fic labelling

[pez]

I want to ask for your opinion on fic labelling, particularly if you've been directed here from 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!

Comments

[vicky-guu-sama.livejournal.com]

I agree with you, I wouldn't want spoilers if I do read a novel or watch a movie properly.

how about Label yourself : YS_a_person_who_MAY_write_death_fics_be_warned

[mirichan.livejournal.com]

My 2 cents?

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...

[myth720.livejournal.com]

i think its different... fanfics you read because you know the characters and you want to read stories about them... novels you buy when you read in the backcover and like the summary.
i don't like reading fanfics if i dont know who is the pairing.. i dont like every pairing.. and currenly i'm not in a mood to read death fics, so fics that aren't labled and i read them and find out its death fic would make me more depressed... :(

[scribblemoose]

It always has to be up to the writer in the end. That's the golden rule. If you think it spoils your story, you're perfectly within your rights not to give a warning, and I can fully understand why people might not want to.

But my own point of view on deathfics is that I hate them. They make me very sad, and that's not what I read fanfic for, personally - I read fanfic because I love the characters and want them to go on and have new adventures. I don't much like novels or TV or movies with the death of a hero as a main theme, either - I always avoid those when I can. It just hurts too much, and I like my fantasy to be uplifting.

Which doesn't help you much, because here I am saying a) don't label if you don't wanna and b) but I don't want to read deathfics. In general I think it's a case of 'reader beware', but you could maybe give a general warning - like we do for yaoi, without giving away the death thing for a specific fic. I always look out for words like 'dark' and 'tragic' on book and DVD jackets - and avoid those ones like the plague!!

But at the end of the day it's up to you, and I totally respect that.

[gloris.livejournal.com]

(My 5 cent worth of opinion)

I have to agree with myth720. For me fanfics are developed using characters that we all known and love (well some of them anyway) in comparison to novel where we had no idea whatsoever who the characters are. So I think it is good to label the pairing, have a bit of summary of the story and all that jazz for us the reader. After that the decision is all ours, either to read it or to leave it.

[brennart.livejournal.com]

I think I saw an author do an optional warning once. She said it was a spoiler for those who don't want spoilers, but also said it was a warning about something that might disturb people. That way people could choose to click or not. As to how she actually did this, I can't remember. Perhaps a warning in white letters, so that people have to highlight to see it?

[branchandroot]

In a commercial story, unless the death is completely gratuitious, a good author always waits until we are attached to a character before killing him or her off. That's what gives the death its meaning within the plot. So the idea that characters should somehow be off limits from death because of previous audience attachment doesn't ring very true to me.

I'd say the question of labeling is a lot more dependent on circumstances than anything that cut and dried.

If what you want to do with a given story is explore the ways the characters might deal with death, if that's the point of the story, then I think labeling it might be a good idea. At that point "death" is pretty much the genre.

If the death is something you intend to shock both characters and audience, then, obviously, you don't want to warn of it specifically. But something in your summary like "dark" or "dark themes" or "disturbing content" would be a courtesy to your readers, and let those who don't like being shocked or disturbed stop reading.

If both are the case...

Personally, I prefer a genre designation, and a back-cover-style summary. Because the fact is, even super-specific labels are darn fuzzy. One author might write "angst" so heart-ripping I never, ever read another of her stories that's labeled that way; another might write "deathfic" so banal I read it when I need a good laugh. One might write NC-17 so un-arousing I think it should be used in abstinence-oriented sex education, while another will write "romance" so hot I think my screen should be smoking. *helpless shrug* Which is why I think summaries (good summaries) are far more useful than labels alone. It gives you a chance to tell readers that there's something disturbing in store without coming right out and giving away a twist.

[kidboomerang.livejournal.com]

...I'm the sort who kindasorta hates labeling my own fics.

I hate labeling the pairing. I hate trying to figure out a rating. I hate writing summaries, too.

I think the idea of putting a warning (highlight to read) type deal may be a good one though, it allows people to check it out or to NOT check it out if they so desire.

Myself, I like to be surprised, but I'm not easily shocked or depressed by reading fanfic, unless it involves Hiyoshi getting his heart smashed by Ohtori, and well, I tend to like those as well as get emotionally hung up on them.

I do NOT like the fact that fans often will totally bypass good writing and dynamic characterization in favor of tepid childish fluff/pr0n involving a character they're more fond of. I hate how pairing-specific people can get in fandom sometimes.

I like to shock people, I like to surprise people. When I leave out what character or pairing my fic is about, it's because I want to try to interest people in something I think they would not otherwise read. (and since my love is an popular character, it's almost necessary =_=)

Okay, I'm going off on a tangent there.

Neeway. I'd say that what may be best is to place a highlightable warning in white text under a LJ-cut for things which may be disturbing. (assuming you use default mode for under an LJ cut, keeping the background white.)

[thirdshade.livejournal.com]

To be right on to the point, I need labels for a matter of practicality. I can't spend the whole day sitting before the computer reading fic. So if I see, let's say, a rape warning, a songfic warning, a TezuAto pairing, or any of my pet peeves, I won't waste my time reading a story I know I'll hate. If there's no warning, how do I know I'm not investing time in reading a story that suddenly will throw me completely off? How do I know I won't run into a pairing I loathe and find out I've been wasting my time when I could have been reading something that I do like? If the fic doesn't have labels of any kind, I'll just skip it. If the author can't be bothered enough to even try to get my attention by, I don't know, a pairing, a genre I might be drawn to, why should I bother?

[crossing-by.livejournal.com]

well ... my opinion ... death somehow is a part from life .. you cannot separate it from the living
after you alive you will be death (somehow ... right ... theres nobody i know live forever)
so .. for the warning of the character on ur fics will be shown or not ...
me ?? NO PROBLEMO ... coz its natural ...

so if you wanna put no warning .. i am okay with that

^__^

[furuba-forever.livejournal.com]

I agree with some of the comments from above.

The characters from Prince of Tennis have been pre-developed already unlike the characters of a brand new novel, thus, the readers would have already made connections to them emotionally. If a character was to die in an unmarked death fiction, it would trigger a sometimes severe emotional response. I personally try to stay away from death fiction because when I read one, I usually end up crying. Spoilers or not, I think that it is only fair that the readers be warned about character death. But then again, that is only my humble opinion. The final decision is up to the writer.

[sharona1x2.livejournal.com]

*points at what Dimmie said* That's pretty much my take. Warn me for things like death, NCS, rape and pairings. Otherwise, I probably won't read. I have very limited time for reading, so I want to make sure I'll get something that's more likely to be enjoyed.

I know a couple people who don't read deathfic because of family members they've lost. One of them broke down in tears at Yaoi Con a couple years ago just talking about how she couldn't read any deathfic. The other lost her mother recently after a long, painful illness. The thought of either of them reading an unmarked deathfic... *shiver*

Ironically, my closest friend in PoT fandom has exactly the opposite opinion as I do. Go figure. ^_^

[arithion.livejournal.com]

*snuggles first of all*

Personally, it tends to irk me anyway. You know as well as I do that pron will get more reviews and more readers simply because of what it is. Sadly, the fact is, that fan fiction is not real fiction, and a lot of people prefer it to be happy and unrealistic in the long run. Writing realisitcally depresses the fans.

*shrugs* I love your writing. I'd read what you wrote if you told me the plot was a wet sock's adventures. However, this is because I gave your writing the chance in the first place.

*snuggles* luff you

[risingtides.livejournal.com]

I got CREAMED for not labeling a fic.

Personally, I'd rather not know, but there's a lot of people in fandom who do.

[moonnymph.livejournal.com]

I'd rather not know, as it keeps the surprise. I do believe it's up to the author to decide though.

As for fanfiction being depressing...well, life isn't perfect. People die. People don't live up to their potential and there are rarely happy endings. Shouldn't that be reflected in literature as well? Death isn't something to be feared. It'll happen to everyone one day. And without understanding sadness, people would never happiness.