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Entry tags:
writing waffling and a rant about aus and verses
I've been mulling over what to write, despite the fact that I haven't written anything since last December, I think. I've got two half-finished novels on my hands, one unwritten novel, and one novel in desperate need of revision. I'm thinking of finishing up the SGA one or changing all the names in the other one, since it's pretty much an original novel anyway, but it's hard to see how to categorise the high fantasy gay teen romance it then turns into.
My dad wants me to try to revise the managerslash novel I wrote in 2004 and sell it because he operates from the theory that no sale is a bad sale (which is easy to say when you keep publishing in Asimov's, but although I had a lot of fun with the managerslash, I don't expect to gain a lot of acclaim or even, quite likely, any money from it; besides which it will take a near-total rewrite before I'm willing to risk it being put into print). I also actually have a somewhat developed YA idea that came to me a few months ago that doesn't have any gay sex whatsoever. The exciting part is that despite that fact, I'm still maintaining an intent to write it. We'll see about all that.
This leaves aside the other things I've been planning to get into, like another episode of the (Arashi) Just Like Verse, for one. That might make a good writing exercise to get back into the swing, since it's bound to be short. While I'm on the subject of the term "Verse", let me just add something. Let me add...
"Verse" stands for "Universe" when we use it to describe a series of fiction stories that fall together is chapters, sequels, etc. When you say that something is an "AU", that stands for "Alternate Universe". Do you notice anything in common between these terms? That's right! It's the UNIVERSE part.
So if you're calling something, for the sake of argument, the Just Like Verse, or the Supermarket AU, that's all you need to call them. If it's an AU, it's already a Verse. If it's a Verse, it might or might not be an A, but it's definitely a U.
It's not the Fiddler Crabs and Dragonflies AU Verse, even if it is in fact a Verse, and even if it's decidedly alternate, because that is like calling it the Fiddler Crabs and Dragonflies Alternate Universe Universe. Savvy? (Reading through whole tags on del.icio.us always makes me want to attack the screen furiously with a red pencil. TAGGING AND SUMMARISING STUFF: UR DOIN IT RONG.)
My dad wants me to try to revise the managerslash novel I wrote in 2004 and sell it because he operates from the theory that no sale is a bad sale (which is easy to say when you keep publishing in Asimov's, but although I had a lot of fun with the managerslash, I don't expect to gain a lot of acclaim or even, quite likely, any money from it; besides which it will take a near-total rewrite before I'm willing to risk it being put into print). I also actually have a somewhat developed YA idea that came to me a few months ago that doesn't have any gay sex whatsoever. The exciting part is that despite that fact, I'm still maintaining an intent to write it. We'll see about all that.
This leaves aside the other things I've been planning to get into, like another episode of the (Arashi) Just Like Verse, for one. That might make a good writing exercise to get back into the swing, since it's bound to be short. While I'm on the subject of the term "Verse", let me just add something. Let me add...
"Verse" stands for "Universe" when we use it to describe a series of fiction stories that fall together is chapters, sequels, etc. When you say that something is an "AU", that stands for "Alternate Universe". Do you notice anything in common between these terms? That's right! It's the UNIVERSE part.
So if you're calling something, for the sake of argument, the Just Like Verse, or the Supermarket AU, that's all you need to call them. If it's an AU, it's already a Verse. If it's a Verse, it might or might not be an A, but it's definitely a U.
It's not the Fiddler Crabs and Dragonflies AU Verse, even if it is in fact a Verse, and even if it's decidedly alternate, because that is like calling it the Fiddler Crabs and Dragonflies Alternate Universe Universe. Savvy? (Reading through whole tags on del.icio.us always makes me want to attack the screen furiously with a red pencil. TAGGING AND SUMMARISING STUFF: UR DOIN IT RONG.)
no subject
Dude. That sounds rather awesome.
Um...can I add to your "verse" rant by saying that to me "verse" is poetry and that I'd really rather people used 'verse when talking about the shortened form of universe? Which is totally nit-picky and annoying of me, but...because "AU Verse" could totally mean that they'd written the entire thing in, you know, verse. I'm sure it's been done. *cringes at the thought*
no subject
For one thing, I think that most people would call what you're describing a Verse AU or Poetry AU, and they'd be even more likely (and much more accurate) to call it an AU in Verse. I mean, really, I'd parse "AU Verse" as the one verse of a poem or song that was AU when the rest was still compatible with canon. And of course, "AU Verse" is already redundant so it's wrong either way. That is, unless it really is one or more stanzas of poetry about an AU.
no subject
no subject
Although the thing I always felt was strange was when I called the Supermarket AU - when I thought it was clear and obvious that that was it's title - the number of people who would just call it "The Supermarket".
(My favourite redundancy in my life is one that pops up all the time with people calling to get my work's SPIN number. Which usually involves telling them that we don't have a SPIN, but we have an SFN number. *facepalm*)