Story 98: "Untitled Random Case File #4664" by Jess Mabe

[wendelah1]

Continuing my unofficial boycott of all things serious, I bring you something different, courtesy of a timely nomination by infinitlight. This metafic by Jess Mabe is clever, funny, and offers some interesting observations about writing fan fiction. She rates the fic "R" for Raunchy "but no actual sex was harmed in the making of this story." Damn, even her liner notes make me laugh.

Although the author has left the fandom, and has no working email address, at least none that I am aware of, we would love to know what you think of her story. Please leave us suggestions for next time, too. Humor is especially appreciated by the management at this time.


Untitled Random Case File #4664

Comments

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I think that "Unfinished Case File #4664" is the metafic of all metafics, just wonderful, and very hard to describe. So if I seem to ramble hysterically, please forgive.

This is a universe in which Mulder and Scully are both characters in a tv show *and* actual breathing people who must, presumably, be kept occupied and amused in the interstices of the foregoing. They depend on writers who exist in *our* world--Jess Mabe being one, and blessings on whatever career she is now pursuing--but also in theirs, where flukemen, sexual predation by enemies, and now cancer-conferring mutants also reside.

The set-up gives me shivers of Pirandellian delight.

In this complicated reality Mulder and Scully are stars, and they exhibit star behavior. Narcissistic and demanding, they also show the psychic wear of human beings who have been pushed and shoved by their fans into many torments and indignities. Once presumably innocent, they have been turned into sexual playthings and made to enjoy it. Manipulated, they now manipulate.

In my experience this is a unique idea, and Jess has plunked herself spang in the middle of it. No passive-aggressive MarySue, she appears under her real name and reveals her own story ambitions and secret fantasies. This is, of course, what all fic writers do, though somewhat less overtly.

There are numerous bits of sly series commentary on the way. I especially liked the elevator operator/writer who admitted to not watching the show. And the luxurious living arrangements and good weather, which all-powerful Jess can control with, at most, a fast rewrite. Though she soon realizes that her role in this scenario is less than goddess-like.

Probably some would be unhappy with this cynical view of our heroes. But everyone knows I'm a sucker for a laugh. And "Unfinished Case File" is absolutely rollicking, as well as being the most hardheaded view of fandom this side of Livia Balaban's "M. Luder: King of 'Set Troopers' Fanfic."

[wendelah1]

Probably some would be unhappy with this cynical view of our heroes. But everyone knows I'm a sucker for a laugh. And "Unfinished Case File" is absolutely rollicking, as well as being the most hardheaded view of fandom this side of Livia Balaban's "M. Luder: King of 'Set Troopers' Fanfic."

It is brilliant although I think it is funnier if you don't write fic. Is this a cynical view of her characters? Sure but I think Mabe's story hits hardest at readers and writers. It's pretty clear to me that Mulder and Scully are standing in for the demanding readership and their narcissistic writers. Mulder and Scully are still the innocents here. We are the consumers of kinky badfic! porn and the creators of Mulder Torture.

There is a "smack-down" going on right now on a Dreamwidth post that pits pairs of characters together, asking which of each pairing suffered the most painful childhood in fanon, not canon. Krycek was paired up with Kirk and was losing to him because as someone pointed out, being a survivor of and a witness to genocide trumps merely being a child assassin and surviving ordinary abuse. We really do seem to enjoy hurting the ones we love.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

Well, sure, the slams are aimed at writers and readers if you "see through" the fic to the meta, which it is the nature of metafics to encourage you to do. But the corruption of our beloved characters into seductive exhibitionists struck me as darn funny. I have no writer's guilt, nor do I think of Mulder and Scully as real people, important as they may loom in our shared imagination.

Actually, they are palimpsests. So many good, bad, and mediocre writers have reinvented their motivations and behavior that they have taken on a thousand-layered richness. Maybe that's the definition of icon. Or demigod.

I love all the many layers of Jess: flippant through ironic to heartbreaking. As New Year's is coming up, I recommend "Resolutions," a smutfic that totally gets the job done. It might be possible to criticize its structure, but nobody says you *have* to.

[wendelah1]

I have no writer's guilt, nor do I think of Mulder and Scully as real people, important as they may loom in our shared imagination.

Maybe this is a writer's disease? I know I am not alone in this madness.

Thank you. I will check out "Resolutions." Although I am--skeptical--I love Jess Mabe's writing and trust your judgment.

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

estella_c said, But the corruption of our beloved characters into seductive exhibitionists struck me as darn funny. I have no writer's guilt, nor do I think of Mulder and Scully as real people, important as they may loom in our shared imagination.

to which wendelah1 said, Maybe this is a writer's disease? I know I am not alone in this madness.

and i think this is precisely why i felt like i was straining when i read this fic. because as a reader i completely agree with estella, but as a writer thhat's not how i feel. as a fan and a person i feel that the single most important thing about fandom is that nothing is automatically undervalued, or judged based on a prejudice, or heaven forbid disallowed.

but as a writer i have a strong (-"drive" is too soft a word so i'm going to go with-) obsession to write the characters as they are, or as near to it as i possibly can. since conversing with tree i have come to think of this as "presumptive consent"; that one is not doing anything to the characters that would be abrasive or degrading to them (though please don't quote her on that, because my interpretation of the term "presumptive consent" is my own).

usually, when reading fic, i am capable of seperating my writer's mind from my reader's mind, which is why i can adore stories like Iolokus, even though they alter the characters profoundly. but Jess has "plunked herself spang in the middle of it. No passive-aggressive MarySue, she appears under her real name and reveals her own story ambitions and secret fantasies." this makes it impossible to seperate writer's mind and reader's mind, because the fic is actively engaging both.

other fics like Our Scullys by Punk Maneuverability have a kind of reverence about them, whereas Untitled Random Casefile is, truly, irreverent. and while i firmly believe that there is nothing whatsoever wrong with this kind of irreverence - that it can actually be extremely constructive and important in the maintenance of a healthy fandom - as a writer i want to cringe away from this fic, because it is unnerving. like watching someone cut open a pair of bodies that look like Mulder and Scully, smiling, saying, "it's okay, look, i made these ones - it's not them."

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

Judging from the responses here, I think perhaps this is a fic that is easier to read if you're not also a writer! Which hadn't occurred to me.

I think being less invested in the characters from that point of view makes the criticism of fandom as a whole easier to take--I can distance myself far more easily from fandom as a reader (there being potentially thousands of anonymous lurky readers in fandom) than it would be if I was participating and putting my ideas and stories out there.

ike watching someone cut open a pair of bodies that look like Mulder and Scully, smiling, saying, "it's okay, look, i made these ones - it's not them."

Excellent simile, very fitting.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I noticed a long time ago that readers seem able to take a more inclusive or lenient view of canon and character than fic writers. In fact, many writers have a "personal canon" which includes what happened on the show--generally--as well as their own noble efforts to make sense of it all. And they hew to it with all their hearts and souls.

I respect this attitude, but I don't share it. Although I take aesthetic and ethical umbrage (what a line) to what some writers do to the characters, I don't feel protective towards them. (Though if someone had arranged a hit on Chris Carter back in the day and had asked for donations...)

Um, just joking. Respect the Net.

[wendelah1]

usually, when reading fic, i am capable of seperating my writer's mind from my reader's mind, which is why i can adore stories like Iolokus, even though they alter the characters profoundly. but Jess has "plunked herself spang in the middle of it. No passive-aggressive MarySue, she appears under her real name and reveals her own story ambitions and secret fantasies." this makes it impossible to seperate writer's mind and reader's mind, because the fic is actively engaging both.

Yes, that's it exactly! I couldn't take off my writer's hat! Thank you!

One More Thing

[wendelah1]

I was looking for and finally found the source of this quote:
"A character is never the author who created him. It is quite likely, however, that an author may be all his characters simultaneously."
~Albert Camus

I might need to revisit this again.

Re: One More Thing

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I distinctly recall an interview with Chris Carter in which the interviewer asked him which of the characters was "him", Mulder or Scully. He kind of blinked a bit and said "They're both me, of course.".

Re: One More Thing

[wendelah1]

He kind of blinked a bit and said "They're both me, of course."

Ha ha! Great quote!

[leucocrystal]

I'll just be over here, arriving to this post super-late and agreeing with everything you've said. (And in response to the debate that followed your comment, I'll simply say this: I'm a writer, albeit not a prolific one at all, and respect to the characters I know/recognize and their canon is always of utmost importance to me. However, I've never had any issue reading this fic, and I've certainly reread it, too.) I also very much enjoyed the other fic you mentioned at the end. I think these two are the only ones I bothered to save and label lovingly as "metafic" amongst my many favorites.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

Though sexy as all getout, leucocrystal dear, I don't think I'd define Resolutions as a metafic. It's just a smutfic. A holiday smutfic.

[wendelah1]

She was referring back to your first entry, where you referenced Livia Balaban's metafic. No one could mistake "Resolutions" for anything other than what is: a tasty smut muffin. (;

[leucocrystal]

Ack yes, thank you for catching that. I've been exhausted lately and must be mixing up comments.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

Yes, ack, I should have understood. But I am computerless at present and distracted. Happy New Year, All!