On Reading - Tumblr Posts - Page 2
“She read paperbacks too, one after the next like she was chain-smoking—romance, science fiction, old pulp fantasy. All she wanted to do was sit, unbothered in a circle of lamplight, and live someone else’s life.”
―Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
I do think one important piece to add back to OP's post is - Pay attention to nuance *in real life.* Someone liking fiction that has zero nuance doesn't mean that they ascribe zero nuance to their real lives any more than people liking fictional villains makes them villains in their real lives. Sometimes people get exhausted of the gray spaces they inhabit every day in the real world with real people, and fiction is their pleasant escape from that reality for a while. A way to de-stress that harms zero real people. And this, too, is as valid as any other story preference.
Nuance is far more important as a tool for remembering the equal humanity of someone who loves the kinds of stories you hate, then it is as a tool for writing The Best Kind Of Literature.
(Though it can, of course, make for some damn good literature, too!)
90% of arguments about media could just be solved by saying “different people like different things in their stories” and leaving it at that
I just look at summaries and tags. If it interests me, I read. If it loses my interest, I move on to something else. If I'm equally interested in two stories, I might prioritize the one with more kudos, but I'm just as likely to prioritize whichever is shorter so I can get to both as soon as possible. XD
The barrier to entry is just so low -- it's free, there are no calories to consider, nothing's wasted if you try it then set it aside, just dig in and compliment the chef if you enjoyed. Fanfic is the best buffet.
Another AO3 thing I’m curious about, how do yall decide if something is good enough to read? Usually I follow a rule of 1 kudos for every 10 hits. One because it’s easy math and two it’s yet to fail me. Thoughts? Do you just go for it and pray it’s good?
"I wanted a library like this[...] A cave of words that I'd made myself."
― Forever by Maggie Stiefvater