Here’s an anonymous ask responding to this blog’s first post; it really got under my skin, because as writer, reader, and lit prof, I hear sentiments like it all too often:
“The problem with so-called ‘beautiful writing’ is that it is never, EVER in character for the POV character. People don’t string together beautiful words, especially not during sex. To me ‘beautiful writing’ does exactly what writing should not do: it brings attention to the author, not the story being told. If I stop in the middle of your story and go ‘wow, that’s a lovely phrase’ you have failed, because I have stopped thinking about the story itself.”
I’m going to set aside that first absolute statement, because it’s just wrong on its face; most absolute statements are. I do believe there ARE characters and people who think in strings of beautiful words, even during sex. (Though I must say—if you’re right, then wordstrings can’t write Sherlock.) I’m also going to grit my teeth and ignore the scornful “so-called” and the disdainful scare quotes around “beautiful writing.”
But that other sweeping generalization about what writing should and should not do, and what constitutes a writer’s “failure”—no, I’m not going to let that pass. What you’re describing, writing in which “story”—plot—is paramount, is a very specific kind of writing. This is NOT writing in its purest, truest, or most honest form, and it’s not the only way fanfiction can or should be written.
I received this a few days ago, and it just really got to me. I wrote an enormous scree, but luckily had the sense to wait a couple of days, chill out, and edit it down (thank you god for all that therapy). Anon hate usually doesn’t upset me very much. This did.
That anon comment bugs me too, but I don’t really need to say anything more about it, because you explained precisely why.