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Post by Ella on Nov 4, 2004 23:11:55 GMT -6
Dammit to hell, I forgot that this board doesn't use html.... ah, well. I think Zac's character is a lot of fun to toy with. He's definitely the most reserved of the three. In a way, it's 'safe' to write them the way we think they should be. I've never met them in person, but I know that meeting them ruins these ideals for a lot of people. So we keep them boxed up in their little paradigms. Here's how I like to imagine Zac: I think he's introspective, very private, hesitant, skeptical, bordering on neurotic, he overthinks, he lets very few people in and when he does, he becomes attached, I think he's loyal, and he remembers everybody's birthday. And I think that if Isaac was up in the middle of the night, stressing out, he'd call Zac, not Taylor. Oh, and I bet Zac always has gum. So I'm probably TOTALLY off as far as how he really is. But I don't want to know how he really is. I like making it up. Out of the three of them, Zac is the one I want to meet the most. I've always thought that he seemed like the most intelligent, even back in his 'crazy' days. Plus, I heard he's read The Silmarillion, which earns him points in my book. But seriously -- I imagine conversation with him would probably be more interesting than conversation with the other two. Just my opinion, though. It doesn't seem to me like Taylor and Isaac are very close, at least not anymore. I guess that's to be expected, though. I mean, Zac and Taylor probably have more in common nowadays, anyway.
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Post by krystal on Nov 4, 2004 23:13:21 GMT -6
Well, you've definitely jerked him right out of any sort of musical career, etc etc. But, he feels Taylor-ish to me. At least, I guess I'd like for the real Taylor to be like the one in your story, or the one in Stephanie's story.
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Post by Ella on Nov 4, 2004 23:26:32 GMT -6
Well, you've definitely jerked him right out of any sort of musical career, etc etc. But, he feels Taylor-ish to me. At least, I guess I'd like for the real Taylor to be like the one in your story, or the one in Stephanie's story. I guess that's why it doesn't feel very Hanson-y. In my story he's not a rock star (at least not for most of it). He's just a desperate, needy boy with a wry sense of humor. And a touch of arrogance. hehe. I need to read Stephanie's story. I'm a terrible fan, I've never gotten around to it... I also need to finish 'Perfect Girl' and JAV from your site... I am so behind, LOL.
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Post by krystal on Nov 4, 2004 23:32:44 GMT -6
Well, with the little whiff of drought we've experienced, Hanfic has exploded again. Even I'm behind!
Of course, that's partly because I've suddenly become engrossed in journals, and working with Stephanie to re-open this place. Not so long ago, there just weren't many stories to keep up with and they were updated SO infrequently, it was easy to keep up.
Stephanie's story(s) are a must read if you like romance. But, it's not just romance--great stuff!
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Post by Casey on Nov 4, 2004 23:35:19 GMT -6
What is Stephanie's story? I'm behind too. I don't know the best place to find new hanfic. Y'all are doing a great job with Various Artists, though.
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Post by krystal on Nov 4, 2004 23:38:13 GMT -6
Thanks, Casey!
Stephanie writes the trilogy that started out with "So, There Was This Boy..."
I'll bet it can be found in the "S" section on this site. If not, then Stephanie has really overlooked a biggy!
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Post by Casey on Nov 4, 2004 23:55:41 GMT -6
Sounds like something I'll be reading one of these boring nights made for fanfic-reading. Oh and Ella, (if you read this post) are you in Kentucky? I live in Tennessee. ::waves::
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Lilith
Middle of Nowhere
Child born of darkness
Posts: 86
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Post by Lilith on Nov 5, 2004 6:40:10 GMT -6
Stephanie's story(s) are a must read if you like romance. But, it's not just romance--great stuff! I don't like romance, but I'm hooked on Stephanie's work. I think last year was when I discovered it for the first time. I think most authors do put a little of themselves into their characters, even if it's not a Mary-Sue. I know I definitely do. There are four particular characters that I've done that with - Tabitha, Ebony, Madison and Lilith. Madison is the most like me - she actually started out life as a Mary-Sue, but I got so sick of typing my own name that I said to hell with it, and I rechristened her. She's not the typical Mary-Sue, now that I look at it - she's my literary reflection, but she also has all of my own flaws. I've even added a few to make her seem more realistic and less like a Mary-Sue. *blinks* If that didn't make sense, I apologise - I'm a little sleepy, thanks to NaNoWriMo. Though I'm not going to bed just yet, I want to break 10,000 words before midnight...
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Post by Stephanie on Nov 5, 2004 10:08:11 GMT -6
I don't like romance, but I'm hooked on Stephanie's work. I think last year was when I discovered it for the first time. Well, thanks for that. Not sure I deserve it, but thanks. I also want to say that while there is a lot of me in Cleo, she is not me. Sure we both have long curly hair and wear glasses and we are both emotional messes at times. But Cleo is way smarter than I'll ever be and also dumber. Also, as far as writing the guys the way I want them to be... I think that's just natural. But not only did I write them the way I want them to be, but I also give them pieces of myself and of the people I know and love. I could even go through each of the major characters in "Boy" and tell you who they are based on. Want to know a secret? The very hated AshG is based LARGELY on me!! I can be that hateful and mean and unforgiving... especially if I think I have a point or have grounds to be righteously indignant I think that if an author is talented enough, they can take these ready made characters and make them their own. I think that Krystal does that very effectively in TQO and JAV. Llama does it pretty much better than anyone in Lived. Nick pretty much kills at creating super brave, amazing guys out of the guys in ZSTSWTB. Hell, even Ashley makes you bleed for the guys in her stories... "Concrete Angel" is killer and so, so sad, but not in a manipulative way. Here is where I admit that I am a pretender to the throne. I asked Llama if we could take over, but the truth is I simply maintain it, Krystal is the genius behind it. I've probably read maybe ten stories from beginning to end. Hell, there are stories that I've formatted to post that I still haven't read. Just went through and made sure the HTML was in the right places. And I will say, that I was really lucky to have read some of the good stuff. When I started "Boy" I hadn't read ONE word of hanfic. I didn't even know that it existed. That is how I defend myself and the truly hackneyed and cliched plot. I didn't know that this story had been told over and over and over again. Maybe this is my disclaimer for writing such a hugely cliched and way over done plot...
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Post by krystal on Nov 5, 2004 13:31:02 GMT -6
BUT, to take a "hackneyed and cliched plot" and turn it into one of the most widely read and acclaimed Hanfics around, says a great deal about your talent as a writer.
I've read many stories with fantastic, imaginative plots and I just wished the person could spell and put together a sentence in a cohesive manner. And, I've read others so well put together and manufactured, if you will, that I just thought, wow, if only this person wasn't so predictable, or the characters weren't so boring (hey, we're back to Mary Sue!)...
Thanks, Stephanie! Once again, we're yin yang--sort of...heart vs. brain. One won't work without the other!
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Post by untitled on Nov 5, 2004 17:19:21 GMT -6
strange. i do recall a lot of talk about marysues in the hanfic world. perhaps it is the crowd i run with. but i definitely recall it.
it was years ago. i don't know what year, exactly. but...i'd say back in the 90s still.
mostly it was in reference to the overabundance of not so great, girl moves in next door stories.
i have a mary sue. but that's something i've never pretended to be otherwise. i wanted to write a story about myself and my bestfriend, and all of our crazy escapades. throwing a hanson in there would get it read. lol.
its morphed much past that now. angel is no longer me, at all. but she started there. and thats okay. i think mary sue is just fine, as long as you do her in a new and creative way. as long as she's a fully realized character in a fully realized world.
another thing about mary sue: she doesn't always have to be spot on perfect. there's the other side of the mary sue, and that's the girl thats totally flawed, to a crazy point. its like, the author picks either totally perfect, or totally flawed, and has no in between. (i've studied mary-sues recently, because someone called a character in my real fiction a mary sue, which was so the LAST thing intended, as i hate the character they thought was supposed to be me.)
i think mary sue is often a jumping off point. a place for an author to start. and i respect that. as long as the author is able to move past that kind of role iwth her character. as long as the author is able to make that character a well rounded one.
i will agree though, mary sue is a much greater concern in the lotr/hp world of late. my roomie is really into those spheres, adn she and i talk about it a lot.
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Post by krystal on Nov 5, 2004 17:28:28 GMT -6
Well, fanfiction is a wonderful starting place for young authors, and if we have to put up with some MarySue's, so be it! I've watched many authors get so much better as they write for a few years--myself and the illustrious Ella as well.
Practice makes perfect, and you gotta start somewhere!
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Post by Ella on Nov 5, 2004 18:05:19 GMT -6
Well, fanfiction is a wonderful starting place for young authors, and if we have to put up with some MarySue's, so be it! I've watched many authors get so much better as they write for a few years--myself and the illustrious Ella as well.Thanks! It really surprises me when I go back and read the old beginning chapters, then read the stuff I've written recently. It's like night and day. I credit Hanfic with helping me become a better writer. Hell, I credit it with helping me become a writer, period... If I hadn't started writing it, I never would have taken any creative writing classes, and I never would have chosen to become a copywriter. Lilith -- I think every author puts something of themselves in almost every characters... even in my original fiction, my characters have something of mine. Izzy (from 'Veracity') shares my thoughts on funerals. The unnamed narrator of 'Chai' has the same sort of dreamy, head-in-the-clouds attitude that I do. And of course, in 'Catapult', Alley has both my name and my amazing ability to humiliate myself in public. But I don't consider any of them to be a total clone of myself. another thing about mary sue: she doesn't always have to be spot on perfect. there's the other side of the mary sue, and that's the girl thats totally flawed, to a crazy point. its like, the author picks either totally perfect, or totally flawed, and has no in between. (i've studied mary-sues recently, because someone called a character in my real fiction a mary sue, which was so the LAST thing intended, as i hate the character they thought was supposed to be me.)Oh, yes... another thing you hear about in the LOTR forums -- if a Mary-Sue *does* have a flaw, it's a pseudo-flaw... like she's too head-strong, or too independent, or something like that. Isn't this cool? We're having a real discussion about hanfic! Shock!
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Post by Stephanie on Nov 5, 2004 18:38:02 GMT -6
Isn't this cool? We're having a real discussion about hanfic! Shock! That was the reason why Krystal and I decided to have a forum! And I'm so happy it's working! And really, I will say that any writing helps make a writer better. Although, I'm not sure I've gotten any better... I think I've become lazy as a writer... I know these characters so well.
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Post by krystal on Nov 6, 2004 12:39:09 GMT -6
Lazy? Hmmm...I don't know about that. But yeah, it's definitely harder to start in on something new than to go on with our good friends.
At least for me. Ashley dives into storylines like there's no tomorrow! Now if I can just make her finish some!
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