I need to rant.
Feb. 25th, 2007 02:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rensahannouHmm. No angry icon to go with a rant. Ah well.
I don't rant as well as KY does, but I just. Have. To say. SOMETHING.
Topic: Arbitrary pairings and lack of decent characterization, specifically in TeniMyu RPS.
A disclaimer first, because I'm excessively paranoid about offending someone -- I don't mean this as a personal attack in any way, shape, or form. I'm just frustrated and confused, and it has to get out somehow. So, here we go.
Okay. I understand the appeal in just sticking two guys together because you think it'd be cute or hot or funny, I really do. And I understand crack for its own sake.
What I don't understand is completely ignoring the actors themselves just to make them fit into an arbitrary pairing. They aren't your characters -- they aren't characters at all. They're PEOPLE.
And yes, all fanfiction is fiction, that's why it's called that, yes, I know this. But what's the point in writing fanfiction if you're just going to make up personalities for the people involved?
But that's not even what bothers me, really. What bothers me is claiming to love these actors, and then...just writing whatever you want about them. They're not just pretty faces and nice bodies, they have personalities and lives and histories, friends and families, likes and dislikes, quirky habits and interesting hobbies. They are not their characters, they are not cardboard cut-outs or paper dolls -- they are real, living and breathing people, and if you claim to truly love them, truly respect them, how can you feel good about ignoring them as a person when you write them?
And yes, we don't know everything about any of these guys. That's what's fun about it, imagining and pretending and saying what-if. But at the heart of all of this are the actors themselves.
If you think the pairing you're writing actually has merit, show it. Show us why you can see these two guys together, why we should see your side of things, even if we can't bring ourselves to agree.
I just -- I don't know. Maybe I'm spoiled. Until very recently, I really hadn't read much in the way of RPS other than TutixNagayan, and that fandom was built pretty much from the ground up by a few very dedicated, very talented girls. The foundation has already been laid for the pairing now, so it's easier for new fans to start writing fics.
Or maybe I'm just weird. I just...can't imagine writing one of the actors I love without wanting to get it as right as possible. I was nervous about writing TxN for a while, because I didn't want to disappoint the fandom, or disrespect the actors themselves. I want my TxN fics to celebrate and explore their relationship, to show how perfect I think they are for each other. And I started writing a fic about Setomaru -- I got a few paragraphs in and stopped. I want to finish it eventually, but it will probably take a while, because I so desperately want to do the boy justice. I want that fic to let everyone else see why I love him so much, and maybe show them why they should love him too.
Maybe...that's just the way I see writing? As feeling strongly about the characters, and wanting to get those feelings across to the readers. That doesn't change, no matter what I'm writing -- something original, fanfiction about anime characters or real people.
*sigh* I don't know. It's probably a hopeless cause, but, I just...wish...everyone would try, really and truly try, when they write fics. I realize for a lot of people it's nothing more than a simple hobby, a way to pass the time or share something they thought of. But...even if it's something you're not serious about...
Hmm. It's like -- like drawing stick figures and trying to pass them off as serious art. Stick figures have their place, and they can be excellent ways to show humor and such. I ♥ stick figures.
"Stick-figure fics" have their place as well. But...don't expect people to appreciate, respect or love a pairing you write if all you're doing is drawing stick figures.
Moral of the story -- if you love your pairing, show it. If you love the actors, act like it. And if you love writing, put some effort into it.
Phew. Okay. I think I feel a little better now. ♥
I don't rant as well as KY does, but I just. Have. To say. SOMETHING.
Topic: Arbitrary pairings and lack of decent characterization, specifically in TeniMyu RPS.
A disclaimer first, because I'm excessively paranoid about offending someone -- I don't mean this as a personal attack in any way, shape, or form. I'm just frustrated and confused, and it has to get out somehow. So, here we go.
Okay. I understand the appeal in just sticking two guys together because you think it'd be cute or hot or funny, I really do. And I understand crack for its own sake.
What I don't understand is completely ignoring the actors themselves just to make them fit into an arbitrary pairing. They aren't your characters -- they aren't characters at all. They're PEOPLE.
And yes, all fanfiction is fiction, that's why it's called that, yes, I know this. But what's the point in writing fanfiction if you're just going to make up personalities for the people involved?
But that's not even what bothers me, really. What bothers me is claiming to love these actors, and then...just writing whatever you want about them. They're not just pretty faces and nice bodies, they have personalities and lives and histories, friends and families, likes and dislikes, quirky habits and interesting hobbies. They are not their characters, they are not cardboard cut-outs or paper dolls -- they are real, living and breathing people, and if you claim to truly love them, truly respect them, how can you feel good about ignoring them as a person when you write them?
And yes, we don't know everything about any of these guys. That's what's fun about it, imagining and pretending and saying what-if. But at the heart of all of this are the actors themselves.
If you think the pairing you're writing actually has merit, show it. Show us why you can see these two guys together, why we should see your side of things, even if we can't bring ourselves to agree.
I just -- I don't know. Maybe I'm spoiled. Until very recently, I really hadn't read much in the way of RPS other than TutixNagayan, and that fandom was built pretty much from the ground up by a few very dedicated, very talented girls. The foundation has already been laid for the pairing now, so it's easier for new fans to start writing fics.
Or maybe I'm just weird. I just...can't imagine writing one of the actors I love without wanting to get it as right as possible. I was nervous about writing TxN for a while, because I didn't want to disappoint the fandom, or disrespect the actors themselves. I want my TxN fics to celebrate and explore their relationship, to show how perfect I think they are for each other. And I started writing a fic about Setomaru -- I got a few paragraphs in and stopped. I want to finish it eventually, but it will probably take a while, because I so desperately want to do the boy justice. I want that fic to let everyone else see why I love him so much, and maybe show them why they should love him too.
Maybe...that's just the way I see writing? As feeling strongly about the characters, and wanting to get those feelings across to the readers. That doesn't change, no matter what I'm writing -- something original, fanfiction about anime characters or real people.
*sigh* I don't know. It's probably a hopeless cause, but, I just...wish...everyone would try, really and truly try, when they write fics. I realize for a lot of people it's nothing more than a simple hobby, a way to pass the time or share something they thought of. But...even if it's something you're not serious about...
Hmm. It's like -- like drawing stick figures and trying to pass them off as serious art. Stick figures have their place, and they can be excellent ways to show humor and such. I ♥ stick figures.
"Stick-figure fics" have their place as well. But...don't expect people to appreciate, respect or love a pairing you write if all you're doing is drawing stick figures.
Moral of the story -- if you love your pairing, show it. If you love the actors, act like it. And if you love writing, put some effort into it.
Phew. Okay. I think I feel a little better now. ♥
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-26 08:42 am (UTC)However, I just wanted to say that I agree with everything you said above. ._.
I almost never read Tenimyu slash (mostly because my favourite pairing isn't very popular), but I have exactly the same problem as you when it comes to my favourite RPS pairing ever (points at icon). 90% of the fics I see is utter crap, and I've got no problem saying it, because it IS. I'm not asking for something awesome, but I'd like to see at least a decent characterization. I often ask myself "Am I really reading a JaeHo fic? Or did I just step into another fandom by accident? Because these two sure aren't anything like Jae and Yunho". Aside from the fact that you probably don't know the pairing, it's exactly the same thing. There are times I could cry, I swear. u.u
I'd like to write fics myself, even if I suck at it, but I never do because I feel I don't know them well enough to write them IC and do them justice....so it annoys me to no end seeing other "fans" who don't even bother with characterization. <.<
Sorry for the rant. ;__;