Fic Talk > General Discussion
Questions to ponder part 11
jess20:
Mare, I know which story you're talking about. I read the first chapter, absolutely fell in love with the writing but couldn't continue - I'm a massive sook lol. I wanted to leave a review but I didn't exactly know how that would be taken. Like "Hey, love your writing, but can't continue because I can't do death fics", kind of like a slap in the face. I hope she writes stuff more my genre though!
Julie, I wouldn't read romance, I wouldn't read storylines with one of the main characters being dead the whole way through and I wouldn't read a a fic with AJ or Brian as the lead (sorry guys). I did read a Brian centred story once, but I never finished it. I have never read a romance but I have read stories where romance is in there but it's not the main theme. I stumbled on mpreg once when I was reading HP fics - that was weird lol and kinda funny.
RokofAges75:
Mpreg is one subgenre I just don't really "get." I feel like I may have stumbled across that in HP fanfic first, too, before I ever saw it in BSB, but I may be remembering wrong. There's a lot of weird stuff on fanfiction.net LOL.
I don't think there's anything I absolutely won't read, though I find things like mpreg and slash hard to take seriously. The suspension of disbelief factor prevents me from fully enjoying those storylines.
I always used to think I would never be able to get into an AU, but I've found that when an AU is well-written and the Boys are portrayed as the same guys we love who just happen to be living different lives, I can buy into it. "Between the Lines" is the story that changed my mind about AU, though it took me at least two tries to really give that one a chance.
I'm also not a big fan of sci-fi or fantasy, but every once in awhile I come across one that is well-written and interesting without being too "out there" for me to enjoy. "On Nightingale Hill" comes to mind.
I will read romance if there is a bigger, more interesting storyline to accompany it, or if the characters are so compelling that I actually don't mind just reading about their relationship - a rarity for me, but it has been known to happen. My favorite fanfic is "Cover Me With Dreams," which is Romance with a capital R, but it has the right combination of good writing, dynamic characters, subplots, and plenty of drama to keep me interested. That one changed the way I viewed romance.
I also don't usually read Kevin or Howie-centered stories, but I will if they're paired with Brian or Nick (in a non-slashy way) or maybe if it's a medical drama.
mare:
I have pretty much tried just about everything, even if I didn't make it all the way through them. I noticed that when I have to do too much suspension of belief while reading, it ends up being something I don't enjoy and for me that's M-preg, slash, sci-fi fantasy and AU. But in every genre, there have been some standouts just because of the writing. Which brings the point that no matter what the genre, if it's truly well written and the characters are dynamic enough, you'll get readers. Case in point, "Yesterday's Blue Skies" which is a sci-fi AU. Love that one!
There are several things I shy away from but if they are written by people I know to be very talented I'm more apt to click on it then I am by people who I have never heard of. Starting that reading challenge was the smartest thing I have ever done for this forum I think. I know I would have never checked out Emily's stuff and I would have missed out on her great writing style for one.
I know from experience that AJ and Brian bore me to tears in most fanfics so I tend to stay away from stories where they are the main characters. In fact, the same can be said for Howie. Nick, Kevin or group fics are the ones I enjoy the best no matter what genre. It's more about the boy. Romance as long as it's boy centered and not girl centered I am more apt to at least try depending on the author. And all the boys have to be in it, not just the one.
AU I avoid unless the boys are brothers or all doing the same thing as five people and not scattered all over the place. If they aren't portrayed as their real ages (like making Nick the oldest and Kevin the youngest or all of them quintuplets etc..) I'm not interested. I do get the fun of writing those kinds of stories because I do it myself and it really gives you freedom as a writer to be uber creative but as a reader, I skip them. Although the exception is "On The Rails." I LOVE that story and it has everything I hate! But again, the writing is so strong it's worth it.
I also stay away from overly gory or angsty stories where it involves a death. (I really am picky lol) but again, if they are really well written I'm on board, minus the gore. I'll never be on board with gore! Maybe a random scene at the most but not an entire story.
I guess I feel the same way about comedy too. That one's a tricky genre because it can so easily go the way of too stupid. I'm more of a dramedy person.
Oh and also...
LMAO kidding. I think by now we have all established that I'm a picky reader.
mare:
--- Quote from: jess20 on March 14, 2014, 10:38:11 PM ---Mare, I know which story you're talking about. I read the first chapter, absolutely fell in love with the writing but couldn't continue - I'm a massive sook lol. I wanted to leave a review but I didn't exactly know how that would be taken. Like "Hey, love your writing, but can't continue because I can't do death fics", kind of like a slap in the face. I hope she writes stuff more my genre though!
Julie, I wouldn't read romance, I wouldn't read storylines with one of the main characters being dead the whole way through and I wouldn't read a a fic with AJ or Brian as the lead (sorry guys). I did read a Brian centred story once, but I never finished it. I have never read a romance but I have read stories where romance is in there but it's not the main theme. I stumbled on mpreg once when I was reading HP fics - that was weird lol and kinda funny.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I know what you mean, Jess. I am always second guessing myself when it comes to leaving reviews like that which is another great question I think.
If you commit to reading something and just stop, do you bother to explain to the author why? Or do you just kind of shrug it off? Because I know for me as the author I'll spend so much time wondering why people who always reviewed just suddenly stopped, it sometimes sucks the fun out of it for me. I personally would love someone to come in and say something like that in a review. If for no other reason, I'm not left hanging and wondering why. I know that's just me but what do some of you think?
I have done it for some and for others I have just stopped with no explanation.
RokofAges75:
I usually don't leave reviews to explain why I won't be leaving any more reviews. If I stop reading or fall behind because I'm busy or because the author updates so infrequently that it's hard to follow the story, I'll tell the author that, but I don't think I've ever left a review that was like, "I just don't like this anymore" or "I've lost interest." Maybe I should?
I dunno, have any of you ever gotten reviews like that? If so, do you appreciate knowing the truth, even if the truth hurts?
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