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Post by lovelylemontree on Jun 5, 2007 10:47:55 GMT -5
I tried to read Meant To Be, but didn't get very far. I skimmed a few later chapters, too. It is not BSC fanfiction. It's original fiction with the names of BSC characters attached. It may be well-written, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the author isn't posting actual BSC fanfiction in the BSC fanfiction category. Changing the name of a character is a major red flag. And every character is so OOC, they're completely unrecognizable. I'm surprised that no one's called the author out on ffn. The fact that none of the long-time authors and reviewers review her stories is rather telling. Most of her reviewers, I've never seen before on ffn and doubt they're much interested in BSC fanfiction.
We discussed this author and her work last summer on the BSC LJ, along with the topic of where the line is drawn between fanfiction and original fiction. Some people felt that simply using character names and including occasional references to the canon makes a story a true fanfiction. I disagree. It's much more challenging than that. Characters need to remain true to their canon-selves while aging realistically. Major personality changes should be backed up by the canon.
The author is talented, but if she wants to write original fiction, she should be at an original fiction site.
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Post by greer on Jun 5, 2007 11:15:56 GMT -5
^i totally agree. I'm not sure what the point of these fics are: is it that no one reads/reviews the original fiction part of ff.net? I have been around the fandom for a long time and I didn't recognize one reviewer's name and saw no references to the bsc. I guess if anyone has ever called him/her out on their non-bscness they were quickly silenced by an army of soap opera watchers bearing tissue boxes.
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Lauren
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,026
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Post by Lauren on Jun 5, 2007 11:40:58 GMT -5
I've read Amsterdam, Amsterdam! and Caludia Keeshi: Middle Skool Mama and loved them. Now I want to read BFF and Most Likely to Succeed when I get the time.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2007 17:19:00 GMT -5
ITA with all of this about onlylivingboy's fics! I've never understood why they are so popular. I mean, yeah, they're good stories, as long as you don't think of them as the BSC. The italian thing with Logan grated me right away. I know that Bruno is an italian last name but that doesn't mean they'd be speaking italian at home and Mrs Bruno would be fixing tiramisu and cannolis all the time. Logan just doesn't fit in at all with canon Logan. Logan was never that deep in the books. I know that fanfics get more into characteers and take them further than the books did but Logan's just too far. And when did Stacey and Dawn become best friends? I barely remember the story but what I do remember, there's some flashback to right after eighth grade and Dawn and Stacey are best friends. It just makes no sense. Way too much happens in the story, too much dying. How many characters actually end up dying overall in that whole series?
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Post by secondhandshoes on Jun 5, 2007 17:57:07 GMT -5
See, I can't read those stories because I believe that they ARE too far removed from the canon. While some of the girls would change from jr. high to high school, I don't see any evidence of them being the same people except for names. It feels as if those characters were created by the author for some other purpose, and given those names later on and called BSC fiction. I know that's not what happened, but that's almost how it seems. Again, they are very well written. Just not for me.
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Post by sotypical42483 on Jun 5, 2007 21:17:19 GMT -5
I absolutely agree with what a lot of you are saying. The reason I can't get into BSC fan fic is because a lot of it doesn't feel like the BSC at ALL. Even the paradies that draw from their personality traits... I don't know, I feel like they just take it too far and I prefer things that are more realistic. I can't at all get into a story that changes their personalities and makes half of them drug addicts or teenager mothers...
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blossom114
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,504
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Post by blossom114 on Jun 6, 2007 9:11:03 GMT -5
I'm reading BFF by celica (I think) i got into it yesterday, and since I dont have internet connection at home I painstackingly copied and pasted all 42 chapters into notepad...now I just can't turn my laptop off or I'll lose my place !! It's awesome...and i think really realistic...and the writer...wow... I can totally see her being one of AMM's ghostwriters...because I had to say to myeslf "this isn't an actual book" (it's actually longer than all the BSC books Lol)
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Post by baseballchica03 on Jun 6, 2007 14:43:54 GMT -5
^^ You could always put a string of characters in where you left off, like five or six asteriks in a row, then apple-F (or ctrl-F or whatever) for that string of characters when you open the program again.
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ktag
Junior Sitter
Posts: 694
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Post by ktag on Jun 6, 2007 22:54:41 GMT -5
It's awesome...and i think really realistic...and the writer...wow... I can totally see her being one of AMM's ghostwriters...because I had to say to myeslf "this isn't an actual book" (it's actually longer than all the BSC books Lol) The ghostwriters have got nothing on her. Another new My Mother's Daughter already! Looking forward to the secret in the attic...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2007 13:16:58 GMT -5
Wow, it's one thing not to like a fanfiction - it's another one to completely start bashing authors and the reviewers. Just because it isn't your definition of fanfiction, doesn't meant it isn't somebody else's. While I believe everybody has a right to their own opinion, there is no need to get rude about it.
And? Every single BSC story on fanfiction.net or any other places that house fanfiction have some aspect of OOC to them. Because you can't go forward a number of years without that occurring. I have typically stayed out of these discussions, but this is getting ridiculous. If you read back on even this particular post, there are numerous times when that particular fic and author has been mentioned. Must you bring it up time and time again? When honestly? It's not that bad.
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blossom114
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,504
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Post by blossom114 on Jun 7, 2007 13:54:27 GMT -5
I just read the Middel Skool Mama one, and I was cracking up...and just read karen's shoplifting trip, what's up so far...omgggg... I'd say the writer does a good job when the character is supposed to be hated, and you want to end up strangling them! haha .the not another baby-sitters club mystery was great too. I didn't think I would like the parodies, since they're so out there, but I'm enjoying them.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
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Post by lilafowler on Jun 7, 2007 14:36:13 GMT -5
LOL, there hasn't been a new BSC book in seven years; this board exists for the sole purpose of discussing the same things over and over!
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Post by greer on Jun 7, 2007 15:09:22 GMT -5
This is the one message board I've posted on where everyone is really friendly, respectful, and gets along and I think everyone wants to keep it that way. But I also think we also have the right to dislike a fanfic and post about it. If discussions about keep popping up in all the bsc discussion forums... I think that says something about a fic.
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Post by lovelylemontree on Jun 7, 2007 15:44:07 GMT -5
No one is "bashing" the author or her reviewers. Most of us have stated that the author has talent and her stories are well-written. People have a right to enjoy her work, just as we have a right not to. This is a discussion forum. It's not the author's personal fanboard. Compared to the nastiness that goes on in other fandoms, we've been quite fair in our criticism. Criticism is a part of writing. Yes, it can cause hurt feelings, but in the end, it's up to the author to either ignore it or use it to grow.
We haven't been rude and we haven't harped on the topic endlessly. There aren't pages and pages of us ripping apart this one author and her stories. We posted our opinions and left it at that. I stand by my opinion and considering that the author plans to remove Meant To Be from ffn because she intends to have it published as an original novel, I think my opinion has credence.
I agree. I rarely go to the BSC LJ because I just don't find it very warm and inviting. It's more relaxed here and the posters are friendly and respectful. I like that there's a very easy agree-to-disagree attitude instead of resorting to the personal attacks and name-calling that occurs on other message boards.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2007 22:12:43 GMT -5
Yes, the reviews of the fic have been bashed - calling reviews "an army of soap opera watchers bearing tissue boxes" is both rude and an assumption. And it is bashing the reviews because I am NOT a fan of soap operas, yet I and many other people enjoy the stories. And also suggesting that someone should "call the author out" on fanfiction.net is also not called for. Whether you agree or not, her story IS a fanfiction.
Just because it's not your particular cup of tea or idea of how things should be doesn't mean that it isn't fanfiction. There are many different views of how characters should and shouldn't change. Even if it differs from what you think, that doesn't automatically make it an original story. If you don't like it? Fine. If you don't agree with it? Great. But calling reviews names, however subtle, and suggesting that someone should have taken it down from ffn is uncalled for. And I've lurked on these boards for awhile and for the most part? Have enjoyed it. But it takes away from that enjoyment when I read threads like this.
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