Gina's fan fiction Planning/Draft

'American Psycho' by Brett Easton Ellis is one of my favourite books. It has a very distinctive writing style, and a complex and compelling main character. As with many of Easton Ellis's works, much of the story is left to the readers own interpretation. The story is narrated by Patrick Bateman, the central character, who is the 'psycho' and because of this often writes irratically as he himself begins to confuse what is reality and what is not. The text was also made into a movie, but for the purpose of this brief, I will be focusing on the book.

Possible options for Fan fiction

1. A monologue - This appeals to me because of the word limit and also because the internal monologue of a psycho would be interesting to write. The structure and language used would be fluid. However, I am concerned that in the original text, Bateman has many internal monologues, and so I would need to make sure mine explained something different.
2. A conclusion - The text is left open ended and implies that the murders could all be a figment of Batemans imagination. I could offer a conclusion to the story, whether it be that he did kill, or has just lost his mind. I would find this immensely satisfying, however I actually really like how the book ends and would somehow feel like I'm ruining it! But of course with fan fiction it's all about an individuals take on what happened, so really it would just be putting my idea down on paper.
3. Different P.O.V - There are a couple of scenes where Bateman is in a state of high anxiety, or acts very odd amongst friends or colleagues. In particular, the scene where Bateman realises his Buisiness card is not the best has him furious, though he tries to keep an easy manner. It is noticed by his friends but they choose to ignore it. I could possibly make a friend the narrator of the scene, and explore how he feels about the irrational reaction from Bateman.
4. Plot - Bateman is a 'yuppie' - a rich buisiness man who, like his friends, squanders his money on expensive dinners, drinks, face masks, clothes, furniture. He feels like possessions define who you are and how important you are.  By switching his status to that of someone on a much smaller income, it changes his entire viewpoint and way in which he defines himself. Would he still covet the finer things and kill to obtain them, or because of jealousy? Would he kill those less fortunate just to reassure himself that he is still better than some? Would his attitude to women differ? 
5. Time - Could be before or after the novel. It's implied than Bateman has killed before, the novel begins, so perhaps writing about his very first murder. Or even his college years, as they're briefly mentioned in 'American Psycho' and it is obvious he indulged his sadistic tendancies even then. After could encompass his incarceration, or perhaps his continuing killing, or even him settling down.
6. Gender - Batemans crimes are often directed at women, and even those he doesn't kill are subjected to manipulation, verbal abuse and degradation. If Bateman was female, would she have the same attitude, but towards men? Or would she continue to be sadistic towards her own sex? Her style of killing would have to change as well, as she would lack the strength of her male equivalent. 

Well, that's all I've got at the moment. Comments welcome, and opinions on which one I should do would be awesome.

Thanks :)



26/3/13

So I've been writing some of the above fan fiction ideas into actual stories and I'm pretty happy with the outcome of a few.
Here's a few beginnings for your reading enjoyment!

Different POV
From the view of a victim: Paul Owen. He thinks Bateman is a man called Marcus Halberstram.

Marcus Halberstram wants to go for dinner. I find him horribly boring, but he does have a certain amount of standing at the company; I should go, though I don't really want to. Hopefully he brings Cecilia, who's a little hardbody and makes up for in looks what Marcus lacks in personality.
I get to the restaurant on 34th street, and it's like walking into a fucking pirate ship. I hate themed restaurants, just as much as I hate themed parties. I get to the table and Marcus is already there, arguing with the unattractive waiter. His face is impassive, but he's talking with such force that the waiter is getting sprayed with spittle.
"No, I don't want fucking Captain Morgan. Am I wearing an eye patch? Do I have a wooden leg? Just get me a scotch, neat."
The waiter glances at me as I approach the table, and Halberstram turns, his face transforming into a practised smile. "Paul! What can I get you to drink?" Without waiting for a reply, he turns to the waiter, "Make that two scotches and a lager." He's dismissed with a wave of the hand and Marcus turns back to me.
"So! Paul. Thanks for coming. Find this place ok? I know it's not to our usual...'caliber', but my dear Cecelia insisted the Chowder was to die for."
The drinks arrive and I take a large pull of my scotch. This place is a fucking shithole. I wonder if maybe Marcus is either cheap or skint, but he stares at me and I realise I haven't answered him.
"No, it's great Marcus. I've never been here before and going to Spago every night can get a little tedious don't you think?" I ask this because I know for a fact Halberstram has been trying to get a table there for months. As expected, his left eye twitches almost imperceptivelly as he nods.
"Oh absolutely Paul. Always nice to do something a little out of the comfort zone. Another drink Paul?"

Gender
Bateman as a women. Instead of a buisiness man, she's a kept socialite.
Cynthia walks into O2 wearing a jacket identical to the one I bought last week from Prada. As she walks over, I notice how well it sits on her, accentuating her tiny waist and fuck-me tits. I bet it's a size smaller than mine. I bet everyone will see her wearing it and think I've copied her if I wear it later in the week. She notices me looking and smoothes her manicured hands down the front. I want to chop her hands off and stuff them in her fucking mouth. I want to slice of her fingertips so she can't feel the cashmere/angora blend that I will now never get to wear. She leans in for a kiss and  resist the urge to clamp my teeth down on her ear.
"Darling! How are you? Like my new jacket? Picked it up from Prada a couple of weeks ago, been saving it for a special occasion." The fact that she actually bought the jacket before me does nothing to nullify my anger, and I paste a smile on my face, nodding.
"It's nice. I mean, not really my thing but it's well cut." I reach forward and touch the sleeve, "Cashmere/angora blend?" She nods. "Oh, what a shame. I was just reading in the european Vogue how one should really go for angora OR cashmere, not a blend. I mean they're just so lovely by themselves aren't they? Still, I can barely tell from where I'm sitting so as long as you keep your distance from people, it shouldn't really matter!" I give a tinkly little laugh and touch her arm. She joins in uncertainly, her face crestfallen and her eyes on my hand. She's confused, because she knows she's been insulted but is unsure if I did it on purpose or whether I was just looking out for her. She is one of the stupidist people I know. I could probably tell her that coats are out of fashion completely and she'd walk around shivering in one of her shell pink blouses.





Anyway, there you go. These are my two top picks so let me know which one you think would be best!


26/3/13

So since I first decided on 'American Psycho' for my topic, I've been reading the fanfiction online. Most of it is fairly bad quality, but there are a few which I thought were worth the read. Below is a selection of the good and the bad. Proceed with caution...

 http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7023737/1/London-Calling 

London Calling
In the book, Patrick Bateman kills Paul Owen, but then hears reports that Paul Owen is in fact in London. It is never revealed which is true, and this fan fic follows Bateman to London where he tries to find out if he actually killed Paul Owen or not.

This piece of 'Psycho' fan fiction is the best I've read. It follows Bateman as he goes in search of Paul Owen in London. The language used and the thought processes of Bateman are very accurate, and the story is interesting and relevant to the original text. I really recommend reading this one, as it balances out the bloodlust and gore very well. I've found that in a lot of the fanfiction, writers get too excited about the gory element and so the story then suffers.



http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3446877/2/American-Psycho-Overtime-on-Wall-Street

Overtime on Wall Street
This story is set twenty years after the end of 'American Psycho', where Bateman is still working at Pierce and Pierce, and still murdering. There isn't much storyline, just recounts of various murders Bateman has committed over the years.

Though well written, this is one of the fan fictions which seems to just list murder details as opposed to having an actual story. The introduction of the story os also plagerised straight out of the book, the only difference being that he is now in his 40's. Like I said, it is well written, with good sentance structure, and descriptions being very 'Bateman', but is let down by the lack of story.



http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4420027/1/101-Ways-To-Get-Away-With-Murder

101 Ways to Get Away With Murder (Chapter One)
This fan fic chapter starts with Bateman just after he has committed a murder. It then follows him as he finds his next victim, a young woman who he takes to a cafe and then convinces her to see his apartment.

I enjoyed this fan fiction as it gave a little bit of backstory to the inevitable murder. This is cohesive with the original text, as Bateman toys with his victims first. It's not just about the murder, it's about the chase, the catch and then often the torture. This fan fic shows how Bateman is very skillfull and manipulative, and how he manages to convince a reluctant girl to do what he wants. My only criticism would be that the writer has neglected to include certain terms and language that Bateman uses. For example, a good looking woman is always referred to as a 'hardbody', but in this fan fic she is just referred to as a 'hottie'.



http://www.fanfiction.net/s/739754/1/So-Much-For-I-love-you 

So Much For I love you
Written from the POV of a woman who tries to help Bateman, and in doing so avoids her own killing. They are in love, and she wants to help him but eventually realises she can't and gets him arrested. 

I feel like this fan fic completely ignores the fact that Bateman is a psychopath and states quite clearly in the book that he has no discernable emotions, except for disgust, envy and anger. Therefore, to believe that he is capable of love undermines the entire strength of his character. The Bateman portrayed in this story also lacks many other charecteristics that he has in the book, and as such it feels that this could be described as 'American psycho fan fiction' in the loosest of fashions.




http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4847444/1/Experiment

Experiment
Bateman tries to confess to his crimes at the police station, but is not taken seriously.

Bateman confessing to his crimes is an interesting concept, and I feel like this story is too short to do it justice. It also lacks the personality of Bateman, as when someone doesn't believe him he goes psychotic but in this story he merely just says 'I tried', which is very unrealistic. I would be interested in seeing this go further.