Challenge 1: The Currency of a Close POV is Detail

[minnarr]

Hello, and welcome to the first Fic Clique Explorers Challenge! I wrote an intro post here, but I'm going to reiterate and clarify a few points before we get into the prompts.

Rules

1. In keeping with Fic Clique's generally joyful and generous approach to fic, please keep discussions of fic generally positive unless someone has specifically stated they're open to constructive criticism. Even in the context of criticism, you should be working with an author to tune a story you both enjoy, not tearing anything to shreds.
2. When posting fic or podfic in the comments, please put the title in the subject line of the comment and any applicable warnings at the top of the comment. Please do warn for anything that would usually merit an archive warning on AO3; warnings for other sensitive topics are appreciated, but do what feels right.
3. All fandoms, ships, and topics are welcome.
4. The only exception is that obviously we are going to be good to each other and not bring anything that espouses bigotry.
5. You do not need to be a fan of Fic Clique to participate (though if you've found this, I hope it piques your interest!)

Structure

This challenge will run from March 1st—May 31st. You are still welcome to share responses to it after it ends, but we'll (if things go well) move on to the next after that date.

You may participate in one of three ways:

• Write a fanwork inspired by one of the prompts. Please post a link in the comments on this post (with applicable warnings; see the rules), and you can also submit it to the AO3 collection here if you so desire.
• Create a podfic for a fic that fits one of the prompts. Link in the comments, and feel free to crosspost it to the AO3 collection.
• Bring a fic for discussion that touches on one of the prompts. I'll post a comment called Discussion Center at the top of the comments section; please thread discussions under this so they're easier to find. Please post a link, some information about the fic, and any applicable warnings, and respond to it as you like! I'll include some possible discussion questions to get you started at the bottom of the post.

Honestly, if you can think of another way to participate, I'm probably okay with it. It does not hurt to ask!

Prompts

I'm going to start things off with a quote, which is also the first prompt. For the rest, I tried to give a variety of options: ways to play with both structure and content. 

1. "My hypothesis is that the currency of a close POV is detail. What is the POV character paying attention to, how much are they paying attention to it, what is the cadence of that attention? And how are the details presented to us, in what context and what comparison. I've talked before about this idea of like, quote-unquote 'in-universe metaphors.' I think about the Queen's Thief fic that Brenna brought a little while back where there's a line about like, 'the wind was lashing him like his uncle hitting him in the ear.' So it's like, oh that immediately is telling me something, and that particular detail is kind of improving my understanding of the character through their POV." —Nicole (Episode 81: "Home is Where the Haunt Is")

2. Horror (26: "Unsettling Vibes Abound")

3. First-person POV (82: "The One and Only Voice of Pastiche")

4. Bed-sharing (70: "Nothing Says Valentine's Day like Breaking Up")

Some questions to think about for discussions if you're not sure where to start:
+ How does the author explore this theme/effect? Is it similar or different to other treatments you've seen?
+ What is a choice the author made that you found particularly effective?

Comments

FICLET — first sight

[minnarr]

No warnings.

This is just a short thing; I may decide I want to expand it later. I was thinking about first person POV and for some reason kept thinking about the women in Word of Honor, whose voices we just don't get often enough, and that a first person situation might be fun for one of them. I'm fascinated by Luo Fumeng past and present; she has such a horrible but interesting story. I'm also a little bit thinking about the negative space the hosts talked about ep 87. If you don't know the canon, this is a pretty boring meetcute/look into a random girl's life. But if you know the canon and I tell you it's about Luo Fumeng and Zhao Jing: ominous.

All this to say: have a little pre-canon moment. It was fun to get into young LFM's head a bit.

=

There's a whole group here from Taihu Sect, puffed up in their uniforms. They're so funny, these boys. They look around the palace as if they've never seen anything so fine, even as they lift their chins and square their shoulders, big strong men.

My father dismisses them with barely a glance, and they're sent away to wait another day before he'll hear whatever message they brought from their master. As the group leaves, one among their number catches my eye. The others look stormy and displeased, but he walks with his back straight, his expression pleasant. As if no humiliation could touch him, this junior disciple from a nothing-sect.

I'm curious now, but I have a duty here: to watch, to listen, not to run after strangers. I am learning how my father runs Niguang Palace. All of this will be my husband's, someday, and it will be my duty to advise him. My experience and influence will keep Niguang Palace true to its traditions.

For all of the time we've spent planning for my future husband, I haven't looked much at men. My father says I can afford to wait for love. My shifu says I should look for someone who listens to me. What can they give me, I sometimes want to ask, that I don't already have? But that's the way it's always been. If I am born to maintain Niguang Palace's traditions, then I must also accept that I am not its future leader.

The truth is, most men don't interest me that much. You look at them and what they want is written all over their faces. Everything I can give them: money, power, recognition. Myself. So he interests me, this boy who shows nothing on his face. I watch him, only my eyes visible above the shield of my fan, and I want to know what it is he wants.

He steps aside to let the others through the door first. As he does, his eyes sweep across the hall, one quick measuring glance. He pauses, looking straight at me. No, into my eyes, despite the distance between us. I should lower mine. His lips twitch faintly, as if we're sharing a joke, and then he turns away.

I want to know what the joke is. I surprise myself, so badly do I want that.