Writerly Ways

[cornerofmadness]

Can we talking writing in Hollywood? Can we talk about how we're sick to death of reboots? Can we talk about originality?

So at comi-con, it came out Joss Whedon has two projects in the pipe, one sounds steampunky and will be on HBO. While I refuse to pay money for that (I have it for free right now and it's totally convinced me it's not worth dime one), I'm all for that project in that it's NEW. The second project is a Buffy reboot.

Sigh. Anthony Stewart Head had something to say about it

Whether a reboot or a spin-off, or Re-vamp (see what I did there) it is finally something that Joss will oversee, and it is his universe - he has developed extraordinary storylines in the comic book - and it will take the viewers way beyond anything they expect. Er... The Body! https://t.co/ZbiZO5bEMb

— Anthony Stewart Head (@AnthonySHead) July 21, 2018

He is right of course, it's Joss's to do with as he will. That said, the reaction might not be what is hoped. Now if it was like the Star Trek verse and we're getting something NEW in the universe I'm all for that. If it's as was suggested at comi-con, this is a reboot with an African-American Buffy, forget about it. I have no interest in that. I was thrilled when the reboot Murder, She Wrote was killed. I've mixed feelings about the rebooted Magnum PI. I don't watch the rebooted Hawaii 5-O.

There was, last year, an article out of Hollywood from some producers of a more risky, indie movie that tanked, saying 'see people only SAY they want new stuff but really they don't. They want reboots of familiar stuff.' I read the reviews of the movie and it's plot and it sounded like crap. So false equivelancy much?

I can't be the only one is so over reboots where we've gender flipped the original characters, or made them gay or a person of color. Don't get me wrong. I WANT diversity. I just want original stuff. Don't give me an African American Buffy or Jessica Fletcher. Don't give me a female Thor. Give me something new. Surely we can do this. We CAN be original and diverse.

Let's be honest Instinct isn't that great but it IS original and it has a good gay relationship as a major component of the show. What I liked about Sleepy Hollow and Timeless is we have women and PoC characters as main characters in non-stereotypical roles (we're still doing shitty on roles for Asians, Native Americans and Hispanics). I'm watching Reverie for the same reason (other than I like some of the actors), It has all different ethnicities as the major players.

We need to do better on giving good NEW storylines with diverse characters and stop settling for tepid reboots shoehorning diversity into them.

Coincidentally Betty sent me this graphic novel which mentions how the gay and PoC characters are simply there without their gayness or blackness being the only reason for them to exist. This is what I'm talking about.


So let's have some links. From Betty: 5 Reasons to Give Up on Your Novel (And One Reason Not to)

4 Signs You Might Be Confusing, Not Intriguing, in Your Opening Scene

writing plans

Do Publishers Care About an Author’s Online Presence?

Five Common Worldbuilding Mistakes in New Manuscripts

Why We Shouldn’t Be Fighting Over Trigger Warnings

podcast- Keeping Your Manuscript Smooth

Write Confidently, Even if that Scares You

Using Settings to Tap Your Reader's Imagination I need to contemplate this one

And from around the web:


The Isolated Sentence Test


How To Read, Edit, and Evaluate Your Writing With Fresh Eyes

Five Things You Need As You Begin A Career As A Self-Published Author


How To Improve Your Author Website

The Five Emotional Stages of Publishing A Book

thisThings I Wish I Had Known Before Self-Publishing My Book

How to Get Holiday Book Sales: Steps 1-3

Read, Study, And Learn From Free Book Samples


I need to put in my progress but I have a graduation party to go to so maybe I'll have a second post with more links. I hate being behind on them.

Comments

[sylvanwitch]

In the vast majority of reboot cases, I 100% agree with you. It happens that I was excited by Whedon's pronouncement, largely because I would very much like to get lost in the BtVS 'verse again, no matter who's leading it, if only to find a source of escapism that also offers some hope. Though Whedon will be producing, the actual showrunner seems like a forward-thinking, passionate woman with great vision, and I hope that means she'll give us a nice balance of grimdark and hope, with perhaps more emphasis on the hope.

This may very well be a giant case of wishful thinking. ;-)

In the meantime, I'm satisfying my yen for dark/hope balance with the latest season of Killjoys (speaking of diversity and originality) and by rewatching the Harry Potter movies in order.

[cornerofmadness]

To be honest if this is NEW Buffyverse, I'm all for it. It's a reboot of Buffy and the Scoobies, I'm not going to bother which seems to be the general consensus but if it's that, I hope you do enjoy it. I'm also pretty much over Whedon and his personal nonsense (lately I've been having trouble separating the creator from their work and if I don't like them...)

I do have Killjoys on the DVR (and yes that does nicely fill the diversity desire though last year I wasn't enjoying her storyline as much)