I hate it. 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% is absolute garbage that bastardizes it's source material. Also most fan fiction writers are hypocrites.
Poll: FanFiction, your opinion
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I tend to be rather scathing of fanfiction. If you want to be a writer, come up with your own original characters and settings rather than ripping off someone else's work. However, I do see the the attraction of playing in someone else's sandbox occasionally, and when you're really making use of the characters, not telling a generic story which could have used any characters at all, then I suppose it's alright to play.
At least, it would be alright if you could WRITE properly. Almost all fanfiction is terrible, and as a literature student the abuses of language make me want to give some of the idiots who write the crappy stuff a complimentary shotgun to the face. My Immortal made me slightly hysterical.
However, there are a few really good writers out there, if you can wade through the dross. ThunderaTiger writes probably the best Lord of the Rings fanfiction I have ever seen. If you like Tolkien, go and check her stuff out on ff.net.
At least, it would be alright if you could WRITE properly. Almost all fanfiction is terrible, and as a literature student the abuses of language make me want to give some of the idiots who write the crappy stuff a complimentary shotgun to the face. My Immortal made me slightly hysterical.
However, there are a few really good writers out there, if you can wade through the dross. ThunderaTiger writes probably the best Lord of the Rings fanfiction I have ever seen. If you like Tolkien, go and check her stuff out on ff.net.
Fanfiction is a bit of a mixed bag. The vast majority is absolute garbage, but if you are patient/bored enough to sift through it for the good stuff, it can be quite rewarding.
Some of my favorite works of all time are fanfiction. The good:bad ratio is something ridiculous, easily well over 1:10,000, but if you're willing to look there are some incredibly good pieces.
That said, just venturing in on your own is probably not for the best. Since you'll have no idea what to look for, you'll be inundated with crap and likely give up quickly. If you want to get into it, try to find someone who can point you towards the good ones to start. As you read more, you'll start picking up on the queues of stories not worth reading (generally sub-3,000 words per chapter, non-grammatical or bad summaries, etc).
Some of my favorite works of all time are fanfiction. The good:bad ratio is something ridiculous, easily well over 1:10,000, but if you're willing to look there are some incredibly good pieces.
That said, just venturing in on your own is probably not for the best. Since you'll have no idea what to look for, you'll be inundated with crap and likely give up quickly. If you want to get into it, try to find someone who can point you towards the good ones to start. As you read more, you'll start picking up on the queues of stories not worth reading (generally sub-3,000 words per chapter, non-grammatical or bad summaries, etc).
i have searched high and low for something decent and never found anything good.
I tried writting something myself and that sucked too.
I tried writting something myself and that sucked too.
I'm only eviscerating my own stuff; I'm actually open to the possibility of other people's work being half decent.GamerMage said:
Compared to the number of good writers, the market for published writing is very small; consider the number of bestsellers which were rejected by dozens of publishers. Some people who would be good authors write fan fiction.
Just, you know, not very many.
Unfortunately, this is probably the wrong language the ask the question in; japan, which has much more relaxed copyright laws, has a large, active and profitable fanfiction community (mostly for manga though, afaik) and some actual authors get started that way.
Just, you know, not very many.
Unfortunately, this is probably the wrong language the ask the question in; japan, which has much more relaxed copyright laws, has a large, active and profitable fanfiction community (mostly for manga though, afaik) and some actual authors get started that way.
I wrote some as a wee tween, but i don't read as much as I used to. As bad as people claim it is, I do have many stories that I enjoy. You just have to know what you're looking for, be able to detect a bad plot, and avoid anything that has the word lemon in it.
Why what? Why is most fan fiction crap or why are most fan fiction writers hypocrites?GamerMage said:
Well I have had the horror of reading 'My Immortal'.
Or, rather, having it read to me via Youtube.
That was all at once unfortunate and hilarious.
I find fan-fiction based on set characters can be a bit...arrogant (Not sure if that's the right word. Seems too strong) on the part of the fan-writer. Only because the authors know their own character best. A fan may love everything about a character, and have their story memorized, but I think the autohor is the only one who truly knows the heart of the character they created.
However, I have tried my hand at it! and since others have already thrown their own works out there, then I will too!
My Oblivion Story.
Feedback form nay-sayers is welcome!
Or, rather, having it read to me via Youtube.
That was all at once unfortunate and hilarious.
I find fan-fiction based on set characters can be a bit...arrogant (Not sure if that's the right word. Seems too strong) on the part of the fan-writer. Only because the authors know their own character best. A fan may love everything about a character, and have their story memorized, but I think the autohor is the only one who truly knows the heart of the character they created.
However, I have tried my hand at it! and since others have already thrown their own works out there, then I will too!
My Oblivion Story.
Feedback form nay-sayers is welcome!
Fan Fiction is like any work of literature. It has the chance to be good, but usually only the big names are anything more then complete and utter shit.
And the big names are usually smug about it and dont care to be very varied.
.... Oka, maybe thats a bit too general. I've actually read some really good fan fics and some really bad fan fics, and I've even throwing my weight around with a Soul Cal fan fic thats became such a massive behemoth that I realized I could write an actual BOOK if I wanted to be completely realistic and I just stopped and went to another writing subject to take a break and just havent gone back (which is something I do frequently, which is why I'll have some 5-10 unfinished stories I was writing I can go back to or just make a new one). I dont see anything worng with it, especially not when people who criticize (That I've met) either:
a) Lack imagination entirely
or
b) Like to go on about how they would change a story, or how they want to talk about fantasy sports teams or compare other works of "actually" literature (the stuff published in bookstores), most of which just runs on name power or is equally trivial garbage.
And the big names are usually smug about it and dont care to be very varied.
.... Oka, maybe thats a bit too general. I've actually read some really good fan fics and some really bad fan fics, and I've even throwing my weight around with a Soul Cal fan fic thats became such a massive behemoth that I realized I could write an actual BOOK if I wanted to be completely realistic and I just stopped and went to another writing subject to take a break and just havent gone back (which is something I do frequently, which is why I'll have some 5-10 unfinished stories I was writing I can go back to or just make a new one). I dont see anything worng with it, especially not when people who criticize (That I've met) either:
a) Lack imagination entirely
or
b) Like to go on about how they would change a story, or how they want to talk about fantasy sports teams or compare other works of "actually" literature (the stuff published in bookstores), most of which just runs on name power or is equally trivial garbage.
No, kill it.
Some fanfiction is still pretty good, but most just ruin everything about anything you can think of.Just my opinion though.
Some fanfiction is still pretty good, but most just ruin everything about anything you can think of.Just my opinion though.
To find good fanfiction, you need to know where to look. Places like fanfiction.net don't cut it - you really have to sift through the chaff to get to the wheat. But smaller, more personalized communities like those found on Live-/InsaneJournal, Dreamwidth, etc, you can find communities dedicated to GOOD fanfiction. And a lot of it, too.
It also depends on the fandom in which you are active. I know plenty of active fandoms with AMAZING fanfiction writers - you just need to know where to look.
It also depends on the fandom in which you are active. I know plenty of active fandoms with AMAZING fanfiction writers - you just need to know where to look.
I don't really mind fanfiction. Sure, 90% are horribad, but even those can end up ridiculously hilarious, for all the wrong reasons. I have also written several and though I know they range from bad to worse, I don't really want to delete them. I still write short stories occasionally and it's good to look back and see how much I've improved over time. Some of them can also end being on par with the source material, for instance, there's a Tiberium Wars fanfic that's miles above the official novelization.
That, and it's a good exercise for non-native English speakers, like me.
1: Most people who write fanfics are 13-18. If they had written original novels, you can pretty much bad they'd be horrible, so it's still better if they stick within a fandom. Also, fandoms are a little easier and good for practice, because you at least have a set framework to begin with.
2: Like I said, most aren't really the age to get a job, or even if they are, they might not have the time for it, next to school. Not every single kid needs to or should work.
That, and it's a good exercise for non-native English speakers, like me.
That would work, except for a couple of things:TheIronRuler said:
1: Most people who write fanfics are 13-18. If they had written original novels, you can pretty much bad they'd be horrible, so it's still better if they stick within a fandom. Also, fandoms are a little easier and good for practice, because you at least have a set framework to begin with.
2: Like I said, most aren't really the age to get a job, or even if they are, they might not have the time for it, next to school. Not every single kid needs to or should work.
TheYellowCellPhone said:
I can probably point you at some decent fanfiction, if you're at all interested, depending on the topic. Generally, the most popular sources are the stupidly popular animes, specifically the "big 3", but there's usually some decent stuff for just about anything.Ephraim J. Witchwood said:
Some good pieces that you may enjoy:
The Denarian Renegade [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3473224/1/The_Denarian_Renegade] - If you've read Harry Potter and are at all familiar with the Dresden Files, this one is fun as hell. It's the first in a trilogy that's been completed, and definitely worth a look. Basic premise is Potter finds a special silver coin and proceeds to go Beyond the Impossible.
Broken Mirror [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5430338/1/Broken_Mirror] - First in a sequence of Dresden Files works. Each of them basically reads like a short story by Jim Butcher (the author of the original books), and they are quite awesome.
The Hill of Swords [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6154638/1/The_Hill_of_Swords] - Familiar of Zero story wherein a young mage goes to summon a familiar and gets Emiya Shirou, of Fate/Stay Night. Quite well written, and a very interesting take on the original storyline.
Mass Effect: Emergence [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6163685/1/] - ME2 story, wherein Shepard wakes up in the Cerberus lab a week early. Ends up breaking out, and along with EDI get to deal with the fallout.
All but the last one are complete stories, with rather satisfactory results, in my opinion. If you want to start, these could be good. They're more actiony than some people care for though, so I can't guarantee it.
Another point to make about fanfiction - while many people write for the sake of enjoying writing, others use it as an opportunity to write creatively and hone their writing skills - if you find a good beta reader and editor, you can really prepare yourself for a writing career (which many fanfiction writers I've met have wanted to do). So, you may find some not very well written things - but think of it instead as people actively trying to improve a hobby they enjoy partaking in.
I have nothing wrong with the concept. It's just that the majority of it is crap.
But I'd say it's also a great way to hone writing skills. You want to write a story but you don't want to create a whole entire world and roster of characters to write about? Write a fan fiction.
Also when writers are asked to work on a long running tv series or something isn't that essencially fan fiction? From that perspective Doctor Who has been mainly fan fiction since it's return. The new big budget Star Trek? Fan Fiction. The new Hitch Hickers Guide to the Galaxy book? Fan Fiction.
The only problem with Fan fiction is a lot of it is written by amerture writers. Some of those writers stay crap some become better from honing their skills online. It's like anything else, you have to dig though a lot of crap to get to the good stuff.
But I'd say it's also a great way to hone writing skills. You want to write a story but you don't want to create a whole entire world and roster of characters to write about? Write a fan fiction.
Also when writers are asked to work on a long running tv series or something isn't that essencially fan fiction? From that perspective Doctor Who has been mainly fan fiction since it's return. The new big budget Star Trek? Fan Fiction. The new Hitch Hickers Guide to the Galaxy book? Fan Fiction.
The only problem with Fan fiction is a lot of it is written by amerture writers. Some of those writers stay crap some become better from honing their skills online. It's like anything else, you have to dig though a lot of crap to get to the good stuff.
Well, I've written some fanfic, but stopped a few years back.
It's not a horrid idea, but a certain amount of it IS pretty bad. Best thing to do when looking for the good, look at the summary first because that will give you some idea of what the writer is like. Also go into it with a heathly idea that some writers bash characters, write mary sues and use OOC too much. Lastly, it's probably best to avoid anything over T on fanfiction.net.
It's not a horrid idea, but a certain amount of it IS pretty bad. Best thing to do when looking for the good, look at the summary first because that will give you some idea of what the writer is like. Also go into it with a heathly idea that some writers bash characters, write mary sues and use OOC too much. Lastly, it's probably best to avoid anything over T on fanfiction.net.