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Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

7:54pm EST

Members: 964

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Total Online: 3,112

Writing Blog Number 2

by S

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 21, 2024 at 12:34am
In response to "20241221 Kudzu Plotting"

IMO Anne McCaffrey does this well with the parallel Dragonriders of Pern and Harper Hall trilogies. Adults-with-dragons; youth with fire-dragons. Memorable world building. Wonderful characters.

Kudzu the plant... only a curse for those who don't know its uses: forage, food, fiber.

Dec 19, 2024 at 7:09pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

🐕GeminiGem🎁 - I chose Grease because it is so egregious and goes against everything Sandy had demonstrated up to that point. Dirty Dancing was set a few years later (early 60s), and, though Baby changes, it is gradual and is more a change of growing up, being true to herself. So, I think the time period can be used effectively without being so demeaning. As I see it.

🐕GeminiGem🎁

Dec 19, 2024 at 6:58pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

I agree that when a woman changes herself to attract a man shows misogyny and is annoying...but...using the movie Grease as an example it an interesting choice. Yes, the lead female changes her appearance to appeal to the male. I think it was more because of peer pressure, but the peer pressure happened because of the pervasive misogyny of the peers. Interestingly, the male character does the exact same thing for the same reasons.

The movie is set in the 1950's, a time where the misogyny we see now is even waaaay worse. So, here is a thought. If you are writing about a time period like that and are showing social interactions of the characters, something like the pervasive misogyny is going to be true to the time and place the story takes place. Does that excuse it? No, of course not, but having present-day sensibilities in an era like that would make the story seem really off.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 19, 2024 at 3:57am
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

In my travels I try to connect with most everyone. I wonder what my stats would be... but many contacts have names whether human or not, whether the boss or 'servant' or guest.

In my writings...

thinking.

I do have characters without names.

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 18, 2024 at 3:54pm
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

As someone who is an Aunt to two children who have an age difference of four years, I can definitely tell you that they act completely different. Even though one of them is neurodivergent, the older one definitely acts more mature than the younger one.(also the older one has never tried to lick my feet.)

With very few exceptions, I've never had to tell an adult "stop eating my dress," "please don't lick me" or "stop pulling my hair," to anyone over the age of six. Yet within the last year or so I've had to tell my five year old niece these things repeatedly. She thinks this is hilarious.

Anyways, thanks for pointing out that kids aren't just miniature adults! I'll try to keep that in mind while writing.

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:44am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

Elisa: Snowman Stik - Writing about those who are neurodivergent is not something I feel I can talk about comfortably. I am trained as a teacher of those on the spectrum, and so I would not write a character in that regard because I do not feel it is my story to tell. But, yes, that last point may not apply to a child with developmental issues.

1 Like

Elisa: Snowman Stik

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:28am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

I am curious if there is wiggle room for the last point for child characters with developmental disabilities. (I do recognize this kind of character presents its own set of development pitfalls in terms of depicting the disability without stereotyping. That said, I think this can be a reasonable exception to the rule when done with care.)

1 Like

Dave Ryan

Dec 16, 2024 at 1:26am
In response to "20241216 Poor Characterisation"

There was once a variation of "compressed vice" in an original episode of Star Trek ("Who Mourns for Adonais?"), where a landing party of the usual suspects + one random never-seen-before-or-since female crew member are captured by the god Apollo and they turn the usually gruff Scotty into a simpering, love-struck puppy to try to introduce some conflict when Apollo puts the moves on her. Why they didn't just have Kirk horndogging it as usual I do not know - at least then everybody would have remained consistently in character. It looks like Scotty, it sounds like Scotty, but WTF?

1 Like

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 14, 2024 at 3:41pm
In response to "20241214 Punk Genres"

This is interesting yet confusing. So basically it's like world building but with the word "punk" in there to make it sound cooler.
Maybe I misunderstand.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 7, 2024 at 2:55am
In response to "20241207 Problems With Using Reality"

That or "to-ell-wit-it" and suffer the consequences.

Every society draws the lines differently. A traveler needs to be aware. Even words matter. The British and Thais are strict when it comes to slander.

March 3, 2024 at 12:20am

#1065441

20240303 Writing Fan Fiction

Writing Fan Fiction

Now, telling a fan fiction writer what to write and how to write is somewhat counterproductive. The whole idea of fan fiction is to re-imagine and recontextualise the works of their fandom to suit themselves. That makes it incredibly non-prescriptive.

However, having said that, there are four things that scholars (and I have mentioned a few of them in "20240301 An Academic Essay On Fan Fiction"

) feel make a work of fan fiction something that is more palatable to a wider audience.

Before I begin, this does not mean selling works. Fan fiction may not be sold to any market to make profit; some authors do not even like it on sites like ff.net and ao3. However, if a work is a parody, then this rule does not apply in the USA, Australia and the UK (though may in Japan). Further, if a work is transgressive enough so as to take it out of the realm of its original genre, then it may also be allowed. Having said that, I did get permission to have my own works of fan fiction published in a manner that earns me money.

None of that applies to works out of copyright - public domain works.

Now, back to the point of this - there are actually more than four things, but most of them are technical (about writing in proper English) or sequel-based, and that is not the point of this.

1) Any characters used should reflect the characters as portrayed in the original works. This might seem logical, but many fan fiction writers change the original characters in some way to work within the new story. If that is seen as necessary, then just make up new characters. It should be pointed out that this most often happens in erotic fan fiction.

2) Any settings used should reflect the places as portrayed in the original works. Again, this would seem logical and, although not as common, changing settings to suit a story is something that many fan fiction works do. Again, if you need to change it, create a new setting.

3) Do not use a Mary Sue/Marty (Gary) Stu character. Author avatars are going to happen in fan fiction; it is often the reason for fan fiction being written in the first place. But to make that character into someone so perfect is never good for a tale. See "20240215 Mary Sue/Marty Stu (Gary Stu)"

for further details.

4) Do not mirror stories already written by the original author. This does not apply to parody, however. While a person may not like the way a certain story goes, copying those story beats to change them is not just fan fiction, but could well be seen to cross the line into total plagiarism.

Now, these are not rules. These are suggestions to make fan fiction more acceptable as a genre for others to read.

If, as a fan fiction writer, a person does not want to follow this and do their own thing, that is fine - it is their work and so it is their choice. However, they can then not complain that people do not take their fan fiction seriously.

3 Like • Comment

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