There absolutely a distinction. The Penfold example was one of many I've seen recently and I think when venting one should consider if they are speaking to someone to whom the comment could likewise apply. Like me, the failed author.
Of course disappointment is a reasonable response, and I don't actually include anyone I list as a friend in the people who behave badly - but hang around the kinkmeme, or FFN, or anything like that and there are a huge number of people who are willing to make those demands, which I find baffling. Disappointment yes, expressing that, yes, shoving the author, no. And if we're going to talk about social responsibility, if you're entering the reading process with a social contract in mind and it's very clear that the fic is a WIP (question mark chapter numbers, warnings for WIP, etc.) then maybe the reader has some responsibility not to read until it's complete if they know it's going to bother them.
I also tend to disagree about kinkmeme fills, I think they are one of the forms of writing where someone does have the right to feel cheated at an unfinished story. I'm not on the same page as you with this, at all. If you go into a gift exchange then there is an obligation to deliver, certainly, and if you offer something as a thank you that is the same. *looks guiltily at the pile of stories she's supposed to be writing*. Kink memes are not quite the same beast, they're someone throwing an idea into the ether and waiting. If someone gets halfway through and realises that they can't get the fic to work the way they want, or they lose interest, or it's hurting them, they will frankly not be producing quality writing any more and I would consider shoddy work for the sake of words on the page just as unkind to the OP.
There is also the issue of not knowing what the OP will be like. Most OPs post thank yous, which is lovely. Others though try to steer or influence the outcome of the fic beyond their original prompt in every comment, which may work for you, but it may make the writing process very difficult to the point of impossible - and in an anon meme there's no way of knowing if you have that sort of OP.
Finally, yes, respect both ways. I don't know many authors, if any, who abandon a fic on a whim - if you start writing you've got a story to tell. On the large part I think most authors where they are named are much better about it than on the kinkmeme where if you post anon you can get away with it. But for the reader who doesn't right, it's possible that the reality of the time and emotional contributions that go into writing fics is absolutely immense doesn't quite register. Again, the demanding comments come much more on the kinkmeme where people can be demanding and rude without their name being registered.
I like the adoption idea, definitely. The day I come to terms with the fact that Crossover is dead in the water and I will never get it back, I will farm it out. I'm still holding onto a sliver of hope, although it will mean a pretty huge rewrite.
Finally, *hugs* because I saw on Twitter before my phone died that you'd had a rough day, and I didn't get the chance to say so.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 07:44 am (UTC)Of course disappointment is a reasonable response, and I don't actually include anyone I list as a friend in the people who behave badly - but hang around the kinkmeme, or FFN, or anything like that and there are a huge number of people who are willing to make those demands, which I find baffling. Disappointment yes, expressing that, yes, shoving the author, no. And if we're going to talk about social responsibility, if you're entering the reading process with a social contract in mind and it's very clear that the fic is a WIP (question mark chapter numbers, warnings for WIP, etc.) then maybe the reader has some responsibility not to read until it's complete if they know it's going to bother them.
I also tend to disagree about kinkmeme fills, I think they are one of the forms of writing where someone does have the right to feel cheated at an unfinished story.
I'm not on the same page as you with this, at all. If you go into a gift exchange then there is an obligation to deliver, certainly, and if you offer something as a thank you that is the same. *looks guiltily at the pile of stories she's supposed to be writing*. Kink memes are not quite the same beast, they're someone throwing an idea into the ether and waiting. If someone gets halfway through and realises that they can't get the fic to work the way they want, or they lose interest, or it's hurting them, they will frankly not be producing quality writing any more and I would consider shoddy work for the sake of words on the page just as unkind to the OP.
There is also the issue of not knowing what the OP will be like. Most OPs post thank yous, which is lovely. Others though try to steer or influence the outcome of the fic beyond their original prompt in every comment, which may work for you, but it may make the writing process very difficult to the point of impossible - and in an anon meme there's no way of knowing if you have that sort of OP.
Finally, yes, respect both ways. I don't know many authors, if any, who abandon a fic on a whim - if you start writing you've got a story to tell. On the large part I think most authors where they are named are much better about it than on the kinkmeme where if you post anon you can get away with it. But for the reader who doesn't right, it's possible that the reality of the time and emotional contributions that go into writing fics is absolutely immense doesn't quite register. Again, the demanding comments come much more on the kinkmeme where people can be demanding and rude without their name being registered.
I like the adoption idea, definitely. The day I come to terms with the fact that Crossover is dead in the water and I will never get it back, I will farm it out. I'm still holding onto a sliver of hope, although it will mean a pretty huge rewrite.
Finally, *hugs* because I saw on Twitter before my phone died that you'd had a rough day, and I didn't get the chance to say so.