Poll: New Fics Using Old Canon

[kennahijja]

I've been thinking about the advantages/disadvantages of writing stories with 'old canon' lately. With that, I mean stories that ignore either whole books (like HBP) or certain events in canon (the death of Sirius, for example), not older stories written before said new canon came out.

I see them occasionally, and don't mind reading them, but have the impression that they are rather frowned upon in fandom. Which, in a way, is understandable, since new canon means tons of new details to incorporate, new situations to explore, and writing in an 'old' context smacks of laziness or resentment against new canon developments. Or does it? Since I'm sitting on an *old* plot right this moment and am tempted to forget that the strange animal called HBP ever showed up in its context, I'd be curious about what 'public opinion' is on this. Hence, poll :).

That said, I really want honest opinions, not reassurance - my decision on said plot will be totally uninfluenced by the outcome of this. If I was going for what's popular, I'd not try to carry the candle for Ron/Lucius ;).


[Poll #785133]

Comments

[chthonya]

Tried to respond to this last night, but my connection refused to let me post anything longer than a sentence. Grrr.

So. I chose 'AU' because to me, non-[insert book here]-compliant implies that the fic was written before that book came out. And as someone else said, it's very difficult to ignore new canon - the basic facts of who lives and who dies, perhaps, but less so new information about relationships and wizarding socieity and spells. It's interesting so go back to stories written before OotP, because it reminds me of what the fandom felt like at that point - the sort of plotlines that were still open, the questions we were pondering. I can't help feeling that a fic written in a later period would feel different, and I'd want that differentiation in the labelling.

I'd also like something in the author's note explaining why it was done - whether it's an old idea that you hadn't got round to writing before the new canon appeared, or a new 'what if...?' Doing that would reassure those who don't know you that you're not doing it through laziness, as well as answering the curiosity of those of us who know you better!

For the last question, I chose 9 - generally I prefer to read up-to-date canon (because it's less disorienting - I don't have to adjust my picture of the Potterverse and I can concentrate on the story), but I don't have any objection so long, as many others have said, it's not coming from a fic writer's rejection of canon (though I don't think that was what you were talking about anyway).

For shipfic, though, it probably wouldn't make any difference, as extrapolating from old canon would probably give more possibilities, and widening the possibilities is always good in shipfic, especially for rarepairs that weren't being thought of a few years ago.

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Yes - getting an idea about *why* something is taken AU would be useful. For some shipfic it's probably self-explanatory (i.e. everything involving Sirius that has actually a future element), but as you say, it'd be instructive (I've been sneaking away from fics ANs announcing they leave out HBP because it exploded their pairing/character of choice).

For shipfic, though, it probably wouldn't make any difference, as extrapolating from old canon would probably give more possibilities, and widening the possibilities is always good in shipfic, especially for rarepairs that weren't being thought of a few years ago.

Any interest in looking over a longish R/L featuring my version of your brilliant 'encounter at Quality Quidditch' and owing quite a lot to Amanuensis's 'Droit du Seigneur'? Just asking, no pressure - as I said, it's long and wobbly and not your cup of tea...

[chthonya]

I'd be happy to - though I have a bit of a beta backlog at the moment and in fairness won't be able to get to it until I get back from my trip on the 22nd (and even then I only have two days at home before going away for the weekend so I couldn't guarantee to get it done before that weekend). So if you don't mind waiting a month (eek!), then yes - but if you want it back sooner than that, I'll understand.

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Mmh... It has a deadline which I might be able to stretch til the end of August, but any more would set a pretty bad example for my own challenge ;). And it'll be horribly long, so you'll be better of not having to do it :). Thanks anyway - I hope you'll be having a great trip and weekend trip, just in case you're already off or on your way out :). Weather warmed up again, thank heavens! *hugs*