Just Out of Curiosity...
What would you do - or how would you handle it - if you took part in a fic-exchange challenge (Secret Santa fic exchange, for example) and ended up getting a story of the kind that you absolutely do-not-like.
Or ended up with a story that, though okay, had something in it that bugged the complete crap out of you, in that the story would have been just fine if it had not been for that one annoying thing?
No, this never happened to me. It's something I started wondering after reading a story written for someone else. It was the kind of story that I - personally - absolutely do not like, and after reading it found myself thinking "Wow, I'm so glad I'm not the recpient of this story" because, well... how would you respond to a story that you ended up disliking more than liking? (It was enjoyed by the recpient, though, so it was all good in that respect.) What would you say? Would you say anything? Would you be honest in your response or stick to being polite and saying it was good (but not saying you enjoyed it, or something.)
I would think it rare, especially in communities where most of the writers have a basic understanding of each other based on what they've written (or complained about in their journal *whistles innocently*. ) I know not to include certain types of whump in stories for certain people, and there are those who know the kind of whumping I don't like. But that's the thing - not everyone knows, especially if they're new to the community or fandom in general (or your stories), and you can only list so much in the "do not want" section of the sign up post before things start getting too picky, confusing and restrained.
So what do you all think? How would you handle such a situation if it ever came up? And remember, I'm talking about stories that you did not like, or had something in it that ruined the story for you, not stories that had one little nit easy enough to ignore.
Or ended up with a story that, though okay, had something in it that bugged the complete crap out of you, in that the story would have been just fine if it had not been for that one annoying thing?
No, this never happened to me. It's something I started wondering after reading a story written for someone else. It was the kind of story that I - personally - absolutely do not like, and after reading it found myself thinking "Wow, I'm so glad I'm not the recpient of this story" because, well... how would you respond to a story that you ended up disliking more than liking? (It was enjoyed by the recpient, though, so it was all good in that respect.) What would you say? Would you say anything? Would you be honest in your response or stick to being polite and saying it was good (but not saying you enjoyed it, or something.)
I would think it rare, especially in communities where most of the writers have a basic understanding of each other based on what they've written (or complained about in their journal *whistles innocently*. ) I know not to include certain types of whump in stories for certain people, and there are those who know the kind of whumping I don't like. But that's the thing - not everyone knows, especially if they're new to the community or fandom in general (or your stories), and you can only list so much in the "do not want" section of the sign up post before things start getting too picky, confusing and restrained.
So what do you all think? How would you handle such a situation if it ever came up? And remember, I'm talking about stories that you did not like, or had something in it that ruined the story for you, not stories that had one little nit easy enough to ignore.