I just heard back from my prof.

[icarus]

Just heard back from my writing professor whom I sent this story earlier today to prove I could write and therefore deserved to participate in NaNoWriMo as part of my classwork this fall. I've been in hope/fear freefall until I opened this:

Hi [Icarus],

Thanks for sending me that excerpt. At least the Federal Government can't touch your writing talent. I'm really impressed by what you've given me. I don't quite know what's going on in terms of the story/plot, but it shows a real intuition about starting a scene in the moment and being attuned to what's going on in an environment. It also seems to show some real character development and depth. It seems to read like literary fiction so far, but if cars start blowing up in the next scene...well, then maybe it isn't. Anyway, we can talk about this more once class starts, and I really don't see anything wrong with doing NaNoWriMo during class. Lord knows you're a brave soul. Good luck with your adventures in bureaucracy, and I'll see you in class.

[Writing Professor]

P.S. I'm switching classrooms because the original one sucked, so keep an eye out for an email telling you where the new location is.



Okay, now I'm teary-eyed. So I can write. This was from a professor who was expecting junk from a wannabee "genre" writer. And, barring any more financial aid problems (I'm still hoping what's going on now can be resolved), I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year as part of my class.

He didn't need as much as I thought. teaphile, I think this let's you off the hook, but if you still want to beta "Out Of Bounds" I would welcome it.

Comments

[tonicollins.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

It seems to read like literary fiction so far, but if cars start blowing up in the next scene...well, then maybe it isn't.

I think this guy needs to look at current best seller lists and if that's too plebian, re-read A Midsummer Night's Dream. Or perhaps The Turn of the Screw or The Portrait of Dorian Gray or... well, there's quite a long list of what was once 'pulp' that are now classics. I'd hate to think that this guy could influence an upcoming Dickens.

Woo-hoo!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Makes me wonder where he got his ideas (though you have like a guy who tells you the classroom he was assigned "sucks"). Obviously someone out there is teaching this strange and illogical distinction.

Icarus

[swtalmnd]

Congratulations!! I knew you could write -- I bet he sees a LOT of crap go by his desk, especially by women who want to write fantasy or romance, or guys who want to do spy novels or horror. You've always had more going for your writing than the genre!

Oh, so happy.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Best. Icon. Ever. *leers*

I bet he sees a LOT of crap go by his desk, especially by women who want to write fantasy or romance

I think he braced himself before he opened my ficlet.

I think most of us fanfic writers have more going for us than the genre, because the canon is only the starting point.

Icarus

[rike-tikki-tavi.livejournal.com]

Hey, congrats to your writing professor seeing reason. Though from his letters, the last one and this one he seems to have some very wierd notions about genre fiction. Since when does good sci fi or fantasy lack characterisation. And if that comment about blowing up cars is for the de-fanficced piece from your last post, then he deserves a whack on the head. That's such a beautiful, intimate scene (whether you know SG1 or not) and that comment was really inappropriate. Grrrr!

Hope you get the student loan thing figured out.

Will now slink away again, because I still owe you feedback for the Last Port of Call sequel. *hangs head in shame*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Will now slink away again, because I still owe you feedback for the Last Port of Call sequel. *hangs head in shame*

Yes, well, I plan to hold that against you forever if only to wring more lovely reviews from you. ;)

Don't be silly. You're not obligated to review. You're only obligated to rec the story. *broad wink*

And if that comment about blowing up cars is for the de-fanficced piece from your last post, then he deserves a whack on the head.

It is, but it looks worse out of context.

I told him to try and guess if it was genre or not and that was his guess, that it probably was genre (he knows I was working on a blackops story) but it read like lit to him.

I guess to him literary is a synonym for "quality." I'll work on him over the quarter. *indulgent sigh*

Icarus

[insaneboingo.livejournal.com]

That's wonderful what your writing professor said.

You're going to be doing NanoWrimo? I will be too. ^__^

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

You, too? *hugs excitedly* Oh my god, I'm slightly freaked now.

Icarus

[insaneboingo.livejournal.com]

Yay for being excited. ^__^ Don't freak out.

I'm excited as well, and quite intimidated. I know a lot of people who are going to enter and I adore thier work (you're in that category, lovely).

[teaphile.livejournal.com]

I think this let's you off the hook, but if you still want to beta "Out Of Bounds" I would welcome it.

Okay, that answers that question. I'd be happy to beta it (I kind of already did in places. I can't let certain things go by.)

[teaphile.livejournal.com]

Oh, speaking of strange creative writing profs, I had one who gave me a C on a story for one, single, misplaced semicolon. This is the same guy whose course outline was written in sentence fragments one of which informed us that poems don't have to "rime".

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Unbelievable. I think that's what's known in the vernacular as an "asshole."

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I got all of your messages, and yes, oh yes please, and thank you.

Oh my god, I'm doing NaNo this year. *eyde-eyed panic* And because it's part of class I have to do original fiction. And he might let me do sci-fi or fantasy... but probably not. I've no idea what I'm doing now.

This is cool. I'm so going to hate this by November 15th. But I did write Primer to the Dark Arts in a six week crush just like this, so I'm pretty sure I can do it.

Icarus

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Ooooo validation from an authority figure! Now that's something you can cruise on until you get your first novel published. Cool stuff.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ooooo validation from an authority figure!

I know! I'm going to live off of that. In fact, I doubt I'll need to eat for days.

Icarus

[wishwords.livejournal.com]

That's wonderful. Nothing like encouragement from a professor.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

No kidding, and wow.

And now... I'm doing NaNoWriMo.

Icarus *goggles*

[twistedrecesses.livejournal.com]

Good for you! :)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Such a relief. On to the next worry! *g*

Icarus

[quivo.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I'm so happy he said that. Looks like he got a good glimpse of what we all see in your writing - a great amount of talent. :D

Oh, me too.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I thought he'd want a lot more, but he just needed a glimpse I guess. Or he's cutting me some slack because of the financial aid mess.

Icarus

[ella-bane.livejournal.com]

Isn't it funny how lots of people on the Internet can tell us how great we are, but the moment someone outside the fan fic world tells us the same thing, it feels more true?

On that note, I could have told you what a great a writer you are! *is cheeky*

Good luck on NANOWRIMO!

True.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I suspect it's because we know how much we love the characters and canon of our fanfic worlds and are willing to stretch for a decent story about them. We know that someone outside our little bubble won't cut us the same amount of slack.

Icarus

[wordwitch.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Oh my dear, I know what he was expecting - and even at your least good, you are still two and a half city blocks away from there!

I'm glad he was reasonable.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh my dear, I know what he was expecting...

You know what, you're right. I think the word "dreading" is probably appropriate.

Icarus

[electricandroid.livejournal.com]

I AM NOT going to point and laugh at you. really.

You rock as a writer. And (remembering the LOTR with a certain bugeyed horror) you have improved insanely and will keep on improving because you challenge yourself. Am very very impressed by you....

Also... I CANNOT WAIT TO READ NANOICKY. WOOO!

This is brought to you by wekk 3 of food deprivation and counting

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

And (remembering the LOTR with a certain bugeyed horror) you have improved insanely

Whenever I'm told my current stories spring from some sort of magical wellspring of natural talent, I pull out my dreadfully dull 2001 LOTR fics. Oh no, we're talking work here.

I studied Telanu and Maya and other writers I thought were both successful and good. My current study is auburnnothenna, who is not just good, but brilliant. Also, the world's most flexible author to beta-read, a sponge for ideas, and a hard-working perfectionist.

Also... I CANNOT WAIT TO READ NANOICKY. WOOO!

I... have no clue what I'm going to write. Last year I was going to write Snape Manor, but this has to be original fiction for my class, so....

Icarus

[nicocoer.livejournal.com]

You totally deserve any compliments you get on your writing. YOu totally have all the skills.

*hugs* Love ya! You are awesome, smart, and. .. yay!

Okay, I'm a little huggy with all the friends I have today. but I really do admire you and love reading about your life. :)

~N~

Sweetness galore.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, you should have a new James Bond name: Sweetness Galore. ;)

My life is a little dull at the moment, I fear.

Icarus

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

good teachers can recognize talent without too many words. :)

[enname.livejournal.com]

Despite being an opinionated so and so, at least he is able to recognise talent when it does land in front of him. That is worth him being sceptical and having issues with genre (let's just say I have issues with his issues) because, dammit, he sees what the rest of us see. Which is bucket loads of talent. So, yay you.

Go and glow for a few weeks, you deserve it.

Ok and now I have just looked up what the hell nanowrimo is, it is making sense now. Goodluck with that :P

Ah. Funding and governments, I know both these issues well. *goes back to trying to not throw self off high buildings*

[theemdash]

I can tell you from experience that most writing professors are terrified of genre writing. But you can write a literary-worthy sci-fi story. (You have to twist professors' arms to get them to admit that, though.)

Good luck with the class. Expect the same kind of resistance from your fellow writers. You'll also get many that encourage you and then stick their noses up at you behind closed doors. But I can guarantee you that after they read your work, they'll be kissing your ass.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

He may let me slip genre in through the back door, but genre is verboten in the class for everyone else.

Another writing professor of mine was pro-genre (pro-creativity, hey) but he said that the students of his who wrote sci-fi (he didn't have any other genres) struggled more than the others. He said, "I'm not sure why."

I think I know. Sci-fi and fantasy both require world-building, which is an extra (giant) step. Students who needed to develop their ability to keep POV, build a plot arc, characterization, were getting distracted with the hard work of world-building. Which, by the way, doesn't happen in fanfic because the canon is already prefab.

Icarus

[flamesword.livejournal.com]

*hugs* That's excellent news, darlin'. Good on you!