It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:40 am



Reply to topic  [ 21 posts ] 
 It's time to crush your dreams, sorry. 
Author Message
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:59 pm
Posts: 2399
Location: feel the mambo
So, on another forum, a group of people have something called "Inspiwrite" set up. It's kind of like a site newspaper, and different people write different stuff (ex: i was the first "employee", and my job is to write writing tips and the like). And another member started to nitpick at my ideas:

xaliaphous wrote:
- DON'T WRITE FANFICTION. it may be an easy start, but then that means you have to look up a bunch of stuff to get it exactly correct. not really all that fun. and plus, fanfictions arent as popular as original stories.


also, something i didnt put up there was that it's especially true with pokemon fanfiction. just browsing bulbapedia.net all the time isnt fun.


AlRocks07 wrote:
1-
Fanfiction.net
Harrypotterfanfiction.net
Portkey.org

All sites dedicated to fan fiction. Two of which are solely Harry Potter fan fiction. And all the stories on ACC are fan fiction, sense they have to be AC based. That's pretty much 4 sites, or 3.5 if you don't count ACC as a FF site.

2-
You should never write about something you don't know about. I was writing a HPFF, and I had read the books. I referred to them when I had questions, but I never wrote about something I didn't know about. When you do a research paper, a book report, anything like that, you do the research before you write, so Fan Fiction is no different. The type of writing has changed, but not the base idea...


xaliaphous wrote:
Yeah, well, that's great if they actually write a fanfic that works, but when I myself browse fanfiction I see a bunch of stuff like "WHERS THE HAM???!!!!!!!!!".

And you don't have to storm at me for this one: Fanfiction authors don't become real authors. So unless they're writing fanfiction for fun or for practice, there's no reason to write it at all. I've probably seen too many fanfiction authors saying they wish they could get their Ash x Pikachu (using an example, get over it) story published.


emphasis on FANFICTION AUTHORS DON'T BECOME REAL AUTHORS.

got it clear in your head?

_________________
gone.


Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:49 pm
Profile WWW
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger

Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 508
Post 
true, fanfiction cannot be published. But it IS writing. I don't know anybody who would actually go through any informative resource if they're writing about something. You should know enough about your topic to write about it.
Just a question: Aren't ALL of the pieces of writing on this site for practice? Considering this, wouldn't fanfics be just as acceptable as original stories?


Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:36 pm
Profile
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:43 am
Posts: 654
Location: England, Manchester
Post 
What is fan fiction?
What dreams are you crushing Kasey?
Is a forum another site or another part of this site?

Yeah, I'm not too clever :| .

_________________
Mmkay.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:15 am
Profile
Ace Trainer
Ace Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:45 pm
Posts: 382
Location: Searching for the place all the Abra teleport to. I'm going to crash their party.
Post 
Well, true, fanfictions can never be published. But that's not why you should write a fanfiction. I write them because it's FUN! There's no point in you writing anything if you don't enjoy it.

_________________
[img]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/Jammer92/ThousandWordSig.png[/img]


Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:51 am
Profile WWW
Gym Leader
Gym Leader
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:04 am
Posts: 1320
Location: Sky Tower
Post 
I disagree with many things here.

Fanfictions are really popular amongst brazilian writers. In fact, they're a lot more popular than original stories: I figured that out because I constantly browse original fiction sites and fanfiction sites and it's easy to notice the differences (regarding number of reviews and number of stories posted). Really, that depends a lot. Some people prefer original works, some people prefer fan works; in Japan, the doujinshi (fan magazines) are sold in bookstores with the permission of the original creators because, on their view, it's a way of making publicity of their work.

Just because fanfictions can't be published that doesn't mean people shouldn't write them in the first place. I'll write whatever I feel like if I get an idea, that including the characters of an existing work. There's no legal repercutions regarding fan work, because it's clearly stated that no one is getting any profit out of it. If I think about an interesting situation involving the characters of my favorite TV Shows, or books, or whatever, I'll write it down once I get the whole setting and plot ready.

When you know the characters is an easiest way to start writing or to practice, that's why stories based on an existing work are easier to deal than completely head-starting from nothing or scraps. True, many people like to write original stories, and that's all some of them write, but I don't think that makes fanfiction writers inapt or worse writers than original stories writers. Good fanfictions also take a lot of time and effort to be writen; it's fun to write both kinds of stories.

I've read excelent fanfictions, some of them had about 8 chapters and above 60 reviews, and they weren't humorous fics or crack-fics at all (people seem to review a lot fictions of those genres). The author explored the characters very well, with all their genuine personalities and traits intact, without going OOC (out-of-characteristic) even a tiny bit, as many people do.

And you don't have to have the characters of a fanfiction entirely legitimate to their original concepts, you don't have to get everything exactly correct (even though I personaly think that makes the fiction a lot better in many ways than going even slightly off-topic). Many people write OOC and nobody complains about it: I myself dislike OOCness, because it isn't true to the originals (well, fanfictions aren't exactly true in the first place either, but that's another point), but many people like it. Just because it's not official it doesn't mean it's less enjoying or interesting: it only means it's not cannon to the original work, but a work of a fan for fun.

Whatever you say about fanfiction should be aplied to fanart as well, and every other kind of art that isn't original.

_________________
Image


Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:00 am
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:24 am
Posts: 1152
Location: IN THE EMOTIONLESS TRAWLING FERVOR'S OF MY INSANE MIND.
Post 
Well I don't think that people shouldn't write fan fictions, it probably is helpful as practice. And to become a real author you need to experience, so fan fic writers can become real authors Kasey. I myself have never wrote fan fiction, outside of role playing, for the simple reason that I never felt any need. I also don't like fan fic (especially pokemon), but that doesn't mean I don't see it's value.

@ ChamedJoey: Fan fiction is where you write a sort of spin-off set in another already made and published story/game.

I believe that she is meaning to crush the dream that fan fiction writers become "real" writers.

She said it was on another forum, that usually means another site.

_________________
ImageImage
^DarkCosmos, Poems^


Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:53 am
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:03 am
Posts: 1559
Location: Dragon's Den
Post 
Quote:
emphasis on FANFICTION AUTHORS DON'T BECOME REAL AUTHORS.

got it clear in your head?


I'm confused...who wrote that? Xalia or this other dude?

Anyway, I wholly disagree with it. The internet, in my opinion, hasn't been around long enough/ people having access to it enough to take that kind of statement. I mean, JK Rowling wouldn't have been on a forum, writing a fanfic about Pokemon simply because she didn't have it / she didn't know of it. The internet has sort of boomed in the last ten years or so, from the little knowledge that I have of it...

And even if there was evidence to show that an author had not published work on the internet of his fanfic, I still think that it's possible that a fanfic author (not the fanfic itself) can publish his work.

In fact, I would think it more likely that fanfic writers are more likely to get published, beacuse they are getting constant critique from those that know about the subject on what they are writing, so they can't just bluff their way through a story.

Take His Dark Materials; I'm currently reading that through, and I'm not kidding myself into saying that I understand everything about it. I mean, Pullman's take on Dark Matter is pretty odd, but I'm not in a position to criticise, because I don't know about it.

Therefore, Pullman could quite easily be writing a load of factual innaccuracies that the readers are breezing over.

Now look at the flip side. In my fanfic, I wrote that Shelgon used Take Down. No sooner had I posted the chapter, someone had told me that Shelgon couldn't learn it.

In my case (and therefore a lot of fanficcers), I cannot assume that the reader is thick, and I have to assume that the reader knows what I am talking about, going so far as to say that the reader is an expert about it.

I beleive that this gets fanficcers into a habit of writing as if the reader knows what they are on about, while making sure that an explanation is available through explanations from/to other characters. That means that a fanficcer is constantly checking himself, making sure he/she has got things right.

Or at least, that's my take on it. I still write fanfics and aspire to be an author.

Writing a fanfic is a base to start from. You have a whole world and characters already there for you, you just have to supply a plot. It's like swimming, but with armbands.

Then, us fanficcers will take off the armbands, and delve into the riches of our imagination to create our own worlds and characters, including plot, and that's the step to beoming an accomplished author. (knowing the editor personally helps, too. :P )

Please correct me if you think I've said something wrong / waffled on for too long. :P

_________________
Image

"Play with fire and expect to be burned."


Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:38 pm
Profile
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:43 am
Posts: 654
Location: England, Manchester
Post 
Hm, I still don't understand everything but J.K. Rowling is actually suing someone for writing a fanfiction about Harry Potter. As if she doesn't have enough money. I hope she gives it to charity.

_________________
Mmkay.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:16 pm
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:03 am
Posts: 1559
Location: Dragon's Den
Post 
CharmedJoey wrote:
Hm, I still don't understand everything but J.K. Rowling is actually suing someone for writing a fanfiction about Harry Potter. As if she doesn't have enough money. I hope she gives it to charity.


Really? I just hope she doesn't win. It's not like this other person is going to be a threat to her...stupid woman. *shuts up incase she sets a dementor on me...:X*

Do you know if the person was making a profit out of the fanfic?

_________________
Image

"Play with fire and expect to be burned."


Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:49 pm
Profile
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 2:33 pm
Posts: 716
Location: USA EST
Post 
Joey, a fan-fiction is just that. It's a written piece of work based off of someone else's characters and/or world. It's non-profit and illegal to try to make profit off of it or to claim it as yours. I'm assuming that's the real reason why J.K. Rowling is suing someone for it. Of course, there are books that could be described as fan-fiction. The difference with these is that they contacted the copyright holder and got a written permission. Star Wars and Star Trek are prime examples of this.

Sorry Galar, but OOC means Out-Of-Character not Out-Of-Characteristic.

I think fan-fiction is great practice. You have set characters and your job is to stay in their characters, you don't have the freedom your own characters give you. It teaches you restraint.

Fan-fiction is incredibly popular all around the world. And, nine times out of ten, they'll get more reviews than an original story.

As for researching...that should be done regardless of whether it's original or fan-fiction. There will always be someone who knows the information, get it wrong and they could drop the book and discourage others from reading any of your work.

I, personally, prefer writing original works but I'm an avid fan of both fan-fiction and original works. I think the really horrible thing about fan-fiction is that it's more likely to be n00bish, thus they get on my nerves (big surprise right :wink: ).

There's always a point to write anything if you want to do it. That should be enough of a point, publishing shouldn't be a driving point to write something.

_________________
Link changed to my library.
Image


Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:51 pm
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:24 am
Posts: 1152
Location: IN THE EMOTIONLESS TRAWLING FERVOR'S OF MY INSANE MIND.
Post 
Valentine wrote:
...that means you have to look up a bunch of stuff to get it exactly correct. not really all that fun...


I forgot to address that...

Research for the 8th sea was fun for me (even if it was an original story), I don't know why anybody wouldn't like it, especially if they're researching something that they are a fan of; If you want to take fan fiction literately. And even if they're not a fan, I for one have found researching stories/games to be entertaining, I'm sure there are others who feel that way.

_________________
ImageImage
^DarkCosmos, Poems^


Tue Dec 04, 2007 2:39 pm
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:59 pm
Posts: 2399
Location: feel the mambo
Post 
do people get bashed because they write fanfiction?

yes.

do people get bashed because they write original fiction?

yes, but as far as i've seen, not as much.

the point i'm trying to make out of this thread is that you'd be better off writing original stories rather than fanfiction. it's fine if you post fanfiction on sites like this; it's just that you should keep in mind you won't get much more than "OMG I LOVE THIS I ALWAYS THOUGHT HARRY AND RON WERE THE BEST COUPLE!!!!!!!" and "get a life". i do admit it's harder to get into reading an original story on the internet, though.

so instead of posting to say "NUH UH IN ONE COUNTRY THEY DO THIS AND IN ANOTHER COUNTRY THEY DO THIS" you could post to agree, ask, or don't post at all.

_________________
gone.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 2:53 pm
Profile WWW
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:24 am
Posts: 1152
Location: IN THE EMOTIONLESS TRAWLING FERVOR'S OF MY INSANE MIND.
Post 
I think people do get bashed more for writing fanfic...But bashing if much more potent for original writers (because in that case it is your story and characters).

P.S. If you post a topic with words "crush" and "dreams" in the same sentence, and then say that an entire genre/style of writing is almost-useless, you're going to get disagreements.

_________________
ImageImage
^DarkCosmos, Poems^


Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:04 pm
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:03 am
Posts: 1559
Location: Dragon's Den
Post 
Quote:
so instead of posting to say "NUH UH IN ONE COUNTRY THEY DO THIS AND IN ANOTHER COUNTRY THEY DO THIS" you could post to agree, ask, or don't post at all.


You missed the other one: 'disagree.' That one's sort of vital when you post a thread that will get replies regarding posters' opinions.

And I'm very much disagreeing. :P

_________________
Image

"Play with fire and expect to be burned."


Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:08 pm
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:59 pm
Posts: 2399
Location: feel the mambo
Post 
so basically the only reason you're posting is to say fanfiction authors can become real ones, when that's PERFECTLY OBVIOUS.

in b4 NUH UH U SED SO!!!

and in b4 NUUUUU IM TALKING ABOUT OTHER STUF!

_________________
gone.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:10 pm
Profile WWW
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:24 am
Posts: 1152
Location: IN THE EMOTIONLESS TRAWLING FERVOR'S OF MY INSANE MIND.
Post 
I did not understand that last part.

If it's obvious then what is the point of this topic? :?

_________________
ImageImage
^DarkCosmos, Poems^


Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:36 pm
Profile
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:43 am
Posts: 654
Location: England, Manchester
Post 
Lol, Kasey I love you; I want a mini you to carry round with me and set on annoying people, (I'm not saying that anyone in this thread has annoyed me, I just think that would be great).

The Obsidian Wolf wrote:
Really? I just hope she doesn't win. It's not like this other person is going to be a threat to her...stupid woman. *shuts up incase she sets a dementor on me...:X*

Do you know if the person was making a profit out of the fanfic?

I don't know if they were making a profit, sorry. They were from a Harry Potter fansite that J.K. had actually backed before this incident but she said she felt she had to sue them, I suppose because they didn't get permission, (though I don't think she'd have given it anyway).

I've never read any fanfictions and although I'm sure fanfiction writers can become "real" authors, I think they'd have to be amazing to get as many fans as the original unless the original book didn't have a satisfying ending.
It's fine for practicing your writing skills on sites like this or in a notebook, etc, (as long as the author doesn't find out and go mad, haha), but if I was a fanfiction writer then I wouldn't have half a hope of my work being published.

_________________
Mmkay.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:41 pm
Profile
Gym Leader
Gym Leader
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:04 am
Posts: 1320
Location: Sky Tower
Post 
Oh, yeah, "out-of-character"... My bad, heh. ;P

I guess everyone here posted their thoughts on fanfictions, I don't think anyone posted here to say nothing but "fanficcers can become real authors" as you put it.

I think I've also missed the point of this topic, then, because I believe we're having some good discussion here already. We're all agreeing and disagreeing and contributing with our opinions, so what's exactly what you're looking for? Sorry if I've missed a point. D:

_________________
Image


Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:28 pm
Profile
Fails at life
Fails at life

Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:23 pm
Posts: 546
Location: Isn't my avatar just so cute! :D
Post 
What I don't get; Xaliaphous-I mean-Valentine, says in the first post that Fan Fiction writers aren't going to become real writers, and later she says this;

Quote:
so basically the only reason you're posting is to say fanfiction authors can become real ones, when that's PERFECTLY OBVIOUS.

in b4 NUH UH U SED SO!!!

and in b4 NUUUUU IM TALKING ABOUT OTHER STUF!


It makes no since whatsoever to try and make a point then just disagree with it. I don't get it.

_________________
[img:18605e54da]http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6489/spritingshackvb7.gif[/img:18605e54da]


Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:39 pm
Profile
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger

Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 508
Post 
I think she just is saying that fanfics are bad or something. Fanfic writers get bashed because Fanfic writers usually are writing them just to start. Obviously they would be criticized more then people writing original stories because people writing original stories are often more experienced. This is not always the case, however. The Obsidian Wolf is one obvious exception. I, too, have only received criticism once, mostly because the one person who actually comments on it never has anything negative to say.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:48 pm
Profile
Gym Leader
Gym Leader

Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:28 am
Posts: 508
Post 
Valentine wrote:
"emphasis on FANFICTION AUTHORS DON'T BECOME REAL AUTHORS."

"the point i'm trying to make out of this thread is that you'd be better off writing original stories rather than fanfiction."


Honestly, I haven't read any of the fanfics on this site, myself. However, I've got enough board experience under my belt elsewhere to understand how the works of many beginning writers can look. That being said...

I think that with these quotes, along with the knowledge of your general demeanor, it is pretty simple to see that you have seen your fair share of mediocre writing, and are tired of it.

My question to you is: why on earth, if these fanfics annoy you so much, do you continue to show up in this portion of the forum? If the writing bothers you so much, then you need to post elsewhere instead of making an entire thread with the intent to discourage and even bully people into writing in a way that you deem to be "more suitable."

_________________
~*Shiny Hunter*~

Persistence ends resistence.

3DS FC: 5069-4148-2325 (please PM to exchange)
Poison Friend Safari: Seviper, Ariados, and Whirlipede.


Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:45 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 21 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by STSoftware for PTF.