Procrastinating instead of sleeping (Therapy wip Poll)

[out_there]

I've come to a bit of a stand-still in the Therapy wip. My problem is simple. I know *what* happened, but I don't know *how* to write it. Hence, I'm going to rely on the most accurate data-gathering technique that I know: a fannish poll.

I need to get an idea of just how far off the beaten (canon) track I am before I screw it up. *g*


[Poll #373019]

Comments

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

A good way to show what happened because...

If you do it in a conversation, it'll just make us (or maybe just me) wanna see what actually happened. Besides, there's the whole show vs. tell thing. Or maybe I just like flashback. Blame it on Highlander ;)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Besides, there's the whole show vs. tell thing.

Yeah, my only concern is that so far, all of the flashbacks have been a description of what Dan's literally telling Abby. Hence, if Dan wouldn't tell Abby that... it shouldn't be there, I don't think.

Yeah. I've got Casey and Dan making out in the back of my head, all high-school-esque sexual desperation, and I'm not sure how to write it.

If you do it in a conversation, it'll just make us (or maybe just me) wanna see what actually happened.

Actually, that's a really good point. Hmmm...

[laylee.livejournal.com]

I'm leaning toward wanting to see what happens as well. It's all about the visuals, hon.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

In other words, fangirls want their smut. *g*

[laylee.livejournal.com]

fangirls want their smut

Well, yeah.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm off to bed.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*hugs you*

Sleep well, hon. And, considering the time, I should already be in bed. Screw it -- I'll regret it tomorrow, instead.

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

Hence, if Dan wouldn't tell Abby that... it shouldn't be there, I don't think.

Hmm... mix the 2? Kinda like you start it by Dan telling it to Abby in not too much details, flashback to all the details he's remembering to show us what he's not telling, and ends with him ending his story to Abby.

eg. "We were making out in the car, it was -- "

[insert flashback with all the smutty goodness]

"-- it didn't went too well."

Abby nodded.

Something like that.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*headdesk* You haven't been reading the wip, have you? I totally forgot.

Basically, that *is* the rhythm of the entire fic. Abby talks to Dan, Dan talks to Abby, we get a flashback to something in Dan's life, then we flicker back to the conversation with Dan and Abby.

Although, you saying that gave me an idea. I mean, I'd have to work towards it, but it would get to the point...

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

*headdesk* You haven't been reading the wip, have you? I totally forgot.

Um... .yeah, anything WIP is pretty much unread. :)

Still, glad that it sparked an idea. And yes, really need sleeeeep. Nite nite.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Night!

I'm tempted to start writing now, but I know it'd be better to wait until I can write a coherent sentence. *g*

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

A good way to show what happened because...

Well, it depends how you want to do it. But you could structure the flashback to show the difference between what Dan is remembering - smut in vivid, lascivious detail - and what Dan is willing and able to convey to Abby. That's a key thing in therapy, how well you can explain things, how well the therapist is able to fill in the gaps. Abby is a good therapist, I think, and Dan is relatively open and communicative, but still there's going to be a huge lacuna, and I think the smut flashback would be a way to show that.

If you wanted to write it that way.

(Incidentally, I wanted my answer on the way Dan would talk to Abby about sex to be somewhere between straight-forwardly and awkwardly. I think there'd be elements of both. I think Dan would be more awkward and ashamed than he'd expect to be; I think he'd be a little shocked at how difficult it was for him. But I still think he'd be better at talking about sex, and more comfortable with it, than most people; the shock would come from his expectation that he'd be almost entirely comfortable. Also, I think he'd cover his residual discomfort well. For one thing, people in therapy are often in performance mode, and Dan is a sports anchor. In performance mode, he knows from covering, and I think he'd use that skill to defend himself from Abby.)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

But you could structure the flashback to show the difference between what Dan is remembering - smut in vivid, lascivious detail - and what Dan is willing and able to convey to Abby. That's a key thing in therapy, how well you can explain things, how well the therapist is able to fill in the gaps

Hmmm. Very good point. But doesn't writing it that way (ie. Dan's memory as opposed to what he'll tell Abby) automatically cast doubt on the rest of the flashbacks in the fic? Until this point, I'd considered the flashbacks to be an accurate/honest portrayal of precisely what he was telling Abby. If he tells part/not all but the flashback shows it all, won't it leave the audience wondering what he actually *said* about the other flashbacks (ie. was he able to be honest about them? Did he only give Abby a certain impression?)?

Incidentally, I wanted my answer on the way Dan would talk to Abby about sex to be somewhere between straight-forwardly and awkwardly. I think there'd be elements of both. I think Dan would be more awkward and ashamed than he'd expect to be; I think he'd be a little shocked at how difficult it was for him. But I still think he'd be better at talking about sex, and more comfortable with it, than most people; the shock would come from his expectation that he'd be almost entirely comfortable.

Oh, I rather heart you for managing to talk about that and make it make sense inside my head. (Um, it's nearly 1am. The grammar-portion of my brain's already asleep.)

Dan does seem to openly tease Casey about sex...um, I didn't mean that to sound the way it did. I meant, in one of the Sally episodes, Dan doesn't seem to be at all embarrassed by the prospect of sexual details, so it stands to reason that he'd consider himself sexually confident.

Also, I think he'd cover his residual discomfort well. For one thing, people in therapy are often in performance mode, and Dan is a sports anchor. In performance mode, he knows from covering, and I think he'd use that skill to defend himself from Abby.

*nods* Very good point, but Abby tends to see through him with a scary amount of accuracy. *thinks*

Thanks for your reply. I think I need to mull this over a bit more, but it's certainly helped me cement the scenario inside my head.

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

We're talking gay sex, aren't we? None of this het business. No, sirree, we don't know anyone who writes het, oh no.

Anyway. Dan may talk openly, if a bit sophomorically, to Casey about sex-wiv-gurls. And he might talk reasonably openly to Abby about same.

Would he be as comfortable broaching the subject of sex-with-I-hope-Casey?

Who knows, certainly not me. I'm just looking forward to reading the result. I'm a very lazy audience.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

We're talking gay sex, aren't we? None of this het business.

*laughs* Oh, dude, I totally should have mentioned that, shouldn't I? Sorry. Yeah, I am talking about the big gay sex. (And no, I wouldn't be writing het smut.)

Would he be as comfortable broaching the subject of sex-with-I-hope-Casey?

I think the general audience agreement is not comfortable, but with enough prodding (oh, bad choice of words) from Abby, he'd spill the nitty-gritty details.

Who knows, certainly not me. I'm just looking forward to reading the result. I'm a very lazy audience.

Hee!

[celli]

I could see Dan taking a sort of glee in talking about sex with Abby just as easily as I could see him stumbling around it. It would depend on if his mood was malicious, I think.

And you could contrast a flashback with him deliberately obfuscating when he discusses it with Abby. I dunno, I think it would work, but if it doesn't feel right compared to the other flashbacks...we'll insert it mentally ourselves. *g*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I could see Dan taking a sort of glee in talking about sex with Abby just as easily as I could see him stumbling around it. It would depend on if his mood was malicious, I think.

*smooches you* Oh, I like that idea dearly. I don't know if I'll use it, but... yeah. Dan turning defensive and nasty? Could over-share as a last form of defence.

You know I love you for the twisted way your mind works, right?

[dzurlady.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm all for a bit of smut. *loves smut* However, I think he'd be a bit unforthcoming about it all to Abby though. He hasn't been very open so far, and I don't see why that would suddenly change. However, I can see Abby (as usual) making him open up.

In response to everyone's comments so far, and yours in particular (Hmmm. Very good point. But doesn't writing it that way (ie. Dan's memory as opposed to what he'll tell Abby) automatically cast doubt on the rest of the flashbacks in the fic? Until this point, I'd considered the flashbacks to be an accurate/honest portrayal of precisely what he was telling Abby. If he tells part/not all but the flashback shows it all, won't it leave the audience wondering what he actually *said* about the other flashbacks (ie. was he able to be honest about them? Did he only give Abby a certain impression?)?) I would say that explanation/flashback/explanation would fit in with the rest of the fic. I don't know if this is what you intended, but I've been reading the flashbacks as Dan's memories of the event and as an accurate depiction of what happened. He doesn't go into that much detail when he tells Abby, but she pieces it together from what he's saying to get the whole picture. Of course, sometimes he'd be more forthcoming than other times...

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this is what you intended, but I've been reading the flashbacks as Dan's memories of the event and as an accurate depiction of what happened. He doesn't go into that much detail when he tells Abby, but she pieces it together from what he's saying to get the whole picture. Of course, sometimes he'd be more forthcoming than other times...

Huh. *blinks* How interesting. I've been writing it, imagining Dan literally telling Abby a story, with all the he-said, she-said type details.

But the fic itself never explicitly states that, so... it's a totally valid way of seeing it, as seeing the memories inside Dan's head and how much he tells Abby as two seperate things. Interesting.

[dzurlady.livejournal.com]

I had a similar reaction, only from the other direction, so to speak. Of course, thinking about it, I could see it that way as well.
Hmm. Now I have to figure out what I think again.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I guess it depends on how you see the therapy episode (oh, the one after the list came out). I saw the flashbacks as an accurate "true" description of what happened, but... yeah. It could be seen the other way...

Damn complicated fic premise.