23 March 2009 @ 03:08 pm
A Pitstop on the Road to (in)Sanity: Notes on Fandom in General  
Friends have been pointing me in the direction of different fandoms, and I have a few general comments for writers:

1. If you decide to abandon a fic after posting 47 freaking chapters, have the decency of labeling the thing so I don't waste my time reading it.

2. If you want to know if an act is possible during sex, close your eyes and try to visualize it. There are certain positions a human body cannot assume without extreme pain and joint dislocation. I don't care if he is a magical boy or a 51st century guy.

3. Motivation is important. Me, I beat canon around the head with a Louisville Slugger (a famous type of baseball bat, for you all non-Americans), but I do try to figure out why a person would do a certain thing given his character. Helps a lot.

4. Suicide is not the answer to most problems. Neither is torture.

5. If you want to write about aristocrats, read about them first. They are actually real people; their ancestors just were more successful than yours at stealing. For example, the few real aristocrats I've ever met (in the United States, we would be talking about Real Old Money, 18th and 19th century) have beautiful manners. They would no more think about screaming at a servant in public than you would. Yes, we all have seen Hello and OK magazine stories. Note that those people are seldom considered Real Old Money.

6. Lucius Malfoy is a scary SOB. Pairing him with.... anybody is just... disturbing. I'm only saying.
 
 
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[identity profile] love-jackianto.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 07:25 pm (UTC)
'1. If you decide to abandon a fic after posting 47 freaking chapters, have the decency of labeling the thing so I don't waste my time reading it.'
Welcome to the wonderful world of WIP. What fic was it, by the way?

'Suicide is not the answer to most problems. Neither is torture.'
Trying telling that to the writers of Supernatural; the torture part not the suicide part.
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 08:20 pm (UTC)
It was a Harry Potter one. Really well written, too. Darn it.

I know, I know. I'm staying out of the Supernatural swamp, or I'll ask avon_9, who's quite a fan, to send me to some good recs.

Edited 2009-03-23 08:24 pm (UTC)
[identity profile] love-jackianto.livejournal.com on March 24th, 2009 03:36 am (UTC)
'It was a Harry Potter one.'
That's why I try not to read WIP; I've found that quite a few never get finished.

'I'm staying out of the Supernatural swamp'
Yeah I tried to get into that fandom but there was just SO MUCH whining; if people weren't complaining about how they want the show to go back to monster-of-the-week (did they see the first episode?!), people complain about how one brother gets more screen time than the other, and/or ALL the female characters (expect Pam). Although most people seem to like Castiel. Basically I just post icons in that fandom and read the Dean/Castiel fics that I found on a pretty big rec list.
[identity profile] teachwriteslash.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 07:37 pm (UTC)
1. Why I only read WIPs by author's I trust or know well enough to poke

2. They have manuals. Online even. Some read better than smut. With pictures. For research of course.

3. Even OOCness can have a reason ... and a compelling one.

4. Especially not for characters who spend most of their time trying to live

5. Money does not equal artistocracy :-) Its much more than that (Read a biography of Rose Kennedy. Mean spirited at times but polite to a fault)

6. Yep ...

The actor who plays Lucius on the other hand ... catch him on season 5 I think it was of the West Wing (a reporter who meets Donna in Gaza). Out of the scary character and wig .... yummmmmmmmmmmm
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 08:24 pm (UTC)
They have manuals. Ain't that the truth? But even visualizing... Do they have any idea that even in yoga the waist can only hinge so far?

Money does not equal aristocracy. And that's another. I know a number of impoverished aristos and believe me, they are fastidious in all behavior, specially towards people they would consider lower in the social scale. Utterly fastidious.

Gotta look for this guy, because honestly, the movie one is plumb horrifying!
[identity profile] aeron-lanart.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 09:18 pm (UTC)
2. They have manuals. Online even. Some read better than smut. With pictures. For research of course.

Of course. You should see the fic research folder on my computer... *g*

Edited 2009-03-23 09:19 pm (UTC)
[identity profile] rtdconvert.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 09:08 pm (UTC)
#6
Jason Issacs... god love that beautiful specimen of a man... Was in the last two episode of season 5 and episode 1 of season 6 of the West Wing. And can I just say DAMN! For a North England boy he does a lovely Irish Lilt. Enjoy.
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on March 23rd, 2009 09:47 pm (UTC)
Re: #6
Wow. Oh.My.God. *Drool*
Gawd those eyes. Gawd...
*Murgle*
Auresse[personal profile] auresse on March 24th, 2009 12:36 am (UTC)
you sound... traumatized. Are you OK? A case of bad!fic indigestion?

I appreciate the truth of your words - even though they don't apply to me. thanks for your honest feedback.
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on March 24th, 2009 01:40 pm (UTC)
More like a case of "almost-good" fic. Bad is bad. THe ones that frost my ass are the ones where in the middle of something pretty good some character does something totally unlike themselves just because the author needs them to do it so the plot can be advanced, and you just sit there going... Whoah. What happened? Didn't you just say this person would never DO THAT?

That and the I will now demonstrate no comprehension of how a human body really works ones.
HoldinGoff[identity profile] holdingoff.livejournal.com on March 24th, 2009 04:09 am (UTC)
The TW people aren't much better about marking things abandoned I'm afraid. There are a couple of fics out there that people constantly make a big deal about and forget to mention the writers have just walked away at about the 90% mark.

Positions: they could invest in dolls?

Aristocrats. Well, we'll have to agree to disagree there. While I've met some as you describe, I've also met people holding hereditary titles that would make Amy Winehouse look like a model citizen.

But Jason Issacs is one fine individual. Hate the character, love the man.

PS: Are we going to see your stories on [livejournal.com profile] epicproportion? You were invited (check your LJ homepage, select Communities, Manage Your Invites). You're stuff would be most welcome there.
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on March 24th, 2009 01:48 pm (UTC)
While I've met some as you describe, I've also met people holding hereditary titles that would make Amy Winehouse look like a model citizen.

Well, having never met people with hereditary titles I can't argue with you there. I've also met some perfectly well-mannered people who have a mean streak a mile wide.I think I meant when writing them you have to assume they're people! Motive! MOTIVE! Aristocrat = evil (or) stupid so all I have to mention is "they have a title" is sloppy writing!

BTW, the ones I've met (families tracing their roots back to the first settlers of Virginia and Maryland,who have managed to cling to their social positions through civil wars and economic depression), especially the older ones, have a code of behavior and there are things that are Beyond the Pale. Screaming at an old family retainer in front of outsiders... never, ever.

Jason Isaacs Just saw pictures and *drool*.

Yes, of course. As soon as I can carve out some time from my crazy life. Probably later on in the week.

Edited 2009-03-24 01:49 pm (UTC)
HoldinGoff[identity profile] holdingoff.livejournal.com on March 24th, 2009 02:22 pm (UTC)
when writing them you have to assume they're people! Motive! MOTIVE! Aristocrat = evil (or) stupid so all I have to mention is "they have a title" is sloppy writing!

gotcha. lazy writer shorthand defining behavior based on a title, even if said behavior probably isn't archetypical.
[identity profile] gingerlr.livejournal.com on March 25th, 2009 11:35 pm (UTC)
Dang, there goes my idea of a 99+ epic that I was going to drop after 69 chapters about badly behaving aristocrats and Jack becoming a drag queen after Gwen and Ianto committed group suicide. Oh well...

*grin*
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on March 26th, 2009 02:37 am (UTC)
Well, it could work as a comedy of manners. Woodehouse, anyone?