The Ties that Bind

[mvansand76]

Thanks for popping in here Alexis... I am not reading TTTB and AIW (but as I heard from others I should, so I will jump on the bandwagon soon when I have the time), but I love Fortunate Son and I was thrilled to see an update for that a while back. It's one of the most interesting fics out there just because of the unique dynamic between Ennis and Jack, and even though it depresses the hell out of me how Jack is now, it's also very interesting to read.

Anyway, what I wanted to add to this discussion. I write three stories right now, one of which is finishing up, and I always discuss writing with my boyfriend who is a painter and is working on 6 different paintings right now. If he doesn't feel inspired to continue one painting, then he will move on to the other, and this ALWAYS benefits his works, because when he comes back to the work he abandoned, he can always look at it with a fresh point of view. It's exactly the same thing with writing, if an author abandons a work, it's not for small reasons, it's because they have to let it rest for a while and then come back to it and know exactly what the story needs to continue.

Mel

[pettifogger]

if an author abandons a work, it's not for small reasons, it's because they have to let it rest for a while and then come back to it and know exactly what the story needs to continue.

Mel

I think you have hit on the very reason that Ms Matrix, and many others I am sure, finds serialized fan fictions so unsatisfying.  I think it is a tribute to the authors skill that any reader would become frustrated and upset by the lack of update.  It is not an insult it is in fact the highest of compliments.  IMO

On the other hand I have spent time recently perusing fan fictions from Brokeback Mountain and several other stories and I have to say my experience is that there are many unfinished stories out there, quite a few obviously abandoned.  That is the nature of the medium just as much as it's over the top sexuality.

[mvansand76]

On the other hand I have spent time recently perusing fan fictions from Brokeback Mountain and several other stories and I have to say my experience is that there are many unfinished stories out there, quite a few obviously abandoned.  That is the nature of the medium just as much as it's over the top sexuality.

I'm sorry, but I don't think over-the-top sexuality is the nature of the medium (with the medium I take it you mean BBM fanfic). Yes, some stories have a lot of sex in it, and some of the sex is quite graphic or over-the-top, but there's also a lot of stories who go for a functional use of sex scenes and some don't have sex at all. It's the choice of the reader if he or she wants to read it or not. There's something for everybody out there and the rating system works pretty well in the fandom.

[louisev]

It depends on the words you are using to describe the works.  Snavel is right that there are books that have little to no graphic sex in them, however, the nature of "Slash" is meant to indicate a romantic and/or sexual relationship between the chief characters.  In its original context, the slash pairing would make a romantic relationship occur that did not happen in the canon, i.e. Kirk having a gay relationship with Spock as one of the oldest and best-known examples.  BBM is exceptional in this respect that there is a sexual relationship between the chief characters in the canon story, and the fan fictions (which are not technically 'slash' but rather alternate universe or extrapolations) make the relationship more explicit and extended.

I do think that characterizing the sexual situations as "over the top" is definitely a personal opinion, however!

[dot-matrix]

Well I can see where the uninitiated might think the sexuality is over the top in some cases since it is sometimes very frank and very graphic.  The motivation in a lot of slash is that the sexual element of the story often is not satisfying or non exsistent in the canon as Louise said.  I've been aroung the block a few times in my 45+ years and I have to admit I've learned a thing or two, been enthralled and disgusted by things written in slash.

This story deals with S & M and I was a little cautious when I began to read but I have to say it is some of the best written erotic I have ever encountered and the sexuality expressed is appropriate to the story and the characters.  Not only that but it is some of the hottest I've ever seen.. Alexis is a very talented and imaginative writer and I never meant to imply otherwise...only to express my frustrations with the delay and the genre of fan fiction  in general.

[Brown Eyes]

Update!

I haven't read this yet... but I happened to notice over at brokebackslash that this was just updated.

Chapter 11
http://wannabestories.livejournal.com/13445.html

[MaineWriter]

Here's an interlude that was posted a few days ago...

http://wannabestories.livejournal.com/14137.html

Leslie

[dot-matrix]

It seems that the desire to finish many stories has left many of our fan fiction writers in spite of their best intentions to finish.  Between real life getting in the way, the loss of Heath Ledger and our increasing distance from our personal BBM obsessions and euphoria it appears that many stories will not be finished.  I'm sorry to see that, I do understand but am non-the-less disappointed.  This story in particular was fascinating, it explored a way of life and lifestyle that few of us have any real connect to.  I wish we could have seen this one play out to it's natural conclusion as envision by the author rather than just in my imagination.