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Post by banmaixanh on Jun 20, 2013 8:15:15 GMT -5
Oh my gosh!!!!!!! How can you two be able to write something that long?  I guess this little series will never end. And well, I must say it's not little anymore.  Just had a quick reading. Suddenly feel lazy and don't want to study neither work. I think Maeve is a bit too sweet here. If I was her, first I would never accept Sinbad's suggestion. There are a lot of way to love his brother but not that way. Second, would never care about the joke of Doubar and Bryn because it's simply just a meaningless joke. Third, I would kick Sinbad out of the room right after he open his mouth instead of talking to him. Come to a woman's cabin in the midnight is already impolite enough and come there just to say "I will never marry you". And the last just a simple question for Doubar and Bryn "Is life too boring with you two??? Need me help you to end it?" |
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Post by Doubar on Jun 20, 2013 13:59:21 GMT -5
I heard a rumour TK was going to write a nice Bryn/Doubar bit ;D I just hope I'll find time to type that down. *sigh* Well, it's a game of tag and one part often inspired the next and so the game went on and on... xD Haha, and I see what you mean though. I guess that's just the different views we have on the characters.  I understand why you think Maeve should be less sweet, but then again I think we both just wanted to indulge in a little fun and fluffy game where things are pretty easy. Also, maybe it helps to know that at first this was never meant to find the way online. It was just a private little game of tag that had evolved between us. Only, when we had written some ten or twelve of them, we thought: why not let others have fun with it, too?  Anyway. I hope you still enjoy reading the tags. Even if at times you don't agree with how we had the charas act.  |
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Post by MJ on Jun 20, 2013 15:37:53 GMT -5
Kriss, you write the best reviews! I am totally tempted to just send you the whole thing because writing it was so much fun and it's so cool to see reading it is fun too! Hakuna Matata, babe. If it is to be, you will write it, if not, then not ;D Maeve has a higher Sinbad-tolerance level than we do I think her patience with him has to do with the fact that she has already decided for herself that she wants to be with him AND that she is going to get her heart broken (ever the optimist that one) AND that a true relationship with him would have to wait until after her quest is done. I think being so sure of herself allows her to give Sinbad a little more leeway and to see beyond his words to his doubts and his wishes. For the most part he is acting like a little boy until there is a true connection but even then he will revert back to his usual modus operandi. Maeve has a little bit more self-control than that, though she reverts back to childishness quite a lot herself ;D I quite like the juxtaposition of Sinbad and Maeve's two-steps forward, one step back kind of romance and Bryn and Doubar's elegantly growing, well nurtured romance. In the next chappie you're going to see a tiny little bit of what Firouz and Rongar think of all this. Those poor boys have been sorely neglected! |
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Post by Kriss on Jun 21, 2013 4:14:37 GMT -5
Kriss, you write the best reviews! I am totally tempted to just send you the whole thing because writing it was so much fun and it's so cool to see reading it is fun too!  You're very welcome!  I can't wait for more! |
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Post by banmaixanh on Jun 22, 2013 6:45:19 GMT -5
I just heard this song today and I think it cans portray the craziness and childishness of Maeve and Sinbad in this series. However, I think the couple in this song is more lovely than Maeve and Sinbad. Draw the heart. mp3.zing.vn/bai-hat/Ve-Trai-Tim-Quang-Vinh-ft-Luong-Bich-Huu/ZWZAI86I.htmlG: You give me a present. It’s just a reason, you want to see me. M: The raining afternoon, my heart misses you so much, my love. G: It’s not just only you missing someone on the raining day. Saying that you miss me??? How can I know it’s the truth? M: You often say that you don’t believe in my words, that I just joke. G: But why seeing you, my heart beats that fast. Do you know? M: Everyday, every hour, every second in my life I wait for you. My love. You don’t know my heart long for you everyday. G: I don’t know if you really mean it when you say you love me. Missing you, writing down your name. M: Closing eyes, wishing we can be together. My love. You don’t know that my heart has only you. G: I don’t know if behind my back you still are what you promise. Missing you, writing down your name. M: Closing eyes, wishing we can be together. M/G: Do you know? |
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Post by banmaixanh on Jun 22, 2013 11:44:15 GMT -5
@doubar: So, it means we have the different views on the characters or you change the characteristics of the characters to fit them with the story? I must admit I can't feel anything when reading these tags. How to say, it's like there is nothing for me to feel. I know things just mean to be funny and yes it's not the emotional thing but... I don't know. I think I expect something more than that. Things like you said are easy and for me I think it's too easy to be interesting. Sinbad suggested Maeve to play the game of love with him because he want Doubar to be happy? What is the reason? Isn't it more reasonable and more interesting if Sinbad and Maeve decide to play a game along with Bryn and Doubar. If you want a game we give you a game? I know it's your and MJ's work and I have no word over it but if you want to know in my opinion the wrong move is when Maeve couldn't feel that Bryn did magic behind her back. Things were too easy at that moment. Doubar’s and Bryn's plan worked perfectly and for me if you want a fun you shouldn't let things be that easy. Maeve isn't an innocent woman and for sure not meek either but in this series she is just a lovely doll. Yeah, whatever, this series is really enjoyable thing to read if you look for something funny. MJ: Is it written in the story? Because I can't feel it when I read the tags. |
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Post by Doubar on Jun 22, 2013 14:55:56 GMT -5
@ban: Aw, thanx for sharing the song. It sounds totally cute. Now as for Maeve: I'm not sure. I guess that for the biggest part we have the same view on Maeve, although at some points were surely differ (I might dare and say though that I even believe your view on her is closer to the original than mine). For this game of tag however I for one didn't much think about characteristics. I just wrote my parts for fun, not pouring all too much deep thought into everything. So if you tell me that you think I/we went OOC with her, you might just be right with that. Though I guess that the Maeve in MJ's parts is much more like the real Maeve than the one in my parts. I always found it horribly hard to write her so that could well be. *shrugs* Anyway. As for things being too easy. You're right. They're easy, there's no tension, no real fight, no nothing. But there actually was never meant to be any, really. I'm sorry to hear that because of that the story doesn't mean anything to you, that you don't feel anything when you read it, but in the end that's the side-effect maybe of playing just a game and not aiming at writing a colourful story that's aimed at an audience. So, please don't feel forced to read it when you don't like it. It's okay if you don't. And more it was never meant to be. |
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Post by MJ on Jun 22, 2013 16:00:52 GMT -5
@ban
Here in the story, right after Maeve agreed to play Sinbad's game:
Is just one example. There's times when Maeve and Bryn talk too.
It is absolutely true that this would never ever be an actual storyline anywhere because of the lack of conflict. Doubar is far too sweet, patient and romantic. Bryn is far too compliant (shouldn't she, at some point think about the family she may or may not have in her mysterious past?) Sinbad talks a LOT about not commiting, but meanwhile is doing the exact opposite (while being a childish little boy about it) and Maeve would really have kicked his ass off his own ship about three times already in the actual series.
Because TV series have this annoying habit of dragging romantic tension out and out and out until everyone is fed up with it. The main thing we changed (in my opinion) is just to have the characters be open to a romantic relationship. That does change the way they behave.
Like TK says: we just do it for fun. There is no plot, there is absolutely no point to the story, it is just a fun little romp that we write to keep ourselves (and everyone who reads it) entertained.
As always, TK sums it up far better than I, so I will just add: seconded.
But thanks for the song suggestion, it sounds lovely!
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Post by banmaixanh on Jun 23, 2013 3:09:29 GMT -5
I agree that at some point our views aren't the same. However, I don't see any problem with your version of Maeve. I've never imagine Maeve to be a woman who love going around and yells at everyone around her. Maeve cans have the sharp tongue but she doesn't mean anything in bad way. I love her because of that.
Well, I think you do good in writing about her. I agree that your Maeve is softer than what I often see in the show but I believe it's how she really is. My version of her is even meeker than yours. The light difference between our versions is how she deal with the crew. In this case, your version is sweeter than mine. But it doesn't cause any problem here. The only thing I felt disappointed about your version is when she couldn't feel Bryn did magic behind her back but it's not a big problem as I agree with you that she mind was at somewhere else and she didn't notice. It's totally fine but I personally see that if you had let her noticed Bryn's magic you would have had great move to turn the whole series to this path without Sinbad persuades Maeve to join his game because of his brother. With me it's really forced and unreasonable. You can also have Maeve take her part in the game and I think it can be more fun. About the game, Maeve seems to be lack of action in her own game and depends too much on Sinbad and Bryn. That's why I lost my interest in her part. How to say? I have the feeling like Maeve can't get along with the game but Bryn take the most important role in it (like it's her who controls the game). Just one word of Bryn and Maeve and Sinbad must act like two kids. Beside, thanks MJ for reminding me, that's why I said Maeve is too sweet. She put her heart where she knows it's totally just a game and nothing more and she truly hope it would turn be real or something like that. It make her become too innocent when she is really not.
I understand what you two are writing. I too also like something soft and simple in their life. Something just like this one or like "365 days loving you" of Maevezana. No tension, no real fight, no conflict, no thing but just the normal days in their life. And you two really do great with Bryn and Doubar already. The first 13 chapters are very good. The chapter 14 is good too even it's a bit forced with how Sinbad persuades Maeve to play this game. But 15th and 16th for me aren't good. As I said it's because the lack of action of Maeve and too important role for Bryn. I know you said it's just for fun and you two don't mean to have it become a story and I too accept at some point the characters can act differently with what we see in the show. However, when the characters turn to totally different persons it's another story.
I actually don't see any problem with Doubar and Bryn. Yes, maybe it's not really that Doubar is sweet or romantic in the show but he is a kind man and I can easily see that he become sweet, and romantic. About being patient, he is brother/father of Sinbad so it's understandable he is patient. Doubar actually is very sweet toward the people he cares about. About Bryn, she doesn't think about her past in the story because you don't write it down. And this is the love story, no need to write about her past. About Sinbad, I haven't seen any problem with him except when he talk with Doubar and when he suggest Maeve to play the game of love. Only with Maeve, you're right. She would have kicked Sinbad off his own ship for several times but none of time she acted as she should and I have the big problem with that.
Well, and in my opinion it change everything about Maeve and Sinbad. That's why I can't feel the chapters which are about them.
I really think with the original characteristics of them, we still can have something funny and romantic. It of course can't be like what you two are writing but I believe we can find the way to work with their characteristic in the funny and romantic way.
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Post by MJ on Jun 23, 2013 4:38:19 GMT -5
Wow OK... that's pretty hurtful. I acknowledge that it is your opinion and that you have a right to your opinion; I just have to respectfully disagree.
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Post by banmaixanh on Jun 23, 2013 8:38:50 GMT -5
I'm sorry, MJ. I didn't mean to hurt you.  I just hope you can bring Maeve closer to the original characteristics but if you see it's fine having her like that so let her be. It's just I see that it's not good to keep the story go on this path especially it will be a very long project. But it's just my personal opinion. It doesn't have anything to do with your story. You still have your own readers who enjoy the tags a lot. |
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Post by MJ on Jun 23, 2013 15:48:49 GMT -5
Ban, I guess what really bothered me is that you keep repeating the same things even when we've already responded to them, using stronger words each time. We (or I'll just speak for myself) I get that Maeve being Out of Character bugs you and I get that this conflict-free story is not to your taste and that is fine. I have absolutely no problem with that. I (and TK) have responded with my views on that subject, explaining exactly why we've made those choices and that I stand by them. When you then say the exact same things again (that Maeve's out of Character etc) and call the story not good in your opinion. I feel that's just rude, it is not constructive critism anymore, it is trying to make us see things your way even though we've already stated we do not. You don't have to agree with our reasons but you also don't get a vote in how the story is written. TK and I have had extensive conversations on the nature of this story; namely that it is a game, a stress-relief. We don't do any re-writes because that is too much like work (OK, there was one re-write but it took like 5 minutes and was needed for a set-up of the next tag). We don't think about where it's headed and we barely keep straight where we've been. Because all that matters is the fun. We live in stressfull times and both TK and I have a good sized streak of perfectionism. To be able to let all that go and just write for the hell of it is really liberating. I literally just write a tag because it makes me smile and then I send it on to TK because I think it might make her smile too. To be critisized in such an unconstructive way hurt because it went right to the heart of the reason why we're even writing this. It made unhappy and that is simply the opposite of what we're writing these tags for. I hope you understand and that there are no hard feelings between us. |
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Post by Doubar on Jun 23, 2013 17:06:06 GMT -5
Hum, I'm sorry I haven't been around earlier. I was really busy today and didn't really have time to stop by. Anyhow. I'd just like to say that I guess what we all should keep in mind is that "The Courting of Bryn" is no fanfiction in the traditional way 1). Its plot is not planned on, the content of a tag is, at times, totally random and just fits the overall concept in that we somehow have managed to have some sort of a story arch... It's for all intents and purposes a game that we playe/d just for fun. We don't put any work in it and only shared it because we thought it might make someone else smile as well (like MJ said). Consequently, it is totally okay if people don't like it. It was never meant to please a broader audience, so no one should feel compelled to read it only to do us a favour. Because for those who read it this means they will not get to indulge in reading a high-quality work, because it was never meant to be one. At the same time, for us as the authors this means that more likely than with any other of our other works, we will have to live with criticism. When writing is nothing but fun, when there's no post-editing because we're too lazy for that, then we have to live with the prospect that others might disagree with what we do. In the end I think what counts is that we have fun - may we be the gamers or the readers. And that our friends are being honest with us. And in that regard I appreciate that you both, MJ and Ban, shared your point of view and your opinion on this. I hope we all do understand each other better now and know how to take this little game of tag. 1)@ban: And thus it's not really a project, dear. In fact, it lacks almost all qualities of the same because there's no definite goal we want to reach, and there's no pressure to write on either. MJ and I both agreed that we only play as long as we have fun. If we feel bored with the game we'll stop it, if we want to continue then so we do. So, while I know what you mean and while I would agree with you were this a serious fanfiction-project, in this case we didn't and don't watch out for continuity and authenticity that much. |
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Post by banmaixanh on Jun 24, 2013 8:07:13 GMT -5
oh, you're right about the change of Maeve annoys me but it's not that this kind of story isn't my taste. The truth is this is one of my favorite kind of story. In Vietnam, we call it "tan man". I don't know how to translate that word into English but it's the kind of literature with no real story line, just a soft random shot about something happen everyday in our life, no opening, no ending and you even can't understand what it's about when you finish reading. Most of things I read are like that. I actually like reading these kind of things more than a long story or novel because I don't have much time and I don't like the complex things unless it's the very good one. "Tan man" for me has two types. One is the one with no real story but hold the deep meaning inside (I love this kind very much). The second is the one with the soft plot happen and be solved very quick, most of them are love stuff and often very lovely. I like that style a lot and learning to write it but haven't succeed. (Even myself can't accept what I write down.  ) It's always better you can write some short and meaningful instead of something long but no one wants to read but unfortunately, I have no ability to do so. However, I read some fics in that style and they're really great. You can never imagine a girl who has never had a sweet smile can be that lovely but at the end, I still has the feeling that that girl (the character) isn't meek (because she is really not) even she is very sweet in the fic. The most difficult thing of writing something like that is keep the characters close to the original. When you write a long story, the change of the character will be forgotten because of the others things in the story. But with the sort one, where the whole event focus on one or two characters, how the character act is the key of everything. Just one wrong word or one wrong smile of the characters, it will broke everything. But if you put the dangerous smile (if the character isn't meek) in the right time and right place the reader will not have the feeling that there is something change in the character but maybe that dangerous girl has something in mind. However, the problem is when writing such things, the characters should act in a way to have the story happen and the shot isn't long enough to explain everything so most of time the character's action is changed to fit them with the story and everything will change too to goes along with the change of the character. It's what I face when I write such things so that's why I can't write "tan man". If I keep every remain unchanged so the character will keep changing and then the result isn't what I want. About this one, the truth is I thought that you two are writing on that style but by what you said I now understand this one is just not what I though it is. However, I believe you two can do better than me in writing what I said above. If you have time, just give it a try. When you succeed you'll how amazing that thing can be. |
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Post by Doubar on Jun 24, 2013 17:03:50 GMT -5
@ban: Awww, I understand what you mean. And that sort of fiction is indeed almost entirely different from what we do. Well, maybe not so much different in the creative process (what with featuring everday-life-stuff and blissfully leaving out any troubles and problems) as it is in its purpose and in the process of creation. And I agree, if we did aim at writing such "tan man" as it is called in your country, we'd surely have to approach the topic in a slightly different way. Anyhow. I do understand why you have troubles with writing such sort of thing. Since I am mainly writing one-shots myself, I know of the troubles that wishing to stay in character can bring about. Because since you only cover one moment, or in any case a short amount of time, there's no opportunity to explain why your character acts the way they do. And if to some their behaviour is OOC then, then the whole thing can be kinda ruined. You know, maybe that's even one of the reasons why most of my short stories don't have an actual plot or a lot of dialogue and stuff. Because this way I can kinda avoid maneuvering them into a situation where it would all depend on their reaction whether I captured them well enough or not. >.> Aw, I can imagine. And maybe one day one of us will indeed give it a try. |
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I understand why you think Maeve should be less sweet, but then again I think we both just wanted to indulge in a little fun and fluffy game where things are pretty easy. Also, maybe it helps to know that at first this was never meant to find the way online. It was just a private little game of tag that had evolved between us. Only, when we had written some ten or twelve of them, we thought: why not let others have fun with it, too? 
I just hope you can bring Maeve closer to the original characteristics but if you see it's fine having her like that so let her be. It's just I see that it's not good to keep the story go on this path especially it will be a very long project. But it's just my personal opinion. It doesn't have anything to do with your story. You still have your own readers who enjoy the tags a lot.
) It's always better you can write some short and meaningful instead of something long but no one wants to read but unfortunately, I have no ability to do so. However, I read some fics in that style and they're really great. You can never imagine a girl who has never had a sweet smile can be that lovely but at the end, I still has the feeling that that girl (the character) isn't meek (because she is really not) even she is very sweet in the fic. The most difficult thing of writing something like that is keep the characters close to the original. When you write a long story, the change of the character will be forgotten because of the others things in the story. But with the sort one, where the whole event focus on one or two characters, how the character act is the key of everything. Just one wrong word or one wrong smile of the characters, it will broke everything. But if you put the dangerous smile (if the character isn't meek) in the right time and right place the reader will not have the feeling that there is something change in the character but maybe that dangerous girl has something in mind. However, the problem is when writing such things, the characters should act in a way to have the story happen and the shot isn't long enough to explain everything so most of time the character's action is changed to fit them with the story and everything will change too to goes along with the change of the character. It's what I face when I write such things so that's why I can't write "tan man". If I keep every remain unchanged so the character will keep changing and then the result isn't what I want.