infamouschelsea

December 2019

What makes Ana and Christian such a special literary couple? What inspires you to write about them?

If we're talking about the original trilogy, I think they embody the ultimate fantasy – and not only in terms of the passionate, sexually charged nature of their relationship. When you look at them as individuals and try to picture them in reality, you know deep down that they couldn't be together. It just wouldn't work because they really are at different ends of the spectrum. Christian is too domineering and, let's face it, a bit of a dick at times; Ana is too quiet and reserved, never one to speak out of term in fear of upsetting someone. She's a people pleaser whilst Christian doesn't care if he rubs someone up the wrong way. But I think that's what draws people in: it's the idea that two people who shouldn't be together manage to make it work. Despite the obstacles and challenges, they represent the notion that good prevails in the end which, sadly, doesn't always happen in the real world.

I also think they are manifestations of all the great literary couples that came before them: Lizzie Bennet and Mr Darcy, Heathcliff and Catherine, etc. To me, though, they are the perfect adaptation of Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester. "Jane Eyre" is one of my favourite books and I see so many comparisons in both characterisation and themes – I mean, the red room anybody!? I loved Jane and Rochester's relationship (whilst also acknowledging the many flaws in it) and I think that's why I initially fell in love with Ana and Christian. If anyone's read "Jane Eyre", they'd probably see more of the similarities in my story "Maitrise". A lot of that story stems from my love of "Jane Eyre", the madwoman in the attic and the forbidden romance.

For all the shade and abuse E L James got for her writing style, dodgy themes and tropes, and terrible depiction of BDSM, I genuinely believe she wrote a clever trilogy. When you start to break down the series, you can see how entwined it is with the romantic literary canon. I wrote my undergraduate dissertation on Fifty Shades and I looked at the parallels between it and "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" – seriously, guys, you'd be amazed if you read them back-to-back!

You've completed an impressive six stories and you are currently working on "The Vow," a sequel to your enormously popular "Maitrise." When you began writing in 2012, did you envision that eight years later, you'd still have an ongoing fanfiction presence?

Never in a million years! I actually can't believe it's been that long since I started writing or that people seem to enjoy reading what I upload. I'm continually amazed by it all.

When I started writing fanfiction in 2012, I was severely depressed and I think I was looking for something to focus on. I needed an outlet and having just read the series, I felt sad at saying goodbye to those characters. I had latched onto them. They had given me a lot of enjoyment during one of the saddest times in my life.

I hadn't written anything before I started "Happiness Doesn't Last For Long" – it is literally the first thing I've ever written and when I started it, I had no expectations, no plans, no real sense of what fanfiction was. As time has gone on, the community has exploded and, somehow, I've become one of the names that often circulates amongst readers. I guess it's because I was there in the beginning and I've stuck it out whilst others have backed away…

I don't know why readers keep coming back to my stories. I don't think I am doing anything spectacular, there's nothing out of the ordinary about my plots, and I certainly don't think I'm on par with some of the outstanding writers in this group. I write because I enjoy it. It's as simple as that. I enjoy the freedom that comes from writing. That's why I stuck it out. It wasn't because of reader numbers or reviews, it's because I found it fun. It's something I am passionate about now. I don't think I'll ever stop writing stories. It's a part of me.

My only hope when I post new chapters is that someone, somewhere, will get respite whilst reading my work. I think everyone needs that downtime and if I can provide it – in the same way James gave it to me when I first read the series – then I'm a very happy woman. Yes, I still get my fair share of hate and trolls, but I just hit delete and move on. I've come to really understand the idea that you can't please everyone. But you shouldn't aim to do that in the first place. Write something because it's calling out to you, not because you think the masses will prefer it.

As a Brit, what are the challenges of writing characters in an American setting?

There are so many challenges I have faced and continue to face! The biggest one is definitely the language. We think we speak the same language but we really don't! I'm constantly having to check I've used the correct words because my instinct is to use what comes natural to me. I've been corrected so many times by readers. I do appreciate it when someone explains the American way of describing things, but only if it's done in a respectful manner. Some people love to bitch just for the sake of it, even if all I did was accidentally write "tap" instead of "faucet".

There's also the challenge of writing about places I've never visited. I think most of us in the community have this problem. I don't know many people who have been to Seattle. Google is my best friend whilst writing! I'm always looking up the finer details that most people probably skim over. I check if what I'm writing is plausible – if I write that they're walking from one place to another, I want to be damn sure it's actually possible for them to do so! But I also get this problem with the original stories I'm working on. I'm writing about London and I've only been there a handful of times. I'm always researching places.

Every writer has struggles. What is your writing kryptonite?

My biggest challenge when writing is simply getting the words out on the page. I can visualise every detail of a chapter, but I often struggle to get it out of my head. I think it's mostly because I can think quicker than I can write! I'm always planning ahead and I get excited about upcoming chapters, so a part of me wants to fast forward and write the newer stuff first. Right now, for example, I am desperate to write the next instalment of the "Maitrise" series but I know I need to finish editing "The Vow" first.

Also, I can't listen to music when I'm writing. I don't know how people can do it. I end up writing down the lyrics to whatever I'm listening to! I can't write in silence, either. I usually have the television on in the background or I listen to ASMR videos.

What are some things you wish readers understood about the process of writing fanfiction?

I wish more people understood what the overall process is like. Everyone gets the general idea that you sit down, make a plan, write it and then upload, but it's not that simple. So much time and energy goes into my writing – more than perhaps anyone realises.

I love it when readers are eager for more and are desperate for the next chapter, but it can be exhausting when people are constantly pestering for updates. Whilst it may take the average reader 20 minutes to read one of my chapters, that same chapter could have taken weeks to draft, write and edit. If I uploaded my drafts, no one would be interested because they are rubbish! It takes time to flesh scenes out. I'm not a perfectionist by any means, but I want everything I upload to be something I'm proud of. If I uploaded only in order to please people who beg for more, I'd have no fanbase. I'm all about quality, not quantity in that respect.

Which of your fics is your favorite, and why?

The "Maitrise" series will always be special to me. It's the first AU fanfiction I wrote because for a while I was scared of stepping out of the box. I felt comfortable in the canon and I knew that's what my readers liked, but I was eager to write the story that had been swimming around in my brain for a while. I love the way I've moulded this version of Ana and Christian because I think I've made them more realistic and human. I mean, they're still a bit ridiculous at times and my plots can be far-fetched, but the very essence of their relationship is truer to reality.

I also have a lot planned for the next part of the series. I never intended for it to become more than a one-shot story, but at the end of "Maitrise" I had things I still wanted to explore – namely the aftermath of their trauma. In the next story, however, there are even bigger things I want to write about! I have a rough outline for the next story and I think it's going to be a fun one!

What do the Fifty Shades trilogy and this fandom mean to you?

It might sound controversial but at this stage the trilogy itself means very little to me. It's been so long since I last read it, I can't even remember half of what actually happened in the books. To me, it's this community that has taken on more meaning in my life. The books gave me a platform to start writing, but the fandom has given me lifelong friends and an incredible support system. I will always be grateful for Fifty Shades because of what it has given me, but most of my gratitude goes out to the people who have stuck by me through some rough times.

A lot has happened in the eight years I've been writing – some of it not so good – and I know that I have a loyal group of supporters who only want the best for me. Hearing someone say "I'm here for you" is truly humbling. I started writing at a time when I felt completely alone in the world. Now, I'm never alone because I have friends all over the place who are equally in love with these characters. That is what this fandom means to me: friendship and support.