This depends more on the concept of writing than on John Sheppard, maybe? I don't tend to write like this but merely envision the character doing things, talking

Actually, I don't think about it when I'm writing - it's only after the fact where I can look at something and say, 'oh, huh, that's what I was going for there.' I rewatched some episodes recently - first time in a couple of years - and realized there was stuff I couldn't watch outright anymore; fandom has ruined me for the canon.

In general, there's a Sheppard in the back of my mind, no matter what story I'm telling. He's just there, doing what he's doing, and if he loses the way, I have to go back and see where that happened and see if I can figure out why. The thing I was thinking about this morning is that with the AU I want to write (the fluffiest, most innocuous AU in the history of the universe), it hit me that not only did I have absolutely no source of conflict, I wasn't really sure how to make Sheppard seem like Sheppard if he wasn't military, a pilot, and was mostly well-adjusted. I mean, I'll probably just sit down and write the thing and see how it goes, but. I dunno. It's interesting, and it's been an interesting chat with everyone, that's for sure. :D