Commuter to Reality: 'Pulp Fiction'

Many--perhaps most--teachers of fiction writing do not accept manuscripts in genre, and I believe there's good reason for this, which is that wereas writing litary fiction can teach you how to write good genre fiction, writing genre fiction does not teach you to write good liteary fiction--does not, in effect, teach you "how to write," by which I mean how to be original and meaningful in words.--My textbook

I stumbled across this quote from the back of my textbook while glancing through it (finally arrived yesterday, much to my relief). Ironically, the professor mentioned the difference between genre fiction and "literature" in class today. Her points boiled down to:
1. Genre writing is plot-based, literary fiction is character-based.
2. Genre fiction does not have pyscological realism.
3. Genre fiction relies heavily on large, often unrealistic events.
At least, that's what I heard.

My response:
1. How do you show character except through events? Also, if you cannot take out the specific character and replace him without the plot collapsing, doesn't that imply a certian degree of character-basis?
2. To quote G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy/:

The fairy tale discusses what a sane man will do in a mad world. The sober realistic novel of to-day discusses what an essential lunatic will do in a dull world.

3. In certian worlds, big events may be quite reasonable.

And examples for all three (All from Doctor Who for consistancy)
1. The Doctor may enage in many adventures, but those adventures often stem from/are complicated by his nature. One episode that grows directly out of the Doctor's character is "Amy's Choice."
2. While no one now alive is responsible for the genocide of their home planet (we think), the Doctor shows the scars of that action even when he tries to hide it. One of the first things mentioned about him in the revived series comes in conversation with the Nestene Concious,

That's not true! I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!

3. In the Whoniverse, it is perfectly reasonable that aliens invade Earth (especially on Christmas) and are scared off by a screwdriver, because they know who they are facing.

Commuter to Reality: A Report from the Field

Here we are in the wilds of the web, attempting to track down an inspirus realisticus. Although I have an abundance of inspirus speculatus, my current sponser will only be satisfied with inspirus realisticus captured by outline summeries. This adds an additional level of difficultly, as I perfer the pantser ploy.
I began by inspecting older specimens of speculatus, hoping some of them had realisticus realitves. But this approach proved unsuccessful. My associates had no helpful hints for me, nor did my old records prove useful. I then attempted to search the forests of flickr for images of realisticus, but none of them leapt out at me, and I wish for a healthy specimen. I have also inspected dearblank and postsecret to no avail. I am currently seeking the audio realisticus, but time is running out, as my sponser requires proof of the beast's existance by Wednesday.

Commuter to Reality: Irony

So I google "mainstream fiction story ideas" and what is my top result?

SF Explores Ideas the Mainstream Fiction Won't

Commuter to Reality: Sparrow Syndrome and Pessimism

What's good about sad?
It's happy for deep people.
--Sally Sparrow, Blink

Well, judging from the first two class periods, "Writing of Fiction" will give me plenty of material for blog posts, if not short stories. The series will be titled Commuter to Reality, because my muse is going to have to come in from my wide imagination into the little corner of it that is considered reality.

The second part of the title, "Sparrow Syndrome," comes from the Doctor Who quote. Sometimes, you just want to watch Aslan's death or the montage at the end of the last Sarah Jane Adventure because you want to cry. (One reason why 'School Reunion' has become one of my favorite episodes since Elisabeth Sladen's death in April.) Part of it is the relief of taking off masks, acknowledging that everything is not okay. Sometimes it's realizing that other people have it worse, even if those other people are imaginary. Tearjerkers can even be heartwarming, like the very end of 'The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe.'

On the other hand, there are sad stories that are merely depressing. For class, I read a story called 'Balancing Act.' The professor says that she assigns us certian stories to let us know what she might be looking for. Well, this story doesn't exactly inspire confidence in any of my ideas. It's about a husband and wife who gradually drift apart. The last sentences convey the whole tone.

Each walked a tightrope of need. That single afternoon, she later decided, was what had kept them together for another three full years.

Woop-de-do. Life in grayscale with no real hope of color or even sepia tone isn't sad, it's depressing. If sadness is rain, then stories like that are the nasty, stinging perceptation--not snow, rain, or even sleet--that you can barely see but grinds your face like pebbles. Rain can be poetic. You can dance in rain, watch it come down, let it water your garden. There's nothing to be done with the stingy stuff but dart inside and get out of the way.

Commuter to Reality: Beyond the Veil

I write because I believe there is more to this world then we can see at first glance. While "realistic" fiction may speak to the events of the day, speculative stories weave a golden thread in the February gray of the everyday. Like the population of Storybrooke(Once Upon a Time), we have forgotten the other side of our life. Like Frodo, we are on a quest larger than we can imagine, that draws from all the old tales and never ends. And like any of the Doctor's companions, we are meant to break the bonds of space and time.
To quote the title of a C.S. Lewis article "Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What's to Be Said." Unfortunately, that will not be the case for Eng 2---, 'Writing of Fiction.' In the first class period, the professor announced that fantasy, sci-f, and magic realism (as well as historical and young adult) are not permitted genres for the one story to be written in the class. Furthermore, a plot summery is required before writing the story--extremely irritating to my pantser tendacies.
Although I can see why those restrants are in place, I am already struggling to find the gem of an idea. Most of my ideas are sparked by other stories or dreams I have--both of which tend to be of the Time-Lord/dragon/flying variety. All my best stories start with an image or an emotion, whether it's three roses in a color darker than black, richer than red or intense shame. I do have a plot, as such, but without an image or an emotion, it lacks potential.
If images are the heart of my stories, this image suggests why I write fantasy. Why bother with the pattern on the curtain when there's something hiding behind it.?

Tyndale

William Tyndale may not be a household name, but his work to translate the Bible from Latin into English formed the basis of the King James Bible, which recently celebrated its 500th anniversery. This biography also provideS historical background for the period, almost to the point of being a dual biography for Tyndale and his foe Thomas More.
With the historical background and somewhat explict quotes, this book is not meant for young children, but is intriguing for those responsible enough to handle it.
3/5

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

A delightful blend of lighthearted adventure and tearjerkers, "The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe" stands well on its own, but with extra rewards for Narniacs, such as the line 'What do they teach in schools these days?' The scenery was gorgeous, the aliens creepy--did they have to use something so close to the Weeping Angels' theme?--and the resolution heartwarming.
My favorite part, however would have to be Madge scolding the Doctor and what he does afterward. The whole scene, but especially...

Amy: We’re just about to have Christmas dinner. Joining us?
The Doctor: If it’s no trouble?
Rory: There’s a place set for you.
The Doctor: But you didn’t know I was coming. Why would you set me a place?
Amy: Oh, we always do. It’s Christmas, you moron.
Rory: Come on.