And while I'm still brassed -- why, why, *WHY* is it so hard for people to cope with the fact that Drusilla sired Spike? I mean, come the fuck *on*, people! Joss said it a million times, and *then* showed it onscreen. This is *Drusilla*. Mad as a hatter? Oh, most assuredly. Stupid? Not by a long shot. She's a successful seer *and* witch. She killed a Slayer without mussing her clothes.

Oh, but no, she couldn't turn a human. Nope, sorry, that's just *beyond* her. That whole Darla thing? Clearly didn't happen. Angelus had to do everything for her, of course. Oh, and Spike did, too. It's like... it's like people are just ignoring the entire half of second season. I mean, I know first impressions are powerful, people, but *the only reason she was weak was because she'd been attacked by an angry mob.*

Think about that for a second.

An angry mob went after her with torches and whatnot, and her only problem was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Does this sound like some kind of weak sister to you?

Didn't think so.

So why in the name of everything that's Holy must she be *written* that way?

And you know what makes it *really* suck for me? This is the same goddamned thing that I've seen in fandom after fandom. The writer has two cute boys s/he wants to slash. There's a woman in the way. Do they take the time to write a thoughtful, involved story about why the woman in question is not as much an obstacle as she seems? Do they allow Scully, or Thatcher, or Buffy, or Willow, or Cordelia -- I could go on and on here -- do they allow them a graceful way out of the situation that lets them retain their basic characteristics?

No. And when it comes to Spike/Angel? *Hell* no.

The female character gets cut off at the knees, like something out of a Grimm fairy tale. Only instead of a glass slipper, we've got a crappy story to cram the poor woman into, whether she fits or not. The really sad thing? It's not just the shitful writers who do this. Good, *interesting* writers succumb to the urge as well. It's lazy, and it's downright offensive.

And then they have the nerve to wonder why so much slash gets labeled misogynistic.

Idiots.
6:11 PM : link

While the Jane's away...

The Te will while away the hours, looking for trouble. And finding it. God, fandom is so *consistent*. So, the latest seems to be this: CABS has a new ten questions section. Basically, they pick a writer who's work is respected in a given fandom, and who is known to move and shake a bit on their turf. Ask said writers a few questions and voila, another chance for me to talk about me.

Or, in this case, for Wax to talk about Wax. She mentions something about how she usually only reads the work of her friends -- who happen to be people she's befriended because, among other things, they're good writers. She calls herself a starfucker, which I think suits. Well, it suits *me*... I'm pretty damned elitist, actually. It just makes life easier when I don't have to tell people I care about that they have all the talent of a washed up ex-Menudo.

Along comes some other individual, who posts a civil rant of her own. What it boils down to is that she feels fandom is inherently *unfair*, because unless you get into one of the various cliques, you won't get noticed. Frankly, that's bullshit.

No, it really is. Are there exclusive cliques? Buffy's rife with 'em, and most of them are made up of mutually admiring crap writers. But so what? There's a million mailing lists for *any* fandom with a following, and cliques have yet to be in *any* way detrimental to the posting and distribution of any and all kinds of fan fiction. It's the *internet*, people -- there's *always* a new sandbox if the one you're in is full of kid pee or something.

In the end, the fact of the matter is that there are *way* more readers than writers in most fandoms. And these readers *crave* good, new fiction. The fact is, most of these readers couldn't give two shits *who's* writing the stories, so long as they're essentially readable and just keep coming. So you've got fans who only read their friends. So fucking what? There are *thousands* of readers who'll read *anything*, or at least try to. And you know what?

If it's any good, those readers will tell their friends, who'll tell their friends, and so on, and so on, until there's another Big Name Fan cluttering up your bandwidth.

The fact is this: If you're any good as a writer, and you post your work -- even if only to your tiny little website -- *someone* will find your work and pimp it.

Someone will put it up on a rec page.

Someone will make you a banner, or a cover, or a whole new 2.0 website design.

Someone will do anything short of sacrificing *babies* to make sure you keep on writing.

Why? Supply and demand, children.

Chances are pretty damned good that if *you're* not getting noticed by *somebody*, you suck. *shrug*

Cope.
5:27 PM : link