Tree House Round Table

Evening Tree housers!! As I am sure that everyone knows,
this is not your typical blog. I didn't want to simply review
a variety of fics and interview authors. There are already
a good 50+ sites that cover these topics. So today I am
going to start something new, something that I want to
try and do on a weekly basis.

Tree house round table.

Now I am sure everyone is asking themselves, 'what the
hell is tree house round table?'

Well, my lovelies, this is where I post a blog topic and
ask for every one's opinion on the topic. Some will be
funny, some serious and others just plan naughty.
But all of them will, hopefully, be informative and fun.
I would LOVE 100% participation, you do NOT have
to be a contributor to the site to voice
your opinion and NO opinion will be bashed. Just please
remember that every avi has a person behind it, we
know how to take constructive criticism, but just plain
hurtful is NOT how we shall be. 

That being said here is our first topic of discussion...

Underage readers of M rated fics. Most **cough** all,
of us here read M rated fics. We love filling in the fade to
black moments, and most of us write some of that citrusy
goodness. We put our warnings of 18+ in our A/N's but
we all know that it is not always followed. How does this
make you feel? Would you have read it at their age?
Would you let your kids/nieces/nephews read it?

I have had this discussion with several of you and I have
come to the conclusion that if you can check out a
romance novel from the library, then maybe they should
have some realism in their romantic views. 

Teenagers these days are different than we were. They
have more experience and better access to various forms
of educational material. Why not let them learn how a
man should treat them. That an orgasm is not a myth
and that they should actively explore their own sexuality.
A fic may also be able to show them that being gay is not
a bad thing, that people can and should accept them. Their
sexuality should not be a taboo subject and if a fic is their
only outlet to explore their needs, it is better than finding
them out on the street learning it from the senior boy who
is ready to hump and jump. 

So, this is my opinion. What is yours? PLEASE, inquiring
minds WANT to know. 

Must Reads

As you all can see I finally posted the lists that you gave me to the site. **waves off applause** Oh you all are WAY too kind.

The reason that we originally created the Treehouse was a for a place to recommend fics among friends without being judged. Here we can promote or discourage the reading of a fic as you each see fit. We are amongst friends here and I know that NONE of you are shy. If you see a fic on a list that looks interesting and you want to hear more about it, just ask. Leave a comment on here and find out why they loved it. No formal review process, no over analyzed discussion and no telling whether it will be a HEA or not. A refreshing approach to fic reviews, or so I think. Please comment, discuss, and randomly vent. This is our treehouse, just please no shoes on the carpet.

Venting, we will be done shortly.

What makes a good story? Is it the connection that you are able to make with the characters? Is it the romance that you wish was your own? Is it the lemons that are so juicy that you need a case of papertowels to read them?

 

Or is it a combination of all of the above?

 

Now the question is, what element propels a story into "super" stardom?

 

Many of the mainstream fictions that are highly talked about revolve around our own ever-present pervy appetites. Which, trust me, I can completely understand and appreciate. But what happens when it is no longer plot driven smut, but turns into smut driven plot?  We then lose a lot of the story that we originally fell in love with. The characters morph and change, no longer the independent, fierce, feisty people that we wanted to see work past their problems. Instead they have become soft, pliable, easily bending to the will of mainstream readers. We lose the essence of their tale and become bored, only skimming over the latest chapter to see if the original characters ever return. But when they do, is it then too late? Are we as happy to see their issues resolved because we want to see them happy? Or is it just because we just want it to end, so we can get past the updates and start again?

Though I only have four followers on this blog and they all happen to be fellow collabs, I want to give everyone that reads this a challenge. I want you to pick a fiction, not based upon how often you see it talked about on different sites, but because one person was able to give you a personal, from the heart, 'I love this fiction' review. And then I want you to read it and review for that author. Take the time to show that author why you liked or didn't like their story, but please remember that everyone on here is a human being and no matter how pissed off they made you, you are no better than they are. Remember what your mama told you, "if you can't say something nice (or constructive) don't say anything at all"

**End Tantrum**

Julie/changedbyEdward's thoughts on the subject:

I tend to have to agree with LolaRose here.  As an author, it's frustrating to me when I read some of the stories that I see talked about everywhere and wonder why my own stories aren't getting any press.  When I read those stories, I figure out why really fast.  They're smut.  Plain and simple.  Don't get me wrong, I love me some good smexin' in a fic, but I like a plot, too.  I like to see character development and plot development.  The first rule of writing, if it doesn't add something to the story, leave it out.  It disheartens me to think that most Twilight fanfic readers are only out for one thing, and that is to see how down and dirty our favorite characters can get.  Perhaps I'm taking the whole thing too seriously, but I'd like to publish someday, and no reputable publisher is ever going to take a second look at my stuff if all it contains is smut, smut, and more smut.  Guess I could apply to Penthouse if I wanted to get that kind of thing published.

My criteria for a good Twilight fanfic story?  Good plot.  Good grammar.  Good punctuation.  Good character development.  If there's smut in it, then that's a bonus.  And, as Lola said, some stories are plot driven smut, which is great.  I can think of a couple of examples of that right now.  Nearly every chapter is smut, but that's what the story is about, and it's okay.  There's still a plot and the smut doesn't override the plot.  On the other hand, I can think of a couple of examples of stories I've read that are the opposite.  Smut driven plot, and truthfully, I've not finished them.  I've gotten sick of reading smut over and over again with no plot or character development. 

And PLEASE, all you authors out there, find yourself a good beta, no matter what you're writing.  It's SO distracting to read a great story that has been beta'd poorly.  If you need more than one beta, so be it, but make sure all your stuff is fixed before you post, or at least the lion's share of it has been fixed.  No, we're not professionals, but we should all strive to be the best we can be. 

If anyone has any ideas for a storyline for me that isn't smut, smut, smut, that will get me 10,000 reviews, please let me know.  I'd write it in a heartbeat!  LOL

Greetings from the Treehouse!!

Welcome to the Treehouse!! Please grab a drink and a seat. This blog was created by a small group of friends drawn together by our love of a good story, the sweet juices of hot lemons, and the allure of RPatzz's fingers. We constantly suggest stories to each other, but have not found a place where we can list them and the reasons why we love them. We also would love to hear the feedback about what we all thought after we did read them. Thus came the Treehouse, a place where suggestions are given, reviews are written and opinions are stated. Feel free to join in the fun and just have a great time. We all are here for the same thing, to escape from reality to our "happy places" let's keep them happy. :)