Currently: Thinking of getting back on track and writing the rest of SOS.

I am influenced by Tolkien, Robert Rankin, Agatha Christie, and just about every other book I've read and enjoyed. Pillars of the Earth & World Without End by Ken Follett. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel by Susanna Clarke. I love everything.

I only do this because I enjoy it. I don't pretend to be the best writer in the world. This is my hobby, it's just a story in my mind.

Even though the Seventh Age in Tolkien's world may be what he might view as Britain today, the Seventh Age in my story is very different. I decided to write a story set in a Middle Earth very far ahead in the future, with several time-related changes, but not so many that it would become the equivilent of a Modern Earth. I felt that this would be more challenging, and would make for a more interesting read. In this respect, my Seventh Age story may or may not be AU.

I always do as much research as I can, however the only person who knows everything there is to know about Tolkien's world is The Man Himself. Nobody is perfect, I just try to be as accurate as I can. If you spot any inaccuracies let me know.

I don't like blatantly obvious Mary Sues. However, I think there's a difference between an interesting character and a Mary Sue. As long as a character is well-rounded then I don't think it really matters if they show a few small Mary-Sue qualities. I also don't believe that ALL self-inserts are a bad thing, because if you look at all the published authors out there I'm pretty sure that 99% of them have created a character that they would like to be. Don't clone yourself to satisfly your own fantasies but adding a little personal experience and self-basis is nothing to be ashamed of. If a fanfic is well-written then it's absolutely fine, but if it's obvious that the author is just writing so that a prettier/smarter version of themselves can fall in love with a movie-crush, then more power to them, but it doesn't make the best read.

Basically, everybody is being bashed for writing Mary Sues, but people should just enjoy fanfics for what they are - a story from an amateur writer's imagination, about the books/films that they love.