Fanfiction
So recently I discovered the wonderful world of fanfiction. I know, I know– Christine fanfiction is as old as the hills! Well honestly, I’ve never been inclined to go looking for it before. I’ve always enjoyed my TV shows, and hungry for the next episode. But with the writer’s strike this year, I’ve been seriously missing my favourite TV.
So I’ve been reading…
Yes, mostly Torchwood and Doctor Who fanfiction…
I start counciling next week…
I have noticed some interesting things around this unique world. It’s wonderful to see the types of things the average viewer craves from their TV shows. How they wished the relationships between the character evolved (because most of the stuff out there is around character relationships), how they try to fill in the blanks between the looks the characters give each other.
It also is interesting to see what character traits viewers pick up on with the characters, the mannerisms that they focus on. As I read the stories, it also demonstraits the importance of getting the characters right. Sometimes the fanfic authors are brilliant. They could work on the show they know the characters so well. And other times…
This also got me wondering about if people do that with their favourite books. I can’t honestly say I’ve ever read a series and had the urge to write the next chapter. I’ve wanted the author to do that! But maybe I’m the odd duck out there.
So have you ever read fanfiction? What do you think about it?
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
Yes I’ve read fan fiction and as a child obsessed with Star Trek I wrote Fan Fiction. I was ten and so it wasn’t pretty and it involved me becoming an officer of the Enterprise and as I got to the age of 16 it was about me and Captain Picard. *shudder* Yeah my GMC and POV were all off, LOL!
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:23 am
*Holds up hand and admits to being not only a fanfic reader but writer as well* Like Amy I started off when I was 7 writing Star Trek fanfiction, but I was writing about The Original Series - as it was on its first run (Lord that makes me sound SO OLD). I picked it up again and wrote Lord of the Rings fanfiction for several years too - some of my work is still out there. Won several awards (sort of a People s choice award) and most of my stories are still out there to be read.
(hmm, Wordpress is giving me major problems today - I cannot use apostrophes nor can I cut and paste - what is up with that?)
Fanfic is a different world depending upon what fandom you are involved in. Some - like LOTR - can be quite intense and VERY snarky. Others are bit more lighthearted and fun. If your kids get into it, do watch what they are reading as there is a lot of slash and erotica out there - started with Star Trek from what I understand. I used to shudder to read stories about Hermione in second year paired romantically with Snape. *still shuddering* But there are some really interesting stories that investigate the backstories of characters. Or follow a character a couple years after the story is done.
Trouble is if you are writing based upon a specific writer (Tolkien for instance) as opposed to television series or movie, then you can lose your own voice. You are also working in a world that has already been created and has a “canon” you must follow, so you do not learn world building techniques, or character building techniques since you are encouraged to write about existing characters. If you write an original character (OC) then your story stands the chance of being shunned. (So of course, you can guess what I did. I loved playing in the Northern Rangers realm of LOTR and wrote all OCs with the occasional cameo by Aragorn or Elrond. Still, I did pretty good - had several hundred readers following me per week.)
But if you want to write but do not wish to seek publication, there is a huge group of people out there willing to give your reading a shot. And willing to comment on it too. Talk about instant critique groups!
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
At first I was thinking…fanfic what is that? Then my brain started functioning and I remember being addicted (a long time ago with very slow dial up) to X Files Fanfic. There was some stuff out there I liked better than the show! I had completely forgot about that. Now I will have to see if I can find some fanfic for the shows I am addicted to now.
Everyone seems to be watching this Torchwood. I hear about it constantly. I have no idea what it is and have never seen it, but I am going to see if I can get the first season on Netflix and check it out.
Have a great weekend.
February 24th, 2008 at 11:01 am
I am aware of it, have read some of it on The Mummy
but haven’t done any of it myself. I thought about it because I have had serious withdraw from Blood Ties, hehehe
February 25th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Can’t say that I’m a fan.
I’m a purist - I only like things in their original form.