Visits to my site peaked in May 2003, with the BtVS series finale and the publicity surrounding it. Visits then went steadily down until they perked up again in October 2003, when Spike returned on AtS. Visits then proceeded to go steadily down once again, which suggests to me that AtS began losing Spike fans almost right away. Though it could just mean that they went to another site that archives more Spuffy. ;)

The extreme decrease in site visits (I'm getting about 70% as many visits now as I got in May 2003) is probably due to several factors:

1. General decrease of interest in Buffy fandom when the series ended.

2. Summer lull -- even those people who returned for Angel in fall were likely to lose interest over the summer.

3. I stopped archiving most works in progress, which used to bring in the most visitors. (I stopped mostly because I couldn't keep track of them all, and a lot of them took directions halfway-through that didn't work well for my site, so I figured it's best to wait until a story is finished even if it does mean many fewer site visitors.)

4. I started archiving more slash. I got a lot of complaints over this. Stupid homophobia.

5. I started archiving less Spike/Buffy. Most Spike fic readers mostly read Spike/Buffy.

I do still archive S/B regularly, btw, just not as often as I used to, and the S/B I archive tends to be angsty rather than fluffy. This is because
- fewer people are writing good S/B; a lot of writers have just moved on
- I'm not interested in S/B and don't read it for enjoyment; I'll only read it if I respect the writer or if someone actively submits it to my site
- Warning: Spuffy bitching. Stop reading now if it will upset you. Just my personal opinion, etc. I absolutely do not buy that post-S6 Buffy could possibly have loved, cared about, or valued Spike on his own terms without vast amounts of therapy and personal-growth. All canonical evidence indicates that he was simply a useful thing to her and that she was pathologically incapable of recognizing the value of anyone but herself or someone who does something for her. She might have missed his constant boot-licking post-"Chosen," but she sure as hell didn't miss him, and I'm certain she's not mourning him. I get really sick of the sappy fluffy Buffy-as-Mary-Sue, crying her eyes out missing her twu wuv Spike, wish-fulfillment Spuffy. (Even though I'll still, very occasionally, archive it if it's written very well otherwise.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I check your site every evening, looking for new fanfic. I enjoy most pairings, though some do GACK me. And, honestly, when GACKED, it's usually because of the story, or the ages of the couple. (For example, most S/D leaves me cold, cold, cold. However, I am currently enjoying wisteria's Antiquities, because Dawn is in her late 20's, no longer a teen-ager.

For me, one of the best things about Joss Whedon's characters is that they are so adaptable, so real, so credible in so many situations, with so many different people, on either a het/slash pairing.

My first readings of fanfic were S/B, then I tentatively branched out to S/A, then to S/X, and now I will read any pairing as long as it's well-written and the writer has the "voice" of the characters spot on.
I have tried reading B/A (at other sites), but that pairing generally leaves me pretty cold. And, I mean, what can they DO? It's a teen romance between a 15-18 year old and her 26 year old vampire boyfriend, and they can't ever get it on or he goes evil. Where can they go from there? Not big with the C/A either. Not big with Cordy past season 2-1/2 anyway. (I do like the Gwen/Angel pairing, however. a lot. and, if it had been developed better on the show, I could've easily gone for A/K.)

I think most readers of fanfic of Buffy/Angel series want to read more about their favorite 'ship. I think too, that for 5 years the B/S ship has been sailing happily. Now that the show is over and Spike is on AtS, and SMG is not gonna be on AtS anytime this millennium, the B/S shippers are not just in limbo; the ship has sailed away. And, as of Damage, so are the B/A shippers. Result? more "unconventional" shipping will be desired!

I enjoy reading B/S fanfic in all seasons. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent. Why? because they are interesting characters and their energy, their chemistry lives on the page.

Same with S/A. Lots of chemistry there. Also, their relationship involves matters of power,albeit differently manifested than the power plays of B/S. I also think the popularity of shows like QAF has helped the slash ships to sail -in all its manifestations. It's interesting to note who is currently writing slash that's also a watcher of QAF and maybe wriiting QAF fanfic.

Spike/Xander doesn't cut it too much for me, although I do read it. In fact, I consider Modus Vivendi, it's sequel, and Bus Stop Boxer to be among the best fanfic out there. of any fic. Just well written, compelling characters, great plots. just. so. well. worth. the time.

I also enjoy reading Spike/Faith, Spike/Fred, even though I know it won't be canon. Spike/Willow has no appeal for me. Don't know why; just doesn't. Most of what I've read that's S/W has been too dark and way too "un-credible". Same for Spike/Tara, although there's a good novel, Quiet as a Mouse, which is totally AU, extremely AU, yet, the writer took the main characters, stretched a bit, and wrote a good fantasy novel. So...for THIS sitch, I bought the S/T.

I particularly enjoyed a Spike/Anne pairing, but only 1 story with that ship. I've been looking for Spike/Gwen, but no go.

This rambling, late night comment was just to let you know that I appreciate reading ALL the pairings, and yes, Buffy and Spike, too. Spuffy-stuff can be highly enjoyable, especially since Buffy and Spike are so bendable. Bitchy!Buffy/Spike can be good reading, as can RemorsefulandLoving!Buffy/Spike. The important thing, for me, is that _I_ know which Buffy & which Spike are being cast in the story.

You've got the best archive on the Net; you've got beaucoup de tales; they are easy to find (not just pairing, author, title, but, whoa: time period, episode,etc.). In fact, allaboutspike is not first in my fanfic bookmarks because of the alphabet; it's because of the diversity, the size, the quality of the writing, and the ease of finding what I may be looking for at any given time.

Needless to say, I appreciate the time that you take to find good stories, cross-index them, maintain diversity in 'ships, and occasionally produce stats that leave me with a drool and a thud. (social scientist here: standard issue science nerd.)

thanks for the postings. You made my day.

Babbling about site stats

no subject