Thinking thingky thoughts about happy endings

[selenay936]

I've been pondering my reading preferences. Not so much the genre or style I prefer, but my preference for stories with a happy ending. Or at least, in pro-fic, books that don't leave me a sobbing wreck on the floor

Comments

[lysimache]

You are definitely not the only one! I never purposely seek out things that don't end happily, and generally avoid them as much as possible. And I really resent the idea that more misery = more literary. That's ridiculous.

[selenay936]

And I really resent the idea that more misery = more literary. That's ridiculous.

It really is and yet that's the attitude I see so often. Ugh.

[tawg]

Jumping in here (and feel free to tell me to GTFO) - but maybe it's considered more of an achievement to get someone to keep reading sad/horrible events and find pleasure in the writing despite being but through the emotional wringer, than it is to keep someone reading a story that is filled with things they enjoy - like sex and vampires and mysteries?

[selenay936]

I think that may be a really good point, at least for why sad/emotionally traumatic stories are seen to have more 'literary' value in the happier stories. It's not something I'd agree with, but I can definitely see why that judgement gets made.

[davidbrider]

No, I'm with you - happy endings are a good thing. As a minimum, endings where all the loose ends of the plot are tidily resolved - even if there's a sequel planned, it's kind of nice to get closure, particularly if there's a long wait for the next in the series. But yes, in general, if the good guys triumph, the bad guys end up in prison or wherever, and where relevant, guy gets girl/guy gets guy/girl gets girl, it makes the reading experience more satisfying.

And yes, there are loads of books in loads of genres that tick those boxes without somehow being "lesser books" or making you (or me) a lesser person for enjoying them. And as you say, it's as much about the journey as it is the destination (okay, you didn't say those exact words, but...) - the excitement and adventure and danger of the battle (and the losses incurred along the way) are part of the enjoyment of the whole thing...

Not the most erudite of LJ comments I've ever made, but anyway...

[selenay936]

Not the most erudite of LJ comments I've ever made, but anyway...

But a valuable one because it's a good supplement to the things I was trying (however clumsily) to express :-D

[tawg]

I really share that view with comics. Comics used to be my 'switch off, have fun' text. Then comics companies decided that gritty stories and gore were the new hip thing and I had to stop reading.

While I don't have anything against an abundance of happy endings (I like them myself), I have such a negative reaction to the attitude that I've seen so often in fandom that a good story should have a happy ending, that it needs to have a happy ending. And by that I don't mean that people writing alternative endings is a bad thing (I think it's awesome, and in Smallville fandom that was pretty much all that I read). More the attitude that the original writer (or fanwriter) was Doing It Wrong if a story had a sad ending, regardless of how expertly set up and foreshadowed it was. I think there's a difference between not liking an ending, and the ending being a bad one, you know?

But you post seems to actually be about people being judgemental jerks, and I completely agree that there is too much of that going around :p

[selenay936]

I have such a negative reaction to the attitude that I've seen so often in fandom that a good story should have a happy ending, that it needs to have a happy ending

I'm with you (all evidence to the contrary *snerk*) because it should be the author's choice where a fic goes. There's no contract we sign as fic writers that we must end all fics with "And they all lived happily ever after".

I'd like enough warning to back out if I think the ending is going to break my heart in all the wrong ways (AO3 warnings are marvellous if only people would use them for things like 'death' and 'partner betrayal' and 'rape' argh) because a lot of the time I really cannot handle one more horribly depressing thing on top of whatever is going on around me. That way I can run off to something nice and fluffy if I choose to. But telling an author (fan or pro) how to write their thing seems off to me.

I think there's a difference between not liking an ending, and the ending being a bad one, you know?Huge, massive, mega difference. Sometimes a story can't

[tawg]

I agree so much about using tags/warnings! I am awful at doing that with Hail Hydra (in my head, I still have it classified as a funny and fluffy story, despite it having outgrown it's cracky beginnings). I have one coming up that will have so many warning tags and probably an author's note for a sad ending. And the werewolf AU will have so much angst but not an angsty ending, so I need to find a nice way to say "Pls hang in here okay".

I guess I've been an emotional reader so often that I have a deep sympathy for people not wanting to read certain content at certain times. I oscillate between being quite annoyed as an author that I'm expected to spoil my own fics by tagging for events and pairings, and being really frustrated as a reader that the books I buy off the shelf don't come with those kind of content guides. Now I look at it as "Do I want to accidentally ruin someone's day by not tagging my shit?", and the answer is always "No".

[selenay936]

Now I look at it as "Do I want to accidentally ruin someone's day by not tagging my shit?", and the answer is always "No".

And this is why you are awesome :-D There are definitely books out there I wouldn't have read if there had been warnings on. Or wouldn't have read at that time, at least, because it is subjective according to everything else that's going on in my life. Authors who think like you do are wonderful.

I am awful at doing that with Hail Hydra (in my head, I still have it classified as a funny and fluffy story, despite it having outgrown it's cracky beginnings).

I started reading Hail Hydra the day you posted it because I'd read your other fics and loved them so I figured this one would be great too. My heart has been a little shredded as it got darker, but I'm still loving it and part of that is because you're one of the authors I trust with sadder, darker things. If that makes any sense. You can break my heart but I'll still love your writing because it breaks my heart so perfectly :-D

[jedinic]

When I was younger, and had not experienced much pain/angst in real life, I was all about reading Dark!Fiction. The grittier, the better, and I loved wallowing in tragic endings.

Then I grew up. And now I would much rather my fiction to end happily, to have a positive message, to make me smile. After all, it's my escape from real life. (Not that my life is bad, it's good, but I like to keep things positive in every part of my life! To me, crying is not fun.)

[selenay936]

I think our tastes vary a lot through our lives :-D I've been in my All Dark All The Time phases as well. Now I'm more of an escapist, please make me feel good reader. We've grown as people and no longer want to hurt ourselves through our reading, heh.

[fahrenheit_f430]

Happy endings - yes, please!

I think, for me, it's 'cause my OTPs over the last few years canonically occupy a special little hellpit of unrelenting angst, so I just want them to be happy. Just once. I want to read about my favourite characters being happy, content and emotionally fulfilled... Even if it's right at the bitter end of a 90,000 word angst and misery-fest of will-they-won't-they proportions! LET MY PRECIOUS POPPETS BE HAPPY, DAMN YOU

[selenay936]

Dude, if you will keep picking the epically tragic (in canon) OTPs then you've got to expect some pain! Although wanting happy stuff for your OTPs makes even more sense in that context :-D

I'd troll that fucking hipster into the ground. No exceptions. No mercy. I DO know a song that'll get on their nerves (getontheirnervesgetontheirnerves)!

I'd pay to see that :-D 'Cos it's that attitude that makes me scream. Oh god, populist and unlikely to make you suicidal *doesn't mean it's shit*. People appear to be determined to stay confused on that one.