People who crit fic because they don't like the direction the story took -- they are fucked-up like a fucked-up thing. If they are so anguished about it, why don't they ask permission to write an inspired-by and make the happy ending they want? (Answer: usually these criticizers are "reading vampires" who want to suck the life out of a fic while incapable of giving life to a fic themselves.)
You know, I'd be more than willing to allow a reader to reimagine any of my stories, any of the AUs etc. that I've created. That's where this shit really takes on a life of its own and gets fun. I understand that some folks just can't write - they don't know how to do it and they don't want to take the time to figure that out - they'd rather have another do it and live vicariously through them. That's fine too. But the issue is that this reader was upset because I made a sad story sad, not HOW I made it sad or WHY it was sad or even if the sad worked. I just think that's pretty uncritical, and then commenting about it is fairly pointless.
I truly meant it when I said that I welcome crit, I just don't get crit. Only personal opinions disguised as evaluations *sighs like a person who sighs for a living*.
There are always people who believe your story should go how they want. Which is fair enough if it's a gift fic and they've said they'd like a happy ending. Otherwise it's your story, you're entitled to end it how you like.
Oh yeah, I get that. If my brain burped out a story, the way it came out is the way it came out. If someone wants to change that, have at it. I'm open to ways to improve it, but I'm not receptive to 'this is wrong - change the entire premise, please' comments. Also, I never promise happy endings.
I sometimes wish I'd taken the time to put the "original posting date" in the headers of the stories I transferred over to AO3 although I'm not entirely sure it would make any difference.
I honestly appreciate criticism of my stories when people point out errors or things like passages they think could have been clearer or developed more -- I even like those comments that say things like "I usually hate sad stories but loved yours" as I take it as a compliment. But when their complaint is just that it wasn't written to their specifications you weren't even aware of? Erm, no.
I do think some people are genuinely surprised that not all fan fiction ends happily.
The happily ever after thing gets me as well, especially in a fandom where everything ends in DEATH or MAYHEM to begin with. I write plenty of happy endings but I never promise them.
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I truly meant it when I said that I welcome crit, I just don't get crit. Only personal opinions disguised as evaluations *sighs like a person who sighs for a living*.
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Also: your last line above -- one of the best lines of "text between asterisks" ever!
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I honestly appreciate criticism of my stories when people point out errors or things like passages they think could have been clearer or developed more -- I even like those comments that say things like "I usually hate sad stories but loved yours" as I take it as a compliment. But when their complaint is just that it wasn't written to their specifications you weren't even aware of? Erm, no.
I do think some people are genuinely surprised that not all fan fiction ends happily.
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