Beyond Redemption

Today’s Confession…

I’ve never read 50 Shades of Grey. I just don’t have any interest in it because it sounds like 100 other fanfics I’ve already read. I heard people compare the story to other fanfics with the competitors being better received. I wouldn’t know. I’ve never read it. I have, however, read excepts from the naughty stuff, and yeah… it reads like like fanfic and we’ve all read that.

But what I don’t like is how maligned she’s been in fandom circles and online reviews. Why? What for? I’ve heard people call her a ‘betrayer’ (as reported in some professional blogs that have been reporting on the book. I don’t seek out fandom BS myself).  o.O Eh? Getting published and enjoying success is an act of betrayal? I don’t know anything about her fandom, and don’t want to. Not into what they worship AT ALL, but as another ff writer, I don’t get the hatred. People are quick to say it’s not jealousy, but I’m not so sure.

She’s doing what all fanfic writers (except me, lol) seem to dream of. GETTING PUBLISHED AND BEING SUCCESSFUL WITH IT. This woman is getting her books turned into movies with people like the drop dead gorgeous Ian Somerhalder saying he’d love to play the leading male. >.> Yeah, I find it hard to not see green-eyed monsters. This woman is said to not be nice, and that could be true. I can point out several older (30’s, 40’s, 50’s), well known IY writers who are straight up cunts. But what does personality have to do with success or ability? You don’t have to be nice to be good at what you do, and even if you’re not that good and just got lucky, you still don’t have to be nice. Or attractive. Or worth knowing. >.>

I won’t get into all that I’ve read on the fandom end, but it wasn’t nice (and it should make everyone wary of who they trust and who they choose to chat with) and it was very reminiscent of the kind of shit that I went through -and still go through to a degree. (Someone actually said I was a trespasser once. What the fuck does that even mean since we’re all allowed to write fanfic if we like?) Instead of being happy about someone’s success in the ff world, people often try to have a hierarchy of elites (who are nothing more than other ff writers just like you) who often feel like they need their asses kissed before you can get a positive review or a cheap internet award -but I digress! (I’m talking about myself, not this woman or her old fandom, btw.)

My confession is that while I’m not a fan of 50 Shades or its writer, I sympathize with the BS she’s experiencing online and if I have to choose a side in this (which I don’t. I have no involvement and never will), I’m on hers. Whatever she did  to get where she is right now, good for her. She doesn’t owe anyone out here anything. I don’t know if lightening will strike twice for her, but if it does, hooray, because I can see past the petty bullshit to the fact that, hey, an ff writer made it. That’s something to be happy for because it means our works are starting to be taken seriously and recognized as worthwhile.

That is the bottom line.

/Confession.