Comments | upupa_epops: Elena Gilbert and fanfiction

upupa_epops

Elena Gilbert and fanfiction

May 23, 2012 23:03

I'm in the middle of finals right now, so I'm trying very hard NOT to do anything particularly time-consuming in fandom (you can't imagine how many fic and meta ideas I have when I look at my vocabulary handouts...), but I had this awesome discussion with youcallitwinter about how Elena is depicted in fanfiction, and now I have loads and loads of questions!

( Read more... )

fandom: the vampire diaries, tvd fandom is the worst, elena gilbert is amazing

Comments 68

lit_chick08 May 23 2012, 21:08:36 UTC

Maybe it's weird, but I try to/tend to write Elena as angry and damaged. Because you know what Elena should be? Angry and damaged. It is just not rational to think that a person who has been through everything she has been through would be handling it super awesomely and all nonchalant. I also try to write Elena as being sexually assertive because there's this habit I've seen in fic where she's this poor little lamb who needs to be seduced, and, while I'm all for UST, Elena isn't really that passive of a person. I also try to have other characters (particularly non-Salvatore characters) call her out on her "great empathy" which is usually a particular brand of selfishness which suits Elena but not the group as a whole ( ... )

youcallitwinter May 23 2012, 21:14:17 UTC

A+++++++++ to all your writing choices.

lit_chick08 May 23 2012, 21:16:00 UTC

Why, thank you! Of course, I also stan for Elena even at her most stupid, so I want to make her less stupid so the stanning is less difficult.

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 22:11:10 UTC

WHOA. Your Elena is my Elena. As in, there's no single word in your comment that I would disagree with. I HAVE ALL THE ELENA FEELINGS, OK?

(I was supposed to be lurking, studying and keeping my mouth shut, but your comment gave me ALL THE FEELINGS!)

Thread 8

youcallitwinter May 23 2012, 21:17:45 UTC

I AM WRONG FOR THIS MISSION BECAUSE I BARELY READ ANY TVD FIC. It's weird how much of my life I've spent discussing this show considering that I've only seen each episode once and not very intently either.

Elena in my fic is usually severely messed up; she's selfish and unapologetically so. Also, bitchy. She kind of loads all her issues on other people and sort of transfers her guilt. She's usually in love with Stefan, like IN LOVE, but has a very openly sexual /thing/ with Damon. And she's aware of her narrative.

I NEED TO STUDY TOO, BUT I SHALL THINK OF MORE THINGS.

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 22:19:46 UTC

Well, you write my favorite D/E, so, as far as I'm concerned, you are right for every Elena mission ;).

And she's aware of her narrative.

I will never not be obsessed with the fact that once upon a time Elena wanted to be a writer! I LOVE it when she's aware of the rules of storytelling!

kilodalton May 23 2012, 21:33:41 UTC

I think MOST of my fic and meta ideas come when I should really be doing something else XD

... good luck with finals! =D

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 22:12:09 UTC

Thank you!

wheatear May 23 2012, 21:59:45 UTC

Hmm, I don't know. I try to write her as she is on the show? Okay, that was an obvious answer. I guess my favourite Elena is smart Elena, so I like to have her figuring stuff out.

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 22:16:42 UTC

But people view canon Elena so differently! I'm forever surprised with how many different readings she gets.

That said, smart Elena is love \o/

wheatear May 23 2012, 22:20:34 UTC

Haha, true. I'm not sure if I've really thought about her that deeply. I see her as being the same person as Katherine though, so there's that.

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 22:27:54 UTC

And I tend to see her as being the same person as Damon ;). Which doesn't mean that I disagree -- Elena and Katherine do have a lot in common.

Thread 5

vergoldung May 23 2012, 22:18:01 UTC

HAHAHA.

Elena fanfiction? What is it?

(Sorry I just have the urge to give a very, very cynical answer to all your questions. I mean, you are asking about Elena within a fandom that hates her with passion. TVD fandom wouldn't be caught dead hashtagging 'Elena Gilbert is amazing ( ... )

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 22:23:30 UTC

OMG, good luck with your job interview!

I was sort of fishing for rant, and for bad fanfiction as well as good ;). My conversation with youcallitwinter started with 50 Shades of Grey and went straight to TVD fanfic, so you can guess the general mood...

vergoldung May 23 2012, 22:38:41 UTC

Thank you! I'm so anxious right now, it's not even funny. I can't believe I'm flipping out over what to wear... I feel like I'm thirteen and it's back-to-school-day. I'm not used to care about what people think about my dress code anymore. And it's going to be so freaking hot tomorrow which is the worst because what do you wear to a job interview when it's 30 degrees? (Omg I'm totally freaking out on you. Sorry about that. Wrong place, wrong time?)

Hahha, I can imagine how the discussion unravelled ;) Don't you worry though, I will give you rant. (I was obviously lying earlier : when does one not want to rant about infuriating phenomena?) I have read way too much bad fic in order to restrain myself. (Keep in mind that my first fandom was Gossip Girl. I don't think I have ever read worse fic than bad Chuck/Blair fic. There is nothing worse.) BUT. I am being reasonable. (If I repeat it enough, maybe it will be true.) So you will get rant in a near future. (And you will have moved on to other rants. But not me, alas :P ( ... )

upupa_epops May 23 2012, 23:08:30 UTC

Yep, the weather wants to kill us :(. But don't worry, you'll do great! Hello, you're AWESOME! Although, if it makes you feel better, freak out on me all you want :).

The discussion is here, you don't have to rely on your imagination ;). I am forever traumatized by bad TVD fic, so I'm waiting for your rant!

Thread 21