Fan Fiction: discussion from Concellation 2021

 On Facebook I am attending Concellation 2021, an online convention to make up for all the conventions that were cancelled in 2020. (I'm quite enjoying it!)

One of the recent discussions was about fan fiction, and authors who strongly discourage it (and why).

Much good discussion ensued. 

Fan fiction is something I don't worry about. I do think about it, from time to time. Used to even write it, a long, long, LONG time ago.

Personally, I am not opposed to fan fiction. It serves a useful purpose for the developing writer (says she who has written fanfic in the past, clandesinely, of course). I don't object to fanfic of my own works by fanfic authors.

That said, if/when there is ever fanfic created for my works, I can't read it. (No matter whether I want to or not.)  This is to legally protect my Intellectual Property (IP), and maybe someone else's, maybe. But mostly mine.

For example, what if I write the next story in a series features certain characters, plots, etc, and it turns out some smart cookie dreamt up the same idea and wrote fanfic of it? If I was in the habit of reading fanfic, there's a good chance that feelings would get hurt. Doesn't matter if I saw the story or not. If I read fanfic, the possibility exists. So, my policy is I can't read any fanfic of any of my works. Sorry.

You want to write fan fiction of my work? Go ahead. For the most part, I will not mind (with caveats. Your work causes me legal or personal problems, then me an my attorneys will start paying attention). In my experience, fan fiction is mostly harmless, and could be considered a form of flattery.

But do not ask me to read it. Certainly don't ask me to bless it, or verify it or even acknowledge it. Keep it to yourself and may it bring you personal joy.

_____________________
Her Grace has seen the ugly side of fanfic. Don't be those guys.

Fan-fiction: what it means for the professional author

My moment of parasol.

About five years ago fellow author Gail Garriger wrote a thoughtful post about "Fan-Fic, Fan-Make & Other Issues". Worth a read, since she's so very good at putting things in a genteel manner. The reason I mention it now is because some writerly friends of mine were discussing that post the other day.

Also, I reference to this first because of all the authorial opinions I've read (JK Rowling, GRR Martin, et al), this is one of the best-phrased.

I confess I haven't thought much before about fan-fiction, and the impact on a professional author. Perhaps I should. After all, I plan on being very prolific as an author over the next fifty years and that's bound to attract several fans, some of whom will be inspired by my works.

Now I've got to consider fan-fic from the point of a pro author. For me, this is something new.

I confess to a teenage indulgence in fan-fic, both the reading and writing thereof. As I realised it was taking precious writing time away from my personal projects, I weaned myself off it. (note: any fan-fiction I ever wrote was pre-Internet and has never been posted online. I kept it rather personal. Any existing copies are handwritten in notebooks and are probably mouldering away in some cardboard box in my parents' basement.)

Will I ever write fan-fiction again? Most likely not. I've got far too many novels of my own clamouring to be written.

Fan-fic was fun. Fan-fic was great. It allowed me to play in someone else's created universe, especially during a time when book releases were a year or more apart. It was good training during my apprentice years in some aspects of the craft. But my dalliance with fan-fic was from the view of a fan. First and foremost in a fan's heart is love of someone else's created world. That's what drives most of fan-fiction.

It's the fraction of fan-fiction driven by other motivations that have caused me to put some thought into this subject now.

Several years ago I was entranced with the thought that someone would want to write fan-fic of my works. I considered it a potential compliment. Had I inspired a reader enough for them to want to spend more time in the worlds I created? Did I ignite a creative spark within them? To me, it was a form of flattery.

My attitude is changing.

In 2012 LiveJournaler "Oh No They Didn't!" featured a post with several authors' opinions regarding fan-fiction. General consensus: opposed to various degrees. I see their point, especially from the professional author's point of view.

As for fan-fiction derived from my novels and characters--my thoughts? I like Gail's attitude. If anything has been written regarding anything in my creative sphere (worlds, characters, storylines) that I didn't write, I can't read it. Don't ask me to read your fan fic, don't post it somewhere I am likely to come across, don't email/post/sing it to me. I can't know about it.

And by all means, certainly do not make a profit from it. If anyone with legal financial interest in my creative works (i.e.: my agent, my publisher, my estate, etc) comes across fan-fiction (or unauthorised anything, really) based on said creative works that has created profit, you can bet there will be some legal action going down. You're not just dealing with me. You're dealing with everyone who is supported by my writing. And they may not be as nice as I am.

Writing fiction is my job. I work so many hours a day at it in return for some financial compensation. This financial compensation buys food, pays school tuition and more.

I am happy that my books have sparked an ember of joy in your hearts. That's why I published. But if you are so inspired to write, and you are driven to profit, I recommend you do as I did and seek to profit from your own 100% original works.

__________________________
Her Grace must now let the cat inside.

Such a fan...

Have you ever read fan fiction?  If not, I recommend you sample some. I'll wait while you do:

fanfiction.net
Wattpad fan fiction
Fan fiction on iTunes
Fan fiction on Goodreads
Fan fiction on DeviantArt

Aw heck, just google "[your favourite fandom] fan fiction".  B'lieve me, there's plenty out there. Rule 34c states, "If it exists, there is fan fiction of it."

Anyhoo, fan fiction are stories written in the imagined worlds of other authors.  Frex, Harry Potter, Star Trek, My Little Pony and more. While much of it is written by some very amateur writers, some of it is amazingly well-written. Masterfully so. (More of my thoughts on fan fic.)

The one thing that unites these apprentices and unpublished pros is a solid love for the world in which they write. This love definitely shows in their work. Some of the best writing out there is found among the fan ficcers. These writers are writing the books they want to read.  Granted, they're writing in the universes of books they already love, but writing more of the books that they want to read.

I had a brief conversation a couple of months ago with an agent. She was looking for writers who say about their own works, "It's the book I've always wanted to read."

Yeah.  We've all got books like that. We've all got favourite books, ones we read over and over and over, of which we never grow tired.  (Then we write fan fiction of it.)

But sometimes an author wants a particular kind of book. They want a book that scratches all the itchy spots. When the itch becomes too great, they write That Book, the book they really want to read.

I feel like that about Of The Dark.  I feel like that about Her Endearing Young Charms and Let Sleeping Gods Lie.

They tick all my boxes. They quench all my thirsts. These are the books I love so much I had to write them.

Does that mean I write self-fan-fiction?

_____________________
Her Grace can't wait to see what kind of fan fiction gets written about her stuff, and what kind of angles the fan ficcers (fictioneers?) will take.  Meanwhile, go read others' fan fiction. It's fun.

P.S.: Happy EOFY, fellow Australians.

My fanfic novel redyed: "Savark"

When I was young, I was awfully fond of the pulp novel series Doc Savage.  So, during my screenwriting days at university (right after I did Star Trek), I wrote a screenplay for a Doc Savage movie.

It needed doing.

(Alas, Conde Nast has the rights, and they're very particular about rights.)  So I thought, why not rework it into a novel? So I changed the names, tweaked a few facts, took the Science Wizard himself and made him a real wizard.

Thus I cranked out a novel.  I still didn't have a good mastery of the craft, but I was improving. Probably helped that I'd already written a full screenplay, with developed characters, etc.

Nearly fifteen years later, I idly toy with the idea, realising that this novel really should be a steampunk, should I ever choose to rewrite it again.  I love the characters, think the plot may have merit, and could definitely do a much better job of it now.

While at university, I composed a soundtrack for the screenplay. (It's long, like seven minutes.) It's still one of my favouritest pieces.



_________________________
Her Grace will always be fond of the Man of Bronze.  Of all her early novels, this one stands the best chance of a rewrite.

My Fanfic Novel: "The Great Adelaide"

After the heartbreak of "Legacy of Leporis" (Alas, I killed you for the wrong reasons), I thought sixteen-year-old me would soothe her soul as only a teenage girl could by throwing herself headlong into Mary Sue Fan Fiction.

Which fandom? Why, all of them!  No holds barred, forget about timelines and worlds and you name it.  Escapist self-gratifying fiction at its best!  Extra exclamation points!!!

Sure, I told people I was writing a novel. Didn't tell 'em about what (in hopes of preventing another Leg-of-Lep debacle). By gum, I was writing this for me!

And boy, did it feel good! Filled several notebooks with the sucker.  Only came in about 40K words, but who cares?  It wasn't as if I was going to publish it.

And I never will.

So, in celebration of a completely unpublishable book (in any form, even on fanfic websites) written just for me, here's a whole lotta pictures of Mary Sue stuff:

______________________________
Her Grace thinks fanfic has its place. It's cathartic, it's fun, it explores ideas that novels never covered and had she had the Internet as a child, Her Grace would have nursed a fanfic addiction in her wild youth.

Being a "Real" Writer

A friend of mine had a good cry on my shoulder the other day. Being a writer, she works hard on her craft, and has gained a pretty good mastery over it for her needs.

Her source of misery? A non-traditional reader's comments disparaging her chosen field.

See, she writes fan-fiction. She's really good at it, having several novel-length works under her belt, and a bit of a fandom of her own.

I love fan-fiction. Used to write fan-fiction as a way of developing my own mastery of the craft. (Alas, I don't have the time now.)

Fan-fiction is a good tool for working on one's craft.

1. The love is already there. To write really good stuff, one must love what one is writing: the characters, the world, etc.

2. Instant fan base. You wanna write Snape slash? There's someone out there that wants to read it.

3. Quick feedback. Readers of fan-fic will respond to your posted works, with everything from "I loved this!" to detailed critiques. Snag a few good beta readers, and your mastery of the craft grows in leaps and bounds.

So why does fan-fiction have a bad rap? Its biggest critics claim it's "derivative and unoriginal".

Okay, granted, fan-fiction writers are borrowing characters created by other writers. Unless the fan-ficcers plan on passing off these characters as their own, I don't see anything wrong with this.

But the rest of the story? Pure originality. Fan-fiction writers take characters and develop them. They delve into areas that the original writers didn't cover (for whatever reason) They come up with new plots. They explore the unexplored territories.

Sounds like being a television writer. They're given characters and a situation and even settings and told to come up with a new plot each week.

Only difference is that television writers get paid.

Another argument some people use against fan-fiction: "If you didn't get paid for it, it's not real writing."

You know, I've heard this one a dozen times from lots of people who aren't being paid to write. I have yet to hear it from a paid writer. I'm not sure why that is.

So it's a law that fan-fiction writers cannot earn a profit from their fan-fiction. After all, the rights to the characters belongs to their creators, and if any money is to be made, it must go to those who hold the rights.

One could argue that fan-fiction itself is illegal. But authors tend to turn a blind eye for the most part. Fan-fiction is one of the most sincerest forms of flattery.

Enough about the legalities; more about the craft.

Writing is writing. Every writer wants to become a better writer--that much they have in common. Why they write, that diverges. Some write for themselves, some write for small audiences, and some want to write for bigger audiences. Some love writing fan-fiction for an audience that pays in whuffie and adoration. Others prefer writing fiction with commercial potential (and comes with ca$h).

To say that fan-fiction isn't "real writing" because it borrows established characters or doesn't turn a profit shows true ignorance of the writing craft.

A writer writes because they want to. The real payday of writing is not whether or not you get paid, but if you entertain your audience--whomever they may be.

So my friend knows this. Intellectually, logically, she knows this. But her heart wanted approval.

For the most part, she gets approval from her traditional audience, and well she should. But when someone who isn't of her traditional audience asks her if she's a writer, she told them she was. That seemed to impress tem and when they wanted to see something of what she'd written, she gave them a sample of her work, and, well...

One can't please the whole world. Be happy with the few one can please, and above all, please oneself first.