Sayers and stories
Jun. 24th, 2021 10:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycrawfordI recently fell down a Wikipedia hole, and one of the shiny bits of treasure I dug up was this letter from Dorothy L. Sayers, about her book Murder Must Advertise:
I mean. Wow. First of all, it is one of her best efforts--it's easily my favorite, even though yes, she's right, the dope-traffic stuff is the part I usually skip. The book is half pulp novel and half advertising agency comedy, and the latter half is pure gold. I could read a whole series set in the agency, with all its petty drama and delightful characters.
But second of all--she wrote this letter to her publisher. "Hi, here's my book, I hate it".
OH DLS, I lo-five you across time, because that feels very familiar, even if I'm just working on a long-ass fanfic. Once it's done I will get the urge to hurl it to a beta reader with some uncomplimentary words about it, as if that would entice anyone into reading, and seeing DLS do the same thing makes me feel better.
I was talking tosakana17 about some favorite tropes, like character X transforming into a monster and character Y immediately recognizing them anyway (sigh!) and she wrote me this delicious bonbon:
The Monster Who Came Back (3652 words) by sakana17
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Transformation, Fix-It of Sorts
Summary:
"Shen Wei?" Zhao Yunlan said as he looked into the large, troubled, teary eyes of the man he loved.
'I hurt him,' he thought. 'I was the one who broke his heart.' What could he say now?
The new book is nearly done. I hate it because it isn't the one I wanted to write, but I had to shove it in because I couldn't get the technical dope on The Nine Tailors in time. Still, you never know what people will fancy, do you? It...deals with the dope-traffic, which is fashionable at the moment, but I don't feel that this part is very convincing, as I can't say "I know dope". Not one of my best efforts.
I mean. Wow. First of all, it is one of her best efforts--it's easily my favorite, even though yes, she's right, the dope-traffic stuff is the part I usually skip. The book is half pulp novel and half advertising agency comedy, and the latter half is pure gold. I could read a whole series set in the agency, with all its petty drama and delightful characters.
But second of all--she wrote this letter to her publisher. "Hi, here's my book, I hate it".
OH DLS, I lo-five you across time, because that feels very familiar, even if I'm just working on a long-ass fanfic. Once it's done I will get the urge to hurl it to a beta reader with some uncomplimentary words about it, as if that would entice anyone into reading, and seeing DLS do the same thing makes me feel better.
I was talking to
sakana17 about some favorite tropes, like character X transforming into a monster and character Y immediately recognizing them anyway (sigh!) and she wrote me this delicious bonbon:The Monster Who Came Back (3652 words) by sakana17
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Transformation, Fix-It of Sorts
Summary:
"Shen Wei?" Zhao Yunlan said as he looked into the large, troubled, teary eyes of the man he loved.
'I hurt him,' he thought. 'I was the one who broke his heart.' What could he say now?
(no subject)
Date: 2021-06-24 11:33 am (UTC)Ooooo DO IT DO IT! I love an accidental marriage and I love a fix-it, especially in this fandom, and I'm basically cheering you on with both fists, as it were. \o/
I know what you mean about having to deal with Ye Zun, but otoh: it's your story, you can do whatever you want! (This is what I keep having to tell myself, ha.)
So if you ever need someone to motivate you by shouting loudly about how much they love your fic, I happily volunteer!
That is so sweet of you and heck yes it's motivational, and I appreciate it. It helps a lot to counteract the 'nobody will want this' brain weasel chorus.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-06-24 11:43 am (UTC)Current Ye Zun thought: I could just... leave him in the pillar to be dealt with at a nebulous future point that won't actually feature in this story...
The joys of early canon divergence - if I'm committing to changing things, I might as well really commit. It does feel a bit like cheating though, which is not at all a rational response but still happening in my brain nonetheless.
(Who doesn't love a fix-it in this fandom? I've never been in one that needed one so damn badly.)
(no subject)
Date: 2021-06-24 11:55 am (UTC)Current Ye Zun thought: I could just... leave him in the pillar to be dealt with at a nebulous future point that won't actually feature in this story...
Heyyyy there you go! Totally valid solution, and will settle anyone's need to know what's going on with him.
It does feel a bit like cheating though, which is not at all a rational response but still happening in my brain nonetheless.
Aw, yeah, sympathies. I've been talking to friends about the need to provide plot reasons and explanations for everything, and how freeing it can be to just throw that need overboard and get to the good stuff faster. But it's hard!
(no subject)
Date: 2021-06-24 12:57 pm (UTC)... Honestly, the good stuff in this one isn't even the fix-it, it's the 'oops we just got married? Featuring Shen Wei feeling equally over the moon and guilty, and Zhao Yunlan having a minor meltdown because he's not having a meltdown about sudden Committment' and subsequent shenanigans. Clearly.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-06-24 01:39 pm (UTC)☝☝☝ listen to your reader voice, they know what's up! (I feel like a fraud saying that to you, because I have the exact same problem, but I figure as long as we say it to each other, maybe some of it will start sticking?) I feel the exact same way, as a reader all I want is the heart of the story, not the bones.
... Honestly, the good stuff in this one isn't even the fix-it, it's the 'oops we just got married? Featuring Shen Wei feeling equally over the moon and guilty, and Zhao Yunlan having a minor meltdown because he's not having a meltdown about sudden Committment' and subsequent shenanigans. Clearly.
LOVE IT. That sounds great - you've got the emotional throughline/payoff that will be so satisfying. And if a fixit happens along the side, it can be lightly sketched in as needed, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-06-24 01:55 pm (UTC)And if a fixit happens along the side, it can be lightly sketched in as needed, too.
I just need to keep my brain in check. It likes doing that thing where I have a plan and then once I start writing all these extra things start popping up and insisting to be written...
Thanks for the encouragement!