The story that ate my brain...

[neotoma]

How long is this thing going to be?

I'm up to 4,300 words, and I still have at least two bridge scenes to write, and the ending needs tweaking all over the place. I've already set aside two endings, since they didn't fit where the rest of the story went.

Also, the 'public reaction' part of the prompt isn't very obvious -- the various Xmen's reactions are more up front, but the wider public reaction is just mentioned in dialogue or as a character's reflection about how they feel.

I really feel like I'm flubbing the prompt :(

Comments

[harmonyangel.livejournal.com]

Hey, I don't think anyone will turn down a 4,000+ word fic about Hank. :) I'm the one who submitted the prompt, and as long as you're writing a fic dealing with that stupid canon in a rational and logical and not Grant Morrisonesqe way, I'm sure I'll be happy.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I feel like I'm not doing a good job of it. Of course, to really do that prompt justice, I'd need six months and at least 40,000 words.

Also, I fell I'm making Scott kind of a jerk. He is in active denial about Hank's sexuality, whereas the other Xmen just aren't paying much attention to it -- except for Emma, and balancing her blend of smug, condescending, prurient, and bitchy is so tough that I only have her in one scene.

[harmonyangel.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I personally feel like this might be one subject on which Emma might be a little more understanding. I mean, delving into her past canon, the only member of her family who ever loved her (and who she loved in return) was her brother Christian, who her father locked up in a mental institution for being gay. Maybe, if you're having trouble with making her bearable, you could take that into account?

I can see Scott being kind of in denial, though. He doesn't deal with change well.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

When they actually talked about this in the comics, she was amused, smug, and totally dismissive -- and said she'd looked into his head and he'd never *had* a physical relationship with another man.

As much as I wanted to slap Hank for his behavior when Morrison was running him, in this case Emma wasn't any better. She might *might* be better after Hank actually has experience, but her whole attitude at the time was "you can't be gay, because you've never done anything about it".

Scott really can't process it. He's coming off as a jerk, but I think it's more that Scott is so heterosexual that gay people might as well be Martians, and he knows Hank isn't a Martian, right? Hank would have to be making out with a guy in the front hall for Scott to admit that just possibly Hank might be gay.

[sanj.livejournal.com]

Dude, it's a PROMPT, not an assignment. Prompt means "write what you think about when you see this."

You're doing totally fine.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Sanj, you're going to get a credit for hand-holding as well as beta-reading, you know that?

And maybe a short-fic of your choice by way of thanks. ;)

[gblvr.livejournal.com]

I think you're doing fine -- I'm especially grooving on the first scene, and all the Hank and Bobby talk scenes....

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

The scene with the student? Yeah, Hank is all teacherly there, and it's kind of fun.