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icarusDarn it. Skating fic isn't cooperating. I had this funny scene, but I didn't buy it at all. Why would John do that? So I've scrapped it and I'm writing something different.
In the meantime, something came up in a conversation with Harvey.
Do you as a writer ever write something you'd never in a million years read?
There's such a difference when you experience a story as a reader where you have to live through the events of the story, and the god-like perspective of a writer who can stand outside, know exactly where the events are headed, and explore misery from a safe distance. My motives as a writer are completely different from my motives as a reader.
As a reader I read fanfic for fun. I like porn (the boyfriend gets mauled if it's particularly good) with plenty of interesting characterization, and I have fondness for entertaining plots with either magic or cool technology. While I will occasionally read something a little darker, humor is an essential leavening element. Stories I've written that I would actually read are:
Primer to the Dark Arts. (I'd be frustrated at the lack of a sequel)
No surprise here, I wrote it as fic-wishfulfillment. It has magic, explicit sex, and Snape characterized they way I like him.
Cursed Artefacts For Sale.
The toaster and again, lots of magic.
Sex, Drugs and Death Eater Rock.
I have a thing for cross-dressing. I'd be pretty doubtful about Ron in a dress, but I'd got for it.
Far Too Personal and Two Men On Top. (I'd still want to see what happened to get them from point A to point B)
Embarrassing situation? Ron and someone inappropriate? Followed up with explicit sex (you see my priorities).
First Signs Of Magic: Hermione Granger.*
Humor, beginning to end, and more magic than you can shake a stick at.
Guy Talk.*
Teenage boys bragging about their dubious conquests? Sign me up.
Skinny Dipping.*
Very explicit sex, and I happen to like the water at night.
Drunken Domesticity.
Funny situation, and I'd dig Harry and Ron's friendship.
Shy Guy. (too short though)
Very visual sex. A lot of sex is written internally, emotionally, but this one you see.
For The Petulant Gods.
Bad sex amuses me.
The Walls Of Jericho. (it has weaknesses, but I'd dig it)
I'd be iffy about one of the action scenes and want to strangle the aliens, but I'd like the banter between Jack and Daniel and of course, the tent-sex.
Sonic Boom.*
This has no sex, but the visual description would carry me away. I probably wouldn't think to mention it to my friends (there's no sex, and it's barely even UST) but it would linger.
A lot of these are not my best stuff. But for me as a reader the quality of the story takes a back seat to "does this story give me what I want?"
Stories of mine that, if I hadn't written them, I would never read:
Beg Me For It.*
I loathe non-con. No matter who told me to read it, I just wouldn't touch this with a ten-foot pole.
Here Again.*
The incest creeped me out even while writing it. As a reader the pairing is enough to send me in the opposite direction. Then the content if I read it? Frankly disturbing, precisely because it isn't negative.
A '57 Vincent And A Red-Headed Boy.
That ending hurts. I'd probably read it hoping for something interesting between Ron and Sirius, and then get a little disgruntled at the writer when I got the end.
Reunion.
I'd love it, former-lover sex is so rarely done, right up until I hit the MPreg. Then I couldn't hit the Back-button fast enough.
Hey You.*
Ouch, ouch, ouch, their situation sucks. I might read the next parts just to wash this story out of my mind.
The Other Man.
I'd feel for Sara but I'm not into bitterness.
Shared Secrets.
Depressing!
Not My Affair.*
I'd be leery of the pairing, but reading it I'd feel so sorry for the two of them. I'd have to finish to see if it worked out but I would not enjoy their suffering.
Little Boy Blue.
Creepy Chan! Back-button.
Fools Can Dream.*
The gay marriage concept is enough to keep me far, far away. It might as well be name "Cloying Story -- Look Out."
An Elegant Man.*
Okay, maybe I love this one as a writer, but as a reader I want something with a faster pace... meander, meander. Back-button.
Looking at it as a writer, what are my favorites? I have a completely different set of criteria. I want something that's different from my norm, where I stretched, where I think I've captured something interesting or, sometimes, the story was just difficult to pull off. Of the stories above, I've starred my writer-favorites.
Interesting pattern, isn't it? There's no relationship between my favorite stories as a writer and my favorite stories as a reader.
So what are the stories that I hear about most often from other readers, even years after they were written? I'll bold those.
It's curious, isn't it? There's no relationship between what other people like and what I like.
The evidence leads us to a very obvious point: our tastes in stories vary wildly. If you're a decent writer and post enough so that you're not completely lost in the mass of fanfiction, chances are that no matter what you write, you will find someone who enjoys it.
This says to me that what appears to be popularity and can be mistaken for excellence as a writer is, in reality, a simple intersection of interests. Once the interests intersect, skillful writing will keep readers and draw in more with the same interest. But mutual interest is the primary driving force of fanfiction.
It's humbling.
In the meantime, something came up in a conversation with Harvey.
Do you as a writer ever write something you'd never in a million years read?
There's such a difference when you experience a story as a reader where you have to live through the events of the story, and the god-like perspective of a writer who can stand outside, know exactly where the events are headed, and explore misery from a safe distance. My motives as a writer are completely different from my motives as a reader.
As a reader I read fanfic for fun. I like porn (the boyfriend gets mauled if it's particularly good) with plenty of interesting characterization, and I have fondness for entertaining plots with either magic or cool technology. While I will occasionally read something a little darker, humor is an essential leavening element. Stories I've written that I would actually read are:
Primer to the Dark Arts. (I'd be frustrated at the lack of a sequel)
No surprise here, I wrote it as fic-wishfulfillment. It has magic, explicit sex, and Snape characterized they way I like him.
Cursed Artefacts For Sale.
The toaster and again, lots of magic.
Sex, Drugs and Death Eater Rock.
I have a thing for cross-dressing. I'd be pretty doubtful about Ron in a dress, but I'd got for it.
Far Too Personal and Two Men On Top. (I'd still want to see what happened to get them from point A to point B)
Embarrassing situation? Ron and someone inappropriate? Followed up with explicit sex (you see my priorities).
First Signs Of Magic: Hermione Granger.*
Humor, beginning to end, and more magic than you can shake a stick at.
Guy Talk.*
Teenage boys bragging about their dubious conquests? Sign me up.
Skinny Dipping.*
Very explicit sex, and I happen to like the water at night.
Drunken Domesticity.
Funny situation, and I'd dig Harry and Ron's friendship.
Shy Guy. (too short though)
Very visual sex. A lot of sex is written internally, emotionally, but this one you see.
For The Petulant Gods.
Bad sex amuses me.
The Walls Of Jericho. (it has weaknesses, but I'd dig it)
I'd be iffy about one of the action scenes and want to strangle the aliens, but I'd like the banter between Jack and Daniel and of course, the tent-sex.
Sonic Boom.*
This has no sex, but the visual description would carry me away. I probably wouldn't think to mention it to my friends (there's no sex, and it's barely even UST) but it would linger.
A lot of these are not my best stuff. But for me as a reader the quality of the story takes a back seat to "does this story give me what I want?"
Stories of mine that, if I hadn't written them, I would never read:
Beg Me For It.*
I loathe non-con. No matter who told me to read it, I just wouldn't touch this with a ten-foot pole.
Here Again.*
The incest creeped me out even while writing it. As a reader the pairing is enough to send me in the opposite direction. Then the content if I read it? Frankly disturbing, precisely because it isn't negative.
A '57 Vincent And A Red-Headed Boy.
That ending hurts. I'd probably read it hoping for something interesting between Ron and Sirius, and then get a little disgruntled at the writer when I got the end.
Reunion.
I'd love it, former-lover sex is so rarely done, right up until I hit the MPreg. Then I couldn't hit the Back-button fast enough.
Hey You.*
Ouch, ouch, ouch, their situation sucks. I might read the next parts just to wash this story out of my mind.
The Other Man.
I'd feel for Sara but I'm not into bitterness.
Shared Secrets.
Depressing!
Not My Affair.*
I'd be leery of the pairing, but reading it I'd feel so sorry for the two of them. I'd have to finish to see if it worked out but I would not enjoy their suffering.
Little Boy Blue.
Creepy Chan! Back-button.
Fools Can Dream.*
The gay marriage concept is enough to keep me far, far away. It might as well be name "Cloying Story -- Look Out."
An Elegant Man.*
Okay, maybe I love this one as a writer, but as a reader I want something with a faster pace... meander, meander. Back-button.
Looking at it as a writer, what are my favorites? I have a completely different set of criteria. I want something that's different from my norm, where I stretched, where I think I've captured something interesting or, sometimes, the story was just difficult to pull off. Of the stories above, I've starred my writer-favorites.
Interesting pattern, isn't it? There's no relationship between my favorite stories as a writer and my favorite stories as a reader.
So what are the stories that I hear about most often from other readers, even years after they were written? I'll bold those.
It's curious, isn't it? There's no relationship between what other people like and what I like.
The evidence leads us to a very obvious point: our tastes in stories vary wildly. If you're a decent writer and post enough so that you're not completely lost in the mass of fanfiction, chances are that no matter what you write, you will find someone who enjoys it.
This says to me that what appears to be popularity and can be mistaken for excellence as a writer is, in reality, a simple intersection of interests. Once the interests intersect, skillful writing will keep readers and draw in more with the same interest. But mutual interest is the primary driving force of fanfiction.
It's humbling.
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Date: 2006-03-11 02:54 am (UTC)btw, i was reading some haikus today and i found one that totally reminded me of you. i memorized it until i found a pen to write it on my arm.
trying to study sutras
the kitten on my page
demanding affection
:) even though it may not follow the exact syllable scheme, jack kerouac still calls it a haiku. i love him.