writing and naming

[vaznetti]

Later today (my today, here in the UK) I'll be posting the second part of Xú Landing, and that will bring the first arc of the story to a conclusion and set up the next one. Right now I think that there will be two more story arcs, but that's subject to change as I write the damn thing. But since it's moving away from the episodic, the whole thing needs a name, and since I am notoriously crap at naming things, I'm throwing this open to suggestions. (Of course, I'm also crap at taking advice, but never mind that.) What I think I want is something from Jeffrey Foucault's Miles from the Lightning; the lyrics are here. I'm just not sure what I want there, and whether or not I'm crazy. Suggestions and criticism welcome.

(The song is available via the artist's website. I like it.)

Comments

[thimble-kiss.livejournal.com]

Hey. :) I've been reading along on your FF/Supernatural crossover without commenting, since I really love the FF part but don't know anything about the Supernatural part, which makes it harder to comment in any sensible way. (But I do very much like your John, and I really love what you do with Zoe and the Serenity crew.)

Anyway, those are beautiful lyrics! I thought there were a number of striking phrases in it and for what it's worth, I thought that "Words to keep from dying" might be a good match for your story.

And now I'll follow that link to listen to the song since I really did like the lyrics very much.

[vaznetti]

I hope you like the song; I really like Jeffrey Foucault (and actually came across him via a Firefly vid, so this is a kind of full-circle thing for me, I guess.)

And I'm so pleased to hear that you've been reading to crossover, and that it works for you! It seems to be OK if you only know Firefly, although I doubt it would work the other way around -- but since I've just transposed the characters from one show to the setting of the other you don't really need to know too much about them.

But really, (::dons pimp hat::) if you get any chance at all to see Supernatural, you really should -- because I feel moderately confident that you'd fall for Dean in a big way, even though he's not actually Eastern European. (Everyone falls for Dean, though. I mean, the comment everyone has when they get through the series is Oh, Dean. That's it. Of course I like John best because I am working on my crazy old lady status and because he hits every button that I have, but even I said, Oh, Dean.) I mean, if you can bear the lack of female characters and the fact that it's so dark that sometimes it's hard to tell what's going on, it's a wonderful show with great characters. And the XF shoutouts are many and amusing -- in one of the early eps someone is taken over by a black oily substance in an airport bathroom, and of course undergoes a massive personality change and is no longer in control of his own actions...

You would like this show. And you'd love Dean.

And thank you for the suggestion -- I hadn't thought of that phrase at all!

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I love that song - all the Jeffrey Foucault stuff I have makes me think of Mal. You could call it "Miles from the Lightning" (which also kind of reminds me, in this context, of "Ride the Lightning," which is the name of a Metallica album).

I am having my own titling troubles, though, so I don't really have any more specific help to offer...

[vaznetti]

I have a feeling that all your Mal songs are Supernatural songs in my head. Which is probably why this crossover works, now that I think about it -- there's enough similarity in tone.

Hm. I hadn't thought about using the actual title of the song. I'll keep that in mind.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Heh. It's entirely possible. I tend to drag most songs from fandom to fandom with me, though Dean's love of cock rock opens whole new vistas I've mostly not associated with fandom before. *G*

Which is probably why this crossover works, now that I think about it -- there's enough similarity in tone.

*nod*

Also, I have this thing where if a character could be the narrator of a Springsteen song (or many Springsteen songs), I will probably go for him, and I think both Dean and John fit the bill there.

[vaznetti]

Also, I have this thing where if a character could be the narrator of a Springsteen song (or many Springsteen songs), I will probably go for him, and I think both Dean and John fit the bill there.

I refuse to comment further on the grounds that I will incriminate myself, but YES.

[iseult-variante.livejournal.com]

I am no help, because I love titles. I have more titles than I know what to do with, and those lyrics are FULL of possibilities. Hm. My only suggestion is that it will kind of depend on where the next two story arcs go, right? I mean, I really like "Words to keep from dying" for what you've got so far, but depening on how it goes, you could use "Songs on painted shadows" or "Darkness of the fenceposts" (omg, love!) if it gets supernatural-y, or "Bleed on broken roads" if it goes a darker/horror-y route?

Hi, my name is Iseult, and I'm addicted to titles. *facepalm*

(I'm grabbing the song now, too.)

[vaznetti]

...but depending on how it goes...

Well, my outline has notes like "and then there will be hugging! yay!" but I've already written past one of those points and instead of hugging there was tension. Boo! Part of the problem is that I never quite know how the story will turn out until it does.

I like Darkness on the Fenceposts, though. Hm.

[iseult-variante.livejournal.com]

Tension is a different kind of yay?

(Although, you know what would be hilarious? If River decided that Winchesters needed hugs, because then they would GET hugs, willing or no. River would be a stealth hugging MACHINE.)

... I am a little loopy today. But, yes, I really love the image of "Darkness on the Fenceposts". Good luck with choosing!

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

My suggestions:
"Against the Thunder"
or
(modified)
"Thorns of your Crown"

:)

[vaznetti]

Against the Thunder -- or even the whole line "Count your blessings against the thunder" -- might work rather well, actually.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

There've been lots of storms and thunders in both lives - John and Zoe's; and yet they're still going on, maybe apparently just surviving, buyt both characters are too strong to really just survive, there's still something in them fighting, I think. That's why that line jumped out at me :D
I tend towards shorter titles, whereas I've noticed, at least in SPN, don't know if it's amore recent fandom/pro writing trend, longer titles are the majority.
In any case, glad you like the line :)

[vaznetti]

I decided to go with "Blessings against the Thunder" -- I'm hoping that it will remind me that this piece is going to have a happy ending! Because yes, there have been a lot of storms in both their lives, but they're still standing, and I'll make that worth something, by the end.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

:)
I like the way you think:D