Ending, schmending

[gwyn]

It must just be my general sense of failure lately or something, but some of the few responses I've had to the new story just really... got me down. In a way that I know I shouldn't be down about, but sometimes you just can't control it, you know? What few comments I've had outside this LJ were based around wanting a sequel -- which, you know, okay, people like something enough, they demand a sequel even though it makes no sense for the story, but do they have to say things like "that's not an ending, we need a sequel"? Or "we need a sequel to make the ending better" when you felt like the ending was pretty kick-ass on its own? I haven't been deluged by these, it's just a few people, but still... When you feel like you can't get arrested already, stuff like that kind of ends up feeling less like flattery than punishment.

Remind me again why I write fanfic? Oh, right, it's "fun." I must be PMSing or something, because normally this kind of stuff doesn't bother me. Usually I'm miss perky if anyone even says anything at all, good or bad. I need to remember my own advice -- fans are weird.

ETA -- but hey, now I'm feeling less grumpy because tzikeh made me funny gay pants icon! Love the gay pants.

Comments

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Gwyn, I hadn't yet taken the time to comment (bad me), but I really, really liked the story. Yeah, I wouldn't mind a sequel at all, but that doesn't mean the ending didn't work great and the story doesn't stand alone quite well.

*hugs*

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, everyone here's been lovely, I don't mean folks here. Just... outside the area. ;-) I'm probably just being grumpier than I need to be -- I think it's the idea something I didn't think was wrong needed fixing! Maybe it's the weekend of non-stop firecrackers have my nerves all jumpy.

[onetwomany.livejournal.com]

I love the ending as is. But then, I don’t mind a punch to the gut, especially when it's one that's so true to the characters and could have fitted in with canon ;-). But I imagine lots of Spuffy people are just kind of hoping for a happy ending these days, especially given the bitter-sweetness of Chosen. They’re hanging out for you to provide it because, well, you rock, and you’d surely write a satisfying sequel. :-). So it’s pretty much a big compliment that they’re asking! Or at least that’s the way I’d try to look at it anyway.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I know, I know. ::hangs head:: I guess it's just that I never think to talk to people that way, so it always throws me when people start with the negative instead of the positive, and leave you feeling like you've done something wrong. I think it's just that I'm really out of step -- someone once called me a smutmeister, and that really threw me because I thought the stories were more than just smut. Finally a friend convinced me it was totally complimentary; I'd just never been anywhere where that was a compliment before.

[circe-tigana.livejournal.com]

Your new story is in my bookmarks. I'm waiting for the perfect moment to read it, because new Gwyneth Rhys is an utter treat for me.

writing

[criesbella.livejournal.com]

gwyn, i write too and i know what you mean
by that kind of commentary (imho). it addresses
the "you didn't say that, or what about this"
and leaves out how you KICK ASS. because your
commentators assume you know you're awesome

writing is the tenderest trade.
gwyn, the comments ARE flattery, b/c they display
a satisfaction with your work and confidence in
where *else* you are going, an EAGERNESS to follow
you there.

but i will remember in the future when i read
your stories, that you need some sugar.
no problem. i would personally hand feed
you godiva chocolates to keep this stuff coming.
(oooh, that was willow taking over my body)

xoxo, anne

Re: writing

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

LOL -- you're too funny. No, I get lots of sugar here on LJ, I do. It's not usually here, where everyone's so kind, that I have trouble, it's elsewhere. I think that a lot of it is just different communication style -- it wouldn't occur to me to demand a sequel to fix an ending that left me unhappy, even if I thought it would be flattering. So I'm just coming at it differently, which is what made me crabby.

[gamiila.livejournal.com]

Remind me again why I write fanfic?

I wouldn't presume...but I'm so glad you do. And the ending's fine as it is.

[hazel75.livejournal.com]

Sorry about your feeling down. The new story's beautiful. The ending really took me by surprise -- didn't see that coming. And then it made me sad. But a good kind of sad. This wasn't the time for Spike and Buffy (if any time was).

I love the way you write Spike and Buffy -- especially thought you got Buffy's 17 year old voice down well.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely a bit perkier today -- I got to thinking that it's really a hugely different style of communication, probably because I'm an Old Fan and I don't usually think about asking people for something else when they've just provided me with something. I just have to learn to reorient my thinking so I won't get crabby again. ;-)

[sweet-ali.livejournal.com]

Arg. I hate that you are feeling down about this story. It was a punch in the gut and it leaves you in this place that you did not expect, but, that's why it works. This story was so fragile, capturing the 2 of them in this transition phase, where they are constantly teetering in between the past and present. The ending was needed to shove them ahead and Spike took that initiative. Yeah, it wasn't the conventional ending and the 2 did not ride off into the sunset, but i don't think that means it needs a sequel. This was a absolutely love standalone. And I hope you'll just focus on the fact that the reason they want more from you is because of your writing ability, how you developed things, and that they would just love for more of these characters. Because, ultimately, it's a compliment on the overall quality of the story.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I'm better today. ;-) I know, it probably is a compliment, and like I said to a couple people here above, I just have a really different style of communication and probably should be really careful in how I respond to others. Especially people who came into fandom in the past few years, solely on the net, don't have the same style I do. I'll get the hang of this someday... maybe.