Very idle thoughts on inside and outside canon
After reading yourlibrarian’s post about how people are writing Shanshu!Spike, I decided to brush off these very old thoughts I’d been having about pre- and post-canon.
And anyway I was just thinking idly about how I seem to be reading (and, er, writing ::looks sheepish::) a lot of pre-series and post-series fic, and wondering about this generally. Anyone else finding this? I guess there’s so much that’s been said on what’s happened in canon, both from the shows, fanfic, meta, videos, icons, and idle discussion such as this - although there are still a few AtS 5 stories that could be told I suppose - can anything more be said? I often find because I have this mix of old and new knowledge of fandom, that I can think of stories that have been written, but at the same time there seem endless possibilities within canon. I guess that’s what makes this ‘verse so rich.
I first started reading Buffyverse fanfic right after Grave because I felt I needed something more from what had happened at the end of Season 6, so I have a really soft spot in my heart for Season 6 fic that goes onwards. When I find a really well written ensemble piece (like lordshiva’s TTfP or denny_dc’s The Cut) I’ll clasp it to me and worship it for all its worth. But I just haven’t seen a lot of those lately.
The cool thing about pre-series is that while it requires quite a bit of research, it can also become a kind of wish fulfilment. So, say, someone liked 1970s New York punk music, and wanted to put Spike and Darla in the heart of all that and then write a fic about it, well that sort of fic gets written just like that ::snaps fingers:: because it’s combing all sorts of fun. As opposed to say, sticking one of them in the middle of canon and then having to contemplate other characters that you might not know so well or can find their voices so easily. And we all have ‘those characters’ who we can never find the voices for. Not that I’m saying one strategy/setting is easier or harder than the other - just different and require different approaches and things to contemplate before entering the story.
On the other hand, there’s post-series, and that’s a whole other kettle of fish. But again that involves some kind of wish-fulfilment - writing how *you* really want canon to turn out, and giving that to an audience who can be willing or unwilling. So wahaay, you can write about the Master being resurrected from the deep, black beyond before going on a rampage and wiping out all his silly Aurelian underlings.
I guess there’s a lot of freedom that can be obtained from writing pre or post. But with the freedom comes danger too - slipping away from the characters or their particular voices. Giving them choices and having them make decisions that might never have come up in canon at all. And sometimes these things come in waves don’t they? I remember about six months or so, there seemed to be a predominance of Season 2 Spuffy - like everyone got a jonesying for that and started writing it at once.
But as I said there seems to be less and less from within the timeline of the shows (not including flashbacks, of course). I find myself sitting contemplating a story and wondering if I can squeeze it into the parameters of what happened on the show. Not that I’m a complete canon whore, I’m open to all and any possibilities (within reason of course) and you must know that I read very widely and extensively, but it’s just that sometimes I kick myself in the direction of a particular season because I haven’t been reading a lot of in-season fic. Are people just not inspired by those parameters anymore? Is there nothing new to be said? Maybe it’s creating different conflicts/resolutions/relationships outside of the series - like the possibilities of all those characters meeting each other for the first time? Oooooh, what would really happen if you put Lilah, Xander and Illyria in a room together? Or wanting to resolve issues (can Angel and Connor ever be reconciled?, can we sort out Lindsey’s arc?, what happened to Drusilla?, what about the shanshu?, did Dawn and Spike make up?, was Giles able to find a bit of peace?, did Wes or Anya really die?) that really bugged us and didn’t get resolved in canon?
Anyhuuu, thoughts? ideas? reactions? all welcome. Unless you’re going to flame me, and then I’d appreciate some kind of warning so I can get my fire extinguisher out.
And anyway I was just thinking idly about how I seem to be reading (and, er, writing ::looks sheepish::) a lot of pre-series and post-series fic, and wondering about this generally. Anyone else finding this? I guess there’s so much that’s been said on what’s happened in canon, both from the shows, fanfic, meta, videos, icons, and idle discussion such as this - although there are still a few AtS 5 stories that could be told I suppose - can anything more be said? I often find because I have this mix of old and new knowledge of fandom, that I can think of stories that have been written, but at the same time there seem endless possibilities within canon. I guess that’s what makes this ‘verse so rich.
I first started reading Buffyverse fanfic right after Grave because I felt I needed something more from what had happened at the end of Season 6, so I have a really soft spot in my heart for Season 6 fic that goes onwards. When I find a really well written ensemble piece (like lordshiva’s TTfP or denny_dc’s The Cut) I’ll clasp it to me and worship it for all its worth. But I just haven’t seen a lot of those lately.
The cool thing about pre-series is that while it requires quite a bit of research, it can also become a kind of wish fulfilment. So, say, someone liked 1970s New York punk music, and wanted to put Spike and Darla in the heart of all that and then write a fic about it, well that sort of fic gets written just like that ::snaps fingers:: because it’s combing all sorts of fun. As opposed to say, sticking one of them in the middle of canon and then having to contemplate other characters that you might not know so well or can find their voices so easily. And we all have ‘those characters’ who we can never find the voices for. Not that I’m saying one strategy/setting is easier or harder than the other - just different and require different approaches and things to contemplate before entering the story.
On the other hand, there’s post-series, and that’s a whole other kettle of fish. But again that involves some kind of wish-fulfilment - writing how *you* really want canon to turn out, and giving that to an audience who can be willing or unwilling. So wahaay, you can write about the Master being resurrected from the deep, black beyond before going on a rampage and wiping out all his silly Aurelian underlings.
I guess there’s a lot of freedom that can be obtained from writing pre or post. But with the freedom comes danger too - slipping away from the characters or their particular voices. Giving them choices and having them make decisions that might never have come up in canon at all. And sometimes these things come in waves don’t they? I remember about six months or so, there seemed to be a predominance of Season 2 Spuffy - like everyone got a jonesying for that and started writing it at once.
But as I said there seems to be less and less from within the timeline of the shows (not including flashbacks, of course). I find myself sitting contemplating a story and wondering if I can squeeze it into the parameters of what happened on the show. Not that I’m a complete canon whore, I’m open to all and any possibilities (within reason of course) and you must know that I read very widely and extensively, but it’s just that sometimes I kick myself in the direction of a particular season because I haven’t been reading a lot of in-season fic. Are people just not inspired by those parameters anymore? Is there nothing new to be said? Maybe it’s creating different conflicts/resolutions/relationships outside of the series - like the possibilities of all those characters meeting each other for the first time? Oooooh, what would really happen if you put Lilah, Xander and Illyria in a room together? Or wanting to resolve issues (can Angel and Connor ever be reconciled?, can we sort out Lindsey’s arc?, what happened to Drusilla?, what about the shanshu?, did Dawn and Spike make up?, was Giles able to find a bit of peace?, did Wes or Anya really die?) that really bugged us and didn’t get resolved in canon?
Anyhuuu, thoughts? ideas? reactions? all welcome. Unless you’re going to flame me, and then I’d appreciate some kind of warning so I can get my fire extinguisher out.