I suppose I'm not an unbiased observer, since I co-host the S/X writers' guild zone, but honestly? I'd rather see someone make a post every so often that points out specific peeves and bad writing techniques in general, and watch folks bitch about whether it's important, whether those particular peeves are legitimate writing critiques or just personal gripes, etc. Because then people are talking about it, instead of going on their merry way and pretending that every story and every writer is wonderful and precious from the get-go.
The negativity isn't unrelenting -- hell, I think in the 3 years I've been on NT there's maybe been two peeve/writing discussions. Certainly the few discussions like this one that I see spread out across various boards/lists/etc are vastly overwhelmed by the mountain of badfic out there.
And obviously by the number of generally agreeing or discussion comments here, there is still an audience for it. So what if it's mostly the choir? You rephrased my comment about feeling gratified as "self-gratification" but what the hell on the internet isn't about self-gratification? If we want to have a discussion about the foibles and quirks and just plain badness we see in fiction, and it's not off-topic for the arena in which we're discussing it, then at least it's amusing or cathartic for us. And if somebody god forbid does realize that there *are* folk who don't think "Spike and Xanpet's Luv Shack With Occasional Random Guest Appearances By Oz" is the be-all end-all of decent writing, huzzah.
It seems to me that it's you who are tiring of [your perception of] the large amount of negativity -- which is fine, but your delete key works in this case too. Or your scroll wheel.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2003-04-14 11:56 am (UTC)The negativity isn't unrelenting -- hell, I think in the 3 years I've been on NT there's maybe been two peeve/writing discussions. Certainly the few discussions like this one that I see spread out across various boards/lists/etc are vastly overwhelmed by the mountain of badfic out there.
And obviously by the number of generally agreeing or discussion comments here, there is still an audience for it. So what if it's mostly the choir? You rephrased my comment about feeling gratified as "self-gratification" but what the hell on the internet isn't about self-gratification? If we want to have a discussion about the foibles and quirks and just plain badness we see in fiction, and it's not off-topic for the arena in which we're discussing it, then at least it's amusing or cathartic for us. And if somebody god forbid does realize that there *are* folk who don't think "Spike and Xanpet's Luv Shack With Occasional Random Guest Appearances By Oz" is the be-all end-all of decent writing, huzzah.
It seems to me that it's you who are tiring of [your perception of] the large amount of negativity -- which is fine, but your delete key works in this case too. Or your scroll wheel.