Our BetterMost Community > Chez Tremblay
Annie Annie Annie
Brown Eyes:
:laugh: :laugh: :-\ Well, that certainly is a pretty god-awful excerpt Bud. Yikes!
But, there really is a lot of very thoughtful writing out there too. So, I wouldn't say that sample is at all representative of a lot of fanfic by a long shot. But, there's certainly no doubt that there's some bad writing out there too (I mean bad in terms of folks who really aren't so skilled at writing and also some pretty lame plots, etc.). When you look at the BrokebackSlash main index of stories you see that there must be thousands of 'em now (and that's just one community). So, it's not surprising that you'd find some absolutely wonderful writing and ideas along with some pretty bad stories and writing.
I just don't think it's worth fretting over too much. Some people can't stand it, and that's fine. And, other people enjoy fanfic, and that's fine too. One thing though, is that it's such a big phenomenon (not only in the context of BBM, but also in tons of other fan communities) that it's unlikely to go away anytime soon.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 20, 2008, 01:02:49 pm ---I think the reviewer has missed the point. The problem with these people who send their work to Annie Proulx is that they want her to respond or review it and praise them. Annie Proulx said to finish the story in your own life, not to escape your life by rewriting the story. Brokeback Mountain is not Star Trek, it is not escapism. It is an account of how things were and are, not how they should be or we wish it to be. All we got now is Brokeback Mountain, that is the truth that we must know, realize, and accept, and stand it, if we do not know anything else. "If you can't fix it you've got to stand it." Those are the last words in the story.
--- End quote ---
I agree, FRiend Lee.
--- Quote from: atz75 on September 20, 2008, 04:05:44 pm ---Well, I think the thing is that fanfic writers don't do anything to diminish the original story. It obviously stand on it's own and I don't think any fanfic writers think they're competing with Annie or even "re-writing" her story. My sense is that there's a deep reverence for the original writing.
--- End quote ---
Amanda, I agree with you about the reverence for the original story, but, apparently, some of these people who have been pestering Annie are "rewriting" her story--witness her comment about people trying to fix it.
--- Quote ---There simply is no way for Proulx, or any author, to retain such possessiveness over a published story and especially one that's so popular.
--- End quote ---
No, there isn't, but why should she have to put up with total strangers expecting her to praise them for "fixing" her own story? This is the issue that I take away from the report of her public kvetching. Perhaps it wasn't wise or charitable of her to take on that way publicly--maybe she was having a bad day ::) --but my sympathies are completely with Annie on this issue.
I would never dream of sending her my fanfictions, much less expect her to praise me for the effort of writing them.
optom3:
Maybe the simplest solution would be to not open any manuscript like packages.I find that works fine for me with bill like envelopes.O.K so I usually get a snotty phone call, but hey I can live with that.
On a serious note, I cannot believe she opens all her own mail of that ilk.Surely at least she has a secretary, who deals with some of it.Also on a serious note, much as I can understand her wanting to protect her "baby" is it not a good thing that in a world which relies so much on other media for their entertainment, the works of a prize winning novelist are, reaching so many more people, but also encouraging people to try their own hand at penning a few words.
Reading a good book causes us, to not only switch on a few more brain cells, but will fire our imaginations.On the whole films spoon feed us from start to finish(not all) I personally think our imaginations are amazing tools which can transport us anywhere. If an author does not want to be inundated with fanfic, then don't put the book out in the public domain, and categorically don't allow it to be made into a film.
Once a work is in the public domain then it is just that,public. I always thought the whole purpose of writing a book was to have as many people as possible introduced to it.If not then keep it as a private and personal diary.
Maybe as another poster suggested she was just having a bad day, I certainly have a few of those, it's called being human and fallible.I still admire the woman and her work.I do however think, from the very nature of her writing, she is by nature quite terse and has a low tolerance level for those she considers fools.That's fine, we all are different and a soft, gentle natured, and people pleasing Proulx would almost certainly never have written BBM.Barbara Cartland she certainly is not, thank goodness.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on September 21, 2008, 09:54:56 pm ---
No, there isn't, but why should she have to put up with total strangers expecting her to praise them for "fixing" her own story?
--- End quote ---
Now, this I completely agree with. It seems very, very odd to me that a fanfic writer would want to send Annie their stories or expect any kind of feedback from her.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: atz75 on September 21, 2008, 10:36:10 pm ---Now, this I completely agree with. It seems very, very odd to me that a fanfic writer would want to send Annie their stories or expect any kind of feedback from her.
--- End quote ---
This is what I believe the whole thing comes down to. Perhaps Annie even feels a little conflicted--like maybe she thinks she should take the time to respond to these people yet resents the feeling of being obligated to respond. That's happened to me from time to time. ::)
But in any case her quoted comment wasn't exactly diplomatic. ...
--- Quote from: optom3 on September 21, 2008, 10:23:19 pm ---Barbara Cartland she certainly is not, thank goodness.
--- End quote ---
;D
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