Um.
All the prompts given for this year's Yuletide are now visible, here, so naturally I spent the last 24 hours reading through them, as much as real life would allow. Quite a lot of them made me go "oh, I hope someone has done something with that one". Several made me think "hm, I could work with that, but not on short notice, I'd want to do source research first". One spawned the tiniest, tiniest bunny which is now hopping up and down and telling me I could pursue it even on short notice and without checking the source material again. "Bunny," quoth I, "I am with the Aged Parents now who need my help these last few days before Christmas. Get thee behind me. I've already written a treat." And now it's making Bigwig-defending-the-warren eyes at me.
....Anyway, one thing I could not help but notice is that an awful lot of prompts ask for "awesome ladies being awesome", the word "awesome" more often than not in capslock. While I sympathize with the sentiment and of course also wish the ladies in my various requests to be awesome, this is not, imo, a very helpful writing prompt. (Which is why I'm glad I was not given it.) Suggesting situations or asking for exploration of specific issues or relationships is. But requesting "awesomeness" is not only far too general but bound to give at least yours truly a headache because what makes character x awesome to me might not be exactly what would make her awesome to you. Also, does general awesomeness exclude exploration of flaws, yes or no? Etc.
You know which fictional work did a good in-story meta on this? Susanne Collins' Mockingjay, the third volume of the Hunger Games trilogy. [Spoilers for all three HG volumes.] Early on, the District 13 propaganda unit, wanting to use Katniss and her fame for the resistance, put her in front of a camera, give her a speech to recite and essentially tell her to be awesome. It's a complete disaster, and they can't understand why, since Katniss had come across as awesome in the previous broadcasts - mostly the Hunger Games, but also the Flickerman interviews - they've seen her in. And then Haymitch points out the obvious, that what made Katniss impressive to them then had been her actions and responses to situations she was in. Of course she can't be AWESOME on demand. You have to bring her in situations that allow her to show her qualities. As the kids say these days, this. And that. And also the other. Err, I mean: it's just not a helpful prompt, is all.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/850579.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
....Anyway, one thing I could not help but notice is that an awful lot of prompts ask for "awesome ladies being awesome", the word "awesome" more often than not in capslock. While I sympathize with the sentiment and of course also wish the ladies in my various requests to be awesome, this is not, imo, a very helpful writing prompt. (Which is why I'm glad I was not given it.) Suggesting situations or asking for exploration of specific issues or relationships is. But requesting "awesomeness" is not only far too general but bound to give at least yours truly a headache because what makes character x awesome to me might not be exactly what would make her awesome to you. Also, does general awesomeness exclude exploration of flaws, yes or no? Etc.
You know which fictional work did a good in-story meta on this? Susanne Collins' Mockingjay, the third volume of the Hunger Games trilogy. [Spoilers for all three HG volumes.] Early on, the District 13 propaganda unit, wanting to use Katniss and her fame for the resistance, put her in front of a camera, give her a speech to recite and essentially tell her to be awesome. It's a complete disaster, and they can't understand why, since Katniss had come across as awesome in the previous broadcasts - mostly the Hunger Games, but also the Flickerman interviews - they've seen her in. And then Haymitch points out the obvious, that what made Katniss impressive to them then had been her actions and responses to situations she was in. Of course she can't be AWESOME on demand. You have to bring her in situations that allow her to show her qualities. As the kids say these days, this. And that. And also the other. Err, I mean: it's just not a helpful prompt, is all.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/850579.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.