I am way overthinking this... (Kaleidoscope manifesto)

[shimotsuki]

...but it's so ironic that the Remus biography was released just as I've been making a push to seriously finish Kaleidoscope. As much fun as it was to get more background information, it has shut down my fanfic brain just as effectively as DH did until I decided to write them a new ending. ;)

Seriously, what's hard about this is I've always prided myself on being strictly canon-compliant (except for that pesky death thing), and now by definition Kaleidoscope can't be -- I've got too many specific details in there that we now know aren't what JKR imagined for them.

So I think to get over the writer's block problem, I just need to make myself some new ground rules for finishing Kaleidoscope. Here goes: For anything that happened before Remus makes his first appearance in canon, I will hew to the new information from the bio. So this includes Remus's childhood, parents' names and histories, and so on. (I do have to assume that Lyall dies prior to OotP, but I don't think the bio explicitly contradicts this.) But from the time-frame of PoA onward, Kaleidoscope is compliant with book-canon only.

I think I can work with this. And venting about it here has already made me feel better. ;)
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Comments

[solochan.livejournal.com]

Venting is always good and perfectly understandable. You have been working on the series a long time, a very long time in fact and new information for anything is hard to take in if it contradicts your way of believing in a character.

You have nothing to worry about - I'm sure the die hard fans of Kaleidoscope will not care about the specifics now you've addressed them!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the encouragement!

A very long time indeed, like, seven years, lol. I'm just too slow for my own good.

I think my brain will settle down and behave once I know what the system is I need to use. It was just tricky working that out, heh.

[tegdoh.livejournal.com]

Canon (especially Potterverse canon) is just a suggestion. ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Too true! I like writing fanfic with constraints, like writing to prompts, for eaxmple, and keeping canon-compliant amuses me. It's just hard when "canon" keeps changing.

But I think you're right that there's actual book canon, and then there's extra stuff...

[alias-amy.livejournal.com]

You're not overthinking it, and its perfectly understandable that your writing mojo has taken a hit. I've been working on my novel a long time, and every time I hear about another book in the same area I die a little bit inside :-P Not to mention, the last time I told someone the plot of my book, their reaction was, "isn't that the same as such and such by so-and-so?" And then I'm all, "WHY DO I BOTHER!"

But I would also very gently suggest that canon is what was established in the 7 books. It was sealed, solid state, it was done. Of course JKR may have some other thoughts in mind now, but she presented the world with a finished product. Think of it this way -- it's like George Lucas continuing to tinker with the Star Wars saga, i.e., making it clear that Han Solo didn't shoot first (if you're not into Star Wars, this won't make sense!) He'd created this character and everybody embraced that maybe Han Solo wasn't a saint, and then Lucas had to go back and "fix" something that didn't need fixing! Coming back and adding details to a character ten or twenty years later is a hindsight, almost AU perspective.

[train-lindz.livejournal.com]

There is no question - Han shot first. George Lucas is WRONG.

/rant

[alias-amy.livejournal.com]

I just recently rewatched the prequel movies. They are so much worse than I remembered! They are so bad that when we saw the scene at the end of Return of the Jedi, where they see the ghost figures on Endor, that it was physically intolerable to see Hayden Christensen digitally replace the guy who played dying Anakin. SO WRONG.

/re-opened wound

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I've been working on my novel a long time, and every time I hear about another book in the same area I die a little bit inside :-P

Ouch, that's got to be particularly tough when it's an original project (mine's only fanfic, so I've really got nothing to be complaining about). On the other hand, since yours is an original novel, surely it's still something unique even if other books with similar aspects turn up.

But I would also very gently suggest that canon is what was established in the 7 books. It was sealed, solid state, it was done.

Oh, you're quite right -- book canon definitely has its own status, more central than interview canon or now this Pottermore stuff. (Or movie canon, lol, which I always ignore completely since I haven't seen most of the films!) It's just that it does appeal to fit Kaleidoscope to some of the new backstory details, and that felt like a cheat if I weren't going to keep compliant to the new bio as a whole. I think my new "policy" will keep me satisfied there.

All of this is coming from the fact that find it fun to keep as canon-compliant as possible, because it's like writing to prompts or something -- it's fun to keep canon details in place and write things around them, ideally not always in predictable ways.

Thanks for the reassurance. And, Han Solo totally shot first. :)

[alias-amy.livejournal.com]

I think your guidelines are very sensible! I meant to mention that in my first comment -- it's a good compromise. I know exactly what you mean about prompts; I love a good constraint that pushes me to extract the most out of my writing, so I can well relate!

So glad to know "Han shot first" is fully understood metaphor!

[stereolightning.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have been feeling some of the same things. I have been tempted to orchestrate a campaign of "search and replace" through my existing fics to change 'Theodore' to 'Edward,' for example. It's strange to have the creator still out there, generating new material.

But I second alias_amy's suggestion that canon is the seven books. It's nice to know what Rowling thinks some of these details are. But I cried (a bunch) reading Kaleidoscope; I didn't cry reading the Lupin bio. I continue to find your version important and beautiful and stirring. Don't stop.

If anything, I was struck by how much Kaleidoscope is in line with Rowling's ideas. It made me think, huh, you've intuited a lot about these characters from details she provided. And that's cool.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I have been tempted to orchestrate a campaign of "search and replace" through my existing fics to change 'Theodore' to 'Edward,' for example.

Oh, I can relate!

But I second alias_amy's suggestion that canon is the seven books.

That's certainly true; I've always prioritized book-canon over interview-canon (or, heaven forbid, movie-canon, lol).

But I cried (a bunch) reading Kaleidoscope; I didn't cry reading the Lupin bio.

Awwwwww. I really, really appreciate the encouragement.

If anything, I was struck by how much Kaleidoscope is in line with Rowling's ideas. It made me think, huh, you've intuited a lot about these characters from details she provided. And that's cool.

Thanks for that, too. As much as I love reading lighthearted Remus, or Remus/Tonks, set during OotP -- and that scenario does make for fun and fantastic stories, and is not in the least incompatible with the stated details of book-canon -- I see Remus as too closed and controlled and too used to relying only on himself for him to embark on flirtation or a relationship lightly. He does have a resilient sense of humor, and he does deal with all the crap in his life with a surprising amount of grace (at least until HBP?), but I think it would be like pulling teeth to get him to admit that he was in love. So yeah, I'm a little bit pleased that my version of how the relationship would have progressed seems to be a close match for what JKR had in mind.

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

I know exactly how you feel. I am giving serious consideration to tweaking A Little More Time again (as I did with the Weasley descendant reveal) because it was kind of my goodbye to playing in Potterverse - I fixed what I felt was a great wrong of the series but once I'd done it (and the couple of little sequels) and I knew it was sound and canon safe, I felt I didn't want to play any more. They were happy and settled and I could leave them all be, content in my mind all was well. And yes, I know it's fictional and that's silly, but that's how I felt. ;p But knowing there are details in it that could be used to contradict that happy ending, however tiny, does bug me. It also occurred to me today that as a none-Pottermore person (as far as I can gather, the site takes much time and computer speed and I lack both!) there's probably a load of other stuff on there that also contradicts me but I haven't time to look into it! I think I may just settle for a bit more tweaking based on this bio and pray I never find out anything from there that blows ALMT out of the water forever!

I can understand JKR has a world and she wants to share what she couldn't share in the books. But it does to a certain extent ruin the fun of speculating...

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

And yes, I know it's fictional and that's silly, but that's how I felt. ;p

I can completely relate! They may be fictional, but we've spent a lot of time thinking about them and understanding them and wishing them well.

There's a difference, though, in that ALMT was finished and posted before all this new information came out, so it counts as completely canon-compliant at the time if was written. Sadly, seven(!) years from when I started it, Kaleidoscope is still a WIP. If it were already finished, I think I would have left it entirely alone and simply labeled it as canon-compliant as of the publication of DH.

I can understand JKR has a world and she wants to share what she couldn't share in the books.

I can even say that if it is for characters that I have no particular (fanfic) stake in, say the Weasley family for example, I would be delighted to read more backstory.

But it does to a certain extent ruin the fun of speculating...

And there's the rub, because speculating really is so much fun.

as far as I can gather, the site takes much time and computer speed and I lack both!

I lack both, as well! So I may not really return to Pottermore, despite having created an account. I did recently learn about this site (http://pottermorespoilers.tumblr.com/), though, which might be useful or fun. As long as JKR keeps away from the characters we'd rather keep speculating about. ;)

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

I think just making yourself a rule and sticking to it is a good idea. :)

I kind of wish you hadn't shown me that link though! In just a couple of minutes poking I found the identity of Tonks' patronus, old and new, and a couple of other relavant titbits hidden in other entries. Darn it, now I'll have to find time to read all of it to satisfy my urge to check...;p

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you've reached a good compromise there, between the heart saying you want to be canon-compliant as much as possible, and the head saying this is what is realistically possible to include. Sometimes the head gets it spot-on.

I've got too many specific details in there that we now know aren't what JKR imagined for them.

Isn't the key word 'imagined' in there? What you've imagined counts as well, and as an avid reader of Kaleidoscope I want to read what you've imagined for them within the framework of her story. Besides, it sounds as if - with the inclusion of the parts about his childhood and parents etc - you've got some of the best parts of the bio to refer to, and the freedom to continue with your own imaginings. Instead of finding it restricting, I hope the decision enables you to find it inspiring.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you've reached a good compromise there

I hope so. And it is interesting to know more about the circumstances surrounding Greyback's attack -- at least this came out right at the point where I was ready to start working on the relevant chapter, lol.

Instead of finding it restricting, I hope the decision enables you to find it inspiring.

That's really it. I like to keep my fic canon-compliant because I enjoy the challenge of doing that: remembering the relevant details and trying to work other, not-so-obviously-relevant ones in. It feels like the same kind of challenge that writing to a prompt creates. So what I needed (for my own peace of mind, lol) was a new set of rules about what scaffolding to fit my fic around. I think this new plan will work -- in fact, tonight I may take a stab at the big Greyback reveal scene (to celebrate by last day of holiday before it's back to work tomorrow, and back to classes in two weeks).

Thanks for the encouragement. :) (And, perfect icon!)

[katyhasclogs.livejournal.com]

I am picturing you making exactly the face that Remus is in your icon!

Anyway, I can totally see where you're coming from with this. It must feel somewhat like you've had the rug pulled out from under your feet, because it's impossible to un-know the things we've read in the bio, and yet you've already worked to fill in some of those gaps yourself...

I think it's very sensible to make yourself new rules, and I'd do the same in your position. If I ever dust off my vast amounts of half-written fic (and I do feel tempted, every so often), it's something I'll have to work through too.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I am picturing you making exactly the face that Remus is in your icon!

Yes, and I'm holding up the new bio like a twice-used teabag! LOL

I think it's very sensible to make yourself new rules, and I'd do the same in your position.

As long as I've got rules, I'm contented, lol. Sort of like Hermione in that way, I suppose...

If I ever dust off my vast amounts of half-written fic (and I do feel tempted, every so often)

...I would not complain if you did!

(huldrejenta and I were thinking that it might be time for a summer R/T meme. Maybe we should really do this...)

[sspring92.livejournal.com]

This is fan fic after all! I still like to think that R/T got together must sooner than Remus' new bio suggests! I want them to have had more time together. So gosh darn it, Canon needs a little big of tweaking as far as I am concerned!

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

I agree on that. I want them to have had some happy time in OotP before the misery!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I want them to have had more time together.

I know! That's the best reason for getting them together in, you know, GoF! Or the alternative, of course, which is nice happy denial!fic. ;) I like a lot of angst in a love story ... IF it's going to have a happy ending.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Obviously late comment is late.

First, as far as Lyall is concerned, my impression from the bio was actually not so much that he'd necessarily passed, but that he and Remus had a strained relationship, between some self-blame on Lyall's part and Remus just wanting to move forward from the past and only let people in so much. But it doesn't say for sure that he's alive, so having him be deceased works as well.

Backtracking...


Seriously, what's hard about this is I've always prided myself on being strictly canon-compliant (except for that pesky death thing), and now by definition Kaleidoscope can't be -- I've got too many specific details in there that we now know aren't what JKR imagined for them.

It's been a long time since I've dabbled in R/T verse - oddly reading the bio made me want to dabble again, that and re-reading PoA - but the bio pretty much threw my Remus backstory out the window, although some of it wasn't as canon compliant as I'd wanted it to be anyway. But there's still some things I just don't... like about the backstory, things I never liked in R/T fics and was disappointed to see become canon. (That is, if backstory can be considered canon in the same way as the books.) I guess I'm trying to find the middle ground in this case by staying true to the canon universe, but... tweaking things so the story fits better. Does that make sense?

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

First, as far as Lyall is concerned, my impression from the bio was actually not so much that he'd necessarily passed,

Right, I read it that way, too. But the bio also didn't, as I recall, state straight out that Lyall was still alive in the canon years. So it's easy enough for me to go on working with a Remus backstory where his parents died before PoA.

But there's still some things I just don't... like about the backstory, things I never liked in R/T fics and was disappointed to see become canon.

That's interesting -- I almost had the opposite reaction, because the backstory was pretty much in line with the way I've always seen the characters' personalities. My problem was things like, for example, I'd written the scene where Remus found out that Tonks loved him, only it wasn't on the roof of a Death Eater's house. And I'd written the "quiet wedding," but I'd used Molly and Arthur as witnesses rather than the strangers from a wizarding pub in Scotland. That sort of thing.

(That is, if backstory can be considered canon in the same way as the books.) I guess I'm trying to find the middle ground in this case by staying true to the canon universe, but... tweaking things so the story fits better. Does that make sense?

Makes lots of sense. I don't think backstory has the same status as book canon. And, frankly, since we're all writing fanfic for fun, I think ultimately we should get to set whatever rules for ourselves are most conducive to fun!