ext_19925 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
byslantedlight.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
ci5hq2007-08-22 10:52 am
byslantedlight.livejournal.com) wrote in ci5hq2007-08-22 10:52 am
Entry tags:
Before you read a Prosfic...
Somewhere along the way I've picked up the impression that Pros fans tend to be divided most strongly into either slash, gen or het (or various combinations thereof) readers, and that it is on this basis first that we decide whether or not to read a particular Prosfic story. Following an interesting discussion a few weeks ago about labels/categories/warnings etc on Prosfic, Circuit Archive is experimenting with including other information in their lj (and presumably other) updates, and this has got me thinking about it all again - in a rather needs-first-coffee-of-the-morning kind of way!
Basically, I know that I hate all warnings etc on a Prosfic story that I'm about to read, except that I'd like to know whether it's slash, gen or het, because I adore slash, I'll read gen if there's some reason to (or a chance of adding my own subtext!) and I don't want to touch het with a bargepole... a very long bargepole! During the discussion, I came across the idea that most people would view a label of slash, het or gen (or the story's pairings, which actually is a much smarter way of telling us whether it's slash, het or gen!) as the same kind of "spoiler" as, say a deathfic warning, which completely surprised me, took me aback, and got me thinking even more... *g*
And then I remembered that lj lets you do those poll-thingies, and wondered if I might try one of those... though I'd like to hear what people think as well as just seeing numbers, so please do comment as well! So - what kind of, if any, information do you look for before you read a Pros story? (And I'm not really going for the to-warn-about-deathfic/rape/non-consensual debate here, although I've included it in my question and I'm curious about numbers there too, it's more the broader sense of the question - and do we care about age ratings? Are there other things people consider that I've never even thought of?!) So, without further ado:
[Poll #1043269]
I've never tried doing a poll before, so here's hoping it works - do let me know if you have problems... Oh, it looks like you have to vote first, and hit submit, and then comment afterwards - you can't comment and vote at the same time (I just tried it...)! And non-lj members can't vote (says lj, not us), but you can still comment!
Basically, I know that I hate all warnings etc on a Prosfic story that I'm about to read, except that I'd like to know whether it's slash, gen or het, because I adore slash, I'll read gen if there's some reason to (or a chance of adding my own subtext!) and I don't want to touch het with a bargepole... a very long bargepole! During the discussion, I came across the idea that most people would view a label of slash, het or gen (or the story's pairings, which actually is a much smarter way of telling us whether it's slash, het or gen!) as the same kind of "spoiler" as, say a deathfic warning, which completely surprised me, took me aback, and got me thinking even more... *g*
And then I remembered that lj lets you do those poll-thingies, and wondered if I might try one of those... though I'd like to hear what people think as well as just seeing numbers, so please do comment as well! So - what kind of, if any, information do you look for before you read a Pros story? (And I'm not really going for the to-warn-about-deathfic/rape/non-consensual debate here, although I've included it in my question and I'm curious about numbers there too, it's more the broader sense of the question - and do we care about age ratings? Are there other things people consider that I've never even thought of?!) So, without further ado:
[Poll #1043269]
I've never tried doing a poll before, so here's hoping it works - do let me know if you have problems... Oh, it looks like you have to vote first, and hit submit, and then comment afterwards - you can't comment and vote at the same time (I just tried it...)! And non-lj members can't vote (says lj, not us), but you can still comment!
no subject
Indeed!
So the idea is that it's a gen story revolving around the characters with a slash between their name?
Well I assume so, given the 'Gen', but then I also know that 'Gen' is used by some people not to mean a non-slash story, but to mean a 'General' story, i.e. not one that falls into AU, etc. So . . . *Shakes head*
And of course there's the age old 'Are Gen and Het two separate categories'? debate. I say yes, most definitely, others say 'no' because when Gen was originally used it was meant to imply that the story wasn't slash, but was like the show, and as the guys had women in the show then in a story it was Gen.
The slash, het, gen is easier in multi-pairing fandoms (NCIS, Buffy, etc.) as it's a given, but in older fandoms (Pros, MFU) there are people who hold firm to the 'Gen and Het are the same thing' stance.
I thought the "/" had integral meaning as m/m relationship!
Oh, it does. It does. Again, it's now becoming used in femslash and also to denote a het pairing, and at least that makes some kind of sense. After all they are in a sexual and/or romantic relationship, but it does not make any sense when there is no sexual and/or romantic relationship.
Is it younger/newer fans who started doing this then, or purely gen fandoms who don't slash in any case, or..?
Oh, no, it's not gen fandoms. My guess would be that its newer (and maybe younger) fans who are doing this. Although having said that I know of at least one older fan who always used / for gen stories as she wasn't aware that the & existed.
I know that, like everything, fandom is always going to evolve and change, but even so it makes you want to point the newcomers in the direction of the 'this is what we've used for decades' basic 'rules'.
I'm so glad I don't do other fandoms - how do you cope with it all?!
Well, so far it hasn't cropped up with 'my' pairing, so I pretty much just shake my head, mutter, moan (if I'm in the mood) to a friend and ignore it. After all it doesn't matter to me if the story is slash or gen, I'm not going to read with the 'pairing' or main characters that are listed. But if it did start to happen with my pairing, especially if it happened on one of my Comms, then I'd have a gentle word.
I guess that's something that not even the search options can cover!
Indeed. There will be lots of those really.
Hmmn - when you list "genre" there, are you meaning het/slash/gen rather than, say CI5 universe/science-fiction/American western etc I presume! Cos come to think of it, I do know people who say they won't read Pros sci-fi AUs, or ghost AUs too... So much to think about!
Personally I do indeed mean 'slash/het/gen' for Genre, and then I use sub-genre to depict first time or established relationship, AU, hurt/comfort, etc. etc.
There is indeed so much to consider and at the end of the day there will never be a case where *everyone* is happy about it.
Actually there is one other thing that for me is in need of a warning, maybe even more so than death and that's 'unhappy ending', i.e. Bodie and Doyle split up and it's an out and out split, no possibility of getting back together, no sequel, etc. Those I hate with a passion.
no subject
It's interesting to think about all these things though, and to hear out loud what people think! I quite often hear "well I know people who..." - and of course I say it myself! - but I quite often don't ever see those people expressing those opinions either, so it's never quite the same as having someone say "Well, I think..."!