Date: Feb 21, 2015 02:33 pm Title: The Basics
I know this off topic ... However is an interesting article about Michael and his love for tap dancing.. Thought I might share this with everyone here... Might inspire some of you to include this tid bit about Michael in one of your stories.. :)http://www.melbasdance.com/MelbasTapColumns/tabid/64/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/232/Michael-Jacksons-Love-of-Tap.aspx
[Report This]Date: Feb 21, 2015 01:44 pm Title: Formatting - It makes a big difference
YES! Formatting!! You already know how I feel about the block of text. But the valley spacing... I will make an exception for that if the writing is good, but if its not near perfect quality writing I won't bother with those either!
The moderators for this site should make this thread a mandatory read and quiz people on it before they can even sign up and post here. That would clear up a lot of this stuff that's showing up lately.
Author's Response:
LOL. It's interesting how something as simple as formatting can be so off-putting.
Thanks, Michaela :) I just hope some of the people who do this stuff take note and/or come in here to bitch me out. I'd rather have a dialogue with them about it than to have this go ignored.
[Report This]Date: Feb 21, 2015 12:03 pm Title: Formatting - It makes a big difference
A huge pet peeve and a big reason I don't read a ton of ff is bad formatting! You hit all the major points here. I can't decide what's worse...walls of text or quadruple spacing. Either one gets the boot for me.
How do you feel about fics written in the present tense? They drive me up the wall. I don't know if anyone else has that big of an issue with it, but it's probably my main turn off. Maybe I'm just being neurotic??
Author's Response:
LOL. My thoughts:
Ooh, I really should try this story. I keep seeing it pop up on a regular basis, so I'd like to support the author.
-clicks on title then scrolls down and clicks to open the first chapter-
Oh lawd, that's a huge block of text!....should I? Yes, I'll try. I mean, I'd hate to miss out on a great story simply because of formatting. Wait, who's talking now? Who just did that?
-30 seconds later, clicks the tab shut-
I just....can't.
/end scene
It's very unfortunate, as that has nothing to do with the actual plot, person's writing skill, or grammar. It's just a huge pain on the eyes.
How do you feel about fics written in the present tense? They drive me up the wall. I don't know if anyone else has that big of an issue with it, but it's probably my main turn off. Maybe I'm just being neurotic??
I'm rather neurotic, so I'm not the person to ask this. My major pet peeve with writing in the present tense is that it is incredibly hard to sustain. So often people switch between present and past tense, which is a huge mindfuck. It's as irritating as when the pronouns get switched up. Then I'm torn between trying to figure out if there is another man in bed with them or if Michael is doing himself. Neither are visuals I want in a fanfic. Perhaps I should write a chapter on different POV?
Date: Feb 21, 2015 11:57 am Title: Formatting - It makes a big difference
your tips have really helped me! Thanks Hunty!=)
Author's Response:
Glad it's helpful!
[Report This]Date: Feb 19, 2015 08:43 am Title: Portraying Michael: When Michael isn't Michael
I love AU and ooc stories. I'll read those any day before I read a Canon story. I think in a way as writers we want to give Michael what he didn't have in real life. A normal life, a happily ever marriage with tons of kids. Michael said himself he'd like to be someone else just for a day to see what was like to be around normal people I think some fics derive from that. he's a total different person in a normal setting and I love reading those. Michael was such a mystery it shouldn't be that hard to use your imagination and believe in him being something other than what he was.
How far is too far? I LOVE pushing the limits and I enjoy authors that do the same. Now incest is too much for me but I can enjoy a good suspenseful murderer/serial rapist Michael. One thing I absolutely love to see in a fanfic is the character development from one extreme to the other. Such as in Inked where Michael starts out as a total OOC rude womanizer yet through the course of the story turns out to be the sensitive loving man we all know him to be. #propstoTut.
I will say if you're going completely OOC like murderer/psycho Michael give a back story explaining what drove him to that point. For example maybe after the allegations he doesn't come out of it the same guy maybe he starts hating the world and becomes this terrible person who does all these terrible things and then a protagonist comes along and helps guide him back to the person he was. There needs to be a solid reason he just spends out of character.
The story I mentioned I may write will be a take on Michael the superstar as he may have been if he was raised an only child by Joseph soley. He's said his mother is where he got his loving, giving nature from. Well what if he didn't have a mother in his life growing up? Who might he have been?
I love exploring what ifs like that.
Again I apologize if this review is written sloppy I'm on an smartphone with terrible punctuation and spelling correction
Author's Response:
I always go by the writer. If an author has an amazing premise that I really really want to get into, I still will not read if I don't like their writing style/can't suspend my disbelief.
See, this is an example of how different each of our thresholds are for OOC. I can't do the murderer/serial rapist. If the murder is egocentristic, then I am gone. That's too close to his accusations and too....anti what he stood for. To me, that crosses the line of being disrespectful. Arbitrary line or not, I can't do that. Then again, I also see such figures on a regular basis, not Hollywood's take on them. With his real personality? He'd be likely to completely self-destruct worse than what we saw, if he did either of those. Thus, I can't suspend disbelief one iota. And rape is horrid, torturous, dehumanizing, demeaning, scaring, etc etc etc. Michael committing such an act would be....too upsetting. And for a story I'd read out of enjoyment? No, I couldn't read that..... (sorry, I know I'm ranting. I feel very passionately against these two). That being said, there have been a few AUs that walked the line, that I did like (e.g. Complete Opposites, My Bully, Jerk, Sweet Seducing Sighs, My Brother's Best Friend....).
You guys and your focus on comments with perfect punctuation and spelling. When I read reviews, the only thing I focus on is:
-can I understand the gist of what is being said
-what is actually being said
;)
[Report This]Date: Feb 19, 2015 07:43 am Title: Portraying Michael: When Michael isn't Michael
Thank you again for the shout out. I love reading an AU Michael. I know Michael loved his position in his profession but he also craved to be treated as a regular person. It's a bit oxymoronic but I can see where he would get tired of being locked in fame sometimes. I like to read him not having to battle tabloids, paps and rumors. Him being in an AU doesn't even have to have him OOC. He can maintain his personality traits. I do like some OOC too. I can see him fighting. He knew how to. Lol the guy had 5 brothers. They fought...physically I can almost guarantee that. I have 5 brothers. Lol. I remember reading somewhere where he and Jermaine fought off stage once. I don't remember the source though.
I can see where most fans get uncomfortable with AU/OOC Michaels to each is own though. I like writing AU Michael I get to be more creative with his environment and give him a fictitious chance at other things he was interested in like art etc. He always said if he wasn't an entertainer he would be in the arts. (Plus that's my field so it's my comfort zone. Lol)
To touch on Michael out and about in his PJ's that was a regular thing as he got older Michael Bush said he preferred that type of dress in his down time. There are so many photos of him in public with his PJ's on. As for showing up to court that one time that could not be helped due to the circumstances you guys mentioned. However him in PJ's I wouldn't see as OOC.
I love that gif. His little obnoxious quirks was so endearing at the same time. Lol.
More soon! <333
PS sorry for the cringe worthy typos and such. I type theses reviews on my phone and autocorrect is a know it all bitch sometimes. Lmao.
Author's Response:
Por supuesto :). I think AU can be a powerful tool. I agree about AU being great without having to take him OOC. Michael knew how to fight. Particularly using martial arts. However, he also didn't want to be like his father, so I for one am sketchy of him fighting people. I could see him breaking mirrors, objects, punching walls, etc.
I think you missed my point about the PJs. I didn't mean that Michael wearing his PJs was irregular. There are plenty of pics to prove otherwise. However, it was VERY irregular for the trial and for a huge press event. He was meticulous in sculpting his image for those events ;) So, yes, in that context, it was OOC.
Date: Feb 18, 2015 07:02 pm Title: The Basics
Did I misread something with what Jermaine said and what Tom mesaerau said? Let me double check... Yeah I know Michael was not in love with Debbie.. The writing was all over the wall regarding that marriage.. He was not in love with her.. It was so obvious..
Author's Response:
Yes. He just amended something that Mesearau said, as he was at the hospital and Mesearau wasn't.
I don't really consider that cheating if she was being compensated for the marriage and wasn't even actually living with him.
Date: Feb 18, 2015 05:21 pm Title: Portraying Michael: When Michael isn't Michael
Gee ... Thanks for the shout out...a86;a039;... I am glad you touched upon this topic because I have encountered/ "read" some crazy stories on this site where Michael is portrayed as a serial rapist ' kidnapper and a murderer. Those stories where quite disturbing to me and unsettled my nerves a bit and I couldn't continue to read those stories because they were so far removed from Michael's personality/character. Nothing sexy about that!!! Now oddly enough I don't have a problem where Michael is portrayed as a womanizer or having multiple affairs.. (Long story 😒) We all know that in real life Michael was gallavanting across the globe (after they were divorced) with Lisa Marie Presley whilst he was married to Debbie Rowe and she was carrying his child.. Michael was a naughty boy.. I enjoy reading stories about Michael where he is not an entertainer but in some other profession. For example business man, photographer , mechanic or even drug dealer.. I have my limits as to what I will read.. These are after all fan fictions so we mustn't allow ourselves to become to worked up on he is portrayed however with the exceptions I mentioned before. As for Jermaine... Side eye.. I take some of his account of Michael with a grain of salt. I will take Tom Mesearau words over his any day..
Author's Response:
Thanks for your input :) I think that is a huge risk with going both AU AND OOC. The threshold for going "too far" is easily reached when Michael is already different.
No problem with him having multiple affairs? His marriage to Rowe was a sham....it isn't like they were ever in love or pretending to be.
Agreed re:Jermaine. He changes some details when it will benefit himself or other family members....this, though, I don't see benefitting anyone. His account also didn't differ from what I understand Mesearau's to be, so I'm confused as to why you brought that up.
Date: Feb 18, 2015 03:04 pm Title: The Basics
That is very true! So many writers on this site do not writ their age.
Author's Response:
Or at least the ages they claim to be..... If they are really the ages they claim to be, I'm worried.
[Report This]Date: Feb 18, 2015 01:51 pm Title: The Basics
I'm not a fan of AU or OOC to be honest. Maybe I should give it another shot...I just haven't found one so far that's really felt believable in its own right, I guess. I understand that the purpose of both AU/OOC is to stretch or differentiate from canon and that you're supposed to suspend your belief...but there are just too many instances where even the reality that's created by the author just seems flimsy. That being said, I'd choose OOC over AU any day.
Nice work! Loving reading your thoughts on this stuff!
Author's Response:
I wasn't a fan of AU until I saw it done well. Not many on here are....there are some great ones on the forum, though.
Thanks Ann :)
Date: Feb 18, 2015 07:07 am Title: Portraying Michael: When Michael isn't Michael
You're more than welcome about the input..what you touched on was everything I was taught as a writer (before doing MJ fics)..of course there are some OOC stuff I let slide..like generally it would be OOC for Michael to beat up someone since he hated violence but if in a situation where he beats up a girl's ex because the ex tried to rape her or something, I say that person got what they deserved. Or if the OG tells him to do something and he goes and does something different just to get on her nerves.I could honestly see him doing that just to be silly/kidlike and would make me crack up laughing every time..
However it does kinda make me cringe to see him being rude to someone he held most dear unless that character does something truly out of line..you know, excuse for character bashing..especially if the character never stooped as low as the story may/may not depict in real life..
there are numerous OOC Michaels that look like they were written by authors who hate him or are clueless about him..in some cases it is easy to come to that conclusion..although admittedly a person can get away with plenty in spoof fics or parodies.
you took the words out of my mouth about the pajama day..he usually dressed appropriately so if he wore nightclothes that meant something happened and not what the media said..I mean if I hurt myself that badly I would not be thinking how I need to tough it up and hurry for court but how I'm in pain and want to stay home..so sad that people still don't get it after Mr. Mesereau explained it over and over again..and it was he who told Michael to just come in what he was wearing
By the way feel free to check out my work if you are curious about what makes me tick, etc.
Author's Response:
OOC with him beating someone up? See, this is an example of how threshold for OOC changes by person. I can't see that, if he is in fact MJ. I could see him calling in his security to hold the guy, shaking with rage, or punching a wall/breaking stuff, but for several reasons I couldn't see him punching a guy. For one, a lawsuit. Another? Well....the legal system. I don't think doing something just to bug someone would be completely OOC.
Your second & third points - I can totally cosign those.
Michael came in more than he had been wearing. According to Jermaine he'd come in to the hospital in a jacket and pj bottoms, with no shirt.
Date: Feb 17, 2015 07:43 pm Title: Portraying Michael: The basics
The name of the story is Billie Jean.. Umm I don't think Michael is 17 years old in this story...
Author's Response:
checked it out - he's 24. She made the teaser vague. As it is, for all she's written the girl could be delusional.
Date: Feb 17, 2015 07:38 pm Title: The Basics
You're right, it is rare and it does happen in the sequel ;)
You couldn't be more correct. So many authors make the mistake of loading their story down with unnecessary drama.It's a huge turn off for me. I may have been guilty of it in the past but I've come to a point in my life where I want as little as possible drama. I think I've been guilty of making supporting characters too likable. One the supporting guy's character was exposed in the sequel however.
I know exactly what you're talking about. There's been so many stories where that's happened and Michael's all like: "I really do love OG." *Rolls eyes*
Sometimes I really wish there was a way to verify ages on this site...
Author's Response:
LOL.
I tend to rely on writing style. There are some people who claim to be 19+ but write like they are 14.
Date: Feb 17, 2015 06:03 pm Title: Portraying Michael: The basics
OMJ!! I just saw a story in the most recent where Michael impregnates a 16year old girl.. This is crazy!!!!!
Author's Response:
Which story is this? Please tell me that he is 17....
Date: Feb 17, 2015 02:10 pm Title: Portraying Michael: The basics
I've hardly ever read a story where Michael didn't get the girl. Maybe for a short time it seemed like he wouldn't but in the end he always came out on top. I only find myself upset when Michael is deserving of the girl and simply doesn't end up with her. Sometimes he isn't but still ends up with her. Another thing I find very annoying as regards to Michael getting the girl is when the main girl is dating and or is married to a really nice guy and he ends up getting dumped and replaced with Michael. It's like a slap in the face to him because he really loved the main girl or really cared for her and she's just like "Michael's better looking. Michael's more fun. Michael's better in bed. I don't love you anymore because you're not Michael." And 9 times out of 10 Michael doesn't treat her any better than the other guy did. It's like Michael ALWAYS has to win.
I'm glad you said that it was a healthier choice for the OG. 99.9% of the readers are so concerned with Michael's happiness that they could give two hoots about whether the OG is happy.
Unhealthy relationships and/or being brought up to tolerate that type of treatment is a very reasonable explanation for that reader's response. For the other readers, I think it was age. I also posted the story on Wattpad and on their you are able to see the age demographics of your readers and a large portion of them were under 18. With that being said they are young impressionable youth who may have been taught how a woman should be treated and are just turning a blind eye because Michael is involved or may not have been at all.
I personally think it's unfair to hold someone up to such high standards but I guess those are the consequences of constantly being in the public eye. I think he number one thing Michael wanted to acknowledged as was human.
Author's Response:
It's rare, but it happens. Usually, at the latest, in the sequel ;)
I think the problem is that sometimes authors don't keep track of the amount of drama they add to their stories, are so intent on making their story *different* than the rest, and/or make the fatal error of making a supportive character too likeable.
It's often the healthier choice. I think one of the worst scenarios that also appears to be very common, is the scenario in which Michael is getting head from one girl and *imagining* the OG. Somehow that is supposed to make it better....
Age is a huge factor.