Brokeback Mountain inspired Fan Fic recommendations

[mvansand76]

"Nobody's Angel" takes place in the early 1950s, a time when there were no cineplexes, big TVs, remote controls, purple band-aids, beer in cans, and people took baths, not showers. If you ate chocolate cake on a sofa it would stain forever. I don't believe a man would run up to another man in public and say, "I forgot to kiss you!" Mustang cars were not manufactured and introduced until 1964. I know, I know, I'm a petty nit-picker. However, there was something in every chapter that was not correct and it was too distracting to me; I couldn't over look it. I'm glad other people are enjoying her story though.

I understand. It doesn't distract me because I have no clue about the 50s and she could get away with anything as far as I am concerned (well except saying that they went to see Jurassic park together in the cinema), probably because I am Dutch and did not grow up in America or the 50s! 

[MaineWriter]

And this is why I love the plethora of fics we have available...there is always something for everyone's taste. If you don't like something, it is easy enough to drop it and move on to something else.

Leslie

[Bigheart]

I understand. It doesn't distract me because I have no clue about the 50s and she could get away with anything as far as I am concerned  (well except saying that they went to see Jurassic park together in the cinema), probably because I am Dutch and did not grow up in America or the 50s! 

Same here, Mel! 

[twistedude]

"Roots" On this page.

[Marge_Innavera]

"Nobody's Angel" takes place in the early 1950s, a time when there were no cineplexes, big TVs, remote controls, purple band-aids, beer in cans, and people took baths, not showers. If you ate chocolate cake on a sofa it would stain forever. I don't believe a man would run up to another man in public and say, "I forgot to kiss you!" Mustang cars were not manufactured and introduced until 1964.

Unfashionable as considering historical accuracy important apparently is, reading that would drive me absolutely insane. A little like having two ancient Roman centurions calling each other "dude."

[merrobot]

Unfashionable as considering historical accuracy important apparently is, reading that would drive me absolutely insane. A little like having two ancient Roman centurions calling each other "dude."

Actually, I agree with you, Marge.  I think in this day and age of Wikipedia and Google (although even they aren't 100% reliable  ), there really is no excuse for writers to make huge, glaring errors.  However, I think sometimes writers do make little slips, after all they are only human, particularly if they haven't lived in the particular time and/or place.  That's where it can be really handy to be able to leave comments on LJ - I found it really helpful to have readers leave me comments about time and place that I could take on board and use to shape future chapters.  So maybe rather than just ditching stories, readers could leave constructive feedback.

[littleguitar]

Actually, I agree with you, Marge.  I think in this day and age of Wikipedia and Google (although even they aren't 100% reliable  ), there really is no excuse for writers to make huge, glaring errors.  However, I think sometimes writers do make little slips, after all they are only human, particularly if they haven't lived in the particular time and/or place.  That's where it can be really handy to be able to leave comments on LJ - I found it really helpful to have readers leave me comments about time and place that I could take on board and use to shape future chapters.  So maybe rather than just ditching stories, readers could leave constructive feedback.

I agree... positive feedback is amazing, but there seems to be a general rule in fan fiction that it's positive feedback or no feedback at all. But constructive criticism can be a really good thing and I think especially with a story like Nobody's Angel where the story is so good, somebody should point those things out so that they can be fixed and people don't drop it all together.

It can also be helpful for other readers... those of us who didn't notice the errors. I'm too trusting when it comes to writers apparently, I expect them to have done the research so it didn't even cross my mind that things might be out of place.

Lucky for me (or maybe unlucky, because I do consider historical accuracy important) that I didn't live in the 50's and I can read on blissfully unaware... because I do love this story so much.

[Bigheart]

I agree... positive feedback is amazing, but there seems to be a general rule in fan fiction that it's positive feedback or no feedback at all. But constructive criticism can be a really good thing and I think especially with a story like Nobody's Angel where the story is so good, somebody should point those things out so that they can be fixed and people don't drop it all together.

It can also be helpful for other readers... those of us who didn't notice the errors. I'm too trusting when it comes to writers apparently, I expect them to have done the research so it didn't even cross my mind that things might be out of place.Lucky for me (or maybe unlucky, because I do consider historical accuracy important) that I didn't live in the 50's and I can read on blissfully unaware... because I do love this story so much.

Oh God, Mandy, Helen and I have had so many discussions about this!! About how hard it is to actually come out and say things that weren't to your liking cause, among others, you often get jumped on by other readers!! And that really is such a shame. As long as it's not hurtful or nasty why shouldn't you be able to bring up things you thought were a little bit off? I know I don't cause I've seen what kind of reactions you get  And that would just totally stress me out. I found it quite hard to tell you how I thought about Jack and Ennis having sex right next to Bobby in the motel room; I thought about if I should tell you for the longest time but I'm glad I eventually did ( and usually I never do)  and I was so happy you took it so well 

Me too and yeah I'm glad I can read on unaware cause of my extreme love for this story too. But of course now I do know that all is not accurate it does make me a little sad I guess.....but I'll never let it stop me from continuing with it 

[littleguitar]

Seriously June, any and all constructive criticism is welcome on my stories. Believe me... after years of writing workshops where you pretty much only hear the negative aspects of your writing I've built up a really thick skin... I didn't mind you saying that about that part of my story at all! I had wondered while writing it how it would sit and because you were honest I know and will most likely rework it in revision.

Of course, I can't say what other readers will do... but if they were to jump on you I would step in. It is really hard with fan fiction and I'm the same way, I've noticed myself just not commenting if there is something that doesn't sit right.

Also, just for myself, only getting positive feedback makes for really lazy writing, because I get in the groove of "everybody likes my story, yay!"

There are so many problems with TLBoH that I cringe sometimes when I think about it and one day I'm going to go back and revise the hell out of it 

[louisev]

If I can take off the moderator hat for a moment and tell you a bit about my own thoughts on constructive criticism:

Most fan fic writers are amateurs.  Some of them have never written anything before in their lives, and something about the inspiration they feel from a work leads them to write a fan fic.  As a result, they are writing more from the love of the original work, than they are trying to polish something up for a readership, so "your results may vary" as far as quality goes.

Fan fiction writing is an act of appreciation by fans, and it is easy to fall into either a) unabashed praise and 'squee' as it is often called, or b) blanket disregard for the story if it does not the reader's "vision" of say, in this case, Jack and Ennis. There are also little sub-genres of work based upon how the subject is approached, what the pairing is, and if it is alternate-universe or uses the canon ending of the story.

The general suggestion we try to make here is to feel out the author if you wish to help them improve a story you enjoy but may contain some errors you notice.  This is best done on their LJ if they have announced their story as "Feedback and comments welcome."  That means the author is looking for suggestions.

As far as my own personal preferences, I am always grateful when someone has a point of fact to correct in my story:  I lived through the early 1980's - but I did not live in Wyoming during the 80's, and so I have to do a certain amount of research, some of which is not authoritative, and some of it, while traveling as I am, if it is not available on the Net, I can't get to it.  So this is where reader feedback of a constructive nature, can help.  Many authors go through the helpful step of having a "beta reader" who makes suggestions and constructive comments/edits on a story before it gets put on LJ.

Our policy here is for the author to state whether constructive criticism is welcome on their individual story threads, but the most helpful way of course, is to send a pm and say "I had a few thoughts and some suggestions, would you like them?"  that way the author knows you are trying to help, and may have some valuable assistance to give them - FOR FREE!

I once had a reader leave several comments on my LJ saying "Nobody in Wyoming says 'warsh' - you made a mistake there" and I replied that I was using the dialects as I found them in "Brokeback Mountain" - Ennis says 'warsh' twice and Jack says 'warsh' once, and they come from opposite ends of Wyoming.  Since Annie Proulx lives there I took her word for the dialect.  But the reader knew best and insisted I was wrong!  That is not necessarily a constructive criticism, though, but more of an argument on what constituted "proper" dialect for the area.