The reason there were so many versions of every great Classical myth Hephaestus was crippled because a) Hera threw him from Olympus because he was born ugly b) Zeus threw him from Olympus because he was born ugly c) Hera threw him from Olympus because he sided with Zeus in an argument d) Zeus threw him from Olympus because he sided with Hera in an argument ... was because it used to be considered a great honor to have created a popular work about characters that everybody was already familiar with. The Iliad was a fan fiction. The Odyssey was a fan fiction. The Aeneid was a fan fiction of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Michelangelo's career as a sculptor took off when a copy of the Sleeping Eros was discovered to be such a cunning forgery that only the greatest of sculptors could possibly have had the skill to replicate the original so perfectly. The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Luliet was originally written in 1562. Julius Caesar in his youth wrote a story about Hercules. http://bookshop.livejournal.com/1044495.html Dear Author of the Week, You think fanfic is a personal affront to the many hours you've spent carefully crafting your characters. You think fanfic is "immoral and illegal." You think fanfiction is just plagiarism. You think fanfiction is cheating. You think fanfic is for people who are too stupid/lazy/unimaginative to write stories of their own. You think there are exceptions for people who write published derivative works as part of a brand or franchise, because they're clearly only doing it because they have to. You're personally traumatized by the idea that someone else could look at your characters and decide that you did it wrong and they need to fix it/add original characters to your universe/send your characters to the moon/Japan/their hometown. You think all fanfic is basically porn. You're revolted by the very idea that fic writers think what they do is legitimate. We get it. Congratulations! You've just summarily dismissed as criminal, immoral, and unimaginative each of the following Pulitzer Prize-winning writers and works: [far too long a list for me to copy-paste]
For me the most valuable thing about fan fiction is the built-in audience. I started in fanfic, writing AU RPF - alternate universe real person fiction - you're essentially casting actors to play the roles in your stories, but the characterization, setting, and everything else is original. It was great to know that I had readers waiting with anticipation for my next chapters, commenting enthusiastically on every post, etc. Writing a novel without any sort of feedback is a huge leap of faith. I think fan fiction can be a valuable way to work around that.
Totally agreed. The support and feedback I got was such a confidence booster, and I learned a lot from my readers too. I miss it now that it's just me and my kitchen island!
This, this, this. Writing fanfiction for four years, and receiving regular feedback on it, taught me more practical writing skills than my degree in creative writing did. A lot of writers seem confused or disdainful about fanfiction, as if it's cheating or not 'real writing' because you're borrowing other people's worlds. I'd disagree with that. Writing good fanfiction, with authentic-sounding dialogue, in-character actions, and accuracy to canon, isn't easier than making it all up yourself. Nor is it harder. It's a completely different skill-set. Not only that, but in most sustained fanfictions with a proper plot, it's necessary to invent your own characters and locations anyway, and try to fit them seamlessly into a pre-existent world with characters established by someone else. That's no mean feat, and doesn't mean you're not being original.
Does anybody else read The Writer's Chronicle? I just got the September 2016 issue, the cover article is "Pop Muses: Welcoming Fanfiction into the Creative Writing Workshop," and I found something even I'd never read before about why fanfiction is a good thing: Fanfiction encourages you to analyze the original work more critically so that can figure out exactly what you're dealing with, which makes you look at all other fiction even more critically. I've never imagined I'd be a fan of Mean Girls-style stories, and I've only just this month decided that I'm going to give A Song of Ice and Fire a try, but I loved the article's analysis of a parody mash-up called "West Terros High" that shows how perfectly the same basic tropes apply to both. As opposed to every other medium in the world having too much straight porn
I think or feel that fanfiction is something I'd be unsure of writing but in someway, it's does help you have practice on your writing skills. But for me I don't see it as great as one you be using somebody's else work and characters, but I rather create my own.
@A.L.Mitchell would you also be unsure about reading fanfiction? Because I just found a translation of Virgil's Aeneid that I plan on reading at some point, and I've never heard of anybody in my life saying that it isn't worth reading.
I only ever once indulged in a fan fiction idea and that was when I heard they were making a third Alien/Aliens movie. ATT, I was working as a screenwriter and had a partner and the idea we came up with was based on something Ripley said when she was getting the gears from that committee at the beginning of the second movie. She said something like: "if one of those things gets down here, then that will be all. And all this you think is so important, you can kiss all that good-bye." So we thought: what if the alien queen laid an egg in the shuttle's landing gear at the end of the second movie. And the company found it, brought it to a secret underground lab on Earth and grew a new queen... which laid eggs (they're trying to develop it as a bio-weapon) and eventually the aliens kill everyone and break out of the lab to threaten "all this you think is so important." And meanwhile, Ripley and Hicks are married, they've adopted the kid (who's now an unruly teen) and, naturally, the authorities have to call her back in because she's the only one who knows how to deal with these creatures. Only this time, the entire planet's at stake. But then it turned out bozos owned the franchise and wrote what they wrote.
Well what about all the novels written about the Dungeons and Dragons universe? Or the Warhammer 40k universe?...technically those are fan fiction and of very high quality. I've written quite a bit of fan fiction myself in the past and found it was a good way to get into writing fiction as you don't have to bother with world building and all that, and can just focus on telling a story.
Fanfics can be amazing. You read or watch something to do with, say for example "Star Wars" or "Batman" and you think hey this is some good s***. But then you look at a fanfic. And your like Damn. Why won't the creators write amazing stuff like this? Sometimes a fanfic can be better than the original. Fans know what they want from a blockbuster or best seller. They know their charectors as well as the creators do. Although son fanfics deserve to be burnt. And buried. And erased from memory.
Ironically for a guy who's first novel-length work is a Who fic: I actually like the Frozen community on FanFiction.net more than that Doctor Who community Granted, I still ignore 99% of the stories because I can tell from the quality of the synopsis that I either won't like the plot or won't like the writing, and another 99% of those don't get me past the 2nd chapter for the same reason, but there is one very specific reason for some of the ones that I absolutely love (The Winter of Discontent being the gold standard): Elsa is a Disney Queen, not just a Princess, and the best Frozen fanfics are as much about the political procedures as they are about mixing the family drama with Swords/Sorcery super-heroics. I love the stories about Elsa being a sister, I love the stories about Elsa being a superhero, and I love the stories about Elsa being a politician, but The Winter of Discontent does an absolutely stunning job of having her doing all of them at the same time
I think fan fiction have gotten a bit of a "bad wrap" so to speak, and when mentioned some people probably think of the sort of fan fiction some people write because they want to have two of their favorite characters "do it" ^^
That is something I have to avoid in looking for good fan fiction to read, yes. But the same goes for original fiction.
Actually made me realise that I've never written a sex scene...or a love scene...or anything to do with love....I'm starting to understand why I'm into Dark Fantasy
To be honest, I enjoy Fanfiction, when it's done well, and when the author genuinely knows the characters. Often, what shies me away though is the romances in the description. One I recently read that's still being updated, is The New Jedi Order on Fictionpad. It's about the events leading up to what many people call, "Jar-Jar Abrams' abomination," myself being not one of them. In fact, it started me thinking about the fate of Mace Windu. I mean logically, a bunch of people have pointed out, including Samuel Jackson, that Mace Windu had to survive. Anakin survived a fall like that, not to mention Luke was hit by waaaaaaay more lightning. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be working on a story explaining the case for Windu's survival. Also, I don't know if Xover's count, but I like those when they are well done. I don't have any off of the top of my head, though. I know someone paired Kim Possible and Phineas and Ferb extremely well-Twice.
I know right!!! I've been saying this since I first watched the movie (episode III) There's no way in hell Mace Windu can't have died!
Alrighty, but it might have now evolved into a crossover, with some Star Wars OCs, one of which is based off of the Old Republic. The reason is that: A. If Windu survived, he would have come back to kill Sidious and Vader. I still find it ironic that he fared better than Yoda did against Sidious. B. Mace Windu would have most likely changed the beacon in the temple before Obi-wan and Yoda got there; he was already on Coruscant. C. If he survived, why wasn't he hanging out with the eight Jedi that set a trap for Vader? So, it's now being a crossover with Once Upon a Time, partially because I'm excited for the new season, and it also explains why he didn't come back later.
There is a theory mace Windu is the unknown Sith in the latest starwars film. Basically he could have either turned to the dark side, become a rogue Jedi or left the Jedi and force stuff behind after finding out nearly everyone he knew is dead. So right now he is a farmer somewhere far far away.
I guess that it depends on how it's done, like every other work of fiction. I never finished a work of fan fic though and to tell you the truth I'm not so into it. Most of the ones I tried were not well done, not as matter of content but as a matter of narration. They felt kind of dry. I got bored easily. But yeah, I'm not a fan of fan fic. Maybe because I take into consideration the original writers style, which is very important to me (I get hooked by the specific narration style) and then I compare it with the other writer's style which is different and it bugs me. I have nothing against fan fic though, or using an already used environment to construct another story. Anybody seen Animatrix? I loved it. All these possibilities to explore and the different styles. But then again, this was also visual work. I don't know man. Some times the remake of a song sounds better than the original. I guess the same goes for fan fic novels too. As a person that writes though, I never got tempted to write fan fic and I don't think that I will in the future either.
I am slightly changing my stance on Fan-Fic. If it is counter Fan-Fic in response to something that you really disliked about something else, then sure.
I find a lot of fan-fic unbearable to read - too many people just borrow the names and bare bones of a character to do their own thing with, willy-nilly. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with the original story except the names. The characters are written so out-of-character that it makes me cringe. But writing fan-fiction can be a wonderful challenge, and good practice. I like forcing myself to stay within the confines of the canon, exploring scenes or conversations that did not take place on screen/page in the original. I find value in experimenting with the different voices and trying to work within a strict pre-set narrative style. It's like starting with a prompt and going from there, only for me, I try to bring the feel of the original into my writing. I find that it pushes me to grow and stretch. Yes, there is more freedom and endless possibility with your own original work, and ultimatey that's where you want to utilize your skills, but experimenting within boundaries and limits can be a worthwhile exercise.
