What the plot-bunny: Sibling Intervention (free pdf)

 

Inspiration comes at random; they appear when anyone least expects it and offers ideas a writer just can’t get out of their heads. It drives them out of their minds to the point where they’re either fascinated to distraction or irritated beyond belief – both was my experience.

See, the plot-bunnies show up at times that are extremely inconvenient.

 As it was, I couldn’t just write the idea as it was presented, I couldn’t just accept the baby they wanted me to raise – if it was an English exam I might’ve, but I doubt my maths teacher even knows who Jane Austen is, let alone marvel at the awesomeness that was my Pride and Prejudice variation. 

Unfortunately it persisted through the exam and by the time my 3hour paper was over, I walked home cursing myself for choosing to read Pride and Prejudice fanfiction the night before instead of studying.

 For weeks the idea grew, stirring questions a fangirl of JA and P&P does whose about to raise the plot-bunnies’ baby and release it into the fandom:

1)      What would happen if a character had done this, or said that? Would I still be seeing the original story taking place or would some magic route come out of the sky and lead me towards another playground? WOULD THERE BE CANDY?

2)      How would it affect the characters? Would Caroline still be obnoxious? Would Hurst still be drunk? Would Mrs. Bennet still be Mrs. Bennet? WOULD KEIRA KNIGHTLY OR JENNIFER EHLE PLAY ELIZABETH?

3)      Would changing a single event affect how the characters behave and see each other? Would Darcy still be Darcy? Would Elizabeth always expect the worse from him? Would Bingley still be influenced by Darcy and let Jane slip away? WOULD CAROLINE STILL WEAR ORANGE?!

4)      Why would the event matter? Would it be significant in any way outside of the current situation? Would an heir to Longbourn make a difference?

The answer to the last question was the deal breaker, the one that decided whether the story would be born at all and see the light of the Pride and Prejudice fandom…And I realized I was being a dumbass because obviously an heir to Longbourn would change a hell of a lot, and not just be another Bennet wreaking havoc with the Darcy/De Bough/Collins/Bingley family and so, the plot-bunnies prevailed and I took their baby and made it mine.

30 chapters, 113 726 words and Sibling Intervention was all grown up and ready to face the public that were forever and always, prowling for a complete story to shred.

I’m ready for it though – the plot-bunny baby was mine.

I knew its faults: its presumptuous manner, its grammar difficulties, its’ confusion over American-British spelling, the constant brandishing of creative license and its overly subtle nature. It isn’t a masterpiece.

It wasn’t created with a message to spread or a purpose beyond the simple reading pleasure of whomever its fancy had taken; it had no hidden image or intended themes beyond the superficial – I’m nowhere near that stage in writing.

This first completed work of mine was not Jane Austen. It was fanfiction. But it was fanfiction I was proud to call mine.

Just a reminder: this story is as unedited as it is online - in the future a "better" version will be available - watch this space. 

      

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Free PDF download available below: 

Sibling Intervention

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Note: money is not to be made through its distribution, I believe in bartering – I offer you a story, readers offer me feedback. Also, this version has many errors, all of which will be corrected and parts added/and or removed in the new version.