The Weather's Nice Again, Finally

[thedeadlyhook]

Quick fly-by. First up, Happy Birthday bogwitch! Second, fic recs. I've been sucked in hopelessly by WIPs recently - anaross's fic in general and Gail pointed me to The Bear's story Prophecy and Warmth on Buffy/Spike Central. I have to admit that despite the no doubt great collecction of stories there, I haven't made a habit of checking that sight because the burgandy letters on pink background format is such a strain on my eyes... and yet, I plowed through 29 chapters of this story, with the laptop held up near my face to read in some cases, because yes, it's that riveting. Reminds me of something I think fer1213 said recently, about st_salieri's recent fics (also wonderful - for god's sake, please go check them out), that reading through a really good post-series fic that hits you just so makes you get insecure and start rethinking your own work... and yet, there are practically infinite possibilties, aren't there? I had this urge last week to try to categorize the variations of post-series B/S that I've seen, that all feel equally valid in their own way - fics in which Spike starts his own journey separate from Buffy, such as paratti's Samson and the Broken Dolls, fics where Buffy and Spike get back together after a period of struggle, such as fer1213's Third Chances, or totally alt-universe futures such as herself_nyc's Bittersweets or A Nice Place to Visit. I've probably pimped db2305's Take Heart before, but if I haven't, I so should have - alt-Season 4 Buffy/Spike, super-kinky and wonderfully weird and horrific and funny all at once, and originally written for meee, so you know I love it! I'm probably forgetting a whole raft of great stories that deserve pushing, but I'm finding even that thought heartening somehow - that there's really that much more out there to be discovered.

Guess that wasn't such a fast fly-by post, huh?

buffyx is running a Spuffy Kinkathon. C'mon, everybody. You know you want to.

Comments

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

The writing you supposedly do? Pfft! You stun me with your stuff, always. I don't think I've even gotten around to telling you how much I'm enjoying your sweet-bantery vision of future S/B in your last couple of snippets. Very Barefoot in the Park, without all the recriminations.

I don't even remember who first pointed me at anaross. I found the short fics mesmerizing, and there's a babyfic in progress that I'm currently fascinated by. And I'm a hard sell on babyfic!

[stultiloquentia.livejournal.com]

burgandy letters on pink

Hit ctrl A to select all; white on blue is considerably less obnoxious than pink on pink.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

That does help. Thanks for the tip! I get inches from a headache every time reading the site as-is.

[slackerace.livejournal.com]

Many stories on BS Central(including The Bear's) are also archived on www.spikeluver.com (The Spuffy Realm), which has white letters on black background AND you can adjust the print to your liking, making it HUGE if you so desire...

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Thanks for the pointer.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Smooch:)

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

(smooches back)

[denny-dc.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recs (I'd read all of them except for the bear's story, which I'm reading now. It's wonderful.).

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Glad you're liking. I really enjoyed it. It was one of those rare cases in which there's a new Significant Other character introduced that didn't give me that spooky plot contrivance or wish fulfillment vibe.

[(Anonymous)]

As I expressed below, I'm happy you liked the story, but I'm sorry about the print. At first, I think the story was archived only at BS Central. Thanks for the other recs! I've read some but not all. There's nothing better than a new good fic!

Gail

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I'm in a very fic reccy mood, I think. People have been kind enough to throw up all sorts of pointers lately, yourself included - I just really want to return the favor.

And the text color problem has been solved, so I can read to my heart's content! Hurray!

[st_salieri.livejournal.com]

reading through a really good post-series fic that hits you just so makes you get insecure and start rethinking your own work...

Hoo boy. I'm totally there. Reading some of the current WIPs by people on my flist leaves me curled up in a little ball of self-loathing. You, Fer and dutchbuffy (and others, of course) create these wonderful worlds and use such beautiful language that I'm left with my mouth hanging open.

But you're right about the almost infinite possibilities. One of the things I like best about the Jossverse is that he left it so open, with so many different ways it could go after the cameras stopped. And the creativity he invested in the series means that alt-season or alt-universe fics have amazing backstories and characterization to work from.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Reading some of the current WIPs by people on my flist leaves me curled up in a little ball of self-loathing.

Hey! You're one of the people I was referring to, doing those post-series fics that make me feel all insecure. That scene you wrote, where Spike blurts out the "no you don't" line again... that was so powerful and believable it gave me chills. I was really, really rethinking "Does It Have to Mean Something?" after that, wobbling my chin that I'm never gonna be able to cough up anything that good. So, like, not to get too much into all the mutual admiration around here (although, come to think of it, why-the-hell-not?), I don't think you have any reason to doubt your stuff.

Here's a question - do you think the reason for all this feeling, the I-could-never-write-something-that-good is a case of how many possiblities are left open, like anything could happen and I chose this but why didn't I choose that? - or just a thing where you as the writer see the flaws in your own stuff more clearly? For example, I'm always very aware of how limited my ability is to provide stage directions for the characters when talking, and that they always seem to be doing the same three things in reactions, usually having to do with the position of their heads or their eyes. So I wince as as I write it, but but I literally can't think of anything else. So there's always a part of me that's thinking this really isn't good. Or maybe a combination of both factors?

But anyway, thank you for feeling I deserve to be described in the same breath as people like DutchBuffy and Fer. And you know, right back atcha. : )

[st_salieri.livejournal.com]

although, come to think of it, why-the-hell-not?

Hee. Nothing wrong with a little of that. "You're awesome!" "No, you're awesome!" Everybody wins. :) It's so funny how these insecurities work.

Here's a question - do you think the reason for all this feeling, the I-could-never-write-something-that-good is a case of how many possiblities are left open, like anything could happen and I chose this but why didn't I choose that? - or just a thing where you as the writer see the flaws in your own stuff more clearly?

I think it's probably a bit of both. I know exactly what you mean, though. I'm definitely more aware of my flaws when I read other people, and they're able to describe so effortlessly what I struggle over. Myself, I've been worrying that my narrative voice is too abstract and removed, so when I read the rest of you guys I tend to notice the strengths where I myself am weak. It's normal to do that, I think. And I cringe, because sometimes what I read seems to simple and meaningful, and I never would have thought of writing it that way.

And so I guess that kicking ourselves over missed choices extends both to plotting and to actual writing style. I think I tend to obsess over the style more, because that's where I'm most aware of my weaknesses. When it's dealing with the openness of the story itself, and the almost infinite possibility for various plots...well, I think I find that inspiring more than anything else. Although sometimes I'll read something where the writer interpreted a canon scene differently than I did and worked from there, and that can sometimes lead to me kicking myself and asking myself why I didn't see it that way.

Gah. Clarity is not my strong suit this morning, that's for sure. But I can't tell you how glad I am to hear your concerns, because there's always a part of me that compares myself to other writers and is convinced that I'm really not any good, no matter how many nice comments I get. I think this is something I learned to deal with in grad school -- I spent the better part of six years thinking I was really an idiot and no one had found me out yet. :)

[kathyh]

I'm probably forgetting a whole raft of great stories that deserve pushing, but I'm finding even that thought heartening somehow - that there's really that much more out there to be discovered.

It's fantastic isn't it. From the point of view of a fic reader it's like opening up a fantastic box of chocolates, all delicious and all different. I've only recently discovered anaross and I'm guzzling her stories down as fast as I can read, but I haven't read The Bear yet so many thanks for the rec. The opening endings of both series was Joss's great gift to the fans and I'm very grateful for it.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

You said it. I just love finding a new author.

[makd.livejournal.com]

Word. st_salieri, TheBear, paratti, fer1213, herself_nyc, and db2305 -- all fantastic fanfic writers, and their work is divine.

TheBear was new to me till your rec. Now? I'm looking for more stories by her. Followed your suggestion about the heretofore unknown to me story: Prophecy and Warmth. Got sucked into the story - 3 hours of my life, but what a tale!!!

[sigh.] Well, what's another WIP, right?

thanks for the heads-up, though - a terrifically compelling read.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

The real credit for The Bear's story rec goes to Gail, who still persists in not getting her own journal! I mean, I understand her reasons why, but one does wish for a place to go to thank for stuff like this.

[db2305.livejournal.com]

Thanks....but you know, I think The Bear is a him? One of these great big tall guys at Writercon?

[(Anonymous)]

From the profile at BS Central, this The Bear is female.

Gail

[db2305.livejournal.com]

I took the picture below to be him? Are there two The Bears?


http://www.papa-bear.com/index1.htm

[(Anonymous)]

There must be two with the same name. The Bear who writes Prophecy and Warmth is a woman, married, and British. See here: http://www.spuffyonline.com/bscentral/viewuser.php?uid=108

Hope that helps,
Gail

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Thanks, a great day was had!

I want to do the kinkathon, but it might be a bit much.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Glad you had a fun time!

Gotcha on the ficathon worries - I thought long and hard before signing up for the Kinkathon because I'm already snowed under with projects, but finally decided I couldn't resist. Looks like there'll be plenty to read at least, either way.

[db2305.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec, honey, and I'm in awesome company, I see.
And I will have to try The Bear if you say it's good...

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

You're totally welcome, of course.

I enjoyed The Bear's story pretty totally. I've seen varying reactions from others depending on your tolerance for original characters and Spike maybe being a little too good sometimes, but the setup struck me as interesting and unique. Hope you enjoy.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

I'm utterly unable to read anything at Buffy-Spike Central, and hope that writers who are archiving there will either agitate for a more readable format, or start archiving their work somewhere more accessible, like Shrift's site. It must be a really good fic for you to make that sacrifice.


Julia, sighing mournfully because that's the only one I hadn't read