Conversations with my muse
Nov. 9th, 2015 08:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
m_findlowSometimes having a muse is not easy....
I: Remind me again why we're debasing ourselves by writing a story outline? We never do outlines.
M: Because we've only got seven weeks until the HC bingo deadline, and we're way, way behind in finishing these fics.
I: Ah, yes, there is that.
M: I mean, seriously, how hard should it have been to write just five fics? Why did the first one have to blow out to colossal proportions? You know I'm rubbish at these long pieces. And the third one's going the same way.
I: Well, we do have 2.8 already completed.
M: 2.8? How do you figure that?
I: Well, that last one does need a bit more work. Really, one second I'm pregnant with an alien and then I'm not. And the end is a bit rubbish.
M: Gee thanks.
I: On the plus side, you did figure out a way out of your bigger plot problem in fic one. You really were quite pleased with yourself about that. Only took three months to figure it out.
M: Well, yes, but I rather think the solution has over complicated things. Now we're dealing with alternate universes, time travel, paradoxes, daleks, cybermen, and half of time travel theory that I don't even think exists yet, we've just made it up. If I think about it too hard, we're going to have to patch up about a million logic holes in this plot now. All that just to get someone out of jail. Come to think about it, this is all your stupid fault.
I: How is it my fault?
M: You're the muse, therefore the idea for the solution must have been yours.
I: You do realise that I'm a construct of your imagination, and therefore any ideas I ostensibly create are actually yours.
M: Shut up. I hate it when you're right.
I: Yet I'm still here
M: Well, you're just so pretty to look at.
I: Thank you. I think. So anyway, getting back to this storyline thing we're writing.
M: Yes, I figure we have to do it. You know what we're like. We write all the interesting bits, totally out of order, and then we have to patch it all together somehow.
I: It's worked so far.
M: Uh, hello, do you remember "Rain"? We've been working on that for the last three years and it still isn't done. In fact, I don't think we've touched it for nearly a year.
I: I also seem to recall you started an outline for the that one as well.
M: It'll be great once it's done. Someday. Anyway, this time we've got no choice. If we don't do an outline, how will we write the bits that need writing? We've got a great start and a great end, we just need the middle bit, to know where we're going. Which we currently don't, and we don't have the luxury of dithering about like we usually do writing bits here and there until inspiration actually hits on the plot line, rather than the nice fluffy stuff around the edges.
I: I like fluffy.
M: I know you do sweetheart. But fluffy's no good without a plot for it to sit inside.
I: We're not going to hurt Jack any more are we?
M: I don't think so, but I can't promise you anything. Sorry.
I: That's okay I suppose. I already know how it ends.
M: Sshhh! Don't give it away! They don't know how it ends yet.
I: Okay. What about the other one? Are we doing an outline for that too?
M: I'm afraid were going to have to. It's in even more dire straights because we don't even have an end yet.
I: Just me having an angsty moment in the car with John.
M: Yeah, but it was good to get that out of the way, right?
I: I suppose. Does he have to snog me though? I'd really rather shoot him.
M: Well, we haven't written the middle or the end yet. There's probably still time.
I: And we're not going to hurt Jack in that one either are we?
M: Ianto! Focus! It's called hurt comfort bingo for a reason. Someone is hurt, or someone is comforted, or both. That's the whole point.
I: Why can't we hurt Gwen instead?
M: Since when are you into Gwen bashing? You're meant to take the high moral ground. You've been reading too many of our reviews.
I: Just a suggestion.
M: Maybe next time. For now let's just get on with this outline.
I: Okay.
I: Remind me again why we're debasing ourselves by writing a story outline? We never do outlines.
M: Because we've only got seven weeks until the HC bingo deadline, and we're way, way behind in finishing these fics.
I: Ah, yes, there is that.
M: I mean, seriously, how hard should it have been to write just five fics? Why did the first one have to blow out to colossal proportions? You know I'm rubbish at these long pieces. And the third one's going the same way.
I: Well, we do have 2.8 already completed.
M: 2.8? How do you figure that?
I: Well, that last one does need a bit more work. Really, one second I'm pregnant with an alien and then I'm not. And the end is a bit rubbish.
M: Gee thanks.
I: On the plus side, you did figure out a way out of your bigger plot problem in fic one. You really were quite pleased with yourself about that. Only took three months to figure it out.
M: Well, yes, but I rather think the solution has over complicated things. Now we're dealing with alternate universes, time travel, paradoxes, daleks, cybermen, and half of time travel theory that I don't even think exists yet, we've just made it up. If I think about it too hard, we're going to have to patch up about a million logic holes in this plot now. All that just to get someone out of jail. Come to think about it, this is all your stupid fault.
I: How is it my fault?
M: You're the muse, therefore the idea for the solution must have been yours.
I: You do realise that I'm a construct of your imagination, and therefore any ideas I ostensibly create are actually yours.
M: Shut up. I hate it when you're right.
I: Yet I'm still here
M: Well, you're just so pretty to look at.
I: Thank you. I think. So anyway, getting back to this storyline thing we're writing.
M: Yes, I figure we have to do it. You know what we're like. We write all the interesting bits, totally out of order, and then we have to patch it all together somehow.
I: It's worked so far.
M: Uh, hello, do you remember "Rain"? We've been working on that for the last three years and it still isn't done. In fact, I don't think we've touched it for nearly a year.
I: I also seem to recall you started an outline for the that one as well.
M: It'll be great once it's done. Someday. Anyway, this time we've got no choice. If we don't do an outline, how will we write the bits that need writing? We've got a great start and a great end, we just need the middle bit, to know where we're going. Which we currently don't, and we don't have the luxury of dithering about like we usually do writing bits here and there until inspiration actually hits on the plot line, rather than the nice fluffy stuff around the edges.
I: I like fluffy.
M: I know you do sweetheart. But fluffy's no good without a plot for it to sit inside.
I: We're not going to hurt Jack any more are we?
M: I don't think so, but I can't promise you anything. Sorry.
I: That's okay I suppose. I already know how it ends.
M: Sshhh! Don't give it away! They don't know how it ends yet.
I: Okay. What about the other one? Are we doing an outline for that too?
M: I'm afraid were going to have to. It's in even more dire straights because we don't even have an end yet.
I: Just me having an angsty moment in the car with John.
M: Yeah, but it was good to get that out of the way, right?
I: I suppose. Does he have to snog me though? I'd really rather shoot him.
M: Well, we haven't written the middle or the end yet. There's probably still time.
I: And we're not going to hurt Jack in that one either are we?
M: Ianto! Focus! It's called hurt comfort bingo for a reason. Someone is hurt, or someone is comforted, or both. That's the whole point.
I: Why can't we hurt Gwen instead?
M: Since when are you into Gwen bashing? You're meant to take the high moral ground. You've been reading too many of our reviews.
I: Just a suggestion.
M: Maybe next time. For now let's just get on with this outline.
I: Okay.
