Interview With DementorDelta
We've decided to do a series of "Author Interviews" at The Snarry Reader. For our first interview we were lucky enough to snag dementordelta, one of the most popular Snape/Harry authors in the fandom. Some of her best known stories include Parseltongue-tied, The Devil Will Drag You Under, Over Tea, and The Dreaming Spires. You can find her stories archived at the Snape/Harry archive, Detention, and also at Skyehawke. A smaller selection of her stories can be found at Delta's own website, Serpensortia.

(To read a Russian translation of this interview click here)

Aubrem: Delta, how long have you been writing fanfiction? Have you written for other
fandoms? Do you write original fiction?

DementorDelta: An embarrassingly long time--30ish years?. I was a Star Trek geek in middle school and wrote a truly horrible Mary Sue 'script' starring Spock and mysel--er, I mean an original female character. Since we didn't have fanfiction.net back then, I inflicted it on all my friends. I knew there was Trek slash out there, from fairly early on, but it held only slight interest for me.
Then Star Wars came out, yes, the original movie--I'm that old. Darth Vader strode onto the screen, and I was lost forever. I didn't start writing about him right away. Not until he uttered the immortal line, "No, Luke, I am your father." But with that one line, I suddenly saw Vader as a man--a sexual creature. I was hooked. I wrote about Vader, mostly for myself, for years. I did a few stories for Star Wars print fanzines, even published a few issues of a Vader-centered zine. The relationship I loved in the films and in most of my SW writing was the one between Vader and Luke--not as a slash relationship, but just one of amazing complexity. The theme that always intrigues me is of evil redeemed, Vader by his sacrifice for Luke. I see a lot of that in Snape, a man who has done evil things, trying to walk the light path. Redeemed, in my mind, by Harry's love, not just his own sacrifice.

I didn't start writing slash, though I was fully aware of its existence in nearly every fandom, until discovering the Harry Potter fan fic universe, and then not until I'd tried my hand with some Mary Sue-ish type stuff. I was just so *desperate* to write about Snape! Even in my Mary Sue-ish type stuff I had scenes between Harry and Snape that just *sparkled* for me--the step to slash was fairly inevitable.

I've dabbled in original fic, but along the lines of romantic 'plots' and storylines. Oh, and some original porn, again, just for me, just for fun.

Aubrem: You say that you feel a compulsion to write about Snape - I believe that is true of most Snape/Harry writers. I must say though that your Harry is unusually interesting. He's self-assured, likeable, and often shows a quick wit to match Snape's. Do you write him this way because you believe Snape needs a sufficiently strong foil? Or have you worked up an interest in Harry himself?

DementorDelta: Oh, sister, I couldn't love Harry Potter more if I'd given birth to him myself. I have a deep profound love for that boy--and that's why I want to see him happy. Er, with Snape, of course, but happy. When I read the first book, I had a *very* difficult time getting into it because of the horrible picture JKR gives us of Harry's life. I struggled on, thinking to myself, these books (there were about 3 out at that time) are going to break my heart.

I write Harry the way I see him in canon. He's scrappy and funny *already*. I like picturing him growing into all that. He's already a perfect foil for Snape. Even in the books, they strike sparks off one another from the start--what better basis for a romantic relationship than that? They both have very forceful personalities, but need something the other has to be whole. There's a little of that search for completeness--I hope--in every story I write about them.

Aubrem: Oh, I so agree that Harry is already a forceful personality in canon. It surprises me how often he's not written that way in fanfiction. You say that there's a little search for completeness in every story you write, would you say that you write the same Snape and Harry in every story or do you experiment with characterization a bit? Do you think your vision of Snape and Harry has evolved at all?

DementorDelta: There was a thread on LJ a little while ago about how some writers see their characters, which quirks, which backgrounds, etc, and I was really surprised how many writers saw a character the same way in every story. I tried to think if I had *anything* that I kept in for each new story, and aside from the canon bits we can't change, I really don't.

What I mean is, I don't have any absolutes of characterization when starting a story. From little stuff like who tops and who bottoms, to what their goals in life are. Privately I think of each story as a kind of movie I see in my head. I can see the whole movie--meaning their whole lives--but I only want to tell a small part of it in whatever story I'm working on. It's fun trying to figure out where to start the 'movie' for the readers, how much to tell them, how much to let them figure out on their own. I don't know if this makes any sense or not, but it's how I see the backstory, and helps keep their characterization true to each story.

What I keep in, or try to, is the undercurrent of desire between the two. Whether they're aware of it or not. That's the one thing about their characterization I keep pretty consistent, but even then I like to have fun with it. Who's in love first? Who's able to say it? That's where the search for completeness comes in.

I do think my 'vision' has changed. I have a few stories that I wrote early on that just don't measure up to the way I see the characters now so will probably never see the light of day.


Aubrem: Oh, you've done it now. You're going to have fangirls beating down your doors to get a glimpse at those early stories. : ) What is your writing process? Do you work up detailed outlines or go just write it as it comes? Do you edit as you go or do you go through a number of drafts?

DementorDelta: Hee! Trust me, there's nothing great in those attempts. I didn't know *anything* about slash writing when I started!

About my 'process'--hmm, that's a tough one. I must tell you, I'm very envious of writers who *can* outline and can see stories all laid out before they start writing. The closest I come is mapping out dialog for a lot of the scenes.

Once I have the general idea for a story, have found the *spot* in the movie inside my head where it starts, I just start writing. My biggest guilty writing confession is that I keep a small tape recorder in the car and speak out dialog and ideas while I'm driving.

I don't do much editing until the story is finished. Then I go through it and fix up as much as I can before sending it to be beta'd.

If I'm lucky, I can have someone 'muse' it for me--just read it over, not as a beta, but just to see if the story makes the sense in story form that it made inside my head.

I know this probably isn't a helpful answer! Hm, here's a couple of examples of why I wish I could outline. I wrote a story called "The Task at Hand" where one of the challenges was that Harry doesn't get into 6th Year Potions and has to talk Snape into it. In the course of my story, Snape finds out that Harry's "I must not tell lies" experience with Umbridge has cursed him. I had a completely different idea for where this story was going until I hit the part where Snape lifts the curse and Harry confesses his love. While I was working on it, it occurred to me that it would be much funnier if Snape and Harry started trying to 'cure' Harry of his love before I went on to whatever I was going to use to actually finish the story up. Well, in the course of working that part out, I just dropped whatever else they were going to do because I liked the way it turned out!

A shorter example--for my latest long story, "The Dreaming Spires"
. I had the whole thing 95% done, only written from Harry's Point Of View when it suddenly hit me that, damn, it would be such a much more interesting story (if harder to write) from Snape's POV. Even though I had to withdraw from the Fest it was scheduled for, I did and rewrote the thing. If I'd had an outline...

Aubrem: Wow, having to withdraw from the fest and rewrite the whole thing from another point-of-view. You are dedicated and it certainly shows by the wonderful stories you put out. Which have been your favorites?

DementorDelta: Ack! I knew you'd ask me that! I guess I'd have to say "Parseltongue-tied" because it was the first one that I got a lot of feedback on, and the one that's on a lot of rec lists. I love "Over Tea" because it's one of the few stories that came out just exactly like I wanted it to. But there are parts of all of them that I love.

Aubrem: Haha! Ok then, what are your favorite stories by other authors? Do you get a chance to read much? Where do you find new stories to read?

DementorDelta: I don't really get a chance to read that much. When I first got into the fandom I read like a fiend but now if I have spare time I'd rather write. I usually find new stories from friends who know my tastes--especially on longer stories. I'm more wary of getting my heart broken by a story now than I used to be.

I have lots of favorites--they tend to be the ones I re-read. Like Diana Williams' Courtship of Harry Potter and Lacy Things series, Predatrix's Love Song Of Bastard and Idiot, Rushlight's Rite of Passage. I've read some new stuff lately that I've adored--StellaHobbit's Care of Infants, and Calligryphy's So Lonely Without Me. I've printed both of those out to read over again.

Aubrem: With all the reading and writing, have you ever had Snarry burnout? Considered other pairings? Considered dropping fandom altogether?

DementorDelta: Snarry burnout? Not on your life! That would be like having too much beauty, too much love. I can see a time when I might stop writing--especially depending on the outcome of the next two canon books, but right now, I'm only hoping to *live* long enough to tell all the stories about these two I want to tell.

Er, as for other pairings, I have written others, just for fun, mostly with other authors. I have written a threesome with Snape and Harry and another character that will never see the light of day. I'm just really not all that interested in writing other pairings when I have so many ideas still to do for Snape and Harry.

I can't say that I've ever seriously considered dropping out of fandom. I may move on, again, depending on where JKR takes canon, but Snape and Harry will always have a inviolate place in my heart.

Aubrem: Every once in a while in the fandom there is a big debate about feedback and constructive criticism. As an author, how important is feedback? Does it encourage you to write more or faster? Do you welcome constructive criticism? How about as a reader - do you always give feedback or leave constructive criticism?

DementorDelta: Feedback itself is wonderful! I love it when someone takes the time to say they enjoyed one of my stories, or that they didn't understand something in one of them, or just that something I wrote gave them joy. I'm not one of those fan writers that gripes about one line feedback and I reply to each review I get, if they include their email address. I reply because when I first got into HP fandom I sent a lot of feedback to writers and remember how much fun it was to get any sort of acknowledgement back.

I don't mind constructive criticism at all, though of course I prefer it before the story goes 'public' which is why I like having more than one person read it over ahead of time. I've made some stupid boo-boos that should have been easy to catch if I was paying attention.

That said, I don't go out of my way to solicit constructive criticism. There are a few comms out there that offer it, and they frankly, terrify me. I suppose if I had any ideas of going professional, I'd try to tough them out, but why beat yourself over the head over a hobby?

I won't say that feedback isn't important, because of course that's why fan authors bother to post anything, but it certainly isn't the reason I write. I write because I'd go crazy if I couldn't tell *someone* about all the stories in my head! I've asked myself would I keep writing if no one was reading, and I think I would. Again, I was writing stuff long before I started posting any of it, and I still go back and re-read that old stuff--thinking, 'yep, still bad' usually, but sometimes there's a molecule of an idea I can use in another fic.

Feedback doesn't encourage me to write more or faster, A story is done when its done. I'd write more if I had more time but I write pretty slowly so nothing can make me write faster!

As a reader, I'm just as lazy as most readers! I leave feedback when it's easy, and always *mean* to go back and say more. I never offer constructive criticism because I'm too shy. I always think, "Who am *I* to tell this writer what's best?" This is just on stuff I finish--I never finish really dreadful stuff.

Sorry to be so long winded on this one, but feedback was an issue that puzzled me a lot when I got into HP fandom. HP was my first on line fandom so all the rules were different.

Aubrem: I've heard you say before that you write slowly but do you realize that you have 22 stories up at Skyehawke? I was doing some rereading recently and you have written a lot! And that's only over the course of something like two years? Are you working on anything now? More than one story?

DementorDelta: *laughs* I was a bit stunned to realize I'd done so much in the last few years! I'm a bit focused (notice how I'm avoiding the word obsessed!) when it comes to something I love to do. I really had to make a choice whether to read a lot of stuff or write it, and I chose writing. After the well runs dry I can always go back and read stuff, right?

I'm working on a long story right now, one I never expected to write. Painless J, on LJ challenged a few writers, myself included, to write a Snape Courts Harry fic. My first thought was, well, Diana Williams did it first and did it better. But I churned it over and thought of a way to do it without touching on previously done stories, and it's gripped me ever since. It's going to be my longest story so far!

Usually I can work on more than one story at once, usually a long one and a short piece or two. Since I'm so near the end of the Courtship story, I'm working hard to finish it. I have another long story that I was in the middle of when the Courtship story took over my life, so I'm getting anxious to get back to that one.

Aubrem: News of two long stories in the works is exciting. I'm especially looking forward to that Courting story. : ) You've been writing a long time and are certainly a crowd-pleaser, do you have any advice for new writers?

DementorDelta: Don't write to be 'popular'. Write what you love, write those stories you're dying to tell. Write a *lot*. Write for yourself.

Aubrem: Final question, there was a recent discussion on LJ about "fluff" and whether that's a fair label for stories that aren't "dark." You tend to write romance and happy endings but your writing is so good it seems unfair to call it "fluff." What do you think of that whole debate, does a story with a happy ending have lower literary status than darker stories?

DementorDelta: I don't think of most of my stuff as fluff, except for the odd PWP's that are written just for fun. I don’t think it's easier to give two difficult characters like Snape and Harry a happy ending--sometimes it's nearly impossible! I think the whole debate is fairly silly. If a writer wants to explore dark themes, and people like to read that, that's fine for that writer. I like to explore the complexities of how two characters can make a relationship work, and I've been lucky enough that people like to read that too. It would be a boring internet with all one thing in it.

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DementorDelta has a busy, hectic Real Life running several comic shops in Richmond, Virginia. When she's not writing about Snape and Harry, she's *thinking* about writing Snape and Harry.