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Post by slyn11 on Mar 8, 2012 14:35:09 GMT -5
I was talking to my beta about this the other day. She was asked to read a story about a character she didn't like. She really didn't want to do it, but in the end she read it, and enjoyed it.
There are certain fandoms where I will read stories about any character because I love the show so much and I know the writing will be great. But there are other shows, where I just can't bring myself to read just anything. Like for instance one of my favorite shows of all time, Dawson's Creek, I cannot bring myself to read just straight Dawson stories. I don't mind Dawson in a triangle stories, or Dawson as part of the ensemble, but Dawson as the main character...no way. Same with Dan Humphrey on Gossip Girl. I just don't want to read stories focused on him.
I have been rethinking this stance lately, because it seems to me that I might be missing out on some good tales. Maybe I should open my mind a bit more.
So do you guys do that? Read (or write) stories about characters you are not big fans of?
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Post by DancingDays on Mar 8, 2012 14:41:59 GMT -5
I'm quite picky about which fanfic I read and what I don't. Usually I only read the ones that satisfy my desire to see certain couples together - so it can go the way I want it to go, if that makes sense. With Days, I'm currently only interested in Carrie/Rafe, Philip/Chloe (kpatch did that to me) and Sami/Lucas as of last Friday when it was rekindled. As for other shows, I got really into fanfic when Buffy ended. I wanted to see what happned with Buffy and Spike after the Hellmouth closed. Plus, I liked reading all the rated R "scenes" they couldn't show on TV. When I tried to read a Xander/Buffy story I just kept thinking "This is wrong. These characters wouldn't do this. Buffy loves Angel or Spike, not Xander." Know what I mean? Ultimately, I have to wonder about the characters and want to know more before I'll read a fanfic. But that's just me.  |
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Post by slyn11 on Mar 8, 2012 14:53:31 GMT -5
Buffy fandom has some of the best fanfic ever written, especially of the Spike/Buffy variety. Just so much wonderful stuff.
As a writer, of course I tend to only write pairings I enjoy, but I like to challenge myself as well. So I tend to write stories that closely follow show canon, even if I don't like where things ended up on the show. I like to get inside the head of a character and figure out why they would make the choices they made.
On Days my first real "favorite" couple was Philip/Chloe so of course I like exploring them. But I have found I like Philip most of all, so I can write stories about him in all sorts of situations not just with Chloe. Also I enjoyed him with almost all of his loves at one point or another, so I can go anywhere with him romantically.
My beta doesn't like Chloe, nor Philip/Chloe. But reading my current story has had her starting to really get into Chloe and into the idea of her and Philip. She says I have given the couple more breadth and scope, so she can now see the reasoning behind some of the things that happened on air. Very cool of her to admit and it makes me happy to hear. I guess I want readers to be able to feel for all the central characters in what I write, and get beyond their current "ship" and just enjoy the ride.
I think I may need to take my own advice, in the stories I choose to read.
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Post by MrsM on Mar 8, 2012 15:00:13 GMT -5
The only fanfic I read is Days fanfic and I started with kpatch's stories. Then I got into Andre's stories which include a wide array of characters and they kind of bend the realms of even Salem reality. I will read any fanfic as long as it is written well. I like reading about a wide variety of characters.
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Post by fluffysmom on Mar 8, 2012 15:19:31 GMT -5
I read all fan fics at MH. However when I seek out fan fics other places I stick to favorite couples of mine primarily Phloe stories. I've recently been enjoying some fantastic Blair and Chuck from Gossip Girl fan fics. I've enjoyed both stories that stem from the actual shows as well as stories that just take favorite characters and put them into a completely different setting.
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Post by sportsgirl on Mar 8, 2012 15:30:04 GMT -5
I only read fan fic here at MH also... I do a lot of regular book reading at other times. I will read any fan fic here, but if it doesn't capture my interest fairly quickly or if the chapters go on forever, I lose interest.
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Post by rockfordfosgate on Mar 8, 2012 15:38:12 GMT -5
I pretty much skip around the different fanfics here on MH, just depends on what I'm in the mood for. Sometimes it's as simple as a new story being posted or a longing for Philip/Chloe.  With other fanfics, I've only read Harry Potter ones. There it's been any number of fanships, but I mainly concentrate on ones that involve Snape because to me, he's the most intriguing and complex character in Harry Potter. |
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Post by Kpatch on Mar 8, 2012 16:21:18 GMT -5
Great question Slyn! I think we all like to think of ourselves as selective in our reading and viewing choices. I have my favorite characters to write for and to read, but I also like writing and reading ensemble stories. Like Fluffy, I’ll read a good Phloe story anywhere if it’s recommended to me. I try to read all the stories posted here at MyHourglass, time permitting. As a fanfic writer, I know what it takes to create a story and I have a great appreciation for those who put in that kind of time, effort and care, because it’s strictly a labor of love. I do get bugged by unfinished fanfics. If the reader takes the time to read it, the author should respect the time, energy and enthusiasm that their readers invested in the story, and finish it. Thank goodness that never happens here. |
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Post by fluffysmom on Mar 8, 2012 16:28:23 GMT -5
I do get bugged by unfinished fanfics. If the reader takes the time to read it, the author should respect the time, energy and enthusiasm that their readers invested in the story, and finish it. Thank goodness that never happens here. I completely agree. It's so frustrating to read a story especially if it's fairly long and find there's no ending. I've read some fics that ended with a cliffhanger and were never completed. If I'm reading fics elsewhere, I sometimes take a glance at the ending just so I can see if it says to be continued. |
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Post by slyn11 on Mar 8, 2012 17:15:17 GMT -5
I do get bugged by unfinished fanfics. If the reader takes the time to read it, the author should respect the time, energy and enthusiasm that their readers invested in the story, and finish it. Thank goodness that never happens here. I completely agree. It's so frustrating to read a story especially if it's fairly long and find there's no ending. I've read some fics that ended with a cliffhanger and were never completed. If I'm reading fics elsewhere, I sometimes take a glance at the ending just so I can see if it says to be continued. Well in defense of the unfinished fics...It takes so much to write. Sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes you lose your mojo. It takes me about a month to write a chapter, and I am not always pleased with the end results, I have to force myself to post it anyway. So I know other writers agonize even more, holding back stuff because they don't feel it is readable. With Undertow there was this long break between when I first started posting until I started updating regularly. Part of it was life happening...the other part was artistic. I am writing Chloe for the first time, and it is difficult to me. I had to find a way to relate to the character and make her real. I also had to find a way to make the relationships between Philip and his two ladies believable (at least to me) in light of how things went down on the show. Philip and Melanie were easy...they were in love at the end of things. Phloe were in a very different spot with each other. I had to find a way to make Phloe able to rekindle, without just chucking Melanie out of the equation. (I don't think Philip would think that way, so I wanted to make it real.) Took extra time to work it all out in my mind. I get disappointed by unfinished stories as well, but i will take a great unfinished story over a halfhearted completed one any day. |
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Post by DancingDays on Mar 8, 2012 17:22:16 GMT -5
What do you consider an ending? If someone's hanging on the edge of death and it stops there, yeah, that stinks. But I like it when stories are left at least a little bit open. Right?
Then again, what do you consider a "story?" All parts of a saga or each individual chapter? Or each title? Is my story hanging out there unfinished? Now I'm paranoid.
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Post by slyn11 on Mar 8, 2012 17:28:02 GMT -5
Then again, what do you consider a "story?" All parts of a saga or each individual chapter? Or each title? Is my story hanging out there unfinished? Now I'm paranoid. We mean unfinished like you write to chapter 5 and stop, never post again, although clearly there is more story to go. We don't mean a cliffhanger that is completed in a sequel. I know you, and I think JKJpatch write multiple stories in a series, so people know that when one story ends another will begin. The way I write, each chapter (not each update now that I am breaking my chapters up here at MH) is a mini-story. There is a beginning, middle, and end to each of my chapters that gets a main idea or shared theme across that further propels the story as a whole. But if I stopped writing today...that would be an abandoned/unfinished story, because clearly there is more to tell. |
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Post by fluffysmom on Mar 8, 2012 17:29:05 GMT -5
I've read stories where a character is headed home to find out if his wife or girlfriend is pregnant. It says to be continued. It's never been continued. There are other scenarios like that.
I'm good with a saga or a continuing story DD. I don't expect every story to end with a wedding or fairy tale ending.
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Post by DancingDays on Mar 8, 2012 17:33:01 GMT -5
Phew! Ok, good.
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Post by slyn11 on Mar 8, 2012 18:05:08 GMT -5
I hope no one is expecting fairy tale endings from me.  |
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With other fanfics, I've only read Harry Potter ones. There it's been any number of fanships, but I mainly concentrate on ones that involve Snape because to me, he's the most intriguing and complex character in Harry Potter.
