Pimps and Recs and Pimps And Recs

[tielan]

Pimp

museprod: for writers looking for inspiration and encouragement from other writers - fanfic, profic, poetry, prose.

...I think that's all the pimps I have right now. *thinks*

I have recs, but they're going to have to wait a few days until I actually have time to get them done. And write this choc_fic challenge that is due tomorrow (technically). And put out some thoughts on gen and John/Teyla - the irony of seeing a slasher write that "gen is usually thinly-disguised het".

For the record, I find that most SGA "gen" is a thinly-disguised opportunity for John to ignore everyone else except Rodney: Rodney is the only one who makes John smile, the only one who John listens to, the only one whose plight motivates him to do anything, the only one who John really reacts to. "Teyla's getting beaten up by aliens? Who cares? Rodney's having panic attacks because he saw her taken! Carson, you better take damned good care of Rodney!" And John thereafter checks on Rodney every hour, because Rodney is such a Fragile Flower.

*points at icon* Rodney McKay. So Fucking Not A Woobie.

Did I just rant then? I think I did. Oops.

--

...why do I never remember the sga_flashfic challenges until just before it's due?

Comments

[ubiquitous-girl.livejournal.com]

I think you did. :p

I do find that gen is usually thinly disguised ship though, whether it be slash or het.

[tielan]

There are several definitions of 'gen':

1. No pairingness at all. None. Not even a hint of romantic interest from any character to another.

2. Pairing in the background, but the story is about the action/adventure. So, John and Teyla are in a relationship, but it's only mentioned, not elaborated upon.

3. ...I'm not sure what this one is. A lot of people read it as "something that we'd see in the show" - which leaves it very open depending on which show you're watching and what the individual sees.

I wouldn't mind the "John cares about Rodney" if it wasn't so obvious that the authors think that John cares only about Rodney. To the point where Teyla or Ronon's situation or circumstances don't impact John at all, and he barely responds to them with anything more than functional talk. There's no friendship or friendliness there: it's all reserved for Rodney.

That I have an issue with.

[pentapus.livejournal.com]

latest flashfic challenge has been extended to thursday. :)

[tielan]

Now I gotta think of something to write...

I had an idea, honest, but it's probably already been done a dozen times...

[raisintorte.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think there are a lot of people who don't get the whole "gen" is supposed to be "gen" thing.

When I want gen I generally go in the direction of miss_porcupine where it actually IS gen.

[tielan]

See, there's 'two levels' of gen for me.

There's gen where any relationship/affection is in the background or hinted at. This is usually where I write - something that's both about a friendship/relationship and about a situation. I can't excise affection or the caring I see from my characters, my writing completely falls apart.

And there's gen where it's entirely about the action and while the friendship comes through, there's nothing to suggest more.

And yes, miss_porcupine is an awesome gen writer. She certainly seems to have redefined the 'gen' category in Stargate Atlantis fandom, that's for sure!

[live-brave.livejournal.com]

Ah..*wipes away tears of mirth*...your rant was great. :D So true!

[tielan]

I love Rodney. I love Rodney with snark and snap and bite and bitch. Woobie Rodney makes me want to kill something. Preferably Woobie Rodney.

Heck, I bet that canon Rodney would take drastic measures against Woobie Rodney. "Look, will you stop with all the whining and moping! God, I can't believe that people actually think that I'm like you!"

[live-brave.livejournal.com]

Again, so true! Rodney occasionally behaves like a wuss but generally it's for about two seconds and everyone around him knows it's an act. When the going gets tough, Rodney whines about it then gets going (and generally blows something up and saves the day). Contrary to popular opinion he's not a wounded kitten that needs coddling in order to thrive.

And John and Rodney can have chemistry without secretly carrying a torch for each other. An apparently surprising fact: friends can have chemistry, too. :D

Woobie my ass!

[stacy2002.livejournal.com]

And this is why most genfic makes me mad. Okay, it makes me pout.

The arrogance of genfic writers and readers is what really gets my goat. Stripping a character of all his natural feelings and isolating him from the relationships that exist - that is, are not figments of viewers imaginations - in order to create a purer, unshipped version of the universe is the highest form of self-delusion. I mean seriously, the average workplace is full of shippy moments - why would Atlantis be any less so? I had a shippy moment with a coworker at lunch today - that makes life fun.

And I completely agree that most genfic is actually what is more honestly described as pre-slash, in which Rodney is a deeply caring, sensitive guy, who is the only one who notices John's great man!pain. If you follow the average genfic to its logical conclusion, John and Rodney share a manly love that is like no other, which is the point at which I usually go eeep! and turn away to protect my innocence. I say, write what you like. Play with it, mix it up, but don't pretend that your fic is the sensible, unspoilt fic. The fact is, fanfic is mental masturbation, and if you forget that, you run the risk of sounding like a jackass.

*quietly gets off soapbox and looks around in a bewildered fashion*

[ubiquitous-girl.livejournal.com]

I think you did. :p

I do find that gen is usually thinly disguised ship though, whether it be slash or het.

[tielan]

There are several definitions of 'gen':

1. No pairingness at all. None. Not even a hint of romantic interest from any character to another.

2. Pairing in the background, but the story is about the action/adventure. So, John and Teyla are in a relationship, but it's only mentioned, not elaborated upon.

3. ...I'm not sure what this one is. A lot of people read it as "something that we'd see in the show" - which leaves it very open depending on which show you're watching and what the individual sees.

I wouldn't mind the "John cares about Rodney" if it wasn't so obvious that the authors think that John cares only about Rodney. To the point where Teyla or Ronon's situation or circumstances don't impact John at all, and he barely responds to them with anything more than functional talk. There's no friendship or friendliness there: it's all reserved for Rodney.

That I have an issue with.

[pentapus.livejournal.com]

latest flashfic challenge has been extended to thursday. :)

[tielan]

Now I gotta think of something to write...

I had an idea, honest, but it's probably already been done a dozen times...

[raisintorte.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think there are a lot of people who don't get the whole "gen" is supposed to be "gen" thing.

When I want gen I generally go in the direction of miss_porcupine where it actually IS gen.

[tielan]

See, there's 'two levels' of gen for me.

There's gen where any relationship/affection is in the background or hinted at. This is usually where I write - something that's both about a friendship/relationship and about a situation. I can't excise affection or the caring I see from my characters, my writing completely falls apart.

And there's gen where it's entirely about the action and while the friendship comes through, there's nothing to suggest more.

And yes, miss_porcupine is an awesome gen writer. She certainly seems to have redefined the 'gen' category in Stargate Atlantis fandom, that's for sure!

[live-brave.livejournal.com]

Ah..*wipes away tears of mirth*...your rant was great. :D So true!

[tielan]

I love Rodney. I love Rodney with snark and snap and bite and bitch. Woobie Rodney makes me want to kill something. Preferably Woobie Rodney.

Heck, I bet that canon Rodney would take drastic measures against Woobie Rodney. "Look, will you stop with all the whining and moping! God, I can't believe that people actually think that I'm like you!"

[live-brave.livejournal.com]

Again, so true! Rodney occasionally behaves like a wuss but generally it's for about two seconds and everyone around him knows it's an act. When the going gets tough, Rodney whines about it then gets going (and generally blows something up and saves the day). Contrary to popular opinion he's not a wounded kitten that needs coddling in order to thrive.

And John and Rodney can have chemistry without secretly carrying a torch for each other. An apparently surprising fact: friends can have chemistry, too. :D

Woobie my ass!

[stacy2002.livejournal.com]

And this is why most genfic makes me mad. Okay, it makes me pout.

The arrogance of genfic writers and readers is what really gets my goat. Stripping a character of all his natural feelings and isolating him from the relationships that exist - that is, are not figments of viewers imaginations - in order to create a purer, unshipped version of the universe is the highest form of self-delusion. I mean seriously, the average workplace is full of shippy moments - why would Atlantis be any less so? I had a shippy moment with a coworker at lunch today - that makes life fun.

And I completely agree that most genfic is actually what is more honestly described as pre-slash, in which Rodney is a deeply caring, sensitive guy, who is the only one who notices John's great man!pain. If you follow the average genfic to its logical conclusion, John and Rodney share a manly love that is like no other, which is the point at which I usually go eeep! and turn away to protect my innocence. I say, write what you like. Play with it, mix it up, but don't pretend that your fic is the sensible, unspoilt fic. The fact is, fanfic is mental masturbation, and if you forget that, you run the risk of sounding like a jackass.

*quietly gets off soapbox and looks around in a bewildered fashion*