McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Fanfiction - Good or Evil?
Phishie:
I've enjoyed some fanfiction, but on the whole they usually can't keep my interest. The only time I think fanfiction is really helping an aspiring author is when they base the story on entirely new and different characters within that same world, learning to flesh out someone of their own design. Sadly, most of the fanfiction I've come across is mostly 'plot for the sake of pairings', or simply rehashing certain moments in the book/show/etc to change a relationship.
I like a wee bit of romance but I prefer not to read fanfiction that's only driven by a romantic pairing, where if you took one of them out of the story the entire plot would fall apart. Unless I'm curled up in a blanket intending to read a romance novel, I'm just not interested in that.
Guardian 452:
I too have mixed feelings about fanfiction. Actually it is how I got into writing in the first place. Way back at the beginning of high school (long before people "published" their fanfics on the Internet) I started writing Star Trek stories. I only actually shared them with an English teacher who was very supportive when it came to developing my writing abilities. I never shared them with anyone else, and in truth, the stories are long gone now.
In that respect, fanfic can be a good thing. I learned a lot writing those fanfics. Let's face it, character creation is a very specific skill. Fanfics can't help so much with that, but they can help with pace, plotting, etc...they can be very good learning tools.
Now, I do have a couple of stories about people who take fanfics too far. First of all, I've tried reading fanfics on the Internet, but was just never able to get into them. Too many people who do "publish" their works seem to think it gives them some credibility. Here's a couple of examples (one annoying, one a little bit funny...plus a third).
First of all, Battlestar Galactica. I came late to the party when it came to learning about the "reimagined" series...I learned of it shortly before it came out. Once I did, I started digging around and stumbled across the Sci Fi discussion board on the subject. Ron Moore posted there.
Along with Mr. Moore (and a large group of enthusiastic participants) there were a number of hard-core fans of the original series who had strong views. Some were very intelligent, but most either didn't understand how television works or were the sort of people we're talking about (fanfic writers). For example, Ron Moore pitched the idea for the new series and it was approved. After this, people started demanding "Why aren't you listening to us and continuing the original series?" These are the people who don't understand how television works...put bluntly, Mr. Moore was being paid to do the new series...once the contracts were signed, that was what they were making! Still, these people weren't the big problem.
I'll just mention one of the people in question. This is a guy who regularly mixed it up with Mr. Moore. Every time anything was posted about the new show, the guy would retaliate with several posts...trying to fight with Ron Moore. One day he personified the particular breed of fanfic writer we're talking about. Mr. Moore had answered a question the guy had posted (looking for a fight)...he answered the question quite intelligently. This is how the guy responded. "You are a hack. You know absolutely nothing about writing. I've written over 30 Battlestar Galactica fanfics so I know what I'm talking about!" He made it quite clear that his fanfics meant he was a "real" writer, while Ron Moore (who had more credits than I'm going to list) was a hack...I think that speaks for itself.
The two others were friends in high school. First was someone who wrote a Star Trek script where he cast himself as captain. He was convinced he'd found a way to beat the Kobyashi Maru (I won't get into details) and wrote a script to show it. We were going to a convention a week later, and he was going to take the script along and show it to everyone he could. I pointed out why this story just wouldn't work. At first he reacted with anger, but after a couple of days my words struck home, and we saved countless "victims" at the convention.
The other friend wrote a Next Generation fanfic shortly after the series aired. He wrote it for English class, and got a good mark for it. He felt this nineteen page story was good enough that he should send it to Paramount...he was convinced that it would be the best episode ever made. Now this was one of those "wishful thinking" sort of scripts. He called it something like "The Romulan Plot" (it involved Romulans and time travel). However, all of this stuff, all of the action, was really just window dressing for the true purpose of the story. If I were to give it a title, it would have been called "Get Wesley Crusher Off the Bridge".
So to sum up, you can learn from fanfics, but (as others have said) please don't dump them on the world!
Oh, for some other interesting fanfic-related stories, see if you can find a copy of Bjo Trimble's "On the Good Ship Enterprise" at your local library. She worked in the fan mail department on the original Star Trek, and has some interesting stories about people who used to send in their writings.
Keith
Velkyn_Faer:
I have tried some fanfiction, and I find it very constricting, due to the fact you must follow someone else's laws and rules, as it is their world. Some worlds are easier to work in than others, but I find it both hard to do and a bit of a waste of time.
To me, certain fanfiction writing is very unorigional and overdone, such as all those people who think that 'fox demons, half-demons, vampire-werewolf-alien-chicken-spawn, and cow-demons' are origional.
It all depends on the topic, characters used, and how it follows the world they are writing in. If I read a LOTR fan-fic, then I would not want to see a story about Aragorn when he should be in the middle of a battle, as written by Tolkien. However, stories about minor characters and their take on certain things in the books, or about a new character who could have been there (That means no mini-Harry Dresdens running around the Death Star) are usually alright.
Velkyn
Chaos985:
Fanfics, if done right can be quite good. Too bad they usually suck.
Most of them suffer from at least one if not all of these major flaws.
Self insertion - This is the worse of the worse. this is usually accompanied by describing how much cooler they are than the other characters, and they almost always play a more important role than anyone else.
Character removal - Take a character you dont like, and simply remove him. Often times either killing them off early, or not even bothering to mention them.
Personality changes - OOC (out of character)comments and actions. some are acceptable, but others are just wrong. whats worse is when theres a hastily scribble back story to explain why someone does something OOC. Thats almost admitting that they know what they are doing is wrong.
Background drops - What would Luke Skywalker do when stuck in a Lord of the Rings world? DOnt know, i dont care. Too bad that person did.
Romance stories - I really dont need/want the details of what Captain Picard Dr. Crusher and Lt. Troy were doing on their holodeck vacation to Tahiti.
--- Quote from: Velkyn_Faer on January 25, 2007, 12:29:21 AM ---I have tried some fanfiction, and I find it very constricting, due to the fact you must follow someone else's laws and rules, as it is their world.
--- End quote ---
the greatest problem comes down to some people believeing that if its too hard to work within the rules, ignore the rules.
trboturtle:
--- Quote from: Chaos985 on January 25, 2007, 06:16:01 AM ---Fanfics, if done right can be quite good. Too bad they usually suck.
--- End quote ---
They can, but some (Very few) rise above the material.
--- Quote from: Chaos985 ---Most of them suffer from at least one if not all of these major flaws.
Self insertion - This is the worse of the worse. this is usually accompanied by describing how much cooler they are than the other characters, and they almost always play a more important role than anyone else.
--- End quote ---
I agree. I have written a couple of self insert stories, based on the Bubblegum Crisis Anime series, and It's hard not to make the avatar supierior. However, I find it an interesting challenge to write about a character based on me, who isn't supierior.
--- Quote from: Chaos985 ---Character removal - Take a character you dont like, and simply remove him. Often times either killing them off early, or not even bothering to mention them.
Personality changes - OOC (out of character)comments and actions. some are acceptable, but others are just wrong. whats worse is when theres a hastily scribble back story to explain why someone does something OOC. Thats almost admitting that they know what they are doing is wrong.
Background drops - What would Luke Skywalker do when stuck in a Lord of the Rings world? DOnt know, i dont care. Too bad that person did.
--- End quote ---
Again, it depends on how the event is handled. The problem is that with the Internet, all the people who think they can write have a platform to display their efforts. A lot of it is a wate of time and effort, theough a few rise above the morass and display some true talent.
--- Quote from: Chaos985 ---Romance stories - I really dont need/want the details of what Captain Picard Dr. Crusher and Lt. Troy were doing on their holodeck vacation to Tahiti.
--- End quote ---
In anime fanfiction, Lemons (As detailed 'romance' stories are called) are looked at with a jaundice eye, as you get the impression from most that the author is lacking experence in the subject, or learned from repeated watching of 'Debbie Does Dallas'..... ;D
--- Quote from: Chaos985 ---
--- Quote from: Velkyn_Faer on January 25, 2007, 12:29:21 AM ---I have tried some fanfiction, and I find it very constricting, due to the fact you must follow someone else's laws and rules, as it is their world.
--- End quote ---
the greatest problem comes down to some people believeing that if its too hard to work within the rules, ignore the rules.
--- End quote ---
As a fanfiction writer, that is the worse sin I can think of. The best fanfiction stays within the rules, but delivers something different and unique.
To me, Fanfiction is a way to hone the writing craft. It is a step toward original fiction. Fanfiction allows the author to write stories without having to work out all the little detail about the background, with is a great determent to a lot of authors. The can add or alter things to suit their story, but each universe has it's own rules, and those rules should be a guideline. Once you wonder too far from them, you have something that isn't fanfiction, that isn't original, but a mishmash of both.
For example, in Bubblegum Crisis OVA, a cyberpunk-like setting set in 2030 Japan, there is enough background to form a base. We have a sinister Megacorp, Genom. We have Boomers, androids that can be best described as Grown-up Termanators. We have the heroes, four women using advanced battle armor to oppose Genom. We have all the basis, but there is still plenty of room to expand and add to the universe without invalidating anything from the show. When I write stories based on this series, I am well aware of the rules and how far I can go before I start writing outside of those rules. But I still have plenty of leeway, and as long as I remember what the heart and soul of the universe is about, then I go with it.
Craig
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version