rusty_halo (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rusty_halo) wrote2003-02-27 01:15 am
rusty_halo) wrote2003-02-27 01:15 am
Entry tags:
randomness
Tonight I'm in a good mood. My website is working normally again (it went through another periodic, inexplicable *slowness* this weekend). It's making me happy to just click random links on the page and watch the pages *actually load*. I get so upset when the site stops working (considering the amount of time I put into it, I guess that makes sense). I still don't know what the source of the problem is, but I'm trying to figure it out before this happens again.
Lets see ... I'm also in a good mood because "Storyteller" was awesome. I was almost entirely unspoiled (no wildfeed, no downloaded clips, I just knew the Spike scenes 'cause I'd read them in spoilers weeks ago). The opening sequence was absolutely hilarious; I was watching it with my roommate and we both totally cracked up. Then the "gods" bit ... oh my. That was one of the best moments of the series, ever. Wow. Hehehe.
I like that the episode had layers; that on one hand it was incredibly funny, but on the other hand there was real depth, particularly in the ending scene of Andrew turning off the camera after he realizes that life isn't a story. I love how the comedic bits played around with ideas of perception, subjectivity, narrative structure, lots of postmodern stuff. It raises so many fascinating ideas if you really get into it; I love how BtVS can be so fun on the surface and so thought provoking the more you explore it.
After "Buffy," Jane insisted that we watch "Smallville" because Christopher Reeve was going to be on. I'd never seen it before, but I thought it was pretty interesting (according to Jane this was one of the better episodes, so maybe I wouldn't be as impressed normally). I *totally* get the Clark/Lex fans now. The guy who plays Clark is such a bland prettyboy, though, and his parents seemed really boring. I probably won't watch it again, but I did like the episode.
I got through a bunch of fic this weekend. Unfortunately I ended up deciding not to archive a lot of stories that were submitted. I feel really, really terrible when I reject a story. It's like the antithesis of what I'm trying to do with the site; I want to *encourage* interest in fanfiction. I want to showcase good fic so that people will realize the possibilities of the medium and be encouraged to read and/or write it. (I've given it a lot of thought and I do consider fanfic to be as legitimate of an art form as anything else, although that's a whole 'nother post to explain). But at the same time, I have neither the time nor the inclination to archive stories that I don't actually like, or that I think aren't up to par for whatever reason. I try to be as polite and encouraging as possible when I reject a story; I send info on beta readers, other archives, my own feedback on the story, etc. I spend a lot of time on it because I want to be fair to everyone and I don't want to make arbitrary decisions. It makes me really uncomfortable to judge someone's story. I'm not an expert on writing; what gives me the right to determine the worthiness of a particular story? I mean, I know there are many other archives out there and that most people couldn't care less what I think, but at the same time, when I decide whether to archive a story I decide whether or not it'll be exposed to thousands of people. I certainly don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make the wrong decision or discourage someone from writing.
Ack. Pressure.
Lets see ... I'm also in a good mood because "Storyteller" was awesome. I was almost entirely unspoiled (no wildfeed, no downloaded clips, I just knew the Spike scenes 'cause I'd read them in spoilers weeks ago). The opening sequence was absolutely hilarious; I was watching it with my roommate and we both totally cracked up. Then the "gods" bit ... oh my. That was one of the best moments of the series, ever. Wow. Hehehe.
I like that the episode had layers; that on one hand it was incredibly funny, but on the other hand there was real depth, particularly in the ending scene of Andrew turning off the camera after he realizes that life isn't a story. I love how the comedic bits played around with ideas of perception, subjectivity, narrative structure, lots of postmodern stuff. It raises so many fascinating ideas if you really get into it; I love how BtVS can be so fun on the surface and so thought provoking the more you explore it.
After "Buffy," Jane insisted that we watch "Smallville" because Christopher Reeve was going to be on. I'd never seen it before, but I thought it was pretty interesting (according to Jane this was one of the better episodes, so maybe I wouldn't be as impressed normally). I *totally* get the Clark/Lex fans now. The guy who plays Clark is such a bland prettyboy, though, and his parents seemed really boring. I probably won't watch it again, but I did like the episode.
I got through a bunch of fic this weekend. Unfortunately I ended up deciding not to archive a lot of stories that were submitted. I feel really, really terrible when I reject a story. It's like the antithesis of what I'm trying to do with the site; I want to *encourage* interest in fanfiction. I want to showcase good fic so that people will realize the possibilities of the medium and be encouraged to read and/or write it. (I've given it a lot of thought and I do consider fanfic to be as legitimate of an art form as anything else, although that's a whole 'nother post to explain). But at the same time, I have neither the time nor the inclination to archive stories that I don't actually like, or that I think aren't up to par for whatever reason. I try to be as polite and encouraging as possible when I reject a story; I send info on beta readers, other archives, my own feedback on the story, etc. I spend a lot of time on it because I want to be fair to everyone and I don't want to make arbitrary decisions. It makes me really uncomfortable to judge someone's story. I'm not an expert on writing; what gives me the right to determine the worthiness of a particular story? I mean, I know there are many other archives out there and that most people couldn't care less what I think, but at the same time, when I decide whether to archive a story I decide whether or not it'll be exposed to thousands of people. I certainly don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make the wrong decision or discourage someone from writing.
Ack. Pressure.
no subject
If it makes you feel any better, I'll share the experience I had. I did a fair amount of writing in XF Land, and then I became a Buffy fan. The first Buffy fanfic I wrote, the beta reader I found said that I didn't have the character voices right and said I needed to watch more episodes/read some transcripts. Since I had been watching the show since season 2, and had been a rabid fan since season 6, I was a bit annoyed at this comment.
I chose to go ahead and post the story anyway. And I kept writing. I realized that it was just her opinion, and that wasn't the be-all and end-all in the fanfic world. I was writing fanfic for fun, and while I think I've gotten better at it, you have to start somewhere and you have to remember that it's for fun.
I don't think one person can discourage you from writing. Or 20. It's when no one takes an interest in your work that you're defeated. So the fact that you're so willing to offer suggestions, provide your feedback, is representing a great service, IMHO.
no subject
I know most people don't care whether I archive their stories or not, but sometimes a new writer will send their first story and really seem to care whether I archive it. I guess the best I can do is be as encouraging as possible.
I suppose there's not really an answer to this, I'm basically just venting because I feel uncomfortable with the situation. Like I have a degree of influence (to some people) that I didn't earn and don't really deserve. I don't know.
Just thinking out loud (or, onscreen).