(writing like a historian...)

[reenka]

I wonder if the process of writing-- or caring-- about a character like Draco (or Luna, Neville, etc) as compared to Remus (and Sirius, Snape, Ron, Hermione, etc) is just qualitatively different in terms of approach. I've always found it pretty effortless to write about Draco, because he has these base emotive driving forces in his mind, to me (rage, need for attention, frustration, fear, envy, compulsiveness), whereas a character like Remus (or Harry, say) is so much more... complex and uncertain. It's like the difference between starting out with primary colors and then mixing them into unique combinations vs. starting out with a pre-made palette, with the edges hemmed in and the boundaries well-defined. All you need is your own spin on the line-art that's there, shading included.

I'd actually never had a -spin- in terms of having an idea of what I think about a character or a dynamic of several characters before writing them. I just start writing and see what seems to 'work' in my head at the time. It seems like to write a more complex character (like Remus), one really does need an idea of where one is going, though, and what one is trying to say on a conscious level.
    Interestingly, though, I think I've finally reached the point where in my mind, (my) Draco is as complex as canon!Remus, so I do end up thinking consciously about my characterizations lately.


I've never thought of myself as being good at writing -fanfiction- in particular; it's always been a struggle. I always thought the people who said that fiction & fanfiction require somewhat different skill-sets were definitely on to something. I suppose I wonder if writing canonically more or less complex characters requires different skill-sets within the fanfic range, too.
    I find that with more primary characters, I prefer analysis to creative interpretation. They seem so -there- that to write about them seems more like the job of a historian than a lyricist (which I think is mostly what I am). One invents a history and a coloring on the story that already exists, instead of basically largely writing the major formative events from scratch (like you can still get away with with Draco at least).

I feel like Harry is obviously one of those highly complex and well-realized canonical characters, and in fact I'd had a very hard time writing him until a year ago, around the time of the new canon infusion. My writing of him became a way of dealing with what I saw as his 'canon issues', which was a radical shift in how I wrote fanfic in general. To this day, I don't really write to deal with 'canon issues' for anyone but Harry, because even though I may see them in terms of analysis for other characters, I just don't -feel- them as much; not even with Draco.

It seems like Harry grew on me slowly, not in terms of conscious understanding or degree of affection on my part, but rather my ability to feel like I can -write- him. Especially before OoTP, I couldn't just pick an emotion and run with it-- which might be why I loved OoTP so much. It gave Harry such an intense emotional focus-- which is how I bond with and understand characters. Suddenly, he was really really real; even though (because?) he was in so much pain, he was -alive-.

In fandom, this sort of difference of approach to fanfic usually gets called canon-extrapolative (i.e., the historian spinning stories in harmony with facts) vs. supplementary (i.e., something of a revisionist history where one fills in what canon seems to lack). Neither actually covers how I approach the issue though, 'cause I only get inspired by canon, but neither in a 'positive' ('yeay canon!') or negative ('must fix canon!') sort of way. I tend to say something like, 'ooh, canon-- yeay, fodder!' It's like, a plug-in situation where I have my own interests and canon may or may not serve them, and if it doesn't I just don't -write- about those aspects.

I wish I could write Remus or Snape; I'm so interested in them. It's just that they're so... multi-faceted, I guess. Too real, almost, to be -mine-. It's like... I have -my- Harry and -my- Luna and -my- Draco and -my- Ginny, etc. These are not the words of a fanfiction writer, but it just appears to be how I write: I use the existing world in a passive sense, yes, but I don't mess with it, really, or feel the need to change where I think canon is going except for the single issue of whatever fanon pairing I'm writing. On the other hand, I appropriate the characters, especially since (my idea of) fanfic is so character-driven (rather than idea-driven) by nature. Perhaps if it -was- idea-driven, I would find I can finally write like a historian....

Comments

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Heh--well, not surprising that Harry became...well, I wouldn't want to say "more like Draco" meaning they were the same character, but you couldn't help but see more resemblance with the way he was acting out, so there really was more to latch on to there.

I think you're right about writing fanfic characters, in that the major characters are so "there" it's almost more interesting to read analysis. It's too easy to see how the fanfic version isn't the character. I guess maybe when it comes to major characters it's more like there's *moments* you can get lyrical about because they're hinted at in canon instead of described, but not so much the character. Because I know just what you mean about you can have your own Draco or Luna but not your own Harry, Ron or Hermione. Or Sirius, I don't think. Remus is maybe different since he's more of a cypher, but I don't know...I think he really is still somebody where you can riff on moments (like the moment he finds out about Sirius or a moment he decides not to tell Dumbledore Sirius' secret) but the minute you try to write him you might realize he's already written.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I think the ugly truth is, Harry got more wild & obsessive & full of frustrated rage, and I just understand that better than a lot of other things~:))! ...I will simply never understand precisely why OoTP has to be seen as bad for H/D, man. All those heightened emotions. Sure, Harry's not heightened -at Draco-, but he's still heightened and more easily set off in general.

Hahah, it's not really fear of failure that stops me (...I think?) it's just like, hard to even -start- 'cause I can't find an easy hook. Draco's hook has always been obsession and frustration. With Remus, what hook is there? *sigh* Not that I won't try :>

I really wonder about Remus-- but really, being a cypher doesn't help, because that's the third category, like say, Lucius or Bill or something, where it's like, you don't have a hook -or- enough data. To me, it's all a question of emotional data vs. factual. If I can imagine how someone feels, that's all I need.... I've never actually considered doing moments-from-canon outtakes, haha.

[stellabelle.livejournal.com]

I think you're right on here, and for many reasons. Obviously my perspective is a bit different than yours because I'm coming from having written only original stuff till very recently - but I totally think that there's a difference in terms of skill when writing fiction v fanfiction. I suppose a lot of it comes from the fact that with one's original stuff, it's natural to...just write. (And that's true as well with fanfic, I think, but -)

It's like...maybe writing fiction is objective in the sense that there aren't any outside sources which come in to affect the writing. I dunno - that's a bad analogy, but I think it's true in a way, because obviously the point in writing fiction (for me, at least) has always been simply to write. I don't usually have a set plan - I just write it, and however it turns out is fine by me because at this point in my life I'm only doing it to improve as a writer, anyway. But with fanfic obviously you've got certain aspects that you have to incorporate into the writing process which you wouldn't necessarily have to in fiction - like, there's already a set view of the character's appearance, for example, so one has to work that in, whereas with fiction, one can just make the character look however they want.

And I totally know what you mean about being able to write Draco more easily - it's the same for me, I suppose because he just is. I see him as being This Way. But Harry, for example, I see as being this and that and the other - all these different levels and aspects that make him up, so ultimately I think it's possible to have 'more than one Harry', I suppose, in one's writing, just because he's that dynamic. I think most of that comes from the fact that I relate so to Harry and his emotions (and, like you, especially after OotP). I think the basis of his character has always been his emotion and what drives him internally, and yet that in itself is so complex that it's just difficult to...define him, I guess. (The same can be said about Sirius, and Remus too, and I think that's why I view them as being too difficult to write at all, for me.)

Ahaha I just re-read this and realized that as usual it makes no sense, but you generally seem to get me, so. :)

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I think that when you write original fic for awhile, you realize that you stagnate if you keep on 'just writing' without a plan. I think I'd reached that point just before I started writing fanfic. I was writing a lot of fairy-tale retellings and stuff, but... the whole meandering thing was leaving me with tons of unfinished stories that had all this clear potential and -possible- plot that I never followed up on. I'd introduce all these ideas that never really materialized 'cause it would have been -work- to get at them, so I just kind of took the easy road and wrote whatever seemed clearest to me, while the interest lasted. Usually until I ran out of steam.

I've always been fine about working with extraneous sources-- like fairy-tales-- it's only a question of how in-depth the source is, for me. I'm fine if it's skeletal, 'cause skeletons are what I myself am often sloppy at creating. But if it's more unwieldy, I get intimidated. Though really it's more about that fear than a lack of ability-- 'cause really, ability grows with practice and determination, I know that. Which is why I -am- trying to write Remus. :>

I just have a feel for Harry now. It was difficult, but I think I did it-- it's like, he feels whole to me now. He used to be untouchable, but now he's just... contradictory. Which isn't all that weird 'cause I'm rather contradictory myself~:)

[stellabelle.livejournal.com]

I think that when you write original fic for awhile, you realize that you stagnate if you keep on 'just writing' without a plan.

Oh God, totally. I think that's the point I'm at now (and probably have been for the past year or two) with my writing. It's just...I get this idea and I go with it but inevitably it starts running away on me - ahhh! - and then I just balk and can't go on. It really used to be that I felt, like, refreshed after writing cause I could sit down and just finish it if it was something short, and I would have the energy to eventually get it done if it was something longer. But lately it's just been frustrating cause obviously I still get all these ideas and then they just...stop. It's not really like I lack motivation to finish it, so much as that I'm afraid of it - I think? - like, that it'll turn out crap.

So I suppose that's one of the ways I stumbled onto this writing fanfic thing. Cause somehow writing was starting to be a bit stifling in a sense, to me, and I refuse to let it get to that actual point because I love writing and all, y'know?

Which isn't all that weird 'cause I'm rather contradictory myself~:)

Hee, one of my best friends calls me "the great walking contradiction". It's good to embrace these things, ahaha. And besides, I think that's one of the reasons I relate to characters like Harry - that range of emotions and motivations and all.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I dunno if I started writing fanfic -because- the other stuff started to get stifling... but I know what you mean. It's all about inspiration, for me, anyway, and I just had all this... -stuff- to say all of a sudden. With my original fics... it didn't feel like it really mattered, I guess...? I actually didn't tend to write stuff based on characters but rather ideas or images-- so I didn't feel much affection for the people who'd want their stories told or whatever. I've still written tidbits of original fic simultaneously, here (http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=witchbabie) :>

[stellabelle.livejournal.com]

With my original fics... it didn't feel like it really mattered, I guess...?

Yeah, exactly. I think that's the point I was getting to and I just can't allow myself to be in that place, y'know?

I actually didn't tend to write stuff based on characters but rather ideas or images

It's always interesting to me to hear how other people write/what they like to write about/etc. Cause I know I've always related so completely to emotion that I always tend to write about people rather than things - opposite from you. Very cool though. This kinda stuff fascinates me - and yes, you already know how nerdy I am. Haha. :)

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Lovergirl, why do you censore the proof of our combined genius.

... Now I'll have to c&p the thread again.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

....I really didn't expect you to. ^^;;;;;

[malafede.livejournal.com]

I am wounded.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I shall bandage you.

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Will you kiss it better?

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I will kiss it any way you want.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Oh no, we're starting again :D

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Ahaha! What's wrong with that? Grrr. The last week has been an endless chain of overwork/senseof guilt/hallucinations-riddled sleep so the RPing was kinda the high point of my day.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I'm so uptight about like.... well, mainly it's not that I'm uptight, it's that I'm compulsive about not going over width limit & giving it a bar that makes my post unreadable :> :> So if you could start another thread when it gets to the very edge, it'd be fine ^^;;;

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, hey, I understand. I think I was taking the piss. -.- Because I'm about to snap.

We could almost start a new thread - need to copy this first, though.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

...meep? 'about to snap'...?

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Overwork and hallucinations!

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

meep! ....I can't imagine overworking myself.
It's a failing I know I have. When I overwork because I want to, though, it makes me kinda happy though~:))

[malafede.livejournal.com]

that's true! but this week i am overworked, underpaid, the deadline for paying my university taxes is in 4 days and i am sort of avoiding to check how much it is exactly.

IS ESCAPISM WRONG?

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

ICON!!!!! OMG I ♥ YOU!!!!!! *DEAD!!!!!*



....well, er, I don't think I'm the person to ask :> :>

[malafede.livejournal.com]

... in case last email made you doubt the love.

[malafede.livejournal.com]

... also!

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

... *squints*
... what -is- that? o_0
(not that i don't appreciate it, but to me it looks like.... er.... an embryonic egg....?) hee <3

[malafede.livejournal.com]

It's the wizard hat I made in the sand that afternoon I wanted to write H/D but couldn't kick-start myself. :)