Firefly Fanfiction: What Are Your Pet-Peeves?
POSTED BY: Xeyra
UPDATED: Friday, November 30, 2012 02:57
VIEWED: 59700
PAGE 11 of 17
I don't like "Surprise!" pregnancies. This is five hundred years in the future - birth control has got to be a lot better than it is now. I can't see any of the female characters getting pregnant unless it it's a deliberate action on their part to do so. For that matter, I think that men are just as responsible for birth control too. Simon is not only a doctor, he's very responsible. If he starts doing the horizontal bob with Kaylee, he's going to make sure that they do not go forth and multiply.
I picks them up, I drops them off
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Thank you to Xeyra and Darwinshandmaiden for putting into more coherent language what I was trying to convey a little earlier. BTW, Xeyra, I think I might be working on a little something you'll like in the future.
Writer's peeve;
I'll quite happily accept criticism of my writing, as long as the person has the guts to sign the thing. Anonymous reviews, particularly nasty ones, are unwelcome. I've had a couple of curt and rude flames. You don't like it, either read something else or make a helpful suggestion.
SpaceAnJL
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by SpaceAnJL:
BTW, Xeyra, I think I might be working on a little something you'll like in the future.
You are? Really? Wanna give a hint? *looks at you with puppy-dog eyes, all eager to know what's this about 'cause she is awfully curious and little things like this drive her crazy*
*******************************
Wash: This landing is gonna get pretty interesting.
Mal: Define "interesting".
Wash: [deadpan] Oh God, oh God, we're all going to die?
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by SpaceAnJL:
Writer's peeve;
I'll quite happily accept criticism of my writing, as long as the person has the guts to sign the thing. Anonymous reviews, particularly nasty ones, are unwelcome. I've had a couple of curt and rude flames. You don't like it, either read something else or make a helpful suggestion.
SpaceAnJL
Oh, what's my oh so fun favorite thing in the whole wide world is where someone leaves a signed comment and someone else privately e-mails and flames you because they don't agree with your comment. All credibility flies out the window when someone does that. Expressing ones opinions maturely (read NOT trying to flame them or tell them rudely why they are wrong) way is a far better way to get someone to listen to what you have to say.
It's happened to me, its happened to friends of mine. People that privately attack someone (of course, they're all fluffy and nice in comments they make in public) truly disgust me.
What writers don't seem to 'get' is that when you publish your work in a public forum that allows for comments, that people ARE going to comment and give you constructive criticism. You aren't always going to get happy, fluffy comments that make you feel good about yourself.
If I feel someone is out of character, I'm damn well going to tell you. If I see a plot hole, I'm going to point it out. Does the writer have the right to disagree with me? Sure. But I have the right to express my opinion as well.
You have to learn to take the good with the bad. I don't much like Anon reviews either, but sometimes even if I think they're worded a bit harshly, if I look at the comments a different way, perhaps they really aren't so harsh.
Of course, some of them are, but that isn't always going to be the case.
"A government is a body of people usually notably ungoverned."
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by Ravenhair:
Honestly, I only see Kaylee and Simon being together. Mal has too many issues to really make a go with Inara. That said, I am a shameless Jaylee reader! I love those characters, but can only see them together in the fics not the show (is that weird?)Quote:
Yes that is weird! LOL, I only say this cause I feel like I know you. *g*NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Jumping into the fray here, lord help me!
Clearly the grammar issue is a big problem in fics, but I've actually been amazed at the quality of writing in the Firefly fandom. Although than/then really irks me.
Characterization is also an issue for me, but that said, quite frankly fanfiction is ALL non-canon and I happen to be a person who is waiting for the writer to take me where they want. So, as others have said, I can suspend belief in some instances and just go with the story.
I would have to say most of my pet-peeves lately have been with commenters (as a new writer of fanfic). Critical comments are absolutely fine as long as they aren't cruel or out of line, and quite frankly as long as they aren't just griping about how you don't like a particular pairing. It's fine if you don't like it, but the author chose to write that and they clearly do like it, so why bash that?? I really don't get it, why not just refrain from reading it? There have been some very negative (bordering on abusive) comments recently on this board and I really wish it would stop. We are all Browncoats and should be somewhat supportive. If you read something you just don't like, then stop and think about whether you really need to make a snide comment about it. Constructive comments are very helpful, but also consider that some authors are exploring various aspects of these characters (not just sticking with a stereotypical view of them). Now, that's not to say that some fanfic doesn't get a little off-base. I'm just SO tired of people being adament that the way they see a particular character is the only way that character can be (Joss wrote them as complex, multi-dimensional characters, not stereotypes).
My real pet peeve is how people perceive Jayne. Many authors (and commenters) believe he is stupid, a buffoon, and only sleeps with whores. (little tangent here, but in the show, we only see him with one confirmed whore--and he undoubtedly wasn't paying for her--and one possible whore in Jaynestown--although she was quite likely simply a mudder, the men were ready to lay their lives down for him, so the women were most likely ready to do lots for him as well ). Mal is celebrated for loving one whore and sleeping with another, but Jayne is villified for it. (sorry about the rant)
I also hate it when negative comments are made by Anonymous posters, particularly when it's clear who the poster is and that they deliberately logged out to make the negative comment.
Pairings: I'll read any (not a real fan of the CSI though). Slash isn't for everyone, but I disagree that there is no basis for it in Firefly (1. they clearly talk about people being 'sly' and 2. I love Simon, but seriously, if Joss made a statement that he was sly, I'd have no problem believing it.) In fanfic, the key is, can the writer convince you.
As for non-canon pairings, I do have a preference for the author to explain the switch in affection. But I also know that it's not ALWAYS necessary to do so. Sometimes the fic begins with the pairing already intact and the fic isn't about explaining how they came to be together (over and over again). I suppose those fics are really meant to be read by/written expressly for fans of that pairing, but I have no problem popping into one and saying: Hey X and Y are together, cool! But I'm weird that way.
So sorry I rambled on so much! I'll probably get flamed for some of what I said, hope not though.
Ultimately, as mal4prez said, I sincerely hope this thread does not deter people from writing or posting fanfic. I know reading it made me wonder if I should be posting my fic here, but I'm stubborn.
-squish
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I'm guilty of posting very short chapters. I'm fully capable of writing longer ones, and I quite often do, but I find that the quality of my writing deteriorates quickly if I go on too long. I'm still learning how to write longer stories (fanfic and otherwise) that don't end completely terribly. Even my English teacher says: "You start out...brilliantly. Better than I could write. By the end? Not so brilliant."
Grammar and spelling are my biggest pet peeves about everything, really.
"I go online sometimes. Everybody's spelling is really bad. It's depressing."
~MGK (currently in Buffy withdrawal 
)
"Abstinence is good. There are already too many hungry children in this world." ~Daisy Lipenowski
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
OOC-ness is my main one. Jayne isn't going to go have a little cry in his bunk over being rejected by a girl. Simon is unlikely to beat Mal in a fight. Certain truths must be acknowledged! 
Bad dialogue. But then, nobody can beat Joss when it comes to dialogue, so I'm probably just spoilt.
Angsty poetry quotations at the start of fics that have little to no relevance to the story. Yes, most people have studied english lit, and it's good that these works are being acknowledged by the general public, but really...
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Leiasky,
I write because I damn well want to, (need to) and no snark is going to make me stop. I don't do it for the fuzzy little feedback (though it's useful.) I have one original book on the go, and I have a lot of other names and places to post out there. What I was objecting to, is not the constructive criticism - but the absolute anonymous bashing. If I didn't want any kind of opinion at all, I'd sit on the growing pile of paper and pixels and not put it out there. And I'll quite happily engage in dialogue with anyone who wants to discuss anything. But at the end of the day, I write what I'm going to write, and that is all any of us can do.
SpaceAnJL
"Many suffer from the incurable disease of writing, and it becomes chronic in their sick minds." Juvenal
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
A word to everyone. The goal of this thread was not to discourage anyone from writing but to learn about personal tastes when it comes to fanfiction in this 'Verse we all love. That said, here's the gist of it all:
WE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE.
I wish we could, but since people are inherently all different (and how dull would it be if we were just carbon copies of each other?), their tastes differ as well as their interpretations of things, places, and characters.
All in all, when you look at the world of fanfiction and fandom, you'll ALWAYS find someone who will like your story (unless you really are a bad, bad writer, but I digress).
For every Jaylee lover there is someone who doesn't care for the pairing, and though those may not read your story, other people who share your passion for the pairing will definitely read your story.
You may write something based on the Firefly 'Verse, but not featuring any of our beloved characters. Some people might shy away from it because it's all about Original Characters and they are weary of those, but others will read it because they don't mind stories like that and would like to take a look at your own original creations.
Some people may not like short chapters, but for every one of those, there will be someone out there who will read drabbles with the same enjoyment as a full novel-length chapter in a story.
The fact is, in any fandom, there are tastes for practically anything, be it a shipping or a genre (fluff, horror, drama, adventure, hurt/comfort), and there will be readers for everything. There will also be those who will try to help you with constructive criticism if they find something in your story that they want to comment about, and there will be those that just like to troll.
The only thing people seem to agree with refers to grammar and sentence structuring, but that is easily solved by going through your story before posting it (I know all about the excitement of posting a story, but taking a few moments to make sure you're not writing Anara instead of Inara would save your readers some pain), or getting help from a beta reader (there is a thread going on this board where people can volunteer as beta readers and writers can search for them).
So, all in all, don't feel afraid to post your story. You don't have to read every single thing on this thread and think that a person's personal pet-peeve is significative in the grand scheme of fanfic writing ("darn it, x-overs seem to be a big no-no, so I won't post my Highlander/Firefly story because I'll certainly won't find readers"). That is why I asked for personal pet-peeves, not the kind of things that shouldn't exist in fanfiction at all.
Some people happen to think Jayne/River is great while others don't like that pairing, so if you write a Jayne/River story, you'll know you'll have someone who will read it and like it, whereas others will continue to believe River and Jayne would never get together (an opinion shared by myself, but I am open-minded enough to have given some of these stories a chance... just haven't found any that could make sense of that pairing).
So, yes, I'll shut up now. Just wanted to leave this message because I originated this thread but it wasn't with the intention of discouraging anyone from posting their stories or even with the intention of having everyone try to avoid every single pet-peeve described herein, because then you wouldn't have much of an opening to just let your imagination soar.
Just go with your heart, I say. And a good spell-checker wouldn't hurt either.
*******************************
Wash: This landing is gonna get pretty interesting.
Mal: Define "interesting".
Wash: [deadpan] Oh God, oh God, we're all going to die?
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME