posted by DustyFeet06, January 4, 2007
#TheStoryteller, what do you think about fanfic in general? Like, obviously you like it (and you’re so good at writing it!) but where does it fit in, like, the body of writing of our culture? Is it, like, legit writing? it’s always looked down on or ignored by ‘normal’ mainstream cutlure and critics and stuff, but, like, a lot of it’s really good, and haven’t a lot of real writers gotten their start in fanfic?
posted by TheStoryteller, January 5, 2007
Well sure, I mean there’s two angles here, right? First is the question of legitimacy to the story or canon. No fanfiction is truly “canon” of course, because #TheCompany doesn’t endorse it (and the same with any creator of popular culture), but how much does #TheCompany own Dusty Dead? It existed before they bought it, for instance. And more than that, entertainment is more owned by its fans than anything else — we’re the ones who keep it alive, we’re the ones who truly care about it – do you think the CEO of #TheCompany cares? Not a chance, as long as its making money. Its our interpretations of the work that matter, that make it important and keep it alive. And yeah the creators and writers are trying to do or say certain things, but that doesn’t mean they’re automatically right, that their intentions are the only possible interpretations, or that everything they do is right for the franchise — just look at the series finale.
But the other question is about quality. Like, mainstream culture looks down on fanfiction generally because the quality of writing isn’t as good as ‘literary’ fiction. And generally doesn’t have professional editors and the like. And we, as fanfiction readers know that that’s not always the case — there’s lots of fanfiction out there that is of exceptional quality, and lots of published novels that aren’t that well written. And as you pointed out, lots of contemporary writers actually got their start in fanfic (hopefully me among them, eventually). So it’s potentially a good training ground, and good for audience building, and all that. But it’s also true that there are lots of tropes that get used in fanfiction over and over that really aren’t good writing, and fanfic writers need to learn to outgrow those if they’re going to be really good writers.
But becoming a really good writer doesn’t mean you no longer write fanfiction.
posted by CreepingHorror, January 5, 2007
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posted by DustyFeet06, January 5, 2007
“there’s lots of fanfiction out there that is of exceptional quality” — like yours! 😀
I would love to know what #Literati thinks. I know she’s all into #English lit and stuff, and is super smart and stuff.
posted by TheStoryteller, January 5, 2007
Oh, we’ve had that debate, she doesn’t think fanfiction is literary and thus cannot be on the same level as “true literature.”
posted by DustyFeet06, January 5, 2007
I want to hear what she thinks!
posted by Literati, January 6, 2007
you’re not dragging me into this debate.
posted by DustyFeet06, January 6, 2007
But how can you say fanfic is bad when you see the types of stuff #TheStoryteller does??
posted by Literati, January 6, 2007
i never said fanfic was ‘bad’. don’t put words in my mouth.
posted by DustyFeet06, January 7, 2007
If you had to write, like, a critical essay about fanfic compared to your “literary fiction”, what would you say about it?
posted by TheStoryteller, January 7, 2007
She doesn’t owe you her time.
posted by CreepingHorror, January 5, 2007
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posted by Synnax, January 7, 2007
I’m closing this thread. this forum is for posting fanfic, not discussing the theory behind it. take that to general discussion. or rants or something.