TA member Addicted to Edward talks about the inspiration to write she got from Stephenie Meyer:

When I was in fifth grade, my teacher raved about the stories I wrote. His encouragement carried me through the ninth grade, still writing stories. But then something changed. School became about preparing for college, and what one wants to do for a career, and computers overtook my hobbies. (The internet was just starting to be available for the home computer at this time. Back then you signed on with a service – Prodigy in my case – and you could only communicate with people who had that service too.) Writing creative stories fell to the wayside as I turned to writing functional computer programs and entered college as a Computer Science major.

Now here I am, a 30-something stay-at-home-mom who also happens to be a Twi-hard. No other book or series of books has touched me the way the Twilight series has. While reading the FAQ on Stephenie Meyer’s website, something clicked in my head. I felt that old yearning again: I want to be a writer – a published one at that!

So I did what I always do when I want to learn about something – I hit the library. I checked out almost every book on creative writing my library has – and a few from inter-library loan for good measure. I wanted to learn everything – how to build an effective plot, how to stay organized while tackling a project as large as a novel, how to create life-like characters, how to write realistic dialogue, and on and on. And boy did I learn a lot! I never knew just how much there was to writing a novel. Not just any novel, but a novel that would be good enough to have published. Because if there was one common thread to all the books, it was that publishers and agents get hundreds of submissions a week and you’ve got to be really good to get them to even look past your query letter.

I’ll be honest – it was all very intimidating! I began to feel like giving up. How could I possibly ever writing something that can compete with everyone else? But I am enjoying the process of writing so that’s keeping me going. Maybe I won’t be published, and that’s OK. It’s making me happy for now and that’s what’s important, right?

Then yesterday I read something that gave me hope. Stephenie Meyer was selected as Author of the Year. Wow. It’s been discussed before, and I am in strong agreement that Stephenie Meyer is a wonderful storyteller but her actual writing needs some work. That is not a slam on Stephenie Meyer at all! Twilight was her first novel – nobody’s perfect the first time she does something!

One of the books I’m reading is titled Writing the Breakout Novel. Twilight is, most definitely, a breakout novel. And yet, Stephenie Meyer broke almost every rule in the book! In fact, she broke most of the “rules” in all of the writing books I’ve read. And yet here she is: a published author, a New York Times bestseller, and now, Author of the Year.

Now, I’m not saying all these experienced, published authors who are sharing their expertise and “rules” are wrong. Not at all. But maybe, just maybe, the ability to tell a good story is enough to get you past the rejection bin. Maybe it really doesn’t matter if you overuse a word or two in your novel. Maybe you really don’t need 10 subplots that intertwine and converge in the end. Maybe a good story and deep, likable characters is enough.

Maybe. Or maybe not. Either way, Stephenie Meyer is a testament to the fact that it really is possible for anyone with a good story to be a published – and successful – author. There’s a good chance I’ll never be published. I’m alright with that. But I’ll always be thankful to Stephenie Meyer for not only re-lighting my creative writing fire but also for inspiring me and giving me hope that maybe someday, I’ll walk into a bookstore and see my name on the cover of a book.

If you are an aspiring writer like me, don’t give up and don’t get discouraged! Always remember that Stephenie Meyer is living proof that it can happen. May we all be blessed with the skill to create stories as wonderfully as Stephenie Meyer!

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TA staff member BeckyInPhilly compares Twilight fans to Star Trek fans….:

I read the articles from the Twilight Examiner and the Vancouver Sun and I couldn’t help but want to share my own opinions on the comparison of the Twilight and Star Trek fan bases and how the fans of both are portrayed. I fall into both fandoms having grown up in a house that loved and saw everything Trek as well as read the occasional book based on the characters and stories and also by having fallen in love this past summer with the Twilight Saga.

The comparison of the fan bases is interesting.

- The two are similar in their levels of fan devotion and in the mass marketing of products related to each series.

- Both have fans that will go to great lengths and do anything in the name of the series.

- Trek and Twilight have fans that want to connect so much that they have taken to holding huge conventions all based on the love of fictional worlds where people find nothing wrong with dressing up as their favorite characters in very detailed costumes.

- They both have fans that obsess over little details in the lives of their characters because they are so beloved that the fans want to know everything about them they can find out to make the worlds and people even more real then they already seem.

- Both have an international fandom – the whole world now knows the name of Star Trek and Twilight.

- They have become part of the fabric of our lives. How many jokes have you heard about Star Trek or Twilight and it’s fans? How many references to both have you heard in television and movies and books?

- The numbers of fans each fictional world has are staggering, numbering in the millions, so that are intensely devoted, others that are mildly interested and others that fall in between.

- Both Trek and Twilight also suffer from those that hate and despise their respective fictional worlds and their fans and have had those haters go to sometimes great lengths to hurt the fans.

Interesting also to compare what is the largely male fan base of Trek (I being one of those odd Trekkers that is human AND female…lol) with Twilight’s relatively female fan base. Trek is part of the science fiction realm. Its fans are usually characterized as males that are considered “geeks” or “nerds” and not seen as “cool.” Twilight’s fans are usually seen as young teenage girls that are swooning over a romantic but creepy vampire, and possibly just interested because Twilight is the “It” thing at the moment. But being where do I fit since I am neither a male geek nor a young teenage girl on the bandwagon? I’m an almost 30 year old woman that happens to enjoy science fiction AND good books and am eagerly awaiting the release of both a new Star Trek movie and the next movie from the Twilight Saga. I think the writer of the Sun article made the woman mentioned seem as if she were an obsessed teenager having to ask permission to spend money on Twilight and go on a set visit from her father rather then a mature married woman compromising with her husband on what to spend their money on. It made her husband seem as if he was simply letting his “little girl” play at a silly game. It felt very condescending to someone like me that is an “older” fan of the Saga, as if the writer was trying to make me feel silly about being passionate about a fictional world.

The writer and the person interviewed for the article, UBC English lecturer Gisele Baxter, also seemingly condemn the Twilight community for having websites devoted to Twilight, for wanting to connect with others that share our passion, and using the likes of Facebook and Twitter and MySpace to do so.

Baxter said, “Sharing information and thoughts about something like Twilight creates a feeling of involvement in the process, in this case of filmmaking.” Are we wrong to want to feel as if we are involved with something that represents our favorite fictional world and characters to the world? Would not have Trek fans, when the decision was made to make a movie based on the original TV show that had been canceled, have done the exact same things had the technology of the Internet been available? Of course! We all want what the world sees to represent the very best of what we love.

Baxter also says that what we are passionate about only stems from “In recent years the period of adolescence and adolescent cultural interests and styles has extended itself into adulthood. And knowing that so many people share your interest implies permission to pursue those interests even if they seem juvenile.” As if what we love is somehow less because it based on something originally meant for younger audiences and not grown adults? That we are acting in a juvenile manner because we love and adore these books and the actors that have brought them to life for us?

Someone commented on the article Examiner article that the Twilight fan base is crazier – I don’t know if that is really true. The Trek fans have been at this for a very long time, going on close to 40 years. I’m not old enough to remember what it was like when the show first aired, canceled and resurrected but I’m guessing the level of devotion and hunger for things like fanfic to continue the stories was at the same level of frenzy as it is now for Twilight. And have we ever successfully rescued a canceled TV show and breathed 30+ years worth of life into it? Now that is devotion. We (meaning Twilighters) as a fan base have only been at this for a few years and most of us (sadly including me) have only come to the fandom because of the release of Breaking Dawn (in my case) or because of the movie. And granted our fandom has a huge contingent of young female fans that squee at every sight and every sound from the cast members of the movie and goes insane and buys anything that is even remotely related to Twilight (I raise my hand to include myself in the buying of stuff…) does that necessarily equal crazy? I don’t think so. I think it’s more loyalty and a desire to show pride in what we love and a want to share what we love with everyone. It’s an eagerness to show love and gratitude and support to those portraying our favorite characters up on the big screen.

I don’t think the writer was fair in saying that all the fanfic written for both series is done by women and is mostly of a sexual nature. While those stories do abound, there are many amazing writers out there using these characters as a staring point for their own work. These writers are exploring many of the themes and questions the fans have about their favorite characters and trying to answer the “What if?” questions we’ve all thought about. With such rich characters the possibilities are endless. And I’d like to think that those writing fan fiction today are the great novelists of tomorrow. They are using these well-known characters and fictional worlds as a comfortable way to explore their own writing ability. I’ve had the pleasure to read many works of fan fiction and some rival Meyer’s own work and feel as if they could be just as a part of the story of Edward, Bella, and the rest of the Twilight world as what Meyer herself wrote.

Is it unfair to compare the two fandoms? I think so, even if on the surface it seems that we are a lot alike. Just as it is unfair to compare Twilight to Harry Potter. Each fictional world is vastly different from the other. But the comparisons are inevitable. When something becomes so popular with so much of the population comparisons will happen because of the need to try to explain why something is as popular as it is and why other things similar might not have caught on. Will the comparisons continue? Certainly. The world is already trying to figure out what the “next Twilight” will be. We as fans know there is no “next Twilight.” I can see the Twilight fandom continuing just as long is the Star Trek fandom has gone on and will continue in the years to come.

And Spock as the first modern pseudo-vampire? A sci-fi Edward or Jasper perhaps? Well, he is very smart and kind of pale and seems to have alien superpowers to humans…though our pointy-eared friend is not that romantic and is too logical to be something that at times is so animalistic and wild as a vampire…

…..except during Pon Farr, the Vulcan mating cycle……

…..hmmm…..

…..maybe…..

…..nah.

Live Long and Prosper. Be Safe.
Tink aka Becky in Philly

Sources:
-http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4908-Twilight-Examiner~y2009m4d18-Twilight-series-fans-like-Trekkies
-http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Adult+Twilight+fans+from+Nashville+Vancouver+search+Robert+Pattinson+Moon+gang/1503715/story.html
-http://twilightersanonymous.com/component/option,com_mojo/Itemid,/p,2360/

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Our fans have a lot to say about the trailer and the upcoming movie. Two more fans, Brooke and Paula, weigh in:

Over the last few months I’ve been reading lots of articles, and most recently was blown away by the trailer for New Moon, but one scene that seemed to escape almost every list I read was “the vote”. Yes the birthday scene is pivotal, as is the break up scene. The lists that I’ve read all have really great suggestions for scenes that people can’t live without, but to me the scene with the Cullens voting on whether or not to turn Bella is an absolutely integral part of the remaining two books. Her decision to go against Edward’s wishes shows what a strong person she is. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask for it.

The second reason I think the vote is so important, besides the fact that it foreshadows her coming future, but it also says so much about her willingness to forgive the events that happened at the beginning of the book. She loves these people as her own family, and I think this is the moment that shows that.

Are there any scenes from the book that you think are indispensable for the movie? If so, share with me!

1. The make-up is really improved. When Edward talked to Bella in the meadow, I could see the difference of their skin tone.

2. I thought Bella and Laurent is supposed to meet at “their” meadow? I want to see them talking in the beautiful meadow.

3. Bella doesn’t know that Jacob was a werewolf when she encountered Laurent?

4. Jacob-wolf is small compared to the description in the book which is described as horse-sized wolves. These looked like pups.

5. Poor piano. Jasper broke it and Bella should be bloody, i only saw her arms were blood-stained

6. The kiss is pretty good Good job Rob and Kristen!

But, all in all, the trailer is really awesome! watch it over 100 times.

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TA member ithomas talks about whether Bella and Edward were meant to be.

Since finishing the saga, time and time again, I find myself thinking that everything that was supposed to happen did happen. I’m a firm believer that Bella and Edward were meant to be together, as many of you probably do. Had Carlisle never been changed, Edward never would have had the opportunity to be with Bella as she was roughly 90 years younger. Which brings me to the notion that since Edward is a vampire, he and Bella are truly each others counter parts, Bella was destined to become a vampire as well. Throughout the whole saga there are subtle and sometimes very bold statements and facts that back this theory up.

In Twilight Bella is used to being totally isolated, doesn’t really ever claim a “home”, and she’s somewhat estranged from both her parents are just a few. She loves her parents but as we’ve already established, they’re not really “parents” they’re like friends or roommates. She’s not afraid of Edward and his family, we know that most people stay away from them because they are “strange” and Edward said unconsciously they know that they should stay away. Bella not only doesn’t stay away, she’s not afraid. When Edward leaves her in NM she is broken, and not just a first love kinda of broken, it really was like a piece of her was gone.

The real concrete proof though is in Breaking Dawn. Once Bella has changed and done her three days in the fire so to speak she is so controlled. No one was expecting Bella to behave this way. From being the clumsy human to being able to jump out of Edward’s window for the first hunt. Of course we knew that those things would change for her, but even Edward said she was very graceful for a newborn. She was able to control herself those first moments because she stopped and thought about what she was doing. I mean for crying out loud she hung out with Charlie almost immediately afterward and she was fine. Bella was a shield before she was turned and after she turned out to be a pretty powerful one at that.

During the big confrontation Aro somewhat puts that thought in the forefront of your mind, “It is as if you were designed for this life.” I agree that she truly was designed to that life, every ounce of it. And in my opinion the whole Cullen family was destined to be together as well, you can’t have one without the other. What do you think? Was everything meant to be or was it just coincidence?

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TA member Noor talks about the story “Russet Noon”, a Breaking Dawn follow up in Jacobs point of view:

The Volturi are now watching the Cullens even closer, and a conspiracy is brewing deep within the catacombs of of Volterra. Aro is determined to put an end to Bella’s happily ever after. He is obsessed with getting Renesmee to join his clan in Italy, while Edward and Bella refuse to make Renesmee a full vampire. Renesmee hates herself for being only a half breed, and her unhappiness turns Bella against her own daughter. Humans in Forks are starting to suspect something about the Cullens, and Renesmee’s lack of self-control is to blame for it. Bella and Edward might have to leave Forks permanently to protect Nessie. Meanwhile, the spirit warriors have returned to live among the Quileutes. Taha Aki has made contact with Jacob to warn him that great danger is coming to La Push.

Wow, it sounds like a continuation from Breaking Dawn, doesn’t it? We will finally find out what happens next and dwell further in the lives of our favourite vampires, the Cullens, and the werewolves, the Quileutes, and not forgetting our special half-human, half-vampire miracle child, Renesmee! Have our dreams finally been fulfilled? Has Stephenie Meyer decided to continue their story after all?

Now before you get too excited, no, this is not Stephenie’s next book nor is it affiliated with Stephenie at all. It is an excerpt from Russet Noon by this exciting new writer called Lady Sybilla. No, she’s not any sort of royalty although she has been labeled as the Darth Vader of Fandom. Hmm… I suppose that is a sort of royaIty, if one is in a Star Wars movie, that is. Lady Sybilla, whose real name is Glorianna Arias, is a fanfiction writer who wrote Russet Noon as a tribute to Stephenie Meyer. A Team Jacob fan fiction that picks up where Breaking Dawn left off, Russet Noon is told from Jacob Black’s perspective and it chronicles his mythical journey from supporting character to protagonist.

It is definitely not the first of its kind with hundreds if not thousands of fan fiction available on the internet nowadays which are based on Stephenie Meyer’s popular series. What is different about Russet Noon though, is that Lady Sybilla has managed to find a publisher for her book and it will be available in bookstores in September 2009. Are you shocked yet? Wait, what about copyright infringement laws? Lady Sybilla’s publisher, AV Paranormal, is not bothered by it, apparently. Its official statement declared:

“When fictional characters become such an intricate part of the popular psyche, as is the case with the Twilight Saga, legal boundaries become blurred, and copyright laws become increasingly difficult to define. This is especially the case when actual cities like Forks and Volterra are used as the novel’s settings. Such settings are not copyrightable, as they are considered public domain. Similarly, the Quileute Nation is also not copyrightable, and neither are vampire or werewolf legends. Copyright laws protect writers from unauthorized reproductions of their work, but such reproductions only include verbatim copying. Characters are only copyrightable if their creator draws them or hires an artist to draw them. Stephenie Meyer herself borrowed a great deal from previous works dealing with these mythologies.”

While this may be viewed favourably by some, it still reeks of thievery and Lady Sybilla have received widespread opposition for cashing in on Stephenie Meyer’s fame. Her most vocal opposition is from Peter David, a veteran writer who has worked in every conceivable media, from television and short stories to comic books. He was so affronted by the gall of Lady Sybilla that he has started a communal novel, Potato Moon, which he hopes will unite hundreds if not thousands of fan fiction writers in opposing the release of this book. Such is the level of opposition to the book, she has since discontinued the pre-order auction on E-Bay. Notwithstanding, the official Russet Noon website advises interested parties to continue checking the site for updates on its publication date.

So, are you enticed? Will you be among those procuring a copy of this tantalising “tribute” novel? Should an opportunist with such a blatant disregard for another person’s creativity be supported?

Incidentally, it would be interesting to note that the Lady Sybilla aka Glorianna Arias is studying to become an English teacher. One has to wonder if she would teach her future students that plagiarism is acceptable just because ficitional characters become such an intricate part of the popular psyche as well.

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TA fan Lauren Cox recently saw 100 Monkeys perform live:

Both 100 Monkeys & their opening act Tin Tin Can were INCREDIBLE! If you haven’t been to a show then I highly, highly suggest you get to one ASAP. The first show at Angels & Kings was a little rough because Pete Wentz apparently can’t afford to put air conditioning into his bar… but it was a really intimate setting, they only sold 100 tickets to the event. There was an autograph signing in the beginning, pizza throughout the show, and then they even gave us free bracelets and autographed CD’s at the end. Made up for the lack of air conditioning, that is for sure!

Hill Country had ridiculously amazing food. Downstairs was where the stage was, and the backdrop was a wall sized Texas flag made out of cut up denim jeans – pretty cool! Jackson came out with a fake mustache and a cowboy hat on. One of the guys (if I remember correctly, it was Jerad) said that Rathbone had gone through puberty between the last show and this one… hahaha! They were incredible, yet again, and thankfully this show had air conditioning.

There was no sign of Robert at either of the shows (I’ve been asked that a lot, so I figured I would just put it out there).

- Lauren/aliceinnyc
twitter.com/aliceinnyc

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(thanks for sharing Lauren =)

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For this edition of TA Talks Back, two TA fans write about their worries for New Moon the Movie:

I’m obsessed, I’ll admit it. I will be eternally grateful for Stepehenie Meyer bringing such wonderful books to the world. I have read them so many times, I have lost count. When I heard Twilight was coming to the big screen, I was ecstatic. I loved Twilight! I can’t count how many times I have watched it. And I love how Catherine Harwicke and Melissa Rosenberg brought it to life… however I can’t help but feel like I got robbed. Why did it have to be so rushed and at times, awkward? There are so many beautiful moments between Edward and Bella that got left out. Watching the extended scenes on the dvd, I can’t help but wish the whole meadow scene would have been included. Ms. Hardwicke says she had to cut things out to keep the pace of the movie going, but as a fan, I would have gladly watched 20-30 minutes longer just to not miss out on key moments that help establish the relationship between Edward and Bella.

Now I am a little worried that New Moon will not hold up to my expectations. I totally admit that I want to see more of Edward even though he isn’t present a lot in the book. Being a total Team Edward fan, I couldn’t imagine only seeing Rob briefly in the beginning and for a short time in the end. I wholeheartedly hope that Edward’s feelings for Bella, page 514, are not an extended or deleted scene that I only get to see when the dvd is released.

Please let Chris Weitz bring a beautiful book to the big screen. I know everything can’t be included, but don’t leave us longing for the romantic times between Bella and Edward. I just hope and wish for it not to be rushed or hurried.

Alright so lately I’ve been hearing fans talking about how the director of New Moon “better stick to the book!”

Do you all remember what happened in New Moon? Because I do. Edward leaves Bella. He leaves her.

Though he is mentioned in the book he isn’t really there.

So this is my problem. Everyone for team Edward is complaining left and freaking right about how “Edward isn’t going to be in New Moon a lot”. Boo freaking hoo!

You want the man to stick to the book yet you want Edward in the movie more?
Did we read the same book?

Did I get a different copy of New Moon?

Now I hear that this director is planning on showing Edward when Bella hears his voice in the book. This kinda peeves me, I’ll be honest. It isn’t sticking to the book like I would want it to. I don’t hear ANYONE complaining about this except me even tho it isn’t sticking to the book.
The girls who complain about the director sticking to the book should look in the mirror because YOU as a fan of the BOOKS aren’t even sticking to the books.

All this for a cute face!

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