Genre and audience lurve

[valis2]

This whole CC rehashing makes me wonder anew: what is it exactly about CC's writing that causes such devotion in her fans?

I'm thinking one piece of the puzzle might be genre. Readers generally feel differently about certain genres. Car repair manuals, for example, do not inspire fervent declarations of adoration.

Keep in mind I've only read a little of her work, and that was a while ago. But I'm thinking that it has to do with her fusion of angst and humor. Make someone laugh, and you generally inspire a warm feeling; make someone feel something for a character, and you do the same. I think she does both with her writing, and that might be one clue to her popularity. I mean, humor and crack!fics certainly make one laugh, but I don't think they go to the same place that a story that combines both does.

I also think genre selects audience, to a degree. I wonder if angst!audiences are more passionate about their reading than, say, fluff!readers. Hmm...food for thought.

Comments

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

what is it exactly about CC's writing that causes such devotion in her fans?
I don't think it's her writing per se. I know plenty of less talented authors who manage to acquire a band of witless fangirls by just updating very, very infrequently. ;)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I've noticed that sheer volume sometimes brings in more reviews than quality sometimes...but still, wow. She has thousands of reviews.

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

Well, she's also been writing the bloody thing since what, 2001? Time plays into it, too. Plus she's got popularity on her side, where her works get enthusiastically recommended to a lot of fandom newcomers; after all, the novels are basically genfic despite the constant pairing off of characters. There's plot and there's mystery; it doesn't take much more than that to hook people. And if you're half decent at the writing thing, you've got it made.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I also think it might be hooked into genre, too. A bit of plot, some funny stuff, some angsty stuff...it's a good formula.

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

Well, in the first place, she's a very good writer...

Except that she's written Joss Wheedon, Pamela Dean, The Blackadder Script writers, the Red Dwarf Script writers, and umpteen others. So, seeing as they are good writers, then it logically follows that she looked pretty good. She ought to have done, seeing as she gacked most of their best bits.

By the looks of things her own real writing is all of a side of A4...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yes, I suspect many of the reviewers were responding to the works of others, when you really look at it. And with lines that witty, it makes sense that people would be so entertained...

[jaelle-n-gilla.livejournal.com]

For me she was the first "real" fanfic I read. I thought that her writing could almost match the originals by JKR. Of course she had it easier because the world was already created, but I really liekd the books and I am glad she finished them before canon book 7 was out.
Time is certainly a factor. Long waiting makes enthusiastic replies.
Angst is not a factor for me, personally. I like her humor better than her angst, and I am generally one drawn to humor and to a generally well done plot line than to character angst.
Oh well, that's just me.

I hope Lori finishes her PoU trilogy before book 7 too. While I think she cannot quite reach CC, it was still entertaining to read. Still, I am not waiting that urgently for her grand finale.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Hmm. The waiting thing is an interesting observation. People who read loooong stories get so excited when there's a new chapter. I think you're right about that!

I do think that humor is a big part of her appeal.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

I think we tend to hold on to stuff we used to like, and I also know that for many fans, (myself included), Cassandra Claire's writing is a gateway into fandom.

I used to say I'd never touch fanfiction, but a friend convinced me to read the "Draco" trilogy. It showed me that fanfiction could be written well. And as you say, it was both funny and angsty - the quickest way to my 17-year-old heart! (OMG it was that long ago?!)

While now I can think of a myriad of things wrong with Cassie Clarie's fic (too American, too cliched, too unoriginal, etc), at the time I didn't care. I didn't know about the plagarism thing, but I even if I had, I wouldn't have stopped reading the fic - it was far too entertaining!

I also remember thinking that the main reason I accepted it was because it wasn't really like the real Harry Potter series. That seems weird coming from a massive HP fan, but one of the main reasons I refused to read fanfiction was because I felt that no one except the author had the right to continue their stories. If an author died, leaving a work unfinished, then even if someone else finished it, it wouldn't be the real story - because only the author knows how it really ends! Cassie Claire's fic, however, did not portray anything I could see happening in the real series. And therefore, I didn't feel that she was trying to hijack JKR's story - I could more or less enjoy CC's stories in their own right.

I don't think that explains her popularity, since I've never heard anyone else in the fandom say they felt the same way about fanfiction in general, but I do think you're onto something with the angst + humour thought.

I also think that a lot of people will overlook issues of originality/canon compliance/realism if a story is entertaining enough. Which CC's stories most certainly are.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

The Draco trilogy pulled you into HP fanfic? Well, then, I owe it a debt of gratitude. ;)

It's interesting that you liked the series because it was more of a parallel than a continuation. That's a fascinating thought pattern...just because it was so different from JKR, it held your attention. Hmm...

I'm really thinking that angst/humor is a more powerful combo than I originally thought. Recently I saw a fic with those tags, and I thought, huh? is that really a good pairing? But now, with a bit more thought, I can see its appeal.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Well, then, I owe it a debt of gratitude. ;)

Awww! Thanks, sweetie. :)

just because it was so different from JKR, it held your attention.

That wasn't why it held my attention - it held my attention because, as you say, it is both funny and angsty. The fact that it was different to JKR simply allowed me to accept it. If it had been too much like JKR, I would've just thought "What a rip-off, she has no right to do this - this is JKR's story!" And I'd be half afraid that it would ruin my appreciation of the real story, because I'd get too used to the CC version of events. But because I didn't believe anything in CC's story to be very likely in the real HP books, it didn't bother me, and I could just enjoy it.

Even now, I prefer fics that don't really try to continue the "real" Harry Potter story. I like fics that give a different perspective on events, or deal with a different time period, or introduce original characters and tell a story that isn't directly related to the real series.

[whitemunin.livejournal.com]

I had no clue about this until I saw your post, and then another one by someone else on my flist. I checked Bad Penny, and...*whistles* This tops Msscribe, IMO. I've never read CC's stuff. Not in the least interested, and after reading that one piece on the Msscribe debacle about how she was receiving screened visitors at an HP convention, I just had to roll my eyes.

Anyhoo, looks like Queen Claire can't quite shut off the "borrow" valve. This from fanfiction history:

Added to these most current plagiarism accusations are accusations that her professional novel has violated Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter trademark in naming her professional series based on those books.

Everything cited here in a nice, neat wrap-up.

http://www.fanhistory.com/index.php?title=Cassandra_Claire

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Amazing, isn't it? I'm quite impressed that people have so much time to play Internet Detective, honestly. But there are always those who search for truth...heh.

I remember a convention write up once where the person gushed about being in a car with Cassie Claire and two other BNFs.

[cactus-wren.livejournal.com]

I didn't know there was any hashing to start with. What's everyone wanking about now? I've read the Draco Trilogy - after someone somewhere recommended it - and I liked it well enough. It's one of the only HP fanfics I've ever read. I keep telling myself I need to read tLS, but woman! you've written like 75 chapters. It'll take for-ev-er to catch up!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

The whole thing is here (http://www.journalfen.net/community/bad_penny/8985.html), if you're interested.

And I'm sorry about tLS...I just have so many words! *laughs* It goes quickly, though, I promise.

[cactus-wren.livejournal.com]

It goes quickly, though, I promise.

You mean they're not 50 page chapters like some fics? Chapters of that length make me cringe and look at the clock, wondering how the hell long it's going to take to read them. I'd always rather have more frequent posts and slightly shorter chapters than that.

And you? With having many words? Unimaginable.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

My chapter are quite neat and sweet, usually clocking in at 2-3k. Though the last few have been 4-6k. ;)

And you? With having many words? Unimaginable.

hee!! *grins*