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nonesensedWell, it seems like the fandom of House exploded in debate a moment ago, which can be both bad and good. The current hottest topic seems to be the "overflowing number of bad!fics" currently being posted on communities such as house_wilson and similar things (I wasn't there when it started so I can't be sure).
I'm not going to say anything about the House fandom specifically, as I'm currently not actively writing or exactly reading anything from there (SGA still eating brain - still very interested in House, but sadly I don't have enough time for all my fandoms) and I'm a bit out of the loop. There are many interesting discussions starting on that subject all over lj at the moment, so I don't think I have anything to add to it.
I just had to make a comment about the "bad!fic"-problem and ask:
Why is it such a big problem?
Finding fics you like is always hard. Not only do they have to be "well written", they have to be your type of well written. One person's Shakespeare is another's *insert your worst author here*. And when that is done, you have to find someone who's written your type of fic. Example: Some people love death fics, some are neutral towards them and some loathe them. That's just the way it is. Deal with it. Writers of fanfiction are usually very good at putting warnings in the subject-line of their fics and know what to warn about depending on which community they're posting in. If you find fics with warnings for subjects that squick you, skim past them; it's as easy as that.
So, we've established that finding a fic to like is hard - especially in larger fandoms - and that warnings and backbuttons exist. What to do then?
1.Skimming
If you're in a large fandom: learn to skim. We all have to do it, you're no more a victim that anyone else. When the supply of fics is vast you have to realize that not everything can suit you. If you're picky about what you read or just like one certain genre, the chance is even less.
To have a lot of fics in your fandom doesn't have to be a bad thing though. There are uncountable other fandoms where there's next to no fics. There, if you don't like what's on the menu, you have to write something else for yourself. Please take that into account before complaining about how 'hard' the 'bad' fics are making it for you to find the 'good' ones. At least they're there to be found.
2.Recs
These are a wonderful invention and very user friendly. Step 1: Find a person who likes similar fics that you do. Step 2: Find links to fiction recommended by said person. Step 3: Read and enjoy. Who knows, you might even find something out of your ordinary comfort zone that interests you.
3.Start Communities
A wonderful idea if you're looking for a certain type of fics in a big fandom. You get to have all the perks of a Small(er) fandom and still enjoy the positive side of membership in a larger one.
Just remember to respect people outside of your community. What you see as the crème de la crème of fanfics does not have to be what everyone in your fandom should love. Until someone glues your eyelids to your forehead and makes you read something you don't want to, you have no right to harass or flame people who think differently than you. In turn they have no right to do so to you either.
4.Same Author
You like one story an author has written you might like other stuff s/he has written/will write. Simple as that.
What about the bad!fics then?
Well, what is a bad!fic to you? Horrible grammar? No ability to spell? Mary Sues? Or just that it's not part of any genre you like?
If you answered 'yes' to the last option you might want to remind yourself of the whole "mutual respect" and "read warnings"-thing.
If your answer was one or more of the other options, think about this: everyone has to start somewhere. Very few authors are born geniuses and you can't get better without practice. Instead of taking the bad!fic as a personal insult, think of it as an opportunity to give advice to a newbie author. Who knows, a bit of constructive criticism and a few encouraging words might be the catalyst for a process that leads to your future favorite fic being written. Stranger things have happened.
To clarify, "This is crap!" and "YOU SUCK!" is not constructive criticism. If you feel that you're qualified to criticize another person's story you really should be able to express yourself better than that, right?
In conclusion: Learn to skim, respect others and only criticize at a 'level' you know you yourself could take if the roles were reversed. There's no need to treat people like fragile china, but flames and insults will get you nowhere.
On a more pleasant, less rant-y note:
Today the entire family went to meet our soon-to-be-house-hold-member, whose name shall be Sebastian. He's an absolutely gorgeous Norwegian Forest Cat-mix and he seemed to like all of us. He purred all through the visit and was both playful and more than willing to be petted. Why someone would ever abandon him I cannot phantom. People can be crazy.
He's the icon used for this post, btw. He loooved my sister's camera.
The people at the Animal Shelter will swing by with him next Thursday (not next week, the week after that). He was suppose to arrive on Monday - which technically is today - but he was feeling a little under the weather (nothing serious, just some worms he'd gotten from eating lousy food while being without a home) so he had to stay and take his meds at the shelter. When we visited he was quite chipper. He'll most likely be fully recovered around Wednesday, but then the people responsible for him would be out of town for a week.
Long story short we have to wait until the end of next week to sign all the papers and to have people from the shelter come check out our house and neighborhood. We can wait. Sebastian's definitely worth waiting for.
I'm not going to say anything about the House fandom specifically, as I'm currently not actively writing or exactly reading anything from there (SGA still eating brain - still very interested in House, but sadly I don't have enough time for all my fandoms) and I'm a bit out of the loop. There are many interesting discussions starting on that subject all over lj at the moment, so I don't think I have anything to add to it.
I just had to make a comment about the "bad!fic"-problem and ask:
Why is it such a big problem?
Finding fics you like is always hard. Not only do they have to be "well written", they have to be your type of well written. One person's Shakespeare is another's *insert your worst author here*. And when that is done, you have to find someone who's written your type of fic. Example: Some people love death fics, some are neutral towards them and some loathe them. That's just the way it is. Deal with it. Writers of fanfiction are usually very good at putting warnings in the subject-line of their fics and know what to warn about depending on which community they're posting in. If you find fics with warnings for subjects that squick you, skim past them; it's as easy as that.
So, we've established that finding a fic to like is hard - especially in larger fandoms - and that warnings and backbuttons exist. What to do then?
1.Skimming
If you're in a large fandom: learn to skim. We all have to do it, you're no more a victim that anyone else. When the supply of fics is vast you have to realize that not everything can suit you. If you're picky about what you read or just like one certain genre, the chance is even less.
To have a lot of fics in your fandom doesn't have to be a bad thing though. There are uncountable other fandoms where there's next to no fics. There, if you don't like what's on the menu, you have to write something else for yourself. Please take that into account before complaining about how 'hard' the 'bad' fics are making it for you to find the 'good' ones. At least they're there to be found.
2.Recs
These are a wonderful invention and very user friendly. Step 1: Find a person who likes similar fics that you do. Step 2: Find links to fiction recommended by said person. Step 3: Read and enjoy. Who knows, you might even find something out of your ordinary comfort zone that interests you.
3.Start Communities
A wonderful idea if you're looking for a certain type of fics in a big fandom. You get to have all the perks of a Small(er) fandom and still enjoy the positive side of membership in a larger one.
Just remember to respect people outside of your community. What you see as the crème de la crème of fanfics does not have to be what everyone in your fandom should love. Until someone glues your eyelids to your forehead and makes you read something you don't want to, you have no right to harass or flame people who think differently than you. In turn they have no right to do so to you either.
4.Same Author
You like one story an author has written you might like other stuff s/he has written/will write. Simple as that.
What about the bad!fics then?
Well, what is a bad!fic to you? Horrible grammar? No ability to spell? Mary Sues? Or just that it's not part of any genre you like?
If you answered 'yes' to the last option you might want to remind yourself of the whole "mutual respect" and "read warnings"-thing.
If your answer was one or more of the other options, think about this: everyone has to start somewhere. Very few authors are born geniuses and you can't get better without practice. Instead of taking the bad!fic as a personal insult, think of it as an opportunity to give advice to a newbie author. Who knows, a bit of constructive criticism and a few encouraging words might be the catalyst for a process that leads to your future favorite fic being written. Stranger things have happened.
To clarify, "This is crap!" and "YOU SUCK!" is not constructive criticism. If you feel that you're qualified to criticize another person's story you really should be able to express yourself better than that, right?
In conclusion: Learn to skim, respect others and only criticize at a 'level' you know you yourself could take if the roles were reversed. There's no need to treat people like fragile china, but flames and insults will get you nowhere.
On a more pleasant, less rant-y note:
Today the entire family went to meet our soon-to-be-house-hold-member, whose name shall be Sebastian. He's an absolutely gorgeous Norwegian Forest Cat-mix and he seemed to like all of us. He purred all through the visit and was both playful and more than willing to be petted. Why someone would ever abandon him I cannot phantom. People can be crazy.
He's the icon used for this post, btw. He loooved my sister's camera.
The people at the Animal Shelter will swing by with him next Thursday (not next week, the week after that). He was suppose to arrive on Monday - which technically is today - but he was feeling a little under the weather (nothing serious, just some worms he'd gotten from eating lousy food while being without a home) so he had to stay and take his meds at the shelter. When we visited he was quite chipper. He'll most likely be fully recovered around Wednesday, but then the people responsible for him would be out of town for a week.
Long story short we have to wait until the end of next week to sign all the papers and to have people from the shelter come check out our house and neighborhood. We can wait. Sebastian's definitely worth waiting for.
