Opinions on Fanfiction? Love, hate, tolerate?

[ellekaldwin]

I agree original work needs to be more polished, but what do you mean by 'fanfic style and lingo?'. Like what do you believe needs to be improved? Both are written stories and I think I enjoy more fanfic work than real work sometimes. Because some stories are just... stale. Like, I can pick up a book, read the back cover and be like, 'yeah, this is how the story goes. Not interested.' Without reading the whole book. But fanfic is fun to me, because an author can do whatever the hell they want in the next chapter. It might tank, but if it doesn't, it's great. So, what 'improvements' might an fanfic author need that they can't learn from just improving as a writer?

Lately, I’ve found that a lot of traditionally published novels just aren’t living up to expectations. Some have noticeable spelling errors, grammatical issues, and (in my opinion) dialogue that feels really forced or corny. I recently read a hugely popular “romantasy” book that’s been recommended all over the internet, and honestly… it was pretty underwhelming. That said, I still had fun with it! It was an easy, entertaining read, and I don’t think every book has to be a literary masterpiece with flawless prose. Sometimes, a light, adventurous story is exactly what you need.

As for fanfic writing and its typical quirks, there are definitely some recognizable patterns—phrases like “quirked an eyebrow,” “let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding,” or the classic “Oh. Oh.” I’ve used them myself! They’re not bad by any means, just a bit more on the amateur side stylistically.

Another common giveaway is how exposition is handled. If all the worldbuilding is dropped in one chunk, or if a character conveniently asks, “Wait, what is this again?” about something they should already know - it starts to feel like the story’s talking at the reader rather than drawing them in.

 

[Naomasa298]

The example of your work sounds like lifting/stealing someone's work. It's the changing of the names, when you admit they are, in fact, his work just renamed. It's like you're hiding it. It goes beyond simple imitation, to me.

Which you're welcome to think, having never read his work, compared mine to his, or read the anthology in question.

But I fail to see your distinction.

I don't pretend it's anything other than what it is, and any fan of Vance would know exactly what it is.

 

[Trish]

I don't pretend it's anything other than what it is, and any fan of Vance would know exactly what it is.

Fair enough. If that's true my point is moot, though I'm not sure how that plays with a newcomer to the style.

Which you're welcome to think, having never read his work, compared mine to his, or read the anthology in question.

As I admitted and said (repeatedly), I was going entirely off of what you stated with no working knowledge of the works referenced.

 

[Luxuria]

As for fanfic writing and its typical quirks, there are definitely some recognizable patterns—phrases like “quirked an eyebrow,” “let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding,” or the classic “Oh. Oh.” I’ve used them myself! They’re not bad by any means, just a bit more on the amateur side stylistically.

Another common giveaway is how exposition is handled. If all the worldbuilding is dropped in one chunk, or if a character conveniently asks, “Wait, what is this again?” about something they should already know - it starts to feel like the story’s talking at the reader rather than drawing them in.

Okay, thanks! Good to know. I have committed a few of those. But it's something you out-learn with practice. I think original writers also struggle with info dumping world building/lore. Because look at Tolkien and so many others. I thankfully have learned how to pace the lore/worldbuilding. But the main issue though is the author afraid the reader will leave if they don't know everything all at once. Which isn't true. Some mystery is good. As long as you answer all the questions they have by the end of the book or series. There is nothing I hate more than an ambiguous ending/lore/etc.

 

[Naomasa298]

I've definitely let go of breaths I didn't know I was holding. Usually during sports events I actually care about (which isn't many).

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Its been years since ive engaged with FanFiction. But i did read and write it in Middle School and HS.
Writing It helped me learn style, pacing, and character arc.
My FF was different then the trending ones which were self inserts or romantic ships of characters with no chemistry. I wanted mine to be a continuation of the last book which had an unsatisfying ending. To i took those characters on a last action packed adventure and set it up for a sequel.

Years later in college, i learned a variation of this. Getting a degree in art, i had to take painting and drawing classes. One way for us to learn technique and style was to pick a painter, study and analyze that paints work and reproduce a "Master Copy" of that painters work based on what we learned.

Thats how i viewed writing Fan Fiction, only, i didnt understand at the time whatbi was doing. Id already read the book series. I loved the authors work. I wanted to write copy the authors style and technique and learn from it. I wanted it to read like something that author would have written.
I did this also in college by continuing an Edgar Allen Poe poem for an assignment.


Thats why i think writing FF is important for growth.


I dont have an interest in writing it now because im already at a point where i dont need that kind of practice, but for beginning writers who are learning on their own... FF is a good tool

Heh. The first thing I ever wrote (for enjoyment, that is - not a school project) was a fan-fiction of a popular computer game series (at the time) called Quest for Glory, by a long-defunct company called Sierra.

Sierra was aware of the existence of fan-fiction, and even approved of it by creating fanfic forums on their official message boards. (This was back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth in search of dial-up, otherwise known as 1995).

For those who haven't played it, Quest for Glory was a 5-game series set in earth-inspired game-worlds, where you create a hero from scratch, take him on adventures, train him in various skills, and have him win the day (hopefully). It is inspiring and funny (and also punny - O, lord, so many fun puns).

Anyway, I was young and impressionable then, so I wanted to write a hero who would save the day in spite of (or sometimes because of) being drunk. (Since there were 5 games, I wrote 5 "books", and in the later books, I have him try to go sober ... but the demon drink keeps pulling him in).

 

[Stuart Dren]

Tolerate, I guess. It's arguably a healthy past time compared to doom scrolling or pornography addiction.

I wouldn't read it or write it, but I would be flattered if someone went as far as to write fanfiction about my work.

 

[JLT]

I first became acquainted with fan fiction when a girlfriend was writing stuff, typing and printing it on mimeograph, and sending it out to other fans. There seemed to be no harm in it, because it was all quite underground and not for profit, so the owners of the originals wouldn't sue for royalties. Nowadays, with people being able to publish on the internet, it's quite easy for a writer or publisher to ferret out violations of copyright, although it's usually not worth it unless the fiction appears to degrade the originals. (I once read a about a story circulated at some Con or other about Riker, Deanna Troi, and Beverly Crusher having three-way sex, which the Star Trek franchise deeply disapproved of.)

Pastiches are something else. I recently wrote a pastiche of Agatha Christie's character Hercule Poirot for my own amusement, but would probably need the permission of her estate to publish, so it won't see the light of day. Once the copyright expires on the character, it would be a different situation.

I've enjoyed many of the pastiches on the Sherlock Holmes canon, although there were a few that seemed to miss the mark. The ones by Nicholas Meyer were the best, I think, and Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes books did the originals some justice while creating a new genre of its own.

Trademarks, on the other hand, never expire as long as they're renewed, and they're more aggressively defended, so it's not a concern you want to dismiss.

 

[Homer Potvin]

once read a about a story circulated at some Con or other about Riker, Deanna Troi, and Beverly Crusher having three-way sex, which the Star Trek franchise deeply disapproved of.)

I totally never wrote anything like that when I dabbled in Star Trek episode scripts when I was a kid. Worf and Data had much more narrative potential.

 

[Luxuria]

. (I once read a about a story circulated at some Con or other about Riker, Deanna Troi, and Beverly Crusher having three-way sex, which the Star Trek franchise deeply disapproved of.)

They think this is... out there? This is pretty tame in the fanfic world. Call me back when you have a Klingon/Enterprise orgy. LOL. But yeah, fanfic is no-man's land and it's lot of fun. I have a deep love for crossovers and mixing of story worlds.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Yes, it's called shipping. I've seen it with the Harry Potter franchise, and especially with the LOTR franchise, where many fans "shipped" Frodo and Sam.

I find the whole thing very off-putting. It's entirely possible for friends to just be friends without getting their rocks off ... although platonic friendship is unfashionable these days, I suppose.

 

[Luxuria]

Yes, it's called shipping. I've seen it with the Harry Potter franchise, and especially with the LOTR franchise, where many fans "shipped" Frodo and Sam.

I find the whole thing very off-putting. It's entirely possible for friends to just be friends without getting their rocks off ... although platonic friendship is unfashionable these days, I suppose.

Hahah, yeah. Friends can be friends. But I do think that a lot of shipping comes from the fact there has been and still is a lack of same-sex relations in non-streaming mainstream TV shows/books/movies. Very much in movies. Because studios will edit the gays now, rather than kill them off. Which means editing out scenes/clips for different countries with gay characters.

I do agree with need more platonic friendships, that's true.

 

[CdnWriter]

There are aspects of certain world universes such as Harry Potter and Star Wars that I enjoy and I would like to write a story in that universe, setting which I will sometimes do, but I rarely take an established character and write something with them. I'm more interested in the worlds than the characters so I'd take a minor character and develop their story, the goal being to explore the world, the setting, and to get the magic or the force experience.

I don't think that I could do justice to a character like Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter that has been developed to death.

This allows me to focus on the story and the characters I place into that established universe without worrying about world building or background too much.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm. I think maybe I should clarify something before someone sees my earlier post and jumps on it: there is nothing (repeat, NOTHING) wrong with making a character gay, lesbian, queer, ace, trans, etc. etc. etc. (or hetero, come to think of that).

The only reason I find the whole "shipping of Frodo and Sam" off-putting is because nothing that Tolkien had written indicates which way they *ahem* lean ... which is understandable - at its core, LOTR is a fantasy adventure, not a romance. (Yes, there are romantic elements in the novel, e.g. Aragorn and Arwen, Eowyn and Faramir - but Tolkien spends a long time developing their respective relationships, and answering why Aragorn couldn't marry Arwen, etc.)

By comparison, nothing at all is said about Frodo and Sam. Even more so, near the start of FOTR, we are told that Sam wants to marry Rosie Cotton (and eventually does).

To me, it seems that Sam's and Frodo's friendship is because they have been friends and neighbours for most of their lives, nothing more. So I find the "shipping" angle to be contrived (e.g. someone thinking "I, a fan, say that they're gay, so they must be.") *shrug* If it makes you happy, fine. But other fans might not see it that way, that's all.

 

[X Equestris]

I never wrote fanfic, though there was a time I read it often and toyed with writing some of my own, but being part of some fanbases where fan fiction and fan art were common served as a mild gateway drug to creative writing and helped me learn some of the basics before I started.

So I appreciate fan fiction for the communities it builds and the creative outlet it offers, especially for novice writers. I’d be thrilled to discover fanfic of my stories. There’s one way you know you’ve made it: when members of your audience love your characters and worlds so much they write their own stories about them.

Every now and then, a franchise really tempts me to write some fanfic, but with limited time and creative bandwidth, I’d prefer to focus on my own work.

 

[Whiskii]

I don't mind fanfic. Especially if the external setting encourages it, like Warhammer. Warhammer is really just a setting with many little stories, implying that it's cool to write your own. Helps me stretch creatively, yet within the confines of a cool universe.

Though I started with original writing and will always do that (with little spats of fanfic in between), fanfic will always have a place in my heart. It helped me come to realise that it's way more fun to come up with my own original stuff. Maybe one day, I'll be honoured to read fanfic of my own work.

 

[GlitterRain]

I have never written any, but I’m all for fan fiction. I’m familiar with it through my high school friends, and I always did like the idea of it.

If I ever publish my books, I’d be honored if people loved them enough to write fan fictions about them. I would read them as long as they don’t get too weird.

Fan art and other content - I also love that. I guess technically I’ve been given fan art before from my husband . . . and my brother, if you count a crude drawing of a gravestone with one of my MC’s names on it to be fan art (I didn’t keep that one).

 

[Tbaron1756]

Writing Marvel and DC comics fanfiction is how I first got into writing. I would write long stories and it really helped me develop my love for writing. Soon I decided that I could write my own stories and create my own worlds. I do not write fanfiction anymore nor do I really read it. It was just a phase of my writing that I have grown away from. But I have no issue with people who write fanfiction so long as they are not trying to profit from it.