the changing times
A post on ADF got me thinking, and I realized something that made me :( .
I really miss the good ol' Jacob/Bella days.
I miss them epically. Does anyone else remember back when SoB had an average of like 10 posts a day? And at least two or three of those posts were fanfic-related? I comment on a SoB post about once a week now, if that. I used to have something to say every day. I feel like I don't even know many of the members who still frequent the comm. I miss the drabble contests SoB used to host.
I miss J/B fanfic the way it used to be. I miss stories that had beautiful prose and strong characterization. I miss stories that were grounded in the Twilight universe and managed to make something of it. I miss Bella being Bella. I used to feel intimidated by other J/B authors because they were just so good. And now I feel like I "settle" for almost each fic I read. I miss sex being a game changing event for characters and not a gratuitous pastime for readers. I miss stories that were about exploring a fictional world and not about impressing audiences (I can tell the difference). I miss stories that were told with the words on the page and not the words that are implied but not delivered. I shouldn't have to mentally make a story better as I read it.
Recently, I feel like I've lost my place in this fandom. Not as a writer, but as a reader. The stories everyone else seem to be reading are of little interest to me. And it's not just because I'm a fanfic snob. I have started no more than THREE new multi-chap stories in the past six months. I have a "to be read" list a mile long and no motivation to get started on it. And I want to be motivated.
I've come to realize I don't like Twilight. I used to at one point, but now the flaws have become so glaring that fanfic which fixes the series is my only lingering interest in the topic.
And I miss the community that used to feel the same way.
I really miss the good ol' Jacob/Bella days.
I miss them epically. Does anyone else remember back when SoB had an average of like 10 posts a day? And at least two or three of those posts were fanfic-related? I comment on a SoB post about once a week now, if that. I used to have something to say every day. I feel like I don't even know many of the members who still frequent the comm. I miss the drabble contests SoB used to host.
I miss J/B fanfic the way it used to be. I miss stories that had beautiful prose and strong characterization. I miss stories that were grounded in the Twilight universe and managed to make something of it. I miss Bella being Bella. I used to feel intimidated by other J/B authors because they were just so good. And now I feel like I "settle" for almost each fic I read. I miss sex being a game changing event for characters and not a gratuitous pastime for readers. I miss stories that were about exploring a fictional world and not about impressing audiences (I can tell the difference). I miss stories that were told with the words on the page and not the words that are implied but not delivered. I shouldn't have to mentally make a story better as I read it.
Recently, I feel like I've lost my place in this fandom. Not as a writer, but as a reader. The stories everyone else seem to be reading are of little interest to me. And it's not just because I'm a fanfic snob. I have started no more than THREE new multi-chap stories in the past six months. I have a "to be read" list a mile long and no motivation to get started on it. And I want to be motivated.
I've come to realize I don't like Twilight. I used to at one point, but now the flaws have become so glaring that fanfic which fixes the series is my only lingering interest in the topic.
And I miss the community that used to feel the same way.