Fanfics - author and reader's POV

[katikat]

Fanfiction, love it. Love to read it and love to write it. But on both sides of this fanfic-y fence I encounter problems...

As an author: My biggest problem is keeping the characters IC - in-character - in h/c and/or angsty fics. The hurt!part is easy, even their reaction to said hurt. But what about the comfort? What's too little, what's too much? What's still IC and what's already OOC - out-of-character? How far can you go and still keep the characters recognizable?

I mean, take for example Supernatural - that one is quite easy. Basically, everything goes XP We've seen both Sam and Dean hurt, we've seen them cry and hug and take care each other - so, as long as the author avoids stupid pet names, everything else goes.

But what about White Collar? Several times we've seen Neal go all teary-eyed and/or scared, but so far, there hasn't been any serious h/c on the show. I mean, Neal is the resident damsel in distress and Peter's usual reaction to "Neal in peril" is anger - at Rice, at Fowler... But I'm not sure how Peter would react if he had to actually comfort someone - his "cowboy up" speech suggests that he would not go all mushy, so... We need more data!

As a reader: My pet-peeve? OOC behavior. Cringe-worthy pet names - that one hurts. I just can't imagine Peter calling Neal "my boy" or whatnot, yowza! /o\ I mean, Peter barely calls Elizabeth "honey"!

Another thing - when I read a fic and the description just doesn't fit. How did character A and character B get from the kitchen into the living room? Or when they are in a certain position together - like sitting on a couch and hugging - and I just can't imagine it, no matter how many times I read the description. Is he leaning against her with his back? If so, then how can she be hugging him like that?

A short while ago, I read a fic that many people had raved about - and I could barely get through it. In it, El was standing at the foot of the stairs, Neal and Peter were upstairs, but suddenly, El was leading Neal towards the couch. How did he get downstairs? When? While he and Peter were arguing? I need the author to tell me that, to walk me through it, even if in just a few short words!

So, what's your problems and/or pet-peeves?

Comments

[asta77.livejournal.com]

I think some of this might also be due to the writers not realizing what Neal in a maximum security prison would have gone through. They're trying to keep the show light and fluffy - but there are some rather serious implications they they obviously didn't consider.

I'm sure it crossed the writers minds what Neal would have actually gone through and they just opted to (no pun intended) white wash it. The tone of the show is light and fun, for the most part, and they just don't want to deal with the ramifications of Neal being a rape victim, which he almost certainly would have been in a maximum security prison. Actually, if he had been in a super max (which the prison we saw was most definitely not) he may have been spared any sort of brutalization because he would have been completely isolated 24 hours a day.

I've come up with a scenario in my own mind as to what Neal had to (or didn't have to) deal with in prison and why, but since I may use it in a fic some day I'm going to refrain from elaborating. I will say that, even if I were to assume Neal was raped, I don't have any desire to read about it. Fic, for me, is fun and escapism and seeing the characters and relationships explored in a way we likely never will on the show. The last thing I want to read about is Neal or any character being raped. I can't even watch most episodes of L&O: SVU. ;/

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that they decided to white-wash it on the show - dealing with rape and especially male rape (which is for some unfathomable reason even more controversial) just wouldn't fit the show. All the more canon fodder for fanfics. I love to read light, angst-free fics - but sometimes I like it when the fic authors decide to take a more realistic, darker route than the show.