Late night musings

[roxy]

Or just shit that pops up in my brain.

Lately I've been reading/skimming stories, J2s, in which the main characters (Jensen or Jared because, y'know, J2) are raving assholes. Like, really unlikable jerks. But it seems the writer doesn't *get* that they're jerks. They have J or J meet J or J, treat the other like shit but the J is all, "oh, he's just kind of pushy/arrogant/misunderstood"--pick one, and then drapes himself all over the landscape singing the many praises of their one true love. And everyone around them is all amazed and overcome with how beautiful their love is.

I don't get it. Can these writers really not see the character they've written is a *terrible* person? I can see falling in love with a character but don't gloss over the fact that they're assholes or bordeline abusive. I've written those characters and loved them but they were nightmares you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and the other characters knew it. None of the stories that make my eyes bleed belong to anyone on my friends list and don't ask. Mostly because I don't remember who or where. I just have this habit of scrolling through summaries and asking myself, "Could it be as bad as I imagine? NAAAAAH, no way."

Oy. Way. So much way.




Could one of you write me a note to give to the job and explain that I can't be working five days a week all day because I've got stuff that needs writing? And if you can work in something about how I deserve a raise and possibly one of those nifty red sweatshirts with the logo on that'd be cool. Thanks!

Comments

[rednihilist.livejournal.com]

Hee! I'm glad I checked my email before trudging off to bed with my book because you just made everything better with your post about terrible writing and terrible roxy-not-being-allowed-to-express-herself-creatively-ness. Uh, yeah, so thanks for that! I feel your pain with regard to the quality of characterization (or lack thereof) in J2, which is likely why I rarely read it. Same with SpN fics in general, or at least what I've been unlucky enough to stumble upon. Seems like the few times I do feel the urge for a new SpN adventure, what I find is--uh, just NOT. Mostly, I just don't try anymore. :/

So, that became sad again when I started out happy because my roxy had posted. Waugh. Goodnght, Snuggles! Sorry ficcers suck for you. . .

. . . you know what I mean.

[portraitofafool.livejournal.com]

Oh, shit, you have no idea how glad I am to realize that it's not just me who thinks that. It astounds me how often that happens with J2 fic and it's really kind of scary. It... well... it makes me wonder what kind of basis for comparison some of these people have; what's happened to them (or is happening to them) that they consider that kind of behavior so "normal" that it never occurs to them how unbelievably fucked up it is. I've always hesitated to say anything much about it because I am aware that I can be highly critical, so I just blame it on me being me sometimes. The thing is that, upon serious reflection, I can honestly say that most of the time in such cases it isn't me; it's the story itself.

It's not just J2 it happens with though, I see it H50 fandom sometimes--though rarely because that fandom thrives on the most assinine of fluff--and it's WHOA levels of WTFF?! to me. Example: Read part of a fic last night because it was hawked as darkfic, but the thing that got me was that Character A was a complete psychopath and a serial rapist. Yet, the author kept insisting that he was madly in love with Character B and so on. Um, no. Psychopaths don't get the warm fuzzies and he really was a psychopath. I would've been fine with that bit of it (and even the serial rapist part, although rape makes me squirm, if the "logic" behind why Character A was doing so wasn't so convoluted and/or contrived) but what got me was what you're talking about: It was obvious the author was unaware of what she was doing. To her, everything was a-okay and coming up roses. Nuh-uh, I beg to differ.

That kind of thing is just one more reason I rarely read fic anymore--the writing isn't bad (sometimes, but sometimes it's a nightmare unto itself) but the characters/characterizations are horrible (and a little scary-sad). Another thing I've noticed--and this one may just be me--is that almost any story with JDM in it, he's a complete creeper of a sonofabitch and that does not compute. JDM (like the other two Js) seems like such a sweet, lovely man all around that it boggles me.

I wish I could write you a note m'dear, but I fear no one would take me seriously. Only thing working in my favor is I have nice penmanship. I say you politely demand a sweatshirt though. Everyone deserves at least one red sweatshirt. I'm sure there's a law somewhere that stipulates that.

[jesseofthenorth.livejournal.com]

Dear job peeples;
Pleez give Roxy more monies and less work cuz she is awesome and work sux.
Sincerely
peeps who don't pay her salary

[peepingdru.livejournal.com]

Dear Sir/Madam/Shim,
Ms Roxy needs to write slash...
That is all....
Ohhh while u are giving her free time...chuck in a vivid red T shirt with this on it.....

Yours sincerely,
Me

[tabaqui]

Bah. I haven't found *those* fics - or at least, not a *lot* of those fics. But i know what you mean. I *have* stumbled across some Show fics wherein Sam is so unbelievably obnoxious and Dean-hating (and Dean such a long-suffering saint) that I want to hit people. Just...wtf, people, what show are *you* watching?

(The I-hate-spoiled-rotten-Sammy Show, i guess....) (Or the Dean-is-Perfect-and-can-do-no-wrong Show)

Dear Target Sir and/or Madam:

Ms Thang ain't got no time for that!

Sincerely -
The Brain Twin

*smooches you*

[dimeliora.livejournal.com]

DImeliora a lowly grad student releases Roxymissrose from work for the dates of 3-7-13 to 3-13-13 due to severe brain exhaustion. This patient is under my care for this time, as she has suffered at the hands of masochistic trope writers.


Also, I've read a couple of asshole J2, but they always seem to know they're assholes. Then again...they were tagged asshole!J so, maybe it's a movement.

I had a guy friend ask me in high school why girls always choose assholes, and I told him it's because when we're young and idealistic we apply our maternal hormones to relationships. We want to care for them and change them. Then we get older, and weary, and aware of the fact that if we want a kid we should just have one instead of dating one. So, if I had to make a bet, I'd say these authors are probably young. Or abused housewives...

[chemm80]

It's been a while since I've read anything by an author I don't know well. I barely have time to read fic anymore anyway, so I'm definitely not going to mess with something that's bad. And if you've been in fandom any time at all, you can tell just how bad it's going to be from the summary, can't you?

The worst J2 story I ever read was one that I recorded a podfic of by request of someone else—this awful thing where Jensen was blinded in an on-set accident and consequently went full-on woobie—ye gods, it was awful. The really astounding thing was that it had a TON of comments. I could barely read the ridiculous overblown dialogue without laughing, much less with a straight face, which is kind of problem when you're reading out loud. Between that one and another podfic I did for a charity auction, I learned my lesson about trying to podfic stories I didn't absolutely love. But that's kind of off the subject.

That gif is...yeah. Wow.

[sonofabiscuit77.livejournal.com]

Aww, I kind of love asshole!J2 and I've definitely written them that way I know! But I have always tried to label it when I do.

I like it because I really like flawed and fucked-up characters who don't always do the right thing, especially in romantic relationships when emotions run so high and you can't act rationally or be the better person. I just find that really interesting to explore and write about because I've been there, I've been that hurt person who's lashed out and acted like an asshole and been really really petty and selfish when my heart's been broken or I've had a huge fight with my partner or whatever. IDK, I just find it quite realistic.

I totally agree with you and the people in the comments about woobification and Saint Jensen/Dean. Dean is so not a saint because if he was, he'd be totally boring and we wouldn't love him so much ;-)