Replies and comments: The Silver age of B/W

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Replies and comments: The Silver age of B/W

Monday 26th of November 2001

First of the bat I feel the need to explain the quote I started my essay
with, you know the one about Spike that really didn't make any sense. It was
there because it was what we needed, it wasn't pretty nor did it make sense
to some, but it was honest. It said: Shape up or move on. So as my first
essay was a honest attempt of putting things into perspective, this is more
from the hip sort to speak, so bear with me dear friends.

Secondly the Silver age is here in a sense, whatever you might like to call.
It is true that many of those whom started this thing we call B/W fan
fiction have fated into other genres of writing or just simply fated into
the background. Those of us who still linger, can't help but to feel a sense
of nostalgia for a simpler time when one knew the name or nickname of every
single person on the list. When you could read every story and it always
felt new and fresh.

Maybe Kirayoshi is right and we are only in a transitional phase and a
tomorrow looms bright on the horizon. Or like Rod (Tchau) said that it is
hard being one of us at the moment seeing that your beloved characters are
drifting a part on the show we base our works on and other ships become more
popular with the general public.

I'd like to borrow a phrase that has been beaten to death over the past few
months. I think we are being tested, our creativity and our talents are
being put to the test. I hail from the Star Trek fan fiction scene, were
ships, again no pun intended, are more numerous then almost anywhere else
and it was sometimes a constant fight to stay alive. So too must we stay
alive, some by searching hard and long for the subtext. "You've got Will
enslaved" is a good example of this strong survival streak. Don't get
dragged down into despair and misery over the bleak outlook of season six, I
'm saying this because I've seen some stories that reflect a darker tone and
it is not what we need right now. Don't do darkness just for darkness's
sake.

Now I want to take moment from my calm and collective writing to rant and
rave for moment so bare with me. We have eight hundred seventy nine people
who subscribe to this list, but I'm counted twice since I've been through an
e-mail change or two over the time I've been here. Do these people read? Do
these people care? I don't know and that ticks me off! I know my stories
reach all these people, unless they have checked the no e-mail square, so do
they read or are my stories and those of others just inbox stuffing?

Back to the topic that always seems to end up on top when ever these
questions are raised, yes this is not the first time and it won't be the
last time we dance this dance my friends. Feedback or Constructive
Criticisms, what do we want? Personally I think writers, even new and fresh
ones are made out of sterner stuff the many of us think. So a little bit of
honesty will do them just as good as the cuddling I received when I started
out, not to say that I didn't get my share of hard truths mind you, but that
's just a way of thinks nobody is born with a talent that shines, it almost
always has to sharpened against something and it that thing isn't a feather
cushion my friends.

I admit I've held back somewhat, but like others have said I say too: I'm a
writer and my love is writing. Also standards vary from person to person.
Take for example Mad-Hamlet, who introduced the B/W world to the reality of
dark fiction, he sets standards and he has the zeal to impose them on not
just his works, but also on what he reads. That's a brave thing to do.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that we should not take anything that's'
thrown our way and say the writer to keep on writing even if it burns our
eyes to read it.

Take care,
Cilia

p.s. I know I screwed up a bit on the Silver Age reference, but go and read
the Spider-man Clone saga someday and you'll understand.