Why yes, I DO own a pewter statuette of a certain Captain....

[jedibuttercup]

You know, it's a tiny detail? But it bugs the shit out of me when I'm reading along in a Star Trek XI fic and someone-- usually Pike, Kirk, or Bones-- blithely references how Kirk said he'd make Captain in three years; it makes me want to headsmash my keyboard. He didn't. Pike referenced figures of four (made officer) and eight (own ship); Kirk replied "Four years? I'll do it in three." He meant graduation from the Academy, not Captaincy. That may seem an insignificant difference, but it does impact Kirk's characterization. He's often reckless and arrogant, yes, but neither a braggart nor an idiot. Full stop.

*shaking head*. Anyway. I did have five scenes left to fill out in my startrekbigbang fic; that morphed into six when the climactic action insisted on more focus; and is now down to four-- one more of climax, two of falling action, and an epilogue, if it sticks to plan this time. I'm already up at 21k words, though; which is 6k more than when I submitted my "draft" last week. The way things are going, I'll hit 28-30k by the time I finally reach THE END, and that's even before I deploy the fine-toothed comb and go back to sharpen characterization and add detail I missed in the headlong rush of plot.

This is the single biggest fic I'll ever have published in one sitting; it boggles me when I open the .doc and see how many pages it covers. And it'll be the first thing I've written to have a piece of dedicated art associated with it from first posting (though I've had a few fans, to whom all confetti, offer me graphics afterward on a few occasions). I don't even care if the fic is well received, at this point; actually completing it will be enough of a reward on its own.
~

Comments

[avamclean.livejournal.com]

Holy crap! Go you on that word count jump and here I was proud of my measly 3k over the weekend. ;)

[jedibuttercup]

This kind of writing zen never happens to me. *enjoying* Props to you too!

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

And what I love about that quote is that it's almost Kirk Prime's timeline (Captain at 32 in 2264), and makes me wonder if that 3 years difference is yet more of The Kelvin Effect.

I love that there's a gazillion little differences between the universe to explore, not just in the people, but in the structure of Starfleet, technology. hell, even the politics if the Klingons had the Narada for 25 years and could have reverse-engineered any of the future tech...

[jedibuttercup]

I know. It's the perfect combination of "why yes, this was my entire childhood" background freight, and freedom to break away from it at the same time. I adore this fandom.

... And its writers. For example, I blame you entirely for the Number One cameo that wrote itself into the early chapters of my BB fic. *sheepish grin*

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

I delight in being a sneaky subversive force on fandom :) And if it means we get more Number One & Pike? Well, then I promise to use my powers for good instead of evil...

[beege22.livejournal.com]

A tiny but significant detail - there's arrogant and then there's *delusionally* arrogant, which Kirk is not.

[jedibuttercup]

I know. I'm hoping he gets to show a little more of his adult command style and a little less of his puppyish growth stages in the next one, to cut down on this kind of thing cropping up in the fandom.

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Kirk replied "Four years? I'll do it in three." He meant graduation from the Academy, not Captaincy.

That's how I always read it. Wouldn't even have thought of the second possibilities.

Congrats to your long, upcoming story :) It's a great thing when it just keeps getting longer because the scenes are really needed (as opposed to trying so hard to force some tiny plot into a long story).

[jedibuttercup]

> That's how I always read it. Wouldn't even have thought of the second possibilities.

Neither did I, until I tripped over it misquoted in the third or fourth story. Maybe when the DVD finally hits, all the people too lazy to hunt up accurate quotes and dialogue transcripts on line will straighten that tendency out themselves. =)

> Congrats to your long, upcoming story :) It's a great thing when it just keeps getting longer because the scenes are really needed (as opposed to trying so hard to force some tiny plot into a long story).

Thank you! I know; I've written epics before, but none in one sitting like this. I usually do short form. This has been a really interesting writing experience.

[oreouk.livejournal.com]

I am entirely with you on that point - it even happened in my favourite WIP of all time recently and I all but screamed.

Looking forward to reading your BB story! Roll on them coming out.

[jedibuttercup]

Ouch! I hate it when that happens.

Story posting for the BB is still a month out, I think; I was kind of amazed when they said only about 50 of the over 200 original signups made it to the 15k deadline. Maybe I shouldn't have been; I nearly didn't, after all! But then I thought, wow, 50 longform reboot stories! I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's, too. =)

[zephyrrs.livejournal.com]

The misquote on the four years always bothers me as well. I know I'm not one to speak seeing as I haven't written in forever...that doesn't stop it bothering me!