stretching the fic-writing muscles?
So there has been an unpopular fannish opinions meme going around. And I've contemplated doing it, but I don't think I'll bother. But I was struck by one of gabolange's: she mentioned that the kind of fic she writes is not the kind of fic she tends to read, and vice versa. And that got me pondering a little bit.
I would not say that is true for me. My favorite kind of fic to read is in fact the kind of fic I tend to write: shortish character studies, preferably a bit angsty, with an emphasis on human connection. Obviously that's not the only kind of fic I enjoy reading (the occasional long, plotty thing is a delight, and I also read far more mediocre, cookie-cutter ship fic than I might like to admit), but it is my favorite, and it's pretty much the only thing I write these days.
Which makes me think maybe I should consider branching out on the writing end, just as an experiment. Long and plotty is out. Plot and I do not get along. Not counting an embarrassing rookie X-Files fic that is best left forgotten, my longest fic is...maybe 6,000 words? And that's long. So I shall not be writing any novels. But in the past, oh, six months or so I've waded my way through some pretty eye-bleeding ship fic at the pit of voles because I have had the misfortune to become intrigued by a couple of pairings for whom there is very little decent fic. (In the case of Bruce and Amy from Judging Amy, there is almost no fic, period. On the entire internet! Though I do very much recommend this one, in case anyone is interested.) And I find myself wading through the mire from time to time thinking, "how is there not more and better fic about Bruce and Amy or Mac and Stella (from CSI: NY--yes, that's a bad habit that's persisting)?" or "why are there not loads of post-eps for this oh-so-shippy episode?" or perhaps fatefully, "I wish someone would write a good story about these two."
You see where this is going, yes? Now, I have fic I want to write about Sarah Connor and James Ellison. Angsty, character study, typical pellucid fic. And I haven't had time or inspiration, really, to do so. Suddenly, instead, I want to write fluffy ship fic for some pairing that no one else cares about. I'm not even sure I can write fluffy ship fic--at least not of the sort I'd be happy to attach my name to. But of course that's exactly what makes it an intriguing proposition.
So what do we think?
Poll
I would not say that is true for me. My favorite kind of fic to read is in fact the kind of fic I tend to write: shortish character studies, preferably a bit angsty, with an emphasis on human connection. Obviously that's not the only kind of fic I enjoy reading (the occasional long, plotty thing is a delight, and I also read far more mediocre, cookie-cutter ship fic than I might like to admit), but it is my favorite, and it's pretty much the only thing I write these days.
Which makes me think maybe I should consider branching out on the writing end, just as an experiment. Long and plotty is out. Plot and I do not get along. Not counting an embarrassing rookie X-Files fic that is best left forgotten, my longest fic is...maybe 6,000 words? And that's long. So I shall not be writing any novels. But in the past, oh, six months or so I've waded my way through some pretty eye-bleeding ship fic at the pit of voles because I have had the misfortune to become intrigued by a couple of pairings for whom there is very little decent fic. (In the case of Bruce and Amy from Judging Amy, there is almost no fic, period. On the entire internet! Though I do very much recommend this one, in case anyone is interested.) And I find myself wading through the mire from time to time thinking, "how is there not more and better fic about Bruce and Amy or Mac and Stella (from CSI: NY--yes, that's a bad habit that's persisting)?" or "why are there not loads of post-eps for this oh-so-shippy episode?" or perhaps fatefully, "I wish someone would write a good story about these two."
You see where this is going, yes? Now, I have fic I want to write about Sarah Connor and James Ellison. Angsty, character study, typical pellucid fic. And I haven't had time or inspiration, really, to do so. Suddenly, instead, I want to write fluffy ship fic for some pairing that no one else cares about. I'm not even sure I can write fluffy ship fic--at least not of the sort I'd be happy to attach my name to. But of course that's exactly what makes it an intriguing proposition.
So what do we think?
Poll