Altered states

[loneraven]

Further to last night's post, I'm seriously considering doing this altered mental states ficathon. (I guess if I write about it much more, it'll become the Altered Mental States Ficathon.) The logistics are quite difficult - the simple model of people just picking three things they want as their request may not work. The best idea I've had so far

Comments

[wishfulaces]

alien_altars did a ficathon based upon badfic cliches for how two characters get together (aliens made them do it; accidental marriage; amnesia; etc)--they had a list of all the cliches, and then people responded with saying "I'll do such-and-such a cliche in this fandom with these characters." This kinda sounds like it might run along the same lines, if that would help you organize it?

[very_improbable]

I second this. The AMSF (see, it has an acronym, now you *have* to do it!) sounds really interesting, but mental problems are so personal and specific to a character that I feel like it'd be best to let people find their own interpretation like alien_altars did. Otherwise, it may run the risk of encouraging writers to treat insanity in a too gimmicky way.

P.S. If you're interested in S&A fic, you should also be reading ds_6degrees--the S&A content isn't huge, but I think it's more active there than anywhere else.

[loneraven]

I think I really do have to do it. *sighs* In a twist of dramatic irony, I am CRAZY. You know, I'm thinking the best compromise between gift-exchange and freedom of interpretation is to let people request fandom, character and mental "spark" word such a depression, euphoria, grief, repression, etc., and let the writers twist as they see fit. I'm not kicking anyone out the ficathon for creative use of the prompts, you know?

ps. THANK YOU. I just spent a thoroughly enjoyable hour sifting through.

[loneraven]

I like that idea, but I'm really keen to keep the gift/exchange part of the ficathon alive, if I can? I'm not entirely sure whether I can afford to, but I'd like to try.

[emily_shore]

Due to having The Thesis and A Book Chapter both due in September, I can't really commit to writing anything, but I think it's a great idea. I will watch, read and comment with great interest.

[loneraven]

A Book Chapter? Tell me more. :) And hey, thanks for the support! I think I may just have committed myself to this now.

[isiscolo]

There is a small amount of S&A fic at the Yuletide archive, you know - yuletidetreasure.org.

[loneraven]

Thank you! :)

[loneraven]

May I ask, do you have the fear with depression in fiction? I ask because I'm genuinely interested - when I had my brief bout of it a few months ago, I read The Bell Jar and Prozac Nation and watched the relevant episodes of The West Wing and Firefly and The X-Files, over and over. I don't quite know what I was looking for, or if I found it, but that was the response. Tell me if I'm asking something you don't want to answer.

[likethesun2]

I apologize profusely for butting in on someone else's thread, but I just wanted to say--I respond the same way. I used to rewatch "Hawk's Nightmare" over and over and over when I was really depressed. And I did the same thing with comparable episodes of Sports Night. Weird, but helpful in some way?

[loneraven]

"Hawk's Nightmare", I seem to remember, got me through all my teenage angst. Do you remember I used to have a theory that it had some sort of subliminal messaging that meant everyone, whatever their mental state, watched it over and over? I taped it and watched it about twelve times, and then I lent it to lilka, who had never seen M*A*S*H , watched it multiple times before she gave it back.

Okay, I need to see if it's on YouTube. :)

[likeadeuce]

I don't think I'd do the altered states one, just as I have a really hard time writing 'mad' characters -- but I think it's a great idea and would pimp it out; also, "Slings & Arrows" ficathon is fabulous!

[loneraven]

Hee, fab! Thanks for replying.