The Problem with Fanfiction

Discussion in 'The Spam Zone' started by Magick, Jul 28, 2015.

  1. Magick ~Meaner then my demons~

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    For most fans, fanfiction is a way to escape the reality of their favorite franchise turning into a steaming pile of horsesh*t (I'm looking at you Naruto). But few fail to realize that a more heartbreaking failure lies in the path.

    You find the perfect fanfiction. Good length, well written, characters are flawlessly recreated, grammatical errors are few and far between. But then, you realize as you get closer to the end, that it is not the end. The author has merely given up and left its readers to die without closure.

    And this is why people go crazy and behead other people on public transportation. Please people, for the sanity of us all, finish your godd*mn fanfiction.
     
  2. Boy Wonder Dark Phoenix in Training

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    50 Shades of Grey is the problem with fanfcition
     
  3. kitty_mckechnie I want to hug you like big fuzzy Siberian bear!

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    No, I actually blame the crossovers. Folk seem to think MLP, Naruto, One Piece or DB go with everything. They don't.

    This is why alien life won't form contact and share their knowledge with us.
     
  4. Boy Wonder Dark Phoenix in Training

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    Because then that would be an Earth/alien crossover.
     
  5. Sebax Avatar by Xerona

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    You don't own my life! I'll foolishly start more fanfictions than I can handle and sob myself to sleep when I find it doesn't get a fanbase.

    Honestly, that's another problem with fanfiction. Especially here. The rules, understandably, state that you just can't flood a story thread with useless "This is great. write moar" one-liners. While that's great, I probably would have finished a few of the stories I've shared here if I knew people were really following along with it.

    Support your local fanfiction writers, kids. Have the confidence to comment what you really think. Nobody (of much import) is going to judge you for liking a story, and the author will treasure you forever even if your comment is more constructive criticism than lauding.
     
  6. kitty_mckechnie I want to hug you like big fuzzy Siberian bear!

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    Which is what the aliens are trying to avoid, they know the fanfiction will get worse if contact is made.
     
  7. Magick ~Meaner then my demons~

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    I understand that, but if you're writing for adulation and applause, you're never going to get far. There are 200,000 Naruto based fanfictions on fanfiction.net alone. It's hard to stand out in that crowd without the tenacity to continue when you think no one is watching.

    You just want to see if the probing is all that Hollywood has promised.
     
  8. Sebax Avatar by Xerona

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    I meant here more than Fanfiction.net, really. I usually get one or two comments for a short-story there, but, yeah, same deal applies here. I should just aim to complete it to feel a sense of completion. But then there's also self-editing and rewrites. Thinking of just starting over with all of my stories here, actually.

    To the aspiring writer:

    1. Always have an ending in mind. Work towards that. Free-styling your way to an indeterminate spot is what gets you into trouble with Writer's Block, and it will confuse you when potential readers have questions about the direction of the story.
    2. Write out an outline. If you always know what your next chapter will be, it'll be easier to write.
    3. Take criticism well. Sometimes, people just aren't going to get your style, humor, or whatever. You don't have to change to suit everybody's wants, but it doesn't hurt to aim for the widest appeal.
    4. If you're going to write a Twilight Fanfiction based around BDSM, please take time to not romanticize the aspect of abuse without consent which the community is sick and tired of being shelved with. **** you, E. L.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2015
  9. Boy Wonder Dark Phoenix in Training

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  10. Laurence_Fox Chaser

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    The problem with writing fanfiction is that there's nothing to gain for it. Oh sure you might get a few comments, some kudos, or likes, or whatever depending on where you're publishing your written works. But otherwise there's really nothing else to be gained from all the hard work that comes along with writing.

    I've tried figuring out a way of charging for writing much like the way an artist can charge with commissions. But even if I charged one cent per word, that doesn't really add up to all that much. But an artist can say: 'Oh give me $5 for a rough sketch. $10 for a cleaned up sketch. $20 for a colored piece' for an example.

    There's really no clear cut system. And would people actually pay when they're used to getting it for free?

    And I have written short ficlets for friends. Sometimes in exchange for a Steam game or sometimes because I'm really nice and want to cheer them up. I've written short drabbles as birthday and christmas gifts.

    Some fics are rather extensive. Almost the length of a short novel. And honestly, some fic is better than some published drek I've read(looking at you Twilight).

    And yet, fic writers are expected to provide these stories for free. In some cases, we're threatened if we don't continue. We're harassed to continue. And I don't know about you but I don't like writing under pressure. We do have other things going on and yeah, sometimes there are times where a fic is abandoned but it's usually nothing malicious. The writer simply lost their drive to update said fic for whatever reason.
     
  11. 61 No. B

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    [​IMG]
     
  12. Misty gimme kiss

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    I've been writing the same fanfiction for four years and I still intend to finish it. @Sebax is right in that positive encouragement or feedback (of any kind, be it "I like this please keep writing" or something more constructive) can go a long way. Which isn't to say that I think a higher readership or more reader interaction would make me update more, I'm just a terrible person who hates writing, but if you love a fanfic... read, rate, and review. Share it with your friends. The author has their own reasons for writing it (self-indulgence, etc.), but in making it public, they're hoping for at least somewhat of a response -- and since they're doing it for free, the least you can do is leave them a review or nice comment.
     
  13. Scarred Nobody Where is the justice?

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    And one of these was paired with Anne Frank.

    (Actually, all of them may have, but I only know of one)
     
  14. Iskandar King of Conquerors

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    I always thought the problem with fanfiction and crossovers was that they make a story they like, people agree, and when the writers on tv shows don't do it, they rip other's heads off because things didn't go their way since they had their hopes up for something that was never going to happen.
     
  15. burnitup Still the Best 1973

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    In my experience MLP crossover fics do not work out if they are "Characters from X show/movie/video game meet MLP characters." Now crossover fanfics like Fallout Equestria (better than it sounds. Trust me), which is Fallout set in the MLP universe, work rather well.
    Hitler continued laughing, then finally said 'Goku! You came here expecting to find a madman, but instead, you found a GOD!' Hitler had become a Super Saiyan.