A Post With Two Topics

[deird_lj]

Please comment on the topic you prefer to discuss...


For Writers

Do you guys often write stories where you already know how it's going to end before you start?
Not just generally knowing the plot - I'm talking the specific line that's going to be the last line in the fic.

I've just been thinking about my own writing, and I realised that, in fact, I often know the exact last line before I write the story. Mostly this means I'll end up figuring out what on earth the plot is just because I've got this last line sitting there, and I want to know how to get to it.

Does this happen to anyone else? Or just me?

(Bonus points if you can guess which of my stories started that way.)

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For Unaccomplished People

I just found out that the guy who sits across from me at work - who is two years younger than me - is about to buy a house.

I am feeling very disheartened and unaccomplished.

Please, regale me with your stories of how you didn't learn how to tie your shoes until you were ten, or never ever learned how to cook - so that I can laugh at you share your pain.

Comments

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Yes, maybe. But I quickly realized that I don't have skills to create such a complex narrative. Besides, I got invested in the Xander/Faith pairing and I just couldn't screw up their chances so royally :)

I heard rumors that Joss' "plan A" for Xander was making him Glory's human host (if season 5 would have been the last one, Joss intended to kill off practically all the main cast). I often wonder how Joss planned keep the character's integrity with Xander-as-Glory plot twist.

OTOH, I have a set-up and a perfect last line for a season 6 fic - but I can't write a story for several years. I tried to develop it as a Spuffy fic, then as a Spike/Dawn fic, then as Spike-and-Xander fic. Yet the story resists in each case.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Joss was actually planning to kill off the cast? I am so glad he didn't go there. I don't think I would have forgiven him. (I've never heard this particular deal. I have heard that originally he planned to have Xander being taken over by the first evil in the last season. Apparently, Xander has dodged several bullets.)

[next_to_normal]

Yeah, I've heard the First Evil thing, too. I've also heard that Nicky Brendon was given the option to be killed off (I think in S4), because the writers thought they'd run out of ideas for Xander's character, but Brendon turned them down, because a paycheck's a paycheck.

I never know if any of these rumors are true, though, lol. Never heard the "killing the cast in S5" one before this.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Based on the next three seasons, the writers never did find an idea for Xander. Which is amazing, since fanfic writers never had that problem.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I never know if any of these rumors are true

NB confirmed that Joss offered him to kill off Xander in Backstage.com August 24, 2005 interview that was later reposted on NB's official site

http://nickbrendon.com/2005/

Brendon: ...Because after about season five on [Buffy], or the end of season four, I was that guy. [Buffy creator] Joss [Whedon] actually said Xander was done — that there was no more. I was just kind of relegated to the background. It was one of those things that, where I was at in my life, the money was more important than my pride or taking care of myself. [Leaving], especially as the show’s just starting to take off…

Re: killing off the whole cast in The Gift. It has never been confirmed officially, but old TV Tome trivia included that fact(-oid).

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

There was a lot of interesting trivia at the old version of old TV Tome. I saved it all on my hard drive so I can copy-paste the relevant part here:

Earlier in the season, it was rumored that the entire town of Sunnydale would be sucked into the Hellmouth in the finale. Although it has never been completely confirmed, Joss had another plan for the season. The original idea was to have Anya die in the rubble, Xander be Glory's other half (instead of Ben), Willow was going to become evil after Tara's death and join forces with Glory, and Dawn was to be bled by Evil Willow in the end, and Sunnydale was supposed to be completely destroyed by the Hellmouth.