Wondering

[deelaundry]

Housefic writers on my f-list (or any who happen to stop by), I'm curious. [Special call to purrlia: want your opinion here, too!]

We all know Jimmy Wilson is the Cy Young of medicine. Compared to an author in the broader literary world, who are you in the Housefic fandom, and why?

Example: XX (particular fanfic writer not on my f-list) is the Jeffrey Archer of Housefic - popular, but not meaningful. As one columnist said about Archer's work, it "has always struck me as being above average of its kind. Its kind being airport books. You buy one in New York, read bits of it with some amusement and interest on the plane, and then chuck it in the bin at Heathrow."

For bonus points, because I'm hugely self-centered, to whom would you compare me?

This post is open to everyone, so feel free to email if you're feeling shy.

Comments

[moondragon-kaga.livejournal.com]

Agreed with above... I have no idea what I'd be...and I have no idea where I stand...

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Oh, me neither. I just wondered what everyone thought. : )

[nightdog-barks.livejournal.com]

*grins*

While I don't see myself this way, it wouldn't surprise me at all if more than a few people regarded me like this. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psycho)

[blackmare.livejournal.com]

Ellis, huh? Only in the sense that you recently created a certain...rather polished, murderous villain. Otherwise, no, not really. Although I will admit I don't read your Psycho!House tales.

Much though I tease you about your malicious, Wilson-harming tendencies, I actually think that your Rod Serling icon, above, may be a better fit for you than anything. Because you really are the ruler of a hundred shades of twilight, in this fandom; you spin out the best and most compelling AUs I've seen.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I'm embarrassed to admit, now that I've opened up the floor, that I don't quite know enough writers to really make this work.

But in my limited scope, I'd compare you to Ray Bradbury. Not in actual content (except for a couple of things) or style, but just in how much you amaze me with your ability to create a whole little world in such a short space, and then to do that again, and again, and again, in such a compelling way.

[mer-duff.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting question. I know I used to be the Nolan Ryan of beer league softball, and I was once the Richard Brodeur of junior field hockey (which means nothing, unless you were a Vancouver Canucks fan in the early '80s). In terms of writing, though, I know who has influenced me, and whose styles I've shamelessly emulated over the years, but I only wish I could be comparable to them in any sense.

But you've got me thinking about it now, so I'll go home and peruse my bookshelf for ideas :)

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

It's funny, because my idea in asking the question was rather more structural, if that's the right word. Not the author one might seem similar to in style, but the author whose place in the literary world parallels one's place in the Housefic world.

Popular but not respected; deep but misunderstood; blockbuster seller but only in a limited genre; etc.

I'd almost call you the Shakespeare of Housefic (quality to stand the test of time), but don't they think some of his works might've been written by someone else?

[mer-duff.livejournal.com]

Ah, see structural is even harder to determine! I have no idea where I would stand in the Housefic world.

I eventually came up with Alexander McCall Smith for myself - partly because I think the everyday is a little more important in my fics than the dramatic plot twists, but mostly because of my complete inability to write teh sex :) As much as I'd Mma Ramotswe to get it on with Mr. JLB Matekoni, I don't want to read AMS writing it!

I'd call you Shakespeare before me - you have a far more diverse canon of fic. I'm pretty narrow in scope. Actually, I'd be happy to be AMS structurally as well. Fairly popular, fairly unassuming, but decent enough for Anthony Minghella to option the film rights.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I can't answer the question for myself, certainly, so no pressure. I was just curious.

(Gotta tell you that that picture is fairly well obscene, what with the biting of the silky pinkness. Love it.)

[genagirl.livejournal.com]

I think I'm the Bill Bryson of House fandom - I wander all over, never quite sure if I'm going in the right direction but enjoying the view and I usually have a good time and a funny story to share.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I've never read Bill Bryson, but that definitely sounds like you! I'm pretty sure you're the one who got me hooked on House/Wilson fanfic, and it's always such a delight to see something new from you.

[fallen-arazil.livejournal.com]

Too hard a question for me--I'm not sophisticated in my tastes for literature, and so I wouldn't know where to begin. All I know is that I'm not the Anne Rice of the fandom, because I avoid drama like the plague. =P

~Djinn

[genagirl.livejournal.com]

Unless it really is the plague - then you write a story about it.

[anamatics.livejournal.com]

WORD.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Secret time! My tastes are nowhere near sophisticated enough to answer the question either! In fact, since I started writing fanfic, I rarely have time to read anything (except fanfic, natch).

I'm now imagining Three Corners as a vampire story, and it's pretty damn amusing. XD

[fallen-arazil.livejournal.com]

AAAH!

Don't SAY things like that! Don't you know I have a huge vampire fetish? It's taken everything I have to keep from writing a House vampire fic already, know you give me the image of vamp!House and Stacy seducing poor, innocent Wilson into their lair!

Bad Dee!

~Djinn

PS: Good Dee. Goooooooood Dee ... ^_~

[diysheep.livejournal.com]

What a fun idea.

You are a bit all over the place, but quite a lot of your stories start with the line 'he walked in the front door' or some such and revolve around domesticity.... I could be being influenced by the whole laundry thing here.

I know one writer who is the literary version of In and Out. I have never been able to find their site again, but every story was 'oh my God I am gay let's come to terms with it' every single bloody time: just come out of the closet ff author.

So if we expand the peramaters - maybe Dee is the literary House author version of Queer as Folk: Some laughs and some hystrionics because life is like that. A chaotic rough and tumble of emotions that blur before you as they spin in the dryer.

Just going on comments I am the Kate Orman/Lloyd Rose (with a bit of Lawrence Miles thrown in)/ the Monty Python team on illicit drugs author. Kate and Lloyd are two Doctor Who/sci fi writers who are notorious for writing books that poked the Doctor with sharp sticks. Lawrence is in real life a total fruitloop, but wrote this insane two parter that half the time you had no idea what was going on. People either loved or hated it.

Ironically they really like my Doctor Who fan fiction - but the funny stuff.

Blackmare is literary version of I from Withnail and I. Cute in that little red number, but can be led astray by the evil Withnail and can be turned to the darkside.

Namaste so types with an old fashioned type writer in my mind. And wears those half glasses. Cue Jessica Fletcher music, but literary version - she lives in Spain, drinks vino, has a younger lover and a complex about her height (tall) - and smokes cigarettes as she discusses philosophy with dudes in black polo necked sweaters. At the moment she is mourning the death of that French philosopher Builliard or something because she found him sexy.

The lady who does those really long House/Wilson stories (Isander) is that romance lady who dresses in pink and eats chocolates. Such a romantic and no matter what you think about the two Gs they leave your busom heaving.

And now this post is officially over as my mind has gone blank and I cannot remember a single other story anyone has written (I'm not good on Saturdays) - except that one where PEOPLE SHOUT AT EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW MUCH REALLY GOOD SEX THEY ARE GETTING AND HOW GREAT TEH HAWT MAN SEX IS, but this would be a great thing to do individually.

"Hi, I loved your story." But I'd probably get a lot of "This story makes me think of you as a RAVING PSYCHOPATH!"

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

Nooo, Withnail isn't evil, how can you say that? All right, he's selfish and morose, but he's no Geoff Wode.

And when does Marwood wear red?

[diysheep.livejournal.com]

When Uncle Monty is trying to roger him over the kitchen table.

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

Isn't he wearing the leather jacket?

Damn, I'm rusty.

[diysheep.livejournal.com]

Nah - this is the bit just after he has showered and is cooking with Monty - after Monty has come to recue them and bring food.

That's when Monty tries to roger him over the kitchen table.

[diysheep.livejournal.com]

We are all quite clear on the whole 'rogering' thing here aren't we?

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

I can't speak for all of us, but I know what you mean.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

No clue about "Withnail and I" but I do know the word 'rogering.'

When I was a teenager, I went to a movie in which one of the characters said something about getting buggered (I have it in my mind that is was Fish Called Wanda but I can't find the quote), and I was the only one in the theater who laughed. It was quite funny, too, so I'm sure that it was just because I was the only one who knew what 'bugger' meant.

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

I must watch that again. I had to stop for a while because it always made me cry (favourite film of an ex, we used to quote it incessantly, you know how it is). I would probably be all right now, though.

[blackmare.livejournal.com]

Er...I've never seen Withnail and I. I am therefore not certain how to respond to the comparison. Perhaps I'll respond by seeing whether I can get some episodes of this show from Netflix.

Led astray? Turned to the darkside? Whatever could you mean? What darkside?

*blinks innocently*

[diysheep.livejournal.com]

You have never seen it! Oh Mare - as a Doctor Who fan you'd love it. It is a cult British movie made by some unbelieveable famous director, but I (or Marwood) is played a very young and ruff making Paul McGann and Withnail is played by Richard E Can't.

It is about two unemployed actors who go for a weekend in the country.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I do so agree with your ideas, and am quite pleased to be analogized to Queer as Folk. I've only seen the US version but hot damn I loved it. Except I'd like to kill the writers for what they did to Brian at the end, but that's just me. Oh and the lesbians were boring; I fast-forwarded through them every time.

[hannahrorlove.livejournal.com]

I'd like to think I'm the Borges of the fandom, given the crazy ideas I get, but I'm nowhere near the skill level needed to pull off such a comparison.

Your story Pillory has always reminded me of The Scarlet Letter, but that's more due to the stories having a number of parallels than some traits of the authors' overall styles. Considering your larger body of work, I'd compare you to Katherine Paterson, given how the two of you both deal with emotions in plain, vivid ways.

[spoopy.livejournal.com]

Lol, I have no idea who I am like in comparison to an established author. It's not something I've ever thought about, and now that I am thinking about it, I still haven't got a clue.

But me and hannahrorlove were discussing in IM that we think you're like the Katherine Paterson of fanfic: you convey emotions simply, but deeply. :)

[jadesfire.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm....intriguing. Since my reading is almost entirely sci-fi/fantasy/mystery, I may be a little limited on choice of authors :)

For me, I think Elizabeth Peters would be my first point of reference - plot-driven without (hopefully) sacrificing on character, quirky, sensible and firmly tongue in cheek.

As for other people...Maybe it's just the influence of "My Father's Son", but I'd probably pick Kate Atkinson (http://www.geocities.com/kateatkinson14/) for you. I don't know how big she is over there, but she writes literary family saga and people centred books and has got a really sharp eye for characterisation. 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum' is just wonderful.

The only other one I can think of (Sheep's list is brilliant :)) is that Nightdog makes me think of Lawrence Block. Happy in a variety of genres from hard boiled to very silly but always absolutely themselves, convincing, punchy and never shrinking from the violence.

[daisylily.livejournal.com]

To quote a certain tie-wearing oncologist: "I have no idea..."

I am completely hopeless at these kind of questions; I just know what I like to read, and am grateful that the House fandom (and particularly the H/W subset) has such talented writers in it.

(I am so hopeless that I can't even guess who you "Jeffrey Archer" is - any chance you could tell me via email?)

And I have no idea who I'd be, mainly because I can't think of any suitably cracky authors!

[anamatics.livejournal.com]

I honestly could not answer you for either of your questions. I mean, Arureos' bit at the end reminded me of the Redwall stories; but it's a poor comparison.

But I'll ask you this, why would you want to be compared to someone else? Your stories are unique to you, and that's what makes them so fun to read.

Or maybe that question is simply my defense mechanism because I have no idea how to answer your question.

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

I suppose I would be John Kennedy Toole, in that I barely write anything.

I would have to think about other writers. Usually it doesn't occur to me to compare writers, although I know I have done it; I just need to remember when, and what conclusions I came to.

[purridot.livejournal.com]

Wow -- that is a hard question! It seems to me that many of the authors in the House fandom have developed their own signature styles, and it is fun to look for that *one* sentence that gleefully shows off the author's "trademark" approach.

I'm not very well read at all, and what I do read is kinda old-fashioned, but in some seemingly unexpected ways, your writing reminds me of... well, Victor Hugo. I know, you're thinking, "WTF?" and I can't really explain this succinctly, so I think I'd better just send a private e-mail :D

BTW, I have a theory that fanfic based on the works of Victor Hugo (e.g. Les Miserables) is never entirely successful because VH has already done it all. His novels contain all the elements that fanfic readers like to see: angst, slash, hurt/comfort, the tragedy of real life, well developed secondary characters, romance (sometimes ill-fated), humour, elegant writing. ;-)