fic labelling
Aug. 2nd, 2004 10:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pezI want to ask for your opinion on fic labelling, particularly if you've been directed here from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
word_games.
I know some people from my flist are against not labelling death fics, but recently I've been thinking that I might not label them anymore. It's like, when you buy a novel at the bookshop, you wouldn't know if the character's going to die or not. Same for when you watch a movie. You will get appropriate warnings for sex, language and violence, but not for death.
Sometimes labelling a death fic just spoils the story. I don't have any death fics in the works right now, apart from [Trials of Trust], but if the death is a twist in the plot then giving warning just spoils everything doesn't it?
I don't really like labelling what pairing the story would be, too, but I guess there's no escape from that. People do pick pairings to read; I do that too. Reading the back of a book usually tells you who falls in love with who, if it's a gay story, etc etc.
So, yeah. I'm not very good at constructing a discussion or anything, but I'd like to hear as much opinion as possible. If you can, please tell me if you support not labelling death fics or not. Doesn't have to be followed up by reasons or anything (although that'd be great too). Comment away!
word_games.I know some people from my flist are against not labelling death fics, but recently I've been thinking that I might not label them anymore. It's like, when you buy a novel at the bookshop, you wouldn't know if the character's going to die or not. Same for when you watch a movie. You will get appropriate warnings for sex, language and violence, but not for death.
Sometimes labelling a death fic just spoils the story. I don't have any death fics in the works right now, apart from [Trials of Trust], but if the death is a twist in the plot then giving warning just spoils everything doesn't it?
I don't really like labelling what pairing the story would be, too, but I guess there's no escape from that. People do pick pairings to read; I do that too. Reading the back of a book usually tells you who falls in love with who, if it's a gay story, etc etc.
So, yeah. I'm not very good at constructing a discussion or anything, but I'd like to hear as much opinion as possible. If you can, please tell me if you support not labelling death fics or not. Doesn't have to be followed up by reasons or anything (although that'd be great too). Comment away!
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no subject
Date: 2004-08-02 02:44 pm (UTC)These characters are not yours... I loved them beforehand through anime, usually... So if you throw a death scene in it? I feel cheated and never read that writer anymore...
I have my own issues about death (try to deal with a 24-yr old brother-in law dying on Christmas eve in a car crash... it skews you) so I don't deal with death fics well...
IF, on the other hand, I'm reading a legit book and a character dies? I hate that BUT I don't have the emotional bagage that comes from having known these characters for years and years...
So let's say I'm reading a WK fic and Yohji suddenly dies AND there was no death warning of major character? The writer lost me...
IF the fic has a warning, I might decide if I'll go in or not. Having it thrown in my face? I hate...
But labelling is one huge problem that has no clear-cut options... Some people hate knowing plotlines in advance and may not read you... but on the other hand, people like me who physically/emotionally feel terrible when one of their loved characters is killed will feel betrayed and might never read you afterwards...
In my book, the best way is to put SERIOUS angst or DARK subject matters in a warning if you don't want to expressly say "DEATH of major character"... I won't read it but I won't be angry as all hell if you sucked me in and it turned into a death fic...