Ticky boxes

[shapinglight]

I had this meta post in my head, inspired by shadowkat67's recent trip down fandom memory lane, but first I went for a walk and it went completely out of my head, then I wrote a sort of post about it and managed to delete it by accident, so suffice it to say that I'm bowing out of reading Mark Watches BtVS because I'm 99% certain that when he gets to season 6 and Seeing Red he's going to turn into a rabid Spike-hater, and I've seen enough of that in the last eleven years to last me a lifetime - plus even in these more enlightened days, I still don't think that Spike is a racist misogynist because he refused to give back Nikki Wood's coat, or that the AR uniquely disqualifies him as a romantic partner for Buffy given the behaviour of the competition etc, and I doubt I ever will. I'm a lost cause, in fact. :shrug:

So anyway, I should try and do some writing. Before I start, though, here's a poll, which I'm putting up because I feel a bit grumpy about my writing these days, despite the fact that a bunch of new people have friended my other LJ.

Poll behind cut



[Poll #1813249]

ETA: Since I seem (as usual) to have posted my poll without thinking it through, should say that if you care to expand upon your answer in comments, I'd be very grateful. Also, I'm grumpy about my writing not because I feel unappreciated as a fic writer or anything but because I'm still finding writing so bloody difficult. Sorry if that doesn't come across well.

Comments

[ruuger]

Does it count if I have bunch of your fic bookmarked for reading when I'm in the mood for Buffyverse fic (which is unfortunately not that often anymore)?

And if it makes you feel any less grumpy, you are without a doubt in the top 5 favourite fanfic writers for me in any fandom. Whenever anyone is looking for Buffyverse recs, your name is usually the first one I give them

[shapinglight]

That's very kind of you. As usual, I think I posted the poll too quickly without thinking through all the options I should have given people. It's a pity you can't edit them.

My grumpiness isn't really based on feeling unappreciated, but more on the fact that I'm still struggling so much with writing. It's all hard and stuff.

[empresspatti.livejournal.com]

I came for the fiction and stayed for you!

[shapinglight]

:) Thank you.

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Your fic problem with me, as you know, is the lack of Damon Salvatore in your work. That and the slash. :)

[shapinglight]

Heh! Well, the problem with including Damon is firstly that I've never watched a single ep of TVD and secondly that I hate his eyebrows and have done ever since Lost. As for the slash, maybe you're just reading it wrong. In most slash fiction the characters are basically a heterosexual couple who happen to be the same sex. So really it's the same as het fic.

That's my opinion anyway. ;)

[kathyh]

I'm the same as ruuger in that there is fic of yours I want to read, but I'm just not in a Buffyverse mood at the moment. I love your fic when I do read it.

I'm a lost cause

So am I :)

[shapinglight]

:)

I still rarely venture outside the Buffyverse. I've read a couple of short The Hour fics I liked, but that's about it.

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

I read it, first and foremost, because I met you at writerconuk.

As far as your fic's concerned, I read your PWP story (plus a related story, I think) and I really enjoyed it, and would read other het & gen stories of yours, but I don't like slash*. (Hardly anyone on my f-list reads my stories, and I assume that's because they're het and in the 'wrong' fandom. I tell myself it's not because they're crap ;-)

* When a character is het in canon, and I like him, part of why I like him is because he likes women!

[shapinglight]

(Hardly anyone on my f-list reads my stories, and I assume that's because they're het and in the 'wrong' fandom. I tell myself it's not because they're crap ;-)

In my case, it's definitely the middle of those. Your stories are definitely not crap, and I read/write plenty of het so I've no objections to that. I'm afraid it's just that neither LotR nor HP do anything for me.

However, that's not surprising. I can't even read fic in the fandoms of other shows I enjoy, or rarely. I tried reading some Dany/Jorah fics in GoT and couldn't get past the first few paragraphs, not because they were really badly written or anything, but somehow it just didn't work for me.

As for slash, I've long ago concluded that most slash, which is written by women, is really het fic where the two main characters happen to be the same sex. They still behave like a heterosexual couple for the most part.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Given his reaction to a couple of things in the Game of Thrones series, I honestly don't know how he'll react.

[shapinglight]

Really? I suppose you can't elaborate on that without spoiling?

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

I think when writing is difficult, it's a sign that you're taking it seriously.

I confess I save the difficulty for my non-fic writing and just let myself be BAD in fanfic. It makes the whole thing a lot more fun. "Is this a rushed ending? Bad characterization? A plot hole? Oh well. Fanfic! yay!"

[shapinglight]

I think when writing is difficult, it's a sign that you're taking it seriously.

Yes, I do. But then, unlike yourself I don't write anything that isn't fanfiction. :(

I do get bothered if people say the ending of something is bad or whatever (not so much that it didn't work for them, because that's a personal thing, but if they think it's technically bad) because it's all I write. Maybe that'll change one day. I don't know.

Incidentally, have you ever tried self-publishing? There was a very interesting article in our paper about it the other week.

[(Anonymous)]

Something weird happened to me during last 2 yrs of comics: I don't seem to be able to read long fics, only short Spuffy ones (less than two page scrolls) that don't mention Angel.

*I've managed to fix my DVD (unlock the region thing) so I can watch from time to time my Buffy disks (i'm on the middle of S4 now)

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Fanfic is what brought me here first and I still like to read it, but mostly I just like to read what you are thinking.

[shapinglight]

Well, I'm not sure I'd call it thinking. :(

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

Well obviously your wonderful fanfic is what drew me here first, especially as we both seemed to have shared fic interests (ie bending poor Spike over a table and having a damn good rummage *g*) but then we became rl friends and the rest is history.

[shapinglight]

ie bending poor Spike over a table and having a damn good rummage *g*

:)

[next_to_normal]

I picked "once maybe, not any more" but that's more a reflection of my fannish habits than your fic. I rarely read any BtVS fic anymore. I've stuck around in fandom and on your LJ in particular because you're interesting and I like seeing what you think about various things. :)

(Just curious, what about Mark's posts makes you think he'll be a Spike-hater in S6? I wouldn't say I've agreed with everything he says, but I don't know that he's seen enough for me to judge what he'll think of S6.)

[shapinglight]

I'm glad you think I'm interesting, though since I seem to do precious little else except witter on about birds these days, I've no idea why. However, seeing your comment reminds me that I yet again forgot to cross post. I must learn to log in to DW first.

As for Mark, I think what makes me suspect he'll become a Spike hater in season 6 is the level of hatred he has for Xander in the early seasons. Mind you, I didn't like Xander much myself then either, but Mark's reasons for not liking him seem to be far more to do with dodgy consent issues etc than mine, which were - at the time - because I thought Xander was a whiny git with Buffy issues. In fact, I began to dislike him less from late season 2 onwards, once he started to date Cordy. Anyway , if he's consumed with dislike for Xander for much smaller sins against Buffy than the AR, I feel the writing is on the wall for how he'll react to that. However, I could be wrong. I hope I am.

[quinara]

I didn't come for the fic, but I read the fic, but I don't read the not-Spuffy fic, erm... Yeah.

[shapinglight]

:) Glad you've enjoyed the fic you've read anyway. Speaking of which, is there going to be a Plot Without Porn this year? If so, can it be a bit later than usual, as I'll be away for half of June.

Not that I have any ideas really.

[ubi4soft.livejournal.com]

Something weird happened to me during last 2 yrs of comics: I don't seem to be able to read long fics, only short Spuffy ones (less than two page scrolls) that don't mention Angel.

*I've managed to fix my DVD (unlock the region thing) so I can watch from time to time my Buffy disks (i'm on the middle of S4 now)

[shapinglight]

Something weird happened to me during last 2 yrs of comics: I don't seem to be able to read long fics, only short Spuffy ones (less than two page scrolls) that don't mention Angel.

The comics have caused a long bout of Angel-dislike with me too, which I've coped with either by leaving him out of what I write altogether or making him the villain. But I do feel guilty about it. Poor old Angel. It's not his fault Joss made a dick in the comics. And in fact that in itself wouldn't matter so much if there was any sign whatsoever that Joss and the DH PTBs knew that was what they had done.

so I can watch from time to time my Buffy disks (i'm on the middle of S4 now)

Watching the show. Always the best way to put the idiocy of the comics behind you.

[missus-grace.livejournal.com]

I'm here because I enjoy hearing from you.

Sometimes I read your fic - especially if it's Spuffy.

I also like hearing about your hikes and seeing your bird/nature pics.

<3

[shapinglight]

:) Haven't done much in the way of hiking so far this year. It's been so windy! Even S hasn't wanted to go.

[rahirah]

You are a wonderful writer, but some of the subjects you tackle give me the screaming meemies, so I can't say I've read everything you've written, but I always look forward to you posting something new. None of this should be taken as an indication that I wouldn't be reading if you didn't post fic, however!

[shapinglight]

:)

I could say the same in reverse, except that your chosen subjects don't give me the screaming meemies (except for ageing Spike, not keen on that), but it's more that your AU is so dense and self-contained that I feel I can't penetrate it, as it were.

But thanks, and the same. Your posts are always interesting.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I adore your Spuffy fanfiction. I used to love your comics reviews and meta - pity you stopped reading them. I love reading your non-fandom posts, although I rarely have anything to add in comments.

[shapinglight]

:(

I feel a bit of a fraud with the Spuffy fanfic. It's ages since I wrote anything substantial. I do have an idea for a fic that Buffy could feature in, but I'm not sure she and Spike would be a couple.

As for meta, I feel like the tone of it has move on and gone beyond what I feel able to contribute to. Oh well.

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

I clicked both yes and no.

Yes because I did initially friend you for the fic. I also clicked no because, even if you never wrote another word, I would continue reading your posts anyway. :)

[shapinglight]

That's kind of you. Thank you, and likewise.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I'm here for the fic and other fannish pursuits, but I also like pictures of birds and talk of weddings and whatnot. I understand about the writing being hard, but it's feels so good when it stops you post, right? Well, it feels good to me when you post, anyway.

Like you, I am most interested in Spike, and you are one of the few that still do a good job with Spike/other (Darla, Giles), so I'd be sad if you gave it up completely. *iz v. v. selfish*

[shapinglight]

Like you, I am most interested in Spike, and you are one of the few that still do a good job with Spike/other (Darla, Giles), so I'd be sad if you gave it up completely. *iz v. v. selfish*

I've no plans to give up, but I do feel a bit of a fraud if people friended this LJ for the fic, because I write so little now. :( Glad you like the other stuff anyway. I like your posts too. In fact, you don't post enough. Post more.

[treadingthedark.livejournal.com]

I came for the fic, and still read anything with Spike in it. I was put off by Angel for a while after the spacefucking thing, but I'm kind of over it now. I have always tended to go in spurts with my taste, sometimes I want to read Spuffy, sometimes Angel, sometimes anyone will do. But I pretty much still read fic every night like other people watch TV. I still haven't found a show that has captured me since Buffy ended. I still love Spike. I don't watch Vampire Diaries although I think Damon is incredibly gorgeous. But I watched the first episode of Vampire Diaries, figured the irritating Stefan was the Angel of the series and didn't want to spend any more time rooting for the losing team. The basking at the end of the Buffy series really enraged me. I didn't want to go through that experience again.

[shapinglight]

I was put off by Angel for a while after the spacefucking thing, but I'm kind of over it now.

Me too - very much so. I either didn't write him or turned him into a horrible villain (though I felt very guilty about it). I hope I'm over that now.

I still haven't found a show that has captured me since Buffy ended

Me neither, or at least not to the extent that I feel the urge to write fanfic. I love GoT, but somehow it doesn't, IMO, lend itself to fanfic easily - not to mention the author of the books is very against it, which gives me pause, whereas Joss actively gave people permission.

In fact, I think any fictional world that is too well-realised, like Westeros from GoT, is going to be hard to write about. Joss's worldbuilding is so sloppy and vague that it's easy to fit stuff down the cracks.

The basking at the end of the Buffy series really enraged me. I didn't want to go through that experience again.

Very wise. Why get burned again?

[ex_peasant441]

I read it because it's you but that includes all the fic - I have no idea how to answer the poll.

Why does refusing to give the coat back make him a racist misogynist? He's a serial killer who keeps trophies - maybe. How is her race or sex relevant?

[shapinglight]

Why does refusing to give the coat back make him a racist misogynist? He's a serial killer who keeps trophies - maybe. How is her race or sex relevant?

Her sex I could maybe see if I squint. Even Spike admits he was obsessed with slayers, so I suppose it must be true. However, there's no outright evidence that he would have been less obsessed if the slayer were a man. How could there be, given that slayers are always women? So Spike becomes a misogynist by default almost, and of course he was very mean to Harmony. However, I still think the 'misogynist' label is misapplied.

As for the racist part, not even going there except to say that I disagree.

[girlpire.livejournal.com]

i don't know... i think mark likes spike, doesn't he? he's certainly enjoyed him as a villain. and if he can forgive angel for murdering one of his favorite characters, certainly he could forgive spike for the AR. of course, that's assuming mark does forgive angel, which he might not. but in that case, at least he wouldn't be shipping bangel instead of spuffy - he just wouldn't be shipping either one.

personally, i'm having a hard time reading the comments on his reviews lately because there's been so much hate for angel. :( also i'm too lazy to un-code the gibberish. heh.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Didn't know how to answer the poll. ASAIR, I believe the only fic of yours that I haven't read is the most recent series and that's because I just wasn't in the mood for anything BtVS related.

And, if we're talking about how utterly horrible Spike is ::rolls eyes:: it still galls me that he gets raked over the coals yet utterly brooding Angel gets a pass for having driven Drusilla insane before turning her. Oh, yeah. A real prince of a vampire, I tell you!

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Might have friended you once for fic, but hell... :-) Now I am sticking around because you are such an awesome british lady and nice to just chatt with. :-)