Fic commentaries

[lizbee]

I finally started looking at the poll results from the other day.  Here are the first two commentaries:

"The Language that God Speaks"

and

"Old Wizard's Ale"

And if anyone be interested, I posted the commentary for my Russell/Donleavy crackfic "Escape Routes" a couple of months back, and then totally forgot to tell anyone.  Although its hit count actually matches that of the fic, give or take about five, so I'm guessing that anyone who cares found it by themselves.

Or, if you want the Liz commentary experience, but can't be bothered clicking links, I'll summarise it now:

"Oh my God, did I write that?  Was I on drugs?  Seriously.  I can't believe I wrote that, it's so awful.  Shoot me, please."

Oh, and if this isn't enough Liz bang for your buck, cesario has done a rather wonderful reader commentary for "The Riddle Game" here. She describes the fic as being "like a brillo pad for the soul", kind of, and indicates a desire to lick my brain, which raises rather horrible mental images. My ego is visible from space right now.

Comments

[onomatopoetry.livejournal.com]

I was trying to imply that Voldemort had dealings, or would like to have dealings, with the Endless. Preferably of a Death-binding type. I'm not sure it really came across, though.

It did! Well, for me it did.

I think it's reputation is somewhat overblown. How depressing.

No no, nonono. Forget for a second the things you aren't so fond of. Remember the tons and tons of crap of HP fic that there is out there, remind yourself that you Really Can Write, that the idea is original, the the dream sequences are really damn awesome, and Platonic-ideas-and-sugar line pure beauty. There? Awesome.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

It did! Well, for me it did.

Oh, good!

Forget for a second the things you aren't so fond of. Remember the tons and tons of crap of HP fic that there is out there, remind yourself that you Really Can Write, that the idea is original, the the dream sequences are really damn awesome, and Platonic-ideas-and-sugar line pure beauty. There? Awesome.

*follows your instructions*

*achieves a kind of zen of writing*

Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[hedda62.livejournal.com]

That was a wonderful way to kill three-quarters of an hour. And I think you're being too tough on yourself about the early fics, but then I would be too about mine.

I wouldn't research journey times for the trip to London, but I did spend half an hour on Google, trying to figure out if it was too absurd to let Russell survive this fall.

Heh. I bet we hit some of the same sites. (I let George fall on a pile of hay just to be safe.)

The Russell one was a particularly interesting commentary, and I hadn't read it before, though I remember commenting that you should write one.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

And I think you're being too tough on yourself about the early fics, but then I would be too about mine.

On the contrary, I wandered back and reread your early HP fics a few weeks back, and they're still tops.

The Russell one was a particularly interesting commentary, and I hadn't read it before, though I remember commenting that you should write one.

Thanks! It was a lot more substantial than most of my commentaries, because I was planning it right from the early stages. Possibly to answer anyone who asked what I was thinking...

[ladyrazorsharp.livejournal.com]

I just read 'Escape Routes.' I know it's got both feet firmly planted in an Alternate Universe, but OMGosh, that was a rollercoaster of a read.

When Donleavy talked about Watson, I actually blurted No! *sheepish grin* And the whole discussion about the newspapers and 'sensational stories' about Holmes--I heard myself murmuring No, God, no, she can't...And when they pulled up at Baker Street...heh, that elicited a whole lot of weird noises from me. When Holmes said Watson's name...well, okay, you made me cry, so there.

All that emotional emoting aside, I liked the 'inside look.' It got me thinking about the commentary I could do on some of my own stuff (which would be interesting probably to no one but me :P ). I may be tempted to do that sometime.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I just read 'Escape Routes.' I know it's got both feet firmly planted in an Alternate Universe, but OMGosh, that was a rollercoaster of a read.

*grin* Thanks!

When Donleavy talked about Watson, I actually blurted No! *sheepish grin*

*grin* That's okay, I was so guilty over killing him off that it took me several hours to write that dialogue. And I still feel bad about it.

I've never been told that my fic elicited weird noises before, but I don't think it's a bad thing!

All that emotional emoting aside, I liked the 'inside look.' It got me thinking about the commentary I could do on some of my own stuff (which would be interesting probably to no one but me :P ). I may be tempted to do that sometime.

Oh, please do! I love reading commentaries -- if I have time, I read them even for fics I don't know. I'm always fascinated to see the story behind a story.

[ladyrazorsharp.livejournal.com]

Okay, I admit I'm somewhat of a neophyte when it comes to HP, but what I've seen of it I love (read all the books, seen all the movies). I'm not familiar with Terry Pratchett's universe, but 'The Language that God Speaks' was lovely. (Keep in mind, I'm probably the worst kind of critic, who reads first with her heart and then her head)

That said, I adored it. The Dream King, he reminds me of someone...someone I love, someone...to me, he's young and beautiful (yet ancient), puissant and almost off-hand in his manner, though there's great, great power beneath the surface. Wow. He's not yours, right? Even so, you've conveyed whatever he is very well.

Two lines got me: 'those you would not name'--that started a slow crawl of dread along my spine. Since seeing GoF I've had a hard time getting the images of Ralph Fiennes out of my head but that line reminds me that Voldemort. Is. Dangerous. *shudder*

The other line that actually made my jaw drop was, IIRC, John 1:1. Awesome. Very appropriate.

Yeah, I know about gratuitious character insertion just to please the author, as well as self-important wordcraft (i.e., Lookit what I can do!). Some of the stuff I've written--I read it and think "Oh, how deep can I bury this?!" Early in my SH fandom I wrote a fic called 'Dead of Night' that had all sorts of uncomfortable weirdness in it, and without major overhauling it won't see the light of day--except to remind me that research and reality are tantamount.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

That said, I adored it.

Oh, thank you!

The Dream King, he reminds me of someone...someone I love, someone...to me, he's young and beautiful (yet ancient), puissant and almost off-hand in his manner, though there's great, great power beneath the surface. Wow. He's not yours, right? Even so, you've conveyed whatever he is very well.

He was created by Neil Gaiman, in his comic series The Sandman, but you've just described him so well that it took me a moment to realise you hadn't read the series. (Which is like a coming-of-age-story for an immortal being.)

The other line that actually made my jaw drop was, IIRC, John 1:1. Awesome. Very appropriate.

Oh, good. Because I worried. A lot. *grin*

Early in my SH fandom I wrote a fic called 'Dead of Night' that had all sorts of uncomfortable weirdness in it, and without major overhauling it won't see the light of day--except to remind me that research and reality are tantamount.

*snort*

I've been writing fic since I was about 15, and every now and then I go back and find my very first piece -- which can only be reached with the right Google search now -- and remind myself that we were all newbies once.

[herewiss13.livejournal.com]

I'm very glad you mentioned "Escape Routes", as I'd been meaning to drop you a line about it and also re-read it (I'm one of the five who never saw you commentary:-)

I just re-read "Beekeeper's Apprentice" (for lack of anything better to do) and was deeply amused to discover that, when they walked in on Donleavy, I was surprised...because I'd been anticipating this whole kidnapping/addiction part of the book that never happened. It had been long enough since I read either story...and your style is _so_ true to the original that I had, somehow, fuzzily blended the two together. Personally, if I can't tell apart a fic and the novel it belongs to, I rate that fic to be of very high quality indeed.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I just re-read "Beekeeper's Apprentice" (for lack of anything better to do) and was deeply amused to discover that, when they walked in on Donleavy, I was surprised...because I'd been anticipating this whole kidnapping/addiction part of the book that never happened. It had been long enough since I read either story...and your style is _so_ true to the original that I had, somehow, fuzzily blended the two together. Personally, if I can't tell apart a fic and the novel it belongs to, I rate that fic to be of very high quality indeed.

Oh, thank you!

As much as I hate to undermine that very high compliment, you were probably also confusing BEEK with A Monstrous Regiment of Women, in which Russell is kidnapped and injected with heroin.

But other than that -- thanks. When you've looking back at a piece of cracked-out fic, it's nice to be reassured that you at least had the right narrative voice!

[herewiss13.livejournal.com]

As much as I hate to undermine that very high compliment, you were probably also confusing BEEK with A Monstrous Regiment of Women, in which Russell is kidnapped and injected with heroin.

...?

Boy is my face red. I gotta read book 2 again (it's been _way_ too long). I'm pretty sure it was at _least_ an amalgam of the three, though and not just a mixture of the two actual works of cannon.

Thankfully, none of that abnegates your own sense of style and talent at prosal mimicry.

*hides head in shame*

[thedorkygirl.livejournal.com]

The funny thing is that I've JUST read "The Language that God Speaks" two days ago.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, I think my life is ruled by coincidence.

[rockgoddess66.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the commentaries!

[story645.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* reading Language again I definitly catch more flaws, but when I rec'd it, I was on a first read high, and you just don't catch the bad as much cause the fic is good.

[kismeteve.livejournal.com]

Thanks for linking to the Escape Routes commentary. I haven't read it in awhile, and I had forgotten how tense it was. I think it is wonderful.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

Reminder:to:Prof: Read more Liz stories.

Old Wizard's Ale: It had to be done! And now it is over, it's ok.

The Language That God Speaks: Liz, why must you ROCK SO MUCH? Yeah, yeah, not everything is as perfect as the image of Ron's own chess pieces eating his flesh, but how could they be? Also: I'm pretty sure I got that mental image from a really bad seventh season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I'm sorry. Me: Bwahahahahah! Troi cake for everyone!! Actually, though, I rather like this idea (in your story), especially in light of HBP.

Escape Routes: If I haven't mentioned it before, I should mention now that this story is totally amazing, it was totally amazing when I first read it it for beta purposes, and it is still totally amazing now. Also, I've actually read your commentary before, but this is a good time to mention that it is really interesting -- you've a nice way of talking about work without trying to explain it all.

I would love to go on for much longer, but alas it is the end of the semester and I have a RIDICULOUS amount of work to do (thus with the general non or lame commenting recently). Someday I will have time, and then fun shall ensue.

In other news, I was talking to my professor today about grad school possibilities (not that I am likely to go to grad school, but it's good to know one's options) and he was telling me about the vibrant new media scene out in Australia...

[bloodrebel333.livejournal.com]

Have you written any more commentaries as of yet?