Augh! No bloody talking about feelings, we're manly tv characters, please

[burntcopper]

Okay, slightly inspired by the horrors of fanfiction.net paddling.

Is there any way to convince a large amount of writers that canon observation is a good thing?

That the majority of books and tv shows and films do not feature characters who feel the need to discuss their feelings? In fact, most of them are pretty much allergic to it. So discussion of feelings happens practically never. Especially if they're male. Going double if they're British. The most you tend to get is 'Can you please not do that, it disturbs me.' Blair Sandburg doesn't spill his heart out in diatribes. Sodding Six Feet Under characters do not spill their heart out in diatribes the way that fic has them doing.

So what the hell is with the plethora of fics that have Robin of frickin' Sherwood characters doing it? Or 'Much was tormented by the demons of his past'. *What* bloody demons of his past? He doesn't have any. He was a serf. He became an outlaw. His parents got killed, which is not something we've ever seen him angst about. Do these writers even watch the bloody shows they're writing about?

Comments

[alyse]

Do these writers even watch the bloody shows they're writing about?

No. They watch the imaginary picture shows in their heads instead, because they're so much better.

Actually, sarcasm aside (although I do think that that's the explanation in at least some cases), I suspect that at least a large part of it is not the fact that they don't watch and absorb canon, but that they're unable to replicate it. In short, it's a sign of poor writing rather than poor comprehension skills. And when you combine that with the desire for angst and hurt comfort - which I do get - then you get the verbal diarrhoea effect.

In other words, they want to explore the angst and they may even on some level understand that the characters don't spill forth, but they may not be able to convey the 'depths' of the character's 'pain' without recourse to long, meaningless exposition. Just like plot exposition by dropping a chunk of it in the text. Poor writing skills.

Course, I can't say much given that my entire Conversation series was based around them... well, not talking actually. Except when they did, of course ::g::

[munchkinott.livejournal.com]

*points scary-looking crossbow at kabukivice*

Put the internet browser down and step AWAY from ff.net!

Isn't that much better? *bright smile*

Do these writers even watch the bloody shows they're writing about?

Yes, but don't you see that the series writers are WRONG! wrongwrongwrongwrongwrong If one screenwriter dares scribe a show where just ONE of the 'popular characters' sounds like a human being and not a petulant, spoilt, teenaged girl with a propensity for crying like a baby 'til the mean bastards give them a PUPPY - these screenwriters are 'wrong'.

Tolkien was wrong for giving Legolas balls and snark.
Bernard Cornwell was wrong for making Sharpe a tough little bastard.

All of these people were W-R-O-N-G. And ff.net stands as testament to those who think they're R-I-G-H-T. So 'Canon' = all the wrong bits.

I'm so happy there are quality, modest people like Anne Rice and George Lucas taking a firm stand and saying 'ff.net are all stinky poos and I'M RIGHT!'...

Ok, whole load of bad examples there, but you get my gist. :-D