Then I got an email from Friend J reminding me of our fan fiction days. Yes, you read that correctly. Fan Fiction. Off the X-rated variety. (Hey, it was college - we were all experimenting.) By X - I mean:
The X-FilesOh yes, I have co-authored Mulder-Scully Fan Fiction. Stop judging me.
This reminder led me to the muse I didn't even know I had - kickass women on television.
When The X-Files came out, Scully was an anomaly. The skeptic physician to the flighty, flirtatious crazy guy. I LURVED HER.
Around the same time, I developed a massive girl crush on Buffy.
Ah, young folk have never known a day without interesting female leads on television. BUT I DO! And man, was I angry about it. (I'm still a little angry, to be honest.)
Now I'm awash in them - everywhere I turn there's another female lead to fall in love with. A couple more favorites:
These women are complex and, best of all, damaged in a way that made them stronger.
Ask people who have read my work (friends, crit partners, agents, editors) and they'll tell you I'm a high-concept plot-oriented gal, not too strong on emotion and character. I think it's because I failed to recognize this part of myself - the part that wants to explore how trauma makes women blossom, grow, and overcome.
So look out world, armed with my newly recognized muse (thanks Friend J, co-author in crime), I'm taking you by storm.
This reminder led me to the muse I didn't even know I had - kickass women on television.
When The X-Files came out, Scully was an anomaly. The skeptic physician to the flighty, flirtatious crazy guy. I LURVED HER.
Around the same time, I developed a massive girl crush on Buffy.
Ah, young folk have never known a day without interesting female leads on television. BUT I DO! And man, was I angry about it. (I'm still a little angry, to be honest.)Now I'm awash in them - everywhere I turn there's another female lead to fall in love with. A couple more favorites:
These women are complex and, best of all, damaged in a way that made them stronger.
Ask people who have read my work (friends, crit partners, agents, editors) and they'll tell you I'm a high-concept plot-oriented gal, not too strong on emotion and character. I think it's because I failed to recognize this part of myself - the part that wants to explore how trauma makes women blossom, grow, and overcome.
So look out world, armed with my newly recognized muse (thanks Friend J, co-author in crime), I'm taking you by storm.
16 comments:
Great post, Martha. Imagine the wasteland of my childhood when TV heroines were peopled by the likes of The Flying Nun and That Girl! Pah. I want my nieces to grow up learning to be like Veronica Mars and Starbuck. As soon as they can read, I'm giving them your books. Well, maybe when they're ten. As soon as they're sneaky enough to hide them from their parents.
oh yes.. love this. my fave.. House's boss on House.. forgot her name. love her.
Starbuck and Buffy. Hell, yeah.
"damaged in a way that made them stronger"
Thank you for not only an awesome post, but for this deliciously descriptive line which I am going to post on my writing board.
Ah Lynn - ten is totally appropriate! :)
Shelby - that's Lisa Edelstein who I also like! I feel like she came on a lot of series for 5 or 6 episodes (Ally McBeal, Felicity, West Wing...) so I'm glad she found a permaplace!
Man, I just realized I have a thing for blonds. I had no idea! Watch out Sophie and Lynn - I'm crushing on you guys next.
hee hee! my current favorite is holly hunter on saving grace. my current *least* favorite is any whiny hot girl on reality TV. I want to call their moms on the phone and go "Really, really, THIS is how you raised your daughter???? Proud now?????"
I'm with sophie on Holly Hunter on saving grace. WHY AM I GIVING UP CABLE? Oh, yeah. To save money. It will all be there for me, right? In the internet? Most of it? RIGHT? You will tell me stories of your strong muses....
Woo hoo!! Of course, love the post. Glad to have reminded you of your inspiration. Nothing like Scully, Buffy, and a little Aeryn Sun to inspire us. And Martha - I still have all of the fan fic on disk. Good thing I have no reason to blackmail you....yet.
OMG seriously Jill you have to take that disk to the grave. If you don't have a line in your will right now that says "burn the disk on my death" then ADD IT TO YOUR WILL. And do NOT be SWAYED by any of these tricky ladies trying to get it from you. Fan-Fic-Sisters-4-Eva. (And now I think you owe me a hug.)
I [heart] Buffy! Anyone who wants to be inspired should go watch the Buffy musical episode.
No Xena? I'm so disappointed...
I didn't have my own television when that started! (shocker, I know.) I had to watch whatever was playing in the quad. Xena didn't make the cut.
Scully a fav...must confess I have never seen Buffy (I *know*--love Firefly, really have enjoyed the twists of Dollhouse...I must see Buffy)
I went thru a phase where I didn't watch much television. But I was reading VI Warshawski who totally kicked butt....
Fabulous muses. I'd forgotten how much I loved Buffy. Now I want to watch it again!
Oh, my, what an awesome post. Heck, I used to love Charlies Angels just because they had cool clothes, hot cars and got to shoot stuff. I'll admit, Aeryn Sun has inspired a lot of fan fic on my part. Yes, I admit it.
oh yeah, Aeryn's hawt
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