This is an interesting question, but I don't do anything in particular to stay focused... basically, if something is written well, then I will remember where I was when I pick up the story again. Where this gets interesting to me is when I write LnC fic and Smallville fic -- though Lois and Clark are the same essential characters in both iterations of Superman, I know the differences in speech and behavior. I find this fascinating because some of it I know is due to how the characters are written - for example, Smallville's Lois loves heavy metal and monster trucks -- but some of it is more subtle, like how Dean Cain delivers a smolder versus Tom Welling. Are the differences detectable because of the actors, the writing, or both? And how do I keep them straight when writing fiction where I can use my own imagination and yet keep the same characters and amazingly not get them confused? (consequently when they do overlap -- see
Mr. and Mrs. Kent -- I am fully aware that they do) No idea...
