Writing Sentinels of Atlantis
Dec. 4th, 2012 06:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
keiramarcosI'd never watched a single episode of The Sentinel when I started reading in that fandom. Though some of you might have guessed by writing of The Awakening, I'd never watched a full episode when I wrote in that fandom. Seriously. Even to this day I've only watched a handful of episodes. The production values just don't hold up well and I'm distracted by it. Too distracted by it. AND my head canon was formed by fandom. It makes watching that show kind of difficult. It makes me laugh when my own readers tell me that I've warped their head canon for Star Trek or Stargate because I know exactly what they mean. Exactly.
I just finished up the first season of my virtual series Sentinels of Atlantis. I wrote the Gathering because I was utterly inspired by the idea of Sentinels and Guides in the Stargate 'verse. Many other writers have been as well. In fact, Sentinel/Guides inevitably show up in most fandoms. It's a pretty great concept to play with. An instinctual protector seeking an intimate bond with another. Can't get much better than that actually. It's a lot of fun. My series, in particular, was inspired by Ladyholder's The Unlikely and the Unwilling. I was all over that shit like white on rice to be honest. Seriously.
If Xanthe is my baby-daddy when it comes to Ties That Bind then Ladyholder is definitely my baby-daddy when it comes to Sentinels of Atlantis. (Note: I just cracked myself the fuck up. I'm pretty sure reducing yourself to helpless laughter is lame.)
Anyways, so The Search, episode 20 in the series and the seasonal finale for season one, is in beta and I'm cleaning up the other episodes for my big ebook version of Season One. Many of you read The Search on Naked Nano and it's currently still up there if you're interested in seeing the rough draft and making comparsons with the final.
I actually originally wrote 25 5,000 word episodes for the first season of Sentinels of Atlantis but lost almost all of them in a harddrive failure. I don't even want to admit to how much money I wasted trying to get data off that harddrive after the fact. Just, really, back up your shit! Learn from my mistakes or something. I couldn't rewrite what I lost but that's not really a surprise. As a writer it is genuinely difficult to tell the same story the exact same way twice. So, I sat down and replotted and went in an entirely different direction. What I didn't do, however, was back up and tweak the episodes that had already been posted to match my new direction. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be doing that. I'm already up to episode 5 in this. Most of the changes are VERY minor and involve how the leadership of the Sentinel communities are structured. I also removed the SOA Q&A I had because I realized that my new plot made a lot of my answers to that just plain wrong.
In many ways, SOA was originally going to be a reflection of the What Might Have Been 'verse -- which, yes, meant that Sebastian would've made an appearance. It didn't work for me during the replot so Andy took his place in the narrative. I think what I've done with the second writing of season one is a lot stronger and more powerful than what I did the first time so in some ways I'm glad that I had to rewrite. Though, honestly, I still have flashbacks about that harddrive dying.
^Youtube Sex^
I just finished up the first season of my virtual series Sentinels of Atlantis. I wrote the Gathering because I was utterly inspired by the idea of Sentinels and Guides in the Stargate 'verse. Many other writers have been as well. In fact, Sentinel/Guides inevitably show up in most fandoms. It's a pretty great concept to play with. An instinctual protector seeking an intimate bond with another. Can't get much better than that actually. It's a lot of fun. My series, in particular, was inspired by Ladyholder's The Unlikely and the Unwilling. I was all over that shit like white on rice to be honest. Seriously.
If Xanthe is my baby-daddy when it comes to Ties That Bind then Ladyholder is definitely my baby-daddy when it comes to Sentinels of Atlantis. (Note: I just cracked myself the fuck up. I'm pretty sure reducing yourself to helpless laughter is lame.)
Anyways, so The Search, episode 20 in the series and the seasonal finale for season one, is in beta and I'm cleaning up the other episodes for my big ebook version of Season One. Many of you read The Search on Naked Nano and it's currently still up there if you're interested in seeing the rough draft and making comparsons with the final.
I actually originally wrote 25 5,000 word episodes for the first season of Sentinels of Atlantis but lost almost all of them in a harddrive failure. I don't even want to admit to how much money I wasted trying to get data off that harddrive after the fact. Just, really, back up your shit! Learn from my mistakes or something. I couldn't rewrite what I lost but that's not really a surprise. As a writer it is genuinely difficult to tell the same story the exact same way twice. So, I sat down and replotted and went in an entirely different direction. What I didn't do, however, was back up and tweak the episodes that had already been posted to match my new direction. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be doing that. I'm already up to episode 5 in this. Most of the changes are VERY minor and involve how the leadership of the Sentinel communities are structured. I also removed the SOA Q&A I had because I realized that my new plot made a lot of my answers to that just plain wrong.
In many ways, SOA was originally going to be a reflection of the What Might Have Been 'verse -- which, yes, meant that Sebastian would've made an appearance. It didn't work for me during the replot so Andy took his place in the narrative. I think what I've done with the second writing of season one is a lot stronger and more powerful than what I did the first time so in some ways I'm glad that I had to rewrite. Though, honestly, I still have flashbacks about that harddrive dying.
^Youtube Sex^
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no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 12:51 am (UTC)Just, like...whatever you feel like posting, sweet pea. ;)
Wow
Date: 2012-12-05 12:53 am (UTC)Thank you.
~L
P.S. I giggled like no tomorrow at being the baby daddy. At least I help raise it!
Re: Wow
Date: 2012-12-05 12:56 am (UTC)Re: Wow
Date: 2012-12-05 01:58 am (UTC)~L
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Date: 2012-12-05 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 01:59 am (UTC)~L
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Date: 2012-12-05 04:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 02:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 04:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 01:39 am (UTC)gentle journey,
twi
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Date: 2012-12-05 01:56 am (UTC)~L
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Date: 2012-12-05 02:03 am (UTC)I read (um, it's actually more like devoured) all of your stories, and just wanted to say thanks for sharing them with all of us. Your stories are really special. I have gotten extreamly attached to John and Rodney so I went looking for other SGA fics and I haven't found anything that remotely compares to Xanthe's 'Verse and your "Ties that Bind" and "Sentinels of Atlantis". I think you and Xanthe have spoiled me!
I can't wait to read the beta'd version of the newest bit of SOA. I really enjoyed reading what you wrote as you posted it last month. :)
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Date: 2012-12-05 02:19 am (UTC)I CANNOT WAIT for The Search to be beta'd If you actually put the entire season into one massive ebook I will worship at your feet for all eternity (as soon as I download the book).
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Date: 2012-12-05 02:47 am (UTC)I'm looking forward to the excuse to reread the entire SoA season when the ebook comes out.
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Date: 2012-12-05 02:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 03:51 am (UTC)True fact: For years, I legitimately thought that The Sentinel did not actually exist and was some sort of internet-wide hoax. For years. I could never find episodes of it, nothing. It was like it existed, but didn't exist at the same time. And then a couple of years ago there was a marathon of SyFy and I just felt justified because it actually existed and I wasn't crazy.
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Date: 2012-12-05 06:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 04:01 am (UTC)Of course all of your series have something great about them, each in their own way. I learned a long time ago that if I absolutely love a story I better save it because it might not be there when I want it again.
Have I told you lately how much I appreciate what you share with us? Well, I do! ironically, I just finished WMHB for the umpteenth time yesterday.
Thank you!
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Date: 2012-12-05 04:19 am (UTC)I now back up everything to 2 separate external drives - I'm a software developer and I've found that the more code I've written, the better the chances of my system crashing before I can save
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Date: 2012-12-05 09:51 am (UTC)Once more thanking for sharing all tour great works, looking forward to what comes next.
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Date: 2012-12-05 12:02 pm (UTC)Can't be too carefully all your stories are there safe and sound incase my kindle dies on me one day.
The Search was great in draft and I'm lookng forward to reading SOA from the start yet again when you are done and happy with it.
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Date: 2012-12-05 12:15 pm (UTC)If Naked NaNo was rough, look forward to the beta of The Search, and the tweeks to SOA, and to series 2.
icon
Date: 2012-12-05 02:12 pm (UTC)Re: icon
Date: 2012-12-05 02:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 04:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-07 09:33 am (UTC)The Search rocked on Naked NaNo, looking forward to the polished version too! pretty much, anything Keira writes I wanna read. I now have all 5 seasons of SGA and it was Keirfic that motivated me to go get 'em and watch 'em.
yum, mcshep... *falls over ded*
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Date: 2012-12-05 08:01 pm (UTC)Sayings like this are meant to be used!
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Date: 2012-12-05 01:49 pm (UTC)And yeah, TS, doesn't hold up as much as I loved it at the time. I watched it as it was being broadcast and it was my guilty pleasure show, much like Kung Fu The Legend Continues was. I utterly blame PetFly for the production values. If they had spent the same amount of money on the scripts that they did on explosives and ammunition they would have had had Emmy worthy writing.
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Date: 2012-12-06 12:28 am (UTC)fandoms
Date: 2012-12-05 02:11 pm (UTC)Re: fandoms
Date: 2012-12-05 05:10 pm (UTC)Plus, of course, here in the US we still have an almost-ban on gay relationships in major characters. My ex used to make fun of me for always liking the "buddy" shows best. At the time I didn't know why I liked them the best. I do now, of course.
I have always found it interesting that your average TV show has much better characters and settings than stories. But I am perfectly happy to just read the creative works of those who can make much better stories from those characters and settings.
Kiera, one of the things I like best about your stories is that they are very cinematographic. I find it very easy to picture scenes you write, with the actors and settings. I really like that. Especially the porn parts.
Re: fandoms
Date: 2012-12-06 12:30 am (UTC)Re: fandoms
Date: 2012-12-06 02:12 am (UTC)Instead of multiple Sheppard clones, how 'bout one Sheppard and one McKay? He'd be lonesome otherwise. ;) And maybe some chocolate sauce....
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Date: 2012-12-05 05:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-05 10:29 pm (UTC)I was actually the same with with SGA - I had seen most of the 1st season in drips and drabs and reruns but I REALLY got into it through fandom.
I agree about The Sentinel too, I far prefer fandom's take on the whole concept of Sentinel/Guide. I do re-watch some of the episodes occasionally because of the pretty but it is HILARIOUS to see the clunky cell phones and dial-up computers! And Simon's glasses, LOL.
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Date: 2012-12-05 11:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-07 05:15 am (UTC)Maybe that's why my stories are so short....
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Date: 2012-12-07 05:03 pm (UTC)"The Search" has been an awesome read, even rough, and I can't wait until it's ready to post (though I will, because, you know, it's worth the wait.)
And backing up and saving? Yep, I do that now, too. In fact, you just reminded me to pick up a few more flash drives next time I run into town and to make sure to cache stuff on the external. Because hard drive failures suck and are hugely depressing! There should be a support group for writers who have suffered loss of manuscripts due to hard drive failures...
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Date: 2012-12-08 12:43 am (UTC)One: I read The Search, and my favorite part was the scene with Chase and Matt and the idiots trying to separate them, and....I was waiting for that scene soooo much.
Two: I love the whole Sentinel concept in other fandoms, and my circle of writer/online friends have recently started going "What fandoms *hasn't* the Sentinel fusion shown up in? Because--" thing. And if someone doesn't beat me there, I have Ideas for one particular fandom...
Three: I so totally agree with the back-your-stuff-up mantra, and have a weird/scary story about my own fic.
I used to be pretty lax about backing up my own fic. Except for the time I was fooling around with organizing all my WIPs and series and whatnot on the external I stored everything on, and went "You know, you should back up your fic. Because pretty much everything else you have is either backed up already, or replaceable."
So I backed it up.
The next morning? The external refused to turn on.
Fortunately for me, the only thing that had escaped my organizing spree and thus did not get backed up was a WIP that had been emailed to my beta-at-the-time, and was still in saved mail.
These days it's not so much external/jump drives, it's dropbox/skydrive/googledrive/email-to-self/beta readers. At least for me. I've lost too many jump drives for my to depend on those.