyment of the show diminished because I didn't get to see the relationship I wanted, I can basically have my cake (the show) and eat it too (the fanfic).

"Very nice - albeit slightly pathetic - example, Allison," you say. "But how could it help improve my writing?"

Whether you realize it or not, when you're writing fanfiction, you're thinking very carefully about details, consistency, and voice. Really good fanfics, for the most part, are the ones that are true to the heart and soul of the original, regardless of whether or not other changes have been made. I'll go back to my Buffy example. Willow and Xander are both characters with very clearly defined personalities and distinct ways of speaking. If you really pay attention, most major characters do. That means that, to write them well, I have to make them act like themselves. I have to think very carefully about what they would really say or do in different situations. Imagine what it would be like if they broke character in the show. It would be really awkward and distracting, right? It's the same in fanfiction.

Unless you're doing an extreme deviation from the original (like something set in an alternate universe), you also have to pay attention to detail. Back to Buffy: let's say I'm writing a story that takes place during season 3. This means it will probably take place in Sunnydale, CA, so I have to think about setting. They're probably not going to be getting out of school for a snow day there. I also need to think about what kinds of things they're going to be doing. Most likely, they'll be hanging out at their homes, their school, and the local club (The Bronze), and they'll probably be spending time with Buffy, Giles, Cordelia, and Oz, unless I choose to deliberately eliminate those characters. I'll probably at least need to make nods to different villains (vampire or otherwise) and I may choose to talk about details from past episodes, like character nicknames or experiences they had together. This might require research; if I can't remember how Willow could tell between the two different Xanders in a later episode, I will have to look it up. (Answer: he did the Snoopy dance from The Charlie Brown Christmas Special.)

This is all stuff that you can apply to a lot of different types of writing, even things like essays. Learning to write in a way that mimics the voices of certain characters will help you work on academic voice in papers by thinking about how professionals and academics speak versus how students talk to their friends. Learning how to pay attention to details and do research to remember them will help you put a lot of detail and thought into your analyses and arguments. And, of course, doing any types of writing will strengthen grammar, spelling, and other writing skills.

OVERALL: Fanfiction is a really fun, really interesting form of writing that can offer unique help and practice in some really crucial writing skills. If you want to share your work online, Fanfiction.Net is one of the best and easiest places to do so. I hope fanfiction will help you find inspiration and writing passion the same way it has helped millions of others over the years.

"My name is Maria, and I write my feelings."

Party. I updated my blog. Here is the link. (The word "link" is the link).

Should you follow the link provided, you will see that the "theme" of my blog is is enjoying life where ever you reside (a theme I only recently realized was inspired by The Office); you don't have to be in Chicago or New York to have an exciting life. I love to find beauty and, more importantly, humor in seemingly ordinary things.

Sometimes it is difficult to find topics to write about. Usually, I am inspired by current events in the world, nation, or my personal life. As some "eat their feelings" (actually, I also eat my feelings), I "write my feelings," meaning that I post when I'm in an emotional frenzy. For this reason, I draft my posts first to make sure that the published post is not just an emotionally charged rant. I believe that blogs are a wonderful source for sharing ideas, but it's important to share them effectively.

Anyway, if you do choose to read my blog, I hope you will enjoy it. I hope you will be slightly inspired, too. If you feel the impulse to comment on my posts, I will happily welcome them.

I Also Paint My Nails A Lot

Hi! My name is Maria Vos, and I'm a fourth year student at SVSU. I'm a Secondary Education major with a focus in English literature.

This spring will mark my fourth semester at the Writing Center, and I've loved every minute of it. I especially like to tutor English 111, and I've played around with the idea of one day teaching a college composition course.

It is often difficult for me to find the motivation to begin writing a paper, but when I arrive at a topic that I'm excited about, I really have fun with the writing process. I especially like to write about interesting and strange literature topics that are specific and sometimes difficult to defend; I suppose I enjoy the challenge. I procrastinate the most on papers that I don't find particularly difficult!

I also like to write non-fiction, highlighting the beauty and complexity in ordinary things. In fact, I have a blog on the subject, but I'm too embarrassed to provide the link to it, because I haven't done a great job of updating it. :(

For fun I like to read, drink coffee, spend time outdoors, or volunteer. I also paint my nails a lot. 

I hope to see some of you in the Writing Center soon! Have a safe and exciting summer.

Maria Vos

Fear or Freedom?

Hello readers of this blog! My name is Cara Cole and I am a Social Work major.

As a child, I was often given diaries as a gift at birthdays or Christmas. I tried writing in one of those diaries on a daily basis but I was never able to develop this activity into a comfortable habit. As I was writing, I felt self-conscious the way my thoughts sounded on paper. The act of journaling felt more like a task I needed to cross off my to-do list rather than a cathartic exercise. Eventually I gave up and was content sharing my secrets with God and my friends.

Something that is emphasized throughout social work courses is that in order to effectively help clients with whatever their facing, a social worker must “know thyself”. Essentially, I must face my demons—social, emotional, and psychological issues—that may be demons my clients are facing.

One way to understand oneself is through journaling. Weekly journals are assigned in many classes, which may seem like busy work, but I have found are quite helpful. Writing in a journal can provide a sense of freedom, power, and safety. For me, it is freeing because there is not a list of criteria to meet and I can write about almost any topic I choose. It is empowering because I can share thoughts, feelings, and events that I may have never shared (or will share) with another human being. There is safety in the knowledge that my words will not be passed onto others, unless I choose to expose them to them.

Those sensations are rather positive, yet I often feel terrified even thinking about writing about something that is painful for me. Transferring something out of my head and into ink makes it real and difficult to ignore. Sometimes I am prepared to confront an event or feeling, but sometimes it seems impossible for me to unleash my demons onto a blank sheet of paper. I do not journal on a daily basis and sometimes I only do it for class. However, I find it encouraging that even if I was initially fearful, journaling is a cathartic experience that leads to understanding and healing.

For some people, writing in any context can evoke unwanted feelings, such as fear or frustration. However, it can also be a good experience because the paper isn't judging you and hypothetically, you can “talk” for as long as you want without interruption.

As a tutor, I hope that I can provide an experience in which you do not feel judged for your work. I am fascinated by others’ stories; not only to discover a story, but to understand it. I will try to help you “know thyself” as a writer by exploring both areas that can be further developed and your strengths—you do have strengths!

Necessary Formalities, Bear With Me: Kylie Wojciechowski

If I've learned anything in life, it's that introductions are necessary. As I've gone along in life, I've had to begin many new journeys. And, with the start of each new journey, I've had to, unfortunately, introduce myself. No matter how much I wish that we could just skip all the awkward small-talk and forced pleasantries, and fast-forward to being absolute best friends, we can't. Introductions are necessary because they are the formal basis on which all the subsequent closeness and weirdness are based.

So, hi. My name is Kylie Wojciechowski and I don't expect you to be able to pronounce that last name. I'm currently a sophomore here in the great ol' Valley of Saginaw State. I came here with high hopes of medical school and being referred to as Doctor. After my introductory biology class, I lost any and all ambition of achieving those hopes. So, then, rather desperately, I found my niche in writing. By the will of some divine power, I was hired in as a tutor at the SVSU Writing Center during my second semester and here we are now.

Writing is a touchy subject for me, however. Growing up, I was a little "out there" and didn't have many friends, so I turned to books and words and knowledge and language to be my confidants. With that, I still find writing to be an extremely personal and soul-baring act, one that requires great courage. I know this all sounds cheesy, but hear me out. Every day that I punch into the Writing Center, I am always in awe of the bravery of the students who want MY help. They're giving me their soul - and telling me that they want MY help fixing it. That puts a lot of pressure on me, but that's all right. I thrive under it!

So, I guess, there I am. There's not much to me. I have a long last name. I'm not going to be a medical doctor. I like writing. I'm in love with knowledge and the pursuit of it. I was (and still am) a little weird. And I'll help you fix your soul if you want me to.

My name is Allyson Poag

I'm Allyson (with a y) Poag.
I am a Nursing major, which may seem like it has nothing to do with writing, but in reality we write a LOT of papers.
And learning to be a good writer also makes you a better communicator, and proper communication is important in all fields, but especially in Nursing.
Writing research papers can be dry, painful and boring, but when I am inspired by my topic, it can actually be kind of fun! No one likes digging through databases or delving into the dusty shelves of the library, but everyone enjoys discovering someone else out there who says something you can agree with or disagree with or at least comment on. That's really what research papers should be like- a conversation.
And anyone who has worked with me, had me in a session, or knows me kind of well knows that I LOVE to talk. I'll talk all day, to anyone who'll listen, about anything. Writing should be like a conversation. For that reason, I love writing, and talking about writing, and talking about anything, in and out of sessions.
One of the biggest concerns we get from students here is grammar, but in a conversation, it's the message that matters, not grammar.
A piece of advice for all the struggling writers out there: find a facet of writing that you are passionate about, and join in on the conversation.

Introductions: Allison Sterken

My name is Allison Sterken, and I love to write.

You probably expected that.

I've been writing, in some form, for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is stapling together a bunch of drawings to make a picture book. I've always had a real passion for stories, and I've always wanted to be one of the people inventing and sharing them. That's what I do as a creative writing major.

On the other hand, I've always had a passion for books. All books fascinate me, from the font they're written in to the paper they're printed on. The sight, smell, and feel of books has always been so significant to me. That's where the professional and technical writing major comes in.

Because of this, I have a pretty broad spectrum of things I enjoy writing, from essays to short stories to news articles. I love anything to do with books, design, or fiction. I'm actually really stoked to be able to do a blog where I can talk about my favorite kinds of writing, as writing about writing basically just doubles up on my favorite thing.

I've always been a pretty big geek, and that's a big part of my writing life. Even when I feel like I'm stuck and can't find any inspiration in my life, I can turn to comic books or television shows instead. One of my goals for my blog posts is to show people that writing can be fun, valuable, and important, even when you can't think of something off the top of your head. I hope I can show people how to take the things they love and use them to make writing more enjoyable and interesting for themselves.

Another thing I hope to help readers with here is presentation. A lot of people - sometimes even people who have been writing for a long time - forget that how a piece of writing looks can be almost as important as the writing itself, depending on the situation. Though it may not seem like it at first, I can guarantee that things like font choice and spacing can help improve the quality of a lot of documents. And hey, you might even find out how fun it can be to play with margin settings and font size (although I know I'm probably in the minority on that front).

Even though I am excited and willing to help students with any kind of writing they bring to me, my heart belongs to literature and the writing profession. If you have a creative work, a technical document, or a literary analysis, I am more than happy to take a look.