On fests and exchanges ...
It seems to be the season for them. I like it. It's fun. Plus it's a pretty sure way (for me) to make sure I get something done.
Yet the problem is... it's not enough that somebody - anybody - might like what you've done, but you want *that one* person to like what you did. With art it's often the case that people state they are open to receive art ( Read more... )
Yet the problem is... it's not enough that somebody - anybody - might like what you've done, but you want *that one* person to like what you did. With art it's often the case that people state they are open to receive art ( Read more... )
I was thinking: it's inevitable that when the prompts aren't really specific there'll be a feeling that what you produce isn't 'personalized' enough. I am just finishing the final edit of my story for holmestice. There are some specific prompts for the story, you probably know how that fest works. Normally, that should be great, right? I am sure you'd really appreciate something as specific as, say, "Sherlock and John take off to Scotland on a fake skiing holiday, which John actually enjoys quite a lot." It gives you quite a narrow scope and rises the chances of pleasing the recipient a great deal.
Did I follow these prompts? No. Why? Because my muse took off and came up with it's own thing. I AM writing very much within my recipient's requirements. (There are quite a few of them, in fact, and not just the general ones about pairings, genres, etc. But also about the depth of characterisation, the need to have substance to the text, the exact kind of relationship that the recipient finds/doesn't find believable, and so on. I was feeling a bit intimidated at the start of whether I'd be able to pull it off.)
What I'm trying to say is that I am sure the story I have written, following the main guidelines of the person, would still be much better than the one I'd have written if I'd followed the more specific prompts. (I'm of the opinion that the better story deserves to live, so to speak, no matter whether the recipient might like it less. I know it's not very gift spirited of me, but I can't help it. I compensate it by giving it my best.) It's very likely the recipient will intuitively like it more as well, simply because I put more into it than simply trying to do a story for them. Because I did a story for them and I followed my own call. The pleasure one takes in producing something always comes through in the end result. Whether the recipient will enjoy it is a different story, but I am optimistic that they will.
So I guess there's something to be said about seeing what the person asks for and going with your muse. As long as you stay within the frame that your recipient has given you, I am positive they won't miss on the feeling invested in the work.
Plus, I know I'm repeating myself but your art is gorgeous. Who wouldn't feel thrilled to bits it was intended for them?
Sorry about the essay.
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