Maybe we're not. But I'm still thinking no, because for me, writing my One True Version of the characters isn't laborious. (And I really do have only One True Version, for the most part, since I generally write continuing series instead of lots of different what-ifs.)
Arriving at that One True Version may involve a lot of work - I felt for a long time that I didn't have a good grasp on Angel, and I don't know if my version would pass muster with people who are primarily Angel fans (probably not) but I'm happy with my version now; that's who he is in my 'verse, and I can explain why that's who he is and how I back it up with canon and all that stuff. But for me, this isn't a laborious or strained process. (Frustrating, sometimes, if there's a motivational knot I can't easily unravel, but not laborious.) I love it. I get an incredible rush when I solve a character problem in this mode - HAH YOU SNEAKY BASTARD I UNDERSTAND YOU NOW! And the better I feel I understand them, the more comfortable I am playing fast and loose with them.
I think if you're a good enough writer, you can get away with the "Oh, I'll just write X however," because you'll have picked up enough about X through your mad writerly skilz of observation to pull it off. But I can't see myself doing it that way unless I was writing total crackfic. Not just because it wouldn't occur to me, but because I don't grok the need to do it. I read your explanation of why it works for you, and I nod and smile, but part of me is still going "Buh? Don' get it."
(I'm wondering if this is partly because I don't have a hugely strict idea of What Characters Would Never Say. For me it's more like "Under What Circumstances Would They Say This, And If The Only Circumstances I Can Imagine Involve Alien Sex Pollen, Is It Really Worth The Trouble?")
no subject
Arriving at that One True Version may involve a lot of work - I felt for a long time that I didn't have a good grasp on Angel, and I don't know if my version would pass muster with people who are primarily Angel fans (probably not) but I'm happy with my version now; that's who he is in my 'verse, and I can explain why that's who he is and how I back it up with canon and all that stuff. But for me, this isn't a laborious or strained process. (Frustrating, sometimes, if there's a motivational knot I can't easily unravel, but not laborious.) I love it. I get an incredible rush when I solve a character problem in this mode - HAH YOU SNEAKY BASTARD I UNDERSTAND YOU NOW! And the better I feel I understand them, the more comfortable I am playing fast and loose with them.
I think if you're a good enough writer, you can get away with the "Oh, I'll just write X however," because you'll have picked up enough about X through your mad writerly skilz of observation to pull it off. But I can't see myself doing it that way unless I was writing total crackfic. Not just because it wouldn't occur to me, but because I don't grok the need to do it. I read your explanation of why it works for you, and I nod and smile, but part of me is still going "Buh? Don' get it."
(I'm wondering if this is partly because I don't have a hugely strict idea of What Characters Would Never Say. For me it's more like "Under What Circumstances Would They Say This, And If The Only Circumstances I Can Imagine Involve Alien Sex Pollen, Is It Really Worth The Trouble?")