A Reader's Rant

[shakatany]

I feel there is in essence an agreement in fanfiction: a writer writes a fic, a reader reads and comments. When a writer breaks that agreement and stops writing that fic a reader is left with little recourse; after all we can't take back our egoboo. The power is with the writer and some writer's words can be so powerful that we readers leave ourselves open to possible heartache whenever we start to read one of their WIPs. It's the one drawback with fanfic as no professionally published work would be available to readers while unfinished.

When ladycat777 told me that she wouldn't be able to finish "Hunt Brother" I was despondent. Unlike other writers like Edibbea, Siege and Shara Nesu whose RL has become difficult, she is still writing more fics, many of which are also unfinished. I haven't flamed her with hatemail or anything like that. I still read her fics and often make nice comments but I no longer invest myself in them. When I rec "HB", which I do quite often as it's one of my favorite fics, I write like I did the other day "and finally there's my beloved "Hunt Brother" by ladycat777 at http://www.subtle-salvation.com/stories.htm#series which apparently will remain forever unfinished *sob*". "HB" is a great fic but I cannot in all fairness let others become hooked without warning them. Since I can't walk outside her house with a picket sign proclaiming, "Ladycat's unfair to readers" a *sob* is my only way to show my unhappiness.

Here comes the kerfluffle:
Yesterday someone, not Ladycat, took umbrage at what I wrote (see http://www.livejournal.com/community/bloodclaim/#item1217600). What realy upset me was that she did it in public and not in a private e-mail (my e-mail addy is in my user info and we are both members of 2 Yahoo groups). While I would accept a reprimand from Ladycat I won't accept it from a 3rd party except now Darkhavens has gotten into the act. Is what I wrote in my rec, a *sob*, inappropriate? After all I was reccing "HB" for effing's sake. Was I really out of line or did someone (someones) overreact? And in public too?

ETA: This is not my day. I found Entrenous' addy at m-mSlashaholics and inadvertently sent my e-mail not to her but to the group so our little kefluffle is out there too *wants to go back to bed and start the day over*

Comments

No one has the right to dictate what another person should do in their spare time.

[ponders-life.livejournal.com]

For the record, I'm a reader, not a writer. I saw your comments in the bloodclaim thread, came to your LJ to find out whether you are a writer, and found this post.

I feel there is in essence an agreement in fanfiction: a writer writes a fic, a reader reads and comments.

I strongly disagree. Fanfic writer aren't obligated to finish anything. We readers are lucky to be able to read so much good fiction, for free. Reader comments -- which usually take only a few minutes to compose and post -- are lovely, and writers value them, but they're nowhere near adequate compensation for the writer's output, which probably took many hours of a writer's time (and often hours of a beta's time, too).

Readers have no right to demand or attempt to guilt-trip a writer into finishing a story if the writer doesn't want to finish it.

NO ONE has the right to dictate what another person should do in their spare time.

Put yourself in the writer's shoes. Writing is something they do as a hobby, for FUN, in their precious free time. They don't get paid.

Have you ever started something but not finished it? Sometimes writers start stories that they have every intention of finishing, but find out later that it isn't working, or they've lost interest in it, or whatever. When that happens, the joy of writing it disappears, and it becomes drudgery. Why on earth should they continue to work on it if it's not fun anymore? That would be masochistic.

How would you feel if someone tried to tell you what you should be doing in your spare time? ("No, don't read that; read this instead!") You wouldn't like it, would you? I respectfully suggest that you stop doing it to others.

Re: No one has the right to dictate what another person should do in their spare time.

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'm trying to dictate. All I ask is that I be allowed to express my feelings with a *sob* without having a ton of bricks fall on me.

Shakatany

Re: No one has the right to dictate what another person should do in their spare time.

[ponders-life.livejournal.com]

You're allowed to express your disappointment when a WIP isn't finished. Criticizing writers for not finishing the WIP, however, is going too far. It's just plain rude.