Fan fiction and You.

[danieladamsmith]

I have to admit I haven't read any fan fiction. That's why I buy the books. Now if there were a site or a folder of people writing short fiction of their own, I'd read that...

[Mervi]

Sorry to resurrect such an old topic, but I recently had the misfortune to stumble upon a Redwall fanfic... involving the main character (Who is a child - the books are also for children, incidentally) from one of the books getting anally raped by the villain. It's apparently meant to be arousing. I... er... ew?

I don't want to know want kind of person could be behind such a fic.

Well, there's a pretty strong argument out there among the fic folks that not ALL such fic is meant to be arousing, but instead the authors are often trying to deal with things that have been done to them/someone they know in the past. That it can be therapeutic to write that into a form of fiction and get comments/feedback on it. Or that it's simply a theme the writer wants to explore. After all, these things occur in "real" literature as well. (I still can't think about the ending of the first Fionavar book without feeling disgusted. )

Still, I do think it's problematic they use established characters to do it.

[Farseer]

Hmm...therapeutic...that's an interesting take on things, Mervi, and not a reason for fan fic that I would ever have thought of without input from someone else. Thanks for sharing that!

I do hate fan fic. I am of the opinion that it's theft and it's as black and white as that for me. Of course, I could see the benefits or reasonings behind others possibly going down the fan fic road for therapy but, yes, personal issues could (and should!) be worked through via so many other different means without having to resort to placing other people's characters in these circumstances eg see a therapist; write your own short story, novel or poetry (with or without a view to ever having it published for public viewing, or requiring feedback from others); write a journal or diary; read or watch something that's already been written by someone else that mirrors, or is similar to, your own experience etc. As Mervi mentioned, these "delicate" themes are not limited to fan fic but are explored within 'literature', and elsewhere, in a wide variety of genres.

Having been working for some time on my own novel, using key issues that I have directly taken from my own childhood, I don't believe an awful experience in life, no matter how terrible, gives anyone permission to directly use or follow on from a story or characters that have already been created. Certainly, there are many similar plots and characters, even in 'literature', that are based on true life or even pre-existing storylines or characters eg biblical or religious themes, historical people or locations etc, but...that's different!

Who is to say that the original author has not written their work as their own form of therapy, and someone else has come along and destroyed this therapeutic device by twisting it into another fan fic tragedy for their own therapeutic reasonings? This hijacking of another's works not only ruins the original plot intentions of the author but it also has the potential to undo something therapeutically important and possibly add a hugely emotional drain on the author's personal progress.

Another thought is that those who place characters into certain situations, particularly sexual ones, must realise that, though they are for the most part fictitious, certain aspects of those characters are often founded in 'truth' and may possess features of the author's loved ones or cherished friends. An example of this would be if I wrote a character into my story that used bits from or reminded me of my father, only to then have someone place him in a sexual situation which would be completely out of character for him...well...I would be homicidal!

Just some of my thoughts though.

Crikey! It says TWELVE new posts have been made while I was typing so I'll leave it there and check out what else is being said!!!

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No new posts, least of all twelve - must have been a tiny glitch to get me excited at that potential discussion level!

[danieladamsmith]

Farseer that is my real problem with Fan Fiction. It is an infringement on someone else's creation and the other thing is that it's almost like a DEUX EX MACHINA for the reader. Oh...not enough of the story by the author. We can change that. I do think that FAN FICTION comes from a good creative place but they should take that energy and create their own world, their own heroes, their own journeys.

['thul]

That opinion is very likable, Danieladminsmith... These beings enjoy online, text-based roleplay for just that reason... Rather than fill out the (at times perverse) obsessions one person has about a certain universe, those roleplays create a new story, even if they base it on an existing universe.

These beings have the past while been working on creating a stargate-themed roleplay, but chose to set it at a time period in the stargate universe that none of the existing shows or stories cover, as well as forbidding anyone from using characters that were important in the existing stories.
If you are curious about it, you can read up on the work pages here. Since it is still being constructed, some details are a bit weak still...

[Farseer]

I want to cry!

I just spent such a long time responding only to have lost everything after I thought I posted. It seems that if someone has posted as you type, you have to view the post and then repost your new reply? I didn't look at 'thul's post until after I thought mine had posted (I'd clicked on 'Press Reply') and had seen my post as it would normally have looked. Obviously I was only just being shown 'thul's post and my own as it would appear underneath, but had to re-post my own...which I didn't!

['thul]

tried using the back function on your browser? Sometimes posts are stored in the cache. At least in sensible browsers they are.

[Farseer]

Thanks 'thul but I'd already clicked out of the window I was typing in and went to view the other one which I'd opened so that I could view your post as soon as I'd done mine!

Anyhow, cooking dinner so the gist of it was:

While I strongly stated "I hate fan fic" (which probably should be written as 'fanfic' but, anyway!), it is a very interesting topic for discussion.

I role-played as a child, as children do, and my own children have also role-played everything from Cookie Monster, Monkey Magic, Steve Irwin, Harry Potter and beyond. Playing as Obi-Wan or Luke and destroying Darth Vader with your stick-cum-lightsaber could be considered as a form of fan fiction, in actions if not text. It didn't happen in the movie like that but it's what you would like to have happened, or the direction in which your role-plying has taken the storyline.

A school student is often required to offer an opinion of a novel's ending and sometimes even hand in an assignment with an 'alternate ending'.

Many online, computer and gaming console-based games encourage fan fic thinking and actions well beyond the parameters of the original storyline or plot of a book, game or movie. Gamers are able to choose their activity, location, weapons etc as well as change elements of the already-created world and change features of already-created characters.

I'm not sure if it's an inaccurate assumption or not but most fan fiction seems to flow from the pens of young people (as in people who are younger than I!) and most would not consider that what they do is wrong, let alone dapples in theft (as I believe fan fiction is)...it is just part of the creative process, a progression from what they have been doing their whole lives and/or a way to process the characters, plots and worlds they are introduced to via a variety of media.

Could most fan fiction (the more innocent ones at least) simply be "the next step" up from role-playing...an avenue for teenager or young adult role-play that uses words rather than the actions of younger children in play?

Again, it's interesting...

[danieladamsmith]

THat's an interesting take on FF, Farseer.
Like I wrote I think the intention is good but perhaps they don't feel confident enough in their own ideas. It's like music. Now certainly there are great songs that people have re-interpreted through the years...but as a musician I was never really interested in being in a cover band. Relatives or friends will come and see me and they'll always say..."you should play a Stones song or a something we know" and I always role my eyes. I love the Beatles, I love the Stones, I love Bowie and many many others. But I write my own material. Now if you want the Beatles and Stones hey....slap them on your stereo. Or in this case read the book again. And look if you are a writer 9 times out of 10 your first book is going to be a retread over something you admire. I heard Patrick Rothfuss say that. His first book was just a retread of all the fantasy he read growing up. SO instead of writing fan fiction, write that first book that's a retread...put it in the closet and then get to work on YOUR real story.

['thul]

There are many steps in between childish roleplay and fan fiction...

The kind of roleplay 'thul spoke of earlier is that sort...

this topic is one of the roleplays they took great part in, which was based on no exisiting universe...

http://stargatewars.herebegames.com/viewtopic.php?f=199&t=154994

Beware. It is a long read. (the whole roleplay lasted from about 2nd september 09 and out that year...