Artistic License, Author’s Division

As a creator, I am a card-carrying artist; that is to say I have an artistic license. As an author it gives me the authority to make up words legitimately (an argument my girlfriend may or may not accept as legitimate), but it also gives me the freedom to play fast and loose with some of the rules, some of the time.

“Well gee, thanks for clearing that up!”

“I’m getting to the details in a second!”

That hypothetical audience member is getting sassy! By way of general definition, artistic license lets authors distort or shift things (within reason) for the sake of the story. It is a commonly accepted defense against knit pickers who would tear a story apart for small inaccuracies. It ties heavily into the willing suspension of disbelief since it refers to how far readers will let you push facts before they object (and everyone draws the line differently) as well as the rule of cool (we all know giant robots are impractical, but they’re cool so we accept their existence for the sake of the story, for example). Whenever an author effectively says “I know this isn’t how it really works, but I’m changing it a bit so it fits my story” they are exercising their artistic license.

There are a few reasons this is important to have. First off the reader may have expectations that don’t match reality. For example I know that no sound waves can travel through the vacuum of space, so there would be no explosions in a starship battle, but readers probably expect there to be (look at Star Wars), so I would write them in. I know it’s inaccurate and the reader might know that too, but there is an unspoken agreement that it’s okay. Secondly, it’s important because writers should not have to be scientists. I’m not against a healthy dose of research, but when it comes to matters that require great technical skill or training to understand, I think it’s okay to let some of the little details slide. (For my part, I am more accepting of those who know how it should be and alter something intentionally as opposed to those who do what fits out of ignorance with no attempt to find out first)

The biggest up side to this is it gives the author a bit more freedom to tell the story, which is really what it’s all about. The biggest drawback is that it opens the door to those who would use it as an excuse to not do any research on their subject material. And sometimes it may be an excuse for some lazy writing (for the sake of convenience rather than serving the story). There has to be a balance, and that balance will vary by genre and by style. As a sci-fi writer, I lean towards the hard sci-fi end of the spectrum, so I have a bit less wiggle room, but that’s due to a personal preference. I like to delve into why my creations can do what they do, rather than saying “look it’s super strong and can fly because science!” I’m sure some people will appreciate the approach and others will think I use too much techno babble. But it’s not about pleasing everyone. It’s about what serves your purpose. After that if you can just stay consistent, you’re good to go. And above all, always be sure to have your artistic license handy.

I keep mine in my wallet right next to my license to kill and my license to thrill…I’m a highly qualified individual.

 

 

 

Flash Fiction: The Savage Sentinel

“Illegal activity confirmed in area twelve. A group of six to ten individuals assaulted a border patrol checkpoint before fleeing in a cargo truck. The security council is requesting an immediate response. Deploy the Weapon.”

“Understood.”  A woman in a lab coat turns off the monitor and adjusts her glasses, hiding the tears that threaten to overwhelm her eyelashes. “She isn’t ready…”

***

The darkness of the holding crate is pierced by beams of light, offering a glimpse of the sky above and the rapidly approaching canopy below. A stray wind shifts the container, but the parachutes ensure a controlled descent to the forest floor where the wind’s whistling is replaced by the chirps, howls and shrieks of the jungle’s denizens. The metal edges sink into the loam, snapping branches beneath the weight. Each crack elicits a twitch from the passenger lying within.

“Landing sequence complete. I’m opening the crate now.” The woman in the lab coat’s voice flows from an earpiece nestled against the occupant’s head. The door opens with the hiss of hydraulics, allowing humid air to flood the interior. A hand snakes out of the opening to rest on the earthy floor. A hand covered in short tawny fur marked by dark rosettes. A hand with fingers ending in wickedly curved claws. A rounded head follows with eyes shut against the sudden brightness. Ears flick back against her skull and whiskers twitch in annoyance before her eyelids part. Amber eyes split by black dagger slits survey the surrounding area.

A lithe body follows the head ending with gracefully muscled legs and a tail swaying back and forth. The figure stands, rolling her shoulders to test the fit of the flak jacket draped over her shoulders and hugging her breasts. The wildlife grows still, as if sensing the presence of an apex predator among them. But Panthera is unconcerned. Her eyes drink in the greenery, her nose tests the air and her ears swivel to catch the sounds of movement. Her lips part to taste the heavy flavor of dampness and her toes curl, digging her hind claws into the earth. Then the floodgates open.

Sensations of every shift in the trees and every movement in the brush overwhelm her consciousness. Her eyes clamp shut and her lips wrinkle in a snarling attempt to block out the tide of information but it does not relent.

“It’s okay,” assures the woman in the lab coat. “Don’t fight it. Let the biochemical signals mesh with your nervous system.”

Panthera hunches over, but after an eternity the twitching subsides. Her tail grows still and her claws release their grip on the earth.

“What is your status? Respond.”

“Forest…speaks to me,” she growls from deep within her chest.

“What does it tell you?”

Panthera closes her eyes, attuning her focus to her sixth sense. Every disturbance in the forest can be felt. Like ripples in a pond, every disturbance radiates from a center.

“Forest in pain…Trees crying.”

Her brow wrinkles as the sensation of distress passes over her body. Her ears orient in the direction of the signal. She drops to all fours and bounds soundlessly through the forest. Where the vines and creepers are too thick to run, she scales the trees and traverses the branches; a feral jungle gymnast. Once her ears can pinpoint the source of the disturbance she slows, creeping upward until she breaks through the canopy.

The rolling sea of leaves extends in all directions, save one. Before her a great swath has been carved out of the forest, baring the earth to the heavens. A phantom pain snakes its way across her body as a nearby tree shudders. Its creaks are drowned by the roaring drone of a chainsaw. The tree collides with the earth and the impact slams into Panthera’s gut, forcing a snarl through her lips. Disgust and bloodlust mingle as the loggers scar the landscape, violating her forest.

“What do you see?” Panthera inhales and releases a rumbling breath before replying.

“Prey.”

 

Fanfiction: Power to the People?

Whether you’re a writer or not, no doubt you’ve come across the term fanfiction. Regardless of if you’ve written or read any of it yourself, some ideas and images are probably associated with the concept (from thoughtful contributions to pairings that make you question humanity). Even if you don’t have a strong opinion, you can bet the internet does (good old internet, ready to provide a scathing zealot in any comment section). The topic came up the other day in a writing group that I am part of, so I am going to attempt to stand between the warring extremes with a white flag and map out the battleground of fanfiction for you.

I’m coming out now, please hold your fiction!

There are a few common types of fanfiction to touch on. Note that many pieces will have combinations of these types as they are not mutually exclusive (or exhaustive).

• Storyline – Some take the storyline of the original work and tweak it a bit. Perhaps a character lives who died (or dies who lived) or the story ended differently.
• Romances – Perhaps the most infamous are those that pair characters (romantically or sexually) that had no such relationship in the source material.
• Additions – Some writers of fanfiction prefer to insert characters into the existing storyline (usually an original character (OC) of their design). They may also substitute their character for one that was present in the original work.
• Crossovers – Combinations of characters and settings from more than one work are a staple of the fanfic multiverse. Many other forms of media including video games, tv shows and comics do this regularly.
• Playground – This type applies when fanfiction takes place in the world of an established work, but is not tied directly or closely to the original storyline. I refer to this as a playground because someone else built it, now you get to run wild in it.

Now for my personal disclosure; I have only read fanfiction a handful of times. Just a quick skim when I was bored. I have only had two experiences of “writing” fanfiction myself (I’ll explain the quotes in a minute). In one case I planned a massive crossover universe drawing characters and settings from all of my favorite comics, movies, tv shows and video games. It was a chance for my inner geek to run wild, putting together dream teams of badasses, monsters and machines; Gundams vs Godzilla, Batman vs a Sith Lord, Snake Eyes vs the Shredder! It was a lot of fun to think about, even if very little got written. My second encounter was role-playing in an established world (I believe it was a tv show, though I can’t remember the specifics). I wasn’t technically “writing”, but I was creating in an already established world so it counted in my head.

So what are my thoughts on fanfiction? From my limited experiences they can be extremely fun even if they never get written down, turned into a coherent story or shared with the world/internet. Some say it “doesn’t count” as being creative since you are building on someone else’s work and to them I say “So what?” As long as you’re not trying to pass the work off as your own or make money from it, there is no reason to be upset over fanfiction. The original work was meant to be shared and enjoyed, and this is how some people choose to enjoy it. It is true, you get a break in the world-building department, but that can let you focus on character building (especially if it’s an original character or a new interpretation of an existing one). This makes it a useful practice tool for anyone who wants to work on their characterization.

In writing circles the question often comes up “How would you feel about someone writing fanfiction about your work?” I think I would be a bit flattered that someone thought that highly of the world I had built, but I probably wouldn’t read it. Not out of some high-and-mighty creator’s ego, but fanfiction really isn’t my cup of tea. But that’s a personal preference and not a slam against fanfiction as a whole. If you enjoy it, go for it. If you want to share it, more power to you! And if you don’t like it…then that’s the end of the conversation. It can’t “damage” or “ruin” the original work any more than my attempt at football harms the NFL (and I have virtually no game to speak of). But that is my opinion. If you don’t like it, go out and make your own! …and I may have just invited the trolls in.

Not those! Although it is fun to play with their hair.

 

There are no dumb questions, some of them turn into books

As a writer of fiction, I make up things professionally. I peddle  lies, spinning them into fantasy to shock and awe, to comfort and amaze. And I write some of them down. That’s the real work of it (writing as a writer, who knew?) but that’s not where the magic is. For me the real magic is when the idea first sparks that light bulb above your head. And much like the writing process itself, that spark is different for everyone. Some draw from personal experience, some fantasize about what this world can’t offer, and some see things in ways most do not. For me, it’s questions. Almost every plot, theme and character is born from a question.

“What question is that?”

Well I’m glad you asked, convenient bystander! And there are many answers to that because those questions come from all over the place. Anything I experience, say, hear or see could fuel a question. Usually that question takes the form of “what would it be like if…” When I see a piece of technology in its early stages of development I wonder what a world would be like where it was available to everyone. I look at a movie and wonder how the plot would change if one element were taken out or added. My current WIP is basically my answer to the question “what would the world look like if countries developed living weapons in place of nukes?”

Characters, or more often character sketches, can be born from wondering what a person would be like if “blank”. That blank may be a certain worldview, a role they occupy, a personal experience or some combination of these things. I will use my character Dr. Loretta Anders to demonstrate. Once I had created the basic outline of this world I wanted to create I looked to populate the organization around my main character with people. I asked “what kind of person would be responsible for the technology that created my main character’s enhancements?” which lead to two lead researchers; one specializing in nanotechnology and a cellular biologist focused on the regenerative cell cycle (the aforementioned Dr. Anders).

Then came the question that would define her character arc; how would someone with her background and ideas handle being in this position? As a doctor trying to develop a breakthrough to save lives, working on a living weapon raises some hairy questions (and I haven’t given her a razor). And that leads to questions that spawned those Weapons themselves.

As a sci-fi writer with a science background I lean towards harder science fiction a bit. I try to have a semi-plausible explanation for the things my Weapons are capable of. But I also ask myself what those abilities would cost each of them. “How would someone handle information the brain wasn’t designed to process?” is the question I feel separates my work from the more traditional super hero tropes. A creature bred, augmented or straight up designed for fighting and killing probably comes up short in other aspects of life. What does that look like when they’re off the battlefield?

For most of the above questions, the character or story I create is my attempt at an answer. That means I don’t have a response ready when I start writing. I aim to discover it as I get to know the character. And those characters answer some of the bigger questions as they explore the world I’ve unleashed them upon. I ask a question and see where it leads me.

I like to think this is what it looks like

Now they don’t always lead to fantastic, exciting destinations. Sometimes the answer is rather uninteresting to me, or it doesn’t lend itself to deeper exploration. I’ve started bits of flash fiction that wind up feeling flat and I’ve written side pieces that could go way farther than I intended. It’s a haphazard, unpredictable way to build a world, but it makes it an adventure for me. In fact I find the farther I get into a story, the less control I actually have. It reaches a point where the characters are steering the bus and I’m along for the ride, occasionally shouting out directions, pretending to know where I’m going (a backseat writer, you might say). We make pit stops as the plot allows to sit and enjoy the scenery. Maybe have a picnic. So to those who have asked “where do your ideas come from?” now you know. And knowing is half the battle!

G.I. JOOOOOOOOE!