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Reviewer: MichaelManiac Signed [Report This]
Date: Feb 15, 2015 04:57 pm Title: Portraying Michael: The basics

Once again, I am so glad that you decided to post this. One of the things that really hit home with me was the glorification. I finished a few months back and the readers were pissed with me, simply because Michael didn't end up with the main girl. And I had perfect reason for him not to. In the story, I didn't portray Michael to be a bad person. He wasn't the best like many readers portray him to be like but he wasn't the worst either. He tried to pursue a relationship with the MG while he was still married to her sister, he constantly screwed her around and made her his second best. The MG later found another guy who would make her his first and only and long story short they ended up together. Some readers were highly upset, some even stopped reading the story half way through and one reader even went as far as to tell me they hated my story. No matter how much dirt Michael did in the story involving the MG, the readers always found a way to justify his actions and hardly ever acknowledged that he was wrong just because he was Michael. The MG was usually always at fault and was hated in the end for not choosing Michael over the other guy.

It was as if the readers were so infatuated with Michael, they felt he could do no wrong, in real life or in fiction.

It honestly annoys me when fans put Michael on a pedestal as if he a saint. They act as if Michael was totally innocent and free of flaws. Like you said, the man was human. But that seems to be a fact that some fans forget

Author's Response:

Readers have a HARD time seeing Michael not get the girl. I speak from experience of being one of those readers in several stories. I can only think of one or two stories when I was actually like "No. OG, back away from Michael. If you end up with him, you are a moron". In those, that wasn't the intention, but I rather like that you didn't do that. It isn't as romantic of an ending, but it is a healthier choice for the OG.

With regards to your reader, it could be that she's been in unhealthy romantic relationships and/or was brought up in some way to accept that kind of treatment. I do think that is the case in many of these stories.....sometimes it's hard to spot emotional abuse when it is happening. Add to that, the allure of Michael, and many seem to turn a blind eye.

Fans....shoot, it reminds me of when Oprah asked MJ if he was a virgin or when Sawyer asked if he and Lisa had sex. I remember watching that live and even as a kid going, "No shit Sherlock". Many people had a hard time acknowledging him as a man, first and foremost.

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed starstarstarstarstar [Report This]
Date: Feb 15, 2015 04:21 pm Title: Portraying Michael: The basics

Oh and I meant to tell you in the last email I sent that I was unable to read Jerk?!? on MJJEternal because I don't have an account and when I tried to make one it said that registration had been disabled by the administrator. D;

Onto writing Michael: 

This was actually another very helpful thing of advice. I am a person who has trouble writing Michael because... well, I choose to go with the imagination of what I PERSONALLY thought of him to be. But sometimes you have to come out of that shell and at least ATTEMPT at trying to get some facts about him right than just writing what you thought happened or should've happened. Which is why when I write Year '93 I'm hoping it'll be different from my other works because it will be solely based on (your favorite word) RESEARCH. With of course my imagination mixed in to thicken the plot and make it interesting. 

I know how some writers stick to that ONE Michael and never try to change his personality but I am one who is all about change. I'll write about naive and shy Michael, I'll write masculine outgoing Michael, and as you all know I love to right my baaaaadddd boy Michael and then of course I'll write a simple normal Michael living a life being famous (or not)... but the one Michael I have not yet tried is the one that required me to do research, but I guess now I can scratch that off my list since I'm going to attempt it, LOL. 

I'll definitely be looking back on this when I start writing more chapters for that story. It's obviously a lot of help now. It's really too bad (but not really since you love it) that you spend most of your day writing because I know a story written by you featuring Michael would be the best thing on earth.



Author's Response:

Click on the "contact us" option at the bottom and let them know you want to join. They should get back to you within a day or two.

Research is awesome. <3

I like the diversity in your various depictions of Michael.

Ack. You are giving me WAY too much credit. TBH I think I make a better editor than I make a writer.

Reviewer: loyalpyt Signed [Report This]
Date: Feb 15, 2015 02:44 pm Title: Portraying Michael: The basics

taking notes on him counts right?

Author's Response:

Taking notes on him?

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