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30 Mar, 2007

Are You a Fan of Fan Fiction?

Posted by: Rachel In: Polls

I’ve never warmed up to fan fiction. In fact, I hate it with every ounce of my being. As a Star Wars fan, I’ve read my fair share of fan fiction, both professionally written and not so professionally written. In horror, I’ve watched as “The Fett” (aka, Boba Fett) lost all semblance of cool and get knocked down from the height of mysterious bad guy to regurgitated, spineless Sarlacc snack, thanks to a fan written short story.

don’t make me do my brotherSome mysteries should never be resolved or delved into. It goes the same for anime as it does for sci-fi, at least to me.

Fan fiction is a home wrecker. It’s the stuff that comes between an author or writer’s true intent and what we as fans think we want to read. Fan fiction disrespects original plot lines and destroys stories either on purpose, or by sheer dumb luck.

Fan fiction does one (or more) of three things to a story:

  • It tries, and fails, to give depth and background to a story or character that probably shouldn’t be explained
  • Pairs people together that were never originally gay/ an item
  • Expounds beyond the original storyline to keep the story/characters alive

Aside from the above three reasons on why I think fan fiction is a plaque o’er the land of anime, most of what I’ve read is just plain bad. Bad grammar, bad punctuation, bad word usage, bad plot development, bad story, bad whatever, it’s there. The worst is yaoi fan fiction. I can’t even read a yaoi fan fic all the way through. Taking two or more characters who hate each other and writing a story so they get down and dirty together just isn’t right. The same goes for hetero pairings. But, in my opinion, yaoi fan fic seems more rabid and desperate to me than any other kind of fan fic.

I’m continually baffled as to why anyone would want to write such crap, but then again no one is forcing me to read it. My thoughts are, however, if you want to write, make up your own world, your own characters, your own set of rules. Don’t twist someone else’s hard wrought story into what you want; that’s not fair. Get your own toys and destroy those. Leave the boys of Advent Children alone and quit trying to make every male character gay, for chrissakes.

Oddly, some of the fan fic parodies are worth reading for a laugh. These fan fics make blatant fun of themselves and are more of a homage than a hostile takeover. I’ve read a few Hellsing fan fics that made me smile and brightened my day. Other than the parody fan fics, the rest of fan fic blows.

David also had a really good point about anime fan fiction. He said that fan fiction for anime makes no sense since it’s such a visual medium. Doujinshi (fan drawn manga) makes more sense than a lengthy, boring and sometimes pornographic story. I agree with him on that. Ironically, I don’t have an issue with fan doujinshi, unless it’s yaoi featuring characters from a pre-existing series. I figure, if you can draw that much and that well, hell you deserve to be creative, to a degree, with a story. Besides, it’ll take longer to screw up a story with a hand drawn doujinshi than with a typed fan fic.

Has anyone read a fan fic that was as good as or better than the original anime? Do you appreciate a good fan fic yaoi or does the thought of someone mucking around with the plot line of your fave anime/ manga make your blood boil?

18 Responses to "Are You a Fan of Fan Fiction?"

1 | ephemient

March 30th, 2007 at 12:20 pm

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Chasing the Dragon was at least as good as any volume of the GSG manga.

Before It All is the most reasonable Alucard×Walter I’ve read. Not great, but not bad.

I do think it’s a bit unfair to consider doujinshi above fanfiction. Fanfiction has a lower barrier to entry, so there’s a lot more of it (and a lot more crap), but there’s good writers who can’t/don’t want to draw.

Besides, no work of art stands alone. This is just a bit more obvious in the case of fanfiction and doujinshi.

And the number of “desparate” (non-sensical, non-canon) hetero pairings I’ve seen greatly outnumbers the number of yaoi/yuri I’ve seen. Maybe your experience is different.

2 | Kidan

March 30th, 2007 at 12:44 pm

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Frankly, I enjoy Fan Fiction a lot. And I’m actually active on a Star Wars FF board.

FanFic can continue the story. It can expand the story. It can take the story in ways that the author didn’t intend - and that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.

Of course there is a lot of drivel and tripe out there in the FanFic world, but there’s also a lot of authors who are as good, if not better than, published pro-authors.

Truthfully, I don’t see any difference at all between a doujinshi or a fanfic or even a fan film. They are all effectively the same thing. A fan continuing the story in ways they want to see the story go. And here’s a blog entry in defense of FanFiction: http://swiftywriting.blogspot.com/2005/11/in-defense-of-fanfiction-guestblogger.html

3 | Rachel

March 30th, 2007 at 2:58 pm

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@ephemient, after continually being burned throughout the nineties by horrific fan fiction, I’ve become too averse to it all even make a serious effort to find good fan fic. I think David has had a similar experience (I believe we actually bonded over it).

As to considering doujinshi above fan fic; if I had to choose which was better than the other, then yes I would choose fan fic doujinshi over written fan fic. However, I rarely, if ever, make an effort to find and read fan fic derived doujinshi.

Perhaps my bias is one that stems from being over exposed to poor editing, bad word usage, and/or wordiness and lack luster style, in terms of writings. I’m a snob like that. If fan fic doujinshi is poorly drawn and has a crappy story, you bet it gets the same treatment as all written fan fic does; trash time!

But you’re right about fanfic having a low entry point and being an over abundance. I’m glad you’ve been able to find some gems in all the coal!

4 | Rachel

March 30th, 2007 at 3:15 pm

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@Kidan, I just don’t like non-canon stories. Somebody took the time to invent and develop a world and unless they collaborate closely with another author/writer/artist/producer, I don’t seem to be able to enjoy it as much.

I look at books that are co-written or have been “inspired” by an author as prime examples that even collaborations/ inspirations can, and do, fail. Frank Herbert’s son, Brian, is NOT Frank Herbert. IMO, his work is wordy, rambling and distractive. I consider his books on Dune to be non-canon fan fic. Gasp! Blasphemy?! No, truth. The man’s own son can’t do the Dune series justice, why would other authors be any better at someone else’s? Once again, my opinion; I’m a canon snob 100%. I would have killed to see the Dune series continued, but alas, not only was it not meant to be, it was meant to be done poorly…

I do see a difference in doujinshi, fan fic, and film. All are different mediums with their own unique challenges. As ephemient succinctly stated, Fanfiction has a lower barrier to entry, so there’s a lot more of it (and a lot more crap)… Writing is easy (it really is). Anyone can do it who has a grammar school education. But doing it well (that there’s the hard part) is another, pardon the pun, story. Drawing is more difficult, time consuming, and visible. I would imagine that people hone their drawing skills more oft than people hone their writing skills. I could be full of crap but that’s my view on it.

5 | DrmChsr0

March 30th, 2007 at 9:23 pm

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Hey, Boba Fett returned to kill that Sarlacc and retrieve his weapons and armor. That’s badass.

Also, he was the first to survive being IN a Sarlacc.

Well, officially.

But anyways, I have some really odd storylines I’d want to write down, but for lack of time, effort and a fear of wrecking the series, it’s still in my head. I daresay you won’t like what I might do (it involves killing off characters I like very very much.).

And on the note of good fanfics, well, other than some TYPE-MOON fanfics I felt were really good, I think a lot of them was bleh, or real horrible.

6 | Amanz

March 31st, 2007 at 1:02 am

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I’ve been a big fan of fan fiction. I got into it after I got to read a few really well written stories. Although I have run into my share of bad ones I’ve found its very easy to spot them and I just stop reading the second I can’t understand what the person it trying to get across to me.

7 | Rachel

March 31st, 2007 at 10:11 am

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@DrmChs0. yeah, yeah, I know, but then some dumb ass wrote about his background and how he used to be an imperial trooper, or something to that effect. Weak. Every time I thought they’d leave the Fett alone, some other jerk wad would take away a tiny bit of his mystique; he died by degrees IMO.

@Amanz, fan fic isn’t my thang, but I’m glad you get enjoyment from it. Is your ability to sense crappy fan fic a gift or a learned trait?

8 | Nick Delmont

April 3rd, 2007 at 12:21 pm

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Not a fan of fan fiction. Most of it is fetish. Like the girls of School Rumble having a
massive orgy or something. And most of the non-creepy/non-kinky ones are poorly written.

9 | Laquandus

April 4th, 2007 at 2:33 pm

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I have my share reading bad fics also I read very good one. It depend on the author who respect the original source

10 | Rachel

April 4th, 2007 at 3:34 pm

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@Nick Delmont, finally, someone who can relate to my experiences. I guess I’ve just had bad luck with what I read. Is that the case with you?

@ Laquandus, I swear, everybody else is far braver than me! I salute all who wade through crappy fan fic to dive for the shining pearls (even though I never would). I spend most of my time wading through crappy fan art. Maybe I just don’t have the stamina to go through fan art and fan fic.

11 | mochi

April 9th, 2007 at 6:48 pm

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I would tend to agree with you, Rachel, that most anime fan fiction is bad.
In fact, I haven’t read one yet which I have liked. In addition to the
list above, I find that the worst offenders tend to add strange extra
characters (perhaps representations of themselves and friends?).

I haven’t come across any parodies that I like. However, I do agree that
parody is a good vehicle for fan fiction since canon is not a primary concern.
I have read some decent science fiction parodies. Also, there are some short
films which can be fun…Hardware Wars had its moments (the princess’ hair buns
and the wookie monster)…while I thought Spaceballs was so-so, I did like the
name “Pizza the Hut”.

For me, the only fan fiction which has some good stories are the ones dealing
with Sherlock Holmes. There are some good parodies and pastiches around…some
have even been adapted for film, like “The Seven Percent Solution” (though I
preferred the written version).

12 | Reirish

May 12th, 2007 at 9:48 pm

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Not every fanfic ic bad! Some of them are good..

It depends on the author usually, but if you want to choose a good fanfic, make sure you re
-ad the summaries since it reflected what is the story about… sometimes the reviews also matter..
‘coz the more the reviews.. the better the story is..

I know that some fanfic had this yaoi pairing, well if you don’t like it, why’d you read it?
Just left the story if you found out there’s a yaoi pairing..

I’m also like you at the first place.. I also hate yaoi pairings at the 1st time, but now I don’t care waht he hek
about it…

Or, youcould make your own fanfic, that way you don’t have to read yaoi pairings again^^

13 | saberai

July 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm

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First thing, if you really read good enough is to notice these two words: FAN and FICTION. It’s fiction based on the fan(’s) perspective. There are some good fics out there. I do, however agree that some fanfics do suck (i.e. the fanbitching station web-site). It depends on the feedback from the readers and the maturity level of the author.

Ooohrrr…maybe you’re talking junk because YOU can’t come up with a really good one yourself. Prove me if I’m wrong. If that person is truly a fan of a particular anime, it shouldn’t suck so hard-uh,bad. Good fanfic authors warns readers if the characters are going to be too much or out of characters and they’re giving their best shot st it. It’s not like bad fanfics are purposely written for you to be miserable!

Here’s a tip: Read only the fics of the anime you like instead of random reading and complain how much it sucks. ‘Kay?

14 | Rachel

July 9th, 2008 at 4:36 pm

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@saberai, I don’t like, or believe in, fan fiction, why would I write it? I personally detest it, but so what? I can talk for days, and days about how wretched it is, but that doesn’t change the fact other people like it. Does that mean those people suck? No, fan fiction sucks. That’s an opinion.

As to the authors who are giving fan fic their best shot and then post it online for the millions of fans to see, surely they’re aware they’re going to be critiqued, and critiqued harshly. I personally get lambasted for what I write, but it’s the risk people run when they post stuff on the internet.

But getting back to reading fanfics of series I like- no, nope, never going to happen. I don’t like fan fic in general and reading fanfic of something I like would be tantamount to watching all my fave characters be lined up for the firing squad.

15 | Saberai

July 13th, 2008 at 1:51 am

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Well, it IS “fiction” after all.^-^

16 | fant

July 19th, 2008 at 9:37 pm

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Hmm you do raise quite a few good points, however I see you are talking about anime fanfiction mostly. I agree with you that because anime is such a visual medium, trying to bring the same feelings into text will ultimately fail (medium wise of course).
However, fanfiction is one step to just being creative. I can’t blame anyone for trying to put some effort into creating something, and using established characters might be easier to start with than coming up with your own world and new characters all at once.
I have read some good fanfiction out there, based on other things than anime (famous books, tv series, movies… anything), and yes, most of them are filled with typos, mistakes, ludicrous ideas, and whats not. Not everyone can afford editors, or find kind enough people to give them feedback before posting on the Internet. So what? sometimes, I just need a fix of my favorite tv series, something new, and some fans have pretty good ideas to expand a world, and it makes for great bed time reading. Plus, it’s free :)

17 | Saya

July 20th, 2008 at 9:53 am

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I think fanfiction is pretty harmelss. If you like it you read it, if you don’t then don’t read it. I don’t read fanfiction obsessively, though I have read some that are beautifully written- the author understands the story and the characters and it shows. Often a fanfic can show another side to the story or develop it. I also really like some doujinshi for the same reasons. Well, most of the time :P

18 | Rachel

July 29th, 2008 at 10:02 am

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@fant, editors make the world of literature a better place indeed. Perhaps there are websites, much like Deviant Art, where budding writers can find an editor or a friendly critique.

And while I agree using established characters are no doubt easier to write with, I still can’t get behind the idea of fan fiction. But, meh, you gotta start somewhere, and while I think it stinks, it’s cool some people enjoy it!

@Saya, it is harmless, I agree. Until it gets in the hands of publishers! Nooooo, the entire male cast of Advent Children is not involved in a yaoi love fest!! Naaa, just kidding! To each their own and may it always stay that way.

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