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

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

i did something like that once. i was applying for the young sci-fi writers of america scholarship. i had a great short story, but it wasn't sci-fi. so i went through and changed some details so it would seem sci-fi-y... guess it didn't translate well, cause they never got back to me.
or my story was just to creepy.

i love that story *sigh* i'm gonna go read it now.. ever have those? you read something of yours, then afterwards go "wow, i wrote that?" only with awe, not "oh god, i wrote that.."... not that i'm tooting my own horn, but i think my story is really good.. enough talking about it...heh

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

^too creepy

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Cursed Artefacts For Sale was such hell to write that every time I read it I feel like I'm reading someone else's story. I story I really like, but I don't remember writing a fun, light-hearted piece of humor. I remember a torturous, miserable slog. So, hey, Cursed Artefacts is always fresh to me.

Icarus

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

well, writing is usually painful for me.. cause it's like.. i have this great idea...but wait, i actually have to put effort? why can't i just touch my brain, and this magnificent story writes itself, because it's already all up there.
i just love the story, cause mine have to have a kick at the end. not necessarily a twist, but they have to have the perfect ending line. and most do, because no matter how many times i read em, i always get chills from that last line.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

So it didn't work when you sawed off the serial numbers, huh?

Icarus