[ SECRET POST #4679 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #4679 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 31 secrets from Secret Submission Post #670.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

04. https://i.imgur.com/SD7kdVW.png

[sparklywalls]

Might it be related to that generally the smaller the fandom the more starved of content people are so perhaps they're more forgiving? I know you said medium sized (not tiny) but mega-huge fandoms have way more crap but on the other hand it's a lot easier to find good quality stuff. Because there's more of it overall.

Personally after the best part of two decades reading fic now I think, regardless of fandom size, there's always the bland paint-by-numbers/everyone else does it stuff and it always gets praised because for one reason or another those works get noticed and hyped. I know "write it yourself" is a thing here but sometimes it's really hard to get traction if you don't adhere to the same fanon as the big works etc.

[(Anonymous)]

I definitely considered Sturgeon’s Law before making this comment. And it’s definitely true that there’s way less good fanfic simply because there’s way less fanfic, period.

But I still do feel it’s more than that, too. My previous main fandoms…just had a lot of writers whose approach to fic writing felt fairly disciplined and mature? It was pretty standard for people to take the time to actually set up a narrative arc? Like, even in smutty one-offs, there’d be some set up, and at least a tiny bit of something at the end to close the fic out. Even the very half-baked fics had form.

This new fandom I’m in, the majority of the people in it don’t really seem to care about any of that. They want to start with Character A balls deep in Character B, with them both already engaged in some specific kink the fandom likes, and they want to end when one or both of them comes (oh, sorry, “cums” *shudder*). Or if it’s not porn, it’ll be a single scene of one character calling the other cute baby names, or a single scene of them yelling at each other and then tearfully making up. A lot of the “fics”are barely more than headcanons: 300 words of “Okay, so imagine the characters doing XYZ.”

And nine times out of ten, when a writer does do some build up, they try to make 30K worth of narrative development happen in 3K because they’re impatient to get to the good part (usually kinky boning time).

I don’t want to say these people are Doing It Wrong, because they’re doing it how they want to do it, and that’s valid. But to me personally it tends to feel- well- cheap and lazy.

[sparklywalls]

I get you on the live and let live approach but still being disappointed. I personally hate imagines because I don't think they belong in a fic archive but eh, other people like them so I just scroll on by.

Thank you for such a long reply by the way! I have felt similarly with the rush to get to the good part, I've felt that pressure even as a writer myself. Sucks sometimes as a reader though.

[(Anonymous)]

I personally hate imagines because I don't think they belong in a fic archive

I agree. I’m not going to go on a tirade about it on tumblr, but I don’t see them as fics. Not as fics that are anywhere near finished, anyway. I mean, I’ve written ten-thousand word detailed “outlines” for fics I’m never going to have the balls to attempt to write. But I don’t post the outline as a fic, no matter how detailed it is, because it’s NOT a fic.

I like imagines for what they are, but to me they’re charming trinkets. They’re canapes.

Thank you for such a long reply by the way!

Thanks for reading and replying! I felt kind of apologetic that my reply was so long, actually, so it’s nice to know it didn’t annoy you horribly. :)

[(Anonymous)]

I feel ALL OF THIS, anon. I think these days, people want that emotional (or kinky boning time) payoff, but they don't want to do the work to get there honestly. And I get that... that work is HARD. It's HARD writing a credible, in character story with a decent plot and dialogue that does a good job of narrative development and storytelling.

It's much, much easier to rush through it and get to the sexytimes, which is what the majority of readers seem to want, anyway. Or to write "Imagine if..." followed by a quick summary of the story you don't actually want to write. Like you, I'm not going to tell people they're Doing It Wrong, but ehhh... this is a big part of why I'm not active in fandom much anymore, as a reader OR a writer.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh man, you and I would get along, though I don't know if we're in any of the same fandoms.

I HATE 'cum', it's just the worst word to me, like... please just spell it 'come', I don't know why one spelling feels viscerally gross to me and the other is fine but that's just how I feel.

And IMAGINES, like... I love seeing imagines on tumblr, and have frequently used them as the prompt for a little one-shot. But seeing an imagine posted to AO3 like it's a fic just bothers me, it's NOT a fic.

I tend to have the opposite problem to trying to fit 30k of development fit into 3k of 'the good stuff' because every time I sit down to write a smutty one-shot I wind up with several chapters of character development.

[(Anonymous)]

To me, it sounds like a pretty wonderful, supportive fandom. Even if some of the writers aren't the best ever, what great encouragement for them to write more and share their work with the fandom. Super <3

[(Anonymous)]

I'm sure plenty of people do enjoy that kind of relentless, unmodulated cheerleading, but boy I sure don't. It’s not something I enjoy as a reader or as a writer.

As a reader, the general lack of quality is not enjoyable for obvious reasons. As a writer, it’s not enjoyable because if everything is “INCREDIBLE, 10/10, good fucking food,” then none of the praise means anything.

[(Anonymous)]

Mmmm... sort of. If unconditional emotional support is your top priority, then absolutely. But speaking as a writer, it's not helpful or supportive for people to pretend like my writing is better than it is and gush over it like it's the best thing since sliced bread if it's poorly written and needs a good proofread. It's also frustrating as a reader, because you quickly learn that nobody is being honest and you can't trust anyone's recs because they'll simply tell you everything is great when it's not.

Encouraging less talented writers to write more is... sort of helpful, I guess. Practice will help. Though without honest, constructive criticism, their progress will be a lot slower. But if you're more interested in quantity than quality, then sure, it's a good approach.