meta: on comparing fanfiction to "real writing"
I was talking to a friend of mine and I pointed out what I thought to be a particularly well-crafted and beautiful sentence, and while she did say it was well-crafted, her immediate response was that it was "awfully pretentious for a fanfic." I'm going to leave her anonymous, because I don't want her to be throttled by the fanfic writers out there
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You're right that you do need style and flair. Otherwise it's just boring. But I, personally, prefer to have a strong foundation upon which style is an accoutrement. You know? I like my deep fics to be based mainly on substance, and sure, there might be flowery prose or snappy dialogue on top of that, but at it's base core, I want it to be based more on substance. Style and flair to make it stand out, but substance to carry it through.
However, a good stylistic or flashy fic/movie is definately neccessary too. I love a good comedy or shoot-em-up flick. I even like them best when they have NO substance, because often times when they try to combo them, one or more elements flair. But that's desert to me, ya know? I usually want my meals to be filling, the desert is just to relax and lose yourself for a while. To not have to think. Etc.
About non-conformist vs conformist. I prefer to be neither. I conform to much of society yes, but n ot so that I'm conforming. You know what I mean? I don't change my basic ideals and ways just to conform. I also am not going to change my basic ideals and ways just to NOT conform. I just do what I do, and if it conforms that's great, if it doesn't, whatever. I'm defiantely not into rebelling just to rebel, but I'm also definately not into changing myself just to "fit in." I did that for years as a kid and I wasn't happy, and what's more, people didn't like me. They like me much better now that I'm myself. Even if a little dorky, even if a little quirky, even if a little odd. At least I'm being ME.
And I'm not saying that conformists aren't being themselves. They are, if that's whot hey truely are. But if they refuse to admit they like the music of Nine Inch Nails because NIN isn't conforming to the norm, well... That'll really grate on me.
So. If my style isn't conforming to the norm, or it's not what the majority of people want... Well, I'll just have to deal with that. Because I'm not going to write what they want but I feel uncomfortable with, just because it's what they want. If we happen to meld, that's awesome, and I'll be really happy. But I'm not gonna start writing about puppies and cats because puppies and cats is in this year.
I'm not even entirely sure that's what you were suggesting, but that's what I apparently decided to glomp on to. LOL. I don't think you were telling me that I should conform, I think you were just pointing out that moving with the times isn't a bad thing.
And i covered my love of slang and contemporary vs old up in that other place, but to reiterate... I'm not saying the old is better than the new, just different. The new can be just as good, but... I sitll one the same elements. The same imagery, deepness, solidness. You know? Anyway, I covered tht better in my other responce.
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I even like them best when they have NO substance, because often times when they try to combo them, one or more elements flair. But that's desert to me, ya know? should be fail, and dessert.
Also, to say, I didn't think you were being condescending or insulting, I just thought you disagreed with me. Or, that I hadn't fully developed several aspects of what I was ranting on. It wasn't as well balanced of a rant as it perhaps should have been. But that's what happens with rants, you don't always point-counterpoint yourself when you're ranting.
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I'm not saying that, and I agree that if you don't want to write about puppies and cats if you shouldn't have to. But to go off the other end and think, "Hey, I think I'm going to write about, perhaps, someone pounding a rusty nail down his urethra," and expect it to do as boomingly well as the puppies and cats, well, that is a touch unrealistic. What I mean is, you have to find a middle ground that will appeal to puppies-and-kitties loving audiences, while still remaining true to the rusty nail + urethra roots. Uh. As an example of extremes here.
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