a request

[johnnypurple]

Hi peeps, A perhaps unusual request for you. Can any of you link me up to a screencap from that Top Gear episode where James May is naked behind the wheel of a car? That would be awesome. My interweb searching skillz are letting me down today. A cookie for the one who can link me up. :)

Comments

[wolfy_writing]

Writing question; a malfunctioning Koneigsegg sends Richard Hammond back in time to 1605, where he will eventually have a brief love affair with Guy Fawkes before the Stig fetches him back home.

How do I keep this from turning out too much like Life on Mars?

[cenea]

*butts in*

OMG, I am so excited about this fic!!! There are not enough malfunctioning car time travel fics in the TG fandom. You get historical AU without having to go AU, and that is perfection.

It won't be anything like Life on Mars, I'm sure. Unless he goes via the 1970s, which would be fun but superfluous. Please, just write, write, write :)

[wolfy_writing]

The historical research is a lot, but I think I can fake it. It's impressive how easy it is to fake research in fanfic.

And I'm happy because it only took me two pages before he punched someone in the face.

It's just the point after he realizes that he appears to have gone back in time (he doesn't wake up in the car; it's later revealed to have been stolen), it's coming off a bit Life on Mars with me trying not to write him worrying about having had another crash and being in a coma again, and imaginary Richard in my head being balky. Although what he said in that one interview about what being in a coma is like wasn't anything like waking up in 1605, so he might not consider that.

[cenea]

Definitely just write, and don't worry about comparisons. If people want to see them, they'll probably only regard them as a positive thing anyway. I honestly can't wait to read what you come up with. And find out which historical persons Richard punches in the face ;)

Haha, faking historical research, for fanfic or otherwise, is one of the joys of life. I've had this 18th Century Venetian AU slowly progressing on a backburner for a while (ahem, yes, it has a lot of flaming gondoliers) It's amazing how I've convinced myself to it's authenticity...

[wolfy_writing]

Flaming gondoliers? As in they don't just set the gondolas on fire, but the gondoliers as well?

It's surprisingly easy to fake a lot of it because it's from Richard's perspective, and I'm going to assume that he knows a lot of the basic facts about what happens, but not details like different kinds of jerkins and what it means to wear them.

[cenea]

Erm, yes, queen of the typo strikes again ;)

Hmmm, I hope Richard doesn't get into trouble by wearing the wrong jerkin...

*does 'write, write, write' chanty thing*

Oh God, here are the parents on their visit. Better go *sigh*

[uk_sef]

It sounds more like the "Back To The Future" trilogy.

[wolfy_writing]

It does, now that you point it out. Although since I know it isn't, I'm not going to be worrying about that.

Did I mention that I get terribly irrational about writing?

[johnnypurple]

OMG! this sounds utterly awesome! wowee! this, i want to read! :D

*reads your conversation with cenaea* heh.

ok. your question. my suggestions as to keeping it not Life on Mars-ish:
-have richard & guy's relationship be totally different to sam and gene's relationship
-have it set in 1605 not 1973
-have less Bowie references
-have more man-on-man action, eg. explicit sexing
-do not have guy and richard fighting crime together
-do not include the test card girl or other interruptions from "the real world" into richard's head
-do not dress richard in 70s fashions
-do include richard and the stig getting it on

hope that, er, helps?! :D

[wolfy_writing]

-have richard & guy's relationship be totally different to sam and gene's relationship

I think I'm safe on that front. For one thing, their punching will be either largely or entirely confined to people who are not each other.

-have it set in 1605 not 1973

Check.

-have less Bowie references

Feasible.

-have more man-on-man action, eg. explicit sexing

Should be practical.

-do not have guy and richard fighting crime together

As I can't think of a single reason to make Guy Fawkes go fight crime, I think I'm safe on that front.

-do not include the test card girl or other interruptions from "the real world" into richard's head

I already inflicted her on him in the nesting box fic, so check.

-do not dress richard in 70s fashions

What about 1570's fashion? And everyone just thinking his clothes look weirdly outdated?

-do include richard and the stig getting it on

I'm afraid I may be in "see how it goes" territory.

Do I still pass?