Weird TnT dynamics in fanfiction

[Kotik]

Hi there

People, who know me, do also know that I'm suffering from an enormous hatred for gratuitious angst in fanfiction. I happened to read some stories over at HoT today and came across a story called "The Morning After" by destiny_girl. What the author has done is to create Angst by almost copying TPTB's concept of portraying T'Pol so obnoxious that it basically makes her look ruthless, cruel and unbelievably stupid. That brings me to a point that I've been pondering for a while.

My stories usually start somewhere after "Bound", because I don't want any of my own stories making me punch the hate-button, when I'm done. There are other writers who venture into the pre-"Bound" angst territory. Samantha Quinn's stories make me look for sharp objects to slash my wrists with, Alelou, who is one of my favourite authors, wrote some angst-o-rama's and I read the first few chapters of Dinah's otherwise brilliant "Thorn and the Rose" only once and I ingested almost bottle of Vodka to get myself through it - so I'm wondering, where does the "will-they-won't-they" actually become ridiciously stupid? Am I the only one who thinks there is only so much rejection you can have T'Pol dish out, before it makes Trip look like a hopeless loser?

[aadarshinah]

There is defintely a point where the willy-they-won't-they becomes so riddculous that I'm frankly not sure how anyone can stand it, but it's hard for me to pin down. It depends on every author and how they do it...

My personal hate about TnT fics is how, after they finally get together, they hide their relationship from everyone... again, it can be done well, but, god, is it overused.

[Asso]

Ahem, Kotik... you have to think that the guy who coined the terms "gratuitious angst", was me, I think.
So, is it a sufficient answer for you?

[Kotik]

My personal hate about TnT fics is how, after they finally get together, they hide their relationship from everyone... again, it can be done well, but, god, is it overused.

That's a tricky thing. You, as my beta, know the bomb, I'm going to drop in chapter 8 of "Words". I did choose a different approach with both of them being rather open about their relationship. It can backfire the same way - xenophobia on Earth, non-acceptance on Vulcan. I have to agree though, there are some stories out there that go tio unbelievable twists to try Trip and T'Pol conceal their relationship which defiles it somewhat. After all the malarkey we've seen on-screen, I cannot picture T'Pol being secretive of her bond. Not with those reflexes it comes with. First female ensign to flash Trip a longing look she'll go off like a V2 anyways, so what better way to prevent that, than making the other females aware, that he's spoken for.

[aadarshinah]

Now, I can see keeping it a secret from the general public - or, rather, not flaunting it. I can see not telling the crew that two of their officers are dating. I can see not telling your parents if they're crazy xenopobes. I can see being leery of telling Starfleet Command for fear they'll reassign one or the other. I can see never telling a human about the bond because it sounds a little like mind control and, once you mention that, people start to get paranoid.

What I can't see is allowing their closer friends - Archer and Reed at the very least - to know that they're involved. Hiding from even them is a touch much, in my opinion....

You, as my beta, know the bomb, I'm going to drop in chapter 8 of "Words".

You must be getting better though - I've not gotten a new chapie to beta in days.

[Kotik]

You must be getting better though - I've not gotten a new chapie to beta in days.

No wrong hopes dear Chapter 9 is headed your way tomorrow and I'm up to 50 pages with "Broken Bow". That's gonna be a behemoth

[Aquarius]

Constructive criticism is one thing, but Kotik, I object to the insulting manner in which you're naming fics and authors. If you have something to say, go say it in the author's feedback section. At HoT, you can start a story discussion thread.

Be mindful, though, if what you are attacking is *subjective*. You are being outright mean about things that are a matter of *taste* and not empirically good or bad. I suggest you tone it down a bit if you do have something to say to the authors in question.

Locking the thread on the grounds that free-for-alls insulting other authors for sport is never cool.