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Swear to god there’s some interesting stuff in there, but if you don’t want to go through it all, scroll past the cut.
Jenn: I've been thinking I want to do another theme story. You know, Universal Themes. Something like Jus Ad Bellum or Handful of Dust. Something tragic. But also full of hope. You know, clichés.
MHC: People keep telling me that I need to stay away from Themes. I'm supposedly a Theme abuser.
Jenn: No, stay away from themes if you're a lousy writer. You're not, so you have no worries. Its' too easy to go hammertime.
MHC: i am teh sutble!!11one!!
Jenn: *giggles* I hammer down. I don't think anyone walked out of Dust not aware of at least the main point of the story. Big, fat anvils.
MHC: I do both. In the same story.
Jenn: Though it still surprises me what people took away from it.
MHC: Dust is a fantastic story. But I still think it's politically unlikely. La la la.
Jenn: I write for Smallville. The entire thing is unlikely. Besides, who else in the fandom has ever tried to make Clark a god anyway? It's funny. You know, I never would have written it if Te and I hadn't just met and I really, really wanted to impress her?
MHC: That's... amusing.
Jenn: I mean, really, really, really.
MHC: I still haven't really 'spoken' with her.
Jenn: I wrote in AIM for her, for God's sake, and I had never written in AIM. I did it in present tense, I did it in single pov, and I did it pretty much for her. If there was ever a story that belonged to someone else, Dust is it.
MHC: I don't think I've ever done something comparable. I'm very lazy, fickle and unreliable like that. I mean, I'd like to write for you, but... ehhhn. You know? I still write bits of this crazy fic that I started for you and bits of fics I started for other people, but...
Jenn: It hits me weirdly. But Te's--unique. She makes me want. Sleep While I Drive was for Wendi, but she really had minimal influence on it as a whole. But Te's fingerprints are in Dust everywhere.
MHC: *nods* I'm all alooone. ;)
Jenn: It's a musething. I write for people all the time. But Sare Liz, Kat, and Te are the only three that ever--did that to me. Living, breathing muses in AIM. Or email, as it were.
MHC: *thinks* You're the closest thing I could call to a fandom influence and I don't think you had a really big impact. I know it's coming from somewhere, but I don't know the source.
Jenn: I don't have a lot of influence on fandom period. People just assume I do because I've written about five percent of all Clark/Lex fics.
MHC: Well, I mean, personally? You're one of the few writers in ALL fandoms I can genuinely say has had an impact on my writing. I don't think you've had a big impact on what SV writes. I do think you've had an impact on HOW SV writes. Because some of the 'SV style' is you. Some of it is Te and some others.
Jenn: A bit, yeah. I was one of the first writers. But the fandom base is what Te made it. A lot of the problems I have now with authors is the move away from her influence. She forced a very high standard on us. It's not style or even plotline, but the fact that most writers aren't using canon or even fanon, but second generation fanon now for characterization.
MHC: YES.
Jenn: Whereas Te and most of us are purists--we start at canon, because that's all we had, and we kept the habit. Most of the early writers that is. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love fanon a lot. But using it as your only base is just a bad idea. Second generation fanon is always a bad carbon copy.
MHC: Hmm. Where would you place me in that picture?
Jenn: You don't use fanon at all.
MHC: *nods* I try to go start fresh every time. Nothing from one fic carries over to the next.
Jenn: You picked up some of the superficial style of early SV fanfic writers--and I've been meaning to track your reading list to see what you hit that made you do that--but other than that, you’re relatively clean.
MHC: Hmm. Which style elements?
Jenn: Moody characterization. Especially of Lex.
MHC: I'm thinking that it's time to try something stylistically radical.
Jenn: A lot of the early fatalism. What WAS your first reading source, anyway? If I was guessing, I'd say you hit the post-jitter fics first.
MHC: There was a rec page that I just read off of... let me see if I can find it. I read every story on that page.
http://members.shaw.ca/hrd02ca/SlashRecs2.htm
http://members.shaw.ca/hrd02ca/SlashRecs1.htm
Those are two pages of recs by... Holly. Read them all in the space of a week. Possibly less. Let me see if I can pick out the first fic. This is oddly fun.
Jenn: Okay, you had a good place then. Holly’s recs are all early writers and really good writers.
MHC: Past Grief. I think that was my first fic.
Jenn: Heh. Sweet. VERY sweet.
MHC: :) Just you wait. I'm going to finish all my unmoody fics and post them at once. ;)
Jenn: You're never not moody, love. It's what makes you so addictive.
MHC: But, but, but... the silly! *tosses up hands* God, you're right. Wait... Have I told you about the island fic where Lex fights transplanted Leprechauns for territory and ends up eating them until he's rescued? (it's a present for Celli)
Jenn: No, you haven't.
MHC: Well, there.
Jenn: Are the leprechauns dark and moody?
MHC: Not so I've noticed so far. Well... fuck. They have a grudge against the Luthors and hate the English and Scottish passionately. They're also alcoholics.
Jenn: *raises eyebrows* Why do I see where this is going? Dark, moody, emotionally stunted leprechauns.
MHC: What?! *innocent*
Jenn: Probably beaten by their parents. And have bad relationships with other leprechauns.
MHC: Maybe just a little...?
Jenn: Do they get high and engage in casual, meaningless sex. Or casual, meaningless magic?
MHC: *scuffs ground* Well... *hangs head* Kinda sorta.
Jenn: *nods wisely*
MHC: They're angry-tricksy-bitter!Leprechauns. Who hate Lex. One of them bites him.
Jenn: Dark and brooding leprechauns with sexual issues and addictions, deep-seated bitterness, and poor social adjustment. Yep. They probably went through a Goth phase in their youth, too.
MHC: *gasp!* How did you know?
This got me thinking. Eventually I came up with the below:
MHC’s Fic Philosophy
Carry nothing from one fic to the next, except for lessons about yourself.
Approach canon, and your characters freshly, every time you attempt to interpret them.
Be able to accept change in canon and your reactions to canon.
Always write what is logical, fascinating, challenging and fun. This does not preclude the unlikely. Alternate universes are beautiful things.
Never write something you don’t feel. If your emotions aren’t engaged, neither will your readers’ be.
You will internalize some things from other fic – style, characterization, ideas – treat these notions harshly, but if they bear up to scrutiny, let them be as your own.
Write for yourself, write for others, write for your dead dog, but write only because you want to.
Be prepared to do what the story requires and not necessarily what you’d like. But if you really want it and you can do it well, do whatever the hell you like.
A cliché is only cliché if handled poorly. Otherwise it's an interesting way to twist expectations or make a common point.
Never be afraid of yourself, but doubt yourself occasionally. Never rest on your laurels.
Accept criticism, no matter the content or source, but ignore the flamers and trolls. They are beneath you.
Always respond to feedback. Even the idiots might one day have something to tell you about your stories.
Jenn: I've been thinking I want to do another theme story. You know, Universal Themes. Something like Jus Ad Bellum or Handful of Dust. Something tragic. But also full of hope. You know, clichés.
MHC: People keep telling me that I need to stay away from Themes. I'm supposedly a Theme abuser.
Jenn: No, stay away from themes if you're a lousy writer. You're not, so you have no worries. Its' too easy to go hammertime.
MHC: i am teh sutble!!11one!!
Jenn: *giggles* I hammer down. I don't think anyone walked out of Dust not aware of at least the main point of the story. Big, fat anvils.
MHC: I do both. In the same story.
Jenn: Though it still surprises me what people took away from it.
MHC: Dust is a fantastic story. But I still think it's politically unlikely. La la la.
Jenn: I write for Smallville. The entire thing is unlikely. Besides, who else in the fandom has ever tried to make Clark a god anyway? It's funny. You know, I never would have written it if Te and I hadn't just met and I really, really wanted to impress her?
MHC: That's... amusing.
Jenn: I mean, really, really, really.
MHC: I still haven't really 'spoken' with her.
Jenn: I wrote in AIM for her, for God's sake, and I had never written in AIM. I did it in present tense, I did it in single pov, and I did it pretty much for her. If there was ever a story that belonged to someone else, Dust is it.
MHC: I don't think I've ever done something comparable. I'm very lazy, fickle and unreliable like that. I mean, I'd like to write for you, but... ehhhn. You know? I still write bits of this crazy fic that I started for you and bits of fics I started for other people, but...
Jenn: It hits me weirdly. But Te's--unique. She makes me want. Sleep While I Drive was for Wendi, but she really had minimal influence on it as a whole. But Te's fingerprints are in Dust everywhere.
MHC: *nods* I'm all alooone. ;)
Jenn: It's a musething. I write for people all the time. But Sare Liz, Kat, and Te are the only three that ever--did that to me. Living, breathing muses in AIM. Or email, as it were.
MHC: *thinks* You're the closest thing I could call to a fandom influence and I don't think you had a really big impact. I know it's coming from somewhere, but I don't know the source.
Jenn: I don't have a lot of influence on fandom period. People just assume I do because I've written about five percent of all Clark/Lex fics.
MHC: Well, I mean, personally? You're one of the few writers in ALL fandoms I can genuinely say has had an impact on my writing. I don't think you've had a big impact on what SV writes. I do think you've had an impact on HOW SV writes. Because some of the 'SV style' is you. Some of it is Te and some others.
Jenn: A bit, yeah. I was one of the first writers. But the fandom base is what Te made it. A lot of the problems I have now with authors is the move away from her influence. She forced a very high standard on us. It's not style or even plotline, but the fact that most writers aren't using canon or even fanon, but second generation fanon now for characterization.
MHC: YES.
Jenn: Whereas Te and most of us are purists--we start at canon, because that's all we had, and we kept the habit. Most of the early writers that is. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love fanon a lot. But using it as your only base is just a bad idea. Second generation fanon is always a bad carbon copy.
MHC: Hmm. Where would you place me in that picture?
Jenn: You don't use fanon at all.
MHC: *nods* I try to go start fresh every time. Nothing from one fic carries over to the next.
Jenn: You picked up some of the superficial style of early SV fanfic writers--and I've been meaning to track your reading list to see what you hit that made you do that--but other than that, you’re relatively clean.
MHC: Hmm. Which style elements?
Jenn: Moody characterization. Especially of Lex.
MHC: I'm thinking that it's time to try something stylistically radical.
Jenn: A lot of the early fatalism. What WAS your first reading source, anyway? If I was guessing, I'd say you hit the post-jitter fics first.
MHC: There was a rec page that I just read off of... let me see if I can find it. I read every story on that page.
http://members.shaw.ca/hrd02ca/SlashRecs2.htm
http://members.shaw.ca/hrd02ca/SlashRecs1.htm
Those are two pages of recs by... Holly. Read them all in the space of a week. Possibly less. Let me see if I can pick out the first fic. This is oddly fun.
Jenn: Okay, you had a good place then. Holly’s recs are all early writers and really good writers.
MHC: Past Grief. I think that was my first fic.
Jenn: Heh. Sweet. VERY sweet.
MHC: :) Just you wait. I'm going to finish all my unmoody fics and post them at once. ;)
Jenn: You're never not moody, love. It's what makes you so addictive.
MHC: But, but, but... the silly! *tosses up hands* God, you're right. Wait... Have I told you about the island fic where Lex fights transplanted Leprechauns for territory and ends up eating them until he's rescued? (it's a present for Celli)
Jenn: No, you haven't.
MHC: Well, there.
Jenn: Are the leprechauns dark and moody?
MHC: Not so I've noticed so far. Well... fuck. They have a grudge against the Luthors and hate the English and Scottish passionately. They're also alcoholics.
Jenn: *raises eyebrows* Why do I see where this is going? Dark, moody, emotionally stunted leprechauns.
MHC: What?! *innocent*
Jenn: Probably beaten by their parents. And have bad relationships with other leprechauns.
MHC: Maybe just a little...?
Jenn: Do they get high and engage in casual, meaningless sex. Or casual, meaningless magic?
MHC: *scuffs ground* Well... *hangs head* Kinda sorta.
Jenn: *nods wisely*
MHC: They're angry-tricksy-bitter!Leprechauns. Who hate Lex. One of them bites him.
Jenn: Dark and brooding leprechauns with sexual issues and addictions, deep-seated bitterness, and poor social adjustment. Yep. They probably went through a Goth phase in their youth, too.
MHC: *gasp!* How did you know?
This got me thinking. Eventually I came up with the below:
Carry nothing from one fic to the next, except for lessons about yourself.
Approach canon, and your characters freshly, every time you attempt to interpret them.
Be able to accept change in canon and your reactions to canon.
Always write what is logical, fascinating, challenging and fun. This does not preclude the unlikely. Alternate universes are beautiful things.
Never write something you don’t feel. If your emotions aren’t engaged, neither will your readers’ be.
You will internalize some things from other fic – style, characterization, ideas – treat these notions harshly, but if they bear up to scrutiny, let them be as your own.
Write for yourself, write for others, write for your dead dog, but write only because you want to.
Be prepared to do what the story requires and not necessarily what you’d like. But if you really want it and you can do it well, do whatever the hell you like.
A cliché is only cliché if handled poorly. Otherwise it's an interesting way to twist expectations or make a common point.
Never be afraid of yourself, but doubt yourself occasionally. Never rest on your laurels.
Accept criticism, no matter the content or source, but ignore the flamers and trolls. They are beneath you.
Always respond to feedback. Even the idiots might one day have something to tell you about your stories.