"Label me this"
06 / 16 / 02
General
First, I must say that I thoroughly enjoy all of Morgan D's CCS fics. That being said, I can't agree with the reasoning used in her argument against using the deathfic label. Here, she says that, "You can predict by the synopsis (and if not, by the beginning of the story) where a fic is heading and what kind of mood surrounds it. And if you're the kind of reader who likes to peep the last page of the book before reading it to make sure there's a happy ending ahead, you can scroll down the pages and do the same with the fics. Have in mind that no one's pointing a gun at your head to force you to read anything. If you see something that it's definitely not your cup of tea, that's why the 'Back' links are for, and so is the 'Back' command up in your browser and so is clicking ALT + <-, and so is asking your navigation bar to go somewhere else..."
I agree with using the back link, but not with the parts of synopsis and mood, etc. The problem with this is you have some writers who will deliberately try and project one kind of mood, then slam the death in there as a way of shocking/surprising the reader. And because this can take place at any time, not just the end of the fic, the unwary reader has no clue until it's too late.
And sometimes, it's not even the death, but the manner in which they died. Because I was not at all happy to read a part of a fic that had left all the warnings in the first part, which I didn't get in my email, and come to find Hidaka Ken being eviscerated by Farfarello.
No, not happy, and not warned.
Sometimes there isn't a synopsis to be had. How many times can you count going to ff.net and reading something along the lines of "PLEASE R&R" in the summary? Tells you a lot, doesn't it? /¬.¬\
No, I don't need to know every single detail about a fic before I read it. I don't even need to know the pairings (sometimes I might only be looking for a specific type, but I can deal). And while graphic sex doesn't bother me, some people (who are of legal age) still squirm and/or blush.
Frankly, my preferred labeling system (for the extreme basic) runs along the lines of using the American Movie rating system, and warning of either Sap, Sex, or Death. I only write yaoi and shounen-ai, and I leave that label somewhere on the frontpage. If a person goes through, they do so knowing what's beyond the next click.
As for not reading a wonderful story because it's got a deathfic label, I have to say that's opinion. I personally don't find any deathfic story 'wonderful'. Not to say that they all suck. I know there are some beautifully written stories that simply involve the death of a character. I just don't happen to like reading of any character (save the villain) dying.
So it all falls back into opinion. What I myself don't like is reading an unlabeled deathfic that gives no hints, and no foreshadowing, of it being a deathfic.
Finally, I don't think it's too much, wanting the fics I read to end in happy endings, since fates know I'm not getting it IRL. I'm not saying everyone has to write a happy ending. Perish the thought and write what you (general you) want. But a little warning before I 'open a book' is nice.
Sorry, spammers forced my hand. Comments reviewed before being published.
Comments: 1 wind
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*applause applause*
**whistles**
Here, here!
( 7:23 pm )