On writing
Jun. 27th, 2005 07:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wiseheartMy latest foray into the Andromeda fandom made me clear what might be the difference between me and the majority of hobbywriters... and what makes it hard for the average reader to really enjoy my work.
Your average hobbywriter - especially a male one - wants nothing more than tell a story and get to the point. Which makes the writing style... well, not primitive, it would be unjust to say that, as these people usually put great effort in their work, but still over-simplified, to a certain extent. I've mused about the phenomenon earlier, so I'm repeating myself, but the fact is, that for me, these stories lack descriptive detail. Interestingly enough, some (female) slash writers, while the plotline itself is barely existent, as the only goal is to get Tab A into Slot B as often as humanly possible (or non-humanly, in case aliens are involved), have a much more elaborate style. Yes, I know, sliding into purple prosa is a great peril in this area, but still.
I guess I'm in danger to slide into purple prosa myself. As impatient as I sometimes can get to finish a story (so that I can start five new ones), I actually enjoy the writing process itself very much. Creating a background, creating connections between new stories and already existing ones, placing subtle hints, rewriting the same page for the umpteenth time, until it sound perfect to my own ears - it's great fun.
At least for me. Not necessary for a casual reader who just wants to read a story with their favourite character in the focus. They might find it too complicated, as to get all the hints, they would need to know the rest of my personal corner in the universe in question. And since few are willing to read a dozen stories just for that purpose, they might find it boring.
Also, I tend to be very descriptive. I know, that's something that gets heavily frowned upon on certain forums *coughgaffcough* as a sign of bad writing. I happen to disagree. Personally, I enjoy the worst, canon-breaking slash story (unless it's Tolkienfic, where I use different measures) when the style is the one I prefer. Am I a hypocrite because of this? Perhaps. Not that I really care...
During the recent 4 or 5 years, since I've had access to the Internet, I've made the experience that all the restrictive rules that most great archives set up, plus the kind of criticism that seems to get the overhand in most of my fandoms, has been crippling my creativity considerably. I'm a person with great respect for canon. Those who are familiar with my work, no matter in which fandom, know that. I also do a great deal of research. But I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed some creative licence to make a good story work. Especially if the original is just a TV show. But even with Tolkien, I don't believe that we should blindly accept everything that is published in one of the HoME books or every side remark in his letters.
I'm so fed up with purist narrow-mindedness. With certain peope, regardless of the fandom, who can't enjoy a story because it is against their interpretation of canon. Of people who reject a good story on the basis of "Eeek, slash!" or "Mpreg? Are you insane? That's biologically impossible!" or "Character XY/Tolkien's Elves/Nietzscheans/Minbari/Vulcans would never do that", or "I hate this genre, so everyone who writes it is a moron". Not to mention those who cry plagiarism every time an author borrows an idea or a few lines from the original (or another author), while stating clearly that it is borrowed and giving due credit to the original creator.
I'm sick and tired of the nitpickers, of the people who only read a story to find mistakes in it, who only review to tell the author why they disagree with what they have read. And no, I'm not only talking about my own work. Too many good stories and good authors are getting taken apart by self-righteous readers who seem to enjoy to make them lose the joy in their work.
I'm glad that my new sister site will be working in the not-too-far future. A site for my sci-fi and horror stuff, where I can put up everything I want, without getting nervous what might get me reported and thrown up, just because some malevolent reader dislikes what I've written. That would mean no reviews, of course, but I can live with that. I mean, I like it when people like my stuff and tell that on a public forum where others can see it and might get interested in my work, but let's face it, how often does that happen in these days? Every fandom has its celebrities who get read and their feet kissed, and the others... well, we all know how it works.
All right, this entry turned out differently than I originally intended, but I got a bit worked up. Happens every time I think about those things. Doesn't matter. My journal, my rant.
Your average hobbywriter - especially a male one - wants nothing more than tell a story and get to the point. Which makes the writing style... well, not primitive, it would be unjust to say that, as these people usually put great effort in their work, but still over-simplified, to a certain extent. I've mused about the phenomenon earlier, so I'm repeating myself, but the fact is, that for me, these stories lack descriptive detail. Interestingly enough, some (female) slash writers, while the plotline itself is barely existent, as the only goal is to get Tab A into Slot B as often as humanly possible (or non-humanly, in case aliens are involved), have a much more elaborate style. Yes, I know, sliding into purple prosa is a great peril in this area, but still.
I guess I'm in danger to slide into purple prosa myself. As impatient as I sometimes can get to finish a story (so that I can start five new ones), I actually enjoy the writing process itself very much. Creating a background, creating connections between new stories and already existing ones, placing subtle hints, rewriting the same page for the umpteenth time, until it sound perfect to my own ears - it's great fun.
At least for me. Not necessary for a casual reader who just wants to read a story with their favourite character in the focus. They might find it too complicated, as to get all the hints, they would need to know the rest of my personal corner in the universe in question. And since few are willing to read a dozen stories just for that purpose, they might find it boring.
Also, I tend to be very descriptive. I know, that's something that gets heavily frowned upon on certain forums *coughgaffcough* as a sign of bad writing. I happen to disagree. Personally, I enjoy the worst, canon-breaking slash story (unless it's Tolkienfic, where I use different measures) when the style is the one I prefer. Am I a hypocrite because of this? Perhaps. Not that I really care...
During the recent 4 or 5 years, since I've had access to the Internet, I've made the experience that all the restrictive rules that most great archives set up, plus the kind of criticism that seems to get the overhand in most of my fandoms, has been crippling my creativity considerably. I'm a person with great respect for canon. Those who are familiar with my work, no matter in which fandom, know that. I also do a great deal of research. But I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed some creative licence to make a good story work. Especially if the original is just a TV show. But even with Tolkien, I don't believe that we should blindly accept everything that is published in one of the HoME books or every side remark in his letters.
I'm so fed up with purist narrow-mindedness. With certain peope, regardless of the fandom, who can't enjoy a story because it is against their interpretation of canon. Of people who reject a good story on the basis of "Eeek, slash!" or "Mpreg? Are you insane? That's biologically impossible!" or "Character XY/Tolkien's Elves/Nietzscheans/Minbari/Vulcans would never do that", or "I hate this genre, so everyone who writes it is a moron". Not to mention those who cry plagiarism every time an author borrows an idea or a few lines from the original (or another author), while stating clearly that it is borrowed and giving due credit to the original creator.
I'm sick and tired of the nitpickers, of the people who only read a story to find mistakes in it, who only review to tell the author why they disagree with what they have read. And no, I'm not only talking about my own work. Too many good stories and good authors are getting taken apart by self-righteous readers who seem to enjoy to make them lose the joy in their work.
I'm glad that my new sister site will be working in the not-too-far future. A site for my sci-fi and horror stuff, where I can put up everything I want, without getting nervous what might get me reported and thrown up, just because some malevolent reader dislikes what I've written. That would mean no reviews, of course, but I can live with that. I mean, I like it when people like my stuff and tell that on a public forum where others can see it and might get interested in my work, but let's face it, how often does that happen in these days? Every fandom has its celebrities who get read and their feet kissed, and the others... well, we all know how it works.
All right, this entry turned out differently than I originally intended, but I got a bit worked up. Happens every time I think about those things. Doesn't matter. My journal, my rant.
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-27 07:30 pm (UTC)I don't know what can be done about the problem, because it does sap the joy out of writing, other than individual writers making their own sites, as in Soledad's case. As she says though, part of the pay off of posting to large sites is the feedback.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-27 10:29 pm (UTC)Maybe we are doomed to be trapped in our extremes of too much of too little, but in any case always lame criticism. (Gosh, I hate being a pessimist! *g*)
Anyway, nowadays the little I write gets posted to a list, sometimes not even that, just an flocked post (because of the feeds business, nothing else)