Crazee thing called fanfiction

[kellifer]

So, as I said, a second RL friend has found this journal *hands* and I guess if more do they might not understand this whole fandom thing.

Don't get me wrong, the geek quotient in my particular group of friends is pretty high and we salivate to a similar degree over TV, movies and other things (World of Warcraft which I myself don't understand but *can* relate because of fandom I guess...)

Which leads me to really look at why I do this, what I get out of it, why I laugh politely when the RL people who do know I do this tease me and am inwardly mortified.



Point the first - Writing is a lonely thing.

Unless you spend your whole writing career collaborating with someone else (which I'm just now dipping my toes into with estei and am having a ball!), writing is probably the loneliest career you can embark on.

It's just you and your brain for the most part. I like my brain but not *that* much where I would choose to spend time with it over other people. That's not to say that I don't have a writer's disposition. I actually like being on my own for chunks of time and actually get strangely stressed if I haven't had some *me* time for days.

Fandom is probably one of the few places you can feel a sense of community as a writer. There are certainly other ways and yes, it's mostly online but that's the way we are living these days. I have friends on the other side of the world that I mostly communicate with over email and see maybe once a year. It doesn't make them any less my friends.

I like being able to shoot off a story to someone and have them go over it and suggest ways to make it better. I like seeing the ways trends shift and grow and how other people approach writing. Ficathons mean you generally *trade* stories with other people and where else are you going to get that?

Point the Second - Instant gratification

Like most people, I like feedback. I even like the kind where people say "Hey, I liked your story but here are the things that didn't ring true for me". I actually rewrote and expanded a story because of feedback like this because people got so invested. They took the time to break down what didn't work for them without being mean about it and I ended up with a much better story because of it.

Each and every comment on a story gives me a little glee moment, whether it's ten people or one hundred. I read an essay once where they talked about writers falling into two categories, either writer's writers or reader's writers. The way I'm developing and my goals, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up as a reader's writer. Critics will probably turn their noses up at what I do, but if I get just one person loving what I create then I'll be happy. (I would rather a million people love what I do, I'm not crazy... heh).

Everyone has a book they adore and will reread. My personal one is The Stand (yeah, I know, shutup!)

I want to write that book.

Point the Third - Practice Makes Perfect

Maybe two years ago before I found fandom, I hit this slump where I just wasn't writing anything. You kinda hit a point where you start thinking maybe the job you're doing is your career. I didn't want to get there but there you have it. I lost motivation to write and would feel guilty whenever friends would ask what I was writing.

I stayed with a friend for a little over a month when I was between houses about that time who introduced me to fanfiction and I started reading with a kind of morbid curiousity, not really sure what it was all about. As rent, all she asked was that I write some Sam/Jack fic for her. I did, but kinda felt like I was buying porn or something. It felt a little dirty.

I joined my first yahoo group (yeah rowan_d, you're pretty much responsible for my fandom presence!) and was fascinated. People loved this show I loved and actually wrote stories, did questionaires and meta'd about it. I'd never seen such a thing.

I already had a personal LJ and after some prodding, finally started posting the stories I wrote for Kate to the newsgroup and when I'd friended a couple of writers on LJ, there aswell. (Heavily friendslocked because heaven forbid anyone who actually *knew* me would see me doing this!)

I eventually moved my stuff over to a writing journal and expanded my fandoms. I moved away from S/J because I discovered this thing called slash and gen (I came late to gen, yes, I'm bizarre!) and went from there.

Suddenly, I was writing again and I was actually improving. My grammer is nowhere near as bad as it used to be (at least I hope!) and I've kicked some terrible writing habits I had and also learned how to use commas. I've learned valuable lessons about structure and pacing and how to be descriptive without waffling. I used to be terrible at ending stories... I would kinda just peter out like I was at the end of a traintrack or something and I'm hoping I've improved there.

Point the Fourth - You gotta start somewhere

Neil Gaiman started out writing fanfiction. (Okay, that's what I've been told, I'm not *entirely* sure that's true.)

A couple of my longer FF pieces have given me ideas for original fiction that I'm now working on. I'm not above cannibalising my own work and actually working out if story ideas work in an established world has given me a type of freedom I've never experienced.

I love world building which is probably why I tend to dabble in AUs quite a lot. I've actually started using more OCs of late that people seem to have liked a great deal so I feel like I'm finally getting a little of my mojo back.

Point the Fifth - Are virtual friends *virtually* your friends

Some people I've met through this medium have become real friends. I know it sounds strange but I kinda feel like it's the new penpal (remember those? Does anyone still have those??) You end up knowing a lot about this person who is sometimes on the other side of the world that you've never met face to face.

We trade Xmas cards and fun packages (because I have to admit, while email is all well and good, there's nothing like getting something in your letterbox!) We share music and *ahem* legal *ahem* downloads.

Point the Sixth - Oh yeah, and it's fun

I'm a voracious reader. I love scifi, fantasy and supernatural stuff (the show *and* the genre... heh). I devour books and I can't think of anything better than reading an amazing story over my lunch break.

There are people on my flist and outside of it whose novels and original work I'm really looking forward to because some of these people should be published. Yes, there's some shockers but there's some shocking published work too.

I love the TV shows I am involved with and actually feel a little spoiled. It's a good time in TV if you like super heroes, spooky stuff or scifi. Two pretty boys investigating ghosts and caring about each other? Hell yeah. A crew of humanity's last flinging themselves through space and trying to find a home from an unstoppable enemy? Bring it on! Normal people finding out they have superpowers? Yeeha!

You also get to be someone else. I can understand the draw of World of Warcraft, you have this presence online completely removed from who you are in reality. It's fun to playact. That's what that scary looking Real Life 2 online thingum is all about. You can put yourself out there but still be relatively protected by the anonymity of online. Yes, there is abuse and flaming and general nastiness, but thankfully I've never really been affected by it. I might have turned up on a hate meme or two but I'm blissfully ignorant.

In conclusion, it's fun and I'm writing. That's all I need.

Comments

[macgyvergal.livejournal.com]

I don't write, but I'm pals with p_n_elrod and rachelcaine and so I get to hear them bounce ideas off each other on a regular basis. Both have written fanfic.

I too am a voracious reader and "book pimp". I've had to "grow" my own fannish friends when I lived in small town, Southern OK. "Here, try this tv show, book, etc., you might like it. *g* You could even say fandom is why I have Mr Mac!

Fandom is a great leveler and while some nastiness is out there, for the most part fans are a fairly tolerant bunch.

I've enjoyed reading your stuff and hope to read more in the future... Go Forth and Write!!

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Hehehee... why thankyou my dear!

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I'm a feedback whore.

As for point five, I met my roommate online, and, well, we haven't killed each other yet. ;)

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Hahahaa... excellent! :D

[crayonbreakygal.livejournal.com]

My hubby told this producer friend that I write fanfiction. I still have a hard time looking him in the eye.

Thanks for a look inside your mind. We are so very similar. Your conclusion was just perfect.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

:D Thankyou!

I rarely (read never) meta but it's fun to have a bit of a think and try to explain it in a way that an outsider would maybe, sorta, almost understand.

[c425cc33.livejournal.com]

At the moment I don't write for pleasure, though I do read. Not voraciously, though. I muddle along at my own pace sometimes reading stories, or portions thereof, twice. Unless some foolishness motivates me to gobble up a lot to plow through at once, my reading is more like a warm, relaxing bath. Just pleasure.

That approach doesn't actually work for LJ where if you miss a few days you've missed at least a dozen potentially good reads, meta posts are stale, and the spoilers are no longer a surprise. And, honestly, I don't know if authors really do want feedback for work they posted months ago. Plenty of my comments seem to have gone directly to the bit bucket and I figure it's because they're tardy. But that is a topic for another time.

I admit that were I to write the [slash] fiction in my head, I would be concerned about who else would read it. The only time, so far, that I've been uncomfortable about what and how much I read has been when I've had RL chores and other obligations. I just know it's wrong to tell someone that "No thank you, I can't attend your dinner because it's been a few days since I checked out my favorite fandoms on LJ." I may not actually say that, but I'm not going to stop asking people I meet if they watch my current favorite show.

Active or passive, fandom equals opportunity: to meet people; to enjoy the fruits of their craft; to observe and consider the creative process in action and sometimes participate. This was an excellent topic for consideration!

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

And, honestly, I don't know if authors really do want feedback for work they posted months ago. Plenty of my comments seem to have gone directly to the bit bucket and I figure it's because they're tardy

I admit, I get a happy little buzz from feedback from an older story. I just got a bunch of new comments from an older Mcshep story I wrote and sure enough, it had appeared on sgastoryfinders... heh

I was pretty strict about responding to comments people leave. They take the time to let you know that they enjoyed the story, they deserve a little thanks.... but I wrote something that got a lot of comments in two days and I basically couldn't fathom responding to that many. I slid backwards from there and am just catching up.

I try to feedback everything I enjoy, even if I just say "hey, i enjoyed that". I understand on an intellectual level that the amount of comments you get is not relative to how many people have read or even enjoyed your story... but that's a discussion for another day... hee.

Active or passive, fandom equals opportunity: to meet people; to enjoy the fruits of their craft; to observe and consider the creative process in action and sometimes participate.

Well put!!

I admit that were I to write the [slash] fiction in my head, I would be concerned about who else would read it.

Ha! I sometimes look at a story I've written and think... eek! I rarely write heavy adult content (of a sexual nature) because I embarrass myself let alone others. I respect people who can churn out the porn but I just can't do it... probably why I'm skewing more gen-heavy of late.

[beatrice_otter]

I always like feedback, though I may not always respond to it. For example, the single most common type of feedback is a simple "Great story!" and really, what do you say to that?

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

I've always been quite open about my fannishness to my RL peeps, and I do get funny looks - but then I get funny looks for a lot of the things I do, fandom related or not, so it kinda bounces off. *g*

Personally, I defend my reasons in quite a similar way to what you've said - it's fun and I'm writing. I think it's good to exercise the writing muscles. Plus, it encourages people to think beyond the obvious, and to find new ways of saying things - because if there's any obvious fanfic to write, it'll already have been written. To death.

Oh, incidentally, I don't know about Neil Gaiman, but I do know that Terry Pratchett's description of the first story he wrote sounds like fanfic to me: an AU combination of Lord of the Rings and Jane Austen. And he's been pretty successful as a 'real' writer.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

I think it's good to exercise the writing muscles

Oh absolutely. I think it's like anything... if you don't keep working at it then you'll never get better, expand and grow.

[eponin10.livejournal.com]

Very nice post :)

Also: I actually like being on my own for chunks of time and actually get strangely stressed if I haven't had some *me* time for days.

\o/ So glad there's someone else who's like this! And it can be so hard to explain to RL family how very badly you need that "me" time sometimes.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Oh I know!! People sometimes don't understand if I just choose to stay home for a weekend when they're asking me out to do stuff. Sometimes I just need a break... :)

My Soapbox on fanfiction

[stargatebabe.livejournal.com]

Great Meta subject! Here's my two cents worth:

Step back and think about this whole fanfiction thing in a global context. .... Think.

For the first time in the history of the world ANYONE can not only write but "publish" his work and expect to reach people all over the globe.

What a powerful thing.

Powerful because no publisher/editor/teacher/parent/authority figure can decry the piece or decide it is not marketable so it never sees the light of day.

Powerful because people are engaged in an intellectual pursuit as opposed to all the lame-brained activities people waste time doing. I'm talking about gossip, pointless tv watching for lack of another activity, endlessly phoning/texting each other over trivialities.

Powerful because people are exchanging ideas without borders. True freedom can not be thwarted when information and ideas flow. Countries that try to hold back that progress are pissing in the wind. The times they are a-changing.

Powerful because perfecting communication skills can only help someone in RL. It isn't just about grammar and spelling, although I for one am grateful when it is correct. A person must organize and present thoughts so that the reader can grasp the purpose. Communication is meant to influence others. Being able to communicate your ideas succinctly is one skill. Capturing someone's attention long enough for them to understand the message is the goal. You can't do it by magic. You have to practice.

As to people who would disparage your writing, whatever the subject, consider that this activity is no worse than someone whose hobby is to knit, paint, quilt, sing, or garden. Certainly, it is more intellectual.

Friends come and go. If you have some who are not supportive of your aspirations and interests, one must examine why those people serve a purpose in your life. I have encountered such people and have firmly informed them that my hobby is as good as theirs. I expect their good wishes even if they do not want to participate.

No doubt the gratification from feedback is a tremendous incentive to continue. There is nothing wrong with it. We all seek praise for our accomplishments. Performers expect applause. Writers expect such applause as feedback. Hits on a piece are the equivalent of sales. The number of people involved discussing it both inspire and challenge us to do our best.

Bravo to everyone who tries.

Re: My Soapbox on fanfiction

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Powerful because people are engaged in an intellectual pursuit as opposed to all the lame-brained activities people waste time doing. I'm talking about gossip, pointless tv watching for lack of another activity, endlessly phoning/texting each other over trivialities.

Powerful because people are exchanging ideas without borders. True freedom can not be thwarted when information and ideas flow. Countries that try to hold back that progress are pissing in the wind. The times they are a-changing.

Brava! Absolutely.

[beatrice_otter]

I am a writer. I like writing. However, I have no intention of ever being a published author; it requires too much time and dedication, and it's not what I've been called to do with my life. If you're going to write as a hobby, writing original fic usually just means that no one is going to actually read it. And what's the point of writing if no one is going to read it?

Also, the way we tell stories in today's culture is highly unnatural. It runs counter to the way stories were told in every culture prior to modernity. Story-telling was a highly communal activity, and stories didn't 'belong' to anyone--if you liked a story, you were free to retell it in your own way. Stories were dynamic; they changed with the community's experience. Modern mainline storytelling (novels, movies, tv, etc.) is static, solitary, and highly copyrighted, but that's not the way people want to relate to stories at the deepest level. Fanfic is a way of restoring storytelling to a communal and dynamic activity. (And, you know, sometimes the fanfic is actually better than the stuff it's based on!)

Plus, I get annoyed at the fact that when fanfic is written by normal fans, it's a dirty little secret; when it's written by a professional author, it's Great Art. "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" is fanfic of Hamlet; Wicked is fanfic of Wizard of Oz. Both are considered great works, with such an original premise. Great works they may well be, but I gotta tell you that fanfic is not a terribly original premise.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

And what's the point of writing if no one is going to read it?

I know... it's such a strange thing. For such a solitary pursuit, you are very reliant on people... heh.

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

I love youu.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

*smishes yooooou*

[mellaithwen]

My immediate family know about the whole fanfic thing, since I purposely dropped it into a conversation so it wouldn't be a weird-wtf-worthy conversation later on, but I still try to keep my journal private. I sent a link to my sister once of a picture posted on a community, and I was the only one who had replied to it. She quoted asking me what Flail meant (since it's all over my fannish journal...) but I've started changing old posts to FO just in case someone stumbles upon it.

I went through this whole thing, angsting, because a real-life-friend, who had moved away, was also a fanfic writer (who I'd found by chance) and I was worried about friending on LJ (dumb, I know) just because it made it more...me? I wasn't removed from it, because I know her, and she knows me.

Personally, I think writing fic has helped my English, and especially my creative writing (though I ended up writing a completely cruel, dark and downright evil death story for my english exam...but hey, got me the marks). I can't see it as a bad thing, I've seen flaming on others that I've never agreed to, but constructive critiscm definately helps. I posted a tag on BUABS too quickly, and ugh, the tiny things I'd forgotten made me cringe, but after being told, I re-read, corrected and now it's better (I think)

so on that note, nothing wrong with being a comment whore (I'm definately one) if I ever get asked, I'm just going to act naturally...I don't see anything wrong with it, so there isn't anything wrong with it. Ha :D

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Wow... my family know I write but don't know about the fanfic thing... although they wouldn't be anything but supportive if they knew...

I read and love scifi and fantasy because of my dad and both parents love stargate, firefly and farscape so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree... heh.

Although I can't really explain my sister... hee.