Fellow Fanfiction Authors?

I still write Buffy fanfic.

There are plenty of us here (both current and former), and there are also plenty here who detest the idea. Fanfiction at its best is great, but it's also addictive for the instant gratification factor.

I still write fanfic. It's pretty much how I got into writing longer pieces; I once wrote an epic 40,000 word fic (it sucked. I was 16)

Peer critique within fanfic communities is immensely useful too.

I was for a little bit, way back in the day. I still read it from time to time and dabble in it, though I never post it these days. Mostly, I write it to 1) entertain myself and 2) warm up before settling down to write on my original wip.

I still write X-Men fanfics. It's a great way to build writing skills and, at least the fandoms I've been involved in have been friendly environments to learn how to give and take critiques.

Aerial

I love and embrace fanfiction.

My interest in writing arose from fanfic. Then I read a blog where an author ranted on it, basically saying, "If you think you're so good, why don't you try original fiction?"

So I did. And I am soooo grateful for the challenge.

Fanfiction helps you learn to write by taking at least one element out of the writing process--character, perhaps setting. For me, it was like training wheels on a bicycle.

The cons are that fanfiction is uncopyrightable, and you may be in violation of someone else's copyright if you post it somewhere. If you hope to publish one day, I'd choose to either not post fanfic online (and then, what's the point?) or write under a carefully guarded alias.

And frankly, I've found fanfic peer critiques not very helpful at all--mostly praise, in my case. A good writing group is better.

I got back into writing via fanfic, and I'm very, very glad I did. What I've learned over the past few years - thanks to a couple of also serious writers - is unbelievable. Not all fanfic writers just toss stuff together and don't care if it's crap. There are many writers who put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into these works, honing their craft. And even though I'm now working on completely original works, I'm still writing fanfic (I even built a website for it ).

Started off decades ago as a fanfiction writer for the X-files - found my husband through it and honed my skills over years to the point that I'm now getting paid for my original work.

Love it, still read it, don't write much anymore due to the original stuff taking precedent... and encouraging some fanfic writers to go professional.

The truth...

aw, you know the rest.

Sheryl Nantus said:

Started off decades ago as a fanfiction writer for the X-files - found my husband through it and honed my skills over years to the point that I'm now getting paid for my original work.

Love it, still read it, don't write much anymore due to the original stuff taking precedent... and encouraging some fanfic writers to go professional.

The truth...

aw, you know the rest.

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X-Files fandom high five

When I decided to take a good stab at writing, I started with writing fanfiction. Using another person's story as a crutch helped me to learn some of the craft that goes into writing, so I don't particularly look down on it. When I look upon them now, my writing is appalling but I can't help but feel a little sentimental towards it.

What bothers me about fanfiction is that yes, some of it is phenomenal -- the writing execution and plot line is done so well, that I wonder why these people haven't written their own original stories and pursued getting published. Maybe they do on the side, I don't know. I'd much rather be writing my own fiction because while I it's probably good practice, I feel it'd be a time-waster for me at this point.

For me, creating characters and discovering them is the fun of writing so I've never liked fanfiction. But I don't see why it's a shameful or bad thing, and I forever eyeroll at writers who look down on fanfiction writers. Whatever dudes, if it makes people happy, you know?

I used to write (albeit half completed and often half assed) fan fiction.

And then I read my favorite author's opinion on the subject and I was left feeling so filthy I jumped into "original" writing and never looked back.

But I think fanfiction on a whole outweighs its negatives. It gives people who probably wouldn't normally write, a reason and a drive to write. But I think it's probably natural that if someone is serious about writing, they'll leave fan fiction behind sooner rather than later.

Sure, I was... sort of still am. If you look hard it is still out there on the internet.

BfloGal said:

The cons are that fanfiction is uncopyrightable,

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It's unpublishable, but your stories are still yours. The original author of a novel or series can't take a fanfic and publish it as their own, which is why said authors are encouraged NOT to read fanfic of their own novels. If a fan picks up on future plot clues and writes something close to what the original author has in mind, they can get huffy if the original author is proven to read fanfic.

BrassStotch said:

But I think it's probably natural that if someone is serious about writing, they'll leave fan fiction behind sooner rather than later.

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A lot of fanfic writers don't want to go pro. They're quite happy doing what they do, how they do it. And that's great, it's their choice.

Also not all fanfiction has copyright issues. I still write public domain and explicitly permitted fanfiction (e.g. some authors have disclaimers you can sign for specific tolerated fanzines, Mercedes Lackey being one).

Sheryl Nantus said:

A lot of fanfic writers don't want to go pro. They're quite happy doing what they do, how they do it. And that's great, it's their choice.

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Very true. And there are some exceptionally talented people out there.

Fanfic fans are terrific for a writer's self esteem (though not always the best thing for pointing out where they need to improve) and they're generally a loyal bunch. That's how someone like C@ssie Cl@ire can transition with an established audience.

Those audiences are HUGE in some fandoms, and can build over a quick span of months. I had stories with several hundred thousand hits in about 3-4 months. It's a head rush for someone not used to feedback.

I had my first internet experience somewhere around 1996. I was about 15 years old and the first thing I discovered was fan fic. I fell in love. Couldn't believe the treasures that were "out there".

X-files all the way though Shipper fic, Slash fic, even some Skipper.

Cyia said:

It's unpublishable, but your stories are still yours.

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Well, it's not unpublishable unless the original author has stated they don't want it done. Otherwise, there are many sites where it's published online, and there were (possibly still are, haven't looked lately) print magazines with fanfic. We include a disclaimer, stating we don't own the OC's, who does, and that we're not making any money from the stories.

Sheryl Nantus said:

A lot of fanfic writers don't want to go pro. They're quite happy doing what they do, how they do it. And that's great, it's their choice.

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This. I've always written original stuff alongside the fanfic, but I have friends who are great writers but don't care to try original stuff.

I don't have time for fanfics anymore, but in my time I was a busy bee. I have a 200,000-word fanfic somewhere out there and a few novel-length ones. Fanfic-ing is how I learned English, basically (Canadian-French girl here, yo).

Alice Grace said:

I had my first internet experience somewhere around 1996. I was about 15 years old and the first thing I discovered was fan fic. I fell in love. Couldn't believe the treasures that were "out there".

X-files all the way though Shipper fic, Slash fic, even some Skipper.

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Ah, then... you might have tripped over some of my stuff.

When I was Sheryl Martin, not Sheryl Nantus.

shadowwalker said:

Well, it's not unpublishable unless the original author has stated they don't want it done. Otherwise, there are many sites where it's published online, and there were (possibly still are, haven't looked lately) print magazines with fanfic. We include a disclaimer, stating we don't own the OC's, who does, and that we're not making any money from the stories.

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I mean it's not publishable for profit.

And you do own your OC's, as they are your own creation. You don't own the cannon characters.