Changing the mythology

[lizardbeth]

When I'm writing an AU (by which I mean a "What if X happened differently?" AU, not a "Everybody's in High School!" Elseworlds type thing), I tend, because I have canon-neuroses, to try to keep everything the same up to that point, including character backstories and 'verse mythology. That way, the plot and characters may unfold differently, but the underpinnings remain the same

However, I'm not going to be able to do that for my BSG Not all that we are-verse story. Okay, I COULD, but I'm not going to, because I like the mythology I created. It is, however, giving me TWINGES OF GUILT, like "no one's going to read this because it's going so far afield of canon. WOE!"

So, in order to make me feel better about continuing a story that will completely and utterly reject everything we have now learned about the Opera House, Hera, Earth, the Head People, etc, how about a poll?

[Poll #1375303]

I know, I know it's silly. I think it's my inner Tolkien canon-whore. It's kind of a disease. I'll still write, I'll just cringe a little, until I get used to ignoring canon so blithely (in a place I would usually USE it).

Comments

[silverblade219.livejournal.com]

Based on what I've heard of the finale (I still haven't watched it yet, but I read reviews/recaps), I think that most people wouldn't mind if you completely changed what happens.

Personally, I'm curious of what your version of the mythology is. Maybe the fact that Sam is a oracle changed large parts of the cycle, etc.

[raincitygirl.livejournal.com]

If it's better than canon (not an especially high bar, given the finale), hey, GO FOR IT!!!!!! I will sure as hell be reading it, and it sounds like a great way to wash the taste of the real canon out of my mouth.

Bitter? Moi? Surely you jest.

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

Dude. You and I can be canon flouters together, m'kay? 'Cause I was just thinking last night about what I need to keep and what I can throw away to make Persistence of Memory the sequel to Liberation. Heh. In fact, I was thinking about consulting you on that score. :P

[ivanolix.livejournal.com]

I think it's my inner Tolkien canon-whore

Never heard it called that before. ;-) But anyway, it's not something I'd do for any other canon, but it's fine to mess with the underlying mythology of BSG. Most fic out there was completely jossed but still worth reading, and given that it's kind of a strange situation (where mythology is actually meant literally), it feels right to play with AUs where things were just different. So even though I'm normally neurotic about canon, I've considered writing fundamentally-changed AUs for BSG...and I'll definitely read more of yours.

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

Ditto what merrykk said.

If recent show stuff works with what you already have, great. But you've already created a separate arc, so just keep going!

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

I tend to stick to canon except in things I began before being jossed, in which case I just keep on.

I gave answer #2.

well written Au's rock!

[lexi599.livejournal.com]

I for one, vote for the AU.

I have read fanfiction since I was a kid and these days the only things that still really interest me are crossovers and other well-written AUs, because in my opinion they show more creativity and better understanding of the canon. Only if you understand the characters can you truely digress from canon and still make it viable in terms of them being different choices for the same people in different situations.

so rock on, and that also means your BSG/B5 story (hint)