(no subject)

[timepiececlock]

I was reading the sequel to "That's Why They Call It The Blues" by Nataku-chan, and it got me thinking about my own long-neglected Cowboy Bebop fic.

Basically my idea was to take all the cliches of post-series fic, and run with them--in reverse. And add a dose of Faye/Spike but leave it open-ended too. In fact I planned out about 20 chapters, and I know the basic plot from end to end. I designed it more like a short novel in layout than an episode. I even planned out how I want Spike's character to develop over the course of the story and how I could incorporate changes over time that were a direct result of how the anime ended. I have Edward and Jet there as themselves and not as plot devices. And my storyline was good too-- pretty damn original, but with touches of that CB style too.

The only problem is that I can't get off my damn butt to write the first chapter. I've done the prologue, but I can't seem to go any farther than that. I know what I want, but it's like I have no confidence that I'll get Spike to talk and act like Spike acts in the show.

And to top it all off-- jaina actually gave me the dub of Cowboy Bebop, so that I could a) make vids if I wanted to, or b) refamiliarize myself with canon if I wanted to write fic, since its been like a year and half since I've actually watched the show.

And I still can't make myself even WATCH the episodes. It's like my mind is trying to out-think itself: what if I rewatch it only to realize along the way that my Great Idea for a fanfic is not even plausible after all? What then? I shall be heartbroken. But on the other hand, how can I write fic if I can't even remember details of Spike's speech pattern, how he talks? How will I write convincing dialogue or inner thoughts?

Or, to sum all the above paragraphs up in one statement: I'm a chicken. Yup. This post deserves my indecisive Wembley icon.

Comments

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Usually though, canon is referred to as the accepted collected works of a writer, such as Shakespeare canon

Ah. You were referring to that definition. I've heard that before. Yeah, that's the accurate definition I suppose, but as you said it deserves another entry in the dictionary, because the word use (at least within the fandom/internet community) has shifted in meaning-- well, for our purposes in conversation.

However, I strictly believe that television remains to be one of the lowest forms of entertainment out there.

See, we're just going to have to agree to disagree. :) I rate film and television the same with the only difference being budget size, and I don't think they're lower forms of entertainment than books. I think they're different forms of entertainment, and I can't conceive that one kind of entertainment that involves storytelling is somehow more or less valuable than any other by its nature of medium.

what I meant to say is that I think subscribing oneself to "canon" is crap, and the people who boast about it are the ones who probably write it the worst.

I tend to think little of people who boast about anything regarding fanfic trueness to the source. Discussion and analyzation (like we are doing I think) are fine, but boasting just leaves a bad taste in my mouth whether its canon or not. It's right up there with interrupting a story to write author's notes to the audience, and holding the next chapter hostage if you don't get more reviews. (and here's where I boast once just to say that I've actually gotten an author to stop doing the last by writing a long long review that asked basically "where's your self-respect, dude?"-- though I don't expect I'd ever be able to convince another person again)

It sounds like you really want to be writing original fiction. I think you should go for it; based on your comments you seem rather jaded to the whole idea of fanfic.

I write fanfic for three reasons: I want more of something that I love (which is why some shows, like Escaflowne, I can't even read fanfic for much less write it-- it already feels complete to me) because I feel that not all possible avenues have been explored; or I am hit with a plot bunny that I feel no one has done before or no one has done to my satisfaction in fanfiction I've already read, and it would be great to put these familiar characters in this situation and see what they do; or thirdly, when I start composing sentences in my head while doing mundane tasks like washing dishes, and I have to write it down or I'll go crazy.

I don't need to create original characters to do it though-- I'm happy to play with the ones in front of me, because they're the ones currently holding my interest.

Really, I didn't mean to start epic long replies

Doesn't bother me. I'm a talker. ;)

though I'm one of those bandwagoners (made up a word!) that kind of wrote a Michael Crichton plot for the Bebop characters, there's nothing I can do to take it back.

::laugh::

I know you didn't mean this as a discussion point but I can't resist trying out the thought...If I had to compare my mental plot bunny with an author's typical plot... let's see... probably Dean Koontz. Ish. Dean Koontz-ish and minus the supernatural undertones. But it's also very much a continuation of the CB storyline rather than a self-contained story... or, actually, sort of a bridge from the end of CB to a new ending/future.