Ianto and character baseline

[beccaelizabeth]

I read a bunch of fanfic.


I read an essay the other day about how one of the powerful things about fanfic is the character baseline has already been established, all the setup is done, so you can just go bounce your story off all that from the first line.

Which is all very well, but... Well, it seems to me either some people have a *very* different perception of the character baseline, or they enjoy pushing characters off balance so much they never write baseline.

I like Ianto. I think his core characteristics are a sort of polished, calm, professional demeanour, only broken by extremes of emotion such as daily life hopefully doesn't dole out very often. And, okay, he basically needs a hug at all times, but he straightens his tie and gets on with things anyway. Even when his world just came crashing down in pieces, he'll pick up the trash, make coffee, and go to the computer to do whatever his actual job is.

It seems some fic writers think Ianto is basically like the times I've called 'extremes', that he cries a whole lot, that he's really emotional. Which... I can see that conclusion being reached, I just won't agree. But I was thinking, the writing could be like that even if the baseline perception is the same. Because fic likes to put characters through the wringer. Usually for reasons involving healing... kisses. And fic likes to push the story further, do more than canon has. To get Ianto more emotional than canon? Would take a *hell* of a lot of selling. Because what more is there, in the 'broken' direction?

But the thing is, all this crying and all the other extreme bad emotional stuff, that isn't actually why I like Ianto. Therefore it isn't actually what I want to read about Ianto.

I wish for vegetables, fic gives me mint chocolate.



I should get on and do some writing. That's the only way of making fic I know I'll like.
Well, mostly like.
Well, like the basic idea of.




PS have still had too many chocolate fingers. That kind of lasts. meh.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/peasant_/]

I entirely agree with you about Ianto. The attraction for me is the sense of a man desperately trying to live up to what he expects of himself - trying to be the calm, dependable one, and actually achieving it most of the time when things are normal. Because it is all so much more interesting if the emotion is underneath, not run of the mill. He can be dependable because he so desperately wants to be needed, only sometimes the desperation cracks the surface and the mess underneath leaks out.

Which is a lot of mixed metaphors for which I apologise, but it's late and I'm brain dead.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods*

[who_la_hoop]

*Does a lot of agreeing* I think that the main thing that makes Ianto such a fascinating character is the fact that he's so professional and calm on the outside - but such a mess inside. Fanfic that puts the mess on the outside, all the time, kind of misses the point of him!

I'd say that I've noticed two kinds of OC-Ianto. First - Ianto who finds his OTP with Jack/whoever, and instantly becomes weepy and overemotional towards them (I think that this has a slight plausibility - I can see him acting this way, but only after months, or probably years, of trust building with aforementioned OTP). Second - Ianto as wish fulfilment. The author wants to shag either Ianto or his OTP, and so characterisation is thrown out the window in favour of the PWP. Both kinds of OC-Ianto can be fun to read, but do make the brain ache a bit!

(Any recommendations for IC Ianto fics?)

[theninth.livejournal.com]

I've got this (http://ninefics.livejournal.com/tag/ianto+jones). At least I hope it's IC.... I tried hard for it.

[beccaelizabeth]

Yes. Like armadillos.
... sorry, having bad advertising flashbacks. Crunchy on the outside!
... I'm strange.

It's just like the suit really. So many layers, and yet so many buttons. Leads to certain ideas.

recommendations... I kind of just consumed the entire output of Torchwood fandom in two weeks, so I'm not *entirely* clear on, er, which story was which.
But I memoried things I might want to see again later. I'm sure some of them were in character.
... that's not very helpful, I know.

[bigtitch.livejournal.com]

The thing that gets me is Overformal!Ianto. In the eps he is a bit stiff when talking, especially to Jack, but he's not that bad. But he never talks like a letter from your bank manager. And no way would he talk like that in the bedroom - well, not unless he knew it turned Jack on, anyway!

[beccaelizabeth]

Character voice in unprecedented situations is a tricky one, though. I mean, we've seen him be work!Ianto, but not so very much play!Ianto.
I think he'd be precise, while words were working, but not formal as such, no.
Tricky though.

[andreawashere.livejournal.com]

Yep, I agree. And I think the overemotional Ianto is often just shamelessly Mary Sueish. I mean, Jack's fantastic in bed, okay, I'll buy that anytime, but I still don't believe Ianto can come screaming (and crying) with the both of them completely forgetting he actually has a penis.

Ianto's not a girl, and some writers tend to overlook that fact. :-)

[beccaelizabeth]

yeeeeah, but such complaints make feminine=emotional and, er, no. so I wouldn't phrase it that way.

the forgetting body parts thing would surprise, though.

[crabby-lioness.livejournal.com]

Just going through your blog. Have you read my "Post-Mortem" story? http://crabby-lioness.livejournal.com/9753.html This is the way I write Ianto.