Let me know when the final version is up.  I'd like to read it again.  Glad to know that you have so many plots in your head!  We'll see how long my muse lets me rest before my next plot hits me!  :

Nice recap of the story in your author's notes, Matt!  One question: how did you manage to keep it brief?  Mine tend to go on forever! 

here's your essay:
My husband has a Scully leather binder he picked up in a thrift store I write longhand in. I have two Levenger circas I keep our budget in and put my notes in. Generally I carry that with me wherever I go. Levenger circa was introduced to us by Nans, it really is great for writers. You can get circas cheaper on E-Bay. Because we spend a lot of time in bed (no not that, Diane ) we just hand one another the binder or the circa. We're talking constantly. We have our reference books with us. We have mutual respect for one another, we recognize the other's abilities. We don't worry that much about who did what. although I hate his metaphors giggle he's so much better at them. he wrote "Alec suddenly was a jukebox someone had put a bunch of quarters in. "
I just sat there and stared at him  In the scene, a character has personal information on Straker that Alec REALLY wants to hear. Straker has other ideas.

My husband says that how we work isn't substantial enough for an essay. He thinks maybe what writers use is better, and you don't need an essay for that. You could ask writers(and we ALL are writers NOT just fanfic writers) what do they use? Paper? Pens? What brands? Why? research materials? Research books? (I have some left from my writers digest class I took ) My husband uses research people 
I had a reader of my White Roses story tell me she thought I was a nurse. I write angst, I use a lot of medical books. Unfortunately we know first hand about some drugs. Chuckle.

I asked Nans to look into something for you, Denise. I won't go into real detail because I can't promise anything. It would involve a professional writing team.
I'm also trying to drag Nans on here, to tell how she beta's.
Finally, Ed (that's my husband's real name) and I are leaving FanFiction and dropping our suitcases at Deborah's feet. We discuss all our writing issues with Deborah, and personal issues as well. My husband is the one who sent Alien to Deborah. He's also the brave one who wrote to Sara Paretsky about Prince and The Pumps. It was my gift to my husband.  I'd been worried about a copyright issue. My reaction to that was : AAaaaaaaaaaaAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. 
I wish I still had her e-mail to us. Deborah will verify it. Sara said (not verbatim) that she was glad someone else liked Victoria enough to use her too.
Note from Mr. Write Rat I wish you'd discuss copyright for fanfic writers, Deborah. As you know, it was a recent problem for us. I'd like to see an article discussing what you feel makes a good fan-fic piece.

That's so cool that you are able to do that. I don't write long hand, the information flows from my head right to the computer, via my fingers. *grin* I read White Roses sometime last year. I like crossover stories, I've written one and I'm working on a second. They can be loads of fun! 

Hi Normandie. That reminded me of an assignment I was given in one of my classes. You needed to choose a book, and then define how the author achieved his purpose in his stories. I chose Stephen King. I said one of the things King does is use familiar settings, and use brand names casually. So he creates a familiar world for the reader  to feel safe in before he scares the piss out of you. The reader may think:
"Oh yeah, I drink coke, and yeah, I like that rock song too, and yeah - Oh my Goddddddddddddd!!"

I didn't use the word piss

Take what you want. Thank you for asking.