A little rant on the fanfic readership. . .

[catscradle]

Okay, so I'm going though fanfics on a few different lists and I'm dumbfounded by all the horrid fics out there that get masses of comments. This is not new, I know, but after 7 years it still shocks me to see it. Praising the shit only reinforces it in the writers.

It's a good experiment on behavioralism - as I've seen a number of decent and even great writers slowly decline in their skills till what's left is a parody of their former work.

Why?

My guess is that they're looking for the applause and it ain't with quality writing. Or maybe that writing is a lot of work and they can get more comments if they just wing it and toss out any old thing. Shame on them - but that's their perogative, and if they no longer want to work on it than fine. But WHY, OH WHY do people continue to praise it? Why should any writer get to rest on their laurels because of their name alone? If a product stops producing quality, why keep buying it? Are we as a fandom so wrapped in loyalty to certain people that we're incapable of objective judgement anymore?

It's this trend that becomes very disheartening to new writers in the fandom. It's difficult for anyone new to break in unless they know someone. So many times I see GOOD writers just leave because no one will give them the time of day - why? No one will read a fic from someone they don't know. Or if they don't subscribe to a fanon pairing. And if they don't act like an asshole, all giddy and praising of the crap out there, they don't really make friends in the fandom.

Alight, I'm through bitching. ..