Sawing off the serial numbers in the fanfic chop shop

[icarus]

Welcome to the Fanfiction Chop Shop, where fanfics are taken apart and turned into "real" fiction for the sake of creative writing instructors.

Here we demonstrate that the fanfic author can write, so that said professor will allow a certain fanfic author (namely, me) to include Nanowrimo as part of the creative writing class in the fall.

Cool, huh?

Here's the trick: It can't even look like fanfiction by the time I'm done with it. In fact, he's even iffy about genre fiction, but willing to observe a genre fic that has strong characterization and a plot that doesn't hinge on the cool sci-fi/magical shit.

This means the story I slice apart and buff a little (or a lot) needs to demonstrate:

1) I can write plot, a discernable story arc
2) I can write believable characters (trickier than you think with fanfiction, because we're riffing off canon we already know)
3) I can write setting
4) I can write a clear and consistent character POV
5) it can't be porn

Damn. Yeah. That last one's a toughie. That just took out almost all of my stories (so much for Beg Me For It).

So, the chop shop door is open. Seedy-looking criminals are ready with the grinders, welding equipment, and paint to take a story apart. Now I just need your opinion. Which story or stories should I try to turn into "original" fiction? What's doable do ya think?

[Poll #811473]

ETA: Sorry this is so wide. I wrote my own poll code and didn't know the text box would do that. Grgh. It won't let me edit the poll.

ETA2: Darn. I forgot to include Traces Through Time. Pretend it's there.

Comments

[forked.livejournal.com]

I went with 'First Signs..' over 'Cursed Artifacts' because I think it would be easier to make it work as a pure standalone. I think for me, part of the charm in 'Cursed Artifacts' stemmed from it being Harry and Snape doing the shopping. All of that baggage lurking in the background setting the stage made it more powerful as a piece of fanfic than as an original story.

I mean, most good fanfic is like that to some extent. But I think the 'First Signs' stories would be easier to 'file' and require fewer changes to get the same level of emotional punch.

Let us know how it works out- I'd love to hear what a prof has to say about any of those, even in a 'filed down' version.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

All of that baggage lurking in the background setting the stage made it more powerful as a piece of fanfic than as an original story.

You have a point there. The fact that they're buying Cursed Artefacts harkens back to Snape's Dark connections. The fact Harry's willing (sort of) to go along with it says how far he's willing to got to make the relationship work. It's not just an annoying (and dangerous) hobby. It's a willingness to accept Snape's dark side as part of him.

It's true, in First Signs you can do a kid-switch, and the Drs Granger are essentially OCs. I wonder how my prof would feel about my obviously borrowing the Harry Potter universe....

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Hmm. My first attempt went very poorly. I didn't realize how much my stories rely upon the implied backstory. Characterization drains out like color under a blacklight.

I'm going to try again, though, just out of stubborness.

Icarus