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Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Takeover
Influences this week: Nyquil (I've got a bug), Parabelle's new CD (Reassembling the Icons- Love your voice Kevin!) and Ouran High School Host Club (tis some funny nonsense anime that makes me giggle.)
I'm not exactly a goal-oriented type of person. Sure, I set goals for myself. I set my sights on something I want and I go for it. But goals, don't think so. That's seems too definite, too defined for me. I need freedom to roam around a bit before I settle in. Just ask my DH. It took me a few years to get used to the idea of marriage.
So this may come to a shock to you when I say I have a few dream jobs I'd love to have. Mystery shopper seems too good to be true (I love to shop; and I'm damned good at it). Cabana boy test-trialer. I mean, how do you think everyone ends up with all those hot cabana boys oiled down and fawning over every little detail for you while you're sipping your mojito by the pool? Someone's gotta try them out first. (It should be me. I have visions of me in a '50's inspired black swimsuit, the Hepburn hat and vintage sunglasses sitting by a pool while I'm fawned on lovingly by hot young hard bodied men. Such a wonderful thought.)
And right up there is my name, author. The thought gives me a thrill and is one of those fleeting thoughts that pings around and fades just as fast. As a writer there are times when I've allowed myself to think that someday I could be published. I could finish a book and people would actually PAY for the pleasure of reading something I put effort into writing. I've had the joy of learning how to write with my peers. I've had the joy of reading reviews of my writing in a controlled environment. (Though, I will say that JE Plum fanfic fans can be quite as rabid as the rest of them in the fanfic world.) I owe my abilities to Ms. Janet Evanovich and her characters Stephanie and Ranger. The experience taught me to love what I write. Be what I write. Write what I know and if I don't know it, fake it with confidence. Can't say I've ever been in a high-speed chase situation where people are shooting at me, but I love to write it.
So, when the pirates brought to my attention that Janet Evanovich was looking for co-authors I wanted to jump all over that band wagon. I know she's not giving over the reins to her Plum empire. (The things I'd do to Ranger- probably illegal in 49 states to write down.) But, I gave into my little fantasy world of how I would take over the Plum empire and turn it into something it is complete not and never will be. Because let's face it, I'm not the creative genius behind Plum. I'm not the author. While I read the characters, love the characters, play with the characters, they will never be mine. It is my turn to make those characters people want to write fan fiction about. That is my goal.
I want to be that author that makes you want to write fan fiction about my world.
To me, I think that would be the ultimate compliment. That my ability as an author has drawn you in so far that you can't let go. That your creative mind has thought up a complete new adventure for these characters that I, as the author, would never explore. I made Stephanie more confident, more competent and more kick-ass. I had her team up with someone she'd never partner in the books, made her fall in love and marry the man she'd never dare in the books. I want to be that author that inspires YOU, the reader, to write. To do something you'd never thought about doing before. I know it can be done. I've seen it in the fan fiction world before and it will happen again. Readers turn into writers. It's how I got started. It's how you could get started. It's a beautiful thing people.
I am a reader.
I am a writer.
Someday, I will be that author.
Now, if you were given the opportunity for a little fantasy to take over a series you love would you go for it? Has a series ever inspired you to write fan fiction? Ever read fan fiction? Know someone who writes kick ass fan fiction? Serve them up. I love fan fiction.
PS: This blog totally didn't turn out how I planned. I blame NaNo brain.
***
I'm not exactly a goal-oriented type of person. Sure, I set goals for myself. I set my sights on something I want and I go for it. But goals, don't think so. That's seems too definite, too defined for me. I need freedom to roam around a bit before I settle in. Just ask my DH. It took me a few years to get used to the idea of marriage.
So this may come to a shock to you when I say I have a few dream jobs I'd love to have. Mystery shopper seems too good to be true (I love to shop; and I'm damned good at it). Cabana boy test-trialer. I mean, how do you think everyone ends up with all those hot cabana boys oiled down and fawning over every little detail for you while you're sipping your mojito by the pool? Someone's gotta try them out first. (It should be me. I have visions of me in a '50's inspired black swimsuit, the Hepburn hat and vintage sunglasses sitting by a pool while I'm fawned on lovingly by hot young hard bodied men. Such a wonderful thought.)
And right up there is my name, author. The thought gives me a thrill and is one of those fleeting thoughts that pings around and fades just as fast. As a writer there are times when I've allowed myself to think that someday I could be published. I could finish a book and people would actually PAY for the pleasure of reading something I put effort into writing. I've had the joy of learning how to write with my peers. I've had the joy of reading reviews of my writing in a controlled environment. (Though, I will say that JE Plum fanfic fans can be quite as rabid as the rest of them in the fanfic world.) I owe my abilities to Ms. Janet Evanovich and her characters Stephanie and Ranger. The experience taught me to love what I write. Be what I write. Write what I know and if I don't know it, fake it with confidence. Can't say I've ever been in a high-speed chase situation where people are shooting at me, but I love to write it.
So, when the pirates brought to my attention that Janet Evanovich was looking for co-authors I wanted to jump all over that band wagon. I know she's not giving over the reins to her Plum empire. (The things I'd do to Ranger- probably illegal in 49 states to write down.) But, I gave into my little fantasy world of how I would take over the Plum empire and turn it into something it is complete not and never will be. Because let's face it, I'm not the creative genius behind Plum. I'm not the author. While I read the characters, love the characters, play with the characters, they will never be mine. It is my turn to make those characters people want to write fan fiction about. That is my goal.
I want to be that author that makes you want to write fan fiction about my world.
To me, I think that would be the ultimate compliment. That my ability as an author has drawn you in so far that you can't let go. That your creative mind has thought up a complete new adventure for these characters that I, as the author, would never explore. I made Stephanie more confident, more competent and more kick-ass. I had her team up with someone she'd never partner in the books, made her fall in love and marry the man she'd never dare in the books. I want to be that author that inspires YOU, the reader, to write. To do something you'd never thought about doing before. I know it can be done. I've seen it in the fan fiction world before and it will happen again. Readers turn into writers. It's how I got started. It's how you could get started. It's a beautiful thing people.
I am a reader.
I am a writer.
Someday, I will be that author.
Now, if you were given the opportunity for a little fantasy to take over a series you love would you go for it? Has a series ever inspired you to write fan fiction? Ever read fan fiction? Know someone who writes kick ass fan fiction? Serve them up. I love fan fiction.
PS: This blog totally didn't turn out how I planned. I blame NaNo brain.
Labels:
2010,
Quartermaster's Queries (Sin),
Sin,
Writing for Rum
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56 comments:
I remember back in the days when fanfic was called fanzines and printed on actual paper...there was a group of people writing the continuation of the movie "Ladyhawke" and it was good stuff. Another group wrote fantastic variations on the "Beauty and the Beast" television show. And another I enjoyed reading tackled Sherlock Holmes...in the future ala some manipulations by Dr. Who.
Hee, hee.
All great stuff.
What franchise would I take over? Tarzan. Make him a pirate, dump Cheetah.
OK, seriously...I'd take over the Pirates of the Caribbean. I'd also take NCIS and move it into the future and set them up with aliens as allies. (I actually have this book partially plotted out...)
But I do agree with you. I think Fanfic based on something I wrote would be very flattering. I'm sure it could also be terribly irritating, but if taken in the right spirit, that energy could be harnassed for good and not for evil...
I love fanfiction too, and would have never started writing without it. It's funny - I consider myself a "writer" now, of a sort, but it never even crossed my mind to write before trying my hand at fanfiction. I shudder to think what my life would be like today if I hadn't stumbled upon the Plum fanfic world. I'd probably have gone to law school. Blech!!!!!
If I could take over a series....hmm, I don't read a lot of series, but there are certain authors I've entertained fantasy's of co-writing with. You know, they call me up, offer to let me do half the book (or more!), my name goes on the front with theirs, we travel the country doing tours and become best friends.....I'm a dork. But it could happen, right?
p.s., I stumbled upon this awesome blog on procrastination today - http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/10/27/procrastination/
It's long, but worth the read (especially if you're trying to procrastinate on homework, like me :))
Hmm...I've never read any FanFic or written any.
I'm not sure what it says about me that there are stories and worlds I love, but I've never once considered writing FanFic about them...am I not confident enough that I could do it, or is it that I love the world so much as it is that I don't want to change a thing?
Sin, very inspiring post!
I've never written fanfic, and didn't even know there was such a thing until a couple years ago. When I was younger, I was in love with Robert Redford and wanted to write a sequel to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (spoiler alert!) The sequel would start out with them saying, "Whew! That was close!" instead of being blown away by the half a zillion Bolivian police. LOL
Oh, and as for mystery shoppers -- I've been on the receiving end and it's NOT fun. One of the places I worked required us to get a certain, almost unattainable score when we were secret shopped. Even when the secret shoppers made mistakes, which they often did (saying they were helped by a man, when we had no male employees), the company ALWAYS went by what they said, not what we said. If you didn't get that score, you had to get written up. Really awful. (It's better to be a writer.)
I definitely have a newfound appreciation for fanfic. It might not be quite the same, but one of my assignments in my theatre class was to write a "missing scene" to a play. I hadn't had so much fun writing in I don't know how long! And to see the class perform MY scene was a thrill. I guess I did feel a little like I'd "cheated" in a way to write from someone else's work, but it's a great writing prompt and can go so many ways. Whatever works to get you writing is a good thing! :)
Dear DRD,
I have a whole lotta inspiration for you where that came from.
Sincerely,
Evil Twin
Ugh *shudder* retail work. I'd rather live in a cardboard box in the ghetto than go back to retail.
*shudder* *whine* *shudder*
I take that back. It was fun, sometimes.
And for my sappy moment of the day:
Had Hal and I not both started writing Plum fan fiction we would've never met and where would my life be without a little of the Halster?
Chanceroo, when I was writing this I knew you'd say POTC (you just have the voice for that sort of writing). But Tarzan? I know you've said that before but I've never been fond of that story. Tell me what inspires you to want to take that over?
And NCIS with aliens... babe. *sigh* That's wild.
Dear Evil Twin,
I am worried about you inspiring me. Perhaps we should wait til after the holidays.
Sincerely,
DRD
Melissa, I remember you saying you had written a missing scene, but I didn't realize they performed it. That is VERY cool. I think I would like that happening to something I'd written. I mean, I do fantasize about movies being made of my books, but how likely is that to happen? LOL
HARRY POTTER!!!
Sorry, I couldn't resist. Two days, people, TWO DAYS! Actually like a day and a half...whatever.
I'm a little...um...hungover right now. I'll have to think about this seriously and report back.
Scapey, it doesn't say anything bad it just means you read fiction that feels complete after you've finished the last page. I can't say I feel inspired to write fan fiction about every book I've ever read. I've never felt compelled to write fan fiction about historical romances. I always feel like the author has completed the story. I read series' and usually I'm never inspired to write fiction to complete ARC's and fill story lines. But there is something about the relationship between Ranger and Stephanie that compelled me to start something with them. I couldn't stand it. I even wrote one for Twilight only because I knew there would never been a scene like I wanted for Bella and Edward like I saw in my head. After that, I was done.
I've really never felt the need to write fan fiction about The Hollows either. I think KH does a helluva job.
I agree with DRD, Melissa. That's very cool that you wrote it and they performed.
It is cheating to write from someone else's world. They spent all that time creating something from their imagination for you to waltz in and claim it and start writing from it too. But I like to see what other people's imaginations draw from one world. There's so many different views and different stories to be told. None of us would ever take the same world and write the same story. We don't even do that now.
I've never written fanfiction. And I've never had the urge to take over someone else's series, but I've wished on numerous occasions that someone would take over certain series. I don't think I could do it, but I think someone should. Does that make sense?
Harry Potter!! Squeeeee!!
Though DH and I aren't going until after Thanksgiving. Neither of us likes really crowded theaters. So, we're going to wait until some of the steam lets off. :)
PS, I'm so proud of you Nano-ers. I'm derailed, but it's ok. I got feedback back from my mentor and she's helping me work through some of the plot glitches. So it's all good.
Hal -- LOL -- I forgot to comment on YOUR comment. I'm so glad you didn't go to law school! It's my life's mission to dissuade people from doing that. LOL
Marn, that's exciting about the feedback from your mentor. What a great opportunity.
And wait... hungover?
Hells, I'm excited for you!
Sorry, daddy dropped by and I got distracted.
Marn, it's okay if you got derailed. It's not like you're NOT working on it. Just in a different way. NaNo is for people more like me who just lack discipline.
And wait… hungover?
Yeah, come back with the details. . .or we'll start writing some fanfic. LOL
It’s my life’s mission to dissuade people from doing that. LOL
This life's mission cracks me up.
Dear DRD,
You just gave me an idea...
Sincerely,
Evil Twin
Dear Hellie,
I apologize for giving Evil Twin an idea.
Most contritely yours,
DRD
This life’s mission cracks me up.
It's like a rescue mission kind of thing--to save idealistic young people from the gruelling and unnecessary experience of law school. LOL
*hahaha* Oh DRD, you're hilarious.
For as much as I like to break laws, I really find reading about them fascinating.
Dear DRD and Hellie,
It's not like the idea is going to rear it's head today. I like a certain element of surprise.
Sincerely,
Evil Twin
Dear Evil Twin,
You call it "surprise". We call it "terrorizing".
Sincerely,
DRD
I love Wednesdays.
I love other people's hangovers. What did you have to drink?
Dear DRD,
I have a sister who does it better. Maybe I'll bring her aboard to so I have someone to have fun with.
Sincerely,
Evil Twin
Dear Evil Twin,
Thanks for the advance notice that you will be doubling the terror quotient.
Sincerely,
DRD
*dives overboard*
I've never written fanfic either, never even thought about it. I don't know that I've read much either. I tried a bit of Harry Potter fanfic once and was horrified by what some people had done to Rowling's characters. Can the Jane Austen stuff that has proliferated over the past several years be classified as fanfic? If so, I've found some of it awful and some of it awesome.
I have enough trouble managing the characters I create. I'd never have the audacity to take on those created by someone else. The closest I've gotten is a game a grad school friend and I used to play called ______ Is Alive and Well. We'd take historical and fictional characters and give them extended life. For example, "Will Shakespeare is alive and well and living in New York City. His latest play opened Off Broadway to rave reviews and comparisons to Neil Simon at his best." Or "Edna Pontellier is alive and well and living in Mobile, Alabama. She and her much younger lover can be seen often on sunny days, walking, arms entwined. Edna never wears hats." (The last won't make sense if you haven't read Kate Chopin's The Awakening.)
This one's for you DonnaDear:
It’s like a rescue mission kind of thing–to save idealistic young people from the gruelling and unnecessary experience of law school.
Donna is right. No need to go to law school.
Last year I went to court on someone else's behalf. I told the bailiff that the someone was unavailable. So I, a lowly a housewife would be representing him in the court. The bailiff hooked me up the district Atty. I presented the district Atty. with papers proving that the someone was truly unable to come to court.
"We'll put the case off until a later date" said the Atty.
"No. Not good enough" I said in my most serious voice. Then I leaned across the table. Looked him dead in the eye. And I hit him with my Condoleezza Rice impression …
" This sir … is a matter of National Security. "
The case was dismissed.
and where would my life be without a little of the Halster?
Ahhh! Probably about as boring as my life would be without some Sin thrown in. Every girl needs to know how they can go to when it's time to move the bodies :)
Janga said: I’ve found some of it awful and some of it awesome.
That pretty much sums up fanfiction. Sometimes it rocks, and adds new depth to characters you thought you knew. Sometimes it makes your eyes bleed :)
I worked as a paralegal for a while, and loved it, and rocked at speech and debate. So law school seemed the natural next step. I can't even explain how glad I am I didn't go through with it! I love the law, and am horribly idealistic, and both would have been beaten out of me in minutes.
That pretty much sums up fanfiction. Sometimes it rocks, and adds new depth to characters you thought you knew. Sometimes it makes your eyes bleed
Ugh, absolutely the truth. I'm extremely picky. I only read a few authors I know I can trust in their ability.
Jules, I do love you.
I used to play called ______ Is Alive and Well.
This sounds like a lot of fun. I would've enjoyed this game when I was in school.
What's not to love!? LOL
Well, the secret to understanding that Tarzan is worthy of being taken over is that you have to read all the books. Not just the first one. But all of them...around 24 I think. He has adventures all over the place!
I also think it would be fun to run amock with Wild Wild West.. It's easier for me to think of fanfic with television shows because there is usually so much not shown or told...
I'm not really gonna hijack Jethro and Abby, just their future counterparts!
I love the law, it's so slippery and playful!
And who doesn't enjoy slippery and playful opportunities?
*grin*
I've never been a fan of the WWW. Though, if one of you were to attempt something of that nature I would read it.
Oh Janga! Mentioning Edna and The Awakening has me itching to find my very worn copy and read it again. Such a fantastic story - I kept my copy from a college class and have read it over and over but its been in a box in the garage for a year or so...Need to find that box!
What a fun post! I can't think of a series I'd like to take over. I used to write comic book fan fiction, which was a blast, but now I like playing in my own worlds, with my own characters.
But if someone whose books I enjoyed and who was fabulously successful offered me a chance to co-author, I'd do it for a book or two, at least.
Nancy, isn't the thought of co-authoring with someone successful a fun idea? I really think to make it work you'd have to mesh creatively and professionally, but to have that sort of relationship with another writer, to share the ups and downs of the book you wrote together- priceless.
Oooh and DRD we both ended with the last three in our NaNo count last night at 012. *laughing*
I know I can think of several franchises that "should" be taken away from their birth authors...but we won't go there.
I also think that sometimes even if an author closes a series well, or even just a book well, if we've really fallen in love with the characters, it's human nature to want them to live on.
Imagine taking "Moonlighting" and making it work past the consumation... What if Perry Mason and Della Reese actually did have something going on behind the curtain?
All fiction is about the 'what ifs' so curiousity about characters that enter our lives via the little screen is a natural.
Now, I love Pirates of the Caribbean, but I worry that if Disney keeps pumping them out they'll turn into something terrible. Like with children.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Run away! Run away!
And come to think of it, I did write some fanfic poetry. Lord of the Rings, of course. ;-)
Fanfic poetry, I have heard of such a thing but have never read any.
One of my favorites was Rosie writing about Sam and wondering when he'd be back...and promising to wait.
I am officially a fan of the term "birth author". LOL
One of my favorites was Rosie writing about Sam
When I first read this, I thought you said "Ronnie" and Sam, and thought for a second you had written fanfic poetry about Jersey Shore.
hahahaha.
Makes SO much more sense now.
Jersey Shore? OMG, you think I'd watch that show!? They'd kick me outta California... No, Rosie Cotton and Samwise Gamgee! It was a real sweet poem!
Sure, birth author...we give birth to books, right?
Sin, I've done some collaborating on fanfic. It tends to work better if one person is in charge, in my experience, but I've heard of people who works as equal partners and it comes out fine.
I've done some round robins. Those seem to go okay. Tried to colaborate on a fanfic one time and it just didn't work out. We're great friends but our writing voices couldn't be more different if it were summer and winter.
What kind of fanfic, Nancy?
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