I've found that, as a multi-fandom reader with a fairly good understanding, my most useful contribution is to review like hell, offer polite concrit as appropriate, let authors/artists bounce ideas off me, and occasionally wangle fics I want from them. Oh, right, that last one's only useful to *me*, heh. *grins*
Supportive comments are very nice and I know I like them on the rare occasion when I write something, which ain't often any more; but a good discussion of plot points, motivations, and characterizations can be truly helpful. An actual beta reader might concentrate on different things than an obessessed fangirly reader would. And, like I said, it gets me fics wrote! *grabby hands*
I think pathology is an extremely good field for Jensen, partly for the reasons you pointed out. It *is* possible to care deeply about people and yet not be comfortable with them-and there are so many diseases that still need research done. I recently read this book about the Great Epidemic of 1918, when influenza swept the world, killing millions of people in horrible ways...scared the crap out of me!!! There's no cure for flu, just immunizations against that particular strain that they *hope* will be effective-the flu virus mutates rapidly, is transferrable from birds and swine to humans and vice versa, and the world is in constant danger of a new epidemic, what with the way people travel, etc.
So, yes, pathology is a realistic and *important* field for an intelligent guy like Jensen to go into; and it does offer the chance to make a real difference. I'm wondering why he chose that field? He doesn't seem particularly money-driven from what we've seen so far, but it's possible. Equally possible is his having lost someone to a disease. *speculates*
I'm thinking of a healthier Jensen focussing on Jared, once they were together and he was...healed? Or at least better, more accepting that he's worth affection. Jensen as he is now would be a tad...alarming. Very hard to convince that you mean what you say.
Makes me wonder even more about Garrett. Were they ever lovers? I don't get that vibe from them, but it's early days yet.
Thank *you* for writing such good stories. These are the kind of fics that I mean when I hector folks about elevating fandom from skanky porn for porn's sake to actual literature, with themes and character arcs and stuff like that!
I like discussions
Supportive comments are very nice and I know I like them on the rare occasion when I write something, which ain't often any more; but a good discussion of plot points, motivations, and characterizations can be truly helpful. An actual beta reader might concentrate on different things than an obessessed fangirly reader would. And, like I said, it gets me fics wrote! *grabby hands*
I think pathology is an extremely good field for Jensen, partly for the reasons you pointed out. It *is* possible to care deeply about people and yet not be comfortable with them-and there are so many diseases that still need research done. I recently read this book about the Great Epidemic of 1918, when influenza swept the world, killing millions of people in horrible ways...scared the crap out of me!!! There's no cure for flu, just immunizations against that particular strain that they *hope* will be effective-the flu virus mutates rapidly, is transferrable from birds and swine to humans and vice versa, and the world is in constant danger of a new epidemic, what with the way people travel, etc.
So, yes, pathology is a realistic and *important* field for an intelligent guy like Jensen to go into; and it does offer the chance to make a real difference. I'm wondering why he chose that field? He doesn't seem particularly money-driven from what we've seen so far, but it's possible. Equally possible is his having lost someone to a disease. *speculates*
I'm thinking of a healthier Jensen focussing on Jared, once they were together and he was...healed? Or at least better, more accepting that he's worth affection. Jensen as he is now would be a tad...alarming. Very hard to convince that you mean what you say.
Makes me wonder even more about Garrett. Were they ever lovers? I don't get that vibe from them, but it's early days yet.
Thank *you* for writing such good stories. These are the kind of fics that I mean when I hector folks about elevating fandom from skanky porn for porn's sake to actual literature, with themes and character arcs and stuff like that!
Pesti