That's not a bad point. A lesbian Firefly fanfic video wouldn't be half bad, particularly if Saffron was also in that episode.
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Fanfiction: Good or Bad??
- Thread starter Devora
- Start date
That's not a bad point. A lesbian Firefly fanfic video wouldn't be half bad, particularly if Saffron was also in that episode.
Kit
Maester
I once heard a man explain (when asked why the fascination with girl-on-girl), that with standard porn, he only really wants to look at 50% of that equation. With two women, there's twice as much girl to look at. I would venture that for some women, the interest in slash is similar.
I have been reading a little manga lately, and my my... the places that can lead. Japanese graphic novels have MULTIPLE GENRES of male x male erotica, all divvied up according by exactly how explicit you want it and numerous other categories. The largest audience for it is women.
I have been reading a little manga lately, and my my... the places that can lead. Japanese graphic novels have MULTIPLE GENRES of male x male erotica, all divvied up according by exactly how explicit you want it and numerous other categories. The largest audience for it is women.
Weaver
Sage
Yeah, what he said...
I'm sure this will come as a shock to some of you, but I have no objections to fan art. Even when terribly inaccurate ('cause it's not as if all professional cover art on novels is accurate, either), it isn't misrepresenting the characters the way words written about them by someone else are.
Zero Angel
Auror
See I find bad fan visual art as objectionable (if not more so) than bad fan written art. But I was an art major for a while there in the 00s and I think my primary objection is that it is easier to consume visual art than written art.
hyluvian
Dreamer
When it's used to help you get through a rut because you can't drag yourself back to your original piece that you've been working on, or perhaps the writer is showing their devotion to a certain set of characters, or hell if you're trying to get into an established series with multiple authors (a la Dragonlance, comic books, etc) then there's nothing wrong.
But if 50 shades of Grey happens..... you must die.
But if 50 shades of Grey happens..... you must die.
Mindfire
Istar
Slight tangent, but it relates. What do you think of this picture? Do you think of it as bad fan art? Are they making a mockery of the original? And is it a valid thing for them to do?
I think that's more a parody or a joke than "fan art".
Zero Angel
Auror
Slight tangent, but it relates. What do you think of this picture? Do you think of it as bad fan art? Are they making a mockery of the original? And is it a valid thing for them to do?
There is a theory that the Mona Lisa is Leonardo imagining himself as a woman. Maybe this was in response to that.
The painting is supposed to be a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy merchant...
Zero Angel
Auror
Yes, that is the accepted, traditional viewpoint and I'm not saying it's wrong. But there are a lot of alternative theories out there, including the one I mentioned. It is plausible that the parody-er heard of this theory and drew in the facial hair.
@Mindfire: Good point, but a lot of parodies are done with loving intent. That is, just because it is a parody or mockery, doesn't mean it's not "fanart".
FYI this Mona Lisa with a moustache is considered a serious work of art. It's done by Marcel Duchamp in 1919. According to wikipedia, he's considered one of most important artists of the 20th century. Here are the wiki links if anyone cares.
L.H.O.O.Q. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Marcel Duchamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My point is one person's mockery is another person's message. I think sometimes someone can be paying homage or trying to create something original buy using something that exists. Sometimes that involves changing things drastically like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Other times, it's something like this Mona Lisa with a moustache. So IMHO, in general, to throw all of something under one umbrella, good or bad, is a mistake.
L.H.O.O.Q. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Marcel Duchamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My point is one person's mockery is another person's message. I think sometimes someone can be paying homage or trying to create something original buy using something that exists. Sometimes that involves changing things drastically like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Other times, it's something like this Mona Lisa with a moustache. So IMHO, in general, to throw all of something under one umbrella, good or bad, is a mistake.
Chime85
Sage
To be honest, I have no issues with fan fiction. I would be flattered if someone wrote a piece of fanfiction based on my works. However, it should also be understood that there is a line between "official" works and fan works. It is only when that line gets blurred, is when I can see issues arising.
Kit
Maester
After reading a whole bunch of fanfiction, I have now written the first half of my first detailed make-out session. LOL, I am such a blushing prude about writing this stuff. I'm blushing just writing about writing it. And no one has even removed any clothing as of yet.
I mentioned on another thread that nothing inspires me quite like reading *BAD* writing, and thinking "I could do so much better than this." I have found a few geniune gems in the fanfic, but overall it's a huge pile of What Not To Do. Since I'm not experienced in writing smut scenes, it's been very helpful.
After seeing the eighteenth reference to someone's mouth as a "warm cavern", I put that on the list of "don't ever use this phrase".
After skimming the forty-fourth description of people doing the exact same seven acts in the EXACT SAME ORDER, I was thinking, "Okay, granted that probably half these authors are preteen virgins who have no reference material other than copy-pasting each other's stories on this site, but GIVE ME A BREAK! At least once, ____ his _____ before you ______ the _____.... or have one person ______ and then the other person _____ instead of the same person doing everything.
Oh, it was bad.
LOL, I am such a blushing prude about writing this stuff. I'm blushing just writing about writing it. And no one has even removed any clothing as of yet.I mentioned on another thread that nothing inspires me quite like reading *BAD* writing, and thinking "I could do so much better than this." I have found a few geniune gems in the fanfic, but overall it's a huge pile of What Not To Do. Since I'm not experienced in writing smut scenes, it's been very helpful.
After seeing the eighteenth reference to someone's mouth as a "warm cavern", I put that on the list of "don't ever use this phrase".
After skimming the forty-fourth description of people doing the exact same seven acts in the EXACT SAME ORDER, I was thinking, "Okay, granted that probably half these authors are preteen virgins who have no reference material other than copy-pasting each other's stories on this site, but GIVE ME A BREAK! At least once, ____ his _____ before you ______ the _____.... or have one person ______ and then the other person _____ instead of the same person doing everything.
Oh, it was bad.
Gurkhal
Auror
Well my stance is that I think that fanfiction is great and can be a good start for (aspiring) writers. I don't read or write smut or the like of it, and have really never come across it either, but I suppose that I've been sheltered from such by my lack of interest in that detail.
Sparkie
Auror
I dislike fanfiction. That does not mean, however, that I dislike writers of fanfiction.
Some people who write fanfiction have talent to spare. They have it in them to write terrific stories. That's my problem with fanfiction. I just think talented writers should put their own ideas, characters, and worlds on display.
Some people who write fanfiction have talent to spare. They have it in them to write terrific stories. That's my problem with fanfiction. I just think talented writers should put their own ideas, characters, and worlds on display.
Not everyone who writes fanfiction has it in them to write original fiction. They might be talented, but they're talented with established worlds and characters. Plus they might not want to be original, they might be quite happy sticking with fanfic. My fiance, who never wrote a word of fiction in his life until recently, uses very odd MLP fanfiction to pour out all of the darkness that has been in his head over the last two years of living with depression. And he is good at coming up with ideas, analysing existing stories and recognising weak writing, which makes him a very good beta reader, but he's just not interested in writing original fiction. I suspect after seeing me pour so much into it he thinks it's too much like hard work.
Sparkie
Auror
See, this is the mentality that I'm too stupid to understand, apparently. Why not? Why not push yourself just a little more? Why not try for more originality? Why not stretch out into the realms of undiscovered worlds, into the lives of unknown characters?
I'm not just being critical here. I really don't get it and I want to understand. Chilari, someone, please reason with me here. Make the case for fanfic. Help me understand.
I think the idea that others who write don't want to write original fic is difficult for those of us who primarily write original fic to understand. But quite simply, as I understand it from my fiance, writing fanfiction is like a game. The pieces are all there - the world, the characters etc - and the writer just gets to play around. Writing original fiction is like creating a whole new game from scratch. Worldbuilding and character development is too much like hard work. Playing with what's already there is just messing around.
Originality isn't the be all and end all of writing. Far from it. Telling a good story is what is important. Why do you think there are so many different versions of Robin Hood and the King Arthur legend? The people writing those are really just writing fanfiction, yet we (readers, audiences) lap it up. There's something about the stories and characters which are already established that is so attractive to readers and writers alike. Capturing that essence and exploring it in greater depth or taking it in new directions is enough originality for some.
But basically, it boils down to everyone being different. I for example cannot comprehend how anyone would enjoy falling towards the earth at ridiculous speeds. That doesn't mean I think Felix Baumgartner and other skydivers are mentally ill or inhuman. You asked why people don't strive for originality; you could as easily ask why not everyone strives to break records or improve scientific understanding. The answer is because everyone wants something different from what they do. People who write only fanfiction just want some fun and to be part of a community with an interest in what they are interested in. It's really as simple as that.
Originality isn't the be all and end all of writing. Far from it. Telling a good story is what is important. Why do you think there are so many different versions of Robin Hood and the King Arthur legend? The people writing those are really just writing fanfiction, yet we (readers, audiences) lap it up. There's something about the stories and characters which are already established that is so attractive to readers and writers alike. Capturing that essence and exploring it in greater depth or taking it in new directions is enough originality for some.
But basically, it boils down to everyone being different. I for example cannot comprehend how anyone would enjoy falling towards the earth at ridiculous speeds. That doesn't mean I think Felix Baumgartner and other skydivers are mentally ill or inhuman. You asked why people don't strive for originality; you could as easily ask why not everyone strives to break records or improve scientific understanding. The answer is because everyone wants something different from what they do. People who write only fanfiction just want some fun and to be part of a community with an interest in what they are interested in. It's really as simple as that.
