1. Admittedly, I didn't read this as carefully as I could have and later will. I'm at work and due to technical difficulties I'm behind. So I'm not quite sure that I totally understand the logistics of your argument.
2. From what I assume that I do understand, I am concerned because I know that my versions of canonical characters are not the same as what I perceive to be the most popular versions of canonical characters (and that probably explains my readership).
But I do make the attempt to align my fic with canon and if it doesn't hold up my hope is that it's because my interpretation of canon is just in tension with yours because we don't think alike. But I don't get that as a reason for serious disappointment or dislike or, maybe, such a severe reaction. Are varying interpreations of canon even close to being acceptable or can it be justified to you or is it a deal or no deal kind of thing? In retrospect, I may have pissed alot of people off.
I also think that I'm thinking too simplistically.
3. What set you off and will you ever be able to forgive ...
This is slightly different than what I'm talking about. Different interpretation are great, imo. More than great. If I only ever wanted to see what I personally felt about Buffy, or Spike, or Angel, or whoever, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't read fic. I wouldn't talk about the shows. I'd lock myself in a room with a tv and no internet and masturbate a lot, probably.
It's when the view differs from mine, and as I'm reading that view, I suspect that the view is so different because the writer secretly doesn't like the character. It's not the different view point so much as the *reason* for the different view point, and the feeling I get from reading that.
If you love Faith, but feel differently about Faith than I do, but are a great writer, I will love on your thinky brain (and you, I do love on your thinky brain) for giving me new thoughts to think about Faith. And I guess the point there is that I can't imagine that the thoughts a Faith-lover would give me about Faith could in any way be diminishing towards Faith as a character (not as a person, mind you, but as a character). But when a non-Faith-lover tries, but doesn't succeed, instead I finally see what intelligent, cool, insightful people see when they see Faith, and I don't like it.
One of my problems is that I have trouble understanding and accepting the fact that intelligent people don't always like the things I like. I understand they see things differenty. I love that they see things differently. But the fact that some of the same can look at a character like Angel and say, "meh, I find him uninteresting", that always boggles me.
Um, I'm still in ranty mode. Possibly because none of this is sounding right. I feel pretty much like a bad person, because in my head I love it when people make the effort to be fair to the characters I love. When I'm reading, though, I don't enjoy it so much.
3. It wasn't one specific fic or incident. I try not to rant on like that, because that's just me mad at one thing, instead of making a general point. But as I pointed out to Lee, above, I think the vehemence is a result of the fact that I *don't* think this way, I just *feel* this way. I think it's better for writers to make the effort than not try at all. But in reading the results? If the writer failed in the effort, I sometimes wish they hadn't tried at all. That does make me pretty much a bitch, I think.
Oh, sweetness! I think I see. Feel versus Think can be extremely troublesome because it's usually such a gut reaction that translating that into words is uber difficult. That I understand. Totally. I gots those moments and when I read things that just don't ring true despite the obvious effort it can be rather frustrating, sort of What the Hell are you watching kind of a connection because it's obviously not the same thing as me. But on such a deeper level, maybe because the author is actively attempting to mask a dislike for the character. Those are characters that I just don't even TRY to write because I can't even find a seam to sneak in through.
And, for the record, you're definitly NOT being bitchy. We've all got the hot button issues and the things that work or don't work for us on a variety of levels, some closer to the surface (and therefore more easily conveyed) and some just deep in the tar pit of emotion.
Reading LKH's Danse Macbre left me with that very distinctive bad taste in the mouth. Ron Weasley in the movie adaptation of Chamber of Secrets was another big one.
When I'm feeling uncharitable towards a fic characterization I usually toss it before I finish it. It grates too much to continue.
I gots those moments and when I read things that just don't ring true despite the obvious effort it can be rather frustrating, sort of What the Hell are you watching kind of a connection because it's obviously not the same thing as me. But on such a deeper level, maybe because the author is actively attempting to mask a dislike for the character.
Yes, exactly, it's both the "ringing false" and the masking that I'm talking about, and that bothers me so much. It's not the author's problem--she is trying to be thoughtful and fair to canon and write well. It's my problem. And it bugs me! I'm glad you understand, though, because I was worried everyone was going to be reading this post and think, "omg! TKP doesn't like other points of view! How narrow IS she?"
Ron Weasley in the movie adaptation of Chamber of Secrets was another big one.
Ha! I think that was definitely a love or hate part. I liked it, thought the actor did a good job with it, too.
See now there, we can totally agree to disagree and it just warms the cockles of my heart, instead of turning me into a ranting...well, ok, maybe not bitch, but yeah. *dances with you and your points of view*
1. Admittedly, I didn't read this as carefully as I could have and later will. I'm at work and due to technical difficulties I'm behind. So I'm not quite sure that I totally understand the logistics of your argument.
2. From what I assume that I do understand, I am concerned because I know that my versions of canonical characters are not the same as what I perceive to be the most popular versions of canonical characters (and that probably explains my readership).
But I do make the attempt to align my fic with canon and if it doesn't hold up my hope is that it's because my interpretation of canon is just in tension with yours because we don't think alike. But I don't get that as a reason for serious disappointment or dislike or, maybe, such a severe reaction. Are varying interpreations of canon even close to being acceptable or can it be justified to you or is it a deal or no deal kind of thing? In retrospect, I may have pissed alot of people off.
I also think that I'm thinking too simplistically.
3. What set you off and will you ever be able to forgive ...
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It's when the view differs from mine, and as I'm reading that view, I suspect that the view is so different because the writer secretly doesn't like the character. It's not the different view point so much as the *reason* for the different view point, and the feeling I get from reading that.
If you love Faith, but feel differently about Faith than I do, but are a great writer, I will love on your thinky brain (and you, I do love on your thinky brain) for giving me new thoughts to think about Faith. And I guess the point there is that I can't imagine that the thoughts a Faith-lover would give me about Faith could in any way be diminishing towards Faith as a character (not as a person, mind you, but as a character). But when a non-Faith-lover tries, but doesn't succeed, instead I finally see what intelligent, cool, insightful people see when they see Faith, and I don't like it.
One of my problems is that I have trouble understanding and accepting the fact that intelligent people don't always like the things I like. I understand they see things differenty. I love that they see things differently. But the fact that some of the same can look at a character like Angel and say, "meh, I find him uninteresting", that always boggles me.
Um, I'm still in ranty mode. Possibly because none of this is sounding right. I feel pretty much like a bad person, because in my head I love it when people make the effort to be fair to the characters I love. When I'm reading, though, I don't enjoy it so much.
3. It wasn't one specific fic or incident. I try not to rant on like that, because that's just me mad at one thing, instead of making a general point. But as I pointed out to Lee, above, I think the vehemence is a result of the fact that I *don't* think this way, I just *feel* this way. I think it's better for writers to make the effort than not try at all. But in reading the results? If the writer failed in the effort, I sometimes wish they hadn't tried at all. That does make me pretty much a bitch, I think.
Reply
And, for the record, you're definitly NOT being bitchy. We've all got the hot button issues and the things that work or don't work for us on a variety of levels, some closer to the surface (and therefore more easily conveyed) and some just deep in the tar pit of emotion.
Reading LKH's Danse Macbre left me with that very distinctive bad taste in the mouth. Ron Weasley in the movie adaptation of Chamber of Secrets was another big one.
When I'm feeling uncharitable towards a fic characterization I usually toss it before I finish it. It grates too much to continue.
Reply
Yes, exactly, it's both the "ringing false" and the masking that I'm talking about, and that bothers me so much. It's not the author's problem--she is trying to be thoughtful and fair to canon and write well. It's my problem. And it bugs me! I'm glad you understand, though, because I was worried everyone was going to be reading this post and think, "omg! TKP doesn't like other points of view! How narrow IS she?"
Ron Weasley in the movie adaptation of Chamber of Secrets was another big one.
Ha! I think that was definitely a love or hate part. I liked it, thought the actor did a good job with it, too.
See now there, we can totally agree to disagree and it just warms the cockles of my heart, instead of turning me into a ranting...well, ok, maybe not bitch, but yeah. *dances with you and your points of view*
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