LTAS poll

[estepheia]

I am curious. May I ask those of you who've read and enjoyed my story Let's Talk About Sex (Version 1.0) to please answer the poll behind the cut.

I meant to rewrite the story for ages because I feel that my range of expression has come a long way. However, I noticed, while tinkering with the first few chapters, that I am not just fine-tuning the language, getting rid of 'manhoods' and 'members', expanding the vocabulary and adding the odd image here and there. No, I am revamping Spike's character. Literally. If you are curious, you can check out the result here: Version 2.0.

I am rewriting it for myself (and because I miss being in a Spander frame of mind). I don't hate the old version, although it sometimes makes me cringe.
I have no intention of destroying all old versions of the story. Purists can still enjoy the badly formatted, naive original. So, I'm not asking for people's blessing or anything. But I am curious how you see the story and whether your opinion of it has changed or is likely to change.... Indulge me. Pretty please?


[Poll #479030]

Comments

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

I read ver. 1.0 quite awhile ago and remember liking it very much. I'll happily read ver. 2.0, as well. I see that 2.0 Spike is more suspicious, more snarky, and that's fine. Whatever you do, I'll willingly go along for the ride on this.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

Just jumping in to say that I thought that the depiction of Spike worked for the type of story that you wrote. That is to say, if you LTAS had been a dark drama, his behavior would have been out of place. But since you were writing mainly romantic, screwball-type comedy, I could see his character manifesting itself that way in those circumstances.

But if you're changing the story, it seems to me inevitable that the character would behave differently as well. Not that you wrote him wildly out of character in version one, or that you're suddenly hit with an epiphany and getting him spot on in version two. But in a re-envisioning of the story, as the narrative tone shifts, he's going to fit into this genre/subgenre/category of story in a different way.

[zyrya]

I ticked that I thought Spike was out of character but consistent within the story, but I don't want you to put too much weight on my 'vote' because strict adherence to canon is over-rated. And, really, any story which is predicated on "Buffy is alive but Spike's affection for her is platonic" is already far enough from canon to put me in a different head-space from the show.

I save all my favourite fics to my hard drive and re-read them, and I've read LTAS four times all the way through (plus countless times just flipping to my favourite bits) and never been unhappy with the plot, characters or pacing. But since you're rewriting it, I would like to see Spike a little less anxious for Xander's approval and attention and Xander a little more conflicted about his feelings for Spike, at least in the beginning. I wouldn't want it to become a big angstfest, but I think it could stand going a few shades darker.

I'm saving the new chapters, too, of course!

[rahirah]

I'd have to re-read the original. I don't remember Spike being wildly out of charcter, especially considering the range of what's in character for Spike covers roughly the same area as Mongolia. It's been a long time since I read it, but I vaguely recall Spike breaking and entering, smoking dope, and messing with Xander's mind. I remember thinking equally vaguely that he came off as a little needier and more pitiful than necessary in a couple of scenes, but it was nothing that made me want to throw the fic across the room or anything. My quibbles, if I had any, would be more plot-related--it seemed to ramble a lot.

As far as rewriting goes, follow your instincts. They're good ones.