Someone's being mean on the internet

[rodo]

Does it really make me mean and elitist that I think that Sturgeon's Law applies to fanfiction? Even my own? Because it's wrong and insults the average fanfic writer by calling them incompetent (which, btw, I didn't, I was talking about stories, but apparently story = author).

I really, really should stay away from the internet for a while, or at least certain parts of it. It's just making things worse for me at the moment. Because whatever I try, if I'm feeling even remotely positive about it someone else comes and tears it completely apart.

The only problem is: I don't have anything better to do at the moment.

*whiny post is whiny*

Comments

[blnchflr]

Someone thinks Sturgeon's Law doesn't apply to fanfic? Where do they stand on gravity and its influence on Earth?

Here's something which may cheer you up: IT'S A GIRL WITH A CAT ON HER HEAD \o/

[rodo]

Well, apparently it's completely impossible that only 10% are decent and great. And even if it's true, by saying this I insult more than 50% of authors, which is a bad thing (it's apparently okay as long as I'm not talking about a majority of stories). Also: I'm apparently a jerk because I can't lower my standards.

Aww, cat. Want. Cutest thing since the baby sloth on Cute Overload the other day.

[dingsi]

Well, apparently it's completely impossible that only 10% are decent and great. And even if it's true, by saying this I insult more than 50% of authors

Err.
Okay, in my experience, when fic authors are writing good stories, they're really superb and often better than canon stories (though that of course is influenced by what you want canon to be or where you perceive its flaws). But in no way does that amount to more than 10%.
And to get to that stuff, you have to wade through oddles of mediocre to bad to seriously, hurting-my-eyeballs, terrible fic.

[rodo]

Yeah, there are many fanfics out there that are much better than canon. I think they're the ones that keep us here (besides the people, of course).

I mostly use rec lists these days and even there I can finish maybe a third of the stories because the rest is either bad or simply boring. I've read fics that were recced everywhere and I still only managed to see the flawed pacing, flat characters and general lack of logic.

There's a reason I haven't found anything that I would call good on ff.de for ages, despite looking every now and again. I start reading promising stories and after two paragraphs the bad style and clumsy exposition throw me out if it. But hey, style is personal and can never be bad. *urgh*

[blnchflr]

I mostly use rec lists these days and even there I can finish maybe a third of the stories because the rest is either bad or simply boring.
Same here - the percentage of fics that I like well enough to finish, let alone rec is tiny, tiny; nothing close to 10%!

That said, making a comment on your post subject title: I do believe it's possible to discuss this in a mean way - since I wasn't there, I don't know if I'd have considered you rude as well :oP ! But as far as theory goes, I'm behind you all the way.

[rodo]

Of course it's possible to be mean about it. But I was told it is impossible to say 90% of fanfic sucks without being mean. Which ... yeah.

ETA: Your icon is scary.

[blnchflr]

When I first saw those spider cartoons, they freaked me out so bad, the only way I could deal with them was to make an icon. Trufax.

Feel free to block the image :o) !

[rodo]

Face your fears, I guess. At least it's only scary and not squicky. Scary I can deal with.

[dancing_serpent]

And to get to that stuff, you have to wade through oddles of mediocre to bad to seriously, hurting-my-eyeballs, terrible fic.

Exactly that. I mean, there are millions of fanfic on the internet...

[eumelkeks]

You're right, a lot of fanfic is crap. But my rule is that one cannot - under no circumstances - tell anyone that their story may be shit because this ends in flame wars. *lol* So if I don't have anything nice to write, I don't write anything at all. I do, however, love to mock bad fic in private. It's not that I wouldn't have the guts to tell people but that a lot of writers insanely insecure and overly confident at the same time. It's the people who write, 'yeah, I wrote this in twenty minutes and I think it's crap' in their headers but expect raving reviews anyway.

[rodo]

Yeah, I learned that the hard way too. Which is why I hardly write any reviews and now get told that I'm to ~elitist~ to interact with the plebes. I guess it's a no-win scenario.

So if I don't have anything nice to write, I don't write anything at all.

I think I got that attitude from The Simpsons. I'm seeing Marge in my head repeating this over and over.

[mllesatine]

Wow, that is really sad. I'm not good at writing con-crit myself but I want to because there are authors out there who desperately want con-crit and only get the rave reviews or silence because people who see the flaws in their story have been flamed in the past. OMG horribly long rambly sentence.

You know what I mean?

[rodo]

Yeah. The people who can write con-crit often get negative reactions, so the only people who really write reviews are the ones who can't. Which is stupid. I'd love to write con-crit, other people would love to hear it, but those are in the minority, from what I experienced so far.

[mllesatine]

And when I write con-crit, I'm so nervous because I expect a negative reaction. And people have always been nice so far and then I feel silly for angsting. :)

[dancing_serpent]

Well, the average fanfic writer as I experience them (while wading through archive after archive and then some) is a teenaged girl who writes Mary Sue fic and gets cheerleader reviews from her friends. Not what I would call good fanfiction. *wry*

[rodo]

Well, my opinion of the average fanfiction author is better than yours, basically that she tries, but is still to young and/or inexperienced to get it right. Too many typos, no paragraphs, wrong punctuation, wrong pacing, stilted dialogues, boring action scenes, etc. It all adds up, and it definitely isn't as if the author was hopeless, but the stories aren't good.

[dancing_serpent]

See, if someone calls you mean or elitist again, point them to my comment. *g*