All right, here goes

So IÂ’m a writer of fix fics now? by Hieronymus Graubart on 2016-10-27 12:27:00 UTC Reply

We are Protectors of the Plot Continuum and must protect canon even if we don’t like it. But sometimes it’s a bit unclear what actually is canon.

SPOILERS for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Tales of the Grey Bard.

HG

Interesting. [SPOILERS] by Aegis on 2016-10-27 18:39:00 UTC Reply

While the story seems to be presented as a kind of summary, I do like what it's trying to do. The explanation provided for the canonical contradictions are satisfying, and almost sooth some of the pain this play caused.

Almost. I could buy the possibility of alternate universes, based on how I understand time to work. But that ridiculous prototype Time Turner still shouldn't exist, Voldemort Day is still a nonsensical butterfly-effect style aesop about how the past shapes us, and everyone is still totally out of character (I mean, PIGEONS? I ask you. . .).

None of this is, of course, your fault. The fic you posted is interesting, and a damned sight better than the original. The writing is direct, to the point, and functional, which I admire. Do try and display a little more self-confidence, though. Tempting as it is to apologize, I find it's best just to put something out there and let others give their opinions.

Ah, the pigeons. by Hieronymus Graubart on 2016-10-28 13:43:00 UTC Reply
Well, phobias exist, they are not always explained as easily as "Ron’s teddy bear was turned into a dirty great spider when he was three", and we have never seen Harry petting a pigeon in the books. I actually don’t remember to have seen any pigeons in the books. But I’m more concerned about Harry being afraid of the dark. Did we ever see a hint at that in the books? Maybe we didn’t notice, because whenever Harry was in the dark, there was something more specific to fear?

That’s what I meant when I wrote "sometimes it’s a bit unclear what actually is canon".

"While talking about fear with his son Albus Severus, Harry Potter mentioned that he doesn’t like pigeons and that they give him the creeps" is undeniably canon; we can’t pretend that it didn’t happen. But since JKR didn’t show us more,
- "Harry is afraid of pigeons" and
- "Harry made this up to make his son feel better"
are both valid interpretations of the canon sources.

I don’t like that ffnet forced me to choose "Delphi Riddle" from the characters list, and how the Harry Potter Wiki and even the Harry Potter Lexicon present speculation like it were canon. Actually, we don’t know whether "Delphi" is her true first name or whether it was just chosen for the alliteration when she pretended to be "Delphini Diggory", and concerning her parents, we only have her word for having Rodolphus Lestrange’s word for it. Since JKR deliberately didn’t show us which – if any – evidence Rodolphus may or may not have presented,
- "It’s true, she is Nofirstname Riddle",
- "Rodolphus lied about her father, she is actually Nofirstname Lestrange" and
- "Rodolphus lied about her parents, she is actually Nofirstname Somebodyelsesdaughter"
are all valid interpretations of the canon source, with varying degrees of plausibility (increasing from top to bottom, IMO). I don’t see how her name can be anything other than "Delphi Diggory", with the common understanding that it’s a chosen alias and her true name is unknown.

Thanks for the kind review.

HG
Please ignore my earlier comment by Cat-on-the-Keyboard on 2016-10-27 20:26:00 UTC Reply

And listen to this one; it's a good sight more articulate, coherent, and polite than mine was.

--Key hides under a table.

Thanks for your comment anyway. by Hieronymus Graubart on 2016-10-28 13:47:00 UTC Reply

I’m actually quite happy with what I achieved in less than three months, but I didn’t consider how the self-ironic author notes might be perceived; I’ll be more careful about that in the future.

Doing the Voldemort-wins-because-Cedric-survived alternate timeline justice would require to rewrite Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathley Hallows. (The play implies that the final battle in this timeline happens between start of term and Halloween.) Even cutting out all side-plots this would still be novel-sized, and considering my average HP fanfic writing speed of 2376 words per year, I literally can’t do that.

HG

OH. OH. I understand what you meant now. by Cat-on-the-Keyboard on 2016-10-28 14:41:00 UTC Reply

I am terribly sorry. That is... Yeah, quite a task. :P
--Key

All right, here goes by Cat-on-the-Keyboard on 2016-10-27 17:46:00 UTC Reply

Every other part of Harry Potter's been spoiled for me; why not Cursed Child too?

Okay, I like this story. The main problem with it? You don't seem to like it. If you're not happy with your story, why publish it and plug it on the Board? Why not work on it a bit more, rewrite it in a form you're more comfortable with, or find a cowriter who is strong in the places you feel weak? If you are happy with your story, why end each chapter with an author's note professing an inability to write?

These author's notes cause me as a reader to resent you a little, because usually when people say that kind of thing they're fishing for compliments. I don't think that's what you're doing here, but it has that association and leaves a bitter taste. They also feel like excuses: "I can't write novels," which confused me at first; fix fics are not novels, "so don't expect this to be good." The reasons why this is not valid are, I believe, outlined in the FAQ: For Other People. It's also annoying, along the lines of "I suck at summaries." Let your story speak for itself.

It's a good story, too. Feedback on it is harder for me to give, not quite being familiar with the canon, but I will write you up an analysis of what you did well at lunchtime.

--Key is almost late for class.