Thoughts on Fanfiction and Why I Love It · 10:26pm Jan 6th, 2014
So, 'Fanfiction'... That was certainly a word I had never heard of in common parlance, over two and a half years ago. And that's simply because before watching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, two and a half years ago, I never really joined any sort of fanbase. Yes, I had enjoyed and appreciated various different works: Anime, Games, Films, Fantasy Novels. Heck, I appreciated them enough to create whole campaigns with self-constructed classes and systems (and in my opinion balanced fairly well) in Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop games. That's how I had expressed my love of a medium, by sharing it with my friends through a creation of my own.
But through those years, never did I really pause to think about how deep and driving of a force those passions can be. They always seemed fleeting and were often over quickly and replaced by the next new thing that caught my fancy. I'd often just up and leave the idea behind after a while. The number of unfinished campaigns and unfulfilled characters, were just forgotten about. But that was fine. I had new things to focus on, new sources of inspiration.
So for years, I was in this perpetual state of being a fan of countless different works, though I never dared to really enter a fandom in a social or online sense. I had never had a reason to pay any heed to such things. After all, it was the shows, books, and films that were inspiring, not the people who were fanatics about it all the time. They just seemed to make annoying noise while I was trying to watch a movie in the movie theater. And that's how I continued to think of fans (very much skewed and unfairly, I know).
Over the years I stayed on the periphery of a number of fandoms (I was not even what one would consider a lurker). I was aware of their existence, and I had a coloured opinion of them. If anything though, I did pause to think it was quite amazing that so many works of art could have followings of so many people that appreciate their work in such a manner; enough to dress up as characters and such. While I couldn't quite understand those fans, I could glean a very deep appreciation for the creators of such art in the first place.
I think I subconsciously realized that what I wanted to do with my life was to have a part in some sort of creation—something that could inspire not only myself, but others as well. I remember thinking at the end of high school, “Okay, what should I do after school? Everyone else seems to have a plan.” So, in something of a panicked rush, I chose the first thing that came to mind. “Well, I've read hundreds of fantasy novels... I should be a fantasy novelist.”
And that's how I chose my dream... It took all of twenty seconds for me to reason that out and from then on I clung to it with some sort of death-grip, as it was the only thing to keep me afloat once I graduated high school.
Of course, with all such decisions... My goal lacked a certain depth and planning. So, for about five years I did little more than flounder into a university, become very unengaged by all the classes I took (save for a creative writing course), and then decide that I should really stop wasting money on taking courses I really didn't want to take. I didn't want to make a lot of money, I didn't want much, other than to be happy with what I was doing.
A couple years rolled by as I worked and enjoyed the company of friends of family, though a feeling of inadequacy began filtering in heavier and heavier with every passing moment. Out of desperation, I took another look at my dream. And there it was, in my mind's eye, shining even brighter than when I first found it, and I was clinging to it tighter than ever. Five years since I came up with that dream, and what did I have to show for it?
I looked about my apartment, amongst the bookshelves filled with numerous novels, games, plushies and cards, as if searching for something. And that's when I spotted a few dusty binders and notebooks—Old tabletop campaigns. There were more than I remembered. They were full of plans, bits of dialogue, crude storylines and fond memories. After flipping through them, I realized that I had actually done a lot of writing over the years, hundreds of pages... but I never really considered it actual writing. It was just cruddy, point-form, spur of the moment, tabletop stories, with gaping plot holes.
And it was shortly after that realization that my brother and I stumbled upon MLP:FiM, to give it a shot and see what the internet was fussing about. It was the first show that made me actually curious as to what others really thought about it and how they saw it. So, for the first time in my life, I entered a fandom as a lurker, to soothe that curiosity, and I was soon stunned by the quality works of art that the fans themselves were creating. I quickly realized just how skewed my own perception had been of fandoms, and I began to silently devour all these works of art. It was a lovely half-year to spend. Even if I spent a lot of it ignoring my dream to become a fantasy novelist, I distracted myself sufficiently enough with something that was genuinely inspiring to me.
It was around that time that I read something that was perhaps a breaking point for me. I read a fanfiction that made me wonder, “Can write something this good? Or not even this good... but something that makes even one single reader feel the way I feel now? Inspired...” The fic was good enough for me to finally make an account on EqD and leave a comment of thanks to the author for creating something so wonderful and inspiring. I got a comment of appreciative thanks in return, and it only served to further my desire to know the answer to that question.
Nervous as I'd ever been, I decided to take a stab at a contest a month later, and I got to work on it. I wrote a... not too great story, as a way to test the waters of the fanfic world. And it was quite the amazing experience. To my surprise, I got a couple supportive comments and I was encouraged. That was a first for me... Never before had I created something and gotten a response like that from random people I didn't know. It was an uplifting experience.
So I continued on and hammered out the idea for my first novel-length piece. I was aiming for one thing when coming up with the idea, I just wanted it to be an idea that I knew I wouldn't get bored with. After passing through a number of ideas, I finally found the one that felt right. It was an idea that I wanted to explore, regardless of whether or not others would read it. I was determined to write about it, if just to satisfy my own curiosity about whether writing a novel was something I could do or not.
With minimal expectations, I got writing, and imagine my surprise when I got readers leaving comments on the first chapter, telling me that they are interested and willing to read my work, and even looking forward to it. Heck, the very same author who inspired me to stop lurking, and get involved with writing, commented on my story. It seemed unreal to me, but I continued writing, because after even just writing one chapter, I found that I loved it. The comments only added to that feeling, and spurred me onward, they were encouraging in their anticipation, and kind in pointing out the mistakes I made.
I can say with certainty at this point, that writing fanfiction is certainly the best thing I have ever done in my life (from my very much biased point of view). It has allowed me to see a path that I can walk, to reach my goal. A path paved with inspiration, challenges, uncertainty, and determination. And it's all thanks to fanfiction.
If someone were to ask me what it is about this fandom that I find so stunning, it would be that it's the only place where I could see, so clearly, a place where people could develop the skills required to go from enthusiast to professional. I saw the myriad works of art, from beginner to master, as well as every stage between the two. What was once two worlds to me—the professional, and the non-professional. The latter of which I had been trapped inside—had become a single realm of prismatic beauty to chase my dreams within.
For a budding author such as I, there could be no better place to learn the skills that I need to pursue my dream, while also nurturing the inspiration that drives me to my dream in the first place, so that I might write professionally, with a mind full of wonderment. And I hope that perhaps I can cause even just one person feel that gripping awe that I once felt, and spur them to action—spur them to creation—And one day, I can look at world and know, for at least that one person, I brought some semblance of joy to them. That is my reason for writing, and the reason I shall continue to write.
Truly, fanfiction has changed me for the better. Thanks for reading,
~SilentBelle
I just write here cause its fun
Never before had I created something and gotten a response like that from random people I didn't know. It was an uplifting experience.
That was awesome for me too!
"Now, if only there was a mechanic fandom, I could figure out how the world of car repair worked and I could fulfil my childhood dream of hijacking a Ferrari"
Or something.
This is vaguely similar as to how I came into this fandom. The writers that got me wanting to write fim fictions were Pin Stroke, Wanderer D, Absolute Anonymous, and You. So r=thank you for you inspiration, I guess.
I totally and one hundred and twenty percent agree with this. In fact, the bit about you finding old plots you wrote and stuff is exactly what happened with this newer fic I Pmed you about. I know that feeling. Looking through your old stuff and finding a great idea. Nice blog, Silentbelle!
I know exactly what you mean. If you walk into a bookshop, you see all these anonymous names of the spines of hundreds of books. These people, who get paid for their words, they must be special people. Not like you or I.
But that's just because you're only seeing the finished product. Here, I can see the full spectrum, all the way from people for whom paragraphs are still alien and mysterious to, well, one fic in particular that may way be the most emotionally engaging and heart wrenching pieces of literature I have ever read. And there's everything in-between.
One thing that always makes me smile is when I come across a longish fic and can see improvement as it progresses. The writing in the first chapter is okay, but by the fifth or tenth chapter it's polished and by the end it's good.
1689971 Yes. That is why I love to follow incomplete fics. That's not something you can do with professional authors. The closest you can get is reading a saga as each book is released. But here, you get to read new chapters and interact with the author as they come out with it. It's such a unique experience. (Especially after all those years spent reading novels in a vacuum) You certainly don't get that sort of thing at a bookstore.
That was a nice little insight on your thoughts and experiances with this fandom and fandoms over all. You have said that you like fantasy and you mentioned tabletop campains and that makes me wonder if you ever played warhammer, if you dont mind me asking. But other then that keep following that dream of yours it is clearly working for you
1690022 Nope, never tried warhammer. One of my brothers plays it though and he recommends it. I've played, D&D 2nd through 4th edition, Shadowrun, Living Legends/PonyTales, D20 Modern, Starwars Saga, as well as a few others that slip my mind at the moment. I might try out Warhammer sometime with my brother, or maybe with my current group, after this campaign. We'll see where our whims lead us.
1690034 I had alot of fun with it while I still played, I dont play anymore since all the people I used to play with moved away or stoped. But it keept my intrest for a bit over 10 years and the battles was really fun even if I lost 95% of them, I guess strategy is not my special talent ;P
I actually had a very different introduction to fan fiction in general: I decided to write an entire movie screenplay as one of my first serious works as a novice writer, and polish it via editing and proofreading, all by myself.
What was the movie? A sequel to The Rescuers: Down Under, called The Rescuers: Incognito. I even made an extremely crude cover page
Because I was writing in a semi-movie script format, I forced myself to constantly think about where the characters were in relation to the other characters, and how to work out how characters could get from Point A to Point B as the plot demanded. It also got me thinking about the emotional atmosphere of the piece. It introduced the idea that a scene could have dramatic tension without any violence or even the threat of violence.
The exercise also re-inforced the concept of character, that certain characters behave in certain ways depending on factors unique to them, and that they will react differently to the same stimuli as a result. This could create dramatic tension as well.
That one piece of fan fiction honed core concepts that I took to heart as a practicing writer. And I now use those concepts every day in my works, both fan-fiction and non-fan-fiction. Thus, when I discovered fimfiction.net (after a failed attempt to get onto EqD using a blog of mine, and then a DeviantART account that went nowhere), it felt like the stars had aligned for me to "show the world" what I was ready to share.
This was the point where I discovered how important other people's opinions really are, at least in terms of critical thinking and self-analysis. My time on this site also made me consider the importance of promotion, especially self-promotion. There is so much more I have yet to learn, and the more I spend on fimfiction, the more excitedly I welcome that opportunity to learn and grow.
I hope this self-flashback entertains! It was good to walk down memory lane, so I could see how far I had come, and where I had started.
Sincerely,
Mr. Album
1690079 Oh, that's pretty neat. I never tried writing in a screenplay style before. That sounds pretty fun. Maybe the next movie I see that really catches me, I'll dabble in that. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try out a new style every now and then.
Thanks for sharing your story
1689971
I had a similar experience here recently reading three fics from the same author. The first was OKish, with reasonably believable characters and a well executed, if conventional, plot, but with a somewhat clumsy writing style; the second showed quite an improvement, with a far better writing style and better characters, but the plot was still conventional; the third kept the other improvements and added a less conventional, bolder plot, making for a great read.
I'm not sure what made me more satisfied, the stories or seeing the author improve. It's an amazing feeling that is far harder to get from formal, published works.
Man, my own story is... kind of less uplifting
I tend to actually specifically avoid fandoms because I can get really arrogant and argumentative if given the chance, but Party of One clips on YouTube led me to Cupcakes on EQD to see what all of the overreacting was about. I was unimpressed by the so-called 'traumatic' fanfic. Eventually, I poked around the EQD fanfiction archive for actual worthwhile stories to read, which became the inspiration to write my own.
Going from reading fanfiction to writing it wasn't a big deal for me. I've always been a big reader and a creative person; I actually wrote fanfiction for a certain SNES RPG back in the early days of the internet. Eventually the fanfiction evolved into collaborative forum RP, and then into various pen and paper games, meanwhile I always had personal projects that I would endlessly detail settings and characters for while never actually getting around to write chapters.
I think it was Spark that inspired me to actually write Sharing the Night, because I liked the idea of TwiLuna and Twilicorn, and Spark ended with so much more to say about both. I originally submitted to EQD in a rush to get in before Luna Eclipsed aired, but got rejected. I kept working on it, still not really part of the community until a few months later when I noticed more and more stories that EQD posted were being hosted here on fimfiction. I signed up, posted four chapters, prettied them up to get them on EQD and then promptly disappeared for eight months
1690079
Oh wow, did you actually write in with the format and everything?
Screenplay formatting baffles me to this day. It's just so... bizarre
1690304
I disappeared for the majority of a year to work on my current story, My Little Poem. It was worth the effort, even though it's still pretty much an unknown at this time. So while I take the time to refine the next chapter or two, I have learned to hawk my story around to groups and/or individuals that may be interested in what is currently published, so that at least the word connected to it gets out, since a piece of work without effort put into promotion means a lack of audience, which results in a (relatively) failed piece; of course, relative only to each author's individual definition of the term "failure".
I am satisfied that my story has generated a little discussion about certain matters, and I do what I can to understand how and why people react to the story as it currently stands. At the same time, I always encourage frank and honest discussion about it, since I learn something new with each view point. Hopefully, at some point, that magical barrier to those magical 15 minutes of fame will be broken, slowly but surely. Tortoise Beats Hare, after all, and I intend to win that race!
Sincerely,
Mr. Album
EDIT: I removed some shameless self-promotion. I have developed some bad habits X(
1690325
The entire idea behind screenplay writing is that it is the most blunt and direct form of telling a story: "X person is here, and does Y action. Z, A and B persons see X person doing Y action, and react in C, D and E manner, which leads to X person reacting to Z, A and B's reactions," and so on and so forth.
It literally can be that dry, and in all honesty it is sometimes better when it IS that dry.
The idea behind a screenplay is that it conveys the information on the scene, characters and environment so that ANY person can take that screenplay and come to their own visual interpretation of those elements in the story, and figure out on their own how those elements connect together to tell a story. It's an outline on steroids, or can be.
1690406
Oh, I understand the simplicity of the content, I'm more referring to the actual agreed-upon formatting they have for screenplays:
smithcreekstudios.com/smc/screenplay_formatting.jpg
Dialogue in a too-narrow column down the middle, psuedo-centered labels that aren't... I can't help it, it's just so ugly.
I wish I had something neat and insightful to say... but I don't.
I admit, I do find you to be somewhat inspiring, SilentBelle. Every time I read a blog or story of yours, it makes me want to get back into writing.
Might I ask where you find your passion/drive to write as much as you do?
Wow, I must say, that''s quite an impressive (and possibly novel-worthy, if ya add all THE DRAMATIC DETAILS AND SUBPLOTS) story you have, the lifelong journey of "Who am I?" finally realized after years of almost senseless searching. Great stuff.
Being a 17 year old in his Junior year of school, I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I first watched the Star Wars trilogy when I was 3 on VHS and was utterly consumed by its characters, setting, and story. George Lucas, for all the hate he gets, has crafted a marvelous universe that is and forever will be unmatched by any fandom or popularity. Why it's basically a known fact!
Anyway, away from my film inspirations (lets not even BEGIN about my David Lynch and superhero obsession), I must say that this site and its fandom and such has improved my drive to write, even if what I've written isn't over 100,000 words yet, not that quantity is important.
My problem and fear with the future (college classes in creative writing and a Minor in Theatre) is that, with the three ideas I have in my checklist of great ideas I've fallen in love with that I'm determined to turn into books, the dream will never come true, that I won't ever get over the slump of worrying that the story (not fanfiction, but even this, my OCD, has prevented me from writing without fear or want for it all to be perfect) will not be what is imagined in my head...
It's childish, I know. Maybe I shouldn't blame anything on it except myself, in the sense that I'm obsessed and overcome with paralyzing grief over words, but rather the fact I can't just get out of the slumps I get into right away. It's like I need some sort of huge inspiration or whatever to get me to continue. For example, my first (and still unfinished) story What We Haven't Had has grown so close to my heart, and I was on a roll with the first 7 chapters, but once chapter 8 got around to being written, of course it had to be the one with the big long flashback and plot twists in the climax, I was so afraid of not really telling what I wanted with the story, as if I couldn't pull it all off. But then after 6 months of not writing a single word of that story I'm now able to write a bit of it more, 3,000 words closer to my goal, only after a friend read what I had and wanted me to finish, giving me said inspiration to try again.
I'm so afraid of writing. I'm afraid that, even though my "great" story ideas for my three Great American Novels are all written down, I'm so terrified that, if I don't actually start writing it now, when I'm young a la that guy that wrote Eragon, I'll never in my life finish the stories, and I'll never be able to touch others with what the characters and moments and stories I hold so dear and wish to tell.
I know this is all kinda depressing, but I'm happy for you, Belle. It's such a great thing, really! And I must thank you for all that you've done for me in your critiques, especially considering poetry is nowhere near my strong suit. You've given me some form of hope, no matter how small it may seem to me now. Thank you. For sharing. For being. Heck, for reading this.
Love always and forever,
-Ghost
1691054 My passion... hmm. It comes from reading stories that have taken my breath away, stories that made me feel fear, stories that have caused me to sob uncontrollably, and stories that remind me why life is so beautiful in the first place. I remember those times when I felt such emotions and I want others to share in that feeling, because I know they are worth feeling and have meaning. I want to know if I am able to do so.
I have said before that writing is an adventure for me, and I like to share it. That's pretty much at the core of my writing, the basic drive to it. Each story has a different reason for being written, and I enjoy the process of story writing. Add to that, some people enjoy the stories as well, and I have a perfect motivation to keep writing.
Though, I will be quick to admit that it did take a few years of feeling hollow and disappointed before I really understood how much I enjoyed writing and found the drive to do so.
1691407 Oh, I understand that fear of not being able to write what you really wanted to. And I found that was part of what plagued me when I first thought up the dream to be a novelist. But I came to understand after those years that I had too high of expectations, and I really didn't know what to expect from being a novelist, or what my stories would really say before I had written them. I discovered I could only really begin to write a story when I divorced myself of those presuppositions and took each chapter as step in the journey, and discovered the story a bit at a time...
Of course, everyone has their own writing styles and this sort of unknown journey, regarding each chapter with an almost child-like wonderment, is a style that works well for me, and probably won't for everyone.
1691450 I may as well try it, as I've always despised the classic but "optimal" writing figure (outliine, rough draft, first draft, second draft, revisions, third draft, revisions, final copy) even though it's helped me shape my essays and such, it would never truly help me in creative writing. Maybe I should try seeing it as that, a journey. An experience I myself am rushing headlong into along with the characters, knowing not what tumultuous adventures we'll all embark on...
Hmm...
Maybe this fanfiction thing, like you said, could help with the crafting, the almost-perfection of story building.
For some reason, you've helped me yet again. Thank you.
As my character Samael says in What We Haven't Had,
"It'll be just another perfect moment in our almost-perfect lives."
Thanks again. This was, well, perfect.
And on an unrelated note, I apologize I missed your offer for selling "Scion". I wanted to, but alas was too late. Ah well. It shall be my mission to support you someday, lest I am struck by lightning!!!!
Love always and forever,
-Ghost
1691465 Well, I do have 2 extra copies ordered... so I can add you to the list :)
1691472 REALLY!? How much is it and how do I pay?
1691472 Speaking of, do you have any idea when those order/payment details will come through to us? Not trying to sound pushy, just wondering.
1692285 I have them in queue to be printed. My guess is a week. I'll contact everyone when I get them.
1692347 Thank you.
1691424 Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I guess I'm just still in the phase of:
As you put it, anyways. Guess I just need time.
I for one, love fantasy stories! They're awsome!
1805288 That's great. I'm always on the lookout for great fantasy stories. Feel free to toss me a recommendation if you feel like it. I know I certainly like to blog about whatever stories I think are worth a read.
1805298 Ok! I will if i find any, IDK if my main story is fantasy, but i think it is of you count mlp as fantasy (i do) If you'd like, you can decide here. It'd be an honor to hear your thoughts on it. And I'll be sure to read some of your stories!
1805345 Well, my pride and joy is my Scion of Chaos series. The first story is in the style of Children's Fantasy, while the sequel A Heart of Change is a more action-y Teen Fantasy.
1805358 Awesome! I'll read it! I've been getting tons of awesome fics as of late, plus, I too love old school RPG's and I wanted to add that same kinda story effect as those games into my story.