I just wanted to pop in and remind all the fic writers & RP’ers out there that you don’t have to listen to the black & white thinkers trolling this website who want to shit on you every time you bring up something sympathetic about your character.
It’s okay for “bad” characters to have sympathetic traits. It would be boring as fuck if they didn’t. It’s unfortunate that so many people out there are too salty and dense to understand a complex character, but don’t let it get you down!
If you’re a good fic writer or RP’er it’s really important to take all facets of the character’s personality into consideration. You aren’t here to write a 2D ebul cartoon. You should be taking their motives into consideration. You should be figuring out their demeanor. If they are a charming sociopath, you shouldwrite them as being charming. That’s the whole fucking point!
Fic writers and RP’ers engage in fandom in a way that unwraps characters and tries to figure out what makes them tick. We want to figure out why they feel the way they feel, we want to figure out their temperament, we want to understand. It’s an exercise in creative empathy and there are a lot of people out there who just don’t have a creative bone in their body. They’re gonna try to shout you down for acknowledging that a character can have gray morality or be a dichotomy in some way and I hope it doesn’t discourage anyone.
So get outta my face with all this purity politics bullshit, plz & thank you. Acknowledging conflicting pieces of your character is a responsible and creatively intelligent thing to do, and people who don’t get that can eat a dick.
Thank you for appreciating that [post is here]! It always feels like I’m going out in front of a firing squad when I say that “creating/consuming dark fiction is not endorsement of it in real life” because people who do conflate those will insist that I’m an x,y,z-apologist. No. That’s incorrect.
ANOTHER WALL OF TEXT™ what is happening to me? I just miss you guys a lot, that’s what 😉
“Why did this person say/do this thing?”
I support the creation and consumption of dark content in media, in fic/art/music/etc. as a means of exploring it, as a means of unpacking it, as a means of trying to figure out where it comes from and how to recognize it. Sometimes it’s not so easy to pick out the “bad guy.” Sometimes the “abuser” seems to be a “good” person. Sometimes the “abuser” is reenacting their own trauma. Finding reasons for a behavior are not excuses for that behavior, but it can help provide answers for those of us who want them.
~Story time~
My grandmother was a tough old lady, what we call a “battle-axe.” She was blunt and tactless, and downright MEAN most of the time. She raised her children through terror and bullying, held grudges for decades, was short-tempered with her in-laws and grandchildren.
She was also very smart in her role as a professor in a college, and had a sweetness to her that very few people in my family experienced bc they were so deterred by her tough exterior. I was one of the few who got close to her, and I wanted to know why she behaved the way she did to others.
Seeing movies like Mommie Dearest, in which Joan Crawford was portrayed as somewhat of battle-axe to everyone in her life, too, I could see similarities between her and my grandmother.
Could my grandmother have had the kind of pressure in her life that Joan did, competing with the misogyny in her career? I thought so.
Both of these women set incredibly high expectations for themselves and others, and then reacted badly if reality didn’t meet their expectations. They were not good at handling disappointment and would take it out on others.
In other media, I would see “only” children worshiped by their parents and then these women were dissatisfied, bitter adults, who would never get that kind of attention again. (Not sure about Joan Crawford, but that was my grandmother’s childhood.)
^What I’m saying is that media (fic/movies/books/music/etc.) gave me insights as to why my grandmother behaved the way she did. It provided reasons for the behavior. I didn’t take these as excuses, but it increased my empathy for her and others I met who were like her. Rather than do as the rest of my family did, by writing her off as “a mean old lady,” I could understand her and navigate my way into a better relationship with her. They missed out on her good parts because of her bruises.
^The first time I saw this graphic, I felt that expression in my soul. These are fictional characters. They are not real.
Writers write them. What is “writing” anyway, but speculative reality? We used to call fanfiction “specs,” short for “speculative fiction.” It’s thoughts. Not all writing is for idealized versions of life and/or wish-fulfillment.
I’ve heard from VC fans who are survivors of child abuse, sexual abuse, etc. who said that VC helped them in some way,
whether it was recognizing that the abuse they suffered really was abuse (and not normal!),
or whether they have since made fanworks with VC characters that helped them explore their own past and examine it from a place of safety,
or in consuming other fanworks, they got some closure on their own experiences in some way and were able to heal or begin to do so,
or just in making friends here that have helped them through difficult times,
I could go on and on… there is enormous value in creating/consuming dark fiction.
Whatever Anne Rice’s agenda is/was in writing the Vampire Chronicles, it doesn’t matter to me, because of how much good I have witnessed that has come from it. If some of her inspiration for certain aspects seems relevant to me, I consider it, but it doesn’t really matter as far as I’m concerned.
It all really boils down to the old adage “Live and Let Live.”
tumblr: that thing you like is Problematic and you should feel bad for liking it
me, an adult capable of critical thinking and criticizing things while still wholeheartedly enjoying them: please get out of my living room
It’s gonna be ok (U sure?But Sharon…ur saltier than all of us…)
Eh. Ur right . BUT look at this tweet
For ya’ll who don’t know me (or rp in general) for the most part, we love our fcs. we had our casting director moment ( i know i did) and most of us study and look over interviews, movie parts, etc. I joke about how photoshoots are v canon (especially the oyster one rn i mean…imagine the only magazine talking about vc having a centerpiece on lestat with a crown and everything) but the point is…i’m reaching .it’s not happening, it will never happen. i’m only freaking out over what i think should happen
Leto most likely isn’t signed on lestat right now, ‘’is that the lioncourt sigil?’’ is a question. josh saw blonde Leto and went ‘’omg!!!! he’s pref!!! he’s my fc!!’’
Leto’s not signed on rn, all josh is doing is fanboying and maybe hoping that it’ll happen. So relax. Enjoy the fact that austraila cares about vc in 2016, cuz even THAT’S a goddamn miracle tbh.
EDIT: MY OPINION ON LETO IS MEANINGLESS,I NEITHER HATE NOR LOVE THIS. DON’T ATTACK ME ON EITHER SIDE.
For the most part, yes, I am grateful for that blessing EVERY DAY. Seriously. Every SJW™ argument that passes my dash, I breathe easier when I see that it’s not for OUR fandom.
Fiction =/= Reality. Fiction has been used for centuries to explore and investigate things we love about Reality, things we don’t understand, even things we find repulsive about Reality. Fiction is in fact Speculative Reality: “What if X happened to Y? How would that improve our understanding of X and Y?”
To investigate the text thoughtfully is one thing, but our fandom veterans -myself included- can see that a lot of this SJW Culture™ seems more about “calling out,” choosing a Problematic™ topic to battle with (there are tons in our canon to choose from!) and using that as an excuse to attack, rather than the desire for a rational discussion. They often do this in the name of Righteousness (for popularity? Or just their own satisfaction?), but there are so many Problematic™ topics that are NOT simply black or white, topics which have been argued about long before the internet, and will continue to be argued about forever! I’ve seen good blogs deactivate (or go on hiatus) for being dogpiled for the slightest headcanon or SJW disagreements, and that’s not what I want to promote in our fandom, regardless of who’s right.
Sometimes, I just want to enjoy something without feeling bad about it. There’s plenty to feel bad about in the world and while in some cases SJWs are useful when they try to attack EVERYTHING, they take the fun out of life.
Life, literature and art have always been problematic. True art provokes. What, do these SJWs want a nanny-state? Or how about a Puritan Revival?
Yes, fight for what’s right, but don’t get in the way of others trying to enjoy stuff.
For the most part, yes, I am grateful for that blessing EVERY DAY. Seriously. Every SJW™ argument that passes my dash, I breathe easier when I see that it’s not for OUR fandom.
Fiction =/= Reality. Fiction has been used for centuries to explore and investigate things we love about Reality, things we don’t understand, even things we find repulsive about Reality. Fiction is in fact Speculative Reality: “What if X happened to Y? How would that improve our understanding of X and Y?”
To investigate the text thoughtfully is one thing, but our fandom veterans -myself included- can see that a lot of this SJW Culture™ seems more about “calling out,” choosing a Problematic™ topic to battle with (there are tons in our canon to choose from!) and using that as an excuse to attack, rather than the desire for a rational discussion. They often do this in the name of Righteousness (for popularity? Or just their own satisfaction?), but there are so many Problematic™ topics that are NOT simply black or white, topics which have been argued about long before the internet, and will continue to be argued about forever! I’ve seen good blogs deactivate (or go on hiatus) for being dogpiled for the slightest headcanon or SJW disagreements, and that’s not what I want to promote in our fandom, regardless of who’s right.
PSA: If you ever see one of my posts that gets you all fired up like “Ooooh she is so wrong about this and I’m gonna lay the SMACKDOWN now!” just know that I do not, as a general policy, engage in public SJ debate. I might be willing to discuss things privately if you approach me in a respectful manner with facts to back up your claims. I don’t run this blog for Social Justice™ points. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE™ POINTS.
No, that’s not being “that” person at all! What IS being “that” person is being all overly offended at someone else’s pronunciation, so before I answer I’ll just remind y’all that these are fictional characters, there’s no right way to pronounce them, I don’t care if you have a master’s degree in Etymology and/or Linguistics, named your pet/child after them, have a friend with the same name, even if you are the creator of the series, anyone is free to pronounce these names however they want.
Amadeo- “ah-mah-DAY-oh” or “ah-MAD-eeyo,” I sorta use both.
Khayman- “Kay-men”
Mekare- “mee-CARE” or “mek-ARRAY,” personally, I prefer the first option.
Maharet- “maha-RET” (emphasis on the last syllable like “Margaret”), or “MAH-harret” (emphasis on the first syllable), or “muh-HAH-ret” (emphasis on the second syllable). Personally, I prefer the last option.
(redhairedtwin may disagree with me on the twins, she can add her two cents if she wants to do so.)
BONUS… hit the jump.
Marius- “MAH-reeyus” or “MARE-eeyus,” I tend to prefer the second option.
Lestat- Despite AR’s explicit instructions that it be pronounced “Less-DOT” with emphasis on the second syllable, I can’t do that, it sounds too clunky for me. I think it’s more like “Less-TAT,” second syllable like “cat,” or “Less-STAH,” as in “star” without the “r.“ I prefer the “cat” version. More discussion on his name here.
ooc: btw this is p random but i felt the need to voice my opinion so if you’re not interested feel free to ignore it!!
See, I’ve seen a lot of people complaining about Marius’ personality, not only here, but among good part of VC fans who I’ve came across in the past regarding his book Blood and Gold. I would like to point some things that I find important and that maybe would help you to have a second thought about it.
I reblogged from the source and cut it for length, but give this a read, this is very well-said, and applicable to many of the problematic characters in the VC.
They were human once, they’re not perfect creatures. I think if there was one message AR really wanted us to take away from the entirety of canon, it would probably be: These characters are like us, imperfect, searching for answers, longing to belong, to love, and be loved in return.
Some choices made in pursuit of those things are impulsive, some are well-planned, some had terrible results in retrospect, but hindsight is 20/20. We can only learn from the past and try to make better choices, moving forward… ask for forgiveness for our trespasses and strive to forgive those who trespassed against us ❤
When I read Blood and Gold for the first time, I felt a slight emptiness, and that familiar feeling of disappointment in the pit of my stomach after knowing closely some of his choices and attitudes – and more than that; his true persona, after all. But after a while thinking about it, I realized that no matter how wrong he was by some of his choices, each one of them made who he truly is: selfish, yes, but compassionate, an artist, melancholic, and undoubtedly proud, but good and gentle at heart.
He is far from being perfect even though we enjoyed to believe that he was due to numerous descriptions we had of him in TVA, TVL, QOTD and Pandora. But he isn’t. He commits mistakes as everyone else, and if we were to compare him to Louis, Lestat and Armand, for example, judging by all the years that Marius is alive, I honestly don’t think his mistakes were so numerous. Some of them were intense, and most of them regrettable, yes, but I do not think that makes him a “bad character” or that he is any less of what Lestat, Pandora, Armand, etc, describe in their respective books.
Only because he was described by many as a “sage”, a “philosopher”, etc, it doesn’t change the fact that before he was turned, he was also a human. And Marius, in my opinion, is one of the most “human” vampires among the coven. His mistakes were in it’s majority also ridiculously human, being driven by the impulse of his emotions.
So I think that instead of focusing only on the bad things, you also should remember how wonderful his good side is. How loving, caring, compassionate, intelligent and cultured Marius is.
Marius was not the only one to commit mistakes. And it is good that he did because it’s a nice reminder that not even “immortal beings” are perfect, no matter how godlike they appear to be.
Therefore, my point is: instead of simply judging and saying that he is a shitty character because he was not what you thought he was, give it a second thought. No one is made only by their good sides, nor by their mistakes alone.
To like him or dislike him is personal, though. Yet, to say that his character sucks only because you don’t like it…. it’s hella stupid and makes me hella pissed.
OOC; So I found this on Anne’s Facebook page. It was so amusing, but I have to agree. I love the wedding description she wrote for her fans [wedding des.]. It was fun and adorable, and keeping within context with the historical ruling in the US. I agree with her on this one and just her general positive attitude towards Lestat. It’s so easy to criticize him. Lestat he doesn’t make it easy. I get that.
AR:“Please, let’s be optimistic. Allow my Brat Prince some hope!” – I have a sneaking suspicion that it was just Lestat posing as AR.
The last comment gets mewhiningforcenturies this was us yesterday….WAS IT NOT? WHERE IS THE LIE THO? Post from last night.
“Anne, please, A girl can only cry so many happy tears in one night.”
^I’m pissing myself laughing because the comment about how you can only cry so many happy tears in one night was me.
I-want-my-IWTV 