The big post of MEH.

[caz963]

I've been off work for the last couple of days with this bloody cold. By yesterday's standards, today has been rather unproductive - yesterday I produced 2 picspams, a ficlet and wrote up a rather long DW episode recap!

Today? Meh.

It would help if I could stop writing new fics when I've got old ones to finish. Today's effort was probably one of the most angsty, UST-y things I've ever written. It's not finished, and I'm not sure if I'll post it even if I do finish it - it's just so... I dunno. Daft?

I'm having a problem. As someone who has written mostly shippy fic, I'm naturally gravitating towards writing it again.

BUT.

Before, the couple I wrote did at least end up as a couple in canon, and there had also been loads and loads of signposts along the way that that was going to happen eventually.

But in DW, there are no canon ships (well - there might be, but not yet!). No, not even Nine or Ten and Rose. There is some UST but there is no "R", whichever pairing you like best. So I find that I'm continually pulling myself back - not from writing RST, because I can't bring myself to do that, but from piling on the "U" by the truckload.

Those of you out there who write fic - let me ask you a question or two. If you write shippy fic, do you usually write characters who are either together or pretty likely to end up that way? Or doesn't that matter, because this is "just fic"? If you write non-canon ships, what is it about the characters and what you've seen on screen that makes you think they should pair up?

I suppose I'm trying to adjust my mindset and I'm interested in your thoughts.

Comments

[madly-love.livejournal.com]

I can tell you that I write plenty of fanfics and I tend to write about characters who for me have chances to end up together but most of the time they don't, lol :)

[caz963.livejournal.com]

Hee! I suppose that's the point - we write what we see and want to see. But one of the challenges of writing, for me, is keeping as in character as I can, and there are some ships which are waaaay OOC.

Meh. Perhaps I should exorcise my shippy needs on paper and then set fire to it!

[hooloovoo_42]

Release your Inner Toby ;-)

And yes, don't set fire to the computer!!!

[abbyromana.livejournal.com]

Keeping in character can be challenging, depending how you are approaching their characters (voice, actions, reactions, accent, etc). The easiest way is to pull from the aspects of the character that stand out to you and used those in your writing of them.

Of course, remember above all else, that characters are only part of what makes a story enjoyable. Remember to make the plot and development of the story clear and detailed enough (show, don't tell), so that the reader can picture what your have written for the characters. They will enjoy it not only for the characters but the story itself.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

I wrote a long reply to this and LJ ate it, so I hope I can remember what I said!

Characterisation is just about my number one "thing" when reading or writing fic. I tend to write character pieces rather than the big plotty stuff, so I suppose it's even more essential.

I started writing fanfic in what I think is a difficult fandom to write and get right - The West Wing. The characters are all very clearly deliniated with very distinctive speech patterns, mannerisms and motivations - but I like the challenge of getting those right. I think that in some shows, the characters tend to be more... generic, if that makes sense, which I think makes them easier to get right. I'm not explaining that very well, but if you know the show, you'll know what I mean. (And if you don't know the show, why not? It's fabulous!)

Most of the stuff I wrote was Josh/Donna shippy stuff (and smut!) - and Ten and Donna are very like them in a lot of ways; best friends who understand each other and who look out for each other while the sparks fly in that Tracy/Hepburn way.

[abbyromana.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I think I might have seen... maybe one episode of West Wing. I'm not much for serious dramas, unless there's something in the show that draws me (character, concept, etc).

Any way, I agree characterization is important (and should always try to be done as closely to the real characters), but if you write only for the characters, it limits who your readers are and how far you can take the story. Obviously, if you are writing a quickie or drabble characterizations might be able to stand on their own. However, I think for a longer story, even one running several pages, characterization needs support from a well-developed plot and back story.