{"id":2571,"date":"2013-07-21T19:15:47","date_gmt":"2013-07-22T02:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.harperkingsley.net\/blog\/?p=2571"},"modified":"2023-10-17T23:37:57","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T06:37:57","slug":"you-wasted-my-time-ficcer-and-now-i-kinda-hate-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/you-wasted-my-time-ficcer-and-now-i-kinda-hate-you\/","title":{"rendered":"You wasted my time, ficcer, and now I kinda hate you"},"content":{"rendered":"

“This is the story that never ends. Yes, it goes on and on, my friends. Some people started reading it, not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue reading it forever, just because…”<\/em><\/p>\n

\"MrYukSticker\"I get it. You’re writing fanfic, natural rules do not apply, blah blah blah.<\/p>\n

But maybe there comes a point when you need to be honest with your readers and say: “I have no idea where this is going. I’ve written myself into a corner, so here’s 100,000 words about the MCs new cat, Devilicus.”<\/p>\n

Or how about: “This story is 20% awesome plot, dialogue, and characterization. The rest is me detailing every second of their lives in excruciating detail for no other reason than that you’re going to read it and love<\/em> it. Oh, and by the way, every third ‘update’ is just a random scene apparently taken from some different story. Sorry?”<\/p>\n

Look, I love epic fics. When I’m searching a fandom I sort by COMPLETE and WORD COUNT just to enjoy the meaty, plotty goodness of a long story.<\/p>\n

But when your WIP fic is 700,000+ words and turns to total crap when I’m 400,000 words in? We’ve got a problem.<\/p>\n

I feel like I’ve been tricked. Especially when your spot on characterizations go zinging off into the wilds of OOCness (out-of-character) and this thought provoking and engaging story turns into baby babbling crack.<\/p>\n

You’re churning out a crap story, yet you expect me to keep reading it? You seriously think I’m going to praise you? Really?<\/p>\n

There’s an epic story, then there’s “This ficcer loves their baby too much to let it go and introduces drama and surprise twists just so they don’t have to shut up.”<\/p>\n

I’m not saying you need to study three-act structure or take a creative writing class. It’s just, dude, OUTLINE<\/em>. That’s all. Even just jotting down some plot points and knowing where you’re going with it will help a lot.<\/p>\n

And I don’t end up feeling like you killed my will to live.<\/p>\n

~Pax<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“This is the story that never ends. Yes, it goes on and on, my friends. Some people started reading it, not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue reading it forever, just because…” I get it. You’re writing fanfic, natural rules do not apply, blah blah blah. But maybe there comes a point when you…<\/p>\n Read More<\/span> You wasted my time, ficcer, and now I kinda hate you<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2572,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"Layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[31],"tags":[119,308,309,589,591,602,796],"class_list":["entry","author-harperkingsley0-0","post-2571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-journal-2","tag-advice","tag-fanfic","tag-fanfiction","tag-psa","tag-public-service-announcement","tag-ranting","tag-wtf"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2pPoL-Ft","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":272,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/fanfic-a-dirty-dirty-little-secret\/","url_meta":{"origin":2571,"position":0},"title":"Fanfic: A dirty *dirty* little secret","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"January 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Okay, so I totally read this==> Christie Gordon's post \"Should a Published Author Let On About Their Fanfiction\"\u00a0 <== awhile back and it's something I've wondered for a long time. It's basically a question on whether a published author should admit to their fanfiction past or not. On the one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Journal"","block_context":{"text":"Journal","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/journal-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":83,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/sheeps-say-bah-and-i-do-too\/","url_meta":{"origin":2571,"position":1},"title":"Sheeps say “Bah” and I do too","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"August 11, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Since it's kind of the thing to do, I thought that I might talk about some of my self-publishing trials and tribulations. Why would I self-publish? Because it takes forever to get any kind of real response from agents and publishing companies. Plus, I have a hard time classifying some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Self-Publishing"","block_context":{"text":"Self-Publishing","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/self-publishing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1519,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/interesting-changes-at-my-blog\/","url_meta":{"origin":2571,"position":2},"title":"Interesting Changes At My Blog","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"August 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"As anyone who knows me knows (I know, right?) I am one of those people that is always hunting for a bargain and a good deal. I don't have much in the way of money and I'm desperate to see my stories out there for the world to enjoy. Just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Discounts & Specials"","block_context":{"text":"Discounts & Specials","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/discounts-specials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2438,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/attack-of-the-self-entitled-woman\/","url_meta":{"origin":2571,"position":3},"title":"Attack of the Self-Entitled Woman","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"My brother is pretty heated right now. Like to the point that if that woman shows up again he's probably going to chuck a rock through her car window. I know that sounds pretty bad, but here's the story: Yesterday I was sitting on the porch minding my own business\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mailed"","block_context":{"text":"Mailed","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/kindled\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":613,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/where-are-all-of-the-book-remixes-at-the-book-remix-project\/","url_meta":{"origin":2571,"position":4},"title":"Where are all of the book remixes at? The Book Remix Project?","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"April 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"My brain just totally popped with an idea that I feel like I should immediately share with the world: Book Remixes I've admitted my secret \"shame\" before - my fondness for reading fanfiction - and one of the things fanfic authors like to do is a story remix. It's basically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Journal"","block_context":{"text":"Journal","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/journal-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":122,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/otw-membership-drive\/","url_meta":{"origin":2571,"position":5},"title":"OTW Membership Drive","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"October 10, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"The Organization for Transformative Works is having their membership drive from now until October 16th. Either renew or make new your membership--minimum donation $10 and you get to post a pretty little badge on your website. How bad is that, amirite? I'm a firm believer in the ideals of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Real Life"","block_context":{"text":"Real Life","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/real-life\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"OTW logo: red circle with an arrow. 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