Huh?

[bluespirit]

So I've just seen that 'Make a wish' has been listed in response to a post at sgagenrefinders asking for 'married life' McShep stories - which is really nice of the poster. However, he/she adds a warning note for mpreg.
Um, 'Make a wish' doesn't include mpreg. Henry is conceived/carried by an Ancient gestation device... probably - I don't actually state it & John just surmises that when he sees that particular 'vision'.
So... should I say something? I don't want to look like a pedantic, overly-involved writer (even if maybe I am *g*) but, on the other hand, if it had included mpreg I would have warned for it.
I don't want to seem ungrateful - it's really flattering that someone even remembered some of my fic to list! *g*

EDIT
Okay - so I've left a comment thanking the poster but also pointing out the error. Hopefully they won't take it the wrong way. I am really grateful that anyone would think to rec one of my fics, but, on the other hand, I don't want something mis-labelled.
*fingers crossed*

Comments

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

I certainly would say something. I wouldn't call something like this over-pedantic. It's a fairly 'major' thing, given that some people won't go near MPREG, hence might decide not to read the story at all. Plus, it's a fairly major error as far as plot goes.

If you don't want to do it on the comm, you could always PM the person, so the comment doesn't stand there for all to see. OTOH, it's your story, you want it to be right when rec'd. I don't see it as being ungrateful at all.

[theeverdream.livejournal.com]

I agree! Definitely say something if you want, and if you say it as nicely as you do here it should be just fine!

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I shall try! *g*

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking - the mention of mpreg might put someone off from reading.
I think I'll leave a polite comment & hope for the best. :-)

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

I certainly won't read MPREG, not even when my favourite Due South writer writes it and that's saying a lot.

Good idea. I do hope the person takes it in the spirit in which you intend it.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I don't mind mpreg - though it's not something I've read much of - but I can certainly understand people wanting a warning for it.

I'm delighted (& relieved *g*) to say that the poster has responded in a thoroughly lovely manner. Yay!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

I just can't get past the impossibility of it. It wouldn't be so bad in futuristic fics, as who knows what will happen? But in the here and now, I cannot suspend my disbelief that far. It's not a squick just a 'can't/don't buy it'.

Oh, that really was a lovely reply to you. I'm so glad it's all worked out with no bad feelings or people (not you) flouncing off.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can see that. It's not so bad in SGA - there's always some wacky Ancient device that can allow it to happen! *g*

Yes, I'm so happy it all worked out in such a friendly way. :-) It can be so difficult when you have to rely on text only & can't use voice inflection & facial expressions!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

I can imagine that could help, yes.

I'm really pleased for you too. I know how these things can flare up so easily.

[doylebaby.livejournal.com]

I agree with nakeisha a lot of people hate mpreg and would avoid the story while it's not necessary.

I would certainly let him or her know that the warning is out of place.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think I will - & hopefully I won't offend the poster.
*fingers crossed*

[oran.livejournal.com]

Oh lors... or as Dean would say "awkward." I know exactly what you mean. It's a kind of a damned if you do and damned if you don't scenario. Are you a member of that particular comm? If so then I think you can say something without coming across as over obssesed because you will have seen the post on your Flist. *hugs* Love O. xx

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I know - I don't want to offend or upset the poster (famous last words, no doubt! *g*)
I am a member of the comm - that's how I saw it, so hopefully I won't come across as some prima donna!

[patk.livejournal.com]

Hm. The poster's warning is worded *mention* of mpreg. That's a difference to mpreg actually happening?

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I agree - but this story doesn't contain any mpreg (mentioned or not! *g*)

[patk.livejournal.com]

You handled the issue perfectly. :-)

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And the original poster has kindly added a clarification.
Everybody's happy. *g*

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

I'd mention it. Some people, myself included, won't read mpreg, and i'd hate for people to miss out!

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you!
*hugs*
Yeah, I did think that - I know mpreg can be a no-go for some people.

[berlinghoff79.livejournal.com]

I checked, and I think you handled that perfectly :)

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Thank you!
I really don't want to cause any upset, but I did want to say something.
*hatez confrontation*

wanders in to give more apologies

[shibela.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry about the mis-labeling. Seriously. Very very sorry. But....

Thank you for letting me know I had mis-labeled it. I don't mind reading mpreg (either male-pregnancy or machinery-pregnancy, or rather more to the point, men birthing babies via "natural means" or machinary birthing babies for men), but am aware that others do, which is why I try to warn about it.

If it's any excuse, "Make A Wish" is 18th in a list of more than 800 bookmarks of SGA fanfics I've read - early enough that the entirety of my tagging at the time consisted of: fandom, pairing, completion, total words, have-read, with the odd tag thrown in to identify whether children/babies were involved by means of their own DNA or adoption. I've been going back in the last month & adding / modifying tags to my bookmarks because even with summaries, it'd be so much easier to just search specific terms.

Also, thank you for letting me know I need to get going on my 'mpreg' tags & start differentiating the machinery from the actual carrying & birthing - my memory & notes are too spotty for dependability, especially with 175 fics under that generic tag & not all of them actual male-pregnancy.

Re: wanders in to give more apologies

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

This is so kind of you - I do hope I didn't come across as some self-obsessed writer! *g* It really wasn't a huge deal - it's just that I know mpreg can be a no-go for some people.
I think your recs to the comm were really thorough & adding the warnings was a great idea.
Your bookmarks sound very organised - I don't do anything like that & probably should - it seems such a good way of finding stuff again!

Thanks again for the clarification on the original post. :-)

Re: wanders in to give more apologies

[shibela.livejournal.com]

Nope, you don't come across self-obsessed at all. And my mis-labeling really bugs me because I do try to be organized with my tags & notes - especially since, on a good day, I read on average about 200,000 words a day, and the tags & notes help me remember what I've read that much clearer. It also bugs me because I do know that there are certain topics that people will steer clear of - no matter how much a fic is recc'd or who is recc'ing it.

For example, I generally steer clear of anything smacking of BDSM or slave!fic or incest or rape. On the other hand, I have read at least one fic per hot-topic listed above, which was dependent totally on the author or who (and once how many) recc'd a fic for whichever hot-topic, just so I could say that yes, I've tried whichever genre & it wasn't to my taste. Because really, how do you know unless you try it out once? And if you're going to try it once, then you go looking for the best out there, so if the experience is bad, it's at least not as bad as it could have been. In 2 cases, I discovered I would read anything written by that author because while whichever particular story wasn't to my taste, it was well-done - and I appreciate that.

...but then sometimes people have a particular theme they enjoy reading, and seeing it combined with another theme could be the whipped chocolate frosting on that most delicious chocolate brownie - a chocoholic's idea of edible heaven. (Hmmm... I'm thinking I have a craving for chocolate now. LOL!)

I seem to have digressed from my main idea which was that I don't want to either steer prospective readers away from a fic because it was erroneously tagged / labeled or give readers a sense of expectation for a theme they're looking to read, which isn't there. Talk about disgruntlement all around. *grin* You can't win for losing in such a case.

Besides which, "Make A Wish" is one of my favorites, and I do think it's a fic that others would enjoy reading - John's journey through self-discovery & his reluctance to share that with Rodney for fear of losing him entirely as well as his determination to enjoy what he could and how he could for the time he had was very evocative. ....and who doesn't like a fic that has some cool Ancient technology doing unexpected things which doesn't end in a visit to the infirmary & Carson's tender voodoo practices? *grins*

Re: wanders in to give more apologies

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I read on average about 200,000 words a day

Wow! No wonder you have such a great tagging system! :-)
I think it's really nice that you share your recs over at the comm. (I mainly can never remember pesky details like the name of a fic when I want to rec it! D-oh! *g*)

Genre tags are so important - as you say, there are certain topics people prefer not to read.

It's so nice to hear that you like 'MAW' - thank you. It was one of those writing projects that sort of sucked me in. I had so much fun with it. :-)
I wrote it as my SGA Santa story last year. It's hard to believe it's now time to write this year's story! *g*

[xanthelj.livejournal.com]

Sorry - only just seen this. I'm sure you did the right thing.

*Hugs*

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

It all worked out very pleasantly. Huzzah! :-)