Creativity on LJ...
Jan. 7th, 2005 06:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2Recently someone on one of the lists I belong to mentioned that it's off-putting when a writer draws attention to an allusion or bit of foreshadowing they've made. It does seem to smack of "Look how clever I am!"; I can see doing a separately archived annotated work, if there is enough demand, but to point out the clever bits in the fic itself or even in the author's note seems distracting.
However, it started me thinking that, on the other hand, annotated versions are few and far between. Artists spend all of this extra time putting in clever touches, and so many of them go unnoticed. I thought it would be nice to have an entry where we show them off. I'd love to read about the thoughts behind the creation. I'd love to see what the artist created and hear what influenced the work or why they think it's particularly clever. (I'm not much of a fan of Formalism.)
Seeing that I have a wonderful flist, full of amazing fanfic writers, fanartists, and photographers, I thought that it would be fascinating to hear a few stories.
So here is a little exercise for the flist, if anyone is interested.
1) Find something you've created that you're rather proud of. Art, poetry, fic, whatever. This is the Ego Stroking thread...don't be afraid to add to it. I'm certain that you've created something that's rather clever...here's a chance to celebrate it!
2) Comment to this entry, or make your own entry, and either provide a link or a sample of your creation.
3) Explain why it's clever or why it was particularly difficult to create or why you love it so.
4) Mention anything else of note about it.
I'll be the guinea pig...I think what I'm most proud of in fandom is, quite surprisingly, one of the shortest things I've ever written. It took a while to really shape it in the exact manner I wanted. It was a response to the First Line Drabble competition that swept through LJ some time ago. I wrote a creepy little drabble on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
switchknife's LJ based on one of the first lines of one of her works. It's mature, of course, so don't say I didn't warn you. The first line I used was The body is his book.
----------------
The body is his book. Lucius can always tell the lies it conceals, and this one should be no different, pale, sallow, spread out over the table like parchment. Black eyes like ink. He touches the warm flesh, lightly running his fingertips over one jutting hip. This body should have held no lies from him. This body should have known better. Its traitorous heart intrigues him.
He can control every last muscle, can do things with Imperius that even the Dark Lord might fear. It only takes the slightest effort to keep this body quiescent. He wonders where the treachery is written; the soles of the feet, the tender scalp, the delicate webbing between fingers.
This body is a mystery he will illuminate. He will have to sink deep to bring out the hidden letters, the dark morass of perfidy, the black word of betrayal that sprouted through the flesh.
-------------------
It was particularly difficult not to have Severus interact with Lucius, but I thought that would have spoiled it. I wanted to build up tension, to have the writer imagining him violently afraid under Lucius's fingertips. I love the clinical detachment that Lucius has affected; now that Severus has been found to be a traitor, Severus is nothing but an experiment to him, all human emotion divorced and withdrawn.
My favorite bit is "dark morass of perfidy"...so melodramatic, which you know I love. I kept that phrase in my head for weeks. I also love how the traitorous impulse is described as a plant, wending its way through Severus's body and bringing him to betrayal. I also love that Severus is described as parchment and ink in the second and third sentences, bringing inswitchknife's first line, and then continuing the book comparison with "where treachery is written", "a mystery he will illuminate" (as in illuminated manuscripts), "the hidden letters", "the black word of betrayal". Oh, I had so much fun with this drabble, and I completely forgot about it until I thought of what I'd like to bring up for this entry.
Heh, the explanation is longer than the work. How amusing.
I am so hoping you'll respond...I think it will be really interesting. I am always amazed by the talent I see on the flist (and in the fandom/LJ in general), and I'd love to hear what you have to say!
EDIT: I fixed teh ebil bolding tag.
And another thing: You, flist, are cool. I knew it already, but still. Keep responding...have fun!
However, it started me thinking that, on the other hand, annotated versions are few and far between. Artists spend all of this extra time putting in clever touches, and so many of them go unnoticed. I thought it would be nice to have an entry where we show them off. I'd love to read about the thoughts behind the creation. I'd love to see what the artist created and hear what influenced the work or why they think it's particularly clever. (I'm not much of a fan of Formalism.)
Seeing that I have a wonderful flist, full of amazing fanfic writers, fanartists, and photographers, I thought that it would be fascinating to hear a few stories.
So here is a little exercise for the flist, if anyone is interested.
1) Find something you've created that you're rather proud of. Art, poetry, fic, whatever. This is the Ego Stroking thread...don't be afraid to add to it. I'm certain that you've created something that's rather clever...here's a chance to celebrate it!
2) Comment to this entry, or make your own entry, and either provide a link or a sample of your creation.
3) Explain why it's clever or why it was particularly difficult to create or why you love it so.
4) Mention anything else of note about it.
I'll be the guinea pig...I think what I'm most proud of in fandom is, quite surprisingly, one of the shortest things I've ever written. It took a while to really shape it in the exact manner I wanted. It was a response to the First Line Drabble competition that swept through LJ some time ago. I wrote a creepy little drabble on
switchknife's LJ based on one of the first lines of one of her works. It's mature, of course, so don't say I didn't warn you. The first line I used was The body is his book.----------------
The body is his book. Lucius can always tell the lies it conceals, and this one should be no different, pale, sallow, spread out over the table like parchment. Black eyes like ink. He touches the warm flesh, lightly running his fingertips over one jutting hip. This body should have held no lies from him. This body should have known better. Its traitorous heart intrigues him.
He can control every last muscle, can do things with Imperius that even the Dark Lord might fear. It only takes the slightest effort to keep this body quiescent. He wonders where the treachery is written; the soles of the feet, the tender scalp, the delicate webbing between fingers.
This body is a mystery he will illuminate. He will have to sink deep to bring out the hidden letters, the dark morass of perfidy, the black word of betrayal that sprouted through the flesh.
-------------------
It was particularly difficult not to have Severus interact with Lucius, but I thought that would have spoiled it. I wanted to build up tension, to have the writer imagining him violently afraid under Lucius's fingertips. I love the clinical detachment that Lucius has affected; now that Severus has been found to be a traitor, Severus is nothing but an experiment to him, all human emotion divorced and withdrawn.
My favorite bit is "dark morass of perfidy"...so melodramatic, which you know I love. I kept that phrase in my head for weeks. I also love how the traitorous impulse is described as a plant, wending its way through Severus's body and bringing him to betrayal. I also love that Severus is described as parchment and ink in the second and third sentences, bringing in
switchknife's first line, and then continuing the book comparison with "where treachery is written", "a mystery he will illuminate" (as in illuminated manuscripts), "the hidden letters", "the black word of betrayal". Oh, I had so much fun with this drabble, and I completely forgot about it until I thought of what I'd like to bring up for this entry.Heh, the explanation is longer than the work. How amusing.
I am so hoping you'll respond...I think it will be really interesting. I am always amazed by the talent I see on the flist (and in the fandom/LJ in general), and I'd love to hear what you have to say!
EDIT: I fixed teh ebil bolding tag.
And another thing: You, flist, are cool. I knew it already, but still. Keep responding...have fun!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-07 02:25 pm (UTC)But I know there is a temptation sometimes to say "Yes! That thing you noticed WAS deliberate. Yay!" (Or alternatively to figuratively whack folks on the head with it when they don't notice!)
Oh, I did think of something else - in Just As Good, which if you haven't read it is a PWP femmeslash piece, when I have Lily describing what is being done to her (in her mind), I deliberately use the body parts that are touching her (i.e. "the tongue did ..." versus "Rosmerta's tongue..." because Lily is not mentally adjusted to the idea that she is with a woman yet, so she has turned off her mind to that part of the situation.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 01:48 am (UTC)my ego stroking story post
Date: 2005-01-07 03:19 pm (UTC)Re: my ego stroking story post
Date: 2005-01-08 01:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-07 05:19 pm (UTC)But alas I'm babbling...and should go back to work...
Aeryn
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 01:53 am (UTC)"You, 7:00. You, 7:30...and bring a friend."
I'm so surprised that no one pointed it out!! Especially considering what Rickmaniacs we all are.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 09:09 pm (UTC)Okay...one of the scenes I love the most, I've mentioned to you before. The Dream in Chapter4 of Fallen. Here's why... Life for Rent was all about the tension, the attraction, and tons of near misses. At the end, she's just found out that he's a Death Eater (via the Mark going off right while they're about to have sex), but doesn't know he's not really...just an agent at this point for Dumbledore. She flees and goes on the run...right into the Forbidden Forest. It's Halloween, it's pouring...and the temperature is near freezing.
The dream happens after she's been gone for about 2 days. No one can find her, and Snape's been leading the search...he's frantic, while trying not to look frantic (after all...he's supposed to find her repellant), and blaming himself alot. She's in the forest, freezing to death (after falling into puddles, soaked to the bone, and freezing temperature), and just collapsed into unconsciousness.
And then...Snape dreams...(after forced to bed by McGonagall)...
We wanted to show an environment he'd never go...and see a side of Celene no one has seen. Here she's rather young, dancing, and very likely high (or at least drunk)... He's lost in the club and trying to get to her...and when he does can't reach her verbally... I think we filled it with a bit of symbolism. She's lost physcially and emotionally, and he's trying to reach her. But though he awakes knowing where she is, he also knows that she'll never likely speak to him again. I also like how the whole chapter was done. Several things are going on at once - the Dream, the Centaurs actually finding her and getting Hagrid (cuz they are not anti-Muggle), and then Hagrid's return with her near death just as Snape is running out the door to get her...and the result of that.
Actually (and I know this is getting long...sorry!), I'm rather proud of Fallen as a whole. It was very diffcult to write, because it was entirely angst filled. Life for Rent was all about the will they or won't they...Fallen was about exactly what we quoted from the song by Sarah McLachlan. First, it's about him and his fall...then it switches over to her and her fall. Both are obviously attracted and want to be together. He loves her, but his past is getting in the way. When she finds out and finally comes to him, she reacts the way her past has made her. She treats him as an object, though she does care...but can't bring herself to say so. Instead, they make each other miserable. It's only when she ends it, that she's forced to realize how she does indeed love him, and that if she's ever to be happy she has to change...and then by the time we wrap up, both are together and happy (mostly...still that pesky Muggle/Pureblood thing..and the Death Eaters...and the whole spy thing...and he can't acknowledge his love for her publicly...).
Sorry if I just ruined this for readers...I'll put a spoiler warning in...but I think it won't change the pleasure of the read.
I've rabbited on enough...hope I made some sense...
Aeryn (see Valis what happens when you promote me to talk!)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 09:48 pm (UTC)God, ...there's so much we've written that we've not published yet that it's not funny, qute a few are coming up in our current segment, but can't mention them or the Boss (Aeryn again) will fire my ass.
Of the stuff we have donee...excluding the stuff that Aeryn has mentioned...I enjoyed (if that's the right word) the gradual painful and believable break up of our duo in Fallen, culminating in a rather kick ass (and kick door) bathroom scene where a few home truths were laid down by Snape. In the aftermath of that I also enjoyed her gradual realisation of what she'd done and her painful confession of her mistake to him...we worked on that scene a lot, it took on a couple of incarnations but I think it turned well. I also think we've done some hot "overheating" scenes and some steamingly good lemony ones.
I'm proud of how good a character Celene is, strong, brave, quick witted and funny but deeply flawed too, often selfish, childish, irritating/irritable and foolhardy very human and believable...but that's all due to Aeryn. Kudos hon!
But honestly, without wishing to sound like an advertisment, so much of what would make my Top Ten is yet to come publishing wise...plot, drama, pain, angst, romance and action.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 10:06 pm (UTC)I didn't know you had a livejournal!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-09 02:36 am (UTC)Could not agree with you more about characterisation, for me, good plotting and characterisation are what makes or breaks a story, when people tell you they like your creations and want to find out what happens next to them or had an actual emotional reaction to what was going on its a completely vindicating experience...
Though we write for ourselves, I think some of the biggest grins Aeryn and I have had so far, are those people who have very kindly told us they picked up our (admittedly very long) fic and read it straight through without stopping, wanting keenly to know what happens next, those kinds of responses let you know you must be doing something right!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-09 02:43 am (UTC)Oh, yeah, I love reviews where someone reads it all...though I am surprised when they say that it only took them two hours...considering that it's 100,000 words long. I'm pretty fast, but I couldn't read that quickly!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 10:04 pm (UTC)see Valis what happens when you promote me to talk!
;) Precisely why I knew it would be a good idea to run this little entry! It's always fun to talk about creativity.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-07 07:25 pm (UTC)It's from chapter 34 of But You Alone, and that chapter is still in my own opinion the crest of my writing.
It was a hard chapter to pull off. Essentially, I'd spent 34 chapters setting up this fated pairing, and had to split them up AND make it convincing.
To do so, I used what is referred to as the "Eeeeew" Theory on HPFGU, essentially, that's the one that suggests Severus Snape rode drag with Voldemort on the night of Godric's Hollow. His prize for acting as second was to be Lily. Now, in my story it is not true, but Harry believes it - because Voldemort planted that idea in his head. Snape has to find a way - in a hellish deal with Harry - to get Hermione to walk out of his life, hating him - or she will be kissed by a Dementor, under Harry's orders. I also had to write "mad" Harry. But getting Severus's rejection to work was the toughest. Here's a longish snippet - we are well into the exchange between Snape and Hermione and she's still resisting what he is saying. Here's where he turns the trick:
"Oh, come on, surely there must have been some rumour – I can't believe no one ever guessed it. I hated James Potter because he had the one thing I ever wanted."
Her eyes narrowed and I could see final comprehension beginning to dawn. In a barely audible whisper, she said, "Lily?"
"Yes. I knew you'd work it out. You're an intelligent girl, Hermione. Lily. The woman I did want. The woman I never forgot – worth a hundred of you, by the way." She gasped at what was a complete lie, and I continued. "Let me take you back to a night almost twenty-six years ago. Godric's Hollow. I was in the service of the Dark Lord then, and he took me along when he found out the whereabouts of the boy who a prophecy said would overthrown him one day. I was his trusted servant, and was there to be his second in the unlikely
event of anything going wrong. I volunteered for the duty, because I saw it as a way of finally getting what I should have had – Lily. I knew he was going to kill James Potter and the child, and then I would get my deserved reward. Voldemort promised me I could have her, when he was finished." I could hear these words, and they were a slight distortion of what had actually happened, but just sufficiently distorted to reshape our entire world. It was merely a question of emphasis. I continued, well into cruelty's stride, then. The vicious habits of a lifetime, which had largely disappeared over the last two years, all came back so easily. "Of course, neither Voldemort nor I expected that a mere child could have the power to almost destroy him, or that Lily would make some pathetic suicidal gesture of protection. When she died, part of me died – the only woman I ever loved was dead beyond recall – due to some pathetic baby! I stood in the ruins, and it was only the fact of the powerful protection his mother had cast on him that stopped me murdering that bloody child then and there, but I vowed before all the Gods that I would have my revenge one day, no matter how long it took."
too long for one post, so I'll have two if you do not mind.
Part 2
Date: 2005-01-07 07:26 pm (UTC)"I waited for a long time to get my revenge, I planned and hoped for it for years, so why would I allow Voldemort to kill Potter when I had my own plans concerning him? Then fate helped me so beautifully, that night when I found you behind the Leaky Cauldron. And then what happened later – I knew I
could have you. You were an absolute pushover, Hermione. Many women have found me repellent – but not you, the easiest conquest I ever made. What kind of woman has sex with a comparative stranger when she is engaged to another man?" The things I said were vile and cruel lies, but I had to keep her away from considering the story I was feeding her – which was
filled with gaping holes. I saw her flinch at the vicious sting of that last remark.
"That day we spent together was most entertaining, but in the morning I knew what I had to do, so I turned you down because I knew how you felt about me – I knew I'd permanently messed you up and ruined you for Potter. The thought of his being married to a woman who was hopelessly in love with me, of all people, you can have no idea how enticing that was to me. And then fate played even more into my hands, and we met again. Once again, you fell into my arms. You have been so very accommodating, my dear. When I thought of how he would feel if he discovered we were having an affair, it was wonderful – and I must say – having our affair was no real hardship – you are a good little fuck. A bit shameless, and a bit over eager, but I was never going to complain about the fact that I could reduce the wife of Harry Potter into a little bitch in heat, if I so much as looked at her…"
"Stop that!" she shouted, with tears in her eyes. "Stop it! I don't know why you are saying all this, but stop. I know you are lying, I just don't know why!" She ran at me then, and flung her arms about me. I wished she'd stabbed me in the heart. It would have hurt less. I had to act quickly, or the pathetic yammerer inside would break down and confess that I was lying, that I did love her, more than life or honour, and that I was just trying my pathetic best to save her from a fate worse than death. So I did the worse thing I have ever
done, without qualification, the worst in a whole line of terrible deeds, I raised my hand, and struck her hard across the face, with bone shaking force – my darling, my only love. I had to turn her love into hate, had to, so I hurt her with a terrible blow to destroy her love for me, and which destroyed my own heart at the same time. I vowed then to punish my own right hand later. With a terrified scream, she fell backwards and landed in an ungainly heap. Only by
the exercise of every possible power of restraint was I able to refrain from running to her.
.............
Melodramatic stuff, eh? He's lying his head off, and I've had a few people suggest she should not believe him, but essentially I felt that the way he spoke, plus the head busting smack at the end (which I did not like writing at all - I detest violence against women, and so does my Snape) would clinch things.
Why I liked it was I hinted at this back in chapters 4 and also 13. I liked setting it up that far back, and then having the whole thing come to roost for Snape. Harry has the Dementors at his back in this chapter, too, and I also liked having an echo of Snape's threat against Sirius Black in the Shrieking Shack scene finally come home to roost, too. The fun bit was weaving canon into a heavy duty emotional scene, and having it play. I felt it worked, most readers did. And Snape is horribly nasty here, even though we the readers know he is not nasty really. I liked that too. Still my bestest bit (though currently being overtaken by the chapter under edit, because there's stuff in that I shall like better if I can get it just so.
And three, long arsed or what?
Date: 2005-01-07 07:27 pm (UTC)Yes, it is bloody melodramatic, but I like it.
And I have to say, I am green with envy at the fragment you have posted above, it is bloody brilliant.
Re: And three, long arsed or what?
Date: 2005-01-08 02:05 am (UTC)When she died, part of me died – the only woman I ever loved was dead beyond recall –
Oh, twist the knife, why don't you...
"many women have found me repellent, but not you"
Oh, that is so very awesome. I really love that. I can imagine his amazement at finding someone who would be attracted to him. Very well done.
Melodramatic stuff, eh?
Ah, but I love melodrama (unless it gets into over-the-top territory).
And I have to say, I am green with envy at the fragment you have posted above, it is bloody brilliant.
I'm glad you read it, even with the accidental bolding. One switched letter in an HTML tag, and look what happens...*grins sheepishly*
Wow...what a compliment! And even more appreciated because you are you, a writer and someone who doesn't suffer fools silently. Thank you so very much!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 02:13 am (UTC)I'm quite pleased with how this turned out in the end. I originally had it in the past tense, like the rest of the work, but I switched it to the present to convey the idea that this is immediate and happening every day. I'm also proud of it because of what's not there, because I took out a fairly long explanation of the fountains and the houses. I hope that this one page creates mystery and questions for the reader rather than boring them with too much information or confusing them with not enough!
And, of course, I like it because I actually wrote it, rather than just thinking about it, which is what I usually do!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-08 02:30 am (UTC)I'm so glad that you responded!