National "Work on my WIPs" writing month, or NaWoWriMo

[mhalachai]

I've declared November to be National "Work on my WIPs" Writing Month, or NaWoWriMo. It's sort of like NaNoWriMo, only with more of a lisp.

I've started out well. I hammered together a thousand words for Dawning Light 14, and this chapter is much more upbeat that past chapters, thankfully. I'm done with doing mean (fictional) things to (fictional) children. This chapter is going to be a good one, and we get some plot movement. Fun times.

I've also mapped out the next chapter of Physics of the Spin. I'm not utterly certain that doing a Ronon POV is a good idea as I have never really understood that character, but I'm trying. I'm also going to address Sam Carter's suspicions of Rory (from chapter 11)... I'm a little worried because it looks like Sam might be jealous of Rory and Rory's already verging a bit on Mary Sue territory... so I have to do that delicately. But maybe it's true to an outsider it could be seen like that. Say you're Sam Carter. Say you've worked as hard as you could over a career in the military and in science, and in comes this young thing who's smarter than you without the hard work. Doesn't a little bit of envy cross your mind? Especially if you were stuck in another galaxy for months on end while your former team is falling over themselves for this kid?

(okay so yes, I know that Rory has the potential to be more than bordering on Mary Sue. Trust me, there's a point of some kind to be had.)

I mean, McKay can be jealous all he wants. He's (somewhat) threatened by his own sister's intelligence. But with Sam it's different. Gender politics in fic are hard to balance.

What else am I working on.... Yeah, trying to write Inevitable. Those last four chapters are just stuck in my head.

Those are my WIPs that are going to be updated this month. I might also work on a few one-shots... I've got some ideas. We'll see.

TL;DR: 1,000 words today!

Comments

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, I don't really see Sam Carter as being the jealous type. Sitting Rory down and picking her brain and then putting her to work immediately on some of the problems they've not been able to make headway with? In a heartbeat. You might want to check out the SG-1 episode "Prodigy" in this regard, this is where they introduce Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey, who is actually as brilliant as Sam and possibly even more so.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. I mean, I can see a little bit of envy (because we're all envious sometimes) but not jealousy... it's just that on re-reading chapter 11 (the Sam POV) I realized that Sam's wary curiosity on Rory's sudden rise to intelligence could be perceived the wrong way if I wasn't very careful. It's a sad fact but writing the foibles of female characters is a finer line than male characters.

In any event, it'll all turn out fine, as I believe that I can have all reactions laid out in a believable manner (and what I'm looking forward to most right now is the Carter and Sheppard conversation in the next chapter. "So, John, tell me what you know about this Gilmore kid..."

I totally need to re-watch Prodigy. I loved that one.

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

Actually, I took Sam's wary reaction as justifiable concern over the possibility of alien tampering. I can imagine her first concern would have been the possibility of tampering by a renegade Asgard (Loki), if they hadn't supposedly all been destroyed, and then the possibility of tampering by one of the more meddlesome of the ascended Ancients (despite their protestations that they're not allowed to meddle).

On the flip side, I can see where someone who is unfamiliar with Stargate canon coming to the conclusion that Sam is simply jealous of Rory.

Edited to add: Yes! I'm really looking forward to that conversation between Sam and John! He's definitely going to have some 'splainin' to do as to how he knows so much and I really don't envy him having to explain and apologize to Rodney eventually. *whistles*

[feikoi.livejournal.com]

Reading this makes me very happy. Also, this is the first time I've managed to make it even close to the 1667 words a day goal, and your post is making me actually complete that! (Granted, it sucks, but its written. :D)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

yay words! Sitting down to the writing is always hard, at least it is for me. Then I get distracted, and there's shiny stuff in the corner... but yeah.

Writing good!

[feikoi.livejournal.com]

Writing good! Fire bad. Tree pretty. *zzzz*

[ladyofluthien.livejournal.com]

I think the best portrayal of Ronon I've seen has to be in Starbright's "Lesser Children" on TTH, specifically Chp 8.

Author’s Note: Ronon grumbles, growls, snarls, and grunts. He is the epitome of taciturn, but that doesn’t mean nothing is going on within. There isn’t much canon on Ronon’s past, but there is evidence that he was family-oriented and well educated.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks for that. I'll go give it a read. I'm always on the lookout for good Ronon stories :)

Lesser Children

[ponderoid.livejournal.com]

I second that about Chapter 8 of Lesser Children (http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-14278-8/Starbright+Lesser+Children.htm) being a great Ronon vignette. The chapter even stands on its own; the only thing you need to know is "Little Sheppard" is the name Ronon calls John's younger sister.
Don't go beyond chapter 8 if you happened to start there, though. The next chapter is major spoilerly. Go back and start at the beginning. :)
Now if only Starbright will come back and continue the story. *sigh*. I heard from her a few weeks ago that she's currently without internet access.
*** Ponder

[ariadne83]

*points up* What sulien77 said. I don't see Sam as the jealous type, and I didn't read her that way in the chapter either. I have no idea what a non-Stargate person would make of it, but I think given Sam's position as commander she's justified in making sure there are no potential security breaches.

I think the way Sam seemed to welcome Vala when she showed up on SG-1 is a good pointer towards her not being particularly jealous of people who spend time with her team - in fact, I could see her pulling Rory aside to get the gossip on them, and covertly using that as an opportunity to check out whether Rory is the real deal without letting her know it.

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

"I think the way Sam seemed to welcome Vala when she showed up on SG-1 is a good pointer towards her not being particularly jealous of people who spend time with her team - in fact, I could see her pulling Rory aside to get the gossip on them, and covertly using that as an opportunity to check out whether Rory is the real deal without letting her know it."


*does Rodney's snappy fingers thing* Exactly! Sam is sneaky that way.