Eh. Plot *is* a lot harder to write than a sex scene. Or a G-rated character vignette, for that matter.

Point taken, Ple. I didn't mean to slam you, certainly. You're a good writer and it's not meant as a slam if you prefer to write about relationships and the plots associated with character interactions. That's one of the things that interests you in the show.

There's also a huge readership for character-based stories, and while plotty stories like Yahtzee's or Rheanna's get great responses, not everyone has the chops or the ambition to pull that sort of thing off.

I have to admit, I'll choose a well-written and constructed plotty story over the best-written relationship story. But that's just me.

Argh, I'm unable to say anything on this topic without pissing people off. Perhaps Nutty, queen of Plot, will come by and rescue me from my inarticulateness.

See, I saw the vibes before I read my first piece of fanfic or even knew that the shooting script had that kind of stuff in them. I mean, I was CERTAIN Wes and Gunn were doing it, just like I was SURE Wes had a thing for Hairloaf, and that Hairloaf had a thing for Lindsey, and that Faith was lured out by Lilah's lips and gams.

I see the world through queer-tinted glasses, you see.

See this is the thing. Wes Gunn, I just don't get any vibe there at all. And I've hung around the Buffistas long enough to look for it. And I figure that I'm not a sad old bigot refusing to see what's going on, and I just don't get it. That's half my problem. These pairings? I just don't see it.

Can I ask you this? Xander Riley? Was there any slashyness there? Because that was the only male/male realtionship that I've seen in the MEverse that was remotely realistic. As in in two pals. Maybe the writers can't do male chums. I don't know.

I mean, I've yet to write any sex but I still write about slash relationships (I'm not good with writing sex and then when I tried I couldn't get past Xander's issues about Spike and vampires.)

Someone's pants are on fire.

UTTAD, if your objection is writing things that we haven't seen on screen (and if I'm misunderstanding your problem, I'm sorry) or that the creators and writers didn't intend, then what do you write about? Because anything that you or I or PMM writes about isn't cannon, and isn't shown on screen. I mean, if you write about Buffy fighting a new demon, or getting a haircut, or having sex with Anya - that comes from you, not from the richness of the show.

Eh. Plot *is* a lot harder to write than a sex scene. Or a G-rated character vignette, for that matter.

You must have a MUCH easier time with sex scenes than I do. No, seriously.

Because man, those are the hardest thing in the world to write. Like pulling teeth.

It's interesting, seeing people's different tastes. Yahtzee is really hit or miss for me. Some of it is incredible, and some of it makes me yawn. I think it all depends on how much is given over to plot, and how much to characterization. Loved PB, didn't love Splinter. I sometimes feel like the Only Freak in Freakdom who found it... dull. So again, YMMV.

askye: I think your last post really opened my eyes. You see slashy thingmabobs wehre I see none. And that, in essence, is where the fic writers live. You see those ships, I don't so you write (I assume) shippy fic), I write plotty fic. Who's right? Both of us. But probably you, because I'm willing to bet my cat that there are more people reading your fic than mine. :-)

See this is the thing. Wes Gunn, I just don't get any vibe there at all. And I've hung around the Buffistas long enough to look for it. And I figure that I'm not a sad old bigot refusing to see what's going on, and I just don't get it. That's half my problem. These pairings? I just don't see it.

I don't think it makes you a bigot to not see a pairing. Take Lord of the Rings for example. You will never ever convince me that Frodo and Sam have anything but a platonic relationship or that they would ever want to have anything but a platonic relationship. Aragorn and Legolas aren't doing it either, actually (and ita will disagree strongly) I don't see the big deal about Legolas.

Aragorn and Legolas aren't doing it either, actually (and ita will disagree strongly) I don't see the big deal about Legolas.

LegolustNGimlee4EVAH!!!1!

Damn it.

UTTAD, it's cool. There are plenty of people out there who write and read fic just for what you're looking for: they want MORE than we get on the show. Not different, just MORE.

There's nothing wrong with that.

I totally understand that. That's why I started *reading* fic -- it was over the summer between S4 and S5 of Buffy, and I was jonesing for more Buffyverse. And the first fic I read was Gen stuff or canon pairings.

The non-canonical pairings work for me because (1) I see the possibility on the shows, (2) the writing is very good, and (3) maybe I'm hoping the shows will go a certain way.

Having said that, I've written 4 Buffyverse stories, and only 1 is canon.

Actually I don't write shippy fic.

I've pretty much written anti shippy fic. Okay, I had one happy Clark/Lex story.

But in the ME universe I've written 1 pairing, and that was Xander/Spike, it was a missing scene for "Him" and Xander didn't have sex with Spike because he couldn't get past Spike being Spike and a vampire.

In ME I've written single character-character studies.

However, in Smallville, I've written "tear them apart" stories centered arond Clark and Lex.