Fan fiction

[Gilly_sirl]

Ok, so, I read through this thread, and fanfic doesn't seem to be very popular around here.

However, I participated in the newly opened "Lucius Big Bang" festival on LiveJournal, and I would be delighted if anyone here condescended to read my fic!

I wish to warn you that it is a Lucius/(GROWN UP!)Hermione 'ship, so if you find that gross, don't go there! Other entries are also slash (NOT MINE!), so you've been warned!

If you do visit, I'd be happy if you left a comment! Unless you find it to be utter crap!

So here it is : http://community.livejournal.com/lucius ... gilly_sirl

[horse_lover4495]

so FanFic=100% completely and utterly disgusting. Like blahhhh scar my mind for life!! I didn't even make it through the first paragraph on one site pratially....ewww just ewww, no other words can explain it.

[inamac]

so FanFic=100% completely and utterly disgusting. Like blahhhh scar my mind for life!! I didn't even make it through the first paragraph on one site pratially....ewww just ewww, no other words can explain it.

Fanfiction is like everything else - some of it is good - most is dire. Saying it's all completely disgusting is like saying that all films are disgusting just because you've only seen half of one horror movie.

Though I do occasionally wonder which stories Jason had read when he spoke to Steve Vander Ark on the latter's 'Order of the Phoenix' set visit:

It's not about interviewing Jason Isaacs wearing leather head to toe (Jason, not me) and discovering that he reads fan fiction about himself and gets a huge kick out of the more far-out stuff. It's not about that at all.

Okay, yes it is.

That said, there's a general agreement that the subject isn't discussed on here - either pro or anti.

[Gilly_sirl]

I find this view of fanfiction very severe. It's just another way of expressing admiration for characters. We all have fantasies about Jason, right, otherwise we wouldn't be here. Well, fanfic is a roundabout way of living those fantasies about the characters he plays.

I'm not discussing anyone's right to be pro- or anti-, I am saying I find it doubtful NO ONE here enjoys it. I know I do. And I take it for what it is : a harmless hobby along with videogame playing or knitting.

I'm truly sorry if this offends anyone.

[inamac]

I find this view of fanfiction very severe. It's just another way of expressing admiration for characters. We all have fantasies about Jason, right, otherwise we wouldn't be here. Well, fanfic is a roundabout way of living those fantasies about the characters he plays.

I'm not discussing anyone's right to be pro- or anti-, I am saying I find it doubtful NO ONE here enjoys it. I know I do. And I take it for what it is : a harmless hobby along with videogame playing or knitting.

I'm truly sorry if this offends anyone.

I think about a third of us here write the stuff (speaking as one who had to bow out of this year's LBB), but this is not a place to talk about it.

(Gilly_sirl, you may be hearing from me elsewhere *g*)

[a.p.k.]

Fanfic is like anything else; it ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime. The existence of "The Human Centipede" (read: utterly ridiculous garbage) doesn't change the fact that "The Godfather" is a masterpiece.



For what it's worth, when I first found fanfic it was really a fun (and clean) exercise in creating new stories with familiar characters.

When I next found fanfic it was by accident (involving an accident with a search engine LOL) and it took those familiar characters to a different place. They're fictional characters doing fictional things but now with a bit of grown-up reality added ... and who really cares what folks can imagine fictional characters doing? And some of it ... yes, I know, you find this hard to believe but it's true ... is very well written. There are fanfics set in the magical "Harry Potter" universe that I prefer to the original books. Of course, I still need to replace the copies of the books when they get too tattered to read ... but what's the problem with imagining more?


I think a lot of people come across the poor-excuse-for-porn stuff that often passes as writing in one particular corner of the fanfiction universe and assume that's all there is. That is a very, very wrong assumption.





For perspective, it might be worth considering that "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" ... (written by Tom Stoppard, receipient of honorary doctorates from both Yale and Cambridge, winner of many awards for his writing) ... is fanfic.

(Edited to supply link in re "R&G Are Dead" for anyone not familiar with the reference)

[Gilly_sirl]

So are pretty much all Star Wars novels.

And what about contemporary "sequels" of classic novels, like The Wide Sargasso Sea which is a Jane Eyre "prequel", I think?

[a.p.k.]

And Star Trek novels. And the post-Frank Herbert "Dune" books.



Off topic:

Angel, what is that symbol in the corner of your avatar, and what does it mean, and why is it there? Just wondering.

[Angel Tavington]

Angel, what is that symbol in the corner of your avatar, and what does it mean, and why is it there? Just wondering.

Okay, since you asked...I use this picture on my Facebook page. That symbol is the "Seal of Salomon", also the T.M.O (Tradicional Martinist Order) emblem (Martinism is a system of philosophic thought). Feel free to message me if you want to know more or if you have more questions. =)

I don't want to get too off topic here.



~me

[laurielove]

Didn't realise this thread existed.

Curious.

I will say this - fan fiction is largely cursed from the start by its very name. 'Fan fiction' sounds bloody awful and as most of it is bloody awful then that is what the general public assumes about it. The fact is that it is immensely popular, although you will still find few people admitting to reading it or writing it. It is a very secret, guilty pleasure, admittedly. When I first discovered it, I thought it was bizarre and freakish ... (I still think much of it is) ... but three years later those of you who know me will know that my opinion has changed somewhat But derivative fiction (as is probably a more appropriate term for it) is actually a fantastically liberating way of exploring imagination and writing skills, all from the anonymous security of your computer. Yes, fanfic writers use characters they are familiar with and whom they know readers will want to read about. It's an easy starting point. Yes, a lot of fanfic is wank fodder , and who the hell are we to dictate what people should fantasise about in the privacy of their own heads and houses as long as it is safe and harmless and kept private. But, anyway, a hell of a lot of it is not erotic in any shape or form. And the way fan fiction works means that you get immediate feedback - OK, that feedback is largely from a captive (not always discerning) audience who are already on your side because you're writing about characters they love - but if you sort the wheat from the chaff it can be very liberating and edifying. I would encourage young writers to have a go at writing it if they want. Yes, make sure they keep it age-appropriate, obviously, but I think it's a great way of developing writing skills and exploring what styles work for them as writers. And if they post to the right forums they'll get some very constructive feedback. I know very little about Pottermore but it sounds like this is something which JKR has rightly latched onto to enable young people to have a go at their writing within the HP universe.

Going back to the original point - derivative fiction should and must be about FICTIONAL CHARACTERS. Fictional characters are public goods, real people are not. Fictional characters are also relatively limitless in what they can achieve. Real people are not. We may have an image in our head of a character resembling an actor who has portrayed him or her as a starting point, as a muse or inspiration possibly, but after that it is about character, simple as that.

The 'cheat' of fan fiction is that the writer does not have to work on getting their readers to warm to the characters. That has already been done for them. Creating an original character from scratch ... that's the really tricky bit.

[horse_lover4495]

I'm just saying I have yet to find FanFic (Tavington Fanfic at least) that is even remoursely appropriate. If someone finds some, great, I'd be happy to read it. But personally, I get no kick out of reading about rape in grave detail and other sexual topics. I could spend my time doing much better things.

[Gilly_sirl]

Indeed, horse_lover, Tavington is probably a hard character to write for "appropriately". He's quite heinous as a man. But we still love him, don't we?

And of course, you don't have to love fanfic! There are so many other pastimes and hobbies out there!

[a.p.k.]

Definitely. Like, posting on fansites!

[NocturnalNordic]

I'm just saying I have yet to find FanFic (Tavington Fanfic at least) that is even remoursely appropriate. If someone finds some, great, I'd be happy to read it. But personally, I get no kick out of reading about rape in grave detail and other sexual topics. I could spend my time doing much better things.

I got one for you, it's a fic with a rating of PG-13 same as Lord of the rings, gets just as bloody at times. But if you can watch that movie, and if you can watch and enjoy the patriot, you'll enjoy this fic too. I didn't think I would find any good fic there either, but I did and it captivated me for a long time. It's canon with the movie, just you know, tavvie lives after cowpens. But if you don't like built up romantic stories, all very close to how it was in the 18th century. Very well researched. Then this is not for you, but I enjoyed it and it's like reading a book, it's just on a fiction site. Think of it as an ebook if it makes it any easier. Let me know if you are interested and I'll link you too it.

[thunder]

I don't read fan fiction either. I've read some and thought it was a bit funny. But then I started reading a really sick one not knowing what it was, and I've just stayed away from them in general after that. I'm amazed at what people can make themselves post on the internet. Are they aware of young people reading their stories and get totally wrong ideas about what's OK or not? I've had 14 year olds posting on Tavington videos that they want him to rape them! They've gotten the idea from someone, and it happened more frequently than not. (Actually it's stopped on my vids now, because I delete their comments and write them some serious personal messages back.)
And one thing is to fantasize about his characters, but to post a S/M fantasy story about JI himself... Do they ever take into consideration that he is a real person with emotions (and a family, and kids)? He probably just rise above it, but it's still sick. Luckily, it's a free country, and I'm not missing out on anything not reading fan fic. So I don't, but each to their own...