To canon-AU or not to canon-AU....
May. 30th, 2014 01:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hells_half_acreMy next month of ficlets is nearly upon us. If you want to leave me a prompt and haven't yet done so, head on over to my previous post.
Now, while we're on the topic of fanfic, let me complain to you about my current canon/fanfic troubles...
My main problem is that I want to write another demented'verse fic. I have had an opening all prepared (in my head) for the past two-three years... the problem is that timeline-wise, in order to use that opening, it pretty much has to be set in S9. I kept hoping that SPN would give me a good window and plot idea... but, alas, I've got nothing.
So, now my question is: Do I go AU? The last demented'verse fic I wrote was set in S7, so I'd have to catch up that time anyway, and, I think anyone who read my rewatch of S8 has probably realized that I had a lot of problems with the first half of that season. So, on the one hand, this could be my chance to change things a little...
...On the other hand, once you start changing things, where do you stop? How much do you change things? HOW do you change things? Do I still just run into the same problems?
The problem I have with AU, and the reason I very seldom write it, is because working within the constructs of canon gives me limits that I can use to form my plots... and I'm just not sure how good my writing would be without those enforced parameters. Also, going AU would remove the short-hand that I rely on with the readers, where I don't have to explain what Sam and Dean are currently working through, because the readers already know. That's what makes crossovers fun, after all - it's that half of your characters know things the other half don't, and you can have tons of double-meaning dialogue, where the reader is in on all the secrets without my having to explain what those secrets are.
Part of me is thinking I should just forget it. Put that 'verse to bed. Because if I can't think of a plot that fits, maybe that's just the end of it then. But, then, another part of me is pissed off because if I was going to end the 'verse, I'd have preferred to end on Seers, Souls and Scandinavians, rather than Brains and Bones, because SSS had a much better ending, IMO, and would have served as a brilliant 'verse ending. I remember struggling with the decision to write Brains and Bones for that reason, but in the end I did... and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't've.
Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
TL;DR: Struggling to write another demented'verse fic. Not sure if I should stick to my canon-nazi ways. AU is a slippery slope.
Now, while we're on the topic of fanfic, let me complain to you about my current canon/fanfic troubles...
My main problem is that I want to write another demented'verse fic. I have had an opening all prepared (in my head) for the past two-three years... the problem is that timeline-wise, in order to use that opening, it pretty much has to be set in S9. I kept hoping that SPN would give me a good window and plot idea... but, alas, I've got nothing.
So, now my question is: Do I go AU? The last demented'verse fic I wrote was set in S7, so I'd have to catch up that time anyway, and, I think anyone who read my rewatch of S8 has probably realized that I had a lot of problems with the first half of that season. So, on the one hand, this could be my chance to change things a little...
...On the other hand, once you start changing things, where do you stop? How much do you change things? HOW do you change things? Do I still just run into the same problems?
The problem I have with AU, and the reason I very seldom write it, is because working within the constructs of canon gives me limits that I can use to form my plots... and I'm just not sure how good my writing would be without those enforced parameters. Also, going AU would remove the short-hand that I rely on with the readers, where I don't have to explain what Sam and Dean are currently working through, because the readers already know. That's what makes crossovers fun, after all - it's that half of your characters know things the other half don't, and you can have tons of double-meaning dialogue, where the reader is in on all the secrets without my having to explain what those secrets are.
Part of me is thinking I should just forget it. Put that 'verse to bed. Because if I can't think of a plot that fits, maybe that's just the end of it then. But, then, another part of me is pissed off because if I was going to end the 'verse, I'd have preferred to end on Seers, Souls and Scandinavians, rather than Brains and Bones, because SSS had a much better ending, IMO, and would have served as a brilliant 'verse ending. I remember struggling with the decision to write Brains and Bones for that reason, but in the end I did... and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't've.
Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
TL;DR: Struggling to write another demented'verse fic. Not sure if I should stick to my canon-nazi ways. AU is a slippery slope.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 03:39 am (UTC)Think about it this way, leaving aside whether Sam knew Dean was still alive or not, or if he was in shock or whether he bothered to look for Dean or not... the fact is that he believed himself alone and had limited resources.
In the demented verse though, that is not the case. The moment Harry finds out that Dean is either dead or missing, he'd come look him up and help out.
With Harry's help, they'd probably at the very least try and find out if Dean is alive or not, which would make a huge difference in Dean's reaction when he returns.
You could still take the parts of canon that you did like, but alter them keeping those changes in mind, while getting rid of the whole 'Sam didn't even bother to look for Dean' bit because Harry'd be there.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 03:52 am (UTC)But yes, you are dead on with why I pretty much HAVE to go AU for at least the "catch up" portion of the story... but what exact form that AU will take is still up for debate. I COULD have Harry get involved, fail to locate Dean, leave Sam in Texas, and then Dean could still be pissed off when he gets back that Sam didn't look for Kevin (perhaps Sam doesn't even tell Harry about Kevin for some weird reason like my headcanon of Sam actually having a psychotic break) and Dean could still be upset that Sam didn't seem to be obsessing about Dean's death like usual... and not much would change in the long run. Or having Harry around to help could change everything - they could find Kevin sooner, before Dean comes back, for instance, and the Dean wouldn't really have anything to be angry about (besides his usual PTSD) and the is Sam still fine with dying on the third trial? Does he still feel like he failed Dean and needs to be redeemed?
I don't know, it's a hard thing to juggle... and do I want to bother if I'm not even leading them to a cool future story set in S9, since I can't for the life of me think of a good plot for one past the opening?
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 03:57 am (UTC)What if Harry shows up, thinks he has a way to get Dean back, tries it, and it blows up in his/their face(s)? And then Sam has all kinds of guilt for getting Harry hurt, and that's one of the reasons why he stops looking.
(As for the redemption thing, that's basically one of the cornerstones of Sam's personality. He always thinks he needs to be redeemed, at least since he found out about the demon blood.)
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 04:15 am (UTC)It's mainly that I can't decide if I want to factor in the Kevin storyline or not... and it's true, Sam would probably still be self-sacrificial even without Dean's anger... and probably the latter half of S8 would still play out the same.
It's mainly the Kevin storyline that I'm not sure how to deal with... and then trying to figure out how to fit the story that I actually WANT to write into s9... that's the main trouble. I'm not actually that worried about the "catch-up" part of the story... it's figuring out the plot and story of the s9 portion, do I want that to be AU? If so, HOW MUCH of an AU? Do I want to completely diverge from canon or stick to it? If I completely diverge what would that mean for future stories? Or should I find a way to put this 'verse to rest once and for all?
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 04:21 am (UTC)In my experience, AUs tend to work best when they keep the themes of the original even if they don't use the exact same events. I'm not sure what that would mean for your plot, but maybe it's helpful?
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 04:25 am (UTC)The main problem is that I really just can't think of a good plot for a story. I can think of the "meet-cute" that would bring the two universes together again, but that's all. So, maybe it's not even a problem of me going AU or not, it's just a problem of not having any ideas for plot regardless.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 04:15 am (UTC)Which means, they'd have a way to manage vampirism. not a cure, but at least a way to keep the bloodthirst down.
And Dean might ask Harry about that, to help Benny. Making Benny less likely to want to die and go back to Purgatory.
I like the idea of Harry getting hurt in Sam's attempt to open Purgatory, and if you then have Dean, unable to explain why he's friends with a vampire, sneaking around, talking to Harry, asking him for help with Benny...
And Sam'd already be guilty about Harry, not daring to talk to Harry who of course isn't blaming him, ...
no subject
Date: 2014-05-31 04:19 am (UTC)And good point about Benny... hmm... that would throw a spanner in the works, then again, maybe Dean could actually just prevent Crowley from killing the reaper and then there'd be no need for Benny to sacrifice himself. Or maybe Benny would not like earth despite being able to manage blood cravings - after all, it wasn't just the lack of hunger he missed about purgatory, it was knowing his place and knowing how to be happy in it.