30 Day Fanfic Writing Meme, Day 20

[hrhrionastar]

Day 1, 2, 3, 4+5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14+15, 16+17, 18, 19

20 –Do you ever get bunnied from other people's stories or art in the same fandom?

Yes. I participate in a number of things where that's actually the point, like inspiration tree challenges on legendland or the lotseekerfic Reverse Mini Bang; comments and discussions can also be a great place to get inspired, as there're lots of smart people in my fandoms, and they make me see canon in new and interesting ways.

Actually, though, one of the most inspiring things, in my experience, is when I read something that tackles an important issue from a point of view I don't happen to agree with, or that makes an assumption, even just as an aside, that I find troubling or interesting. I write, for the most part, because I'm passionate about the subject, and disagreement can actually generate a lot of that passion. Just as a 'mistake' in canon can inspire me to write 'fix it' fic, so another author can make me want to tell it (and this sounds a little conceited, I'm afraid) 'right.'

21 – Sequels – Have you ever written a sequel to a fic you wrote, and if so, why, and if not, how do you feel about sequels?

22 – Have you ever participated in a fest or a Big Bang? If so, write about your favorite experience in relation to one. If not, are there any you've thought about doing? And if not, why not?

23 – When you post, where do you post to? Just your journal? Just an archive? Your own personal site?

24 – Betaing – How many betas do you like to use to make sure there aren't any major flaws in your fic? Do you have a Beta horror story or dream story?

25 – Music – Do you listen to music while you write? Do you make playlists to get into a certain "mood" to write your fic? Do you need noise in general? Or do you need it completely quiet?

26 – What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?

27 – Where is your favorite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?

28 – Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?

29 – What is your current project or projects?

30 – Do you have a favorite fic you've written? What makes it your favorite? And don't forget to give us a link!

Comments

[hrhrionastar.livejournal.com]

IMO, no sane human being, no matter how much they love their parent, would sacrifice themselves, as well as their own children, for an abstract idea pushed upon them by their mother. The instinct for self-preservation is too strong, the the stakes are too nebulous. Agreed - and something I find it hard to understand how Kahlan could fail to predict. But maybe she believes so strongly in Richard returning and saving everyone that it doesn't seem that nebulous to her.

Not to mention that the child would probably have some tender feelings for her father - whose life she would also be destroying. This I think Kahlan ought to be able to anticipate. After all, after Nicholas is born, she says something about how a daughter will love and respect Darken, while a son will destroy him. The latter is borne out by the episode; why not the former? And children go out of their way to rationalize evil or mistaken things their parents do. If Kahlan's daughter were willing to collude with Kahlan to murder her own father, she could hardly be the sweet, good savior Kahlan seems to expect, anyway.

She destroys her own chance for any sort of happiness or contentment. Yes, and yet the whole issue is made more complicated by the fact that Nicholas is a male Confessor. If Kahlan is right and he's certain to be evil, she has more cause to be unhappy than losing Richard and marrying Darken. But I find it hard to believe Nicholas's morality is so set in stone as an infant. It's as though Kahlan deliberately sabotages any chance she has at happiness, in order to assuage her guilt at sacrificing Nicholas for Richard's return. After all, if this reality is bad enough, Richard will have no choice but to erase it.

Actually, that might be why Kahlan is so insistent that Darken will kill her - I think part of her wants him to, both to validate her negative opinion of him, and so that she won't have to face these impossible questions herself.

Excellent point that Darken might want more children - the fact that there's only Nicholas in canon always seemed to me to indicate that Darken didn't insist Kahlan return to his bed.

(Slightly off-topic: Birth control in a time of magic and medieval-ness: I never know whether they have it or not, or how readily accessible it is...)

Sometimes, I think we could keep talking about Reckoning forever ;)