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askye at 01:02pm on 12/02/2003
askye at 01:02pm on 12/02/2003I'm no longer feeling super bitchy. "Bingo!" is fast becoming a Pavlovian response for "can I smack? Please? Can I smack? huh?" .
So I've been thinking about the Good writing/shoddy writing/we don't care writing Round Millionth and 3 that's going on.
In a nut shell here's how I feel:
Whether anyone likes it or not the fanfiction that a writer produces becomes a representation of them. It becomes, not so much a calling card but a reputation. I may know nothing about a writer except for the fanfic I read. I may never read anything personal. All I know are the stories.
What I think of those stories are what I think of the writer. And even if I do know some things about the writer, when I read the stories or think about the writing certain associations and words come to mind.
Think about authors you read. Professional authors, the ones you like, the ones on your shelf, the ones you did the 10 lines meme for. Excluding anything personal you know about them what are the first 3 descriptions that come to mind about their writing. And just their writing.
Shakespeare, Neil Gaiman, Nora Roberts, Elinor Wylie, Jack London. (Those are on my shelf at home). I won't go into my thoughts on them, but you get the idea.
Now think of authors you don't like. Three descriptions of them, once again only on their writing.
I'll leave out the authors I don't like.
Now on to fanfic. List the fanfic writers you like. Or go grab up a list of 5 fic writers. Not big names, just anyone.
Got those 3 descriptions. NOTHING PERSONAL. Just about the writing.
So where am I going?
With no personal thoughts about writers you don't like three thoughts on thier WRITING ONLY.
What are your thoughts?
This is how people know you.
I know nothing personal about most of the writers I read. Nothing about them except the stories they write.
The fiction is the reputation.
What three descriptions do you want people to have in their minds for you? "lyrical" "drenched in symbolism" "offveat humor", "dark hurting stories", "could be canon", whatever.
What are three descriptions you DON'T want them to have?
"can't find spellchecker", "poor grasp of show" "the hell? (re: characterizations)".
Some people will say---but it's just fanfiction, it doesn't matter, it's a hobby.
Then I ask you this: if you were handing out your stories in person, to each person individually. If you saw our faces and we knew each others names, woud you still hand out your fanfic the way it looks now? Would you still stand by your product?
So I've been thinking about the Good writing/shoddy writing/we don't care writing Round Millionth and 3 that's going on.
In a nut shell here's how I feel:
Whether anyone likes it or not the fanfiction that a writer produces becomes a representation of them. It becomes, not so much a calling card but a reputation. I may know nothing about a writer except for the fanfic I read. I may never read anything personal. All I know are the stories.
What I think of those stories are what I think of the writer. And even if I do know some things about the writer, when I read the stories or think about the writing certain associations and words come to mind.
Think about authors you read. Professional authors, the ones you like, the ones on your shelf, the ones you did the 10 lines meme for. Excluding anything personal you know about them what are the first 3 descriptions that come to mind about their writing. And just their writing.
Shakespeare, Neil Gaiman, Nora Roberts, Elinor Wylie, Jack London. (Those are on my shelf at home). I won't go into my thoughts on them, but you get the idea.
Now think of authors you don't like. Three descriptions of them, once again only on their writing.
I'll leave out the authors I don't like.
Now on to fanfic. List the fanfic writers you like. Or go grab up a list of 5 fic writers. Not big names, just anyone.
Got those 3 descriptions. NOTHING PERSONAL. Just about the writing.
So where am I going?
With no personal thoughts about writers you don't like three thoughts on thier WRITING ONLY.
What are your thoughts?
This is how people know you.
I know nothing personal about most of the writers I read. Nothing about them except the stories they write.
The fiction is the reputation.
What three descriptions do you want people to have in their minds for you? "lyrical" "drenched in symbolism" "offveat humor", "dark hurting stories", "could be canon", whatever.
What are three descriptions you DON'T want them to have?
"can't find spellchecker", "poor grasp of show" "the hell? (re: characterizations)".
Some people will say---but it's just fanfiction, it doesn't matter, it's a hobby.
Then I ask you this: if you were handing out your stories in person, to each person individually. If you saw our faces and we knew each others names, woud you still hand out your fanfic the way it looks now? Would you still stand by your product?
contemplative
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