(no subject)

[gategrrl]

I should know better than to join a conversation about fanfiction in any way, shape or form.

If I've offended anyone on my flist, I apologize. I'll say it right out: I'm an elitest snobby git. There. I did it for you. Doesn't change my mind; it's always been my personal bias, even when I was writing Stargate fics. I appreciate fanfiction and the time some folks put into their masterworks. But I just imagine, in my head, what some of the people I know could do in publishing; they're incredibly talented; and I want to tear my hair out. It's my own personal bugaboo. There's a much bigger writing world out there. And *for feminism* it would be great if some of these wonderfully talented writers who happen to be women could contribute their awesome ways with words on the rest of the public.

That's where I'm coming from. And again, I'm sorry if I've offended anyone in the meantime. Now I'll shut up.

Comments

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

You shouldn't have to apologize. It's just the way you feel. I don't see that you're trying to kill anyone's squee over fanfiction.

(Though, I'm sure I've offended quite a few people myself. I do feel bad about that, but I just want to see more talented people break into the pro world.)

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Me, too.

It's hard to break in. But so is doing a lot of other worthwhile things in this life. Look at you getting your degrees. Was that easy? No. You probably had fun doing it, though.

What's to say that writing your own fiction (original) doesn't have more reward in the process as fanfiction? Even if fewer people get to read it? Or if they do, they don't have the instant fan club that fanfiction affords?

Honestly - a lot of fanfiction has to do with the camaradery, the instant audience, and the feedback if you hit it big within the small world of that fandom. It helps with your self-confidence. I should know: without the fanfiction world, I would never have been brave enough to ever show any of my writing to the outside world.

But it's an *invisible* world. It's a subculture. Don't women want to become more visible with their creative efforts acknowledged without being dismissed as copiers?

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Fanfic is amazing at building self-confidence. I still remember the first time I posted online. What a feeling.

However, I still feel that the "glamour" of fanfic can untrap you easily. That same audience, camradery, and feedback hold you back. It holds me back. I like that validation.

I don't tend to think of it in turn of feminism, which I should having a two degrees in women's studies, but I do definitely see fear as a factor. People fear rejection. If you post your fanfic online, you have a ready made audience. Not everyone will like your stuff. And you'll also get flamed at some point, but it's different than full out rejection by a publisher. Rejection hurts. Fanfic is safer and more comfortable.

But when the day comes when you do receive that acceptance, it makes it oh so much sweeter.

(Btw, if you hav time this weekened, pop on messanger at some point. I'd love to dicuss this further with you, if you aren't too annoyed already. I'll be spending my free time writing anyway.)

[hugs you]

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I'm going to assume things got rough over there after I signed out of livejournal and got back to work.

For what it's worth, you didn't offend me at all, and I hope I didn't offend you.

Re: [hugs you]

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I had to leave the house and get some errands done, and when I got back, there were 16 messages from that thread in my email box.

I opened up yours and one other person's post. I don't have the stamina right now to open the others. I have no idea if they agree or disagree, or tell me that I have no business talking about fanfiction and the legalities because I'm talking out of my ass - just like they were. Ah well.

Agree with me, or not - just never tell me that my opinion is irrelevent because it's different from yours. (not you specifically)

[khek.livejournal.com]

But I just imagine, in my head, what some of the people I know could do in publishing; they're incredibly talented; and I want to tear my hair out.

I think part of the problem is that to get into the publishing world, you really have to know someone. Very few unsolicited manuscripts are published, while untalented celebrities can publish bad book after worse book. Publishers have teenagers and college students reading through their slush pile, and they really don't have the experience to pick out what's good. And most books go out of print quickly anyway...unless it's a well known author or a "celebrity", there's a run of a few thousand, then the book disappears.

Honestly, I think some stories are available longer and more immediately online.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

But...there are already some very talented writers - on my own flist, even, who are published, who started out writing fanfic (or at least, wrote it simultaneously with their personal original efforts).

You can't get a network going, if the network doesn't try to found itself, you know?

[sars.livejournal.com]

I understand where you're coming from, but maybe some of them aren't interested in a career in publishing. All the authors I know struggle to get anything published. Just because you could do it doesn't mean you want to.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Of course not. I know a vidder who's one of the most talented editors I've ever seen. But she doesn't live where the business is, in California, and she's not about to move to where her talents as an amazing editor can be utilized professionally, because that's not where her home is.

I get that. She uses it as a creative outlet - but man, from recent posts I've read on her LJ, fandom isn't the wonderful go-along-to-git-along place, either. You get the same sort of shit in the professions.

But one of my (admittedly uninformed, yet imflammatory views) is that, if you're not going to go for the brass ring and only remain the cloistered halls/sites of fandom, then really, stop belly-aching about how the Male Establishment treats you because you are involved in a "female" endeavor. Because it's going to remain a female endevour for as long as it's "behind the scenes", etc etc.

Sorry. I see a lot of rationalization going on about fanfiction's status. It sits firmly in a gray area. It's not illegal, because no one has said it's not: but it's not legal, because no one has said it isn't.

But really, that's another discussion. And I said I wasn't going to get into it. Apparently, I'm not qualified to speak about legalities since I'm not a lawyer and not well-versed in copyright law. This was, of course, because my POV differed from the person who's thread I commented on. But that's their right.

I'm not against Fanfic. I've never said I was. All I've been saying is that it's FOR FUN. It's a HOBBY. There's nothing wrong with a hobby.

[crazymadjo.livejournal.com]

Aww. There was drama, and I missed it? Damn.

[betacandy.livejournal.com]

I can totally see your point of view. And I also remember back when I was writing nothing but fanfiction. It started when I gave up screenwriting - my writing was so tainted by "is it marketable? will it sell" that it was just second-guessed crap. So I started writing fanfic BECAUSE I couldn't possibly think about its saleability.

It worked great. Got my head all cleared out. And then I kept on with just fanfic for YEARS. It was insecurity, pure and simple.

Now I still don't have the heart to try to write for publication (which is essentially what I went through with screenwriting that really took a lot out of me). So I cut it down the middle: I'm posting a novel online. I may or may not make money on it, but I fucking well intend to get some recognition for it. Who knows what'll come of it?

So I agree with you, even though I took a slightly different path. But I'm back to loving creating my own worlds and putting all my crazy shit into them, knowing someone who wants to could backward psychoanalyze me from it. It's a challenge I needed much more than I realized.