Writing talk
I was inspired by the interesting posts of the lovely labil about writing and I started to ponder about some themes.
First and more important I don't claim to be an expert on this subject. In fact, I used to write and I don't much anymore so my POV may be more the based on reading/watching TV, movies, plays than on active writing. More important than my rusty state, mostly caused by a short spam attention of a two year old and studies (Okay, and fandom), is the fact I chose another path to me and I didn't actually went to college to become a writer. Not that I necessarily think to become one you have to go to college, but I think it does makes a difference and if you have talent and develop it with theory on writting the sky is the limit.
I also don't claim to be flawless and GREAT.
Move on...
There is something that I strongly believe as a "writer" and as a reader: The characters and the story do tell, even if not all the time, where to go. When you contradict a story that only has one logical end, you usually end up screwed.
The characters are important keys on the discover what to do.
In fact, they even tell you if your fanfiction/story will work better as angst, comedy (Or both)... And even the PG, R and NC17 ratings. For example: I cannot see a NC17 Chuck/Ned fic, Spock/Uhura fanfictions based on mindless sex is not nearly as interesting as those who relays on the nature of their relationship (It can have sex, but it has to have a really good build up), Sawyer and Kate work in the NC17 context while their PG13 can be bland and "safe" if you're not as good (Plus, using the whole angst over the same themes is a turn off).
There are the pairings that can go both ways, I think there is a very interesting flexibility on Mark/Lexie as a pairing and this is why sometimes I write them. You can tackle fluffly (If you're good), dark-ish themes (Specially due Mark's nature), angst, alternative universes, sex. Sometimes even in a same chapter. Other ships do not have this and force them into a genre can be a mistake if you're not prepared (A Fluffly House fanfic? Probably never will work).
I feel like if you're really good, you can tell any story. But some pairings are more belivable under certain conditions. This however can lead to the exploration of the same themes. I think in ways the Lost fanfiction fandom lacks creativity. Take some Skate fanfictions: Maybe it's due the great amount of scenes they have it, leaving the writers with very little to explore (The fanfictions would benefit from less scenes. But then I rather see them on screem, so screw it haha), while other fandoms become interesting because of the unexplored subtext (I'm looking at you Mulder and Scully... as well ships from procedural shows). Other point is to relay on the same storylines. How many times do I have to read a fanfiction about Sawyer and Kate discussing Juliet's death? I skip most of the times fics like this. While I do appreciate angst a LOT. It's a breath of fresh air when you get a break from the angsty themes and the cannon places. Maybe this is why occasionally I enjoy an AU.
Trust your characters... all the time, but also think out of the box. I read a great writing article that tells the importance of good characters into a storyline. This is why I am often turn off by shows such as Flash Forward, Battlestar Gallactica and Fringe. The characters are usually frosty, uninteresting or... just people I dislike (Sometimes bad casting plays a part). Don't be fooled, characters are even more essential on the SCI FI genre. Although these shows relies on "Mythology", there is no great mythology without the 'heroes', who have distinct journeys.
It leads me to my first point: Some stories/characters/ships have a well defined path inside a story because some author's build the structure (Conscious or not) that only leads to one possible end. This is why some stories (Mostly multi-chapter ones) requires a happy end while others has to have a bittersweet/tragic/ambiguous end to work better.
But this is subjected to... well, subjectivity. The right end for me sometimes may not be the right one for another reader. This is what makes things so complex. My only advice? Do what it feels organic to you, no matter if it pissed people in the process. It's your story after all and you should be proud of it.
This is why I say, based on nothing but the story structure: Jack Sheppard will die. But maybe this is for another post.
Any thoughts? Should I expand some parts of this post on another one?
First and more important I don't claim to be an expert on this subject. In fact, I used to write and I don't much anymore so my POV may be more the based on reading/watching TV, movies, plays than on active writing. More important than my rusty state, mostly caused by a short spam attention of a two year old and studies (Okay, and fandom), is the fact I chose another path to me and I didn't actually went to college to become a writer. Not that I necessarily think to become one you have to go to college, but I think it does makes a difference and if you have talent and develop it with theory on writting the sky is the limit.
I also don't claim to be flawless and GREAT.
Move on...
There is something that I strongly believe as a "writer" and as a reader: The characters and the story do tell, even if not all the time, where to go. When you contradict a story that only has one logical end, you usually end up screwed.
The characters are important keys on the discover what to do.
In fact, they even tell you if your fanfiction/story will work better as angst, comedy (Or both)... And even the PG, R and NC17 ratings. For example: I cannot see a NC17 Chuck/Ned fic, Spock/Uhura fanfictions based on mindless sex is not nearly as interesting as those who relays on the nature of their relationship (It can have sex, but it has to have a really good build up), Sawyer and Kate work in the NC17 context while their PG13 can be bland and "safe" if you're not as good (Plus, using the whole angst over the same themes is a turn off).
There are the pairings that can go both ways, I think there is a very interesting flexibility on Mark/Lexie as a pairing and this is why sometimes I write them. You can tackle fluffly (If you're good), dark-ish themes (Specially due Mark's nature), angst, alternative universes, sex. Sometimes even in a same chapter. Other ships do not have this and force them into a genre can be a mistake if you're not prepared (A Fluffly House fanfic? Probably never will work).
I feel like if you're really good, you can tell any story. But some pairings are more belivable under certain conditions. This however can lead to the exploration of the same themes. I think in ways the Lost fanfiction fandom lacks creativity. Take some Skate fanfictions: Maybe it's due the great amount of scenes they have it, leaving the writers with very little to explore (The fanfictions would benefit from less scenes. But then I rather see them on screem, so screw it haha), while other fandoms become interesting because of the unexplored subtext (I'm looking at you Mulder and Scully... as well ships from procedural shows). Other point is to relay on the same storylines. How many times do I have to read a fanfiction about Sawyer and Kate discussing Juliet's death? I skip most of the times fics like this. While I do appreciate angst a LOT. It's a breath of fresh air when you get a break from the angsty themes and the cannon places. Maybe this is why occasionally I enjoy an AU.
Trust your characters... all the time, but also think out of the box. I read a great writing article that tells the importance of good characters into a storyline. This is why I am often turn off by shows such as Flash Forward, Battlestar Gallactica and Fringe. The characters are usually frosty, uninteresting or... just people I dislike (Sometimes bad casting plays a part). Don't be fooled, characters are even more essential on the SCI FI genre. Although these shows relies on "Mythology", there is no great mythology without the 'heroes', who have distinct journeys.
It leads me to my first point: Some stories/characters/ships have a well defined path inside a story because some author's build the structure (Conscious or not) that only leads to one possible end. This is why some stories (Mostly multi-chapter ones) requires a happy end while others has to have a bittersweet/tragic/ambiguous end to work better.
But this is subjected to... well, subjectivity. The right end for me sometimes may not be the right one for another reader. This is what makes things so complex. My only advice? Do what it feels organic to you, no matter if it pissed people in the process. It's your story after all and you should be proud of it.
This is why I say, based on nothing but the story structure: Jack Sheppard will die. But maybe this is for another post.
Any thoughts? Should I expand some parts of this post on another one?