I never did see the movie the Titanic. Aside from the lack of aliens and explosions (things that are usually required in any movie I want to see), I knew how it was going to end. To me, that kills the whole story. Sometimes I won't even watch trailers for movies I've really looked forward to seeing.
Given that I hate having an ending, or even major plot developments "spoiled," it's kind of abhorrent to me to give readers a outline of the story before it starts. I can't recall the story, but I remember it was wonderfully angsty and I was really enjoying it. It just got to an absolutely heart-wrenching bit, I was torn up inside and loving it. That's when I accidentally read the chapter end notes, where the author assured everyone that it would be HEA.
I stopped reading. It was totally ruined for me.
Now, I'm not saying anyone who reads my stuff should share these feelings, but I have not and will not give away major plot bits. I always have a tough time summarizing a story because I don't want to give anything away, which is why my story summaries suck. LOL
I see every story as a mystery - not necessarily a "who done it," but a mystery of what the characters will do, why they do what they do, and how whatever the conflict may be is resolved. If someone tells me it will be okay in the end, HEA will happen, the main character will get cancer and die in the end, the main character will get cancer and live in the end, or the boy is going to have to shoot his dog because he might have rabies...well, that ruins it for me. I would no longer read it. Why bother, if you already know what will happen?
Now I realize not everyone agrees with that, and I don't expect you to have the same reaction I do if you hear what's to come. But you won't hear it from me. I don't even like that my darling beta knows how UC ends...
Given that I hate having an ending, or even major plot developments "spoiled," it's kind of abhorrent to me to give readers a outline of the story before it starts. I can't recall the story, but I remember it was wonderfully angsty and I was really enjoying it. It just got to an absolutely heart-wrenching bit, I was torn up inside and loving it. That's when I accidentally read the chapter end notes, where the author assured everyone that it would be HEA.
I stopped reading. It was totally ruined for me.
Now, I'm not saying anyone who reads my stuff should share these feelings, but I have not and will not give away major plot bits. I always have a tough time summarizing a story because I don't want to give anything away, which is why my story summaries suck. LOL
I see every story as a mystery - not necessarily a "who done it," but a mystery of what the characters will do, why they do what they do, and how whatever the conflict may be is resolved. If someone tells me it will be okay in the end, HEA will happen, the main character will get cancer and die in the end, the main character will get cancer and live in the end, or the boy is going to have to shoot his dog because he might have rabies...well, that ruins it for me. I would no longer read it. Why bother, if you already know what will happen?
Now I realize not everyone agrees with that, and I don't expect you to have the same reaction I do if you hear what's to come. But you won't hear it from me. I don't even like that my darling beta knows how UC ends...
I may have a teaser out today, but I can't swear to it...this next chapter still needs some serious work.
i respect your reasoning for not giving anything away. i know some of us, myself included, have strict no cheating policies in fic. and i know that bella doesn't consider it cheating, but cheating (defined in my book) is him putting his dick somewhere else other than bella's vagina. i know this comment isn't going to make you tell us what's going to happen, and that's not even my intent here. i just try and make sure there's no cheating in a fic before i start it. and i loved all your other fics and there wasn't cheating in those, so i thought i'd be 'safe' with this one. maybe it was wrong for me to assume. but i guess this means i'm going to be reading completed fics from now on lol.
ReplyDeletethat comment was not intended to be rude by the way. although it came off like that a bit. i'm sorry x
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why I usually don't read teasers... I'm right there with you.
ReplyDeleteNot at all - and I would agree - stick with completed. :)
ReplyDeleteShay- Perhaps you could clear something up for me...Everyone keeps mentioning the flounce bc of cheating...I haven't read anything in UC--as of yet-- that Edward is a cheater. Maybe I missed something. Please help point me in the right direction if me NOT JUMPING THE GUN has led my opinion of the story thus far down the wrong path.
ReplyDeleteAnd by wrong path, I mean, "Edward hasn't even cheated yet--that we know of."
Actually, he's been doing Michael the page on the side. ;)
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for clarifying- I've been so confused!!
ReplyDeleteFor me, the story is the journey. I like happy ending stories or open-ended stories. I don't mind knowing who dies, who breaks up, etc. because I care about how well-written it was. Did I feel like I was there? I knew from the summary she couldn't give him a child. As a royal, he would need an heir. So knowing that didn't stop me from reading it. I believe if the question is asked then answering it is fine. If I have a reader who wants to know something and they ask outright, I'll answer them. If it's a vague question, they get a vague answer.
ReplyDeleteThe point is, what matters is the journey. When you read a mystery, on the last page it doesn't matter who the murderer was. It was the story and the reader's ability to piece together the case. Maybe it's just me but I like knowing it. I don't like stories that are depressing and have unhappy endings no matter how well they are written. I read to be entertained.
I think by cheating they mean "doing your duty" for getting an heir. To most it would be considered cheating, even if it was agreed upon.
ReplyDeletelol, your beta's inbox is now likely filled with requests now.
ReplyDeletealso, a teaser would be super awesome, however small and rough http://i39.tinypic.com/2j2uvle.jpg
I can't say I am like you (I don't mind spoilers at all) but I sure respect your way of thinking. if I can I choose HEA stories. I only read E/B stories, never bella with jasper or jacob, so I like it to be clear by the author. and for personal reasons and/or crazyness I can't stomach stories when bella or edward are married with anopther character in the beggining. if I can I choose no cheating stories. by cheating I mean going behind one's back and not what's happening in UC. but sometimes the stories gets too boring or too annoying or goes to patch I don't like and I have to stop reading.. it happened tons of times, at least for me. but I'm fan of savage's work and a good author it's not that easy to find. i'm tired of meaningless fluff and smut. I need a good plot and that she can give us always.
ReplyDeletekikabr
I completely agree about not giving away how the story ends or any plot twists, but I also have a strict policy on quitting a story just because I don't agree with what the author did. I know I'm in a minority when I say that because of the "don't like, don't read" policy many of the authors and readers in the fandom have. I think that just because the author took the story in a different direction than I expected doesn't mean I should just stop reading the story but instead see how it turns out. Obviously however, once you start a story and can immediately tell the story is not to your fancy (whether the author is clearly 12 years old, or the plot just doesn't grab your attention), then by all means stop. I've done that many times before when trying to find a new story to read. However I've NEVER stopped reading a story when I've been as involved in it as I have been for UC.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I am disappointed that UC may be the first story ever that I stop reading. I love the time period, I love how Savage characterizes Bella and Edward, I love everything about it. And I know that in this time period that this story takes place, Edward taking a concubine is completely realistic. I just can't stand that he's going to do it, lol. To me, sex between Edward and Bella symbolizes the trust and love their relationship has progressed to, not just duty between a wife and her husband. Especially given the fact that Bella was a servant and thus not born expecting to have these rules about needing an heir. She does not think it's cheating because it is her duty to make sure that Edward has an heir and she thinks it's her fault that she cannot conceive. I totally get that. But if Edward goes through with this (since we still have not seen if he does or not), then Bella will always know that Edward has shown his way of expressing his love to Bella to Angela, in my opinion. I am really really really anxious over the next chapter because it will most likely determine whether or not I continue reading. I love all types of fanfics- angst to complete fluff- but I dislike Edward getting it up for another girl. With angst, I relish the pounding of my heart and the feeling of my stomach dropping when I read some good angst, but I believe there is a difference between angst and Edward "cheating." It's clear that Edward does not want to do this with Angela so I'm hoping like a naive teenager (which I am too old to be lol) that he is physically incapable of going through with it. I will especially dislike it if he does go through with it and then they find out that someone **cough Jane** caused Bella to be unable to conceive so he broke Bella's heart for no reason.
Okay, my ramblings are done. I sincerely do not mean any disrespect by this post because no matter what happens, this story belongs to Savage and she can do what she wants with it. I just hope I'll be along for the ride.
I just don't understand those people that can read a few chapters and then turn to the last page to find out how the story ends.
ReplyDeleteWhat you have written here is truly exceptional! The fact that we have to wait and see what will happen next is part of the fun. Look at the reviews, blogs, and forum threads! People can't stop talking and speculating about what will happen next! So I completely agree with you on not giving anything away- where's the fun in that? And then what would we do for entertainment? I'm embarrassed to tell you how much of my time has been spent reading and writing reviews/comments about this story. All I can say for myself is bring it on!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Savage! I also avoid movie trailers, because I want to be surprised when I watch the movie. That's why I have refused to even watch the Harry Potter movies, because I still haven't read the books. I want to say that I am enjoying Unexpected Circumstances so much, and it pisses me off when people bitch and moan about the direction that you choose to take the story, even going so far as to threaten to flounce if it doesn't pan out the way they want. The constant comments about cheating have me perplexed. Is a man who has a swinging lifestyle considered a cheater, given he has the consent of his wife? No. Here, Edward is basically being forced to take this route, and Bella has seen that the alternative would be detrimental to her marriage and so she has put her own feelings aside for what she hopes will be a long term gain. All those people bashing Edward need to read history books and realise that Edward is an exception and not the norm for powerful men in those times. He truly loves and adores his wife, and he does not want to do this. I trust that you will develop the story in a way that is true to your original vision, and I welcome the angst, because it's just so good.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you actually have to write a blog post explaining this...sigh.
ReplyDeleteWell, i have to say that i don’t read the last page of a
ReplyDeletestory, but do read the summary, not because i want to know details and plot
developments, but i want to know whats the theme, ex. is a period piece,
politics, sports...etc, so i can have my pick. I just started a fic today and
when i got to chapter 3 and i dropped it. It was too boring and i think not to
my liking. However, as few said above, I don’t mind angst; I read EP, Wide
Awake and couldn’t wait long for an update. I do not mind E/B with other people,
not a bit, as long as they are not serious about each other, so there is no
cheating, no feelings get hurt. I am reading a fic where Edward has sex with
Bella's mother for god’s sake, a lot of times, and im totally ok about it
because he didn’t know who she was and it was before he met Isabella. Is it
hard? Will it complicate their relationship somehow? of course, but its totally
fine with me. With current UC developments, im not particularly mad at anything,
I just have come to 1 conclusion. As long as Edward, Carlise, Esme obey to
Aro's ultimatums, they will be always losers and Aro will be a winner. You may
argue about the situation and such, but do you actually believe that even
Edward took a concubine to produce a heir, Aro doesn’t have a plan B or/and even
C? Of course he wont let Angela get pregnant the same way he isn’t letting
Isabella. Even if Angela bears a son Aro has the power to eliminate him, the
same way he wanted to eliminate Edward, the only future heir of forks, and we
know he escaped the murder by miracle. So, what im saying is, one way or the
other, 1 concubine or 10, if Edward doesn’t outsmart Aro, he will always win.
and what’s more ironic is that out of all this, there is one person who will
get hurt, the only person who doesn’t deserve it, Isabella. Now about the
cheating: I know why Isabella is doing this, I know she comes from serfdom, she
has endured pain and humiliation, she sees herself as worthless, even more so
now that she cant give a heir to Edward and the kingdom. What i don’t get is Edward
being so useless. Having him cry and whine doesn’t make the situation better.
Isabella feels like she has to make the ultimate sacrifice to deserve the throne.
She might not consider this cheating, but what does Edward consider this? Here
an analogy. Edward goes to a tournament, he drinks afterwards and when he wakes
up he finds himself in bed with 2 women, he doesn’t remember anything, he didn’t
do it intentionally. Is this considered cheating? You might say he was careless
and irresponsible. Exactly, Edward is forcing a concubine into Bellas' life
because of his irresponsible actions and not thinking ahead. Intentional or
not, you cheat the moment you get it up for another woman and break the vows,
right there you are a failure for not being loyal to the most important person
in your life, how are you going to be loyal to your people if you succumb to your
enemy each time you are in a critical position? Sorry for the long rant, no
offence to anybody, just saying as I see it.
I get what you are saying, and I agree with it in large part. I do not want to know the plot line. BUT, and that is a really big BUT, I have found that I am at a point in my life that I am too old and my life is filled with too much drama and stress, so I do really appreciate it when an author promises me a HEA. I love to read, and sometimes I feel I am torturing myself with fan fiction, especially works in progress, because when something "bad" happens you cannot just go on to the next chapter and find out how bad it really is or rush to get them to a better place. But the promise of that HEA gives me some "peace" in my own mind to keep reading sometimes, in spite of the wait between chapters. I have some favorite authors...Hello there!...and these authors create characters that become very important to me, and I can get in a serious low place in my head when they are suffering. (I have been known to ask an author how many chapters of angst there are and I just wait to read all those chapters together when it is over, if I feel my head is in a place where I cannot handle it well.) Angst free stories truly are boring, but my favorite stories are those where Bella and Edward are together in spite of everything they have to deal with in their lives, angst, drama, etc., where they face it all together. But I have found there are very few out there that fit that bill. Most authors seem to focus on angst that tears them apart. But bottom line is that it does not really matter what the reader wants...not really...because it is your story. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteMy husband likes to read the end of a book before he reads the rest. He's tried to explain why but it makes absolutely no sense to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same, I to a certain part, and than I just have to read the ending..If I'm happy with regardless how it ends than I continue reading the book, if not than I don't even bother finishing it...
ReplyDeleteBasically for me what Phyllis said....
ReplyDeleteI agree with you too, what's the point in reading a story outline if you know how its going to end up? I'm loving UC just the way it is, with its twists, concubine and, yes, wondering whether he did or didn't. Because the fact that you can make me go crazy wondering and trying to guess (and that you read my theories and laugh then write back to me saying that I have to see what happens lol) makes you an amazing author.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just cannot believe so many people are bitching about the concubine, I cannot believe it! We gotta have faith in you Savage :)
~acydrose
I'm the complete opposite. I love to know what happens
ReplyDeletefirst. I watched The Sixth Sense without knowing what
happened in the end, and I liked it, but I enjoyed it SO much more the second
time I saw it. I love to reread books and rewatch movies, and it doesn't
bother me in the least that I already know what will happen. I love
movies like X-Men, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Bourne
movies, Da Vinci Code, etc. that are based on comics/books I've read, even
though I know what the ending will be. I
am very thankful I live on the West Coast and can find out who is kicked off Survivor, Amazing Race, etc. before
watching the episode. It doesn’t detract
from my experience at all and actually lessens the stress for me if know ahead
of time if who I’m rooting for is safe or not. lol
Before starting a completed fanfic, I usually read the last couple chapters
first to decide if I want to invest my time with a story that I know will piss
me off, no matter how well written it may be - case in point, I just read the
epi to a story I was thinking of reading; I found out that Bella is pregnant by
Edward's evil twin brother who manipulated her into thinking it was Edward she
was sleeping with. The evil twin is killed and E/B stay together with E
resolving to love the child as his own. WTF?! Is this some 90’s daytime
soap? NO WAY am I interested in reading that and am so thankful that I didn't
waste hours of my life reading the whole story for that to happen!!
My problem is that I just can't stick to reading completed stories as I'm
addicted to emails letting me know when a WIP has updated. I just love that giddy, anticipatory feeling I
get when I see those emails. So, I try to stick with authors whose past
stories do not include themes I hate - B/J hook-ups, cheating, etc. But I
get it's a risk that I take when I read a WIP b/c I don't know of any authors
who are willing to answer my questions about what will happen. That’s the author’s right, of course, but it
does irk me when an outside party won’t tell me what happens (thinking of my
sister who always refuses to tell me the ending to a movie. I mean, why does she possibly care if I know
ahead of time or not??)
"...my favorite stories are those where Bella and Edward are together in
ReplyDeletespite of everything they have to deal with in their lives, angst, drama,
etc., where they face it all together. But I have found there are very
few out there that fit that bill. Most authors seem to focus on angst
that tears them apart."
YES, me too!! I always wish to read angst they deal with together rather than being torn apart, but that NEVER happens. I'm hoping this will be the first story I've ever read like that - that will have E and B face this problem together rather than having E and A have sex, thereby slowly tearing E/B apart.
I'm the same, I still read the book or completed fic but I do read the ending first :)
ReplyDeleteI agree whole-heartedly. I trouble reading your Tues. Teasers because they revel too much, especially while we are in the dark waiting to be lead to the light. I've read everthing you have out there and I trust you with this story. UC is perfect. Perfect.
ReplyDeleteI honestly have no understanding at all of why anyone would want to know the end of a story before reading it. Yes, I enjoy re-visiting exceptionally good stories, where I have been captivated by the plot and writing, but there is such a joy in starting a new story where you have no clue as to where it will take you or how it will be concluded; it’s like starting out on a brand new and exciting adventure. I have no problem with non-HEAs if the plot and characters take us down that road - that's how life works, after all - and I NEVER read teasers, regardless of whether they might contain spoilers or not.
ReplyDeleteAs for whether Edward will consummate his partnership with Angela, I literally cannot get my head round why someone who is enjoying UC would stop reading it just because of that. Sure, it’s sad that he may be driven to bed another woman in order to impregnate her and produce an heir, but sex isn’t love and men are unfaithful for far more trivial reasons than duty. This is a historical novel and the rules of engagement do not apply in the same way they do in contemporary fanfic. It’s a device by which the author can introduce all kinds of difficulties and plot twists to make the story go off in ways we, as the reader, cannot anticipate – and that, to me, is a major part of the enjoyment. I don’t want safe or fluffy – in conflict and heartache lay the meat and gristle of a good story, one which teases all our emotions, and that, above almost all else, is why I FLOV everything Savage writes. I want to be challenged by what I read, and UC certainly provides that.
As an example of how an HEA can totally jar with the direction in which a story is going, I would draw your attention to how Ms Meyer resolved Jacob’s situation in Breaking Dawn. It would have been bad enough and exceedingly trite if he had found some comfort in a relationship with Leah or another member of his tribe, but at least it would have been moderately acceptable for a “Young Adult” story. But no – in order to give Jake his HEA we were presented with a plot twist which, at best, could be called creepy, and at worst, teetered dangerously close to paedophilia. Life is sometimes crap, and I don’t think it’s a bad lesson for young adults to be shown that sometimes we can’t always have what we want. Bella was in the middle of a love triangle and someone had to lose – that was Jake, and to then have him “imprint” on her baby was, to my mind, vomit-inducing, and is the main reason why I will likely avoid the second half of the movie version.
Sorry, I’ll STFU now!
you wrote:
ReplyDelete"Sure, it’s sad that he may be driven to bed another woman in order to
impregnate her and produce an heir, but sex isn’t love and men are
unfaithful for far more trivial reasons than duty".
Im not sure why you read Twilight inspired fictions where the main theme is true love and loyalty. Thats the only bond that keeps them together. As for men haiving sex for more trivial reasons...are you trying to convince us that because men cheat it is ok for edward to cheat for a less grave reason? Having sex without love equals cheating dear.lol
And, if you read what people say, it is not a question of bedding another woman to produce a heir, it is a question of would it really be worthit if Edward doesnt develop in a real leader and find other options not just fucking?
LOL
ReplyDeleteFINALLY! Someone seems to get that Edward is only doing this to keep his marriage intact. I completely agree with everything you just pointed out. No one is taking into account the fact that B&E have been backed into a corner, and it is so annoying to hear everyone say either that Bella is weak or Edward is a cheating jerk.
ReplyDeleteI want to be your beta!!!!! I WANT UC'S BETA JOB!!!!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt it. I am one giant pain in the ass. LOL
ReplyDelete