Just for the record, I didn't mean to write any 'verse of mine and it shows.

I really like other people's 'verses if they're about something I like. Saay, a 'verse where one of the brothers is a girl, I probably won't bother with, but a 'verse where John was the one that died, I would. AUs are fun.

Ooooh but I like your 'verse!

They are :D *loves them*

I'm in SGA fandom. Of course I love 'verses. We are big on AUs, too.

I think it could work, maybe even already works in SPN. I have no idea about Supernatural fic anymore.

SPN has lotsa 'verses too...'verses in which the boys grew up apart, 'verses in which Mary never died or in which they're werewolves...endless possibilities :D

Since I can't quite fit into any options, here's my take. If I read a fic and like it, it's pretty certain that I'll follow the verse if it turns into one.

Now, when people start writing their fics announcing they are part of a verse, I'll read the first story if the plot seems interesting as if it was a normal fic. If it wins me over, I'll keep on following it.

But I don't read a fic only because it is part of a verse, and I don't run from it because of the same reason.

Cool :D Thanks for the answer!

*points to jellicle's comment above* Exactly what they said.

I never read a fanfiction because it was part of a 'verse. It's pretty much like reading a standalone really. What makes me read or not read a fanfic to the last sentence depends on whehter the plot grips and holds my interest. And as you said every fanfiction creates a small world of its own.

The great thing about a 'verse is that if you find yourself liking the world in it, you have loads more stories in it to look forward to reading. But then, it kinda is like a really long mulitchapter fiction, no?

PUMPKIN! \0/ How did the presentation go?

But then, it kinda is like a really long mulitchapter fiction, no?


Hmmm no, because you have lots of different stories with different plots :)

MUFFIN!!

How did the presentation go?
Let's just not go there. Grumpywise the weather is enough, really. No need for more ;)

no, because you have lots of different stories with different plots
Not necessarily. At least the (admittedly) few 'verses I read tend to tell one big story in one big universe. Depicting different times and storylines but still one big overarching story.

PUMPKIN!

That bad huh? Did you know one theme in Gothic fiction is incest?

Hmmmm, true, but still...I mean, you NEVER tell the entire story in a fic. There's always more to tell. Difference with 'verses is, the authors actually do that.

Did you know one theme in Gothic fiction is incest?
Yeah, there was plenty of it in The Monk too ;p

There's always more to tell. Difference with 'verses is, the authors actually do that.
True. The tricky thing with 'verses is that they're kind of a WIP somehow. So personally, I find it hard to follow and get back into the world of the specific 'verse if there aren't regular updates in it ;)

(Did you see the rough draft of the Home For Christmas poster (http://missyjack.livejournal.com/270275.html)? I love Jared's hair too much for my own good on this one)

True. It's partly why I've never written a 'verse.

Did you see the rough draft of the Home For Christmas poster?
It's all pink and shiny. Hee.

I love Jared's hair too much for my own good
Awww. *ruffles through it* I can see where you're coming from *nods*

It's partly why I've never written a 'verse.
But is their one in the making maybe? I mean, this poll did serve a deeper purpose, right?

FÄUSTLINGE! *nick*

But is their one in the making maybe? I mean, this poll did serve a deeper purpose, right?


I was just wondering whether it would make sense at all if I ever decided to create a 'verse. (Okay so technically I already did with "Monster" but that was unintentional)

FÄUSTLINGE!!!!!!!!! NGUH!

so technically I already did with "Monster" but that was unintentional
Which by the way is in desperate need of attention and an update. *hears Pie whining* ;)

NGUH! DOUBLE-NGUH!

Which by the way is in desperate need of attention and an update. *hears Pie whining* ;)

Uh-huh. So about my RPS AU... :-p

You just love to tease people, don't you? *sammypout*

NGUH!

No, I'm just really not in the mood to write Monster right now :D

Meh. *kicks muse for good measure* Moody bastard your muse is.

*shrugs*

Did mention I'm bordering on a writing crisis again, yes?

I should be in bed.

Oh noes. Hope that'll look up again soon. *big damn hug*

I should be in bed.
But breaking the general conventions is so exciting.

*returns hugs* Not sure. It's the old "Why should I bother" feeling; it's hard to get rid off.

Hah, I know. Can't sleep anyway but...

Old habits die hard... just, you know, keep going!!!

*looks up at you* Here I am submitting to sleep. I shall go hit the sack now. Sweet dreams for whenever you call it a day that is. *glomps*

Yeah, we will see. *unenthusiastic*

Was about to go to bed now anyway, my back's killing me. Night night!

Ok, I can't answer that through a poll. I read rpf and regular fic. So my opinions on verses vary. First and most important to me is the story (it's gotta be good!) second is how well it's written (I'll take shaky skills so long as the story makes it worth it for me to do MILD editing in my head). Also, I could not give a shit who the authors are. I think it looks interesting or I see it getting rec'd in storyfinders or a bunch of journals. I check it out. Now, in RPF, I simply prefer verses. Total au, they are not the actors in that show, they are cowboys, or cops or whatever they are but not Jared and Jensen and friends except for surface details like looks, being from Texas, maybe certain talents. That's it. It makes me uncomfortable to read about them pretending it's really them. I've read some and I prefer stories where I can just pretend the names are there for me to know who is playing what role, ya dig?

In spn land. The verse thing is complex. It can break away from canon or add something to the story, like an expansion of sam's powers that sends the story off in a whole new direction and I like. Or it can be a story where something happened growing up and while maybe one of em learned hunting the other didn't and maybe they were split up and the story is them finding their way to each other and getting on the road and hunting together. I think because it is supernatural, it needs to have a solid basis in that world to be a verse that I would read and that would work for me. They need to retain enough of their canon personality traits for me to like it as well or why bother, it's the supernatural fandom, I'm reading it because I like the characters. I have a future apocolyptic verse in mind, have had since season one, got Kripke'd more than once, and the reason why I want to make it a verse is I want to write a number of fics, but I don't want to have to write them in chronological order and I want to be telling stories with those structers in place and I figured the best way to do that was create a verse for people to go, oh, that verse, cool, click! Also, that way I write shorter fics that don't leave people hangin in wip land since my muse is lost at sea or something. So yes. I like verses. No I don't pick according to author, though I'm more likely to try one from an author I know can pull off a good story and a completed fic. I would trust you to do a verse. But yeah, I think a verse is just basically when there is something going on in there that changes things enough that it becomes distinctive in and of itself and the first fic usually gets calls for follow ups and the author gets caught up in a serious well spring of creativity for the stories to be told within that set world and there you have it. If you have ideas for verses. I say go for it!

Now, in RPF, I simply prefer verses. Total au, they are not the actors in that show, they are cowboys, or cops or whatever they are but not Jared and Jensen and friends except for surface details like looks, being from Texas, maybe certain talents. That's it. It makes me uncomfortable to read about them pretending it's really them. I've read some and I prefer stories where I can just pretend the names are there for me to know who is playing what role, ya dig?

Absolutely. I rarely read RPS for time-reasons etc. but when I do, on the rare occasions, it's only AUs. For the same reasons you mentioned.

I think because it is supernatural, it needs to have a solid basis in that world to be a verse that I would read and that would work for me. They need to retain enough of their canon personality traits for me to like it as well or why bother, it's the supernatural fandom, I'm reading it because I like the characters.

Agreed on that too. *nods*

I would trust you to do a verse.

Aaaw. *squishes* Thank you. :-) Maybe one day...(I'm sort of writing an own verse of mine which is set after Crossroad Blues...let's see if I ever finish writing it :-) Though I see it less of a 'verse as simply an alternate universe for season 2)

I would be so curious to see an alternate version of season 2. I enjoyed those episodes alot, especially when they got back to basics mid season and actually started telling ghost stories and urban legends. I honestly don't know why Kripke doesn't realize his season one style was the best and what made us all so obsessed. But, despite me enjoying season 2 I don't find myself going back to those episodes to rewatch the way I did with season one and to a lesser extent the way I do with this third season. So I would be so excited to see another take on what was built for that season and where it would go. I hope you do finish writing it. I love the way your narrative voice has developed. I look forward to long fics from you because you always tell great stories and the writing is beautiful. Not to mention you always manage to pull the emotion off the page and make it real. I can't wait to read you big bang fic! *hugs*

Well, my version for season 2 is...hm, very AU, I guess. Set after Crossroad Blues and Dean breaks the deal that John made for him. Then...stuff happens. It's a story about how they become a family again, I guess. It's very angsty ;-)

I love the way your narrative voice has developed. I look forward to long fics from you because you always tell great stories and the writing is beautiful. Not to mention you always manage to pull the emotion off the page and make it real. I can't wait to read you big bang fic! *hugs*

Thank you :-) You should put a big, BIG smile on my face :-)

I'm not sure about BigBang though...it didn't turn out that great ;-) Just so you be warned :-)

You always warn about your writing, but it's always good. I've kinda stopped trusting your own opinion of your writing. Learn to love yourself and your words. They are precious and a gift to you and everyone you share them with. Trust me on this. I have been blocked for a long time now and have been so very empty of not only ideas but the words to even write opinions or thoughty things with any kind of eloquence that it physically hurts to be without it. And I read what you write and I see how you've developed and how wonderful your already good skills have developed into the kind of writing that others wish they could write like and you don't seem to realize you've done it. It makes me sad because you don't see how wonderful you are and you get so frustrated with yourself and beat yourself up and I wish I could make you see your writing through my eyes. You've progressed to the point that I believe if you wanted to you could write an original fiction novel and it would be good and sellable and I think you need to realize that. (i'm really quite picky, snobby about stuff like that so really consider that a HUGE compliment) And also, not everything will turn out great. That's just part of being a writer. And you are. You're a writer.

I think that au sounds really good. I love angst. My future verse has John alive in it. I'm trying to keep as close to canon as possible but I intend to have him not have moved on when the devils gate opened but he retained his body and stayed on earth with the boys and had all this information for them to prepare for what was to come. WHICH IS HUGE BABY! Now I just need a bulldozer to knock down my blocked walls.

*hugs you tight*

Yeah, it seems that nobody trusts my opinions on my stories anymore... ;-) Though, really, my BigBang piece is...uhm, it's one of my worst. I guess it's decent, but nothing I'm really proud of. BUt like you said, hopefully the next story's going to be better.

And I read what you write and I see how you've developed and how wonderful your already good skills have developed into the kind of writing that others wish they could write like and you don't seem to realize you've done it.

I guess I just don't...I see other writers and how amazingly they write and then I see my fanfiction and it's...well :-) I do hope, though, that I've improved my writing. Does that count? :-)

Really, your words just made my day. They did. No seriously. Thank you thank you thank you so much for that *hugs*

My future verse has John alive in it. I'm trying to keep as close to canon as possible but I intend to have him not have moved on when the devils gate opened but he retained his body and stayed on earth with the boys and had all this information for them to prepare for what was to come. WHICH IS HUGE BABY!

Oooooh! That sounds awesome! It kind of sounds what I would have loved to see on the show. Oh! I really hope you get over your writer's block soon so you can write that.

I know how much writer's block sucks and how much it can physically hurt. People tend to raise an eye brow at me when I tell them how horrible a writer's block can be, but it's true. It's...just a really, really bad thing that can happen to you *hugs you really really tight*


(In my AU due to events that are a bit too complicated to explain the Winchesters are forced to settle down and...considering that's not easy when you've grown up being on the road there are many problems. It sounds kinda lame put like that but there is a LOT of stuff happening--on an emotional level too--and everything's planned out. It's already 42,000 words long and not even halfway done yet.)

I think it counts that you hope you've improved but you need to work towards believing it and realizing that some of those people you think are so much better, you are just as good as and at times, better than them. I think one of the biggest things is lack of feedback. You don't get the amount you see in stuff that isn't half as good as yours and small feedback, no doubt about it, it shakes a persons confidence. But you have to remember sometimes people just don't know what to say, especially when something is good. I saw a writer recently putting a poll at the end of each chapter going are you out there? Is it, good, bad, etc. And she discovered that the maybe five people who were feedbacking her were nothing compared to the number of people who were willing to click that poll and it turned out to be alot of people and more people started to leave feedback after that, but also, she kept the poll going and discovered people were being quiet but were very intensely hooked on her story. Maybe you should do that. I think you'd be surprised how popular you truly are.

I hope I break my writers block soon as well. Whenever I get any free moment of oh I can write, I tend to go and work on one of the stories in that au, so it's in pieces but slowly growing. As for your AU, the fact that you are that far along and not even halfway done is so exciting to me. I've got this huge smile on my face. I love that you've got such a complex idea brewing and that you're writing it and just, I'm so impressed. I really can't wait to read it cause it doesn't sound lame to me, not at all. I'm proud of you. I'm in awe of you. You are writing things and finishing them and putting them out there and all of that is so great. See I can sit here and think of you when I'm feeling down about being so blank with my own writing and say, look, legoline is doing all of that even though she is struggling with so much self doubt, but she's doing it anyway and she's not quitting and so I refuse to give up. You've just become an inspiration to someone!

There are three or four authors out there whom I absolutely admire and I really don't think I'm as good as them. And I never will be. They're just...whoa.

The feedback thing is absolutely true. I keep hearing that feedback isn't everything and that stuff but honestly--I do care about feedback. A lot. And I can't help thinking that the stuff that leaves an impression on people also makes them comment.

The poll...I've thought about it. But I'm too chicken to do it because I'm afraid that my stuff isn't read after all...if that makes sense? Also, hm, if the feedback isn't an indication then there's still the fact that my stories barely get recc'd, not on spnstorfinders or spnroundtable and very, very rarely at crack_impala. I don't blame them for not reccing me, I feel more that maybe my stories just didn't leave a strong impression on the reader. Does that make sense?

Whenever I get any free moment of oh I can write, I tend to go and work on one of the stories in that au, so it's in pieces but slowly growing.

Whee! I'm glad to hear that. Even if it's coming slowly, it's coming and that's awesome.

See I can sit here and think of you when I'm feeling down about being so blank with my own writing and say, look, legoline is doing all of that even though she is struggling with so much self doubt, but she's doing it anyway and she's not quitting and so I refuse to give up. You've just become an inspiration to someone!


And now I'm blushing :) Thank you so so much honey! ♥

*hugs*

The rec thing...I see story searches all the time and I know I've read stories that match up, but I read so many that I don't know who wrote what, even if I've saved it to memories. I wouldn't take that personally. It's one thing I've noticed you do, you compare you worth as a writer to things like getting rec'd or feedback and it just isn't an accurate reflection. For one thing, you're a gen writer. People are less likely to rec gen. I notice it all the time. When people do searches on storyfinders for good gen stories, you end up with all these recsover to fanfiction.net and I think maybe you should stand up and self rec. People are all for it,get yourself out there and let yourself be seen because this is a fandom with huge slash goggles and you need to kick down those walls because the writing is worth the read.

As for stuff that makes an impression makes em comment. Some of the best stuff I've read, it's left me speechless and unable to comment. I try to stay on the ball with you and fail, because I know you do need to hear it and I know how badly I needed to hear it when I tried posting at one point and how much it put me off writing when I didn't get a lot of responses, but that was a very violent story and if it ever gets finished it'll still be violent and I'm hesitant because people disturb me with how they react to severe violence in general...but that's off subject. I often find myself not responding to the fics I think deserve it most because I can't think of anything to say that could possibly do justice to the writing I've read. Logically I know that the writer needs to hear just that and it would be enough, but I think, I'll get myself together and do it later and then I don't. So I don't think you can really judge by that. So many of us do that. It's not a commentary of the good or badness of your skills, it's about the flaws of your readers. I really think you should try the poll thing. I can tell you that I sometimes go back and go through friends journals and reread old fics and I get so surprised that fics that have stuck in my head, scenes that I can see clear as day, have turned out to be stuff you wrote and it stayed with me, but because fandom is huge and when we go on reading binges the thing that falls by the wayside is often who wrote which thing. Keep that in mind. You could be writing stuff that people are carrying around in their heads and just not connecting back to you because of brain overload, they kept what was important to them, the story. And that's the best compliment. And all those big popular pages of feedback writers, I forget that they wrote the stories that stuck with me just as easily. So do try to keep your head up and your confidence high. You are creating images out of thin air and stories that linger. that's what counts in the end.

never forget one more thing. You are amazing!

It's one thing I've noticed you do, you compare you worth as a writer to things like getting rec'd or feedback and it just isn't an accurate reflection.

I know, but it's the best reflection I can get. Bookmarks on del.icio.us, recs, feedback...I actually think to some extent it does paint a fairly accurate picture.

Don't worry about not keeping up with my fic. I do realise we all have real lives and aren't always able to read fic and whatnot. Don't worry about it. Still, your words mean so much to me :-) ♥

You are creating images out of thin air and stories that linger. that's what counts in the end.

I'm not sure I create stories that linger but I hope they do. It's why we write, isn't it? :-)

never forget one more thing. You are amazing!

So are you, m'dear. So are you :-)