On Fanfic. . . again. . .

[catscradle]

Can I mention again characterization and it's importance in fanfic? I've just read about a dozen GW fics in which all the characters were either unrecognizable or widdled down to caricatures. Bastard!Heero or Emotionless!Heero. Weepy!Duo or I'm-on-acid!Duo. Effeminate!Quatre. Seme!Trowa. Uke!Trowa. MegaCrankyMysogynistic!Wufei. And my favorite Mallrat!Pilots.

Three dimensions. Is that too much to ask for? I know not everyone can write well and we should encourage everyone to write and have fun. . . but 90% of the stuff out there is so unreadable (and this is across all the fandoms, not just GW). So when I see readers replying to the cardboard fics and commenting on their greatness and bypassing the quality well written fics, well. . . I feel the need to vent somewhere.

I thnk if people just asked themselves some questions first. Would Heero really say that? Is that how Duo would really react to that? Is he the type that would cry, or would he get pissed instead? Just think about what the characters would do - not what you or your friends would do. They're different people. That's why they have different names.

Characterization is key. I can forgive a bad plot if the characterization is at least on target.

Comments

No argument here...

[babaca.livejournal.com]

But I did get a chuckle out of your icon. :)

Re: No argument here...

[catscradle.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I went icon shopping today *g*

*dies laughing*

[damoyre.livejournal.com]

Is that the "Master's of the Universe" villain??

Re: No argument here...

[avaaricious.livejournal.com]

aaarrgh! SKELETOR!!!



*gigglefit*



and i know the characterisation bemoanings all too well. I started to write an essay on the reasons why 90% of all angel/spike fiction SUCKED a while ago. I never finished it. It seemed like there were too many things to write about, and I would rather devote my time to writing actual fiction, rather than a 'this is everything that's wrong in the world' essay.

sigh. when will people learn that characterisation is the key to everything?

Re: No argument here...

[babaca.livejournal.com]

I think the problem is some folks identify with characters a little too closely. They mary sue the character into an extension of themselves, thus feel the need to vehemently argue that anything that's not their vision of a character is "out of character".

So the argument ... Would Duo really do that? The answer would be yes, regardless.

Re: No argument here...

[catscradle.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah! People project their own personality, problems and fantasies on to the charaters in ways that just makes for the worst fiction. It's self-indulgent - and I think the reason so many like it is that many of us have the same problems and fantasies.

Re: No argument here...

[catscradle.livejournal.com]

I wanted a good one of Evil-Lyn, but I couldn't find one I liked - so Skelator it is ;)

I've started that same essay (thought not on Spike/Angel - but after reading some of them, I can certainly see why that fandom would need such an essay) about a billion times and never finished it. Maybe I should now. People in most fandoms I'm involved with already think I'm an overbearing fic-bitcher. . . ;)

Re: No argument here...

[avaaricious.livejournal.com]

I don't recommend a lot of s/a fic that's out for public consumption. Trust me, 90% of it is not worth the pixels it appears on.

good a/s can be found at:
Eternal Nightcap (http://s8219.net/eternalnightcap) (all mine, and lots of personal favourites are there)
Slashing the Angel (http://ficbitch.com/slashingtheangel)
Raging Pixie (http://ragingpixie.bitchenvy.com)
Blood Screaming (http://ficbitch.com/bloodscreaming)

there's a few hotspots, anyway.

i think I will finish the essay one day. after poking around some a/s recently, it's just as bad as when I last read it (about 8 months ago)

hee. i don' t think i can finish it because i'm much better arguing a point when somoeon puts a specific question to me, rather than just thinking up stuff to write about *g*

babblebabble ^_^