shapinglight | Writing stuff (or mostly) and prompt request

Re my last post about

summer_of_giles,

Because I am a glutton for punishment, I've signed up for two days, and have spent most of the afternoon writing three really terrible drabbles. The idea is to do a series of them for one day and a longer fic for the other one. I'm okay for the drabbles. I know what I'm doing. But anything longer, my mind's a blank.

Any prompt suggestions very welcome.

Writing the terrible drabbles is in fact the most constructive thing I've done since I got back from London over a week ago. :(

I keep thinking I should be working on that stalled Spangel story (stalled since 2008, or whenever it was), but I just don't have the will. It all seems too difficult.

I don't even have the will to start revising Family Reunion, the last of my old stories that I want to put up on A03. I should at least do that, shouldn't I?

Not tonight, though. Tonight I'm going to watch Star Trek: Into Darkness for the first time, since it's now available on Netflix.

Oh, and I finished watching Daredevil last night. Thought the last episode was stupid.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

kikimay

Please, do the Spangel fic!

Prompt for Giles: Giles and Angel after Amends, what happened after Angel was saved by the magic snow.

From:

shapinglight

Please, do the Spangel fic!

I would love to do the Spangel fic. It just doesn't seem to want to get written. :(

That is an interesting prompt. I can see Giles being quite disappointed about the magic snow.

From:

rbfvid.livejournal.com

Did you say "prompts"? =)

Spike and Giles watch a Manchester/Liverpool game while rooting for opposing teams.

What if it was Giles, not Joyce, who started having headaches during S5? (considering his history of head injuries)

Giles/Jenny in AU, where instead of killing Jenny Calendar, Angelus turned her.

Hurt/comfort Giles/Anya fic, set during Tabula Rasa. Giles comforting Anya after they watched Monthy Python not knowing about her phobia.

And Giles/Wesley not-exactly-a-prompt in a graphic form: http://textsfromwhedonverse.tumblr.com/post/93340375011

From:

the-moonmoth.livejournal.com

Omfg that third one!

From:

kikimay

Wow, these are amazing especially the second and the third one (Which I always thought like vampire!Jenny wouldn't be more heartbreaking?)

From:

il_mio_capitano

That third one is a beast!

From:

shapinglight

Your third prompt is just wonderful.

Poor Giles. He'd be completely distraught.

I will have to have a think.

From:

dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com

I don't have a specific prompt but Giles and Anya, either as a couple or just working together.

From:

shapinglight

They actually made a very good couple.

And I could never understand why Marti Noxon said eww! at the idea. Anya was hardly a 'normal' 20 year old.

From:

dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com

I do like them as a couple but didn't want to limit the prompt. I don't know either. Giles/Anya is no worse than Buffy/Angel or Buffy Spike.

From:

shapinglight

No. I suppose they just go by appearances and think the audience will do the same (which some of them may).

From:

dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com

And I don't suppose Anya would be willing to pull a Samantha (from Bewitched) to make her self look as old as Giles.

From:

the-moonmoth.livejournal.com

Prompt for Giles & Buffy: trying (and failing?) to repair their relationship post-Chosen.

As a life-long trekkie I have v mixed feelings about Into Darkness, but I won't spoil you...

From:

shapinglight

I don't have mixed feelings about it. It was bloody awful!

From:

the-moonmoth.livejournal.com

Ha ha ha! It certainly had the whitest Singh I've ever met. But I kinda enjoyed the ott Kirk/Spock, even if it was total queer-baiting :-s

From:

shapinglight

Ha ha ha! It certainly had the whitest Singh I've ever met.

Not to mention with the stupidest, most mixed up name. But that applied to the original Khan too, of course.

But I kinda enjoyed the ott Kirk/Spock, even if it was total queer-baiting :-s

I dunno if I'd use such a harsh term, but it was there for the slashers, no doubt.

To me, the whole film had an air of 'can't really be bothered' about it. And the plot was stupid.

From:

rebcake.livejournal.com

Yeah, not the best Trek, but also not the worst.

I think "Family Reunion" is absolutely perfect, just as it is. Well, true perfection is not possible, but it's one of my favorites of yours. I'd be willing to provide feedback, if that would be helpful.

You already got some great prompts for the SOG story! I was going to suggest something with Faith, as I would love to see you write her, but I may have to hang on to that for myself. Peer pressure led me to sign up, too! *points at you*

From:

shapinglight

Yeah, not the best Trek, but also not the worst.

Well, I haven't seen any of the Next Gen films and plan to keep it that way, but of the old Trek films, 5 is pretty damn bad.

I think "Family Reunion" is absolutely perfect, just as it is. Well, true perfection is not possible, but it's one of my favorites of yours. I'd be willing to provide feedback, if that would be helpful.

When I say revise, I don't really want to do much to it. Just tidy it up a bit the way I did Vampire Winter. On the other hand, there are certain aspects of Spike's relationship with Erroll and Ravinder that I feel need clarifying. I mean, I do think it's problematic that there's a scene where Ravinder actually gets on her knees to Spike.

On the other hand, the scene's from Clueless Annabelle's POV, so it would be tricky to make it any more explicit that it's a sire/child thing and nothing to do with race.

But I am a bit scared of offending people.

I should have a go at writing Faith. She's the only major BtVS character I've never written (unless you count Andrew, which I don't). I just don't know if I can do it, though.

Edited Date: 2015-05-30 06:09 pm (UTC)

From:

rebcake.livejournal.com

it's a sire/child thing

I thought that was pretty clear. Also a two hot humanoids thing. I had remembered it as Errol providing service, so I'm clearly not completely clear on details. But I do remember Spike being used quite a bit by all and sundry, so it sort of all evens out, IMHO. (Besides, Spike has a lot of personal charisma, I think most people/vampires in his orbit would be willing, if not eager, to make him "happy".*) Both Ravinder and Errol are such good characters, and sorely needed in this fandom. Again, IMHO. Hey, if you want to write a few more sex scenes with them to make it all fair and stuff, I won't discourage you.

One never knows how people will take things, but I don't think it's offensive. It's certainly not even close to the most disturbing thing in the story, which is a horror story, after all. If your readers are willing to accept the polymorphous perversity of vampires, they are already pretty far down the track of not-easily-offended. I'd suggest putting up a warning about "disturbing vampire sex" or something, and leaving it at that.

I'd sort of like to see more of the reason for Annabelle's release at the end, if you're willing. I couldn't figure out why she would be spared. Perhaps so Colin had something special to hunt when he came of age? Brrrrr.

Your Faith would be terrific! It's not as exciting an idea as those above, but I was thinking that Giles could take a more active watcherly role with her when she shows up in S3. It seems like his misspent youth could help him to understand her, though it's probably also a reason for him to shy away. Clearly, I haven't thought this through entirely.

A friend of mine met Bill Clinton and Mr. President Obama Sir, and said much the same about them. *shrugs*

From:

shapinglight

I thought that was pretty clear. Also a two hot humanoids thing. I had remembered it as Errol providing service, so I'm clearly not completely clear on details.

It's not actually a sex scene. Ravinder's said or done something to piss Spike off, and she gets on her knees and begs forgiveness (rather grudgingly, because she doesn't really like him, hates that he can pull rank on her and is very jealous of his relationship with Erroll, because she doesn't like anyone but herself touching Erroll). I haven't read the scene for a long time. I'd have to see if it's as bad as I think or not.

I have started revising the story, btw. Mainly tidying for language. Way too many long, clause-heavy sentences, plus a few POV problems in the Annabelle sections.

As for Annabelle's release, yes I'll have to explain that a bit better. I think Spike lets her go because he knows she's now so afraid of him he has nothing to fear from her even if one day she becomes the Slayer. So he's kind of destroyed her, if you like (horror story). But I'll have to make sure it's clear.

I'm not sure about my Faith being terrific. I'm not sure I can write her at all. I'll have to practice.

From:

double_dutchess

Something about Giles and Spike in the summer of Buffy's death (S5/S6).

From:

shapinglight

It is an interesting period to write about them. It has been done a lot, though.

Not by me, I suppose. Hmm...

From:

double_dutchess

Oops, I haven't read much Giles fic so wasn't really aware that this has already been done to death. Feel free to ignore the suggestion -- maybe I should just go off to find all those other fics :-)

From:

shapinglight

I'm not sure how many of them are still around.

shadowscast wrote a nice Spike/Giles fic, which I think was set in that period. There's also a series co-written by someone called Wolfling.

I'm afraid I just don't know where you'd find these. Some of them might be on A03.

From:

double_dutchess

Thank you -- I've found both of them and put them on my reading list!

From:

shapinglight

shadowscast is really good. You should read all her stuff. I'm not much of a Spander fan, but I make an exception for her.

From:

ex_peasant441

Following his retirement, Giles is missing the company of young people - so he signs up as a scout leader. Then, at the jamboree, who should turn up leading another pack...

From:

shapinglight

Erm...no.

From:

ex_peasant441

*sighs*
You have no vision.

I mainly thought of this cos your icon always looks to me like Giles is wearing a neckscarf and woggle.

From:

shapinglight

I actually find the idea of Giles as a scoutmaster rather creepy.

From:

ex_peasant441

Creepy? Dear God, he would pass his CRB check! I was imagining a humorous tale in which he was trying to stop Spike eating scouts while simultaneously struggling with his own desire to sleep with Spike.