Recently, many campers here in the Forest have been reading and debating Objects in the Mirror are Closer Than They Appear by TheFicChick. It's an E/B, AH story that has elicited some very strong emotions from readers. For me, it's been a long time since fanfiction has caused this much excitement. Discussing this story with other readers reminds me of the heyday of this fandom, when I waited in excited anticipation for each new chapter of my favorite fics.
Sparking strong feelings in the reader is a sign that an author is doing his/her job well. The books we remember the most, or the best, are usually the ones that cause the strongest emotional reactions. Judging from discussions here at ADF, and the reviews left for the author with each new update, TheFicChick is doing her job well.
Psychological studies seem to indicate that some, while reading a fictional story, find themselves feeling the emotions, thoughts, beliefs and internal responses of one of the characters as if they were their own - a phenomenon the researchers call “experience-taking.”
Why do you think this happens? Do we subconsciously insert ourselves into the story, and react from our own experiences? Also, what stories (fanfic or otherwise) have affected you so strongly that you felt lingering grief, anger, and/or some other strong emotion to the point where it affected your ability to enjoy or continue the story?
