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

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It was just my imagination, running away with me

[wendelah1]

--part of the fun of Untitled Case File is the more serious snark just below the surface).

This is a smartly written story by a writer who is not shy about revealing her reasons for writing fan fiction.

"I had this terrible case of writer's block. It had lasted nearly five years at that point and I was feeling a little less than confident about my prose. I read an article in Entertainment Weekly about fanfiction and I was really into the show, so I thought I'd go check it out. I got hooked, and all these ideas started popping into my head. So I wrote a story called 'Goblins and Ghosts' and posted it. And suddenly, all these emails came in telling me how much people had enjoyed it and that I was a really good writer. It was like my writer's block had never existed. I just... I think I owe the novel I'm working on to fanfiction. It saved me. You both saved me."

By the time I'd finished, I was blushing again. He was staring at me with
those incredible gray/brown/green eyes and he seemed to see into the center
of my soul.


She takes some well-aimed blows at the conventions of fan fiction: Scully's eyebrow, Mulder's propensity to babble, Mulder's eye color, Scully's strawberry-scented hair and eccentric wardrobe choices, Mulder's suits and how they--hang. Then there's the sex.

"You could stay here," Scully said, her voice all sweetness and light. "It is a suite, after all."

"Stay here?" I gulped. She moved to where Mulder was sitting on the couch
and straddled him. She wasn't wearing any underwear.

"Sure," she said, in between sliding her tongue over his ear. "We don't
mind. In fact, we'd just love it if you.... would."

I couldn't breathe. Were they really proposing what I thought they were
proposing? It's amazing what seven years of public coitus can do to a
couple.

Yes. Sexual fantasy is the bread and butter of fandom. As the popularity of certain writers has amply demonstrated, all some readers want is plenty of sex and a happy ending. I think there is no doubt that Jess Mabe's most popular stories are the PWPs but her serious stories are much, much better and much more memorable. Okay, the money shot in "The Airport" is pretty memorable, too. When your audience is constantly clamoring for smut, it's got to be tempting to keep writing it, even if that isn't going to further your goals as a writer.

The longer I was around them, the harder it was becoming to keep the case
rated PG. I know smut attracts more attention, but damnit, I was going for
credibility my first time out. And it wouldn't have hurt to have been
noticed by the more... legitimate channels. But Jeez, the were doing
something to me. All that whispering, the long, lingering looks... the way
he stood right behind her, so close their clothes touched.

Maybe I was writing the wrong kind of story. Not for them, you understand,
but for me. I called a buddy of mine, who's been doing this for years.

"You gotta get the two of them into bed," she said, practically purring.
"You have no idea how big he is. And her... well, let's just say she's not
above a little kink, if you know what I mean. They seemed to get off on
being watched."