I've been writing fan-fiction for the past five years. I've been posting on fanfiction.net since July of 2008.
The first fan-fiction I posted on that site was a terrible attempt at dirty humor; a fanfic that has only received 9 reviews in only four years. It wasn't a very good fanfic. Still, I kept writing. Since then, I've posted 302 stories on fanfiction.net, some one-shots, some multi-chapters. As of April 22, 2012, I have received 7245 reviews on my combined stories. My best story (in my opinion), http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4929550/1/Going_Home has received 753 reviews on 28 chapters. It took me two years to complete, longer than my original novel (and has more words, too).
The story that this blog is about, http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7070864/1/Burn_Out_the_Sun began on a whim. It was my third True Blood fanfic, and I had just gotten into the swing of writing Sookie/Eric fics. I was re-watching the second season of True Blood, and had decided that killing Godric off was a really, really stupid idea. (It amazes me how TV shows and movies change so much in the transition from books, but they NEVER change when our favorite characters die!)
So, I did what I've done since I was five years old: I rewrote the story. In my fanfic, Burn Out the Sun, Godric didn't die. Eric didn't have to trick Sookie into drinking his blood - I threw that in, because it was one thing that always annoyed me about the Sookie Stackhouse realm; if vampires are so "allergic" to silver, to the point that it burns through their skin, how could they just work it out of their system? How is it that a tiny scrap of silver chain can completely immobilize a vampire, but silver bullets will just "work their way out"? Sorry, Charlaine Harris, but there's a flaw in that logic.
I digress. The point is, with a few minor changes, the story does a complete 180. And without the loss of Godric, the story focuses more on his relationship with Eric, and by extension, Sookie.
I started "Burn Out the Sun" June 10, 2011. In that time, I have written 34 chapters, and have received 968 reviews. I think I've only received 2 negative reviews on the story.
I don't believe that my writing is out-of-this-world, ground-breaking, phenomenal type stuff. I work hard to use proper spelling and grammar, I catch most of my typos (and growl in frustration when I see them), I try to keep the story as "in-character" as possible, while maintaining my own creative flow. I take pride in my writing.
Never, in my nearly four years on fanfiction.net, have I EVER received a review this amazing. This review was written by http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2336024/bloodyblond
When I read this review, I was alone in my room, and I was blushing down to my toes. I literally had to close my eyes and look away from the screen three times before I could read the whole thing. It was just too much.
Here it is:
"This story is bananas!
Normally when I see threesomes in the story description, I turn the other way with a ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ I’ll read the smuttiest smut any day, but for some reason, threesomes have just never meshed well with me and I can count on one hand how many I've read. I’m so insanely loyal to particular pairings, that to see another mashed in between them strikes up this strangely uncomfortable feeling of... betrayal? If that makes sense... or does it just make me sound utterly crazy? But after reading this story I’ve come to the realization that, perhaps, I just haven’t been reading the right ones, because this has been an absolutely amazing journey.
It’s a lot easier to be so accepting thanks to the way you’ve paced the sexual development of the Sookie/Eric/Godric relationship. You’ve set up and nurtured the Sookie/Eric relationship so wonderfully, that when Godric is added to the equation it feels like an entirely natural development... almost to the point where it would almost be wrong not to include him. I should just thank you for including him in the story in general. I became quite fond of his brief stint on TB and was absolutely devastated when they got rid of such an interesting character. I realize they probably did it to show the softer side of Eric and start setting up the potential Sookie/Eric goodness, but considering how well that turned out, it would have been better to just keep him alive... or undead I should say. Even more thanks are offered for the added depth you gave his character and the insight into the bond that him and Eric shared. Normally slash is not my thing, but the way you wrote it, I found myself agreeing with Sookie, they are beautiful together.
Your characterization of Sookie has caused near moments of hysterical relief, considering how frustrated I ended up with her character on the TB show (so much in fact with season 4 that I will no longer continue watching it.) Considering the show revolved completely around her, she was disappointingly unlikeable at times. The development of her character, more specifically her ‘fairyness’ and the Sookie/Eric relationship came off as a rushed, confused messed and sadly felt incredibly forced... was I the only one who found their sex scenes awkward...and after all that wait... :(
In regards to her ‘fairyness’, I’m really enjoying the unique approach you’ve given to it. The powers of her ‘mood ring’ lights are always a pleasure to read (I’m particularly fond of the one that allows her vampires to walk in the light. Just imagining that awed look of pleasure on their faces gives me the warmed fuzzies), as well as the fact that she seems to have such amazing control over them regardless of having no help. The growth of them, like the pace of her relationship with her vampires, feels like a natural, and more importantly, sensible development. I can easily believe she has these powers... even the vamp mind reading. Though I’m sure there have been other authors to do it, yours has actually been the first that I’ve read to have Sookie be able to do that and I’m really liking it. For some reason, in my mind, that shows how truly powerful she’s becoming.
Also, though only touched on briefly, I’m glad you made mention of the potential of Sookie being turned. Though some may consider it something not necessarily relevant to the story, this has always been something that has bothered me greatly, because so many authors seem to be completely against the idea of it because apparently it goes against Sookie’s character. But how can you truly believe that the bond between them is real and true when such an important factor is seemingly ignored? It just seems to me that it’d simply be: OK, you love me, but not enough to spend forever with me? Just to have an author mention it, whether they’re for it or not, can make a world of difference, at least for this reader and I really appreciate that you have it in your story... and I really hope something comes of it. :) I can definitely guarantee I am full on board with a VampSookie... and if I can’t have that, I’m more than willing to settle with a bond that simply ties her life to that of her vampires (to be honest, I’m actually a little more fond of that approach. It keeps Sookie alive and breathing and guarantees that her vamps don’t ever have to sink their fangs into someone else for sustenance.)
It’s not even finished yet, but all in all, this has been one of the most enjoyable and brilliantly written fanfics (not just in the TB verse) that I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.
I eagerly await more, and once again extend thanks for changing my mind on the potential of threesomes. My willingness to seek out more like them in the future, opens up so many more stories that I may have overlooked in the past.
Keep up the awesomeness!"
Yeah. Wow.
It wasn't like this reviewer boasted on and on about my "mad skills as a writer". I've had reviewers tell me they're jealous of my writing, or tell me that I should write for the TV show that I'm doing fanfics for - I love those reviews, I don't mind admitting that they make me EXTREMELY giddy! I think the thing that I most loved about this review was how thorough it was. Normally when someone takes the time to write a lengthy, thorough review, they have SOMETHING negative to say about the story. I couldn't believe that this person didn't.
Burn Out the Sun had a lot of firsts in it for me. It was my first "threesome" pairing, it was my first multi-chapter vampire story, it was the first story I'd used a translator for - Caaro: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1877146/ did me the huge favor of translating certain lines into Norgwegian - and as of now, it is the longest fan-fiction I've ever written. At 34 chapters, it's still "in progress".
Out of 7245 reviews, I've received maybe 12 negative reviews. 12 in almost four years. That's not too shabby. Still, it only takes one negative review for me to second guess my skills as a writer. Isn't it amazing how 1 negative critique can outshine 600 positive ones?
Today, I don't doubt my skills as a writer. Today, I'm still riding the high of this incredible review.
Thank you, bloodyblond. It's because of awesome reviews like this - because of readers who take the time to review a story that they enjoy - that I'm still writing fanfiction after four years! Love you!
