My Spuffy Days are Numbered. . .

[icemink]

ETA: You know I should probably take this down, or flock it or something. But I feel the need to rant today. So you are warned. Self indulgent rant below.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I'm not leaving the fandom, or stopping writing, or anything like that, but I think once I'm done with Possession, it may be a while before I write any Spuffy again. Some of it is just me, for reasons I don't understand the 'ship just doesn't affect me the way it used to, although there are a couple of amazing Spuffy WIPs I'm still following.

I've started to feel like I write Spuffy now because I know that people will read it. But I got a review last night that made me wonder why I'm writing Spuffy. So here's the review:

I\'m all with Buffy about getting Spike back and ASAP too! But ya know, I wouldn\'t shed a tear if they got their hands on Angelus again and throw Darla in for good measure. Not that I like the initiative, far from it, they a need a good nuclear bombing that will wipe them out once and for all, but if D and A went up in smoke with them..... well, I wouldn\'t shed any tears. Loved the update. Thanks so much. more please.

Now it's a good review in the sense that she loves the story and can't wait to see what happens next, but here's the thing, she wants two of my (by which I mean Joss') characters to die. And they are not the villains either. Darla and Angelus are saddling up to help Buffy rescue Spike, and she's pretty much rooting for them to get killed in the process.

Now I've had a lot of other reviews on this story that have said, "Wow, you actually made me like Darla," or "I hate Angel but you made me feel sorry for him," which absolutely thrilled me. I guess the thing that bothers me is that there's this kind of Spuffy fan who loves Spike, maybe loves Buffy, but maybe just tolerates her because Spike loves her, and hates all the other characters.

Yeah sure I know, Darla and Angelus are unlikely characters for the role of hero, but if it was Willow and Xander. . . well I've seen so much discussion by Spuffy fans in the reviews of other people's stories about how horrible Willow and Xander are. How they deserve bad things to happen to them (usually because of how they treated Spike). And of course there is Angel, anything bad that happens to Angel is considered a good thing.

But I love all these characters, and I don't want to cheer for bad things to happen to them. Sure none of them are perfect, but that's why they're great characters.

I should admit right now that in my first fic Needy, Angel is the villain, and I do bad things to him. And you know something funny, that story just got nominated for an award despite all it flaws, and when I think about all the reviews that story got cheering Angel's demise, I wonder if maybe that's not the reason.

And now that I've said all that let me apologize. I don't think all Spuffy fans (or even most) are rabid hatemongerers. But since I've started to branch out into rare ships, I've realized that as great as it is to be read by lots of people, it's better to just write what you want to write.

So I think I'm going to start posting an all human AU Spangle piece I've started working on soon. I'm not sure because I'm nervous as hell about it, since I've never written a human AU before. And I hope to have another short Darla/Angelus fic by the end of May. In other words I'm going to follow my muse where she takes me, and maybe someday that'll be back to Spuffy again.

Comments

[spikeslovebite.livejournal.com]

absolutely you should follow your muse, and i would love to read your AU spangel. You'll be posting it on LJ right?

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Yes, I will definately post it here. Not sure when exactly. Last night I completely re-wrote the first chapter, which means I now have to re-write the second chapter, because Spike had a little too much of the big bad in him, and not enough William. But once it's ready, you'll definatly see it in my LJ. Now I just need more spangle icons.

[ladycat713.livejournal.com]

Ya gotta go where the muse takes ya , darlin'.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. At least it should be a fun ride.

[thatotherperv.livejournal.com]

man, I know. I totally feel you. Angel-bashing in particular is why I can't read most spuffy. it's like a punch in the gut, the *rabid hatred* some spuffies have for a character that I love so dearly. I don't get it. I generally get very upset by bashing of Angel and Spike in particular, for obvious reasons, though all character bashing turns my stomach. honestly, I like all of the characters Joss gave us, and if you don't like someone...let it go, man. pretend they don't exist or something. I do not understand at all the pleasure of bashing.

I really will only read spuffy now by folks I trust. I've much enjoyed what i've read of yours so far, so I'll be a little sad at the loss of potential Good Spuffy, but you gotta write what makes you feel good.

human AU spangel? wanna share the gist? *is curious*

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm glad you've been enjoying my Spuffy. And I am going to finish Possession, I'm in the final stretch after all.

As for the spangel, I think you might like it, considering it was reading your stuff that got the plot bunnies going in my brain.

Let's see, Spike has just turned 18 and aged out of the foster care system. Due to some bad planning on his part, he ends up as a prostitute.

As for Angel, well here's my working summary for the story: It was eight years ago that Liam promised to protect Darla and be her angel. It's a promise he's done his best to keep, even if these days she can barely stand to be around him. Then one night he finds a young prostitute, William, getting beat up in an alley. But will helping William destroy the delicate balance of Angel's life, or will it be William who saves Angel from his own dark past?

[selene2.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you. I can't stand when the Scoobies (or Angel) are forced into the role of the "Anti-Spuffy"... Where they have no motive or role in the fic except to be a foil to the absolute perfection that is Spuffy love. It's been a pet peeve of mine for a long time now.

You really have such a valid point that none of the characters are perfect. I have limited the amount of Spuffy that I read now because of the way that the other (supporting) characters are treated in the majority of Spuffy that is out there.

I am glad that you posted this since my flist is composed of almost all spuffy peeps. It's nice to see that I am not the only one out there that feels this way.

I love reading your work because of the careful way that you handle the characters. You can see that you care about all of the characters.

*hugs you*

[icemink.livejournal.com]

*hugs back*

Thanks so much. It's good to know that other Spuffy fans like the rest of the characters too.

[thatotherperv.livejournal.com]

oooooo, I'll be interested to see that!

[darkspace99.livejournal.com]

Hey...sorry to hear about things driving you to not writing spuffy for a while but SQUEE! for the human AU Spangel.

[copykween.livejournal.com]

*nods in agreement*

I, too, get very sick of this sort of thing. Most of the time the characters in question are distorted so far OOC that I don't recognize them as being from the Jossverse.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm kind of excited about the new story. Also kind of terrified cause I've never writen human AU before.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I mean sure there are flaws and some meaness in all the characters (including Spike) but there's a difference between a flaw and being a psycho villian. Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks so.

[empresspatti.livejournal.com]

Some people just spread joy where ever they go, huh? I think there is a (small) section of the population that enjoys being the crap fairy.

Ignore them. You do this because you love it. Don't let anyone interfere with that.

I'm grateful that you take the time to write such compelling stories. Thank you.

[lynnenne]

Man, character bashing just drives me nuts. Not only is it silly and irrational, it makes for bad writing and storytelling. All the characters in the Jossverse have their flaws, and I love them *because* of that. It's what makes them real.

Sorry this experience has got you down. :(

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I feel a bit bad for the person who left me the review, because she meant well really. And I will definately keep writing.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. It's the flaws that make the characters interesting. If they were all perfect then they'd be boring. Just like the best villins on the show had positive traits.

[lafemmedarla]

Aw, character bashing is mind boggling *hugs*

I second, third and fourth everyone who says you just go with your muse, sweetie. We'll follow. :)

[missus-grace.livejournal.com]

I so hear you. I thought I could never do any other 'ships until I started reading Spander, and now I can read Spangel, too. I just like seeing Spike have lots of sex :)

[louise39.livejournal.com]

Sorry that you were upset by such thoughtless reviwers. You must be comfortable and happy with what you write and share. I'm personally sorry that there will not be more of your spuffy stories because I enjoyed them. Good luck to you and your muse.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's good to know there are others who like the characters I like.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Hehe. You know, I have a theory about Spander. All the Spuffy people who liked Xander started reading Spander and left all the Xander haters to write Spuffy.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And I may come back to Spuffy some day. The funny thing is that since I posted this yesterday, I've actually had a couple story ideas that involve Spuffy, but they aren't the sort of thing I'd ever put up at one of the big Spuffy archives. They invovle other ships as well, and the Spuffy aspect isn't the main part of the story. We'll just have to see what happens.

[missus-grace.livejournal.com]

Hey! That makes sense!

[burnzitt.livejournal.com]

I rarely read Spuffy these days with yours being one of the few that I follow because it is always entertaining and well written. :D I hear you about writing for the popular set (I tend to write rare non-canon ships ;)). However I think you will find that the Spangel groups are quite active and readership is high so you should find an audience there that will appreciate what you write. I wish you the best of luck following your muse. As a rule I don't read slash pairings but I look forward to reading you het rare ships. I haven't really read Angelus/Darla but I'll check it out if you write it. :)

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, I've noticed that the Spangle community is pretty big, atlhough they seem a little less organized that that Spuffy people, but that's okay. I understand about not being into slash, but I'll still write some het stuff, if for no other reason than I have my crazy obsession with Darla.