i think that's what I like about fan fic. INteresting things that happen between the episodes or things that we don't see. As much as I can enjoy a good plotty fic, I'm nto sure it's as necessary as all that. What we're all here for is because we love the characters. The plot just gives them something to do.
I think we too often draw a line between character stuff and plotty stuff. There shouldn't really be a difference - I prefer character studies where something *happens* even if it's just they walk from one place to another, or two people have a conversation while drinking coffee. Without any external context at all, I tend to get bored - stories need movement of some kind, and I think I consider a simple conversation over a drink as much movement as running around and shouting.
This is probably also because people say they like the way I write plotty fic, when I know I can't plot for toffee - I write, then I edit to patch up the plot holes (disappearing and reappearing props are a speciality). Filling in the gaps, going behind the scenes, are the essence of fanfic, and what most people are really interested in is how the characters react when you throw a situation at them. I think your instincts are absolutely spot on :)
There's this thing, somewhere, about how writing smut and writing action are really the same thing, it's just the difference in the parts involved and what those parts are doing. That the pacing, blocking, movement, and climax *cough* are all still there. That was, at the time, a bit of a revelation - but it is true.
And agreed, 200%. Some action has to take place, or you've got a really long extrapolation, hidden in internal monologue, but. It doesn't have to be BIG ACTS you can see in the back of the theatre. Or, something.
Y HALO THAR *waves* Hope holiday prep is going well - we leave in 4 days and I've done..oh...nothing :D
They really are the same thing, and they're also the same as writing character studies. Because the characters are always aware of their surroundings - stories that are 100% thoughts only really work in drabble form, I think, but even drabbles have a climax point of some kind, else they don't work. So the climax can be seeing a bird or even just moving a hand, but there has to be *something*.
Er...slightly off the original point there, which I think was going to be "writing is writing is writing" - the times I go wrong are when I don't follow my instincts or get lazy about showing things. Most of the time, your first instinct is going to be the right one, and whether that means lots of plot or none really, that's what you have to write.
I so agree with you. I think I've only written 1 thing in which there is no action at all. Usually there is *something* happening however small; I'm quite fond of the talking over drinks thing, and looking at sunsets for instance. Funnily enough when I've done 'big' action scenes it usually involves sharp pointy objects and only a few characters (maximum of 3 I think).
Three is a reasonably comfortable number for me to write for whether it be talking, fighting or smut. Any more than that and I get confused. I don't know if it's because 3 is the highest number I can recognise as itself without mentally counting... I see 3 lines on a page and I *know* it's 3 lines; I see 4, and I have to count to make sure it isn't 5 even though I'm fairly certain it isn't. It's one reason why I don't really do 'team' fics... I forget where everyone is if there's more than 3 of them! Not sure if that will make sense to anyone apart from me, though.
As far as I'm concerned there's nothing wrong with it at all. It can be quite tricky to get things to slot neatly in the gaps left by cannon but that's half the fun. Knowing that in relation to fic, fandom can be quite a scary place I just wondered if anyone did feel like that. I doubt anyone on my flist would as you all seem to be the right sort of sane-crazy people.
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This is probably also because people say they like the way I write plotty fic, when I know I can't plot for toffee - I write, then I edit to patch up the plot holes (disappearing and reappearing props are a speciality). Filling in the gaps, going behind the scenes, are the essence of fanfic, and what most people are really interested in is how the characters react when you throw a situation at them. I think your instincts are absolutely spot on :)
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And agreed, 200%. Some action has to take place, or you've got a really long extrapolation, hidden in internal monologue, but. It doesn't have to be BIG ACTS you can see in the back of the theatre. Or, something.
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They really are the same thing, and they're also the same as writing character studies. Because the characters are always aware of their surroundings - stories that are 100% thoughts only really work in drabble form, I think, but even drabbles have a climax point of some kind, else they don't work. So the climax can be seeing a bird or even just moving a hand, but there has to be *something*.
Er...slightly off the original point there, which I think was going to be "writing is writing is writing" - the times I go wrong are when I don't follow my instincts or get lazy about showing things. Most of the time, your first instinct is going to be the right one, and whether that means lots of plot or none really, that's what you have to write.
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Three is a reasonably comfortable number for me to write for whether it be talking, fighting or smut. Any more than that and I get confused. I don't know if it's because 3 is the highest number I can recognise as itself without mentally counting... I see 3 lines on a page and I *know* it's 3 lines; I see 4, and I have to count to make sure it isn't 5 even though I'm fairly certain it isn't. It's one reason why I don't really do 'team' fics... I forget where everyone is if there's more than 3 of them! Not sure if that will make sense to anyone apart from me, though.
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I wasn't particularly concerned about it, more curious to see what people thought.
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