I don't really believe anyone even should HAVE to sell someone when it comes to fic. I find that really 99% of the time if I'm reading fic, I've already made up my mind about ship preferences. I want to read about things that I don't see on the show/in the movie. Otherwise I'd just wait for a new episode or rewatch the movie.
If someone is reading Barney/Robin HIMYM fic, I don't think its to convert themselves into being fans. It's because they're ALREADY sold on the ship.
When 30 Rock first started I was originally into Jack/Liz. But then Floyd came along and I was into Liz/Floyd. And I didn't really think much about Jack/Liz again. The break between season 2 and 3 I started reading Liz/Jack fic. Mostly because someone on my FList commented on how they "never wanted to picture anything going into to Tina Fey let alone a penis"
This is where it got me. There was a news story a few years ago where someone found a finger in their Wendy's chili. So instead of never wanting to ever eat there again. I got in the car and got a Frostee.
So someone saying how awful Liz/Jack fic was made me go and read some. And most of what I read they were in an already established relationship. So I ended up reading like 100+ fics in one weekend and I got completely hooked on the ship. I don't think it was the authors or the stories itself that sold me really. It was just sort of accessing something that was already in the back of my head.
If you watch American Idol and in the back of your mind you're like "Simon and Ryan are adorable" and then go read some Rymon fic... chances are it'll push you over to full on shipping. Something makes you go out and look for the fic. You usually don't just HAPPEN TO STUMBLE UPON IT.
If someone linked me to some Smallville fic of Chloe and Clark chances are it's going to take a hell of a lot more than "showing me how they get together" for me to buy into the ship. Not because I have any personal feelings for them. I've seen one or two episodes of the show. I know nothing about these people. If someone posted 100 links of fic on their LJ of fic how they got together, chances are I'd scroll past it.
So basically long story short (too late), I don't really think it's your JOB as a writer to sell anything. I used to write fic and from my end I'd just want it to be even the tiniest bit believable regardless of if its first time or established. Setting the right tone and getting the voices of the characters down always seemed more important than "will I convert a non-shipper into one."
And if that is your priority as a reader to be convinced... skip it. Go to the next story. Or write your own. Put these characters into a situation where YOU believe that you'd buy into the ship. But don't expect other people to give a shit about your hang ups.
Having said all that, I do tend to enjoy getting together stories more than I do established stories. Not because I need to be convinced. Mostly because I like the build up. Like watching a Romantic Comedy. You know where it's going but getting there is the fun part.
But then there are the days where I like established fic. I'm usually already sold on a ship when I read those. Those tend to be more real I think. You can throw any two idiots in a room and eventually know they'll probably bang. But its after all that where it's tricky. Trying to show that these two people good for each other and here is why.
IDK. This went on way longer than I wanted to and I think my point was completely lost lol.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 08:09 am (UTC)If someone is reading Barney/Robin HIMYM fic, I don't think its to convert themselves into being fans. It's because they're ALREADY sold on the ship.
When 30 Rock first started I was originally into Jack/Liz. But then Floyd came along and I was into Liz/Floyd. And I didn't really think much about Jack/Liz again. The break between season 2 and 3 I started reading Liz/Jack fic. Mostly because someone on my FList commented on how they "never wanted to picture anything going into to Tina Fey let alone a penis"
This is where it got me. There was a news story a few years ago where someone found a finger in their Wendy's chili. So instead of never wanting to ever eat there again. I got in the car and got a Frostee.
So someone saying how awful Liz/Jack fic was made me go and read some. And most of what I read they were in an already established relationship. So I ended up reading like 100+ fics in one weekend and I got completely hooked on the ship. I don't think it was the authors or the stories itself that sold me really. It was just sort of accessing something that was already in the back of my head.
If you watch American Idol and in the back of your mind you're like "Simon and Ryan are adorable" and then go read some Rymon fic... chances are it'll push you over to full on shipping. Something makes you go out and look for the fic. You usually don't just HAPPEN TO STUMBLE UPON IT.
If someone linked me to some Smallville fic of Chloe and Clark chances are it's going to take a hell of a lot more than "showing me how they get together" for me to buy into the ship. Not because I have any personal feelings for them. I've seen one or two episodes of the show. I know nothing about these people. If someone posted 100 links of fic on their LJ of fic how they got together, chances are I'd scroll past it.
So basically long story short (too late), I don't really think it's your JOB as a writer to sell anything. I used to write fic and from my end I'd just want it to be even the tiniest bit believable regardless of if its first time or established. Setting the right tone and getting the voices of the characters down always seemed more important than "will I convert a non-shipper into one."
And if that is your priority as a reader to be convinced... skip it. Go to the next story. Or write your own. Put these characters into a situation where YOU believe that you'd buy into the ship. But don't expect other people to give a shit about your hang ups.
Having said all that, I do tend to enjoy getting together stories more than I do established stories. Not because I need to be convinced. Mostly because I like the build up. Like watching a Romantic Comedy. You know where it's going but getting there is the fun part.
But then there are the days where I like established fic. I'm usually already sold on a ship when I read those. Those tend to be more real I think. You can throw any two idiots in a room and eventually know they'll probably bang. But its after all that where it's tricky. Trying to show that these two people good for each other and here is why.
IDK. This went on way longer than I wanted to and I think my point was completely lost lol.