writing basement!Spike

[timepiececlock]

I was thinking while mowing the lawn yesterday, and I've finally figured out why I've not yet had any profound urge to write B/S since the new season started.

I'm the kind of fic writer who has to be inspired-- I do my best writing *after* something in the show gives me an idea, spurs me on.

This hasn't happened yet, because I'm too freaked out about Spike beign crazy to write him. I can write sane, morally conflicted Spike. I can write violence-crazy-rage Spike. I can write heartbroken Spike.

But this new Spike in the basement... he's not just Spike the modern & slightly-Americanized (in thinking & tastes, though not in accent) vampire with a chip on his shoulder & in his head, who's in love with the wrong girl and stuck between worlds. No, this is WILLIAM too. And William is this prissy Victorian guy who knows proper English and comes from an entire culture I'm not familiar with.

I feel like, if I'm gonna write his butt-crazy ravings, then I have to know something about England, so it makes sense and fits his character. And I don't know fuck-all about England. REALLY. I'm one of those Americans who probably deep down thinks the world revolves around the north-western hempisphere, and why bother learning about European/Other stuff when I already know about American stuff, and I don't live in Europe anyway so who cares?

Now, that's a bit crass not the sum total of my feelings on the subject (cause I actually like hearing stuff about other cultures), but basically I can't write William, because I don't know William, and that means I'd do it badly. So I'll just wait until he's sane again, or maybe write Buffy again in the mean time. As soon as she is nice again. Or Dawn.

Comments

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

I feel like, if I'm gonna write his butt-crazy ravings, then I have to know something about England, so it makes sense and fits his character.

A big ole' word to you. I can write Spike. Hecka yea. I frighten myself by how well I can live in his head. Hopefully. This new Spike...eh.... Thus why I have totally stalled in my post Grave fic. Yeah, I knew he'd be crazy. I just didn't know he was going to be THAT crazy. Souled-Spike is seriously hard to write. I have gone into total research mode, Victorian England, poetry and lullibyes from the era, ect. And it's freakin' hard, having only the internet to work with. I think I have enough to at least GET to the point in my fic where he loses it, but I am not confident.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

good for you. research. you're making progress where I've chickened out. :)