Literature Opinions on Fanfiction

[Bakuyoshi]

hello people of the Internet. This post is for discussion on the idea of Fanfiction. Do you think it's good or bad I would like to listen to what you guys have to say.

 

[LegoLad659]

hello people of the Internet. This post is for discussion on the idea of Fanfiction. Do you think it's good or bad I would like to listen to what you guys have to say.

I'm writing a fairly large Fan Fiction story, and have been for quite a while now. That said, here's my opinion.


There's a lot of bad Fan Fiction out there, we all know that. Sometimes I wonder how these people thought they could write a book. Yet at the same time, there are also a lot of really good stories out there as well, that sometimes make sloughing through the trash worth it. All of the writers, I'm sure, hope to be one of those gems, but we also naturally hold a higher opinion of our own story than of others.


(Of course, having a nasty inferiority complex, I can't say the same for myself, but just in general...)


As long as the story's good, I'm all for a Fan Fiction. Go nuts. Have fun. Just try and hold yourself to the same standards as you would a professional novel.


I'm also fairly picky about the specifics as well. I'm very much a stickler for canon information, and if you change it I won't be happy about it. I'm also picky about the text itself, to the point where if even the formatting is wrong I'll stop reading a story. Maybe that's just me.

 

[Lorsh]

A lot of fanfiction just sucks.


If you're actually good at writing fanfiction, you should probably be writing something else.

 

[LegoLad659]

A lot of fanfiction just sucks.
If you're actually good at writing fanfiction, you should probably be writing something else.

I imagine that fan fiction is a pretty good stepping stone to writing original works. You can practice your writing skills in a world created by someone else, so you don't have to worry about world-building and all that, and can focus on the writing itself. Once you get good enough you obviously might want to start looking at writing your own original works, but everyone has their preferences.

 

[Lorsh]

I imagine that fan fiction is a pretty good stepping stone to writing original works. You can practice your writing skills in a world created by someone else, so you don't have to worry about world-building and all that, and can focus on the writing itself. Once you get good enough you obviously might want to start looking at writing your own original works, but everyone has their preferences.

You're right about that, I suppose. Some pre-existing universes are truly expansive, and could hold a million different stories. The kind of fanfiction I really don't like is when characters from the source are used, or the writer tries to change up too much lore.

 

[LegoLad659]

You're right about that, I suppose. Some pre-existing universes are truly expansive, and could hold a million different stories. The kind of fanfiction I really don't like is when characters from the source are used, or the writer tries to change up too much lore.

While I won't bother to argue with you on your point with using canon characters, I do agree with your second point about changing up lore. I really don't like it when people try to change up what's canon, and I'll usually turn down stories that take pure fanon speculation to heart.

 

[FloatingAroundSpace]

I mean there's so many different kinds on so many different levels. I think that you just gotta find your cup of tea and go with it, whether that be fluffy AUs that allow you to take a break from a dark canon or pure and simple crack. I gotta say, some days I like reading crack fanfiction, especially if it's a parody because it's short, funny, and picks me up most of the time.


There's good fanfiction and bad fanficiton and everyone has tastes, just like in music and other forms of literature. It really just depends.

 

[Shades]

I don't like it. I'd generally rather read and write original stuff than rehash (or watch someone else rehash) characters and settings whose stories have already been told possibly dozens of times over.

 

[Cross]

I'm pro fanfiction. Some of the best writing I've ever seen has been from fanfiction. It's fun to read, it's fun to write, and it helps people develop their story-making skillz. There's also a built-in audience for fanfiction as opposed to original works and therefore a stronger change of getting feedback and critique. Fanfic is good all the way around from my POV.

 

[LegoLad659]

[QUOTE="Cross_Rhodes]I'm pro fanfiction. Some of the best writing I've ever seen has been from fanfiction. It's fun to read, it's fun to write, and it helps people develop their story-making skillz. There's also a built-in audience for fanfiction as opposed to original works and therefore a stronger change of getting feedback and critique. Fanfic is good all the way around from my POV.

[/QUOTE]
Only downside is all the crap people tend to write xD But there are plenty of good stories, too!

 

[Reweldone]

Fan Fiction is in theory just another piece of work in that universe. It's no different (in theory) from canon work. Just take an episode of Star Trek. What is the difference between a canon episode that has a temporary character for that episode interacting with the cast and fanfiction with an OC? Nothing except the writers and potentially the writing quality. Fanfiction should be treated as just another episode or chapter in a story.


The problem with fanfiction (like with most things) comes from the practical implementation instead of the theory: there's too much crap, too much self-insert, too much universe warping, and basically just too much crap on top of that. There's nothing wrong with consistency if the author wants to write a small story that concerns Harry and Draco where circumstances cause them to overlook each other's faults to accomplish something during one of their school years only to never mention it again because, really, Draco and Harry? The gossip would never end in Slytherin!!! Of course, if the author then wants to have Harry and Draco make out because reasons...uh, that's just bad writing. Although people would crucify me for bashing their OTP...


Honestly, even with the episode rationalization, it still feels weird for me to read canon characters doing major things not in canon. My preferred fanfiction is to use only OCs in the fiction universe. For fandoms like Harry Potter, this is easy. Just make up several OCs going to school. Pick your time period. Done. For others, it's not efficient because at that point, you're writing what boils down to original fiction and might as well go the whole nine yards.

 

[Bakuyoshi]

You know I'm happy I started this conversation. Whenever fanfics are brought up its always one sided "oh it sucks" or "I like it". You guys actually put a little more thought into this then most people.

 

[LegoLad659]

You know I'm happy I started this conversation. Whenever fanfics are brought up its always one sided "oh it sucks" or "I like it". You guys actually put a little more thought into this then most people.

Fan Fiction is generally more complicated than the Internet makes it out to be. Especially good Fan Fiction.

 

[Bakuyoshi]

Most of the good fanfics I've read are from more open ended universes. Like monster hunter that game series has a lot of good fanfics set in its world.

 

[LegoLad659]

Most of the good fanfics I've read are from more open ended universes. Like monster hunter that game series has a lot of good fanfics set in its world.

I've never played Monster Hunter, but I can imagine that being the case, yeah.

 

[KisaAmora]

I'm what you would call "pro" fanfiction as well, only because I feel like people are forced out of their comfort zones when they want to write something (and that is with the understanding that they are writing good fanfiction. Like anything that can be written there is good and bad types running around.)


For example Inuyasha is one of the top anime people write fanfiction about, most of it is badly written things that are cringe worthy ( unless it "crack fiction" then its purposely cringe worthy) there are pieces where the characters are cast in an entirely different world. The people who do this well has to convince us that these are the same characters that we read/watched about by crafting them in the current world they are in to make them similar to their cannon counterparts as well as make them fit the current world that the person has created.


I'm currently writing a fan fiction based on a challenge that I will make me write something that I never usually write. Its a good thing for me and a bad thing because I have to make sure that the characters are still them while this odd event is happening, all while making this seem feasible to me and the reader. The story isn't done and its a whopping 126 pages right now due to the slow nature of the buildup to the eventual end. I feel that when I'm done it will be over 400 pages. Which is a pain because I won't even post even one until I'm sure a good 12 chapters are flowing all together and are going the way I want to.


If this was an original work, I can let it flow anyway I want to, make sudden deus machina events or revelations to excuse things, and no one would be the wiser. Which would be detrimental to my practice in world building and writing. Thus writing with characters that are well known force me to stay with their true characters while fighting for the ending that I want it to go. Yes, it seems silly that I would struggle with a piece of work that I cannot publish, but it will help me not cop out when I do write an original piece. And I will have the personal joy of knowing that I have written something very good that was not only something that I made up, but complements the characters that I like in whatever story that I found them in.


Now tackling what makes stories not that enjoyable to many people "Self-Inserts, Mary/Gary Sues, or Reader pairings." There is the fact that people are very tempted to make a fanfiction based on a very simple thought. "What if in that situation they had one more person?" That is a basic question with a lot of complications. We normally think of these situation is when our characters are in trouble or when something could have been done earlier or easier with more people. But we realize that these people would have only been in these situations if they knew the group or people mentioned, most of the time very personally. So then the character that is created is someone naturally close in the beginning. Namely the OC is the sibling of a main OC. Easy, most of the backstory can be unchanged with the exception of a sibling for most characters, just explain what makes your character not part of the wallpaper and you are good to go. The problem is that most stories want the OC to be the main reason and main hero of the stories, and I think that pushes the other cannon characters back. If the OC has the power to seal the cracks of the universe, why call all the other characters in the first place to go through several chapters of nonsense if we could just fetch the OC? This is where the OC is a Mary/Gary Sue. There are so many tests to make sure you are not going off the deep end of that pool now that people should check their characters and their intended character arcs to make sure that their characters are not falling for that trap.


The other problem is the likability of the character. We as the creator, fairly like our characters even if we would not talk to most of them in real life. However, there is a rose-tinted lens when we place them in a situation with other already beloved characters of a story. You have to win love for this character just like the other characters have to win love for the other cannon crew. If they are too perfect, we will not feel joy when they win something. If they are too flawed, we want them killed off fast. If they are too much a martyr, we feel like the universe is somehow hating this character and that the writer didn't really like this character in real life. If they get everything, we feel like they didn't deserve a pinch of it and that the character has done a god-mod.


The finality is how does this change how we look at a story, if the character is someone that is looking at the sidelines at things that aren't shown much in the story, then we can tolerate them, especially if we are shown the characters in cannon doing the things they are suppose to do. It makes us even like their interactions and how they twist cannon because they don't dent the main story. We still know the ending and how the characters will end up. If they do twist the cannon its in a way that would follow the world's lore and rules. Forcing spotlight on them most of the time, annoys us because a good story changes something of the POV.


With self-inserts, there is the constant annoyance of "oh so this is really you?" Any fan would love to be in their favorite tale (Well in most, Game of Thrones and a few others might be exceptions) but when you imagine yourself in these worlds, the version is usually the one that makes it in the end with the prize that you want. Most don't want to talk about what weakness they have, personality faults, or anything else that would make them unlikely to survive or get the guy/girl/prize they want. There was even a few RPs that were around a good number of years ago that told people to be honest, the mods didn't let most people in until they filled out more of what was wrong with them to take them to a realistic level. Yes there is a fantasy self that you might insert in every story, but do you need to? And can you change the character to match the world they are in more?


Reader parings with (insert character name here) is more of a request and fantasy fulfilling of a very specific scenario. There isn't much to improve of that except to remember the character's personality that they are writing about. I mean most of them are requested that I've read, so this was them making on person happy. The only other thing I would be editing is making the story make sense story wise. If the character is a wise cracker they will not get with the rule-keeper that easily, no matter how attracted they are to each other. You have to make it make sense to the reader and explain why and how they got to this point, or its nothing but a summery of what could be a very good story.

 

[myvalentina]

I'm also quite pro on fan fiction as long as it stays within the fan spaces on the internet. When it gets brought up outside of that it usually does devolve into 'it all sucks' or their's 'no originality to it' which I obviously disagree with.


There is a lot of bad stories out there, but I don't mind the whole 'slog' idea of it since I know there are so many different audience members out there that someone may like a so called 'bad fic'.


Write and let write tends to be my philosophy since a lot of the time fan fiction is someone's hobby. A lot of people want to maybe publish one day, but sometimes people just want to be creative. Or have a plot bunny they need to get out. We don't tell people who doodle not to doodle just because they don't want to be an artist.

 

[JokerValentine]

Not a fan. I mean, I guess some of it can be original, but that is rather miniscule. A lot of it is just reliving the source material. Plus: it feels so unoriginal to me. I feel fanfiction is writing a story with the framework of another. That being said, I am sure some have written some rather good fanfiction.

 

[hyakinthos]

I think fanfiction is great in that it allows for all sorts of people to write whatever they want to, and then put it in a place where others will actually read it. If I posted my original work online, would it get any attention? Of course not, not unless I had some really devoted followers. But with fanfiction, suddenly you're tapping into a community of people who all have something in common-- a fandom, a love of writing, of reading, of gratuitous shipping, anything!


And not only that, but it's really low-stakes. I can't think of a less nerve-wracking way to show the world your writing chops then to shove it into AO3 or FF.N, slap a couple tags on there, and see who bites. I think fanfiction is a really valuable tool for writers, especially young writers, who're looking for a start (or even a long-term hobby).

 

[Raneth]

I have mixed feelings.


I think everyone should be able to give it a shot, but I rarely enjoy it. Most people seem to not be very good at accurately portraying a canonical character when they write fanfics or RP as said character, and it's a little disheartening if it's a character I like a lot. Regardless, I support the creative endeavor... but I usually don't enjoy the majority of publicly shared stories. I personally try to write Hetalia fanfics since I think the characters from Hetalia are easy to mold for an AU and are easy to work with as they have fairly simple personalities that you can enhance, but I always worry I do a poor job of giving them the primary characteristics that make them who they are on the show.


One fanfic writer, specifically for Hetalia, that I believe did an outstanding job is someone named George DeValier. If more fanfic writers could accurately write like George did, I'd probably enjoy fanfiction a lot more. Though, again, Hetalia characters are probably the easiest to write with since there isn't a great deal of depth to them at all.

 

[DaManofWar]

Fanfictions are great and all.


However, Fifty Shades of Grey started out as a Twilight Fanfiction, so......

 

[Emelie Mary]

fanfictions are nice

 

[call me rae]

I think fanfiction is no different than any other medium. Just as there are some great books, some crap books, and some books that just aren't your cup of tea : so too are there great, not so great, and just different fanfiction.


I enjoy fanfiction as it's a way to enhance the fandom universe that it takes place in, a way to explore stories that the authors/creators didn't have time to explore.


But then again I do 90% fandom roleplays which are basically the same thing as fanfiction only written by multiple people.


So I think like with anything it's all about your preference. Some people like fanfiction, some people only like original works, and some people don't like reading at all.


So if you enjoy it that's really all that matters.

 

[I I I I I]

In my opinion, fanfiction is harmless fun. It helps young writers explore their talents! I don't see a problem with it.

 

[Twigdapple]

If I was an author, I'd be tickled that anyone would want to write fanfiction about my characters. Though some of those fanfics do make me wish I was a psychologist so I can try to understand how some of these exist. xD