Challenge Monday Mush Mania Discussion Thread and Index - Important Post (19th Feb 2014)

I had always thought of MMM's being vignettes, but I guess a particular chapter could be in honor of MMM. The more the merrier, I think! And, maybe one day some of the MMM vigs will turn into multi-chapped stories, too. Can't wait to see how MMM unfolds!

It is so terrific to see so many excited for MMM and to have you all on board! Like Jade_Pilot, I can't stop grinning. But, I need to finish (or ... um... start) my fic. I have the idea, just the right words haven't shown up.

Furry, your post is me, in opposite. I'll be working on my one-and-only 'angst' fic and the Mush Muse will force me (with a mind trick!) to add mush. I think that's why updates take me so long for that particular story. The Muses have to battle it out.

That's a good question for all of us--is mush something you find easy to write? Mush seems to be my 'automatic' mode. When I sit down to write, that's what hits the screen. Too, when I sit down to read, mush is what I'm looking for first, generally.

 

ginchy posted:
That's a good question for all of us--is mush something you find easy to write? Mush seems to be my 'automatic' mode. When I sit down to write, that's what
hits the screen. Too, when I sit down to read, mush is what I'm looking for first, generally.
When I first started reading fanfiction, I was gravitating toward a time period--Beyond and characters, L/M, primarily with H/L thrown in. Humor and romance captured me first and often angst stories could grab me tooo if I knew the author or the plot was riveting and if it wasn't all angst. But as time went along, and at the present time, woot!! The stories I'm following have a high mush content, and the vigs I am magnetically drawn to are mushy!! This question fascinates me to all the authors out there: do you find mush harder to write than the other kinds of stuff, and why? And, on a side note, I hate it when any story's dropped, but especially the mushy ones.

 

Mush is very hard for me to write. It does not come readily to me at all. I always seem to fall into humor too easily while attempting it. But! I have found that I enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone and perhaps it will become more natural in time.

As for reading it, I'm a huge fan and can't get enough of it!!! Yes, I love the mush.

 

Writing Mush:

I guess I write it well. Responses to my mush pieces have been positive. Its fairly easy, but, as with all things, I have to be in the mood to write it. I never really get too graphic or push the TOS boudaries, but I try to express what I'd want to see in a friend and lover.

Most of my mush short stories start with some kind of conflict between the characters, some reason for them to remain apart. Then, I proceed to remove the barrier and have the characters discover each other.

I recently discovered that internal dialogue of my male charactrers can be pretty amusing, especially if the characters are fairly self effacing.

Mush dialogue for me is more about connect on more than a surface level. I don't get into flowery language. I prefer to keep it real, if that makes any sense. I want the love language to be a natural progression of the story itself rather than inserted because I think its needed.

 

I love mush! Yeah, I'm a romantic at heart. I guess that is what happens when you know that you yourself fell in love at first sight. So I don't know about "taking it slow."

I guess for ME, mush leaves me feeling just a little more optimistic and happy than I was before. It can be a couple just meeting and experiencing "that spark" or an old married couple who still has that fire for each other. Or it can be anything from a deep friendship to parental love and affection.

So much encompasses a lot of territory, and as much I love delving into angst and heartache, a little mush is good for the soul.

I don't know that I'm particularly good at mush, but I enjoy both writing it and reading it.

 

You're terrific at everything you write, including mush!

I find it easy to write mush... I'm a mushy person. Yet, I don't find it any easier than writing angst, either... I can be pretty angsty as well. The only things I find hard are fight scenes (as in duking/gunning/swordfighting it out or starfighter battles). I'm not good with intrigue, either.

 

I enjoy writing mush, and as far as I can tell people like what I write when I get in a mushy mood... at least that's what Jade_Pilot tells me

Aside from letting my Dark Side roam free , mush is my natural outlet. I find that it is very liberating and relaxing to write about romance and its effects on people.

Cheers,
Wyo

 

Mush has always been a struggle for me. Violence and angst come more naturally, which is slightly frightening. For me, good mush can be extensive, but it should not be exclusive. There should be meaningful development that excludes and includes the romantic progression.

 

Okay, so, I had to read the definitions of ?mush? before I could answer, and I can safely say: No, it doesn?t come easily for me at all. In fact, I think I?ve only written a "mush fic" once, years ago. This thread might be the inspiration I need to give it another shot, LOL.

 

Well, this looks cozy.

Does writing mush come easily? Hmmm...I wish writing in general came easily for me. Seriously, my comfort zones in writing have change since I joined the boards. What I once used to be nervous about tackling: i.e. action, quick banter, drama, I now find it comes to the muse willingly. Yet - writing romance or scenes that ooze with mush are just as complicated and scary as plotting out the same actions sequences that used to give me jitters. I've gone and swapped one for the other. Never a happy medium, eh?

I love trying to write mush and expand those horizons...even more I enjoy reading others mush as it's a good lesson on how to approach things.

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for MMM on the 25th. Wish I had more time to write or I'd give it a shot.

Great concept, ladies. Congratulations on this thread!

 

I look at mush fics like a glimpse into the lives of the characters we all know and love. What could be better?

 

This is a wonderful way of putting it! That's how I feel about mush exactly. I came to fanfic to read stories that make me happy, and I have to say that nothing makes me happier than a mush viggie. Leaves me feeling light as a feather.

Yes! I always feel like that, too... We already know the characters past history thanks to the films or profic (or, parts of profic, LOL) so it's nice to build on that and just have a completely gratuitious vig that makes people smile.

I must say, I am enjoying everyone's comments on mush! This is great!

I find that angst is the hardest thing for me to write. Like I said, my mind goes automatically to happy or sweet story ideas. I do find, however, that it is hard to write a mushy Mara and to make her believable. I'm not sure how well I fare on that account, but I have often gone back and changed things that were too much ME and not enough MARA. And, I know that I probably stretch the bounds with her at times, but I like to think she lets her mushy side out when it comes to a certain Farmboy.

Later, thanks to an idea by the wonderful divapilot, we're hoping to do "Couple's Months" wherein we can discuss the mushy aspects of a certain couple for a certain month and write fics for that MMM devoted only to them. That'll certainly stretch my wings some... I've written oh, about 2000 L/M fics, and only 1 story that doesn't involve them...

 

You've written 2,000 L/M fics!!! Wow, ginchy lee! You go girl! I think I've done 5 or 6! I have a long way to go.

 

Weeeeeeellll, with ginchy-shine and all, it's probably only really 30. ish. Course, these are not epics. My only multi-chap fics to date are "Measure of a Man", "To Overcome", and one I'm currently working on. And I just remembered. I have THREE whole stories that are not L/M directly related. LOL!!

We'll just have to do lots of MMM's to catch you up, Jade_Pilot, lady!

 

ginchy posted:
it is hard to write a mushy Mara and to make her believable. I'm not sure how well I fare on that account, but I have often gone back and changed things
that were too much ME and not enough MARA. And, I know that I probably stretch the bounds with her at times, but I like to think she lets her mushy side
out when it comes to a certain Farmboy.

Hmmmm. She always feels ... right to me. I guess cause her mushy reactions would be how I'd react if I were in her shoes. Couples month--how cool is that? Sith_Mayo (Louise) is awesome at Benella. Hope she'll join the fun then. I'm already thinking about what makes H/L mushy. Heehee!!

 

Somehow, whenever I write mush it turns sarcastic and funny. It's hard to keep it straight and narrow. I'm not sure what happens, but it might be because I'm a sarcastic person. Oops.

I grew up with a sarcastic mom, so even parental love with me is associated with banter and trying to come up with the best one-liner. My mom beats me every time. She's a very funny lady. So for me, love (all kinds of love) are inevitably entwined with laughter. That goes for real life too, which means our house is usually pretty loud.

To me a sense of humor in a guy is probably the sexiest thing there is. Although I admit that a few midichlorians doesn't hurt either.

 

Hmmm, this could be fun. I really need to practice writing mush. Would it have to be Star Wars mush?

 

I know this is a brave statement to make in this company, but I'm feeling bold.

I have never written a Luke/Mara fic...ever.

I explored this phenomenon, however vaguely, in my fisrt self realization fic.

But the write challenge or plot bunny could move me to do it. I'm a big Luke fan, but have never been able write the two of them together.

Help?

I know. Take it to the Mara thread or Skywalker/Jade thread.

 

Absolutely! It's the most attractive quality in a man-bar none!

 

My first Mara mush fic was a Han/Mara. I don't write Luke/Mara much because I have very specific self-restrictions on characterization and trying to get past them for certain kinds of mush just doesn't work for me.

 

That sounds kind of like me, Ish. But, as far as writing L/M, I can't past Luke Skywalker Jedi Master. I'm not really sure how I feel about it, but I guess I see him as above sex. does that make sense? I don't have a problem reading it in profic, but I've drifted away from reading L/M ff as well. I like Luke, but I've never really gotten a handle on Mara, writing her that is.

 

Well, that's like me with Siriwan. Luke that's not so much the problem.

 

I actually think both Luke and Obi-Wan would have natural, normal sex drives. Though I think Obi-Wan would be less apt to find the time to indulge. Mostly because he was always so busy chasing after a Skywalker.

Obi-Wan was a Jedi of the old Order, so the restrictions placed on him would have gone a long way toward keeping him more or less celibate but I don't think Obi-Wan would have been one to indulge in sex WITHOUT an attachment.

Luke was raised as a farmboy, and sex is a natural part of life. So I think he would have had far fewer problems getting beyond that idea that Jedi aren't supposed to be sexual. Which I think is incorrect. They're just more likely to have their sex drive under control.

And I don't think Luke was a virgin when he married Mara. Or met Mara. Like any soldier, I have a feeling he found comfort where he could find it. HE would have still been a sweet and generous lover, though.

 

Thanks, Vadey. For me, its not that Luke thinks he should not be sexual. I have a problem making him sexual. I wrote a many a drabble back during the challenge about him, even a Tatooine love, but Mara has me mystified.

 

Mara is sarcastic, but loyal. Loving, but not mushy for the most part. I would say she doesn't give her heart easily, but when she does, she holds nothing back. She would give her life for the one she loved and think nothing of it. Complete and total loyalty is as natural as breathing to her, but she doesn't give it lightly or quickly. She's strong and ethical, but not naive.

Anyway, that's how I see Mara.

I think before LUke she would have taken sex fairly casually, not meaning that she would jump into bed quickly or with a lot of men, just that it wouldn't have touched her heart. It would have been a way to satisfy a physical urge and when it was over, it was over. She could walk away without looking back.

She was done with them.

I think that's one of the things that scared her about Luke. She walked away but kept looking over her shoulder.

I may be completely off the mark with all of that, but that's how I see her. Get some of the regular L/M writers to weigh in on the matter. They'll have a better idea of Mara's characterization.