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[imaginary_iby]

I'm starting to doubt how I feel about my fics.  I'm worried that if they weren't written by me, and each word was new to me as I read it, then would I think it was too OC?  I don't know...maybe I'm just having a fic crisis.  Any suggestions you guys have on keeping things in character would be greatly appreciated.  Notes on where you think I've

Comments

[sensiblecat]

Aww ...... I know nothing about Abby/Gibbs, not even which TV show they come from, so I can't comment on your work there, I'm afraid. But I can sympathise with your general feelings of insecurity, because it happens to me as well. Writing fan fic seems so audacious sometimes. Maybe it helps to remember that in a way it's doing two contradictory things. We love the characters and we want to be true to them. At the same time, we wouldn't want to write the fic if we didn't have ideas about new places to take them. We'd just watch the TV instead. So, if there isn't the occasional "Waaah! Would s/he do that?" moment, you probably aren't doing your job.

Example. In my last fic I wrote about the Doctor and Rose having a financial problem. I really, really didn't want to make my gorgeous Doctor hack into a bank and basically steal some cash rather than see Rose be miserable. I wanted him to be terribly noble and get some lousy, humiliating job instead. I wrote it that way, it was rubbish. Because he'd never do that. He'd have a completely different moral take on the whole situation to hers, and the only way to write that, I found, was to be true to character and write about them having an argument about it. It's important not to project our own idealisations onto the characters. The Doctor's interesting because he can be a right arrogant, emotionally clueless bastard sometimes. As well as the world's most gorgeous man, of course.

All I can say in the end is, nobody gets it right all the time, it's great to keep trying. Don't be put off when other people, professional or otherwise, seem to be much better than you. They are probably bringing experiences into their work that you just haven't lived through, you can do the same for them.
And remember that David Tennant, no less, has said publicly "Most of the time I feel uncool to the depths of my soul." Insecurity is more widespread than most of us think.

[wiccagirl24]

At the same time, we wouldn't want to write the fic if we didn't have ideas about new places to take them.

That is so very perfect, so right. I feel the same way, trying to be true to the spirit of the character, but by defintion of what we are ding we have to make up their words and reactions. You said everything that I was going to say, but phrased better. And the David quote rocks.

[imaginary_iby]

I was thinking about you, you poor dear. I was like "eeek! I'll have to write some Doctor/Rose stuff for you" because I realized you don't really follow NCIS. NCIS is where Abby and Gibbs come from. You should really watch it! It's a crime show, but surprisingly hilarious, with awesome character interactions.

Thanks for taking the time to help me through my fic crisis. Your words were really helpful.

David Tennant is cooler than a cucumber at school. I could eat him right up.