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For the record, this is not a complaint.
I came across a story (no, not another with explicit details) that had something happen of the kind of thing I don't like. Nothing detailed or anything, and in fact was easily ignored. But it still bugged me as I tend to be rather sensitive about such things. It's part of a series, and like most series - whether TV or book - that has something happen I don't like - I'll just ignore it, pretend it's not part of the rest of the series, and move on. Which is easy enough to do so long as that one part is never brought up again.
But it got me thinking - do others have that problem? Have you come across something in a fic that either tainted the story for you, the series, or just bugged you for a while? I'm not talking about genres or if the writing was bad or the characterization was off or details too explicit. I'm talking smaller things. For example, for me (if you haven't already figured out) I don't like sexual stuff and have even stopped reading stories when coming to a paragraph that reads "so-and-so woke up next to a naked so-and-so". A lot of it involves me seeing the show and characters a certain way, and wanting to keep that view as much as possible while reading fic. I know that's not always possible since we all see things our own way, but some writer's views tend to be something I just can't grasp or accept, making the story a lot less enjoyable. Sometimes I can ignore it, but it still bothers me for a bit.
Other times it's stuff that I feel isn't in keeping with the spirit of the show, but more like a writer playing out a fantasy using someone else's characters. Again, I'm not talking about slash, romance, or AUs. Well, maybe AUs that stick close to the show. Maybe the characters are being too raunchy, there's too much sex or mention of sex, the characters are too dark, the story is too dark (I've actually been guilty of that myself according to some), one character is coming across as too much of a jerk, the other as stupid. Did a particular story or stories make you hate a character for a while or just get annoyed with them?
I know this isn't a fixable matter since we've all probably written something that had something happen others didn't like. I was just wondering since it isn't just a fanfic thing. There have been episodes of TV shows that I've had to pretend don't exist so as not to let it ruin my personal view of the whole show. I'm also being curious if there are particular things that - doesn't necessarily turn you off the story - but doesn't make it quite as enjoyable to read. Maybe something you felt the story could have done without. Or stuff, no matter how small, that made you hit the back button fast.
I came across a story (no, not another with explicit details) that had something happen of the kind of thing I don't like. Nothing detailed or anything, and in fact was easily ignored. But it still bugged me as I tend to be rather sensitive about such things. It's part of a series, and like most series - whether TV or book - that has something happen I don't like - I'll just ignore it, pretend it's not part of the rest of the series, and move on. Which is easy enough to do so long as that one part is never brought up again.
But it got me thinking - do others have that problem? Have you come across something in a fic that either tainted the story for you, the series, or just bugged you for a while? I'm not talking about genres or if the writing was bad or the characterization was off or details too explicit. I'm talking smaller things. For example, for me (if you haven't already figured out) I don't like sexual stuff and have even stopped reading stories when coming to a paragraph that reads "so-and-so woke up next to a naked so-and-so". A lot of it involves me seeing the show and characters a certain way, and wanting to keep that view as much as possible while reading fic. I know that's not always possible since we all see things our own way, but some writer's views tend to be something I just can't grasp or accept, making the story a lot less enjoyable. Sometimes I can ignore it, but it still bothers me for a bit.
Other times it's stuff that I feel isn't in keeping with the spirit of the show, but more like a writer playing out a fantasy using someone else's characters. Again, I'm not talking about slash, romance, or AUs. Well, maybe AUs that stick close to the show. Maybe the characters are being too raunchy, there's too much sex or mention of sex, the characters are too dark, the story is too dark (I've actually been guilty of that myself according to some), one character is coming across as too much of a jerk, the other as stupid. Did a particular story or stories make you hate a character for a while or just get annoyed with them?
I know this isn't a fixable matter since we've all probably written something that had something happen others didn't like. I was just wondering since it isn't just a fanfic thing. There have been episodes of TV shows that I've had to pretend don't exist so as not to let it ruin my personal view of the whole show. I'm also being curious if there are particular things that - doesn't necessarily turn you off the story - but doesn't make it quite as enjoyable to read. Maybe something you felt the story could have done without. Or stuff, no matter how small, that made you hit the back button fast.
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no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 02:01 am (UTC)From:Well everyone's about covered stuff about fics that go way too dark without a light at the end of the table..baby fic was mentioned, I find it awful and cliched.
Let's see how about Sheppard overly being 'mean' to Rodney--thats just poor writing or understanding of their dynamic.
I really hate badly written whump as in John get bashed in the head with something, then he's up and about with no problems the very next chapter...or shot in chest or and recovered in say under a week.
Excessive whump that is to the point of beyond cruel turns me off, yes torture scenes have their place, no issue there, but cut off his fingers or something just as nasty..no thank you.
My other quip is the whump that never ends. Whumped..complication, followed by another and another and THEN an infection. I love medical whump ..love it, but when it every freaking complication in the book, dragging it out..not interested.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 02:22 am (UTC)From:I hate it when people write a story with means to whump Sheppard in a unique way and don't use it. Instead, they go with cliche whump they rush through, skpping infirmary scenes and angst and going straight to the healing. I hate wasted whump.
I did something that could be considered an excessive whump story and felt bad about it afterwards. Poor John. But I didn't do it for the sake of whump but for the comfort and team moments after.
I think worse than the whump that is dragged out is whump that is dragged out, then skipping to the infirmary scene with John half-healed and everyone cheery and laughing. The quick-resolve ending that's only a page long after everything John's been through. I like whump for the comfort and angst scenes after, not for the sake of whump alone, and endings like that are such a jip.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 03:48 am (UTC)From:*growl*