(no subject)

[out_there]

Okay, I was going to go to bed. I got distracted by Sunshine Days: Five Things That Never Happened to Sam Seaborn by cgb. It's very good. Go read it if you haven't yet.

As I've sent my Sam Seaborn 5 Things fic off to beta, it's pretty much finished, so I decided to read cgb's fic. I didn't want to read it first because a) I'd get scared off by a damn good writer doing stuff I wanted to do better than I could, and b) I didn't want to read someone else's ideas before I got mine straight in my head.

As it turns out, I'm so very glad I waited until now to read it. I mean, the 3rd, 4th and 5th sections are stories that I never would have come up with or considered. The 2nd section deals with a turning point in Sam's history (the Kensington Oil deal), as does my second section. On the good side, it's done in a very different way, and with different results, but still, highly similar theme.

However, her first section? All about Sam as a kid, and his mom finding out about his Dad's affair. Wanna take a guess at what my first section was? All about Sam as a kid, and his mom finding out about his Dad's affair.

Seriously, how much of a coincidence is that?

It's just highly intriguing that even though we wrote not even communicating with each other, not even knowing each other personally, our first two sections are highly similar. Her's has already been published online and was finished a couple weeks ago, but I remember posting that first section on LJ when I first had the idea for a 5 Things fic a couple months ago. These two ideas have come up in two minds, at roughly the same time, without one person having any influence over the other.

I guess it comes down to the fact that there are some definite turning points in each character's history. Therefore, any author of a 5 Things fic will be tempted to play with these events, because these are the events that had the greatest effect on the character's life. It makes it intriguing that all of the SV 5 Things fics are so very original and different, but that might have more do with the fact that SV is a (dodgy) sci-fi show, so almost anything is possible. As a show, WW is far more grounded in reality, so the AUs are less adventurous, and closer to canon. Either that, or SV writers in general are just happier to think outside the box. *g*

Comments

[warlordkittens.livejournal.com]

i had five chances to kill josh.

i came up with a sixth.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*applauds oro's creativity*

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

Did you get my beta back on the first two sections? I sent it at midday today. If not, I'll send it again, but thought I'd better ask first rather than spam your inbox.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

You know what? I got your beta, but I didn't get email confirmation of this message. (Unless I deleted it by mistake, but I wasn't that sleepy this morning. I don't think...)

Hmmm... you know, I hate to say it, but I think the last three sections are going to need the work. I think the third one needs some reference to Josh's father to explain that he's going over to his funeral. The fourth one... I need a second opinion, but I think it might be a bit... clunky, between the toast and the flashbacks. And the fifth one is bordering just *this* close to being meoldrama and bad writing. (My defense is that I was sick/tired when I wrote it, and my brother was snickering over my shoulder. Nothing points out your bad phrases quicker than someone's snicker. Heh. I'm a poet and I know it. *g*)

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

I'll try and get at least one section done as quickly as I can, but I'm going out this evening, and I was just too tired this morning to get up early and do a section (today is going to take a lot of caffeine - I stayed up way too late, making screencaps....).

I think the third one needs some reference to Josh's father to explain that he's going over to his funeral.

Yes. I guessed, largely from the date, but it would be much better included. The other two I can't comment on without rereading, and I've not got that long before work.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm editing it right now. *g*

Over here, it's midnight.

Hmmmm... I made a couple changes to the third section, but mostly, it was just adding a comma or two to the first paragraph, and changing a two sentences.

1) his mind remained blank. He couldn’t think of the appropriate words, let alone the sentences he should use.

2) “She told me what happened. About your father. I’m so s - “ he said, but was cut off by Josh.

I'm working on the fourth section now (hopefully I can clean it up a little), so will it be okay if I email it to you? Within the hour, hopefully, but if not, tomorrow night (say, in about 18hours from now).

After that, Mum will be down, so I won't be spending as much time online anyway. *g*

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

Just sent back the betaed third and fourth parts - as ever, let me know if you don't get them.

After that, Mum will be down, so I won't be spending as much time online anyway. *g*

I hope you're not going to lose your Spamtastic crown!!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll probably still post whenever bored at work, so I doubt I'll stop being spamtastic any time soon. *polishes crown*

Just sent back the betaed third and fourth parts - as ever, let me know if you don't get them.

Didn't get them. Also didn't get emailed this comment... I hope that's LJ related, not hotmail related.

Could you send it again?

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

I'm desperately confused, thanks largely to LJ (but also the late hour and the lack of caffeine in my system). I've had an email saying you received the beta, that looks to have come through hours before this! So I shall risk spammage, and send it again. You'll probably end up with 23 copies of the betaed fic.....