On how to not encourage a fanfic writer to work on the story you want
So here's the thing. I am, despite my public persona, a generally nice person who doesn't like conflict or anger.
I also accept that I float from fandom to eclectic fandom and I have really eclectic tastes. Let me sum up the fandoms I have participated in, in a deep extensive way.
1. Power Rangers
2. ER
3. Xfiles
4. Battlestar Galactica classic and new
5. Various Star Treks
6. Downton Abbey
7. Gilligan's Island
The fandoms I have listed are fandoms I have written LENGTHY novel long fanfics about. I get that I have really odd tastes. I get that it's disappointing when my lazer like, pit bull focused attention moves from one fandom to another because it generally means I stop writing in the old fandom.
I genuinely feel bad about leaving Going Forward, the sequel to Going Native, my lengthy Battlestar Galactica / Star Trek the Next Generation novel length fic. I really do. But it turned into a slog, and as much as I love BSG, the way the show ended also kinda made me lose interest.
So I started doing Downton Abbey fanfic a few years later. And let me be honest, because really, I know that fanfic writers can be kinda ego involved, so I want to be clear about something.
I'm writing Downton Abbey fanfic because I enjoy it, not because I am hoping to be some BNF in that fandom. Here's the reality. Going Native has over 1200 reviews. My DA fanfic combined gets to maybe 150 reviews. Going Native has over 1.2 million hits on FFN. Going Forward, unfinished, has 373 reviews and 178k hits. Trust me when I say that my Downton Abbey fics aren't getting that attention. I'm not posting the embarrassing hit numbers but trust me, if I wanted hits and reviews, if that's what my writing was about, then I would be cranking out more chapters on Going Forward. The muse just hasn't been calling.
I posted a new Downton Abbey fic today, mostly because it was Halloweenie and could potentially be silly fun - the initial chapter is a tad dark but I mostly see it as a snarky fun story that riffs on vampire mythos. And the very first review is from a BSG fan who - because I msged them I know they didn't mean their remarks - but who posted a fairly rude review about they preferred I work on Going Forward and asked if I suddenly got old....
Did I mention today is my birthday?
Now I am not looking or wanting anyone to go look at this review - I msged this person and we're cool but I really want people to stop and consider before they send what they think are clever cute snarky reviews that are basically gripes about how they prefer I write something else that... I wasn't having a bad day today because I am fairly mellow and life is good. But I do know fanfic authors who would really be devastated to see such a comment. I'll be honest, it doesn't make me want to work on Going Forward at all, even though I know a chapter of Going Forward is a guaranteed 20+ YAY reviews in my email. It just irks me that I posted a fic for fun and the first review is a shot at my age and a gripe that I am not writing what someone wants.
I also accept that I float from fandom to eclectic fandom and I have really eclectic tastes. Let me sum up the fandoms I have participated in, in a deep extensive way.
1. Power Rangers
2. ER
3. Xfiles
4. Battlestar Galactica classic and new
5. Various Star Treks
6. Downton Abbey
7. Gilligan's Island
The fandoms I have listed are fandoms I have written LENGTHY novel long fanfics about. I get that I have really odd tastes. I get that it's disappointing when my lazer like, pit bull focused attention moves from one fandom to another because it generally means I stop writing in the old fandom.
I genuinely feel bad about leaving Going Forward, the sequel to Going Native, my lengthy Battlestar Galactica / Star Trek the Next Generation novel length fic. I really do. But it turned into a slog, and as much as I love BSG, the way the show ended also kinda made me lose interest.
So I started doing Downton Abbey fanfic a few years later. And let me be honest, because really, I know that fanfic writers can be kinda ego involved, so I want to be clear about something.
I'm writing Downton Abbey fanfic because I enjoy it, not because I am hoping to be some BNF in that fandom. Here's the reality. Going Native has over 1200 reviews. My DA fanfic combined gets to maybe 150 reviews. Going Native has over 1.2 million hits on FFN. Going Forward, unfinished, has 373 reviews and 178k hits. Trust me when I say that my Downton Abbey fics aren't getting that attention. I'm not posting the embarrassing hit numbers but trust me, if I wanted hits and reviews, if that's what my writing was about, then I would be cranking out more chapters on Going Forward. The muse just hasn't been calling.
I posted a new Downton Abbey fic today, mostly because it was Halloweenie and could potentially be silly fun - the initial chapter is a tad dark but I mostly see it as a snarky fun story that riffs on vampire mythos. And the very first review is from a BSG fan who - because I msged them I know they didn't mean their remarks - but who posted a fairly rude review about they preferred I work on Going Forward and asked if I suddenly got old....
Did I mention today is my birthday?
Now I am not looking or wanting anyone to go look at this review - I msged this person and we're cool but I really want people to stop and consider before they send what they think are clever cute snarky reviews that are basically gripes about how they prefer I write something else that... I wasn't having a bad day today because I am fairly mellow and life is good. But I do know fanfic authors who would really be devastated to see such a comment. I'll be honest, it doesn't make me want to work on Going Forward at all, even though I know a chapter of Going Forward is a guaranteed 20+ YAY reviews in my email. It just irks me that I posted a fic for fun and the first review is a shot at my age and a gripe that I am not writing what someone wants.