death stories
ASCEM
Subject:
Re: death stories
Date:
Fri, 24 Oct 1997 08:46:10 -0700
From:
Greywolf the Wanderer <grey...@snowcrest.net>
To:
AS...@earthlink.net
References:
1
ASCEML wrote:
> From:
> kim...@aol.com (Kimbuk3)
> Subject:
> Re: death stories
>
> Someone wrote, (damn I lost the original post):
> >CD -- character death (this doesn't give away too much plotline, but
> >would warn people the story isn't going to be an upper)
>
> This is a suggestion for a new story code. And I certainly
> understand why people want to be warned. But I have a question.
> What if the death of the character is supposed to be a surprise? A
> dramatic moment? Does putting a warning or a CD code at the beginning
> of the story spoil the suspense?
>
> Kim
That's my own feeling, as well. When I posted "To Lay Me Down" I
thought about specifying that someone dies in the intro -- but to me,
that pulls the srtory's teeth, before you even have a chance to read
it. So I put that it was a major bummer, instead -- I figure, come one,
people, we're all theoretically grownups, here, right? At least, that's
what our age statements claim... ;-)>
I will probably do the same if it comes up again. Disclaimers are all
very well, but you can get to a point where the reader says, well, why
read this, I already know what's in it.
My 2 strips...
Greywolf the Wanderer
ASCEM
Subject:
Re: death stories
Date:
From:
TDrum...@aol.com
To:
as...@earthlink.net
kim...@aol.com wrote:
<< Someone wrote, (damn I lost the original post):
>CD -- character death (this doesn't give away too much plotline, but
>would warn people the story isn't going to be an upper)
This is a suggestion for a new story code. And I certainly understand
why people want to be warned. But I have a question. What if the death
of the character is supposed to be a surprise? A dramatic moment? Does
putting a warning or a CD code at the beginning of the story spoil the
suspense? >>
For me, a warning about an impending character death would spoil the
suspense, even if I don't know who is going to die. Yeah, I like to be
surprised, but I've also written stories in which major characters die. The
last one I posted here involved a *lot* of deaths, and the feedback I
received regarding these deaths was positive, although a few were more than a
bit shocked from it. If I had put the CD code in the disclaimer, I don't
think the build-up and subsequent tragic scene would have had the same kick.
Ah. That's just me, though.
Take care!
Ter
ASCEM
Subject:
Re: death stories
Date:
From:
dfb...@panix.com (Debra Fran Baker)
Organization:
NightRoads Associates
To:
alt-startrek-creati...@uunet.uu.net
Newsgroups:
alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated
References:
1
In <ascem-ya02408000...@news.earthlink.net>
as...@earthlink.net (ASCEM) writes:
>Subject:
> Re: death stories
> Date:
> Fri, 24 Oct 1997 08:46:10 -0700
> From:
> Greywolf the Wanderer <grey...@snowcrest.net>
> To:
> AS...@earthlink.net
> References:
> 1
>>
>> Someone wrote, (damn I lost the original post):
>> >CD -- character death (this doesn't give away too much plotline, but
>> >would warn people the story isn't going to be an upper)
>>
>> This is a suggestion for a new story code. And I certainly
>> understand why people want to be warned. But I have a question.
>> What if the death of the character is supposed to be a surprise? A
>> dramatic moment? Does putting a warning or a CD code at the beginning
>> of the story spoil the suspense?
>>
>> Kim
>That's my own feeling, as well. When I posted "To Lay Me Down" I
>thought about specifying that someone dies in the intro -- but to me,
>that pulls the srtory's teeth, before you even have a chance to read
>it. So I put that it was a major bummer, instead -- I figure, come one,
>people, we're all theoretically grownups, here, right? At least, that's
>what our age statements claim... ;-)>
I agree. When I wrote "Fire and Rain", I wanted the death to be a shock.
To have said so in the beginning would have telegraphed something. I
should have posted some kind of warning, though. I agree about that.
--
One sharp peppercorn is better than a basketful of melons.
-- Tractate Megillah 7A
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Debra Fran Baker dfb...@panix.com
ASCEM
Subject:
Re: ASCEML - Re: death stories
Date:
Sun, 26 Oct 1997 10:43:32 -0500
From:
"Tammy " <ta...@quancon.com>
To:
<AS...@earthlink.net>
> Subject:
> Re: death stories
> Date:
> Fri, 24 Oct 1997 08:46:10 -0700
> From:
> Greywolf the Wanderer <grey...@snowcrest.net>
>
> > kim...@aol.com (Kimbuk3)
> >
> > This is a suggestion for a new story code. And I certainly
> > understand why people want to be warned. But I have a question.
> > What if the death of the character is supposed to be a surprise? A
> > dramatic moment? Does putting a warning or a CD code at the
> > beginning of the story spoil the suspense?
> >
> > Kim
>
> That's my own feeling, as well. When I posted "To Lay Me Down" I
> thought about specifying that someone dies in the intro -- but to me,
> that pulls the srtory's teeth, before you even have a chance to read
> it. So I put that it was a major bummer, instead --
I for one am not a large fan of death stories. But I do not avoid stories
that have a major character death in them. Mainly because a) I know it is
FanFic, b)Trek is the master of the reset button. I mean really Kirk has
died in the movies, in books and is still around for more. <G> I believe
that putting a disclaimer at the begining of the story could ruin it. If
it really is a issue then I think that maybe it could be included in the
FAQ that some stories *could* involve deaths of major characters and that
is just something that we need to be aware of since disclaimers really ruin
it for the rest of us. Death just like marriage, childbirth, divorce,
being unfaithful is just one part of life. And while I might not want to
read a story where Chakotay dies, or Janeway cheats with some ensign from
Stellar Cartography <sp?> I wouldn't expect the author to put what would
amount to major spoilers in their disclaimer simply for me. I would simply
choose to either skip that section of the story ( if it were a minor plot
line) or just quit reading it all together.
> I figure, come
> one, people, we're all theoretically grownups, here, right? At least,
> that's what our age statements claim... ;-)>
> I will probably do the same if it comes up again. Disclaimers
> are all
> very well, but you can get to a point where the reader says, well, why
> read this, I already know what's in it.
>
> My 2 strips...
>
> Greywolf the Wanderer
Greywolf's idea of putting something like a major bummer is in the story,
or even just stating a generic disclaimer like "subject matter or story
lines could upset some readers" placed in stories where there could be
*something* objectionable is okay. It doesn't give too much away because
it could be anything, including death. So possibly a minor spoiler but
like he says folks we are all supose to be adults here.....do we really
need a disclaimer for Everything?
Tammy, tossing her 2 strips in with Greywolf's
----
*******
"Very Funny Scotty...
Now beam down my clothes..."
>