What do YOU think? Fanworks exchange edition.

[apple_pathways]

You all realize that I see you as a ready pool of research subjects, don't you? I've spent far too long studying the social sciences. While I can appreciate the qualitative approach, when it comes down to it, I want DATA!

Feed me? Please???

The season of fic exchanges is upon us. This is my first year both writing fan fiction, and participating in these exchanges. While overall the experience has been fun, there's still some issues I'm trying to wrap my head around. Behind the cut I've compiled a poll about fanworks exchanges, and fic exchanges in particular. If you've participated in any at all ever, even as a spectator, I'd like to hear what you think. The results are viewable only to me, so feel free to be honest. (I'm not in a position to judge!)

Give the circle thingies a tick, and then we can have a lovely chat in the comments. :) What sort of exchanges do you do? Do you stress over them? Are you generally happy with your gifts, or do you get your hopes too high? Ever have a nightmare gift/recipient? Bad/good experiences? (I PROMISE SOME DAY I WILL WRITE A BOOK WITH ALL OF THE USELESS KNOWLEDGE I'VE TORTURED OUT OF YOU, MY DEAR FLIST! All shall not be for naught.) ;)



[Poll #1661044]



ETA: There's one more thing I'd like to get opinions on! Is MPreg something you need to warn for? I want to archive my 10, Donna, Jack fic, and warning for MPreg kinda ruins the ending. It works out fine here, where I can hide the warning under white text, and leave it up to sensitive readers to highlight for the warning if they're worried about being squicked, but that method wouldn't be an option in other places.

I know warning for MPreg is the convention in a lot of communities, but is that because it's a serious squick or because a lot of people just don't care for it? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Comments

[ladylovelace.livejournal.com]

Anonymity does nothing for me. I just get really, really awkward about getting things, from an inward perspective. Hell, I feel awkward about making meals just for myself - I've gotten to the point where if I can't benefit someone else by doing something, I won't do it. It's like the neurotic version of being charitable.

I don't mind doing specific requests, though. In a lot of ways, I'd rather have the direction, because I'm the painter with the blank canvas and a bunch of paint and get nothing done, because I've been given free reign. I crave direction.

It's not that I'm not sympathetic to squicks - I've seen/read some things that I would really, really like to unsee. But, and this is a big, hairy but; I got over it. Squicks and triggers are different animals. There is a major difference between going 'eww' and closing the window and hyperventilating/fainting/crying in the corner because of a genuine issue.

And yeah, like you say - it's the world. Bad things happen. If you can't learn to protect yourself from seeing the things that upset you, you either will eventually or you'll die of fear. Because it's not going to stop happening.

(I have been the faint-y kid, although not for the same reasons. It's no fun at all :()

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

Hey, a fellow faint-y kid! Aww, we should form a club. :) (I also fainted due to illness/injury, and not just because of my blood phobia; I have low blood pressure, and get light-headed easily.)

There is definitely a huge difference between a squick and a trigger--and there are some very strange, very SPECIFIC cases of both out there, so that you can't possibly account for all situations. (I, for instance, am squicked by puppets. I CANNOT expect the rest of the world to warn for puppets!)

I'm thinking a general "sensitive people beware" warning should suffice for my fic, especially since the MPreg in it is so incidental; if someone were seriously bothered by the brief mention of it in the story, then the word MPreg itself in the warning should have just as much of an effect!