I have to say that I agree with a lot of what MLT says.
I also find myself reading the discussion every year about whether a Drama should have an A-plot and it always leaves me thinking that people in this fandom don’t particularly like A-plots. Since I’m not a good enough writer to write a story without an A-plot, I must admit that I find that the idea saddens me. It makes me less inclined to write stories because I sort of figure that my stories aren’t what people really want to read anymore.
Well, MLT, I have to say that reading your post makes me
want to read your stories. I
do like A plots, and I appreciate them when I find them.
Your doubts here echo the ones I had when I wrote Extraordinary Man II. Most of the feedback I got was very complimentary about the relationship parts of the story, but few people had anything to say about the A plot. It almost made me wonder why I'd bothered with it!
Oh, and please don't say you are not a good enough writer to write a story without an A plot! I'm sure others would say that they are not good enough writers to write stories
with an A plot. It's all a matter of where an author's strengths and preferences lie. Neither one is better or worse than the other; it's simply a reflection of people liking different things and having talents in different areas.
So, please, rest assured, you're not crying in the wilderness here. Or, if you are, we're singing quite the duet!
As for whether the Kerths are leaders or followers in influencing what people write, I have to say that I think they are both and, if anything, there is a kind of circular pattern.
When categories like Best Villain get dropped I think that, yes, this reflects the kinds of stories that have been written in the previous year. But it also -- I think -- sends signals that these kinds of stories aren't being written and are unpopular... and that
may influence what people continue to write.
This is one reason why I'm so delighted to see the new Best Original / Supporting Character category this year. It shows that writers were writing stories outside the boundaries of the 2003 Kerth Categories, and I think that speaks volumes for the powers of creativity at work within this community.
I, myself, have often wondered about trying to write for the FoLC 'market'; I see a hunger for and appreciation of long and (often) angsty relationship fics, or pure, unadulterated waffyness (is that a word?). But I don't find it in me to write long relationship stories, be they waffy or angsty. In the end, I write what I feel like writing... and either people like it or they don't (although I hope they will).
Chris (one of FoLCdom's eternal runners-up
)
