Stories, what do you prefer?

[Ath]

1st or third person?
Do you prefer to know exactly what disabilities the writer had in mind, or do you prefer to read between the lines? For example sci/sb and md can be fairly generalized and the reader can choose the disability they prefer.

[Gale]

Hmmmm. I never really thought about this that much. I think I prefer to write from first person. First person you have a lot more freedom to express a given character's thoughts. It's also just more fun in my opinion. That being said, I think my writing style lends itself better to third person perspective, so most of what I write is that.

[kivic]

I have no preference for first person or third person. What I care about most is, if we're talking about dev-style writing, that it be grammatically and disability/medically correct and also detail oriented because, really, that's what gets me all rev'd up. I find certain disabilities more devy than others; however, if the author finds the subject matter devy to her then I am able to feel that through her writing. I appreciate well-written works. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to cater to your audience as much as to yourself when you write dev material because everyone has an opinion about what they want the author to do or where they want the characters to go in the storyline. Myself included

So, yes, I like to know specifically what disability the author has in mind. It creates a more intimate setting...in my opinion

[Maurine]

I think third person is somehow more devy to me. I like specific descriptions of disability, so you know which disability it is.

[Ximena]

I don't have a POV preference, but if first person is chosen, I think it should be written such that the story wouldn't work any other way. My novel is 1st person (a departure for me, I'll admit), so I don't want to sound like pot calling kettle black, but I feel like sometimes authors default to first when they'd be better off in 3rd.

As for disability, I'm a medical geek, so if the facts aren't right (or are vague) it causes me to automatically question the author/lose interest unless the writing/characters are so compelling I can swallow that away. One thing I've found in both my own writing and as a reader/viewer is being medically accurate can lead you to realistic plot points to further the characters/story that wouldn't be found if the details are vague or wrong.

So I definitely prefer stories where the details are specific and right. I don't NEED to have all kinds of details; sometimes it's just a simple thing like showing how he deals with stairs instead of glossing over it that really tell me this author knows what s/he's talking about AND it makes the person a real character to me.

One reason I was turned off by Red Band Society's pilot was the medical inaccuracies are so glaring that the characters didn't feel real to me. How can I believe this is a "real" person if I don't see what their life is really like?

OK I'm about to go on a rant so I'll stop there, lol .

(Great thread, btw!)

[happyface2013]

I prefer it to be in the first person. It makes it feel more real to me. I think that if there are characters with disabilities, it is very important that it is an accurate reflection.

[greenbean]

I don't really have a POV preference as long as it's well written and in the case of dev specific lit it is devvy as can be.
And I do like to know the exact disability and like Ximena said I like the details to be factually accurate.

Just wanted to say I just read all of the Fractions chapters over this weekend and holy shit I loved it. The tone that you write the stories in is amazing, kinda dark (hope you don't mind me saying that), but I really really liked it.

[blueskye101]

I agree with liking detail. 1st or 3rd is fine as long as well written. Seems to be a theme going here.

[Deleted]

I think third person is the easiest to write but if reading I don't really mind which person it is, just has to be well written. I agree that detail and accuracy is important to me as well, not sure how I am personally conquering that in NSA, I try my best...it is a challenge to find enough time to do research and get the facts right...
I guess since we know so much about disabilities we are especially critical of stories or TV shows/movies including disabled characters.

This also brings me to another question, being a dev do you prefer reading "down and dirty devvy" all the time or do you care about the story line just as much?
I think about that sometimes because I know NSA only has a few devvy/sexual moments and I wonder if it is actually boring for people to read too much drama instead of devvy material.

[Ath]

it's really difficult since we get dev feelings from so many different things..

[happyface2013]

Like what for instance Ath? May wish to incorporate it into future works.

[Ath]

You will have to read the board / ask around.
For example I'm not an amputee dev, so my only insight to that is from the board and it would
be near impossible for me to write about it.

Read "whol(e)" and "the key"

Besides sex, if you read on the fiction blog, medical emergencies and emotional pain also
seem to be "a thing", its very difficult to explain - emotions bring the reader closer, I suppose. Much like some people choose to watch sad films. I don't know if that makes any sense.

[tabby]

I don't mind either except... I don't like female writers doing a male pov. I don't like writers doing first person asking the readers questions as it pulls me out of the story, too cheesy. I like to write in third person as i don't like to get boxed into one pov.

[Jcat1024]

Definitely 1st person and I would rather have the author be straight forward with the disability he or she had in mind.