The adult, as written by the teenager
Dec. 10th, 2007 01:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2I'm always fascinated by fics written by teenagers that portray adults. Certainly there are many teen writers with a lot of skill who draw convincing portraits of adults. But then there's that wish fulfillment fantasy writing--a teen writing about herself as an adult, or what she imagines would be a "cool" life as an adult.
Ages ago, I read a story (HP story) by a teen whose protagonist drove an "old" car; worked as a bartender--but was so good at is she only had to work three days a month; kept only the money she needed to live on and donated the rest (retirement? huh?); wore clothing/makeup that wasn't so great, but anyone who looked at her knew she would be gorgeous if she spent a moment on it; could speak Russian fluently; had lots of dangerous enemies; had an apartment with some sort of homemade security system; and didn't bother with a man because she didn't need one. There are a lot of details I've forgotten by this point, but you get the picture.
On the surface, it sounds intriguing, but as written it was choppy and odd, which I'm sure was due mostly to the writer's inexperience. What is special about it is the adult trappings the teen has provided, and how she's imagined this character.
The ideals of childhood, let loose in a fic; it's pretty thrilling to imagine what it would be like to live on your own terms. To do what you want, exactly how you want to. It's a common theme in teen fics, I would say; I've read several versions of stories like this, and they're all very into world-building--no, I should call it adult-building, honestly. All of them want to create the adult they'd like to be, and they do it in style. It's fascinating to see the ideal adult that they build, and how they picture the life this ideal adult will lead.
Certainly pop culture plays into all of this--so many kids create Ninja/Assassin/Secret Agent fantasies, or tie in the age-old fantasy of These Aren't Really My Parents--My Real Parents Are Voldemort And Galadriel, or any number of movie/book/TV/you name it images. But the biggest source is imagination, fueled by the culture they've experienced.
I mean, eventually RL just squashes a lot of this, or, if she continues, forces her to be a lot more reasonable about things. Having a horse that can speak is one thing; having a horse that can speak, create violent sparkling rainbows from beating his wings, and has the wisdom of Buddha and the charisma of James Dean is another thing. At some point I think all developing writers start to cut back on the crazy details and instead try to find more realistic, believable plot elements. I think that one day you look back at your own writing and you can see exactly why you wrote that gorgeous guy into the story as your boyfriend.
That's what interests me--and also, conversely, sometimes turns me off when I read stories like that. When I can see the why of the author poking through, it's jarring. When I see that the writer really wants a Ducati motorbike, so the main character zips around on one in Seattle as his main transportation and never seems to have raingear, I can see the why. When I see that the writer has made Harry Potter into a girl so that she can hang out with her OFC and giggle over their latest Hot Topic gear, I can see the why.
It's when I can't see the why that I really get into a story--when I'm so into the believability of the scenario, the delicious depth and breadth of a fic, that it almost has an occluding effect on the writer's personality--that I'm most impressed. When the whys disappear and all that's left is story and breathing characters--that's when I squee and clap my hands as I read.
It's difficult to do this, though. I have my own agenda, and my own thoughts and hopes. Don't you always want to play a little bit? I always want to stick scenes in where the characters are pushed into something I've always wanted to do, or when I am tempted to give them a cool car or a poetry gig.
I think it comes down to either resisting the urge, or doing it--but doing it well, and plausibly. Plausible has become my keyword over the last four years in fandom. But plausibility changes from person to person--some people will believe a giant radioactive lizard is wrecking Tokyo, while others won't believe a diner serves lasagna. We all have different limits. Trying to make it plausible to everyone--trying to retain the imagination that fuels the fantasy, but then channel it into the story--that's the challenge.
In the interest of oversharing, here is teen!valis's idea of wish-fulfillment-adult!valis: dark tan & lighter hair (because valis moved to California directly after graduation); two poetry books published (but not selling too terrifically); worked as translator; lost weight because a health club owner liked her poetry and gave her a free membership; rode motorcycle as primary means of transportation; lost her fiancée in tragic accident six months prior to story's beginning; moonlighted in an amazing rock band called Leviathan. lol.
Ages ago, I read a story (HP story) by a teen whose protagonist drove an "old" car; worked as a bartender--but was so good at is she only had to work three days a month; kept only the money she needed to live on and donated the rest (retirement? huh?); wore clothing/makeup that wasn't so great, but anyone who looked at her knew she would be gorgeous if she spent a moment on it; could speak Russian fluently; had lots of dangerous enemies; had an apartment with some sort of homemade security system; and didn't bother with a man because she didn't need one. There are a lot of details I've forgotten by this point, but you get the picture.
On the surface, it sounds intriguing, but as written it was choppy and odd, which I'm sure was due mostly to the writer's inexperience. What is special about it is the adult trappings the teen has provided, and how she's imagined this character.
The ideals of childhood, let loose in a fic; it's pretty thrilling to imagine what it would be like to live on your own terms. To do what you want, exactly how you want to. It's a common theme in teen fics, I would say; I've read several versions of stories like this, and they're all very into world-building--no, I should call it adult-building, honestly. All of them want to create the adult they'd like to be, and they do it in style. It's fascinating to see the ideal adult that they build, and how they picture the life this ideal adult will lead.
Certainly pop culture plays into all of this--so many kids create Ninja/Assassin/Secret Agent fantasies, or tie in the age-old fantasy of These Aren't Really My Parents--My Real Parents Are Voldemort And Galadriel, or any number of movie/book/TV/you name it images. But the biggest source is imagination, fueled by the culture they've experienced.
I mean, eventually RL just squashes a lot of this, or, if she continues, forces her to be a lot more reasonable about things. Having a horse that can speak is one thing; having a horse that can speak, create violent sparkling rainbows from beating his wings, and has the wisdom of Buddha and the charisma of James Dean is another thing. At some point I think all developing writers start to cut back on the crazy details and instead try to find more realistic, believable plot elements. I think that one day you look back at your own writing and you can see exactly why you wrote that gorgeous guy into the story as your boyfriend.
That's what interests me--and also, conversely, sometimes turns me off when I read stories like that. When I can see the why of the author poking through, it's jarring. When I see that the writer really wants a Ducati motorbike, so the main character zips around on one in Seattle as his main transportation and never seems to have raingear, I can see the why. When I see that the writer has made Harry Potter into a girl so that she can hang out with her OFC and giggle over their latest Hot Topic gear, I can see the why.
It's when I can't see the why that I really get into a story--when I'm so into the believability of the scenario, the delicious depth and breadth of a fic, that it almost has an occluding effect on the writer's personality--that I'm most impressed. When the whys disappear and all that's left is story and breathing characters--that's when I squee and clap my hands as I read.
It's difficult to do this, though. I have my own agenda, and my own thoughts and hopes. Don't you always want to play a little bit? I always want to stick scenes in where the characters are pushed into something I've always wanted to do, or when I am tempted to give them a cool car or a poetry gig.
I think it comes down to either resisting the urge, or doing it--but doing it well, and plausibly. Plausible has become my keyword over the last four years in fandom. But plausibility changes from person to person--some people will believe a giant radioactive lizard is wrecking Tokyo, while others won't believe a diner serves lasagna. We all have different limits. Trying to make it plausible to everyone--trying to retain the imagination that fuels the fantasy, but then channel it into the story--that's the challenge.
In the interest of oversharing, here is teen!valis's idea of wish-fulfillment-adult!valis: dark tan & lighter hair (because valis moved to California directly after graduation); two poetry books published (but not selling too terrifically); worked as translator; lost weight because a health club owner liked her poetry and gave her a free membership; rode motorcycle as primary means of transportation; lost her fiancée in tragic accident six months prior to story's beginning; moonlighted in an amazing rock band called Leviathan. lol.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-12-10 08:58 pm (UTC)I didn't write Mary Sues because my stories were modeled on the fantasy/sci fi I was reading at the time, whose authors were engaged in challenging and deconstructing the genre from within. Still, my preoccupations showed up in the kinds of characters I chose to write, for example, the non-fandom version of Mary Sue, the classic protagonist-with-special-powers so beloved of fantasy, destined to save the universe or assume the crown. *points finger* Harry Potter, exactly. Only I was more concerned with turning these characters inside-out, writing them as losers, unable to save anything except themselves and more isolated than exalted by their gifts. Sometimes they were downright destructive, because having a lot of power entails consequences, no matter what.
Pessimistic, and yeah, I was definitely rehearsing for being disappointed in the adult world. I was a cautious little sod. My insight didn't live up to my ambitions, of course. That's another teen thing, to bite off more than you can chew. But there's more than one way to build a model of adulthood, and I'd say I was pleading the case for those who weren't cut out to be special, those who were more comfortable in the margins than in the spotlight. Which is almost the flip side of the Mary Sue scenario.
That reminds me, there are also teens out there writing totally over-the-top, swaggering, violent, flippant fics, which I guess you could dub gangsta!Mary Sue. They're melodramatic and full of attitude, with a fondness for bitching and swearing and beating each other up. This, too, is a projection of sorts, a way of glamorizing or sexualizing a Fight Club vision of life, with Mary Sue being the sleaziest, rudest, and most hard-assed of them all.
The shaping of our minds and our writing addictions never fails to intrigue me. And there are very young writers in fandom who blow me away with their sophisticated technique and their adult perspective. Very interesting post, m'dear.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-12-10 09:15 pm (UTC)I didn't write Mary Sues because my stories were modeled on the fantasy/sci fi I was reading at the time, whose authors were engaged in challenging and deconstructing the genre from within.
Interesting--for so many of us, the Mary Sue is a rite of passage, something we go through--and sometimes never grow out of.
Only I was more concerned with turning these characters inside-out, writing them as losers, unable to save anything except themselves and more isolated than exalted by their gifts. Sometimes they were downright destructive, because having a lot of power entails consequences, no matter what.
Well, that definitely is the opposite of most Mary Sues--their powers almost never have consequences, at least negative ones that impact them. And the "loser" Sue is a rare version of a Mary Sue, usually completely consumed by her loserness--I'm not getting that vibe from this, though. Often, a loser Sue originates from someone trying to avoid writing a Sue.
I'd say I was pleading the case for those who weren't cut out to be special, those who were more comfortable in the margins than in the spotlight. Which is almost the flip side of the Mary Sue scenario.
Only too true. I was really into the margins, as well, and never thought I would truly be the star of anything.
That reminds me, there are also teens out there writing totally over-the-top, swaggering, violent, flippant fics, which I guess you could dub gangsta!Mary Sue...This, too, is a projection of sorts, a way of glamorizing or sexualizing a Fight Club vision of life, with Mary Sue being the sleaziest, rudest, and most hard-assed of them all.
Oh, hells yes! I could come up with a whole list of different types of Mary Sues--they're infinite in their variety. There are subgenres and all sorts of different manifestations. I've definitely seen gangsta!Sue come into Hogwarts, wear her own special slut!wear, smoke, drink, bitch out McGonagall, and come very close to pimp!slapping Snape. She's an impressive one, all right.
The shaping of our minds and our writing addictions never fails to intrigue me.
Oh, same here! I'm always into Poets & Writers mag, especially when they do interviews. I love hearing how writers become writers, y'know?