King of your castle, baby

[lyssie]

So, anyway, this was something that occured to me earlier today, and I'm not sure I'm even going to put it properly into words that will make sense.

I'm involved in a few communities where the point is to hold up a fic and mock it. And, inevitably, there comes a time when said communities are brought under fire because, OMG, we shouldn't mock, we should be HELPING these people who can't graps a spellcheck much less properly lay out a sentence or spell their main character's name correctly.

And I want to know: why? why do we have some sort of obligation to help them?

I seem to recall, in fact, people doing beta-duty for the likes of Maria Cline (*sniffle of nostalgia*) and their efforts being TOTALLY IGNORED by her. So, what makes these people who demand (and mock us for being OMG SO HIGH SCHOOL) think that if we did have an obligation to make them better writers that they'd improve anyway?

Not only that, but isn't it a little arrogant to demand that we help them? And I'd feel patronized if someone from a fic-mocking community wanted to help me 'make my story better'.

As a side-note, to the people who claim all we do all day is search tirelessly for bad fic just to mock it: wtf? Do you people truly believe we bother to waste time on this shit? I have much better things to do than that. But if I hit upon a fic that IS shitty, I feel no compunction to not post it.


In other news, I felt the need to make a list of the BSG pairings I've written so far:
Lee/Laura
Roslin/Adama
Kara/Lee
Kara/Six
Kara/Baltar
Dualla/Cally
Kara/Helo/Lee
Six/Tyrol
Gaeta/Baltar
Six/Baltar
Boomer/Helo
Boomer/Six/Boomer
Kara/Zak
Kara/Helo
Kara/Sam Carter
Kara/Leoben (as soon as I finish it)

...huh. It is kind of a lot. *pairing whore*

Also, I need to know if I should write a sequel to this: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2244385/1/ as someone gave me feedback that asked for more.

Hrm.

Comments

[ilanala]

Do people really not realize that you don't have to look for badfic? Even if you try to avoid it, it will find you. Just join one community or mailing list, and voilà. And really, there's some stuff that's beyond saving even if the author is willing to try to improve. I've attempted to beta some really horrible things, and sometimes I just stop and think, "This is so bad it's not even worth editing because there's nothing I can do to make it not suck".

Umm, yes. I'm ranting again. I should stop doing that in response to every ranty post I see.

That's an impressive pairing list. Is it only in BSG that you're such a pairing whore, or even in fandoms where you have more of an OTP?

[nique.livejournal.com]

You know, that position cracks me up. Because those that actualy want to make their fics better? Generally ask. Apparently, people who go on about our duty to HEL bad authors fail to realize that a vast majority of bad writers do not care that their writing is shit. I hold up the common "It's just for FUN! I doesn't have to resembvle proper usage of the English language, OMG!" responce one frequently gets from bad writers as evidence.

Have they somehow not noticed the number of people who have fits over constructive critisizm in their FF.N reviews or what?

And if the writers don't want to improve, then we have the right to make fun of them for sucking.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

And I know that people can improve. I mean, hell, the whole point of continuing to write is to refine your craft (or something like that)... arr. Er.

Ranting is fine. ;)

*checks* Er... Apparently not. *sigh* I am, as always, fandom's bitch.

[nique.livejournal.com]

And I should have spell checked that. Yes, I'm a moron.

[ilanala]

I am, as always, fandom's bitch.

Yes, well, there are far worse things to be. You could be the village fandom idiot.

(Or, wait, did you mean...nevermind. My brain has lost the ability to parse sentences and will now shut down. *error message*)

[lavidaessueno.livejournal.com]

A while back, someone recommended to the S/J list a fic in which the author failed to spell "Jack" properly.

Throughout the entire story.

As far as I'm concerned, that's a wide-open invitation to mock not only the fic and its author, but the person who recommended it. Mock-the-fic communities wouldn't exist if there weren't mockworthy fics out there. And really, which is more high school, not being literate in one's native language or mocking those who aren't?

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I could. And you got the sentence parsed right. *g*

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

...that just... Dude. That's really sad.

It is. It's someone begging to be mocked. Really. *cackles*

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

As far as concrit goes (and I think that's such a silly name, btw), so many people ignore you if you make a gentle suggestion, only to turn around and accuse you of flaming them if you're a little firmer. It's a no-win situation (and yet some people do respond favourably, so I'm just being gloomy).

I suppose that browsing ff.net is the same as deliberately seeking badfic, in a way. Hrm

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

Oh, I read your "Walking Wounded" (and the reviews) and I'm so jealous! *wails* You've managed to find the most stupid people on the planet to review you - kawai is especially worthy of that title for contradicting herself magnificently. (And yes, the contrast between A/N and actual fic is beautiful)

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

Also (reminds self that comment spam is love) Please update soon, I can't wait to see where you go with it. begs the answer, the morgue. I mean, surely it's self-explanatory? *head-wall*

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Part of that is because Kawaii was quoting my own review of her (his?) 'Splitting Realities', a fic that has Jack jumping to an AU where he proceeds to get THAT Carter pregnant ('cause, they're MARRIED THERE), and then comes back and gets HIS Carter pregnant. And it's painfully-written sex, and there's just...

oh, god, it's bad.

But, er, yes... The a/n was deliberately left un-changed... And at least one misspelling was thrown in to make it authentic. *coughs* I blame Kym.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

The morgue! Yes.

HAHAHahahaha! I can do an Angsty!Lee songific, with him gazing sadly at her body and then shooting himself in the head (OMG it's Romeo and Juliet!)

You are a genius.

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

"I was too busy feasting on my mind-candy"? "You're just so Manly and Commanding"? Not to mention "the couples desperate osculations" (the least sexy way of describing a kiss EVER). Honey, you were restrained.

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am, obviously. *twirls* but you're not allowed to write fic till you finish your website. *prods*

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, but this fills me with delight and I can't restrain myself (or stop laughing, for that matter).

"IM BOARED!" I said to the security Camera that stared stoically down at me with it's one glaring red light.

[shadowserenity.livejournal.com]

You're writing Kara/Leoben?! Glorious! I want to try to combine Kara/Leoben with Helo/Boomer. It can be done!

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think the inherent nature of a true badfic writer is the urgent desire NOT to get better or change. They just don't care and it shows. If a writer shows promise, they usually get better on their own.

I think the mocking is more helpful to established authors trying to evolve. You read mockage and you realize how ridiculous some scenarios are. Hell, I've even picked up grammar tips from mockage.

I suffer guilt and feel its mean to a point, but on the other hand... some people are just asking for it, I swear to God.

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

Hmm... Would that misspelling be gaul rather than gall? :P I truly enjoyed the image of a little Frenchman in a beret, smoking a thin cigarette. :P

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

OH! It could be all descriptive of Kara's body in the morgue and you could put in a snippet about how she's been reunited with Leoben!

I guess it wouldn't be much on dialogue, but hey!

OH! And then you could have Lee being all jealous of Leoben, too!

I am so going to hell. :P

[centerspire.livejournal.com]

Umm...I think it's already been said, but I think "Walking Wounded" ended rather nicely (well, angsty, but you know what I mean) and with a lot of...what's that called??? Oh yeah, finality.

It's very nice, btw, too bad you get the crackhead reviewers.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

Well, the original wasn't much on dialogue. But, omg! The Leoben connection! I hadn't even thought about it... heheheheh.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

Yup. Liz demanded it a while back. And it's kinda angsty/violent/hot, so I can't help but want to write it.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I think the mocking is more helpful to established authors trying to evolve. You read mockage and you realize how ridiculous some scenarios are.

Yes! And, dude, it's not like I don't know that there's stuff I've written that was just awful, but, but... At least I could spell. hah. Er...

I used to feel guilt. After a while, I can't.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

er, thank you.

I'm just sad I didn't get more crackhead reviews

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

I'm just sad I didn't get more crackhead reviews

If you really want more crackhead reviews, maybe you could do some really snarky reviews on some of their fics. :P

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

Good point.

[livilla.livejournal.com]

You are a pairing whore. But I love you for it, coz I got Lyssie!written Roslin/Adama.

*loves muchly*

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Good to know. ;)