Decisions ...

[texchan]

Car shopping hell is over. We finalized a deal today for the new vehicle, and we will pick it up tomorrow. I'm glad and relieved the ordeal is over, although spending that amount of money is a bit terrifying. When I consider I'll likely have the car for 10-15 years to come, it's not quite as frightening. I've had my Mustang for 13 years now, so I tend to keep my cars for a long time. Still ... ouch. Now, of course, the doubts start to set in. Because it's rainy and gray and I don't actually have shiny-happy new car in my driveway/garage to go look at. I have to wait until tomorrow to get that new car "glow".

In other news, I've decided it's time to pull my fanfic down. It seems like a sudden decision, I know, but this is something I've been pondering for quite a while now. I've been pretty much semi-retired from fanfiction for a couple of years now, and I don't see that changing much in the future. More and more, I find myself wanting to spend time working on my own original fiction. And this is a good thing. Fanfic was a great way for me to find my way and to teach myself how to write again. And it's been fun. But it just feels like it's time for me to move on to something new.

I'll be leaving the fic up for about another month. Sometime in January, I'll start pulling stuff down from fanfiction.net. So, if you read fic over there and happen to like anything in particular, you might want to save it before I start deleting things. =)

Comments

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

What? No. Don’t pull it down!

Don’t let a few stupid people’s reviews cause you to do that. And don’t do that just because you’re not getting many reviews period. People just don’t review as much as they used to. I’m serious I’ve seen a DRASTIC drop off in reviews being left across the board. Just because people aren’t commenting doesn’t mean they’re not reading.

There is nothing worse than going back to re-read a favorite story and finding that the author has removed it. The author of one of my very favorite fics spontaneously deleted their entire journal and hadn’t posted the fic on any other site. I literally freaked out.

If you feel it’s time to move on and not ever write a new fanfic, that’s fine. But don’t take down what you already have up. Quite honestly that’s a fairly selfish thing to do. I guarantee there’ s people out there enjoying them who will be dismayed to find them gone.

[tex-chan.livejournal.com]

If you feel it’s time to move on and not ever write a new fanfic, that’s fine. But don’t take down what you already have up. Quite honestly that’s a fairly selfish thing to do. I guarantee there’ s people out there enjoying them who will be dismayed to find them gone.


Hmmm. Honestly, I actually hadn't thought about it that way -- from the perspective of someone wanting to find and reread a favorite story. When I started writing fanfiction, that's pretty much all I did. And it was pretty much all I read, too. That was several years ago, though. At least 6 years ... but probably even longer than that, really, as it took a LONG time before I worked up the courage to post anything. Now, I don't read fanfic. I won't say "never", because I read stuff by one of my friends when she sends it to me. And I read your fanfic and genuinelie's fic, when you guys post in LJ. Since I don't read it any more ... well, I guess it just never really occurred to me. I guess I thought it wouldn't matter all that much to anyone, one way or the other.

Although I know it seems like it, this isn't a reaction to that review I got recently. I've gotten negative reviews before, but nothing quite as "strong" as that one, so, it did bother me a lot at first. But that passed pretty quickly. (Well, not that I'm happy about it or anything -- lol -- but it's just one person's opinion.) I've been thinking about taking my fic off of fanfic.net for a long time. I had just kind of left it up there out of apathy, really -- because I just never took the time to take it down or do anything else with it. The nasty-gram review just reminded me that there's stuff up there that makes me cringe each time I think about people reading it. *laughs*

This is good, though. You've given me some good food for thought. *hugs* I'll definitely think about it, and maybe just adjust my profile to reflect I'm no longer writing/posting fic.

[animerei.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't pull it down. I know that I have been bitterly disappointed when some of my favorite pieces of fanfiction were removed from their host sites by their creators. Sure, I may not have visited them in awhile, but I'd hoped that they'd always be there...

As long as you've still got some fans, I'd leave 'em up.

[tex-chan.livejournal.com]

I know that I have been bitterly disappointed when some of my favorite pieces of fanfiction were removed from their host sites by their creators.

Yeah, that's a good point. I actually hadn't thought of it in those terms. For me, this was more part of my ongoing process, and something I had planned on doing for quite a while now. I just never got around to it or took the time to do it -- too busy with other stuff. (LOLz!)

It's my work product, so I can't think of them in the same terms as other people might. I can't think of any of them as being anyone's "favorite" story or whatever. And, really, I pretty much cringe when I think of people reading some of them. >.O

[ivorysilk]

I agree with both comments above--write other things by all means, but some of us adore your fic, and are upset when fic we recall and go look for is not available because the author took it down. Of course, taking it down is totally your own perogative, but you worked hard on it, leaving it up is free, and your fic is good and readers are still enjoying it, even if they aren't commenting. A bad review doesn't change that, and changing later as a writer doesn't change that, it just means you write differently--perhaps the writing has more skill or polish later, but different stories need to be told in different styles. I just read a fabulous fic written by someone who is not a native English speaker--and while some of the word usage was odd, the fic itself was well-written overall, the voices spot on, and I loved it to pieces, even if the writing wasn't perfectly polished.

And keep in mind that Tchaikovsky *hated* the Nutcracker, and was dismayed when Swan Lake received bad reviews. My point? Creators aren't always the best judge of their work, a negative review will totally impact their judgement, and something that is a more skilled product is not necessarily the best loved by the public.

It's your decision whatever you decide, always and of course--but I do hope you won't decide this now, and do hope you'll reconsider leaving them up. *hugs*

[tex-chan.livejournal.com]

... are upset when fic we recall and go look for is not available because the author took it down.

Yeah ... I actually hadn't thought of it in these terms. As I mentioned above, I can't or don't think of the stories in those terms because they are my work product. I can't imagine anyone loving them or having any of them as a "favorite" story or whatever. There are several I posted that I just cringe when I think of people reading them. >.O (Actually, I pretty much feel that way about all of them. *nervous laugh*)

I don't much care any more whether people comment or not. And, although I know it seems like it, this isn't a reaction to the bad review I got recently. Not that I'm happy about it or anything (lol!), but, in the end, it's just one person's opinion. *shrug* I've gotten negative feedback before, and I'm sure I will again in the future. I've planned on taking my stories down from ff.net for a long time; I just never bothered to do it because I got too busy with other things. The nasty-gram review reminded me of my own cringe factor.

[marieschultz.livejournal.com]

Ok, Mid January? I think I can archive all your stuff by then. I respect your decision, I understand that chapters in life end, and I much much very yes go go go support your decision to focus on your original works. That being said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Sorry I haven't been terribly supportive lately, between being sick, homework, and possibly getting a puppy I haven't had much online time... But I finished Midroc! and I loved it! There will be a sequal yes?

I'm just going to start archiving your stuff automatically, for times like this so I won't go into a panic.

[tex-chan.livejournal.com]

Don't panic, my friend.

Based on the comments others left here and emails that I got, I'm reconsidering my decision. Honestly, I really didn't think of the stories as something that people would want to continue reading. Along with not writing much fanfic any more, I also don't read much of it ... so it really never occurred to me that anyone would miss the stories or even notice they were gone. To make a long story short, I'll probably leave them up for the time-being. I don't expect to add much of anything else, and I'll probably change my ff.net settings so that I won't get review notices and stuff. That is probably enough of a compromise so that I can feel like I'm focusing on my original writing and yet not taking away something someone might want to read. (Not sure if this makes sense or not ... *shrug*)

You liked Midroc? Really? Man, I soooo need to edit that nutty thing. >.O Yes, there will be a sequel. One of these days. If I can get those boys to cooperate with me, that is.

I'm sorry you've been sick! I hope things are going better for you now.

And, most importantly ... PUPPY!! EEEE! *luvs puppies* ♥

[marieschultz.livejournal.com]

You have no idea how big a sigh of relief just came outta me. Whatever you decide, I support you!

I'm starting a new ff account actually, I got all panicked there wasn't going to be any good Weiss fanfics there anymore and got off my butt and started cleaning mine up and getting them ready to post. Not that mine are great, but everyone has to start somewhere- and your stuff inspires me <3333333333333333

YES! Maybe... He had to go back to the Shelter for a mange dip poor baby, but my hubby and i talked it over and if he does okay with the cats he can stay. He's yellow, with black eyeliner, so we're calling him Farfarello.

I was gonna call him Yohji cause he is such a little flirty pie...but you can understand if I might have a bit of trouble calling him with a straight face... I can't be blushing my brains out everytime I need my dog's attention.