Fanfiction: Good? Evil? Proof that some people have way too much time to waste?
By Leca
@lecanis (16647)
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
October 4, 2007 8:23am CST
I've been thinking about fanfiction. When I first started watching anime seriously (getting close to ten years ago now), I heard about fanfiction and read some of it. I enjoyed it, especially for series that didn't get finished, and therefore had really quickly through together endings that didn't really wrap things up.
But fanfiction has become this juggernaut: alternate universes, self-insertion fics, original characters, alternative pairings, anything you could think of. If you look at the fanfiction websites, there are millions of fics out there. Many of them are really cheesy and poorly written, but I'm starting to find more and more than I like. Am I falling into an evil trap? Will my pure anime-loving soul be lost??? *giggles*
Anyhow, what do you think of fanfiction? Do you enjoy it? Does it offend you? Are there certain types that annoy you? Do you read it? Do you even perhaps write it?
Personally, the ones that really bother me are the alternate universe ones, the self-insertion ones, and the ones with too many original characters. If I'm reading about an anime, I want to read about characters that are actually in the anime, and the world it's actually in. But I don't mind a few original characters if they fill in blanks (say you don't know much about a character's past, so you create family for them, etc).
4 people like this
17 responses
@raychill (6525)
• United States
4 Oct 07
I don't know anything really about anime or anime fanfiction but I do know about fanfiction and frankly I just don't understand it. I've read some fanfiction, normally about musicians and other celebrities. I don't understand when they'd make two twin brothers in a band gay...and with each other. Like that's, I don't know, DISGUSTING? Why would you do that? Not because you made them gay but you made them gay for each other and they're brothers!? Gross.
I found fanfiction just really disturbing when I read it. I don't know, it's one thing to imagine your own alternate universe, but it's another thing to change these people into people they aren't.
2 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
4 Oct 07
Well yeah, incest is gross. I wouldn't be into that type of fanfiction either. I wouldn't really be into fanfiction about really people for that matter, just characters. Talking about real people that way is disrespectful and wrong, in my opinion, but using other people's characters isn't as bad. They aren't real people with feelings, and I suppose that's what makes it acceptable to me.
1 person likes this
@raychill (6525)
• United States
4 Oct 07
I think fanfiction on characters wouldn't be much different than just writing your own stories anyhow, so yeah that's fine.
Fanfiction about real people is just disturbing. I haven't looked at it in years, but I know about 10 years ago or so, it was pretty gross!
2 people like this
@mepibot (387)
• Brazil
5 Oct 07
I enjoy read/write fanfictions, i hear about this years ago (when i was a harry potter addict, haha), so i started to read about my favorite animes/mangas. Some famous writers don´t like to the people/fans do fanfictions about their books, i don´t agree with them.
http://www.fanfiction,net (i love this site!) ^__^
2 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
5 Oct 07
Thanks for your response! I'm glad to actually hear from a fanfiction writer here! =)
I've read a lot on the site you mentioned. Nothing but anime so far, that's really my big passion. And I must admit most of what I read tends to be the "rated M" kind, though not all of it. =P
What animes have you written about? What are your favorites to write/read about?
1 person likes this
@mepibot (387)
• Brazil
6 Oct 07
Hi! Well, i do FF about Harry Potter (the most), and animes/manga i like to write about Shaman King, Bambi (by Atsushi Kaneko), Cowboy Bebop and some shows (series). But all of this i write in portuguese (i don´t speak english very well ^__^").
Have a nice day! ^__^
1 person likes this
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
5 Oct 07
I read Fanfiction, especially Harry Potter fanfic. Some is really good. Some is really awful and others just gross. As a writer I'd be honored if fans of my work wanted to create fanfic about it.
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
5 Oct 07
*laughs* That's the thing, you have to wade through piles of crap to get to something that's good. But there is good stuff out there, occasionally!
I haven't read any Harry Potter fanfic myself, though I love the books. So far all the ones I've read have been based on anime and manga, usually because so much of it winds up sort of "unfinished" or comes out so slowly that I can't get my fix and find out what happens next, so I try to get my fix off things like fanfiction. =P
I think I would feel that way about fanfiction too. I've done a lot of writing, and I think it would be really neat if I were published and people liked my work enough to steal it like that. *laughs*
1 person likes this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
4 Oct 07
Good morning Lecanis :)))
What little bit of fanfiction I have read I did not like it. (I have read some on Tolkien and Rice). Both of which was ridiculous and I would have been ashamed to post it. It was in my humble opinion not even close to the worlds the authors themselves created. So my vote is the people who write it need not give up their day job!
2 people like this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
4 Oct 07
LMAo trans you have done Enough ahemming for awhile :))
And lecanis no I do not send it to me via IM, I will share :))
2 people like this
@Flight84 (3048)
• United States
5 Oct 07
I discovered fanfiction a few years ago and I have been geeky obsessed with it ever since!:P I'm into Naruto fanfiction mostly, but a few other catagories as well. I agree that many are poorly written, but I've found a few that have actually been pretty well done. I also hate it when a story is pretty long and in depth, and then the author just stops. Gah! I'm like, What happened to so and so?? Ha ha. I considered trying my hand at writing some, but I never did posts any. I did start one, but I didn't think it was all that good. Maybe one day.:P
2 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
6 Oct 07
Oh, I've been reading lots of Naruto fanfiction lately as well! I suppose actually I've been very obsessed with Naruto as a whole lately! It's still not my favorite anime (that will probably always be Fruits Basket) but it's running a close second these days. =p
@quickinstinct (432)
• United States
5 Oct 07
To each their own I say. Although I don't find fan fiction to be something interesting or that I would do, if it entertains and allows people to express themselves then so be it. Personally I do my side projects (ie music, writing, and so forth) not only for the enjoyment but for the potential to earn from it and grow a fanbase but as humans we all have things we like to do creatively outside the roles society hands to us.
2 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
5 Oct 07
Thanks for your response! =)
You have a good point about how fanfiction is useless in really earning, and side projects that could earn for you are probably a better use of your time.
Also a good point in that we all have things we like to do creatively. And for some people, fanfiction or fanart is that thing.
1 person likes this
@starr4all (2863)
•
27 Mar 08
I'm fairly new into fandom (roughly a couple of years and in my thirties-I know, strange.) I read all different types but I write mainly general fic. I like writing characters. I haven't written any romance kind or anything like that. I don't much like self inert mary/gary sues either.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
27 Mar 08
Hi! Thanks for your response! :)
I don't see anything strange about coming to it at any age. I just recently really got interested in fanfiction, and I'm 27. I was determined just to read and not to write any for a while, but I started writing a fic on Sunday that is just turning into this huge obsession with me.
I don't like the self-insertion ones, but I do like romance. And smut. Bad me. :P
@canxnac (421)
• Indonesia
7 Oct 07
yes, I enjoy reading fanfictions, but I tend to choose more 'serious' fanfics, and not just some random teenie writings...hehe =p Actually I've found some fanfictions that are truly good and interesting to read... salute to the writers!! =D
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
26 Nov 07
Since you assume that fan fiction writers have way too much time to waste, I can tell you you are wrong. I have been reading fan fiction and writing it on and off. I have waited for the next chapter in a fan fiction on the Fanfictionnetwork for almost a year. Then it arrived. The reason was that the author was busy with other things, that she did not have time to write.
I am not into anime, I write Pretender Prey Crossover fan fiction, and like the author who took almost a year for the next chapter, it is not having enough time. Teenage girls have loads that is why much fan fiction is about angst and not that good. So I try to read those that are for sixteen and over, and those written by those eighteen years old and over, but these are the ones who do not have time to update their chapters every few days.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
26 Nov 07
*giggles* I wasn't assuming anything really. My title was a joke... and saying things I had heard other fans say about those who write fanfiction. I phrased it that way because I wanted opinions from both sides of the issue.
I've written a fanfiction myself before, and I love reading it, so if no one wrote it, I wouldn't have any to read. That would make me sad! I actually had a whole folder in my bookmarks called "stories", and it's full of fanfictions I'm waiting for the next chapter on! So I know how that feels.
You know, I didn't realize until recently how much fanfiction there was about things other than anime. Since I learned about fanfiction through anime, I was never really exposed to the whole world of it about movies, books, live-action tv, American cartoons... the list could go on an on!
@owstalaga (4707)
• Philippines
30 Oct 07
Well i never really liked fanfiction. I too have seen a lot of it sprouting up whenever i searched for animes i liked a few years ago... and i didn't really find it interesting.
To me it seemed like they were distorting the stories and making it into their own (which may or may not be their purpose) that's why i never really read any fanfiction. Not even one. I read maybe a paragraph or two of a Ranma 1/2 fan fiction but i just cou;dn't stand it! Lol! I didn't want to kinda ruin the story i really like by reading all those what if's and what could have's or what should have been etc. ^_^
I don't really think it's something bad... it can be a good thing but i don't really think it's bad too. I believe those who do fan fiction either love the anime so much they have their own ideas about it and want to share it to the world or they just feel some parts of it weren't developed into a satisfying enough story that they chose to make their own stories of the anime characters in order to feel satisfied. Or for some other reason they do it (maybe they just want to exercise their writing skills. Who knows? =P)
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
30 Oct 07
I think for me the fanfictions that are interesting are the ones that deal with parts of the story that didn't seem to be developed well-enough, side plots that seemed to be dropped, or side characters that are interesting but you didn't get to learn enough about.
You explained really well why you didn't like it while still explaining why some people might like it... that was very awesome!
@owstalaga (4707)
• Philippines
1 Nov 07
Hey thanks. =)
It's just that i don't really hate or like fanfiction so i just aired what i think of fanfics. =)
1 person likes this
@wotfpatty (2065)
• United States
5 Oct 07
The only fanfic I ever read was pro wrestling related and sickening. It was just so weird and so out there. I know the guys that were part of this "fiction" and to put a personality and attributes on a person you only see on TV is just weird. Most are gay in the stories as well. Females, in general, write gay wrestling fanfic and it's ewww. I personally don't get the appeal and, if they are going to write a gay fanfic, they should at least have some idea of the gay culture and how they talk to one another. I think they have watched too much Will and Grace and think every gay guy acts like Jack, hopping around and acting feminine.
Anyway! I know anime fan fiction is quite different. My son is a huge fan of anime but doesn't like the fanfic because he thinks it is poorly written and so "out there".
I also hate "Mary Sue stories" which are when the author inserts themselves into the story.
I never read fanfic f any kind now. I tried and I simply hated it. There may be some great stuff floating around but, in the area that I am interested in, there is nothing great and it's disrespectful to the real people in these stories.
2 people like this
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
5 Oct 07
A few I've thought up myself but nothing as stupid as some of the stuff I've read. Some of these guys really stretch storylines to get the results they want. No reasonable outcomes, no logical or possible outcomes, just ridiculous crap to settle some (usually love starved) ego. Then there are some that just exist to fill a sick thought or two. I'll spare you the darker ends of Square Enix game fanfics...
2 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
5 Oct 07
*laughs* I wrote one, once. It was actually really short, and it was just a single conversation that I felt two characters should have had at one point in a series, and they didn't have.
Ah yes, the love starved egos. I've seen some pretty sad stuff out there too. =P
*shudders* Thanks for sparing me that. I can imagine some pretty horrible things there.
1 person likes this
@breadthless (124)
• United States
9 Dec 07
I love fanfiction, especially having to do with anime, but I think you really have to seek out the good ones, which is hard with the millions of pages of fanfiction out there on the internet. I enjoy reading Alternate Universe fics just because it shows the characters in a different setting while having some of the same difficulties as in the series. I don't like self insertion, original characters, or out of character characters. Haha. At first I stuck with the original story plotline fanfics, but when tried AUs, it was really good!
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
11 Dec 07
It can be pretty hard to find good ones, but yes it's rewarding when you do! :)
You know, I hadn't looked at the Alternate Universe ones in that light before... I've always been kind of skeptical of them. I'll have to give them a second chance maybe!
@breadthless (124)
• United States
11 Dec 07
Just try to find good ones! :) I read so many high school AUs, and they tend to be pretty much the same.
1 person likes this
@RowenaTheWitch (947)
• Italy
8 Jan 08
What a lovely discussion, even if a bit old.
Even if I've written only 4 or 5 fanfics (about The Slayers ) I can say it's amusing to write them and they really made me improve my writing skills.
Instead I'm a bit fussy on the fics I read
What I hate in fanfictions:
-Mary Sues: Original female chars who are perfect and who marry a main character. NO WAY
-Self insertions: if it's only a comment from the author, I've done this myself but not too much and without putting myself into the scene (a note in parentesis like this ndRowena)
-Romantic fics: if there's some good action ok, but if the story is only about x and y getting together I pass thanks :)
-Crossovers done bad: some people just put two Anime together and make them fight or argue. IMHO to do a good crossover you have to think wisely on how the chars of different universes would interact.
I've done a Slayers Crossover (each chapter with a different Anime) and it's popular in the Italian fandom :)
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
21 Jan 08
Ah, sorry I haven't been back to this discussion lately, it was just old and I forgot about it! :P
That's a really good breakdown of things you don't like... and I think I can agree with all of them! :)
You know, I haven't read any Slayers fanfiction, but I bet you they'd be kind of fun! That's a really neat anime! :)
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
6 Oct 07
I don't read them... Mostly because they're just a love stories about some characters (even shonen-, shoujo-ai) and cross-overs wich I only aprove in CLAMP universum xP I've read some of them and I didn't found anything interesting-_- As for fan made manga-anime related things I like anime music videos and graphics (layouts, avatars etc.)
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
6 Oct 07
Cross-overs I pretty much skip on principle. They just don't interest me at all.
Some of the love stories I like when I'm in the mood for them, but they have to involve characters I'm really interested in.
Oh, fan made manga, and anime music videos, thanks for reminding me about those! Some of them are really neat. I'm especially fond of the humorous anime music videos actually. =)
@xXSnowFoxXx (458)
• Philippines
22 Jun 08
Reading fan fictions is entertaining and very enjoyable. At least it is for me. I really enjoy reading fan fictions. And yes, some fan fictions can have some character-bashings. It offends me in a way that the anime character I like is being offended. And yes, again, I read a lot of fan fictions. Lastly, yes. I write fan fictions and put it them on the net.
I can say that reading fan fictions can be quite evil. But not in the bad way because in one summer, the only thing I did mostly was read fan fictions and I spent hours and hours reading them. But it can also boost your learning and give you ideas, ya know. It's a fun thing for me actually. Reading and writing fan fictions, I mean.
@Johnnypenn (237)
• United States
15 Jul 08
I also dislike Mary-Sues who fall in love with the main character.
Self insertions where there isn't a plot and the characters are just acting stupid or OOC.
I don't mind AU's, I can read those if the plot is good. I even write them.
Cross overs are rather hard to write, but there is one at FF.net that is pretty good.
Kids who don't know how to write is my biggest pet peev. Their plots stink, the characters stink, their spelling stinks...everything stinks! they don't know how to seperate their paragraphs to make a coherient story, and they don't start a new paragraph for each new sentence of dialogue. They miss-spell the characters names and give them dorky nick-names that just make me want to groan. They usually have the bloody Mary Sues, and the story is done in one long paragraph that hurts my eyes.
