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Mar. 11th, 2004 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reenkaI'm having an interesting moral dilemma recently that I can't seem to crack by myself.
I found a site, Juxtaposefantasy.net, which is basically decent original slash fiction in several different fantasy-type universes-- as a paid, subscription service. $9.99 a month, no less. The writer updates one of the story universes once a week, etc etc.
My first reaction to this was horror-- paying for slash?? Please! Who does she think she is?! ...That was also my second and third reaction.
And then I read some of the teaser chapters, and was hooked. I'm a sucker for suspense things-- which is why I try to avoid suspense fiction and don't mind spoilers. I don't -seek out- spoilers, but I'm one of those people who hates that awful itch of having to know that seems to please most people. It just... bothers me. I know most people get off on it... and I do like the small adrenaline rush, I guess. But I'm too prone to compulsive, addictive behaviors already, I think, and suspense fics just make it too much for me to take and I overload. I realize most well-written fic is in the suspense category if it's a WIP, come to think of it, so I've been reading almost exclusively that for awhile now. Hmm. Maybe it's worse if the actual content is a thriller also. Er... but that's a complete tangent.
Anyway, I paid the money, but now I feel horribly dirty and uncomfortable with myself. It raises all sorts of awkward questions, this discomfort.
So why is my instinctive response that this self-publishing is somehow "bad"? How is self-publishing on the net "bad"? Why am I so instinctively drawn to mainstream publishing, considering that it rips off artists and doesn't exactly reward quality? Isn't what this writer is doing what most of us would want to do, that is, writing what she loves and getting both an interactive, vocal readership and a means to support herself meanwhile?
Well, first of all, I think the price is a complete rip-off. Second of all, she's just... not -that- good. And I realize that sounds kind of elitist or whatever, but I do have this old-fashioned feeling (completely out of touch with reality as it is) that you should be brilliant to get to be published. You should be -better- than the rest of us somehow. And this person doesn't even seem to have a beta who'd catch some basic grammar errors. So there's that.
This elitist thing is why people say "I'm a published author" while puffing out their chest and looking down their noses, right? Even though... well... most "published authors" suck in a bad way, and "best-sellers" are usually so far from "literature" as to be from another literary planet altogether. A part of me also thinks that as difficult as it would be to write oodles of fic while having a full-time non-writing job, that's just one of the trials of being a writer.
You're -supposed- to starve, stay up all night writing while you slave away at the McFast-Food-Joint all day and/or try to finish grad school or whatever, have no social life, and shut yourself into a small room with only coffee and/or Mountain Dew for company. That's how it works, isn't it? That's the glory of it, isn't it? Then, at the end, the truly great (and high-stamina) among us will cross the finish-line as True Writers, and all the famous publishing houses will take one look at the final manuscript and swoon. Just-- swoon away; either that, or thus begins the equally arduous process of sending in the damn thing to everyone and their brother until -someone-, someday, takes pity on you. That being another Test Of Your Glory And Dedication To The Cause. And/or you get your big break having your most throw-away, casually written fic published in Amazing Stories (okay, now I'm stuck in the 40s, but whatever).
That's how I want it to be, even if it's clearly just a pipe-dream.
So. Do you guys think it's a rip-off? Would you do this if you could? Would you then charge by the year instead of by the month? Would you just not charge as much? I'm really stumped, and also curious.
...I suppose all this goes a ways to explain why I still haven't even attempted to be published, huh :> Besides the whole "my original fic is (generally unfinished) crap" thing -.-
I found a site, Juxtaposefantasy.net, which is basically decent original slash fiction in several different fantasy-type universes-- as a paid, subscription service. $9.99 a month, no less. The writer updates one of the story universes once a week, etc etc.
My first reaction to this was horror-- paying for slash?? Please! Who does she think she is?! ...That was also my second and third reaction.
And then I read some of the teaser chapters, and was hooked. I'm a sucker for suspense things-- which is why I try to avoid suspense fiction and don't mind spoilers. I don't -seek out- spoilers, but I'm one of those people who hates that awful itch of having to know that seems to please most people. It just... bothers me. I know most people get off on it... and I do like the small adrenaline rush, I guess. But I'm too prone to compulsive, addictive behaviors already, I think, and suspense fics just make it too much for me to take and I overload. I realize most well-written fic is in the suspense category if it's a WIP, come to think of it, so I've been reading almost exclusively that for awhile now. Hmm. Maybe it's worse if the actual content is a thriller also. Er... but that's a complete tangent.
Anyway, I paid the money, but now I feel horribly dirty and uncomfortable with myself. It raises all sorts of awkward questions, this discomfort.
So why is my instinctive response that this self-publishing is somehow "bad"? How is self-publishing on the net "bad"? Why am I so instinctively drawn to mainstream publishing, considering that it rips off artists and doesn't exactly reward quality? Isn't what this writer is doing what most of us would want to do, that is, writing what she loves and getting both an interactive, vocal readership and a means to support herself meanwhile?
Well, first of all, I think the price is a complete rip-off. Second of all, she's just... not -that- good. And I realize that sounds kind of elitist or whatever, but I do have this old-fashioned feeling (completely out of touch with reality as it is) that you should be brilliant to get to be published. You should be -better- than the rest of us somehow. And this person doesn't even seem to have a beta who'd catch some basic grammar errors. So there's that.
This elitist thing is why people say "I'm a published author" while puffing out their chest and looking down their noses, right? Even though... well... most "published authors" suck in a bad way, and "best-sellers" are usually so far from "literature" as to be from another literary planet altogether. A part of me also thinks that as difficult as it would be to write oodles of fic while having a full-time non-writing job, that's just one of the trials of being a writer.
You're -supposed- to starve, stay up all night writing while you slave away at the McFast-Food-Joint all day and/or try to finish grad school or whatever, have no social life, and shut yourself into a small room with only coffee and/or Mountain Dew for company. That's how it works, isn't it? That's the glory of it, isn't it? Then, at the end, the truly great (and high-stamina) among us will cross the finish-line as True Writers, and all the famous publishing houses will take one look at the final manuscript and swoon. Just-- swoon away; either that, or thus begins the equally arduous process of sending in the damn thing to everyone and their brother until -someone-, someday, takes pity on you. That being another Test Of Your Glory And Dedication To The Cause. And/or you get your big break having your most throw-away, casually written fic published in Amazing Stories (okay, now I'm stuck in the 40s, but whatever).
That's how I want it to be, even if it's clearly just a pipe-dream.
So. Do you guys think it's a rip-off? Would you do this if you could? Would you then charge by the year instead of by the month? Would you just not charge as much? I'm really stumped, and also curious.
...I suppose all this goes a ways to explain why I still haven't even attempted to be published, huh :> Besides the whole "my original fic is (generally unfinished) crap" thing -.-
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 08:52 pm (UTC)-encourages her to write more
she likes writing, you like reading it...you're telling her that you like her writing, and you're investing in getting more of such writing with every dollar you spend. It's a good exchange.
-proves there is a market for the thing(s) you like
Maybe it's a small market, but it is there. Capitalism and paying money are just a way of voting. Your dollars are going towards proving gay origfic is an untapped market.
I do think that your mixed reaction to thinking of her as published has some merit - I agree with
I guess I wouldn't say she's published, but if she's getting paid she is a "professional." Anyways, here are the downsides I see -
If the author loses interest, you could end up paying for an incomplete story
Which would suck. I will say, especially if the site is poorly maintained it implies that this is an in-between and not a career. Watch the site and see if it cleans up in the coming months - that'll be a good indication of how dedicated she is to it, because better presentation will likely earn her more readers. That is one good thing about the paper-published world: when you pull a book off the shelf you know you're paying for a completed story and not just supporting someone's crack habit while they string you along using cliffhangers and suspense. Considering that the average completed paperback costs $6-$8 these days, you might want to evaluate how much more you're willing to pay for less mainstream stuff.
You're voting for a genre you like, but you're also encouraging writers on the net to jealously guard even their so-so fics
When you say you'll pay for fiction on the web, you're saying you'll pay for fiction on the web. There are, of course, plenty of sites that do this already (I have a friend "published" at EroticStories.com), but when you pay you do discourage the next guy from doing it for free. So I will say I understand the conflict there. It's taking a free medium and turning it into one you have to buy into. Which, well, you can say that thus far the net has been a free ride and it shouldn't be, but...doesn't mean it's a conversion you'd like to be voting for with your hard-earned money.
So I guess my point is, yeah sure there are all sorts of moral implications and meta aspects to the idea of paying for fiction on the web - but I think what it boils down to is, if you're enjoying it, and it brings you $10 worth of pleasure each month, why not? Not everything you read has to be great literature, you're showing their is money to be had in the genre you like, and you're getting fiction you love to read.
If however, you're in it because you "have to know what happens," well, understand that you may never find out - a serial site like that probably operates like a soap opera: the story will never finish, because if it does the author can kiss that income goodbye. Or if it does finish, it will likely be an abrupt ending that occurs right around the time a real contract for actual published work comes in.
I do agree that $10 is a lot of money, considering she's probably not giving you a novel and a half every month...but if you're having $10 worth of fun, then you're havign $10 worth of fun. If you're not, well...cancel your subscription and write your own ending. You might like it better than hers.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 09:14 pm (UTC)Thanks :D
I was never really going to have it be a "subscription", just a one-time deal, 'cause I reeeeally can't afford even the one-off and was kinda pressured into it by my addictive response to cliff-hangers and also my insatiable need for more boylove, ahaha. But yes... I don't know what exactly $10 worth of fun is, but I gather it's that thing that happens when I pay that much money and am not sorry later~:)
And I'm pretty sorry, although... I do feel a bit less "itchy", which is nice. I mean, I mostly wanted to get enough of her junky world that I felt sated, which I think is a can-do. As far as knowing what happens... yeah, I knew all those things you said when I was starting out, but seeing it in black-and-white like this really drove the concept home, I guess. Yeah, I know I can't really expect to see the ending, which is partly what annoyed me, though it's not like you don't have serialized things that are published in the mainstream. Comics, for one thing. Well, that's most of it. Then again, comics tend to have -some- stand-alone value, generally. Maybe.
Also, I don't really like her writing, which makes me uncomfortable if my patronage implies that. Like, I don't mean I like the writing by buying at least 50-60% of the comics/music/fiction that I've bought at one time or another. Generally, it just means I can't have it for free and it's hooked me and I'm very impulsive. I feel dirty about the implication that I'm supporting something I'm unwilling to support, but eh, I mean, it's just me, not a horde of fangirls :>
Anyway, things are much clearer now, thanks.
Hahah, loved the bit about the crack-habit. Though all too often, even a published novel will be "part 1 of 12" these days :T
no subject
Date: 2004-03-12 07:40 am (UTC)And I wouldn't feel bad about the "misspent" $10...yeah, you didn't get as much satisfaction as you'd hoped out of it, but at least now you know. As for "approving" of her writing with your patronage, well, that only applies if you resubscribe next month. Think if it this way - when you originally paid, it was the topic and a few teasers that interested you enough to read more...but once you did read more, it was her responsibility as an author to hold your interest with good writing and a professional layout. Which she didn't, so I think you're making exactly the statement you want to by buying in once and never again:
"I will pay for the promise of hot boylove - it's a genre that interests me and I'd like to see it grow. However, I do expect certain standards, and now that I've looked around the site and seen that they're NOT met...I think I'll skip this author."
When most people walk into a bookstore, they buy a book based on very little information - the jacket, the excerpt on the first page, the pretty picture on the cover, whatever. That's what you've done - said the cover art and back-of-book blurb are interesting. But the truly successful authors are the ones who get repeat business - and that's where the true approval lies. I think buying the first time is an approval of the concept and the premise, and buying a second time is approval of the actual work itself...the first one, anyways.
So yeah. I think if you resubscribe then yeah, you're supporting her work...but if she looks at her stats and notices that 50% of people who buy in don't bother to stay a second month then...regardless of how much money she's got in her hot little hands, she's going to know she's not delivering a product people will continue to pay for. In order to make this work, I'm betting she needs repeat subscribers, and not just a one-time $10 from each interested party in turn.
So don't feel bad - you placed your bets and took your chances, and this time it didn't work out. But by buying and then losing interest, you've still sent a message. And $10 saying "I like the idea of boylove, but it has to be good to hold my interest" isn't, in the grand scheme of things, a bad investment. Even if she doesn't get the message, somewhere down the road, some publisher probably will.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-12 09:30 pm (UTC)But now I feel all noble, almost, sending a message and all that~:) Truth is, I wouldn't really feel all that bad except that her stuff is all in-progress which is frustrating. And I can only imagine the day when America will be like Japan with the whole boylove market. A lot of things would probably be different by then.
People would like to think that this country is totally governed by economics, but I have this feeling that it's about equally govered by puritanism in some things, anyway. Or maybe that's just me -.-