Fic: Writer's Block
Dec. 25th, 2012 01:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meridian_roseTitle: Writer's Block
Fandom: Original
Verse/Series: Helena
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 546
Prompt: For the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
writerverse quick fic challenge prompts '“A little too abstract, a little too wise” (Robinson Jeffers)' and 'Writer’s Block'
Summary: When your author has writer's block, your outlook is bleak
Warnings: None
"So, how long are we just going to sit here?" Sullivan asked, lounging against a rock.
Helena, sitting cross-legged upon the rough sandy surface, gave him a worried frown. "I don't know."
Darcy sighed. He slipped off his cloak and searched it, every seam, then emptied out all his pockets and started rummaging through his kit bag.
"Are you going to keep doing that?" Sullivan asked, a little sharper than he'd intended. All this waiting was irritating him.
Darcy tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and nodded. "Yes. Because there has to be something. Something one of us knows or has on our person. Something to move the story forward."
Of course it wasn't up to them to move the story along.
Sullivan gazed up at the nondescript sky, its featureless expanse testament to their Creator's current predicament. "If She never gets over her Writer's Block, what happens to us?"
Helena shifted uneasily. "Maybe we stay here, forever. In limbo. Maybe we fade away. Maybe if she gives up on us, we'll be able to go on without her. Characters exist beyond their authors, I think."
Sullivan would have been heartened by this if they hadn't tried moving in all directions, only to find that there was no world beyond their current scene. He'd stayed by the rocks and Helena and Darcy had headed off in different directions, only to come up against some sort of invisible wall. They couldn't even go back the way they came, which didn't bode well.
"Characters exist beyond their authors?" Sullivan prompted, hoping for more reassurance. "Really?"
Darcy nodded. "I hear some guy named Sherlock Holmes has thousands of authors who've written adventures for him." Then, to crush Sullivan's hopes, he added, "Of course you have to be in a story that is public in some way for that to happen. Not just languishing in your Creator's notebook or word processor."
Sullivan stared at him. "Word processor" just sounded so odd coming from Darcy. Of course She often used anachronisms, particularly in regard to Darcy's dialogue, and only got round to fixing them later. Any that She missed or couldn't explain any better, were put down to a quirk of Darcy's character.
Sullivan felt he was distinctly lacking in quirks, and fervently wished the Creator had at least made him more intelligent and worldly.
"A little too abstract, a little too wise; It is time for us to kiss the earth again," Darcy recited. At Sullivan's questioning look, he said, "She gets like this when She's not been outside for a while. I'm praying she's gone for a walk today and will come back inspired."
Sullivan considered this for a moment. "Who, exactly, are you to praying to?" The gods that Darcy as a character worshipped? Their Creator? Or – and the thought made his head spin – the gods that She believed in?
Darcy blinked a few times and shrugged his shoulders. "It's more metaphorical praying," he offered.
Thunder rolled across the barren landscape.
"Great. Now we're going to be wet too," Sullivan groused.
Helena jumped to her feet and clapped her hands. "No, no, this is good! The story is moving on. Look, in the distance, a village!"
Sullivan began to laugh in relief as the rain began.
Fandom: Original
Verse/Series: Helena
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 546
Prompt: For the
writerverse quick fic challenge prompts '“A little too abstract, a little too wise” (Robinson Jeffers)' and 'Writer’s Block'Summary: When your author has writer's block, your outlook is bleak
Warnings: None
"So, how long are we just going to sit here?" Sullivan asked, lounging against a rock.
Helena, sitting cross-legged upon the rough sandy surface, gave him a worried frown. "I don't know."
Darcy sighed. He slipped off his cloak and searched it, every seam, then emptied out all his pockets and started rummaging through his kit bag.
"Are you going to keep doing that?" Sullivan asked, a little sharper than he'd intended. All this waiting was irritating him.
Darcy tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and nodded. "Yes. Because there has to be something. Something one of us knows or has on our person. Something to move the story forward."
Of course it wasn't up to them to move the story along.
Sullivan gazed up at the nondescript sky, its featureless expanse testament to their Creator's current predicament. "If She never gets over her Writer's Block, what happens to us?"
Helena shifted uneasily. "Maybe we stay here, forever. In limbo. Maybe we fade away. Maybe if she gives up on us, we'll be able to go on without her. Characters exist beyond their authors, I think."
Sullivan would have been heartened by this if they hadn't tried moving in all directions, only to find that there was no world beyond their current scene. He'd stayed by the rocks and Helena and Darcy had headed off in different directions, only to come up against some sort of invisible wall. They couldn't even go back the way they came, which didn't bode well.
"Characters exist beyond their authors?" Sullivan prompted, hoping for more reassurance. "Really?"
Darcy nodded. "I hear some guy named Sherlock Holmes has thousands of authors who've written adventures for him." Then, to crush Sullivan's hopes, he added, "Of course you have to be in a story that is public in some way for that to happen. Not just languishing in your Creator's notebook or word processor."
Sullivan stared at him. "Word processor" just sounded so odd coming from Darcy. Of course She often used anachronisms, particularly in regard to Darcy's dialogue, and only got round to fixing them later. Any that She missed or couldn't explain any better, were put down to a quirk of Darcy's character.
Sullivan felt he was distinctly lacking in quirks, and fervently wished the Creator had at least made him more intelligent and worldly.
"A little too abstract, a little too wise; It is time for us to kiss the earth again," Darcy recited. At Sullivan's questioning look, he said, "She gets like this when She's not been outside for a while. I'm praying she's gone for a walk today and will come back inspired."
Sullivan considered this for a moment. "Who, exactly, are you to praying to?" The gods that Darcy as a character worshipped? Their Creator? Or – and the thought made his head spin – the gods that She believed in?
Darcy blinked a few times and shrugged his shoulders. "It's more metaphorical praying," he offered.
Thunder rolled across the barren landscape.
"Great. Now we're going to be wet too," Sullivan groused.
Helena jumped to her feet and clapped her hands. "No, no, this is good! The story is moving on. Look, in the distance, a village!"
Sullivan began to laugh in relief as the rain began.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-25 01:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-25 01:49 pm (UTC)I'm waiting for Christmas Dinner to be served up and thought I'd post it now!
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Date: 2012-12-26 10:06 am (UTC)One thing I especially enjoyed was the idea of the character praying to the Creator's gods. :)
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Date: 2012-12-27 04:06 pm (UTC)I'm glad that bit worked :D
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Date: 2012-12-27 01:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-27 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-28 03:10 am (UTC)This was really enjoyable to read. :)
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Date: 2012-12-28 03:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-03-27 09:47 pm (UTC)"Yes. Because there has to be something. Something one of us knows or has on our person. Something to move the story forward."
LOL! :D I love this so much! :D
Sullivan gazed up at the nondescript sky, its featureless expanse testament to their Creator's current predicament.
This line is perfection!
Characters exist beyond their authors, I think.
Yes, I think so too. :D OMG! Imagine all the fanfiction they'll have to go through!! O_O
Sullivan would have been heartened by this if they hadn't tried moving in all directions, only to find that there was no world beyond their current scene.
I think there must be some sort of a symbolic writing 'letting go' ritual. "Go, my characters, be free" and they become the creators of their own world...
Or not. o_O Just thinking out loud. O_o
"I hear some guy named Sherlock Holmes has thousands of authors who've written adventures for him."
Can you imagine going on a thousand adventures at once? :D LOL :D I'd LOVE to see that!! :D
Sullivan stared at him. "Word processor" just sounded so odd coming from Darcy.
LOLOLOL :D
Of course She often used anachronisms, particularly in regard to Darcy's dialogue, and only got round to fixing them later. Any that She missed or couldn't explain any better, were put down to a quirk of Darcy's character.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL :D I CAN'T *DYING*
Sullivan felt he was distinctly lacking in quirks, and fervently wished the Creator had at least made him more intelligent and worldly.
OH NO BB YOU'RE KILLING ME!!
The gods that Darcy as a character worshipped? Their Creator? Or – and the thought made his head spin – the gods that She believed in?
OMG TWISTED!! :D
"No, no, this is good! The story is moving on. Look, in the distance, a village!"
Sullivan began to laugh in relief as the rain began.
Perfection! :D
BB I WANT TEN BOOKS OF THIS!!! ALAKSJGHALSKDJGHASKDJGHALSKDJGHSDLKALSHVDFASJDG!!! PLEASE WRITE MOAR!!!
*FLAILS MADLY*
no subject
Date: 2013-03-28 11:01 am (UTC)Symbolic letting go ritual? That's a brilliant idea!
The meta fic got very meta with the idea of gods! It's a lot of fun to explore :D
Thank you for all your flailing :D