Remix Meta

[wafflelate]

This is a round-up of all the interesting remix meta and discussion I could find. All of it comes from 2004–2010, and almost all of it is therefore from livejournal and about or inspired by the 2003–2015 remix challenge We Invented the Remix...Redux. If you're wondering where to find remix these days, remixrevival should be starting up in July.

If anyone knows of any other meta or discussions that should be on this list, please link me! Surely remix meta didn't just stop in 2010, and I might have missed some LJ-era things, too.

Also, links with asterisks (*) in front are pieces I think my rolling remix participants might benefit from reading — they're the reason I went looking for meta. You can read more about rolling remixes in general here and you can find out about the Dreaming of Sunshine Rolling Remix here.

Note on archiving: All of these pieces of meta are still available live on the internet. However, that might not always be the case, so I've provided links to archived copies using the Wayback Machine. I've also done my best to archive the comments — because WBM doesn't archive collapsed LJ comments, ugh. If you come across this later and only the archived version of something is available, try clicking on the permalink for the last uncollapsed comment in a thread; that should take you to the WBM archive of the collapsed comments.

2004

*Take a chance, make a mess, have a good time by musesfool (archive)— Meta — January 18 2004

See, the idea isn't to write somebody else's story as they would have - or actually *did* - write it. And it's not about "fixing" things.

I think that this is largely considered a must-read in terms of meta about remixes — it's certainly the earliest I could find, and musesfool modded Remix Redux for ages and ages and wrote a bunch of great meta (much of which is now unfortunately f-locked). Also, the first fic mentioned in this meta is The Best-Laid Plans: The Art of War Remix by Ransom and the fic it remixes is available via WBM here.

2005

"They should live in glorious freedom on their own terms." by kattahj (archive) — Discussion — March 22 2005

I had a good story written for me. I had a good story to base my writing on. And I honestly wish I had never done this, because the whole inevitable comparison thing basically just makes me want to crawl in under a rock and cry. Stories shouldn't be compared. They should live in glorious freedom on their own terms.

It looks like a ficathon; it feels like a competition...

Some people don't like remixes, or try it out and decide it's not for them! The discussion on this post is very interesting, I think, especially because at the time remixes were actually really new — the first remix challenge was in 2003.

*my two remixes, and a little meta on them by isiscolo (archived) — Meta — September 14 2005

...many people seem to approach remixes as though they are writing about the same actual event: they vary the POV character, possibly the POV and tense, but keep the timing of events and any dialogue the same, and frequently this results in a boringly similar story.

This meta explains isiscolo's process as she remixed two Stargate Atlantis fics. Post-remix recaps like this are actually pretty common if you look around the LJ stuff still available, but I thought that this example was very clear and straightforward. Both of the remixes are still live on LJ and you can still find Fisticuffs on WBM!

2006

Mash Up and Remix and meta about the same by telesilla (archive) — Meta — June 2 2006

Playing in other people's universes, remixes and now the mash-up all fit in with the idea that fiction is fluid, an idea that I think is one of the best things to come out of the whole fanfiction culture. [...] We've gotten away from that with our copyrights that last forever and our notion that our ideas are ours alone. I'm not saying that outright word for word plagiarism is acceptable, but the notion that no one can tell a different version of a story or write an alternate ending to someone else's work is kind of odd to me. If you use my ideas, yes I want you to say where they came from, but other than that, why should it matter to me?

I think where this meta really shines is actually the discussion, both about what people like in remixes and why people do or don't sign up to remix challenges.

Apropos of nothing... by shayheyred (archive) — Discussion — August 25 2006

Know what? After reading yet more posts on the SGA challenge kerfuffle, I just realized this past year my Remix Redux story was in fact a slash rewrite of a het story. Of course, it wasn't in SGA, and the original author wrote me a nice note. Is it just the SGA fandom that freaks out, d'you think, or just an isolated author who approved? Inquiring minds want to know.

And by the way...DSers -- how would you feel about your slash story being rewritten as het?

Essentially this discussion is people chiming in about manners/etiquette for remixing in ways that change pairings — which was one of the things you aren't usually allowed to do in remix challenges.

Oh, and when the OP talks about "the SGA challenge kerfuffle," they mean The Mission Report Challenge, which was posted to sga_flashfic a couple days before this discussion happened. The Mission Report Challenge was remix-adjacent, in that one of the options was to rewrite another author's fic in mission report format... about which the challenge initially say: "...if you choose to write a mission report of somebody else's story, we'll ask you to credit them, but we won't require you to ask their permission". (Read the challenge here, read about it on Fanlore here.)

(Additional archive note: Unlike the rest of the links on this list, this one is archived with archive.today because WBM gets all caught up on the adult content warning on shayheyred's LJ.)

2007

*The way you do that thing you do by zvi_likes_tv (archived) — Discussion — February 21 2007

So, how do you take the story apart? How do you put it back together? And what have you found to be more or less successful in doing that? Is a radical format change more or less likely to result in a good story. I'm curious about how you do the thing you do, people.

This is a discussion of people's processes! Absolutely fascinating, lots of different ways of looking at things.

*i lay traps for troubadors by musesfool (archived) — Meta — April 6 2007

The goal is to have a new story that is yours, in your voice and style (or, perhaps, not), but which complements and/or comments on the original story, as well as on the source.

Essentially a call-to-action for people to get a little rougher with their remixes and not treat the fic they're remixing "with kid gloves" by doing nothing more than a POV switch with it. musesfool lists a number of radical remix techniques one could use and entreats Remix Redux participants to, "Make judgements as to what is and is not essential to the original story, and trust yourself."

there is no order to my mind by elishavah (archive) — Discussion — April 23 2007

...with Remix, I don't feel like there's a recipient. While I hope the original author likes it, obviously, I didn't write it with her desires in mind. I couldn't; I had no idea of what she wanted, since there were no prompts or requests. So again, I sincerely hope that she doesn't think it sucks, but I didn't write it for her. Considering other people's posts, I'm wondering if I should admit that out loud.

This discussion focuses on the differences between remix challenges and gift exchanges, and also touches on what people get out of remix challenges; some of them really look forward to seeing what will be done with their story and others don't think about it much at all.

It takes as much effort to produce a good Remix as to produce a first-generation story. by pensnest (archive)— Discussion — May 23 2007

(from pensnest in the comments, rather than the initial post)

I *think* it may well be a challenge that particularly appeals to writers who are interested in the craft of writing - at least, I can't find a better way of putting it than that.

A discussion that has some interesting things to say about why some people do the challenge and others don't. It also touches on the low level of feedback that Remix Redux got.

*Re: Mixing by cupidsbow (archived) — Meta — July 10 2007

If you just want the quick version, here's the cheat sheet:

• Ask yourself "What is this story about?" and then "How would I tell that story?" for each of the original stories you consider remixing.
• Think of the original story as "canon" and riff off it the same way you would in any other fanfic.
• Stay true to the spirit rather than the detail of the story.
• Find a way to make it your own, so that you love it the way you love your own stories.

This is another look into someone's remixing process and it's super detailed. There's some very thoughtful discussion in the comments, as well, where cupidsbow explains how to go from "re-writing" to "reimagining".

(You can read the story cupidsbow remixed here via WBM: Of Cold Making Warmth by siriaeve)

2008

*didn't know there were no rules by musesfool (archived) — Meta — March 2 2008

Now, yes, obviously some of the stuff you're stuck with, but the first thing you need to ask yourself is, what is the original story about? And then you have to ask yourself, How would I have told this story? And don't say, "I wouldn't have," because while that is often technically true, it doesn't help. If you really feel that way, pick another story, or figure out how to make it a story you would have told, which is basically remixing in a nutshell.

In this piece of meta, musesfool goes through examples of her own remixes and the techniques she used to tell the same story in a different way — her way! It's a good spread of techniques. The fic Bittersweet Triumph (Tramps Like Us Remix) is also mentioned in this 2007 discussion of how to not just write a sequel/prequel. (archived)

Some thoughts on Remix, SPN pairings, and Being (Like) a Pro Writer by hossgal (archive) — Meta — March 2 2008

It's not a gift exchange. The remixed story is not, in any sense of the word, mine. It is not intended for me (except as just another member of the reading audience) and it is not the story I wrote.

When *I* write remixes, I'm hoping they do justice to the original story, but I'm very much focused on writing the story as I would write it - not as the original author would.

To me, the most appropriate attitude for the re-mixee author is to act as we-as-fandom want TPTB to act about our appropriation of their canon - let go of it.

Meta and also thoughtful discussion in the comments about how people react to remixes of their stories. Also, discussion about what "don't change the pairing" in the Remix Redux rules actually means, and if changing gen fic to ship fic is obeying that rule.

*The Take a Penny, Leave A Penny Theory of Remix: What is a Remix? How Do You Write One? by zvi_likes_tv (archived) — Meta — April 19 2008

I’ve finally got a grasp on what I think a remix should do or be, and it is this. A remix is a story reusing certain events/actions/moments from and in conversation with its original. In a good remix, something from the original should be withdrawn and something not in the original should be added. This means that in order to get the full picture, the remix gestalt, as it were, you have to read both stories.

More meta on how to remix and what it means to write a good remix that doesn't just retread exactly the same path as the remixed work over again. Also includes 30 thoughtful comments!

*remixy meta by isiscolo (archived) — Meta — April 23 2008

There are two basic types of remix. One takes the events of the original story as "truth" and presents another perspective on that truth; the other builds a new story around what the remixer considers to be the essential core of the original story.

Mostly about remixthedrabble but all the more interesting for its focus on remixing really short things. It also goes through isiscolo's remixes for that round of remixthedrabble one after the other, which is a good way of getting to know the remix process.

2009

Titling and You by zvi_likes_tv (archived) — Discussion — July 7 2009

I'm curious about how other people approach titling their remixes, and, if you do a Title (Subtitle) structure, the relationship between the title and the subtitle.

A very active discussion about the Title (A Subtitle Remix) titling format that comes at it from a bunch of different directions.

2010

on reading. by velvetmouse (archived) — Discussion — May 23 2010

For myself, I tend to read the original work first and then the remix [...] What about other people? Do you do the same? Or do you read the remix first and then go back to the original fic?

An interesting discussion about how to consume remixes. A lot of people read the original first, but not all of them! Some people who responded read the original afterwards, some might never read the original unless the remix really catches their eye.

*Reading remixes by zvi (archive) — Meta — July 4 2010

These are the things that are going on in a really great remix:

1) The remix comments on, complicates, refocuses, argues with, or underlines a part of the original.

2) The remix is a great story in itself.

3) The remix is still a great piece of fanfiction for canon, i.e. it speaks to something in canon as much as (or more than) it speaks to that original story.

This meta also asks, "How can you figure out if a story is a good remix if you don't read the original?" and leads into a discussion full of long, thoughtful comments about how people appreciate fic with or without reading the original fic first.

In the comments, I particularly liked this comment by dodificus:

I always try to (re)read the original first because it *is* a remix, I'd be missing out on something if I didn't try and understand what the remixer was trying to say about the original. When I rec a remix I always put in a link to the original as well because a lot of the time what I love about the remix is directly linked to how it relates to the original. I guess in my opinion a good remix is a story that *could* stand alone but just *pops* when you see where they've gone with all the remix elements.

...and that's it!