cupidsbow's essays and rants
Sometimes the best parts are in the comments, so don't forget to scan them too.
On Canon/Shipping
On Fandom/Internet Communities
On Literature
On Love/Sex
On Slash/Meta
Women/Writing series
On Writing
Miscellaneous Stuff
On Canon/Shipping
Amazing Het Whinge
(or, Trip/T'Pol, their love is so illogical)
The ATA Gene is Your Friend
A list of possible uses for the ATA gene in Stargate: Atlantis.
Canonical Characterisation in SGA
What makes the characters so them in fanfic?
Choose Your Own Spirit Animal
Which spirit animal would you choose for yourself and for your favourite characters?
Made for Web Television: Sanctuary for All
The Cone of Silence
An essay on shipping Afflection.
The Shameful Truth of Beauty
An essay on shipping Orlijah.
Primer for Reading SGA Fanfic
(when you haven't seen a single episode of the show)
On Fandom/Internet Communities
Discussion of Reccing Protocols
Discussion of the state of play with regards to reccing, public engagement with stories, and concrit.
Fanon Tracking Project
The use of The Terminator in SGA stories.
A Genderfuck Reader in SGA
Some examples of the ways in which fanfiction speaks to other fanfictions/meta-essays.
Intimacy
Since I got my LJ, I've discovered this whole new world of intimacy. It really surprised me to find this world, because ... a little part of me had bought into the mainstream-press idea that the net was this big alienating geekfest.
My Idea of How LJ Works
LiveJournal as a discussion space, and what it means when an audience you weren't writing for reads your posts.
Narcissism and Envy
A discussion of the politics and etiquette or responding to LJ comments.
Online Personas and the Death of the Pseudonym
My response to the msscribe biography.
The Return of the Mid-List?
What might publishing look like in the long-tail internet economy?
On Literature
Elves
Elfs (or alfs) are also known as the Liosálfar, Döckálfar and Svartalfar [the best stuff is in the comments].
Shakespeare in Love Poll
I'm on a Shakespeare kick at the moment ... I got to wondering about which is my favourite Shakespearean romance ... I was inspired to inflict another Poll on you all.
On Love/Sex
Happy Endings
Why I have trouble with the standard romance archtype.
Incest
A discussion of incest in fanfic.
Is Cinderella Romantic?
A discussion of the stereotypical romance.
O Tell Me the Truth About Love
Last night at a dinner party I was side-tracked into thinking about family love. I was surrounded by women who were mothers, all talking about their experiences of childbirth and childrearing--and although they never used the word, they were all talking about motherlove.
Slash/Meta
Anti-romance or Romance?
A consideration of Xanthe's BDSM novella, "Coming Home."
Circles of Fannish Influence
How fanfiction works as a conversation, and the etiquette of writers' engagement.
John Sheppard: Blue Collar or Bastard?
A look at how cultural expectation changes character readings.
Mystery Fandom Poll
Have you ever gone looking for a rare fandom and not been able to find it?
Preferred Perversions Poll and Results Discussion
Poll on what people like and dislike in slash.
The Ultimate Fanfic
What is your ultimate, ideal fanfic?
What Real Person Fiction can be...
Links to a cross-section of different types of RPF.
What's your favourite slash flavour poll?
I thought I'd do the obligatory Poll on the topic of "What's your favourite slash flavour?"
Writing RPS
I've been thinking a lot about the differences between FPS and RPS.
Women/Writing series
Women/Writing 1: How Fanfiction Makes Us Poor
A feminist examination of fanfiction as both art and community.
Women/Writing 1: The Response So Far
An overview of the replies to "How Fanfiction Makes Us Poor".
Women/Writing 2: That Classic Combination: Sex and Violence
How Joanna Russ's writing about the ethics of pornography relates to responsibility in fanfiction.
On Writing
6 Stories in 10 Weeks
A Rant About the Process of Writing to Deadline.
The Art of Succinctness
A discussion and poll on the usefulness of story summaries.
Books on How to Write
Recommendations for How To books on both fiction and non-fiction writing. There's also more recs in comments.
Emotional Spin Cycle
On the phenomenon of after-project blues.
The Formula for Writing Sex Scenes
Sex scenes are really actions scenes, and require the same techniques.
(There is also a response to this essay: justacat's Musings on sex scenes.)
How to Write Long-Form Stories
The Liberation of Form
A short polemic on my reasons for becoming a structuralist.
The Myths of Authorship
In which I discuss being an author versus the "idealised" author.
Open Forum on Writing
In which people asked me questions and I did my best to answer them.
Performance Anxiety
A discussion of stage fright when publishing fiction.
Plotting
In which I answer some questions about how I plot in arcs.
The Problem With Long-Form Challenges
A discussion of whether deadlines help or hinder creativity.
Remix Redux IV: Discussion/Invitation
A discussion of remixredux 2006.
Remix Redux 2007 Discussion
Re: Mixing
The strategies that work for me when writing a remix.
Things I Now Know About Omniscient Viewpoint
A discussion of the problems I discovered while using omniscient viewpoint for the first time.
Writers' Group Feedback
A discussion of feedback I got in a university writers' group.
Writing and the Zombie Zone
Strategies to use when your writing muscles have atrophied.
Writing Weaknesses
A discussion of the problems encountered while writing long-form stories.
Miscellaneous Stuff
Greer, Feminism and Relevance
A discussion of Greer's comments in the wake of Steve Irwin's death.
How Do You Procrastinate Poll
How Do You Think?
A discussion of different ways of thinking.
How to Post Del.icio.us Links to LJ
The Truth About Spam Poll
Who Wants to Live Forever Poll
* * *
On Canon/Shipping
On Fandom/Internet Communities
On Literature
On Love/Sex
On Slash/Meta
Women/Writing series
On Writing
Miscellaneous Stuff
On Canon/Shipping
Amazing Het Whinge
(or, Trip/T'Pol, their love is so illogical)
The ATA Gene is Your Friend
A list of possible uses for the ATA gene in Stargate: Atlantis.
Canonical Characterisation in SGA
What makes the characters so them in fanfic?
Choose Your Own Spirit Animal
Which spirit animal would you choose for yourself and for your favourite characters?
Made for Web Television: Sanctuary for All
The Cone of Silence
An essay on shipping Afflection.
The Shameful Truth of Beauty
An essay on shipping Orlijah.
Primer for Reading SGA Fanfic
(when you haven't seen a single episode of the show)
On Fandom/Internet Communities
Discussion of Reccing Protocols
Discussion of the state of play with regards to reccing, public engagement with stories, and concrit.
Fanon Tracking Project
The use of The Terminator in SGA stories.
A Genderfuck Reader in SGA
Some examples of the ways in which fanfiction speaks to other fanfictions/meta-essays.
Intimacy
Since I got my LJ, I've discovered this whole new world of intimacy. It really surprised me to find this world, because ... a little part of me had bought into the mainstream-press idea that the net was this big alienating geekfest.
My Idea of How LJ Works
LiveJournal as a discussion space, and what it means when an audience you weren't writing for reads your posts.
Narcissism and Envy
A discussion of the politics and etiquette or responding to LJ comments.
Online Personas and the Death of the Pseudonym
My response to the msscribe biography.
The Return of the Mid-List?
What might publishing look like in the long-tail internet economy?
On Literature
Elves
Elfs (or alfs) are also known as the Liosálfar, Döckálfar and Svartalfar [the best stuff is in the comments].
Shakespeare in Love Poll
I'm on a Shakespeare kick at the moment ... I got to wondering about which is my favourite Shakespearean romance ... I was inspired to inflict another Poll on you all.
On Love/Sex
Happy Endings
Why I have trouble with the standard romance archtype.
Incest
A discussion of incest in fanfic.
Is Cinderella Romantic?
A discussion of the stereotypical romance.
O Tell Me the Truth About Love
Last night at a dinner party I was side-tracked into thinking about family love. I was surrounded by women who were mothers, all talking about their experiences of childbirth and childrearing--and although they never used the word, they were all talking about motherlove.
Slash/Meta
Anti-romance or Romance?
A consideration of Xanthe's BDSM novella, "Coming Home."
Circles of Fannish Influence
How fanfiction works as a conversation, and the etiquette of writers' engagement.
John Sheppard: Blue Collar or Bastard?
A look at how cultural expectation changes character readings.
Mystery Fandom Poll
Have you ever gone looking for a rare fandom and not been able to find it?
Preferred Perversions Poll and Results Discussion
Poll on what people like and dislike in slash.
The Ultimate Fanfic
What is your ultimate, ideal fanfic?
What Real Person Fiction can be...
Links to a cross-section of different types of RPF.
What's your favourite slash flavour poll?
I thought I'd do the obligatory Poll on the topic of "What's your favourite slash flavour?"
Writing RPS
I've been thinking a lot about the differences between FPS and RPS.
Women/Writing series
Women/Writing 1: How Fanfiction Makes Us Poor
A feminist examination of fanfiction as both art and community.
Women/Writing 1: The Response So Far
An overview of the replies to "How Fanfiction Makes Us Poor".
Women/Writing 2: That Classic Combination: Sex and Violence
How Joanna Russ's writing about the ethics of pornography relates to responsibility in fanfiction.
On Writing
6 Stories in 10 Weeks
A Rant About the Process of Writing to Deadline.
The Art of Succinctness
A discussion and poll on the usefulness of story summaries.
Books on How to Write
Recommendations for How To books on both fiction and non-fiction writing. There's also more recs in comments.
Emotional Spin Cycle
On the phenomenon of after-project blues.
The Formula for Writing Sex Scenes
Sex scenes are really actions scenes, and require the same techniques.
(There is also a response to this essay: justacat's Musings on sex scenes.)
How to Write Long-Form Stories
The Liberation of Form
A short polemic on my reasons for becoming a structuralist.
The Myths of Authorship
In which I discuss being an author versus the "idealised" author.
Open Forum on Writing
In which people asked me questions and I did my best to answer them.
Performance Anxiety
A discussion of stage fright when publishing fiction.
Plotting
In which I answer some questions about how I plot in arcs.
The Problem With Long-Form Challenges
A discussion of whether deadlines help or hinder creativity.
Remix Redux IV: Discussion/Invitation
A discussion of remixredux 2006.
Remix Redux 2007 Discussion
Re: Mixing
The strategies that work for me when writing a remix.
Things I Now Know About Omniscient Viewpoint
A discussion of the problems I discovered while using omniscient viewpoint for the first time.
Writers' Group Feedback
A discussion of feedback I got in a university writers' group.
Writing and the Zombie Zone
Strategies to use when your writing muscles have atrophied.
Writing Weaknesses
A discussion of the problems encountered while writing long-form stories.
Miscellaneous Stuff
Greer, Feminism and Relevance
A discussion of Greer's comments in the wake of Steve Irwin's death.
How Do You Procrastinate Poll
How Do You Think?
A discussion of different ways of thinking.
How to Post Del.icio.us Links to LJ
The Truth About Spam Poll
Who Wants to Live Forever Poll
* * *