We had the chance to interview OWL-WISHES one of the first writers of Jemma FF and one of the most appreciated. and famous.
We have talked about the past, the present and the future of her Jemma FF. And we have discovered such an interesting story about the firsts ff she wrote...
We hope that you will be satisfied with all the questions and that you will post your comments, suggestions or even other questions to send to Miss. Owl.
Enjoy!
hen did you discover "hahe" and Jemma and how?
A friend of mine discovered Jemma, and when we would meet up, she’d fill me in on what was happening. That was how this whole thing started. She’s quite terrible at telling stories, and she knows this… (“So they’re sitting in this room, and it’s not that big, and there are like, all of these other people around them, and there’s this one guy on the show, with like that *swoosh* kind of hairdo, but…oh wait, no he wasn’t even in this scene. Anyways, so they’re sitting there and then Jenny, she like, LOOKS at Emma, and you just KNOW that she’s about to say something, and then…no, wait, I skipped over the first part…I’ll start over.”). I think it took her ten times longer to explain what happened in the scene than it would have taken me to simply watch it, but it has always been highly entertaining watching her try. After a few weeks, I started watching.
did you have the chance to meet and know some other Jemma Fan and Jemma writers ? And do u follow the Jemmainternational 's updates and activities ?
I’ve met people mostly through comments, on my page and on others. Some I know better, and they’re fantastic people. This fandom has brought together a great group.
what is in your opinion that makes Jemma story special in your opinion?
I think the story was written with a lot of heart. Yes, it was technically a soap opera, so the drama was very over-the-top at times, but the core of the story between these two characters was real and down-to-earth. The actresses breathed life into the characters, and the issues that they were presented with were relatable.
what are the scenes that you love the most and what you would have liked to see that they did not show us?
I probably could have answered this question better a couple of years ago. Looking back, I can’t pick a certain scene for them. I like the progression, I like that it was slow. You can (and usually do) have a crush on someone for what feels like f-o-r-e-v-e-r before something happens, and I liked that they allowed time for that on the show. I liked that once they got together, it wasn’t a happy ending, because it never is, but that they allowed them to carve out their own version of a happy ending. The progression is my favorite part, all of the mess-ups and pauses and blushing and butterflies.
And I wrote about what I wanted to see that wasn’t shown, that was how and why I started writing. Parts of their story were missing for me, and I started filling in those blanks.
thinking to Emma and Jenny, do you think that they can stay together also in the future ?
Yeah, I do. They’re fictional, so that really gives each person free reign to decide for themselves, but I think that most of the people who fell in love with them are romantics, and I see them having many more adventures together in the future.
And now, let's talk about you , your ff and the writing in general:
first of all, is English your mother language ? And where do you come from ?and , if this is not embarrassing for you, how old are you?
I’m in my twenties, and English isn’t my first language, no. But I quite love this language, and I felt more comfortable writing the stories in it.
24 july 2011. this is the date of your first story on live journal with "most reactions will be positive". Can you tell us how everything began ?
I wrote “Most Reactions Will Be Positive” when I was on the train, heading to the airport to see a good friend of mine before her flight – the same friend that introduced me to Jemma. I was working on a letter for her to read on the airplane, in an attempt to keep her mind off of the fact that she was leaving her family and friends for a while, and this story came out onto the page. I didn’t think about it too much at the time, just tucked it into the envelope and handed it to her as she boarded her flight.
The next day I woke up to a semi-hysterical voicemail from her that demanded the next part of the story, and when she couldn’t be persuaded otherwise, I kept writing and sent her the next story. It was her idea to share these stories with the world. I was happy keeping them in our letters, but of course I’m glad that I did share them with others.
As for the story itself, I liked that scene in the show, when Emma distances herself from everyone else and tries to find a rational understanding to her feelings, because that’s the only way she can keep calm. You hear it in her voice, how she’s reading it slowly, unsurely, trying to understand something that seems so big and complicated and completely terrifying… I wanted to see how she would do when putting that theory to the test, but in front of someone she admires greatly, not only with her friends.
was Jemma your first attempt to write ff? Have you ever written something else in the past or are you currently writing something else? Have you published something?
This was my first work of fanfiction, yes. I’d never even read fanfiction before Jemma. I wrote little stories for my friends sometimes, mostly in letters, like my first Jemma story, but they were always just silly little things.
I’ve never published anything. This (insane) idea has been presented to me a few times now, but I’m rather happy being the girl with a notebook and a mind full of stories, who can’t always find her pen.
I’m not working on anything new at the moment. When I do have free time, I’m trying to finish this current story, which will have 10 parts in total.
You are considered one of the most talented writer and you have received so many positive comments. Are there some that you really love or that has been important for you and why?
I’m not sure if I’m one of the most talented, but the comments have been wonderful. I think that anyone who is courageous enough to put their work out there is already ahead of the game. It’s pretty scary to offer something that you wrote to an unknown world of strangers, not knowing what will happen to the few pages you decided to tear out of your notebook.
I got lucky, the response has been very kind. I like seeing that people enjoy what they read, that they’re wondering what will come next, that some particular line or scene made them smile, or made their day better even if only for a moment. Reading has always been an escape into a new world, one that doesn’t judge or ask questions as you hide from your usual tasks or problems. When a story, any story, is able to pull you in, whether it’s written, or film, or whispered to you by a loved one while you’re trying to fall asleep at night, then I think that marks a great story.
your stories develop following a logical order . Did you planned this from the very beginning? We mean : did you already know from the very beginning where you wanted to end up ?
There wasn’t much planning in the very beginning. Even after I’d written a handful of stories, there wasn’t much direction. The stories were short, like little glimpses of a whole world going on somewhere else, and I liked them like that. They developed with the storyline for a little while, and once the show ended, the stories naturally progressed in chronological order, while still staying separate from one another.
in your stories , do you stood strictly coherent with Emma and Jenny of the tv show or do you think you have changed some aspects of the 2 characters ? Do you do this by purpose ? Why ?
I think that every person who watches the show adds their own view to the characters. I should very much hope that the characters in the stories I’ve written have changed from their original selves, especially because the stories as one are moving forward. Every event that they go through shapes them, and time matures them. I’d hate to have a character stay stuck in the same mold forever. It’s only natural that they’ll all change, for good and bad.
I know that is maybe impossible to chose but among your stories (or scenes of a story) do you have one that you love more than the other? And why?
I do, but I don’t know if I can pick some. The reasons why change for each one. Sometimes it’s because of where I wrote the story, or who was with me as I worked on it. Other times it’s because of a memory I wrote about. I think this is true for most writers. When you spend so much time crafting something to make it good enough, you can’t help but love it. And I do love writing, and each of these characters. It’s nice to go back and read stories I’ve written, and remember all of the behind-the-scenes that went on.
what are the most difficult part to write ? And what have been the funniest ?
The difficult parts are usually events or memories that are more personal, or when I struggle to get something across the way I envision it, but those parts usually end up being the parts I love, so I guess that’s a fair trade. Hotte, Ben, and Claudia are usually the funniest to write, all for different reasons. Those characters have different kinds of humor, but are all very loveable to me.
how is your way of working as a writer ? For instance, is there a place where you love to write or a particular way of build up a story? What does inspire you?
There’s no special process, those are probably for the professionals. Usually a story starts as some small glimpse of an idea, and I’ll write it down and go on with my day, and let it develop slowly in the back of my mind…which may or may not be the reason I’m accused of being such a daydreamer sometimes. Once it has tugged at me enough, I’ll build it up, spanning the different sections of the story over a few pages before assembling it into some kind of order. (Basically, there are a lot of snippets of paper with various notes that are taped together in some kind of order, and then a lot of arrows connect different sections as I go back in and add new ideas in tiny handwriting to fit it all in, but it always ends up overlapping...so I circle things, or draw more lines to accent them...it looks pretty scary at the end. Then I take that big, crazy mess and sit down at the computer...doesn’t sound all that professional, now does it?)
As far as inspiration, I think it’s a little bit of everything. I like putting in the strangers I meet while working on a specific story. Not as substantial characters, just as a passing thought, like a sentence or two. The crazy, wonderful group of people I keep close to me inspire me often, just being themselves. Each of the characters has been formed by experiences, memories, dreams, and then brought to life by imagination. Mostly, it’s made up of the little things. They’ve always been my favorite.
in your private life, are there books or movies or songs that have inspired you somehow or a particular writer you love the most ?
Shel Silverstein, but it’s mostly due to the person responsible for my love for this author. Remember that librarian Emma meets when she’s little? Well he was very real, and very much encouraged my insatiable love of books. He had a Silverstein poem for every situation in life, including the really impossible ones we always find ourselves in as kids… He always said that life’s problems were curable with a little silliness, and a lot of heart.
is writing part of your job ?
Not fiction writing, but sometimes it’s far more interesting than my job.
And now let's explore the Jemma ff world :
is there a story (or more than one) that you do not feel To write but that you would like someone else could write ?
Honestly, I think each of the writers took these characters to such different places that I’ve gotten to see those worlds, but I welcome anyone who is brave enough to write their own stories. There are definitely more worlds left to explore, there always will be.
I suppose you take your time to read other jemma stories . Have you a fav author? And why do you like them?
I really liked in:to her. I found her stories almost as she was finishing, but I loved the writing style, and the little snippets of scenes brought the show to life for me. I felt like I was right there with the characters. It’s written with a lot of innocence, capturing the way that the characters were figuring out their feelings as each moment passed them. I also really like LostInGreenEyes, because she braved the world of RPF, and did a fantastic job. That maybe made me miss the show even more... Ptcruz, because one writer has been able to come up with so many different stories for the same two characters, and that’s amazing. And Partoetorno, for going back after all this time to those scenes we all loved, and extending them in ways we didn’t get to see.
I’m not so good at picking favorites…they’re all very talented.
Have you A favorite Jemma story? Or a kind of story you like reading the most?
I like stories where the writer has been able to stay true to the characters while still allowing them to grow and change, so that you’re reading about Jenny and Emma as you knew them in the show, not just girls who share their names and appearance. I like stories that aren’t soap-opera dramatic, but truer to life. Luckily, I’ve found those for Jemma.
Just finishing with the future. It is 3 years that the Jemma tv show is over. Do you think that also for Jemma ff is the end? That the writers need to stop?
I don’t think writers ever need to stop. Writers write because it comes out of them, because their minds fill with ideas, and because they love penning worlds together with words. I hope that people continue writing for these two wonderful characters, and I hope that readers comment on the stories they like.
Are you planning to write other stories after the end of "fragile -handle with care?"
After recently being cornered in a dark alleyway and thoroughly threatened by someone so very kind (yet deadly): yes, there will be one final story after Fragile: Handle With Care. It’ll be my goodbye to this wonderful world of Jemma.
We have talked about the past, the present and the future of her Jemma FF. And we have discovered such an interesting story about the firsts ff she wrote...
We hope that you will be satisfied with all the questions and that you will post your comments, suggestions or even other questions to send to Miss. Owl.
Enjoy!
hen did you discover "hahe" and Jemma and how?
A friend of mine discovered Jemma, and when we would meet up, she’d fill me in on what was happening. That was how this whole thing started. She’s quite terrible at telling stories, and she knows this… (“So they’re sitting in this room, and it’s not that big, and there are like, all of these other people around them, and there’s this one guy on the show, with like that *swoosh* kind of hairdo, but…oh wait, no he wasn’t even in this scene. Anyways, so they’re sitting there and then Jenny, she like, LOOKS at Emma, and you just KNOW that she’s about to say something, and then…no, wait, I skipped over the first part…I’ll start over.”). I think it took her ten times longer to explain what happened in the scene than it would have taken me to simply watch it, but it has always been highly entertaining watching her try. After a few weeks, I started watching.
did you have the chance to meet and know some other Jemma Fan and Jemma writers ? And do u follow the Jemmainternational 's updates and activities ?
I’ve met people mostly through comments, on my page and on others. Some I know better, and they’re fantastic people. This fandom has brought together a great group.
what is in your opinion that makes Jemma story special in your opinion?
I think the story was written with a lot of heart. Yes, it was technically a soap opera, so the drama was very over-the-top at times, but the core of the story between these two characters was real and down-to-earth. The actresses breathed life into the characters, and the issues that they were presented with were relatable.
what are the scenes that you love the most and what you would have liked to see that they did not show us?
I probably could have answered this question better a couple of years ago. Looking back, I can’t pick a certain scene for them. I like the progression, I like that it was slow. You can (and usually do) have a crush on someone for what feels like f-o-r-e-v-e-r before something happens, and I liked that they allowed time for that on the show. I liked that once they got together, it wasn’t a happy ending, because it never is, but that they allowed them to carve out their own version of a happy ending. The progression is my favorite part, all of the mess-ups and pauses and blushing and butterflies.
And I wrote about what I wanted to see that wasn’t shown, that was how and why I started writing. Parts of their story were missing for me, and I started filling in those blanks.
thinking to Emma and Jenny, do you think that they can stay together also in the future ?
Yeah, I do. They’re fictional, so that really gives each person free reign to decide for themselves, but I think that most of the people who fell in love with them are romantics, and I see them having many more adventures together in the future.
And now, let's talk about you , your ff and the writing in general:
first of all, is English your mother language ? And where do you come from ?and , if this is not embarrassing for you, how old are you?
I’m in my twenties, and English isn’t my first language, no. But I quite love this language, and I felt more comfortable writing the stories in it.
24 july 2011. this is the date of your first story on live journal with "most reactions will be positive". Can you tell us how everything began ?
I wrote “Most Reactions Will Be Positive” when I was on the train, heading to the airport to see a good friend of mine before her flight – the same friend that introduced me to Jemma. I was working on a letter for her to read on the airplane, in an attempt to keep her mind off of the fact that she was leaving her family and friends for a while, and this story came out onto the page. I didn’t think about it too much at the time, just tucked it into the envelope and handed it to her as she boarded her flight.
The next day I woke up to a semi-hysterical voicemail from her that demanded the next part of the story, and when she couldn’t be persuaded otherwise, I kept writing and sent her the next story. It was her idea to share these stories with the world. I was happy keeping them in our letters, but of course I’m glad that I did share them with others.
As for the story itself, I liked that scene in the show, when Emma distances herself from everyone else and tries to find a rational understanding to her feelings, because that’s the only way she can keep calm. You hear it in her voice, how she’s reading it slowly, unsurely, trying to understand something that seems so big and complicated and completely terrifying… I wanted to see how she would do when putting that theory to the test, but in front of someone she admires greatly, not only with her friends.
was Jemma your first attempt to write ff? Have you ever written something else in the past or are you currently writing something else? Have you published something?
This was my first work of fanfiction, yes. I’d never even read fanfiction before Jemma. I wrote little stories for my friends sometimes, mostly in letters, like my first Jemma story, but they were always just silly little things.
I’ve never published anything. This (insane) idea has been presented to me a few times now, but I’m rather happy being the girl with a notebook and a mind full of stories, who can’t always find her pen.
I’m not working on anything new at the moment. When I do have free time, I’m trying to finish this current story, which will have 10 parts in total.
You are considered one of the most talented writer and you have received so many positive comments. Are there some that you really love or that has been important for you and why?
I’m not sure if I’m one of the most talented, but the comments have been wonderful. I think that anyone who is courageous enough to put their work out there is already ahead of the game. It’s pretty scary to offer something that you wrote to an unknown world of strangers, not knowing what will happen to the few pages you decided to tear out of your notebook.
I got lucky, the response has been very kind. I like seeing that people enjoy what they read, that they’re wondering what will come next, that some particular line or scene made them smile, or made their day better even if only for a moment. Reading has always been an escape into a new world, one that doesn’t judge or ask questions as you hide from your usual tasks or problems. When a story, any story, is able to pull you in, whether it’s written, or film, or whispered to you by a loved one while you’re trying to fall asleep at night, then I think that marks a great story.
your stories develop following a logical order . Did you planned this from the very beginning? We mean : did you already know from the very beginning where you wanted to end up ?
There wasn’t much planning in the very beginning. Even after I’d written a handful of stories, there wasn’t much direction. The stories were short, like little glimpses of a whole world going on somewhere else, and I liked them like that. They developed with the storyline for a little while, and once the show ended, the stories naturally progressed in chronological order, while still staying separate from one another.
in your stories , do you stood strictly coherent with Emma and Jenny of the tv show or do you think you have changed some aspects of the 2 characters ? Do you do this by purpose ? Why ?
I think that every person who watches the show adds their own view to the characters. I should very much hope that the characters in the stories I’ve written have changed from their original selves, especially because the stories as one are moving forward. Every event that they go through shapes them, and time matures them. I’d hate to have a character stay stuck in the same mold forever. It’s only natural that they’ll all change, for good and bad.
I know that is maybe impossible to chose but among your stories (or scenes of a story) do you have one that you love more than the other? And why?
I do, but I don’t know if I can pick some. The reasons why change for each one. Sometimes it’s because of where I wrote the story, or who was with me as I worked on it. Other times it’s because of a memory I wrote about. I think this is true for most writers. When you spend so much time crafting something to make it good enough, you can’t help but love it. And I do love writing, and each of these characters. It’s nice to go back and read stories I’ve written, and remember all of the behind-the-scenes that went on.
what are the most difficult part to write ? And what have been the funniest ?
The difficult parts are usually events or memories that are more personal, or when I struggle to get something across the way I envision it, but those parts usually end up being the parts I love, so I guess that’s a fair trade. Hotte, Ben, and Claudia are usually the funniest to write, all for different reasons. Those characters have different kinds of humor, but are all very loveable to me.
how is your way of working as a writer ? For instance, is there a place where you love to write or a particular way of build up a story? What does inspire you?
There’s no special process, those are probably for the professionals. Usually a story starts as some small glimpse of an idea, and I’ll write it down and go on with my day, and let it develop slowly in the back of my mind…which may or may not be the reason I’m accused of being such a daydreamer sometimes. Once it has tugged at me enough, I’ll build it up, spanning the different sections of the story over a few pages before assembling it into some kind of order. (Basically, there are a lot of snippets of paper with various notes that are taped together in some kind of order, and then a lot of arrows connect different sections as I go back in and add new ideas in tiny handwriting to fit it all in, but it always ends up overlapping...so I circle things, or draw more lines to accent them...it looks pretty scary at the end. Then I take that big, crazy mess and sit down at the computer...doesn’t sound all that professional, now does it?)
As far as inspiration, I think it’s a little bit of everything. I like putting in the strangers I meet while working on a specific story. Not as substantial characters, just as a passing thought, like a sentence or two. The crazy, wonderful group of people I keep close to me inspire me often, just being themselves. Each of the characters has been formed by experiences, memories, dreams, and then brought to life by imagination. Mostly, it’s made up of the little things. They’ve always been my favorite.
in your private life, are there books or movies or songs that have inspired you somehow or a particular writer you love the most ?
Shel Silverstein, but it’s mostly due to the person responsible for my love for this author. Remember that librarian Emma meets when she’s little? Well he was very real, and very much encouraged my insatiable love of books. He had a Silverstein poem for every situation in life, including the really impossible ones we always find ourselves in as kids… He always said that life’s problems were curable with a little silliness, and a lot of heart.
is writing part of your job ?
Not fiction writing, but sometimes it’s far more interesting than my job.
And now let's explore the Jemma ff world :
is there a story (or more than one) that you do not feel To write but that you would like someone else could write ?
Honestly, I think each of the writers took these characters to such different places that I’ve gotten to see those worlds, but I welcome anyone who is brave enough to write their own stories. There are definitely more worlds left to explore, there always will be.
I suppose you take your time to read other jemma stories . Have you a fav author? And why do you like them?
I really liked in:to her. I found her stories almost as she was finishing, but I loved the writing style, and the little snippets of scenes brought the show to life for me. I felt like I was right there with the characters. It’s written with a lot of innocence, capturing the way that the characters were figuring out their feelings as each moment passed them. I also really like LostInGreenEyes, because she braved the world of RPF, and did a fantastic job. That maybe made me miss the show even more... Ptcruz, because one writer has been able to come up with so many different stories for the same two characters, and that’s amazing. And Partoetorno, for going back after all this time to those scenes we all loved, and extending them in ways we didn’t get to see.
I’m not so good at picking favorites…they’re all very talented.
Have you A favorite Jemma story? Or a kind of story you like reading the most?
I like stories where the writer has been able to stay true to the characters while still allowing them to grow and change, so that you’re reading about Jenny and Emma as you knew them in the show, not just girls who share their names and appearance. I like stories that aren’t soap-opera dramatic, but truer to life. Luckily, I’ve found those for Jemma.
Just finishing with the future. It is 3 years that the Jemma tv show is over. Do you think that also for Jemma ff is the end? That the writers need to stop?
I don’t think writers ever need to stop. Writers write because it comes out of them, because their minds fill with ideas, and because they love penning worlds together with words. I hope that people continue writing for these two wonderful characters, and I hope that readers comment on the stories they like.
Are you planning to write other stories after the end of "fragile -handle with care?"
After recently being cornered in a dark alleyway and thoroughly threatened by someone so very kind (yet deadly): yes, there will be one final story after Fragile: Handle With Care. It’ll be my goodbye to this wonderful world of Jemma.