Dear Bloggie
I recently posted a story on fanfiction.net, Words Spoken in Anger. I knew there would be controversy, but frankly I am stunned by some of the response. I chose this single moment for a reason, I know, within the terms of the episode, other things were said by both brothers, but I wanted to deal with this one moment. Now most of you know I am pretty much bi (I heard that snigger, Dean Winchester) when it comes to the boys—I love both brother’s but my leanings are and always have been a little more Dean than Sam. They always have been, but I try to be fair and balanced.I identify with Dean for a number of reasons and tend to want to see things through his eyes. I write both Sam centered and Dean centered stories. You cannot have Supernatural without both. I LOVE BOTH BROTHERS! I have always felt that way, and frankly the growing division in the show between the brothers (and our fandom) kills me. That’s what prompted this tag. Yes, they both said hurtful things at the end, but Dean took the shot at Madison before that. Heart is a favorite episode, and so gently and beautifully handled by Kim Manners, the comment raised my hackles. I couldn’t un-write what the show had done, but I could maybe fix it. I had actually written a Sam POV the exact same scene, but I decided that the first could stand on its own merits. So I decided to stick with the one chapter—and I have never backed down or apologized for my writing, not as a columnist and not here, so I posted, and I knew the response would be varied. Some people would agree and some not. It’s the way it is in any fandom.
That said, what concerns me, and really makes me weep for our once loving and supportive fandom, is the very ugly responses I’ve gotten. Not just in terms of reviews—some of which are personal attacks, but in PMs. I have received PMs from people demanding answers for my logic and telling me I will be pulls from Favorites list. Those are the mild ones. Also among the mild ones are this, and I am quoting: “you are the most hateful blood spitting narrow minded horrible Dean hating Samgirl ever.” Now part of me chuckles at that, I am usually thought of as a Dean girl! But again that was fairly mild. I have also received “If I knew where you lived I would kill you.” “I hope the hellhounds find you, tear you apart and hand you over to Alastair” and a personal favorite “Die B**ch Die.”
When, dear friends, did this fandom come to this ugly place? When did a disagreement on POV lead to this ugly hatefulness? And how can we reclaim what we once had? Some of the things directed at me are more hateful than Sam and Dean exchanged. That this spewing of personal attacks and hatred seem to be viewed as acceptable makes me weep. People have threatened me with death and wished me to the tortures of hell. Over a story. I weep, I truly do! For our show and our fandom. This division is destroying the fandom that has supported me and in many ways saved my life. And I have no words to express how much this breaks my heart.
To all of you who have send little notes of support, through reviews or PMs THANK YOU HUGEST OF ALL HUGS I LOVE YOU ALL!
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2 comments:
Muffy, I am shocked and appalled by the threats you have received by deranged "fans" of the show. You have a right to write about whatever you want and to do so in peace, not having to worry about your own personal safety. What has this world come to when people take a TV show and fictional characters so seriously as to actually wish death upon an author? That is quite disturbing, to say the very least. It's one thing to disagree, but quite another to wish death (and hell!), threaten death, or call someone vicious names. What kind of person threatens such things to anyone, but especially someone they've never met, someone who has brought no harm to them?
What I don't understand is why, if they didn't like your story, why didn't they just move on and chalk up reading it to just a waste of a few minutes time? I've read plenty of stories that weren't up to my expecations, or to my liking, but instead of writing a threatening or mean review, I just moved on. That's what people do. Non-deranged people, anyway.
As for me, I enjoy reading your stories no matter whose point of view they are told from. Fanfiction, for me, is entertainment, just as the show is. One of your stories, "Last Plane Out", is among my favorites. That particular story resonated with me because Dean is the ultimate big brother, so protective, and he returns to Sam's side when Sam needs him most, without question, even flying on a dreaded plane to reach him. In that story the boys were separated because of an argument and misunderstanding, but they reunited in such a satisfying way. The fact is, siblings can hurl insults and harsh words at each other in ways no one else can. They know each others deepest, darkest secrets, so they have the power to hurt in ways that leave the other breathless and in actual physical pain without having lifted a hand. That's just the way it is. What I took from your latest story is that Dean, once again, is the ulimate big brother. He is the first to reach out and apologize for what clearly wounded his much-adored little brother. It was a sweet story and something that I wish we could see onscreen -the brothers reuniting and moving on.
You are a great author. While I can very well understand how this incident could perhaps leave you unwilling or unable to continue writing in the fanfiction forum, I hope you will continue. There are some crazies out there, yes, but many, many more of us enjoy what you bring to the table and want to see more. Take care.
I have to admit, I was stunned by all this. It breaks my heart that our fandom has become this divided and that somehow this behavior has become acceptable.
Thank you so much for your note! It means a lot!
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