Poll: Fanfiction writing and reading

[CrimsonBlaze]

I am not a fan fiction writer, but a fan of Bleach.

I have only written about fan fiction within the Bleach universe, and even then, it's fan fiction that consists of either completely original characters that exist in convenient pockets of unexplored plots or an alternate continuation of the series (because[SPOILERS] I believe that Bleach ended when Ichigo lost all his shinigami powers).

 

[SamBargeron]

I have written a fanfic or two and I'll read them in short bursts every few years (usually getting weary of them by the third or fourth). My wife used to be obsessed with fanfics, mostly reading them. Strangely, she gave up on that hobby about a year or so before meeting me. Despite having not read a fanfic in 7 or more years (so she claims) she brings them up surprisingly often. She especially loved X-men/Buffy crossovers. My best friend is an AVID and OBSESSIVE writer and reader. Most of my fanfic nerdyness is restricted to having "what if" conversations with said friend.

That being said, I totally drafted a fanfic in which the x-men fight death eaters while Draco Malfoy gets possessed by the Phoenix Force. Spider-man was there too, and the story opened with Captain Britain being killed by a Death Eater.

So... yeah... chew on that, Escapist!

 

[Oroboros]

Being a Sci-Fi fan, I naturally gravitate towards the crossovers. Unfortunately, 90% of it is Star Wars fanwank. Star Trek/Star Wars is specifically a no-go by default because of the versus community mindset which results in garbage like Mike Wong's Conquest. Most of it seems designed to show off how superior one fanbase is over the other in the eyes of the author. The only one I actually enjoyed was 'The Circle must be Broken' a Babylon 5/Warhammer 40k crossover, while is pretty good for the most part, although some are a bit wonky, particularly in the earlier portions.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I answered that I only write it when honestly, I haven't written any in a while. I haven't read any in a much, MUCH longer while but I write a whole lot more than I've ever read. What's that you ask? What kind of fanfiction have I written? Well, it's not too important. It's old stuff and it's been available on deviant art for a few years but it was written back when I was in high school.

The last fan fiction I actually read was something about Snape having a daughter who has a magical TV that works in Hogwarts, allowing her to watch Star Trek when she isn't having horror flash-backs about being abused by an older male baby sitter. It was weird...

 

[BabyRaptor]

I read "My Immortal" and wished I could write as amazingly, but I haven't really tried.

Did you know that everyone's favourite Goth has a Tumblr now? We can ask her questions and see more of her endearing adjective abuse!

I won't lie, I'm addicted to Fallout:Equestria. I'll read stuff if a friend recommends it, but writing one isn't something I've ever gotten the urge to do.

 

[Necron_warrior]

I SAY that I'll write some again, but I always end up putting it off..

Anyway, I'm very lucky in the fact that I have a similar-minded female friend who manages to wade through the swamp of mud and then gives me the white truffles I'm so lucky.

 

[Tamama]

The "Friendship is Magic" fanfic "Cupcakes" ruined fanfiction for me.
Forever.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I'm interested in fan fiction, as long as it sticks religiously to the fiction.

And I write it when I can, I really enjoy it. And I love doing research on it as well, it's interesting.

 

[killcheese]

i read some and its all MLPFIM related. It was mainly after season 1 ended and before season 2 started though, just to get my pony fix. I will probably cut back now.

 

[Skoosh]

From what I've seen, the vast majority of it is terrible, awful, baaaaadly written stuff. Not just like "oh 90% of everything sucks" but "98% of fanfiction is written at a 4th grade level"...probably because a lot of fanfiction actually is written by 4th graders.

And yes, I have had people recommend me some "good" fanfiction, still disliked it. Was very amateur, unimpressive stuff. I've seen better things written in highschool poetry contests. But what can you expect? A lot of it is based on things which weren't that well-written to begin with. Naruto might be entertaining, but it's not exactly the most compelling thing written, even compared to other animes.

A good writer would just come up with his own story to tell. I don't care about whoever you're shipping, it's meaningless. There has yet to be a truly great author that just went back and wrote "The Great Gatsby 2" where Daisy and Nick hook up. Maybe I should talk about my Kissinger/Popeye fanfic.

Oh, and a lot of it is porn. Can't ignore that.

 

[freakyalex]

I write quite a lot of Doctor Who fanfiction. I don't think I'm absolutely awful at it (though I'm a long way from brilliant). Actually, me and my friend have our own website.

www.doctorwho-reincarnated.yolasite.com

We publish monthly short stories. As for reading, I only read occasionally, though when I do I usually go through means other than fanfiction.net, which is very hit and miss.

 

[trollnystan]

I used to write fanfiction, but no more. I still read it now and again, usually when my friend goes through her Harry Potter binges and demands I read some.

I'm actually trying to write a HP fanfic for her for Christmas; she knows what she wants to read and the fanfics rarely deliver. But then again, when what she wants is little to no explicit sex and she wants it in Harry/Draco slash fics, she is sort of setting herself up for disappointment. Anyway, I'm trying. Sigh.

 

[Pinkamena]

I like MLP fanfics. Especially the grimdarks! Not so much clopfics, unless they're humorous.

 

[Furbyz]

Well, I've tried reading fanfiction quite a few times, but I've yet to find one I actually enjoy.

Since you mentioned you read Code Geass fanfiction, are there any specific ones you could recommend?

Fallout: Equestria by Kkat. It will change your life. It is quite possibly the best piece of fan fiction ever written, and I do not say that lightly. I've been hooked on the stuff ever since I found out I could find more stuff to read without buying new books or going to the library almost 10 years ago. I've read plenty of good fan fics. I've read a few great ones. I've read several by young writers that I could clearly see becoming quite excellent with more time and practice. And I've read two that are out and out amazing by authors that surpass the ability of most published writers. Kkat's Fallout: Equestria is one of those last two.

I can't recommend it enough to anyone that's an MLP fan, as I assume you are from the avatar.
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/04/story-fallout-equestria.html

 

[genericusername64]

I don't like fanfiction because its all too easy for authors to
1)Create an avatar of themselves and make that avatar the main character and focus of the story
2) Lesbianism with female characters Homosexualis with male characters that wasn't in the plot in the first place, and only serves the authors fantasy
3) The writing is almost always terrible, typos are often and grammar is non-existent

 

[Blow_Pop]

I hate fanfiction.

That being said, I enjoy writing ludicrous harry potter fanfiction.

I enjoy reading the ludicrous harry potter fanfictions :]

I have no talent for writing fan fictions or anything really so I don't write often and when I do it is usually poetry.

 

[Chefodeath]

When the spirit strikes me and I have a good piece in mind based on a video game or anime or whatever, I'll write one. That's pretty rare though.

 

[Avalanche91]

eh, mixed feelings about the subject.

There are some that actually present interesting ideas, good banter, or fill holes the canon left open. Those I can tolerate, and even read. Heck, I can even support the argument that it's a good place to start writing, because a lot of the blanks have already been filled in.

Then there's shameless smut, or author insertion.....These annoy me, and there's a reason the internet makes fun of it.

 

[Dreadman75]

I'm a reader and writer myself. I have two stories currently, one for Fallout 3, and another is a crossover between Naruto and Mass Effect. It's a shame really, my crossover is only one chapter long so far but a lot of people reviewed it positvely, but real life and writers block kinda took their toll.

I read a wide variety of different fanfictions, there's not really one area I just keep to.

 

[game-lover]

I do both! I started reading first and then I got into writing later.

What I read is generally what I'm interesting in writing. Anime, books, western cartoons...

I'm also a member of Fanfiction.net but I haven't updated in a bit. Need to get back on that. So far there's only like two I've finished.