Time to rant about fanfiction.
Common thought among fanficcers: fanfiction is harder to write because you have to stay in character with someone else’s character.
False. You always have to stay in character no matter what kind of fiction it is. Fanfiction is actually easier to stay in character for because you can go back and have references for how your character is supposed to behave, whereas your own creations do not usually have a reference. If you’re using Indiana Jones in fanfiction, and you aren’t sure how to make him react, you watch a show of his. If you’re using Billy Bob and aren’t sure of his reaction, you might have to read back, if you can. If your story is too short, or if you haven’t portrayed Billy at his most normal, your reference is shot. You can only depend on yourself for characterization. People might notice that Billy Bob is eerily different in every scene, but they might not know the character well enough to suggest anything, much less pinpoint the issue exactly. Fanfiction is easy to do this with, however.
Another common thought: The set rules of a particular fanfiction world make it harder to write.
This one is much like the last. Because you make up your own rules, they can be consistent, obvious, scattered… whereas set rules are much easier to figure out and put into play. If you get lost, look at the show. You don’t have to make up anything, it’s all set for you. Following the rules isn’t that hard, unlike what people make it out to be. Characterization isn’t hard when you have everything preset.
Fanfiction also makes you only develop certain abilities while it stunts others. Original fiction can exercise all necessary abilities. There are other activities you can do besides fanfiction to get the same sort of effects that people claim makes fanfiction worthwhile. For instance, co-writing a story will force you to stay in character with someone else’s character, and also follow someone else’s rules. At the same time it’s original fiction and it does all the things original fiction does, like force you to create worlds and characters and rules of your own (because hopefully you‘re pulling your own weight when you‘re co-writing).
Fanfiction is basically your own little daydream. It shouldn’t be taken seriously, ever, and most of it should be kept to yourself. I think you should only write it when you absolutely have to, for whatever reason.
 boy_koko · Sat Oct 25, 2008 @ 04:03am · 0 Comments |
