![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
We discussed this on IM last night, and thought it was worth throwing out for conversation. My musing is such: I've bought and read some of those 'erotica anthologies', and for the most part, they bore me to tears. So I've been wondering if there's a component of having an attachment to a character that adds to the enjoyment of such fic. As in: I find I enjoy 'adult' fanfic with a character I know and care about more than the 'professional' sorts of stories found in published anthologies. With many of those, it's virtually nameless and faceless and I just don't care enough about the participants for the story to be satisfying on any level. Obviously, there are exceptions. but generally speaking that seems to be the pattern.
Thoughts?
And here's hoping the other participants of last night's conversation share their thoughts.
Thoughts?
And here's hoping the other participants of last night's conversation share their thoughts.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-25 07:14 pm (UTC)From:My point was that you don't know it wasn't missed either.
The implied anonymity used in the story emphasized the invasion of privacy (at least to me)
My point was that it's a) only implied not text, and b) that you chose to interpret it in one particular way.
The descriptions of the men in the photos, however, led the readers to assume that the writer was talking about Duncan and Methos so there was no projection on my part or anyone else's.
First, if it couldn't have been anything other than Duncan/Methos slash than that's what it was. Second, if it's something that has to be assumed by the reader rather than stated, the reader has to project a pairing.
Do I need an emotional commitment going in? Absolutely not.
By your own further examples, you may not need one in the characters in a story from the start, but you do need to make an emotional commitment. You didn't start watching SG1 until you'd become invested through the fanfics you'd read. You didn't get Pirates until the recommendations of friends had gotten you emotionally invested. You aren't emotionally detached from your entertainment. If you were you not only couldn't enjoy good work you couldn't be disappointed by bad work.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-25 11:30 pm (UTC)From:My point was that you don't know it wasn't missed either.
No, I don't. Which is why I emailed Jay and asked. I also give her the link to this discussion so that she can add her two cents worth if she's so inclined. I'm still waiting to hear back from her.
The implied anonymity used in the story emphasized the invasion of privacy (at least to me)
My point was that it's a) only implied not text, and b) that you chose to interpret it in one particular way.
Yes, I did and so did the other readers. Jay did nothing to correct that interpretation so either we were right or she's holding her cards very close.
The descriptions of the men in the photos, however, led the readers to assume that the writer was talking about Duncan and Methos so there was no projection on my part or anyone else's.
First, if it couldn't have been anything other than Duncan/Methos slash than that's what it was. Second, if it's something that has to be assumed by the reader rather than stated, the reader has to project a pairing.
Given the descriptions of the men and the clues in the text, it was logical to assume that the writer was referring to Duncan and Methos. Deductive reasoning rather than projection.
Do I need an emotional commitment going in? Absolutely not.
By your own further examples, you may not need one in the characters in a story from the start, but you do need to make an emotional commitment. You aren't emotionally detached from your entertainment. If you were you not only couldn't enjoy good work and you couldn't be disappointed by bad work.
Exactly. I don't need one going in. If I'm emotionally engaged by the time I'm done, then I'll come back for more. If not, I won't. I never said otherwise. The Da Vinci Code pissed me off so badly with its poor research and stilted writing that I gave it to my mother, who loved it. But after 26 years, I still go back to Dorothy Dunnett's The Lymond Chronicles at least once a year. Every time I get to Don Luis, I laugh my ass off and when I get to the chess game, I sob and want to scream at the fates. And yet in all these years, I've only managed to get one person past the first fifty pages of the first book. To each their own.
I don't need emotional commitment going in. I do need it coming out if I'm ever going to come back.