Contents Page |
My Home Page
Frames Off | Frames
On |
JavaScript
Click here to return to the
Contents
Click here to read the previous page:
Portrait of an Iolausian
Click here to read the next page:
'S' Explains the Appeal
Click here to return to my
Home Page.
A good proportion of her writing output is, how can I best put this, strange. It includes material of the kind that she describes as "hurt / comfort" and "slash". Oh, and some "general" fiction as well.
The first of these categories, "hurt / comfort", is quite easily explained. One character is hurt in some way, and another character has to... well, it's pretty much what the name suggests.
The second category, "slash", is just a little more difficult to explain. It doesn't refer to stories which contain extreme violence (which is what I thought when I first heard someone use the term - the word immediately conjured up images of knives, swords, and similar sharp objects) Essentially, the term describes fan fiction which portrays aspects of the relationship between various characters which aren't covered in the original material (whether it be film, TV, or book). The major identifying characteristics of slash are first, that the physical side of the relationship is explored in detail and second, that the characters involved are of the same sex [1]. The name "slash" arises from a code used by those who write it, where a story title is followed by something like "A/B". "A" and "B" are the initials of the characters involved, and the "/" - or slash - informs (or warns, as the case may be) of the subject matter.
Finally, we come to the 'general' category - which is, I suppose, anything that isn't covered by a more specific category; the sort of storyline that might have made it onto the original page or screen.
Now, I'm sure that there are entire books to be written on the subject of slash, what the appeal is, who writes it, and so on. That's not really what this page is about, though. Nonetheless, an enthusiasm for writing and reading fan fiction, of whayever kind, can have a major effect on how you Live With Your Rabid Iolausian.
Moving from the general to the particular - how does this enthusiasm manifest itself in the case of 'S'? Well, as I mentioned at the start of this page, 'S' has been a keen writer for several years, with several contributions to fanzines to her credit. Now, one of the questions that many writers are asked - much to their annoyance, sometimes - is:
"Where do you get your ideas?"
To gain a full appreciation of why many authors - particularly the professional ones - dislike this particular question, I ask you to picture yourself as an author who has been writing for many years. Let's assume that you're a professional writer, and that, at long last, you begin to get really big sales. You then get to take part in various publicity exercises, which (depending on the field in which you write) might include book signings, conventions, literary lunches, chat shows, or combinations thereof. And at every single one, somebody, without fail, asks that question! The first time, it might be flattering. The second, less so. The third, repetitive. And the nine hundred and forty two thousand seven hundred and eleventh time ...
So, where does 'S' get her ideas? Well, from what she's said [2] there are two major sources. One is sheer hard work, and the other is by inspiration. Which covers pretty well all angles, considering. After a while, it seems that the story takes on a life of its own, until characters come up to 'S' in the oddest places and start talking to her. Now, this is nowhere near as delusional as it may seem - what I'm describing here isn't "hearing voices" as described in the medical textbooks. It's more a way of picturing the way that ideas come into being. I've heard similar descriptions of the thought processes behind writing from other writers, including professionals who enjoy a fair degree of success.
Once the idea comes, it's essential to fix it in the mind before it slips away again. One way of doing this is to write it down - and 'S' quite often has a reporters' notebook somewhere within reach. Failing that, the back of an envelope will do just as well. Or, alternatively, to make sure that an idea doesn't fade away it can be useful to talk about it - to anyone who happens to be around. Perhaps it's just as well that cats don't have the power of speech?
Now, consider. Bear in mind the wide range of types of story that I've said 'S' writes. Think about what sort of ideas might come to her for, taking an example at random, the slash genre. Imagine that you're driving over a moorland road, with a sharp bend coming up, a dry stone wall on one side and a very steep slope down for forty or fifty feet on the other. Alternatively, driving through a city, approaching a junction where three roads diverge, each having multiple lanes and fairly heavy traffic. Neither of these is the kind of place where you suddenly wish to be confronted by one of those ideas - shortly after its announcement you may find yourself distracted while you struggle to come to terms with the concepts embodied in a simple remark.
Click here to return to the
Contents
Click here to read the previous page:
Portrait of an Iolausian
Click here to read the next page:
'S' Explains the Appeal
Click here to return to my
Home Page.
Page
Options
Frames Off | Frames On |
JavaScript
Notes:
Not gender. The term "gender" is
linguistic, and refers to the classification of words as being masculine,
feminine, or neuter in character. [Click here to return
to the main text]
If I've got this wrong, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough! [Click here to return to the main text]
Click here to return to the
Contents
Click here to read the previous page:
Portrait of an Iolausian
Click here to read the next page:
'S' Explains the Appeal
Click here to return to my
Home Page.
Page
Options
Frames Off | Frames On |
JavaScript
http://www.d-j-whiley.freeserve.co.uk/rabidfan/writings.html
Page created: 30 March 1998
Date of last update: 4 February 1999
Copyright © D J Whiley 1999