Hmm. Do I wade back into this mess?

[icarus]

Do I do it, or not?

People in the SGA fandom were really pissed off about Last Port Of Call. The discussion started out interesting, revealing, and turned ugly. There are a couple of theories about this kicking around.

1) The "young fandom" theory, where everything's fresh and new, but the controversies haven't cropped up yet; "the explorers are the ones with the arrows in their backs";

2) The "drunken luau" theory, where yes, SGA is a fun drunken luau, but the flip side of that is that serious, challenging stories are not acceptable, the way you don't discuss the Holocaust at a cocktail party;

3) The characterization of John was really off. If I were a new writer, I'd consider it, but... no, I don't think so. I've been writing quite some time now, and characterization has always been where I'm solid. Now if someone came after me with a pitchfork about my yerk-transitions, or the stripped-down scenery ("Hello, Icarus? This is not a one-act play with a tree and a bucket, tell us where they are") or sloppily using the same word fifteen times in three pages, yeah okay.

Besides, the reaction was just too strong for it to be a simple characterization issue. Poor characterization you just go *snerk* and walk. It doesn't launch a crusade. Nor does the story get recc'd by people whose opinions I respect.

Nah. The issue was content.

But that's not what this poll is about. Or it is, but only sort of.

You see, I have another probably-guaranteed-to-be-unpopular John-fic. An SGA story where the content might fan the flames. It comes from the question:

If Rodney screws up due to hubris and ends up blowing up a solar system, and Carson screws up due to his medical curiosity and far-too-flexible ethics for the sake of his bright-eyed good intentions and fucks up a sentient being, and Weir screws up by bargaining away her principles for the sake of 'pragmatism' and gives away the position of Atlantis -- how and why does John screw up?

Okay, there are worse things in life than being controversial. But I'm feeling gun-shy. This isn't what I expected of SGA, naive of me, I know. I haven't encountered a reaction this bad since I defended slash to a group of Lord of the Rings anti-slashers in 2002 (and the arguments were eerily familar).

So, to everyone on the f-list, not just the SGA fandom who might not respond (results are viewable by none but me):

[Poll #761572]


ETA: Adds "if Carson screws up." Because "if Carson screws due to his medical curiosity and far-too-flexible ethics" has a completely different meaning.

ETA2: Wow. I'm far behind on answering everyone's comments, but that answered the question pretty thoroughly. I did not expect "er, I kinda liked Last Port" to be the strongest response, not by a long shot. So either a) the people who hated Last Port Of Call don't read my LJ (a good possibility), or b) the ones who hated it were a strident, vocal minority, and I got the wrong impression about how the story was received. Those who liked it were shouted down by those who didn't.

Either way, there's enough interest to, okay, write the Sheppard Screws Up story. But I warn you: it's het. It might not be that bad, I just... I didn't think Last Port Of Call was that controversial either.

ETA3: I'm so glad this person stopped by. Yes. Perfect example. This is the tone and nasty attitude that I've encountered over Last Port Of Call.

I've made the poll viewable to only me so that SGA readers can feel free to respond without facing problems from others. Most of the responders are SGA readers.

Comments

Re: wading in with my tuppenceworth again!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

There were more positive responses than negative. My view of the story did get slanted.

I'm working on the John Screws Up story, though still leery, frankly.

Different fandoms have different cultures. In the Lord Of The Rings fandom you had to find out someone's feelings about slash first before you let on that you were a slash writer. I was Marileangorifurnimaluim (Maril) when I wrote meta, and Icarus when I wrote slash, and very few people knew they were one and the same person. There was a very strong religious element in the LotR community. People took it personally if you besmirched their Frodo with slash.

Harry Potter is a huge, wide open, whatever-floats-your-boat fandom. There are so many niches that you could be in the fandom for years and never realize there was a Lucius/Ginny S&M non-con community. Coordinating things across the fandom is tough, but you'd have to go looking for things that you don't like.

In SG-1, the hot buttons turned out to be not slash as a whole, but slash vs. ship. You were either in one camp or the other, largely because there was such a limited pool of characters (unlike the cast of thousands in HP and LotR).

I'm getting the impression -- and I'm not sure this is right -- but I'm getting the impression that the hot buttons in SGA are anything that treats Rodney badly (because of the deep Rodney love, which I share, but I can be a very loving sadist) and anything dark. Am I reading the SGA fandom right?

Icarus

Re: wading in with my tuppenceworth again!

[lexstar29.livejournal.com]

I'd agree with your view of the SGA hot buttons! Whilst there is a section (like us!) who not only enjoy, but actively seek out darker stories I agree that the fandom as a generalisation shys away from it, many of those I have read who write darker stuff have also been prolific in the Smallville fandom where its fairly hard to write light and fluffy given the eventual cannon end to the Clark/Lex story! I'd definitely agree with the whole Rodney love too! I'd agree thats probably why a small few reacted badly, Rodney does inspire strong devotion in many! For myself i have always loved my heroes a little dark and a little flawed, which is why i enjoy reading your work, and will continue to do so!

Lexstar

did someone say sadist?

[http://users.livejournal.com/meara_/]

I can be a very loving sadist

Prepares to stalk you for more than your fics.

I think I love you.

Re: did someone say sadist?

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Who needs a dungeon when you have a handy belt and a kitchen full of deadly implements? (But use the wooden spoon sparingly. ;)

Icarus