who's to blame if you're not around?

[musesfool]

Every so often, we play a game here in this LJ entitled "I won't read your fic if..." and now that I've been hanging around Supernatural fandom for... god, six months now, I've discovered I have a new list of things that will make me click out of a story. Most of these are content-related - the standard spelling/grammar/formatting stuff still

Comments

[musesfool]

he's the kid that sat in the back of the class and appeared to ignore everything the teacher ever said, but whenever he actually spoke up in class, he proved that he knew the answers and was intelligent. He just never bothered to apply himself because it just didn't matter.

*nod*

I also think he's very much a practical thinker, someone who learns - and teaches - best with hands-on experience rather than out of books.

It's not that he's given it up entirely, he's just kind of lost his purpose and isn't sure where to go (he's drifting, more than he ever has before).

Yeah, I get antsy with those kinds of stories, because I want him to choose hunting again, to reexamine what he wants to do and choose the life that was chosen for him. So for me, those stories are always potentially stories I might click out of.

[ignipes]

I might be interested in reading a story where they had been involved in a sexual relationship and it ended badly sometime in the future, and then they had to deal with repairing their sibling/friendly relationship afterwards.

I actually had a story in the works just like that -- exactly -- but I decided pretty early on that it was too depressing and I just didn't want to deal with it. It was one of those, "That might be interesting... okay, not so much," brainstorms. *g*

I am so with you on deathfic. It doesn't bother me quite as much in other fandoms (though it's never a favorite), but in SPN I hate it when one of the boys dies. Vehemently. It's okay if it's a fake death and the lad returns later amidst much angsty/schmoopy confusion and relief, but real death? Nope. Not for these guys. Not until they're in their nineties and falling asleep in matching rocking chairs on a whitewashed porch in some nowhere town. *believes*

Do people really hate on the Impala in fic? That makes me very sad. :(

[musesfool]

decided pretty early on that it was too depressing and I just didn't want to deal with it.

Yeah, I can see how that would be.

It doesn't bother me quite as much in other fandoms (though it's never a favorite), but in SPN I hate it when one of the boys dies. Vehemently. It's okay if it's a fake death and the lad returns later amidst much angsty/schmoopy confusion and relief, but real death? Nope. Not for these guys.

Exactly.

I think I'm okay with it in other fandoms mostly because I've had to deal with it in canon - Sirius, Cordelia, Wash, Anya... Okay, it's Joss, really, that keeps killing my people off - but yes. I know it's supposed to always be a possibility, but I don't want to read about it.

Do people really hate on the Impala in fic? That makes me very sad. Not so much hate on as... I can't even really explain it, but I've read stories where the treatment of the car by the authorial voice made me very defensive on the car's behalf. Not because she took damage, but because - oh god, this is going to sound insane - because

[tenillypo]

2. Impugning the Impala.

I'm curious - do you actually see a lot of this? I'm wracking my brain to think of a single fic I've ever come across where there is Impala bashing on the part of the narration. Fortunately, I can't think of one, because you don't dis the Impala. That's just not done.

For the rest, Stupid Dean is one of my least favorite characterizations, and will have me pressing that back button so fast. As is Doormat Dean, who doesn't have a mind of his own. And Scapegoat Sam, who is responsible for every bad thing that happens to Dean. Really, now that I think about it, my biggest pet peeve with SPN fic would have to be lack of balance between the two of them, when the author's preference for one brother over the other is very obviously showing through. *shudders*

[ignipes]

my biggest pet peeve with SPN fic would have to be lack of balance between the two of them, when the author's preference for one brother over the other is very obviously showing through

Amen, dude.

[brynnmck]

my biggest pet peeve with SPN fic would have to be lack of balance between the two of them, when the author's preference for one brother over the other is very obviously showing through

YES. That drives me up the wall.

And I can't think of a fic I've seen where someone has cast aspersions on the Impala! Someone has done that?! SHAAAAME.

And Vic, I agree with all of yours. :) I also have trouble with long stories where the boys are separated for most of the story; this ties in to 1, I think--what interests me most about the show is the boys together, as a team, and so while I can totally go for shorter fics that focus on one or the other of them, anything long has a lot more trouble holding my interest unless they're both playing a role.

[musesfool]

And I can't think of a fic I've seen where someone has cast aspersions on the Impala! Someone has done that?! SHAAAAME.

I responded badly to it the handful of times I've seen it. And it really has only been a handful of times, but enough that it stuck with me.

I also have trouble with long stories where the boys are separated for most of the story; this ties in to 1, I think--what interests me most about the show is the boys together, as a team, and so while I can totally go for shorter fics that focus on one or the other of them, anything long has a lot more trouble holding my interest unless they're both playing a role.

I am more willing to read about Dean on his own than Sam - I find myself easily distracted from long Sam-at-Stanford stories and never going back to finish - but yeah, mostly I want them to be together, especially if a story is longer than, say, three thousand words, and if they're not together, I want to know how one's influence is still acting on the other.

[trinity_clare]

Can I take your #3 and run with it for a minute? We've both established that we hate Stupid Dean, but you know what else I hate? Inept Dean, especially as we've seen him on the show these last few episodes. We've been getting a lot of Action Sammy beating people up (sometimes with his cast) and a whole lot of Dean getting his ass handed to him. Gordon in Hunted. The shifter in Nightshifter. Sam in Born Under a Bad Sign. The lovebots girls in Tall Tales. I mean, I know that last one was played for comedy, but seriously. Why is Dean always getting beat up on?

[musesfool]

The shifter and possessed!Sam are still supernatural forces, though, so I can see that, especially as 1. he ends up killing the shifter, and 2. it's not that he can't fight back against Evil!Sam, it seems more to me like he *won't*. That he's more emotionally paralyzed than physically overpowered. And also, he got shot. He wasn't at his best.

As for Gordon, I just have to wave a hand and say "plot device."

Why is Dean always getting beat up on?

Because many, many people find him pretty when he bleeds?

[trinity_clare]

I'll give him the shifter because it's supernatural. With Evil!Sam, I was actually thinking more about the "you'll live to regret this" shot, but on second thought Sam pistol-whipped him, so I retract that. At the end of the ep, though, I totally agree with you.

Oh, Gordon. You and your crazy plot device uses. Still. *handwaves*

I've started to see that people respond way differently to h/c than I do. I guess I'm not wired that way. I'd much rather see him kicking ass than getting his ass kicked.

[musesfool]

Yeah, evil!Sam pistol-whipped him. Actually, Gordon clocks him with the butt of the rifle when he wasn't looking, so maybe that one gets a pass too... Hmm...

I've started to see that people respond way differently to h/c than I do. I guess I'm not wired that way. I'd much rather see him kicking ass than getting his ass kicked.

yeah, it's not my thing, either. And jesus, when someone puts in their ANs that it's whomping or whumping or whatever they call it, then I pretty much know it's not for me.

I don't mind injuries in the name of plot advancement and emoporn, but it's not what I'm here for.

And don't even get me started on the presence of the magical healing cock in some h/c.

[ellipsisblack]

Dude, there are people in our fandom who IMPUGN the IMPALA? Grab yer pitchfork honey, we're formin' a mob.

No, seriously, really? Who would dare?

[musesfool]

Hee! I didn't mean to start a mob! I just. I have seen it a handful of times and it hurt my soul.