Tete-a-tete: Do you love fan fiction or loathe its existence?
Fan fiction is one of the most controversial phenomenons of the digital age. But does it deserve its dubious reputation? Emily Stevenson and Eleanor Campbell go head to head to find out…
Pro-fan fiction: ‘Why treat fan fiction as a threat to the legitimacy of literature instead of accepting it as an art form in itself?‘
Fan fiction is the not-so-secret underbelly of the internet. There are fan fictions written for every conceivable book, television show, film – even album – ever created. Even the strangest, most obscure works are guaranteed at least five hundred words of alternative universe exploration, or the ever-popular coffee shop fiction. There is fan fiction more popular than established novels, million word fictions longer than the original work they’re based on and an unbelievable number of “one shot” fictions.
It’s true that some authors hate the idea of fan fiction, including George R.R. Martin, author of the endless Game of Thrones series, who has explicitly banned all fan fiction based on his work. It still exists, but hidden in forums and dark corners of Tumblr. Other authors have also made their dislike of the practise clear and discourage readers from creating their own spaces within their fictional universes, some even choosing to take legal action against fan fiction writers.But why treat fan fiction as a threat to the legitimacy of literature instead of accepting it as an art form in itself?
There have been stories – most famously Fifty Shades of Grey – that began as fan fiction and were later published
While Fifty Shades is a special case (in so many ways), many other works of literature we now consider classics began as forms
of fan fiction. The Iliad and The Odyssey, although we now consider them seminal epics, are retellings of classic myths with the author’s own interpretation – in other words, extremely well written fan fiction. Even Paradise Lost, arguably the best poem in the English language, is Milton’s version of the creation myth – another famous fan fiction.
Many modern authors, such as Neil Gaiman and Meg Cabot, began by writing fan fiction. They consider it a good way of starting out, and a way to learn how to write characters before creating your own. People who don’t feel confident enough to publish under their own name can write under a pseudonym and build their confidence before putting their original work up for criticism.
Yes, fan fiction can be repetitive. It can be awfully written and shockingly derivative. There are stories so awful they are famous for it (although they tend to proudly state this in the introduction, raising the question of whether they’re just badly aimed parodies instead). Yes, fan fiction groups can be cliquey and dismissive of new writers and unpopular story concepts. Yes, authors who write fan fiction and never branch out might find it hard to learn how to create characters and build a story idea from scratch if they’re too used to writing within someone else’s framework. But the benefits of fan fiction far outweigh the drawbacks. People who want to immerse themselves in a fantasy world can do so and make friends in the process; people scared to publish original work can ease themselves in slowly, and those who just want to know what happened next can finally decide for themselves. Fan fiction may be the underbelly of the internet, but it’s one we should all celebrate.
Emily Stevenson
Anti-fan fiction: ‘It is lazy simply to steal an existing character and write them in whatever situation you please’
I don’t have an issue with fan culture (or “fandom”).In fact, I encourage people to be passionate about what they enjoy. However, what I do find fault with is fan fiction. It’s not that I disagree with the outlet of creative writing or the intention behind it (that you are so passionate about something you want to take it further), but I disagree with the end product.
Fan fiction essentially takes existing characters, stories, events, and relationships, and transforms them into something completely different to the writer’s original intentions. If the writer’s version becomes preferred to the original author’s story, this arguably could inadvertently create a sense of animosity between fans and the original author.
Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin is vocally against fan fiction, claiming that he does not want to share his world of Westeros. And why should he? If so much time and effort has been put in to create such a complex world, why should any old fan be able to latch on to his success and write their own version of events? Also, if you believe the character to be the hardest element in a novel to create, it is debatably lazy simply to steal an existing character and write them in whatever situation you please. On a similar note, fan fiction takes existing, licensed material, and uses it without the owner’s permission.
Yes, it’s harmless and free publicity, but still it’s technically stealing
I admit that there are legitimately talented writers who partake in fan fiction, but there is also a… let’s say, different side. Fan fiction can portray sexuality in an extremely explicit and graphic manner, in a way that cannot or rarely occurs in the book. I take issue with this for numerous reasons. Firstly, when researching this article I found a great deal that is simply in bad taste or just plain bizarre, especially when it is so far-fetched from the canon of what has actually been written. Secondly, from a creative perspective, it is very difficult to get right, and often comes across as crude.
Moreover, in some cases (such as the Harry Potter series) some of the characters or actors that are being written about, are under-age. Yes, Emma Watson is now in her twenties, but the sexualisation that occurred in fan fic about her character Hermione was bountiful when she was still barely a teenager. Similarly, the image of the various actors and characters from television and film that are written about in such a sexual manner, without consent, could taint their actual portrayal of the character. With the prevalence of gay fan fiction and ‘shipping’, the actual source material’s future story lines could be altered – just look at Supernatural and Sherlock. Ultimately everyone should be able to enjoy their favourite books and characters in whatever way they wish, but sometimes I believe the content of fan fiction just goes too far.
Eleanor Campbell
Do you think fan fiction is a legitimate art form? Have you read some? Written any?
Let us know @boarbooks
Image Credits: Header (mynameisgigi.com), Image 1 (Flickr/zapdelight), Image 2 (commons.wikimedia.org)
Comments (13)
FYI – I’ve linked to this article in a weekly compilation of references to fanfic in the mainstream media that I put together. Scanning the range of reactions fic gets might give you insight into where we who put our energy into fanfic writing/reading are coming from.
http://as-others-see-us.dreamwidth.org/75534.html
The As Others See us link is the reason I ended up here 🙂
DW rules!
Wow, Campbell’s “technically stealing” is wrong in so many ways. The only way that matters is this: it’s only ‘stealing’ if it involves direct plagiarism and/or generates profit that does not go to the original creator. This idea of fanfic as ‘theft’ is absurd, and needs to stop being parroted by people who don’t understand the difference between copyright and trademark.
As for “debatably lazy” — no, again. The truth is (and I speak as a writer of original fiction for 20-odd years) no writer can ever paint a complete picture of any character. Many fanfic writers want to tell the stories that haven’t already been told. I can understand some authors saying, “Hey, *I* wanna write those stories, and I should rightfully get first dibs!” That’s entirely fair. But calling fanfic writers ‘lazy’ for painting more complete pictures of characters by creators who don’t care (like TV writers), is… Well, Campbell’s rather lazy herself, if all she can come up with is “Fanfic is lazy writing!”
But then she gets down to her real complaint:
“[…] when researching this article I found a great deal that is simply in bad taste or just plain bizarre, especially when it is so far-fetched from the canon of what has actually been written. Secondly, from a creative perspective, it is very difficult to get right, and often comes across as crude.”
Porn is porn! I’ve yet to come across ‘tastefully presented’ porn. It’s not my cuppa tea either, but just as Campbell could have chosen not to deliberately look for porn (which I don’t doubt she did), I choose not to read it.
There’s a chunk of fanfic that’s categorized as Gen (general fiction) which might contain strong language and violence, but doesn’t contain even allusions to sex (unless it’s a casefic and the crime in question is sexually motivated). Likewise there’s a lot of fanfic that *is* slash (male/male; female/female) and also Het, and yet contains no explicit sex scenes.
On the whole, Cambell’s anti-fic warble sounds like so many others, and generally the people who write such warbles dislike fanfic more for the fact that it offends their precious and prudish sensibilities, than for any other reason.
It’s 2014. Get over yourselves.
Exactly!
A well-written fanfic is no “lazier” than a well-researched historical novel, and involves many of the same skill-sets.
I’ve yet to see one of these debates begun from a neutral stance. Most of us who are pro-fanfic know the facts about it, and most of those who are anti-fanfic have already made their minds up. Yep, I know that shows my own bias.
But I blame the mainstream media for most of the opposition to fanfic; they always choose the worst and most sensational cases to publicize.
True. I committed over 60 hours of research for the last ~11K fic I wrote. The last big one (~49K) ran to over 100 hours of research. Then there was the ~100K fic that ate over 300 hours of research.
And that’s to say nothing of the hundreds of hours of writing, and then all the editing and polishing which took even longer.
Those figures are comparable to my original work as well. I see no difference between the two, and (when writing is happening, dammit! Muse, come back, damn you!) I work equally hard on both.
I’m not alone. Many fic writers work incredibly hard on a hobby that pays nothing but the occasional comment and kudos on AO3.
Lazy? Hardly!
I write mostly gen hobbit-fic, book-verse, and I have to say that when someone is seriously into the Tolkien fandom research is essential, because if you get a date or a name wrong, you WILL hear all about it. I spend a good deal of time in the Appendices of LotR, and in certain volumes of The History of Middle-earth, as well as researching history that could be compatible with the various M-e settings.
I’ve been known to spend two or three hours on research just for a drabble set, much less the time I spend on my longer multi-chapter stories.
Hello fellow fic-writer!
Oh, yes. The Tolkienites are especially picky. I like that sometimes, because I know the canon, too, but other times I find their pickiness rather off-putting. I have a DW icon that says “Canon?!? You SHALL NOT pass!” (yes, yes. That’s the movie!verse version, on purpose). I get that one out when adherence to canon is insisted on to the point where it’s near impossible to meaningfully engage with canon.
But I fully agree on the names and dates 😛
Speaking of engaging with canon, that’s what also irks me about people who spout off about fanfic being ‘lazy’ writing. Sure, there are some fic writers who go, “I am so shipping these two right now!” But the majority of fic writers are actively using their heads, they have something to say about whichever character or canon arc, and they work hard to engage and bring their ideas onto-the-page, as it were.
In that, fanfic writers are no different to paid pro authors. Except (again), we do it for free.
See, that is the truly important thing about fanfic. We do it for love of the fandom, and we don’t get paid for it. (Except for a few notorious examples of people who have filed off the serial numbers to make money. But that’s a whole ‘nother topic.)
Once upon a time, “amateur” was a good thing. Someone engaged in a task for the love of it, because it was a hobby that they loved. But some time in the previous century, “amateur” became a derogatory term. Obviously if you (general you) don’t get paid for your work, it must be valueless.
And no hobby is more subject to this than writing. You can still knit or sew or paint or throw pots, and it is still accepted as a fun and creative way to spend your free time. But for some reason, people get offended by the idea that someone wants to write for fun, just for fun.
Now many writers of traditionally-published fiction enjoy writing fanfiction as well, but not all fanfic writers want to make money from writing stories. (I don’t. Non-fiction is a different matter, and I have had some of that published.) Yet most can’t accept that, and often it seems that the only “good excuse” for writing fanfic is to “practice for the real thing”.
What is so wrong with doing something simply for the sake of doing it?
You mentioned people who sew, and potters, and knitters, but people really don’t view painting/drawing and writing in the same category as handcrafts. Creative writing is included (nowadays) in the fine arts block, and that’s an idea accepted by a large sector of society.
And that’s really where the trouble lies.
There’s this weird idea that writing and painting aren’t work, and the more insidious idea that if one had any talent at either painting/drawing or writing, one would be able to make a lot of money off those arts.
When one confesses (and it’s usually a confession for hobby writers) to writing-for-fun, the response is often tainted with:
We don’t make it pay = we must be bad at it = what point in doing it at all?
Every fine artist whose art is their hobby, faces the above on a regular basis.
Craftspeople usually make things that can be used. We writers, we artists, are plowing time and effort into something that is supposedly useless.
But then, as I once snapped at someone, planting flowers just because they look pretty is also a ‘useless’ endeavour.
Yes, I can see what you mean about the fine arts, although painting remains an “acceptable” hobby as well, even for those who don’t try to make money from it. (I speak as one who worked for years in a chain hobby shop, and the classes on oil or acrylic painting were always well attended, and usually by people who simply wanted a hobby).
But writing? I get it all the time: why would anybody want to spend their time on something as “boring” as writing, if they are not doing it to (a) get a grade or (b) get paid?
I think there’s a geographic component to this point: if painting is now considered a hobby for anyone, even everyone where you are, then maybe my backwards country will catch up with that idea (I hope). Most anything ‘arty’ here is frowned upon unless the person—especially an adult—pursuing art possesses a distinct, demonstrable talent. ‘Arty’ children are indulged, until high school, when their parents will usually rant about, “Art won’t make you a living!” (funny: I got that from my parents, but I made art pay, eventually– tattooing paid quite nicely).
“But writing? I get it all the time: why would anybody want to spend their time on something as “boring” as writing, if they are not doing it to (a) get a grade or (b) get paid?”
Oh, sweetheart. Now it sounds like you’ve been cursed with far too many extroverts in your life 😛 But seriously, that’s really an extrovert’s view. Writing is ‘boring’ for them because it’s a solitary occupation. Force an extrovert to work alone for extended periods, and they’d better walk away with a nice paycheck, or some other reward, for their trouble.
In my experience, the extroverts who write fanfic are the ones who like lots of hits on their story, lots of comments, lots of kudos, and if they don’t get ’em, they sulk. A fair number of those people have switched from writing their own stories to presenting podfic.
I’m in the USA. The store where I worked offered oil painting lessons franchised by the estate of the late painter Bob Ross. His technique was originally popularized by a TV series. He advocated painting as a nice peaceful way to relieve stress. There were also classes in water colors and decorative painting, also from teachers franchised by well-known popular artists. We occasionally had waiting lists for those classes
A lot of people who want make careers of music, visual art or writing are still discouraged from that because “You should have a ‘real’ job to fall back on.”
But as hobbies, music and painting are OK. After all, you can always be useful singing in the church choir or entertaining at a party. And if you paint for fun, well, you can always hang them on the wall.
But writing? As a hobby? Greeted with complete bafflement.
Against Eleanor Campbell’s complaint about “gay fan fiction” and “sexuality”: as a queer person, fanfiction has given me access to material that I can relate to more than anything I’d be able to come across in mainstream media. In a world where there’s still tragically little decent LGBT representation, fanfiction (and, indeed, the online community based around it) allows for readers to finally find their experiences and sexualities somewhat validated and celebrated. Especially for the trans* community, fanfiction provides a space where a non-cisgender body can be celebrated as appealing and sexual, and writing as somebody who suffered from body dysphoria for many years, I for one consider this invaluable. Especially when the mainstream media continues to queer-bait (ahemSHERLOCK), portray LGBT characters tokenistically and/or homogenously, or worse just ignore LGBT identities altogether, fanfiction allows its audience to find themselves represented in their favourite shows/books/films in a way they wouldn’t otherwise be able to be. And frankly, I think that’s pretty damn fantastic.