Some notes, because I am lame and terrifying

[sekritomg]

This is the most ambitious story I have ever written, fandom or otherwise. Plotting it out had been fairly difficult, and it's only about half done right now.

But I'm posting the first part because it's Valentine's Day. Or it was.


So, like, the idea here is fairly complex, in that this story can either be taken at face value, or as a scathing (not really) meditation on the nature of a certain kind of cliched Stan/Kyle story. As it happens I did write out a list of cliches that I wanted to exploit, and perhaps if there is some interest, after the story is done, I'll post it. But beyond that, I am getting at a specific kind of relationship between the two main characters, and I hope that comes through.

Also, I got such good feedback on the first thing I posted, which was only about 300 words, that I feel like I should quit while I'm ahead. I feel like that was a fluke. But I guess all writers are insecure in their abilities. Or perhaps we all should be. I'm not certain.

I also happen to be working on several single-shot stories, but I make no claims on when (or if) anything will get finished. In fact, I waited until I was positive I would finish this to post any of this, and I still feel a little uncomfortable. But having been in this fandom for around a month and a half, I think that I kind of want to do my part to be a creator rather than just a consumer of material. WOW THIS SOUNDS LAME. But, uh, whatever. Please just enjoy.


ETA: OH SHIT I FORGOT TO MENTION. There are some original characters in this story. But one of them honestly goes away after the first chapter, and the other is really incidental.

Thank you.

Comments

[imaginaaation.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweet, I read on ff.net before I found this, and I'm thrilled with the idea! It sounds like what I'd been hoping for, which is something really new and original. For the sake of the fandom, keep it up! I definitely wish I could stay out of the pitfalls of cliches. You do it fabulously. And I am loving the original characters so far. They're too smart and casual not to like.

I hope you do end up posting oneshots! I get so impatient waiting for more writing. Feeeed meeee.

(P.S. The feedback on your first fic could've theoretically been a fluke, I guess, but I myself am positive it wasn't. I actually think you deserved waaay more than what you got.)

[sekrit-omg.livejournal.com]

I had to think about what to reply to first.

Anyway.

I don't really know how new and original this is. But it seems to me that there are three kinds of Stan/Kyle stories, high school, college, and post-college, and they all have their own fanon conventions that need to be either embraced or broken down entirely. So why not write a story that basically goes after those cliches, for better or for worse?

The thing is, I think a lot of them have stuck because they actually work, or because it's too difficult to break away from them. I think Kenny is a good example of this: He literally has no voice, so his character traits are usually reduced to poverty (which in itself isn't a character trait) and being a foul-mouthed sex fiend. So, how the hell do you write that character any differently? Or is it not even worth stressing out over? Blah blah blah. I do happen to think that your tactic of making Kenny the narrator is a good way to side-step the issue. I think he makes a good paradigm for what I've been trying to do, and hopefully that will become clear, provided I didn't FAIL.

This is going to turn into a total circle jerk sooner or later but I totally do not care at all. Your stories (and art, although I'm not as into DA as most people) are awesome, and a lot of fun to read. So naturally your feedback means a lot to me.

Okay, time to jam over to FF.net.

[imaginaaation.livejournal.com]

Great idea! I fail to see how a super-original fic could turn out to be for worse. And righto, I agree with you. Especially the Kenny comparison, because really, his financial status and sex drive have totally become his fanon's defining characteristics. And while they're probably decent extrapolations of his eight-year-old self, yeah, they're just everywhere. I'm very excited to see what you do. Psh, like you're going to fail. I'm already shamelessly excited for updates (and fooking thrilled at your mention of long chapters).

I'm completely unworthy of circle jerk-ness, fo shizzle, but thank you very much!! Means so much coming from you, seriously. Trying to get integrated in a new fandom has always been an awkward experience for me, and you're making it a thousand times easier. Thanks a million for that!

FF.net is kind of bitching out on me, sorry, I'll get back to you there ASAP. (Are you having problems logging in, or is it just my whiny-ass laptop?)

[sekrit-omg.livejournal.com]

Hi, sorry for the late reply. For some reason my friend convinced me to go on a last-minute cross-country road trip.

Oh, I'm totally writing Kenny as poor and sex-obsessed. I mean, these cliches come from somewhere. (Except for Kyle-as-uke, I honestly don't know where that came from even though I love it.) But I think I'm going to do an okay job making into something more than that. We'll see, I guess. You can judge.

Also, no. FF.net is working fine for me. Although I am kind of pissed that you need to have submitted five stories to register as a beta-reader. Bastards.

[imaginaaation.livejournal.com]

Whatev, being social totally beats the Internet! Last-minute makes it win that much harder. Hope you had fun!

Whoops, sorry! That kind of relieves me, actually, because I could not for the life of me think of another way to write Kenny. I'm writing my review now, though, and I actually don't see those cliches in him at all. I fucking adore the way you did him! You're tapping into a tragedy that's so rarely hit upon. <3 Very, very nice.

Wtf, I still can't sign in. I'm thinking a friend changed my log-in or something, haha. And you can register as a beta? Where the hell have I been, that's sweet!! I'd just write a bunch of sidestories to fill the five. Some awesome drabbles, yeeeah.

[sekrit-omg.livejournal.com]

Hey, guess what? Because you reviewed on FF.net anonymously, I can't reply to you. Sad.

So, yeah. Road trip? Awesome.

I can't believe Kenny's not the focus of this story and I've spent this much time talking about him. But, whatever. I mean, it stands to reason that if 8-year-old Kenny is poor and horny, 16-year-old Kenny would be. What I'm trying to figure out is how to write him without these being his only characterizations. Like I said before, I think your technique of putting the entire story in Kenny's mind was a great way to do this, because when a character is giving first-person narration it forces the writer to make him extremely balanced. So I completely give you credit for that.

Yeah, you can register as a beta! I wish I could bang out like three really short ficlets or something and just do it. Anyway, dude, you'd better get your log-in back. I'd be flipping the fuck out. Especially if I thought a friend did it. That's not funny. FANFICTION IS VERY SERIOUS.

Okay, as per FF.net:

Look, write long-ass reviews. I love it. It makes up for the fact that no one else is reviewing this shit. Which I don't care about at all.

Right.

You'll probably be disappointed by the mystery twist at the end. Oh my god, this story is such a mess. Thank god it's really fun to write.

I guess if I were going to be friends with one of the characters in this story it would have to be Kenny. (Or Craig, but you have yet to really meet him.) Stan isn't a bad guy, but ... he's not quite as clueless as he's trying to come off as. I feel kind of bad just writing this out on LiveJournal, but, like, it's a Stan/Kyle story. So honestly I'm probably not revealing too much of the ending by saying that.

I'm also happy to say I just figured out how to write Tweek into chapter 6. Which happens to be taking forever to write. God, this story is a mess.

Mmm, let's see. There will be some more about the parents later. Also, it really is hard trying to figure out how to keep it South Park-y without going overboard. I think the ending, no matter how unsatisfying it'll probably be, is, like, totally mirroring what would happen on the show. So who knows.

Anyway, at the end of this reply, I have to thank you for continuing to read and review and so on. I'm not sure people really like this very much, but if one person does (especially if it's someone awesome) it's way worth it.

[imaginaaation.livejournal.com]

Oops, really quick here before I respond in depth, I just noticed that half my review got cut off. Geethnx, ff.net. Do you mind me posting a part two? I don't want to review!spam, but darnit, I totally had more to say than that. XD

[sekrit-omg.livejournal.com]

PLZ D0

I mean, please do.