Tuesday, May 10, 2011

To share or not to share...

I have defended fanfiction before at this blog, and ultimately, my defense is 1. All fiction is fanfiction in some way shape or form, 2. Fanfiction can be used as creative criticism, 3. Some people just aren't creative enough to come up with new characters, but they like expanding on old ones.

The question is... is this a good enough defense to share my fanfic with my mom?

Like this... I am genuinely proud of this story: Operating System
I'm proud of the organization, and the ideas and the writing I don't think it's perfect, but I'm satisfied with it. But if I showed it to my mom and she thought it was stupid, it would be... too sad, I think. But it feels weird to have something I just can't bring myself to share, not because I think it's wrong, but because I want my mom to like it.

Hmm...

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Why doesn't it sound as clever when I say it?

A quotation of Cabin Pressure:

Martin: It seems the cargo hold heating may not have been turned on.
Douglas: Masterly use of the passive voice.

Now, when the passive voice comes up in class, first I have to explain what the passive voice is (as grammar isn't taught anymore, apparently), next I explain why it is often not a good idea to use it, and finally (not being an 18th century prescriptivist) I explain that there are sometimes very good reasons to use the passive voice.

By the time I try to explain these good reasons, my class is asleep.

Perhaps I could just play them the radio episode?

"But writing-powers-that-be, playing this show for them is TOTALLY justified. Not only did they learn about the passive voice, they heard references to Moby Dick...and learned how airplanes fly right side up!"