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redorchidsThis is probably going to be quite full of unpopular opinions, so let me start by clarifying that at no point in this am I trying to 1) criticise a specific writer 2) say that certain characterisations are better than others. This is just things in my head, completely subjective in the way personal preferences always are. Everyone is entitled to like what they do, and I think that's important. We all have different tastes, and that's a good thing.
I think one of the greatest thing about fanfiction is how it allows for writers to continuously reinvent their characters. How many different versions of e.g. Brendon there are out there. The diversity is interesting, and I like seeing that. Everyone has their favourite versions, and there's even a bizarre sense of "fashion" in how specific characters are portrayed over time (compare Ryan in fics from 2006 with those from 2009 for example).
At the moment, I feel like I'm a bit out of fashion when it comes to Bandom. It's rare that I find stories with my favourite characterisations these days, which is a bit sad, kind of in the same way as being sad that moonboots are out of fashion when you want to get a pair to protect your feet from sub-zero temperatures. My favourite Ryan is fucked-up-teenage!Ryan, who's all sharp edges and desperation to make something of himself and the band. My favourite Spencer is either the teenage compliment to that Ryan, or the grown up version who's at ease in his own skin and pretty much happy with his (awesome, surfer-shacked-up-with-Brendon) life. My favourite Brendon is the one with the unbreakable faith in something (the band, Ryan, Spencer, happy endings, whatever works). And my favourite Jon is the one with the slow smile who loves his cats more than what is entirely normal. The list goes on. There's my favourite Pete (the version who wants too much, feels too sharply and loves too deeply) and my favourite Patrick (bitchy, young and fiercely protective of Pete even when Pete drives him crazy).
Similarly, my least favourite versions include pretentious-bastard-hipster!Ryan (especially when done as bashing and not with fondness), mean-and/or-controlling!Spencer (especially in dynamics with Brendon where Spencer is "the adult" and Brendon is the child that needs to be taken care of and/or disciplined), self-depreciating!Brendon (pretty much the exact opposite of faith!Brendon. Both can be very broken, but with the crucial difference that faith!Brendon is essentially a romantic and an optimist and self-depreciating!Brendon is essentially a pessimist). I, personally, simply don't LIKE reading about these characters. They make me sad and generally squick me.
I think all of this (what you like and don't like) is very much tied to what you yourself want in life, what your values are, what attracts you, what you fear--who you are as a person, essentially. I want equal relationships. People who grow. Characters that are complex and fucked up and in fifty shades of grey who make mistakes and learn from them. People who grow up and overcome stuff. People who believe in something even if they're struck down by life. People letting themselves be happy and believing they're worth being loved and treated with respect.
(Basically, I'm a hopeless romantic. I want to make the world a better place and myself a better person. I'm a hopeless idealist as well, and if you'd put me in the Miss USA pageant, I'd wish for world peace. I don't like victimising people (or even worse, people victimising themselves), because it doesn't feel respectful to me. And I don't like romanticising inequality or bad communication or lack of respect in a relationship.)
I didn't really realise what I'd been feeling like I was missing in Bandom in the last six months or so until I started reading a lot of Merlin fic. The Merlin/Arthur dynamic hits all my kinks when it comes to characterisation and relationship dynamics, and I just love it. It makes me fundamentally happy. I often find myself wishing that especially Brencer would be written in the same way. I like a Brendon who has a backbone and knows what he wants. :)
There's not really a point to this other than penning some of my thoughts down. I'd love to hear what you guys think about these things, too. What are your favourite/least favourite characterisations? What makes you all gooey happy inside and what bothers you?
*hands over pen*
I think one of the greatest thing about fanfiction is how it allows for writers to continuously reinvent their characters. How many different versions of e.g. Brendon there are out there. The diversity is interesting, and I like seeing that. Everyone has their favourite versions, and there's even a bizarre sense of "fashion" in how specific characters are portrayed over time (compare Ryan in fics from 2006 with those from 2009 for example).
At the moment, I feel like I'm a bit out of fashion when it comes to Bandom. It's rare that I find stories with my favourite characterisations these days, which is a bit sad, kind of in the same way as being sad that moonboots are out of fashion when you want to get a pair to protect your feet from sub-zero temperatures. My favourite Ryan is fucked-up-teenage!Ryan, who's all sharp edges and desperation to make something of himself and the band. My favourite Spencer is either the teenage compliment to that Ryan, or the grown up version who's at ease in his own skin and pretty much happy with his (awesome, surfer-shacked-up-with-Brendon) life. My favourite Brendon is the one with the unbreakable faith in something (the band, Ryan, Spencer, happy endings, whatever works). And my favourite Jon is the one with the slow smile who loves his cats more than what is entirely normal. The list goes on. There's my favourite Pete (the version who wants too much, feels too sharply and loves too deeply) and my favourite Patrick (bitchy, young and fiercely protective of Pete even when Pete drives him crazy).
Similarly, my least favourite versions include pretentious-bastard-hipster!Ryan (especially when done as bashing and not with fondness), mean-and/or-controlling!Spencer (especially in dynamics with Brendon where Spencer is "the adult" and Brendon is the child that needs to be taken care of and/or disciplined), self-depreciating!Brendon (pretty much the exact opposite of faith!Brendon. Both can be very broken, but with the crucial difference that faith!Brendon is essentially a romantic and an optimist and self-depreciating!Brendon is essentially a pessimist). I, personally, simply don't LIKE reading about these characters. They make me sad and generally squick me.
I think all of this (what you like and don't like) is very much tied to what you yourself want in life, what your values are, what attracts you, what you fear--who you are as a person, essentially. I want equal relationships. People who grow. Characters that are complex and fucked up and in fifty shades of grey who make mistakes and learn from them. People who grow up and overcome stuff. People who believe in something even if they're struck down by life. People letting themselves be happy and believing they're worth being loved and treated with respect.
(Basically, I'm a hopeless romantic. I want to make the world a better place and myself a better person. I'm a hopeless idealist as well, and if you'd put me in the Miss USA pageant, I'd wish for world peace. I don't like victimising people (or even worse, people victimising themselves), because it doesn't feel respectful to me. And I don't like romanticising inequality or bad communication or lack of respect in a relationship.)
I didn't really realise what I'd been feeling like I was missing in Bandom in the last six months or so until I started reading a lot of Merlin fic. The Merlin/Arthur dynamic hits all my kinks when it comes to characterisation and relationship dynamics, and I just love it. It makes me fundamentally happy. I often find myself wishing that especially Brencer would be written in the same way. I like a Brendon who has a backbone and knows what he wants. :)
There's not really a point to this other than penning some of my thoughts down. I'd love to hear what you guys think about these things, too. What are your favourite/least favourite characterisations? What makes you all gooey happy inside and what bothers you?
*hands over pen*
