Don't Mind The Meta On The Floor...
Aug. 29th, 2007 03:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fangrrl_squeesNow that I've got the bloody reboot-prequel thing online, I'm cheerfully kicking around ideas for the rebooted toppy!Ianto series and damn me if the bloody thing isn't going all hurt-comfort on me.
Nine times out of ten, I hate hurt-comfort stories. Said ninety-percent of them are annoyingly gooey, and even more contrived than the usual fic (let's be honest with ourselves, kids, the stuff is usually pretty dam' contrived). The other ten percent are bearable but, even then, my inner-cynic is usually pulling faces and making sarcastic remarks by the second page. It's just not my favorite genre.
So, yeah, to realize that several of the scene progressions I've contemplated so far are devolving into hurt-comfort is a bit irritating.
Granted, the situation is slightly unusual in that the same hand that dishes out the hurt is doing the comforting too - but that's no surprise to anyone who's got some knowledge of the scene and, damn, you guys are well-informed, so I can't pull a fast one, there. Also keep in mind that the stereotypical domly-male type gives me a bad fit of the giggles and, besides, that just ain't Ianto. Despite my acknowledgement of most fanfics being frightfully contrived, I do try to keep them somewhat plausible. It's a notion that has sunk more of my fics than it has inspired, alas - but that's a rant for another day.
I've also got an ongoing war in my noggin between the nagging urge to be 'responsible' - ie, not advocating unsafe behavior - and the urge to be, frankly, irresponsible and wicked and c'mon it's only fanfic, Ms. Squees, surely you can stop being a rules-meister for a couple of thousand words? Sigh.
I think dark!Ianto is being an ass at the moment, going into hiding on me now that he's got a chance to come out and play. Well, that and I'm shying away from the contrivances (see above) that could bring him out. That and dark!Ianto is almost certainly going to mean that responsibility will be thrown out the window, which fires up that internal conflict again.
Then there's the fact that whilst newly-messed-up!Jack craves some pretty serious pain in order to get off, humiliation is a bad button. One of the ideas in the stewpot-o-plots involve Ianto inadvertantly hitting that button and the ensuing, uh, hilarity but, dammit, that's one of the ones that went all hurt-comfort on me and GAH! *ahem* Anyways, so I've got a painslut on my hands who doesn't want to be called a painslut, nor is he too keen on restraints, go figure.
*headdesk*
Alright, I can work around this. Lemme think.
I can manage the no-restraints bit fairly easily. There's more than one way to keep a bottom in place and not all of them involve shackles. Thank god I once had a chat with a domme who's favorite boy had an absolute phobia of being tied up. She had some great ideas.
Certainly, I can have Ianto very much buying into the love-and-trust aspect of giving Jack what he needs. As mentioned before, gee, it only took a Time Lord rewiring Jack's head to figure out that he really can trust Ianto with anything - and in that respect Ianto's going to be over the moon. But I don't want the content getting all hearts-and-flowers on me. I dunno about you lot, but I write stories that I'd like to read and I wouldn't like to read something that combines - for example - heavy caning and "I wuv you, snookums!". Okay, so I'm exagerrating a bit, but you get the gist.
Wait, wait, wait. I'm overthinking again.
Jack wants:
To get laid.
Pain without humiliation.
A safe environment (and partner) for same.
Ianto wants:
To get laid.
To make Jack happy.
To keep Jack safe.
(And, what the hell, Jack might not be into humiliation right now... which in turn could help lure dark!Ianto out of his lair *evil chortle*.)
However:
- Jack might know his limits, but he doesn't give a damn about them. What's the worst that can happen? Literally: nothing. Safe word? Yeah, right.
- Ianto, for all of his experience in the past, is on new ground. What's happened to Jack goes beyond the bounds of recreational masochism. To be blunt, he's scared. He's simultaneously afraid of trying too hard to make Jack happy and (cue slightlydark!Ianto) of enjoying himself too much that he loses control of himself and the situation. (and dear god, there's a fic idea in that, I know. ETA: In fact, in the past two hours since I wrote that last sentence, I think I've figured it out. *MWUHAHAHA!*)
Y'know, I just want the kids to have fun. I don't know why it's getting so bloody complicated on me. But I think if I keep those two lists in mind, things won't get too complicated.
Thoughts? Plot bunnies? Things my dear faithful readers (both of them) do/don't want to encounter? Heck, if I'm writing for an audience of, what, four of us? I migiht as well cater to you darlings. ;)
***
Meanwhile, I finished listening to the BFA The Wishing Beast just in time for the arrival of the next one (whew!) and I've got to admit, I found it a bit grating. Gods, those dreary old ladies got right up my nose... When Mel isn't the most annoying character in the piece, you know something's wrong.
(I shouldn't be so hard on Mel, really. The character's had a lot more to do in the BFAs and isn't quite as irritating as I rememer her being on the TV show. Then again, that's not saying much.)
Anyway, I'm afraid the story didn't grab me, struck me as predictable, throughout, and most of the cast seemed to be going through the motions, rather than enjoying themselves. Yes, I know that acting is their job and everyone has a bad day at work, sometime, but there's usually a certain undercurrent of joie de vivre in the BFAs (I believe that if you listen really hard, you can hear cast and crew cackling that they're the luckiest SOBs on the planet, but maybe I imagined that) and it just didn't seem to be there for this story. So, yeah, a bit of a clanger on that one, alas. Ah well, they can't all be The Natural History of Fear. As long as they're not all Creed of the Kromon, I'm glad...
I'm seeeeriously eyeballing the box set for the BBC7 Eighth Doctor stories even though I already have them on my iPod (*whistles artlessly*) but I wonder if the subscriber discount mentioned in Big Finish's ad in DWM applies to those of us subscribing via Alien Entertainment? I think it might. I hope so, 'cos the exchange rate is a killer as it is. Regardless, I'm hoping I can stay my hand 'til either a) Alex's next bonus or b) tax refund time (assuming we get one, *mutter*).
Nine times out of ten, I hate hurt-comfort stories. Said ninety-percent of them are annoyingly gooey, and even more contrived than the usual fic (let's be honest with ourselves, kids, the stuff is usually pretty dam' contrived). The other ten percent are bearable but, even then, my inner-cynic is usually pulling faces and making sarcastic remarks by the second page. It's just not my favorite genre.
So, yeah, to realize that several of the scene progressions I've contemplated so far are devolving into hurt-comfort is a bit irritating.
Granted, the situation is slightly unusual in that the same hand that dishes out the hurt is doing the comforting too - but that's no surprise to anyone who's got some knowledge of the scene and, damn, you guys are well-informed, so I can't pull a fast one, there. Also keep in mind that the stereotypical domly-male type gives me a bad fit of the giggles and, besides, that just ain't Ianto. Despite my acknowledgement of most fanfics being frightfully contrived, I do try to keep them somewhat plausible. It's a notion that has sunk more of my fics than it has inspired, alas - but that's a rant for another day.
I've also got an ongoing war in my noggin between the nagging urge to be 'responsible' - ie, not advocating unsafe behavior - and the urge to be, frankly, irresponsible and wicked and c'mon it's only fanfic, Ms. Squees, surely you can stop being a rules-meister for a couple of thousand words? Sigh.
I think dark!Ianto is being an ass at the moment, going into hiding on me now that he's got a chance to come out and play. Well, that and I'm shying away from the contrivances (see above) that could bring him out. That and dark!Ianto is almost certainly going to mean that responsibility will be thrown out the window, which fires up that internal conflict again.
Then there's the fact that whilst newly-messed-up!Jack craves some pretty serious pain in order to get off, humiliation is a bad button. One of the ideas in the stewpot-o-plots involve Ianto inadvertantly hitting that button and the ensuing, uh, hilarity but, dammit, that's one of the ones that went all hurt-comfort on me and GAH! *ahem* Anyways, so I've got a painslut on my hands who doesn't want to be called a painslut, nor is he too keen on restraints, go figure.
*headdesk*
Alright, I can work around this. Lemme think.
I can manage the no-restraints bit fairly easily. There's more than one way to keep a bottom in place and not all of them involve shackles. Thank god I once had a chat with a domme who's favorite boy had an absolute phobia of being tied up. She had some great ideas.
Certainly, I can have Ianto very much buying into the love-and-trust aspect of giving Jack what he needs. As mentioned before, gee, it only took a Time Lord rewiring Jack's head to figure out that he really can trust Ianto with anything - and in that respect Ianto's going to be over the moon. But I don't want the content getting all hearts-and-flowers on me. I dunno about you lot, but I write stories that I'd like to read and I wouldn't like to read something that combines - for example - heavy caning and "I wuv you, snookums!". Okay, so I'm exagerrating a bit, but you get the gist.
Wait, wait, wait. I'm overthinking again.
Jack wants:
To get laid.
Pain without humiliation.
A safe environment (and partner) for same.
Ianto wants:
To get laid.
To make Jack happy.
To keep Jack safe.
(And, what the hell, Jack might not be into humiliation right now... which in turn could help lure dark!Ianto out of his lair *evil chortle*.)
However:
- Jack might know his limits, but he doesn't give a damn about them. What's the worst that can happen? Literally: nothing. Safe word? Yeah, right.
- Ianto, for all of his experience in the past, is on new ground. What's happened to Jack goes beyond the bounds of recreational masochism. To be blunt, he's scared. He's simultaneously afraid of trying too hard to make Jack happy and (cue slightlydark!Ianto) of enjoying himself too much that he loses control of himself and the situation. (and dear god, there's a fic idea in that, I know. ETA: In fact, in the past two hours since I wrote that last sentence, I think I've figured it out. *MWUHAHAHA!*)
Y'know, I just want the kids to have fun. I don't know why it's getting so bloody complicated on me. But I think if I keep those two lists in mind, things won't get too complicated.
Thoughts? Plot bunnies? Things my dear faithful readers (both of them) do/don't want to encounter? Heck, if I'm writing for an audience of, what, four of us? I migiht as well cater to you darlings. ;)
***
Meanwhile, I finished listening to the BFA The Wishing Beast just in time for the arrival of the next one (whew!) and I've got to admit, I found it a bit grating. Gods, those dreary old ladies got right up my nose... When Mel isn't the most annoying character in the piece, you know something's wrong.
(I shouldn't be so hard on Mel, really. The character's had a lot more to do in the BFAs and isn't quite as irritating as I rememer her being on the TV show. Then again, that's not saying much.)
Anyway, I'm afraid the story didn't grab me, struck me as predictable, throughout, and most of the cast seemed to be going through the motions, rather than enjoying themselves. Yes, I know that acting is their job and everyone has a bad day at work, sometime, but there's usually a certain undercurrent of joie de vivre in the BFAs (I believe that if you listen really hard, you can hear cast and crew cackling that they're the luckiest SOBs on the planet, but maybe I imagined that) and it just didn't seem to be there for this story. So, yeah, a bit of a clanger on that one, alas. Ah well, they can't all be The Natural History of Fear. As long as they're not all Creed of the Kromon, I'm glad...
I'm seeeeriously eyeballing the box set for the BBC7 Eighth Doctor stories even though I already have them on my iPod (*whistles artlessly*) but I wonder if the subscriber discount mentioned in Big Finish's ad in DWM applies to those of us subscribing via Alien Entertainment? I think it might. I hope so, 'cos the exchange rate is a killer as it is. Regardless, I'm hoping I can stay my hand 'til either a) Alex's next bonus or b) tax refund time (assuming we get one, *mutter*).
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no subject
Date: 2007-08-30 03:14 am (UTC)That's why I was thrilled to see Jack/Ianto in the first place. They were perfect for kink.
But precisely because Ianto is precise, meticulous, conscientious, and thorough, he's going to require an adjustment period to deal with what's happened to Jack. And in the process boundaries will be tested, and probably passed, and all kinds of old hurts will come to the surface. Whether or not you write about that adjustment period is your choice, but I think it would be emotionally true to your characters to at least mention that it happened, even if you choose to gloss over it.
For my part, I can stand to read it. I dislike artificial hurt/comfort fics; don't these people get hurt enough in canon? But I think it's perfectly legitimate to honestly address the hurts they accumlate over the course of the series. Some of that is going to have to come up (and come out) with both Jack and Ianto, considering all the pain and betrayals they have both been put through recently.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-30 01:55 pm (UTC)This made me laugh for reasons that will make no sense unless you happen to be on my kink filter on my other journal. Suffice it to say that it's an extremely well-timed comment. :)
*ahem*
You make some very good points re: adjustment period. Ironically, some further jottings yesterday had me worried that I was pacing things out *way* too meticulously and, hell, did we really need to take things inch-by-inch and maybe one could just skip to the weird stuff(tm) with just a bit of expository prose at the outset to cover ground in between vignette X and vignette Y.
Maaaaaybe I shouldn't be so concerned about taking things a bit slowly, 'cause I might give readers the bends, otherwise...
As for the h/c stuff - again, fair point. I've got a (figurative) big sticky note labelled "Lisa" in the margins, but I'm sure there's more I should dredge up.
Oh darn, I guess I need to go watch some eps again. ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-08-30 05:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-30 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-30 04:51 am (UTC)Re advocating responsible behavior: I think the discerning reader realizes that writing about particular behaviors in fiction doesn't necessarily indicate that the writer advocates them, obviously. And I'd hope that no one looks to fiction for their safer sex information. That being said, if you're particularly concerned, I've certainly seen other writers dealing with similar material include a note about not trying this at home, or I s'pose you could even include a link to information about safe practices.
Re plot bunnies, etc. I can't think of anything at the moment, though I was sort of poking at stuff back in your previous post. Possibly something will occur to me later, though.