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its_me_vicky · #1 (**permalink**) 12-10-2003, 07:29 AM

[img]http://www.snitchseeker.com/images/news/jkr_80.jpg' align='middle'> J.K. Rowling's agent says fanfic is like flattery -

Summary:

Article:

The plot thickens

Remember that bit in Lord of the Rings where Aragorn gets it on with Legolas? No? All right, so Tolkien didn't write it, but the story is all over "fan fiction" websites.

From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Shakespeare, fan-fiction writers subvert the plots of books, comics, TV programmes, feature films, and even songs. Anyone can have a go: just borrow your characters from whatever you're reading or watching.

Let's start with the basics: the vocabulary. "Fanfic" has three main categories. "Gen" stands for general fanfic, where you rewrite the plot. So in your version of Harry Potter, Sirius Black might not die. "Het" (for heterosexual) means that you add a dash of straight romance - think Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. Then there's the immensely popular "slash" fiction. Hergerbabe, one slash writer who loves Smallville, describes it as perceiving a "****-erotic subtext and turning it into text".

"Smell. That's what it was, the way Lex smelled. The musk of his aftershave combined with his own unique essence made Clark go weak at the knees. Well, OK, everything about Lex made Clark go weak at the knees."

Slash is almost exclusively about man-on-man fictional relationships. But interestingly, most slash fiction writers are straight women, writing about gay male relationships - for straight women.

But the crux is that it is make-believe. Many of the writers see fan fiction as a way of learning the conventions of writing, experimenting stylistically with ready-made characters and situations."What if...?" they ask, rather like a school assignment to "write a suicide note as Romeo might have done in Romeo and Juliet".

Kira, one fan-fiction writer, says that most of her fellow mailing-list contributors are in their mid-to-late 20s, graduates with good jobs, who simply want to "write character pieces about characters they admire".

But is fan fiction a legitimate literary genre or is it just plagiarism? Well, it is not a prerequisite, but many writers add a disclaimer before posting their stories on mailing lists. They don't own the characters, nor the plot.

Yet JK Rowling's literary agent, for instance, has asked some internet service providers and website operators to remove any pornographic fanfic based on Harry Potter, simply because children would be able to access it. But this is an issue about internet policing rather than the act of writing itself. In fact, a representative for Rowling's agent states that "the general feeling is one of flattery" - as long as it's clear that the author isn't JK Rowling.

Whatever you think of it, although fanfic was once a subculture, it is now pretty mainstream. It connects people and forms communities. And it says something about our celebrity-obsessed society that we escape from it only to idolise fictional characters.

And as to literary merit, well, when you trawl some of the stories on the net, you'd think that Mills & Boon need never go out of business. But there is also a lot of talent out there - people too shy to go to publishers with their own material. However, while they might be getting good at stylistic exercises, a distinctive authorial voice is surely the key to good writing. Lucy Leveugle

mwg148 · 12-10-2003, 09:01 AM

interesting, a little boring but interesting

tomisfit · 12-10-2003, 10:02 AM

intresting, very intresting!!!!!!!! lol

**Meandering** · 12-10-2003, 10:08 AM

Fanfiction is a form of writing that is almost as valid as the original books themselves, the only reason we can't get them published is coz the original authors are sure to kick up a fuss. Someof the fanfic writers are really good, dare I say better then J.K. Rowling herself?

samanthalee1983 · 12-10-2003, 02:23 PM

This article is facinating(sp?). Thank you. :flowersmile:

dewy-eyed · 12-10-2003, 02:50 PM

now you all know that women have this thing for gays. =X

Hermione and harry 4ever · 12-10-2003, 03:22 PM

As a fanfic writere myselve i thought this was cool.

Swizzlestick · 12-10-2003, 04:21 PM

Some fanfics are really good, and I think its great that it is actually legal, it could be worse, because don't forget, these characters are copyrighted. Good to know JK don't have a problem with it - except of course the people out there who love to spice it up a little!

BlueDaisy · 12-10-2003, 05:09 PM

It's cool that J.K. Rowling is ok with Fanfics!

~*dangirl~* · 12-10-2003, 05:14 PM

i...n...t...e...r...e...s...t...i...n...g... hmmmmm

Imperia · 12-10-2003, 05:51 PM

I love this article! I really agree with the idea that writing fanfiction helps aid writers in improving their style and general talent at writing. I love reading fan fictions. I have read some excellent ones, all sorts of genres in Harry Potter (except for mpreg, I hate mpreg fics, sorry, lol!) and not to advertise *cough* Draco Dormiens, Veritas, or Sinister *cough* excellent authors *cough* Cassandra Claire *cough* blatantly, or anything, but I really suggest reading a few of the more popular ones if you haven't already. I think ya'll will learn to love reading the writing of fanfics by fellow fans out there.

Crazee · 12-10-2003, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperia@Dec 11 2003, 03:31 AM
I love this article! I really agree with the idea that writing fanfiction helps aid writers in improving their style and general talent at writing. I love reading fan fictions. I have read some excellent ones, all sorts of genres in Harry Potter (except for mpreg, I hate mpreg fics, sorry, lol!) and not to advertise *cough* Draco Dormiens, Veritas, or Sinister *cough* excellent authors *cough* Cassandra Claire *cough* blatantly, or anything, but I really suggest reading a few of the more popular ones if you haven't already. I think ya'll will learn to love reading the writing of fanfics by fellow fans out there.

BEST STORY EVER! WOOHOO! GO CASSIE!

PS: IF you're into SLASH...u SHOULD read Irresistable Poison. (Sp?)

and you D/Hr shippers...READ WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS!

sry...it's jsut, i would think, that stories that good...shoulf b published but it wont be...oh well! :whisle:

~:Felicia:~

tabitoo · 12-11-2003, 02:09 AM

:wub: I love Fan Fics :wub:

Shaylily · 12-11-2003, 04:01 AM

I have become quite a fan of fanfics, and I agree, there is some true talent out there. I have been enjoying writing them myself. I was never creative enough to make my own characters, but expanding on them, now that is fun. I can't claim to be great, but I shure do get a kick when someone gives me a good review.

Umbridgeslayer · 12-11-2003, 04:59 AM

Im a big fanfic fan. Even though I can't write the stuff, I love reading it. I'm glad I'm not alone.

Swizzlestick · 12-11-2003, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Umbridgeslayer@Dec 11 2003, 04:39 AM
Im a big fanfic fan. Even though I can't write the stuff, I love reading it. I'm glad I'm not alone.

You should try, its amazing what can come out of your head when you get started.

Im writing one at the moment but I'm not getting very far, as I don't have alot of time inbetween work etc... But give it a go, you might enjoy it, I do.

Writing fanfics definately aid in writing skills, the more you write the better writer you will become.

She-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Psycho! · 12-12-2003, 01:02 AM

I'm a writer too!! And I love the article! You made it yourself? Great really, very informative^^

Fan fiction serves its purpose and it's also a way to decifer (as in an ancient rune

) the very same soul of the characters, author-style or story itself! It's very autodidactic^__^

As an example I've seen people to write such an accurate HP characters that they seem the very cannon. (I'm working on it myself)

*blush & smile guiltily* I made a homoerotic fanfiction myself :wub: Not *porn* mind you! It was a real sucess: It seems girls find man-slash (man-man relationships) as interesting as men find lesbians. Don't think there's nothing wrong with that; it do inroduce you into a new pint of view (I could say I become bi because of good writen stories about same-se.x relationships). It's a very interesting fact, this is, Antropologist & Psychologists would find very interesting this facination towards slash.

In fanfiction.net I'd recomend: Blast From the Past (by Wintermoon), Better the Devil You Know (by KatieofGryffindor) & This Side of Me (by cherrycola69) -->My fav slash stories (HP/DM)
Non slash:: Muggle Experience (by... um... can't remember the author *blushes*)

I hope I'ven't bore you! ^^

12-12-2003, 01:13 AM

That was a good article! I think we all can say we love fan fics!!
i know I dooooooo!!!!!!!!

12-12-2003, 01:14 AM

Does anyone agree w/ me????????????? :ermsmile: :unsure:

Swizzlestick · 12-12-2003, 02:08 PM

Uh Yeah, we've all said we agree, and not just for the reading of fanfics which on some can be exhilaring but actually writing fanfics, in fact writing full stop is a wonderful way of escapism and you are learning at the same time, especially if you use dictionary's and thesaurus', its better than just sitting down in front of the tv and vegging out. :flowersmile:

dewy-eyed · 12-12-2003, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperia@Dec 10 2003, 11:31 AM
I love this article! I really agree with the idea that writing fanfiction helps aid writers in improving their style and general talent at writing. I love reading fan fictions. I have read some excellent ones, all sorts of genres in Harry Potter (except for mpreg, I hate mpreg fics, sorry, lol!) and not to advertise *cough* Draco Dormiens, Veritas, or Sinister *cough* excellent authors *cough* Cassandra Claire *cough* blatantly, or anything, but I really suggest reading a few of the more popular ones if you haven't already. I think ya'll will learn to love reading the writing of fanfics by fellow fans out there.

oooh i love that fic! cassandra claire is brilliant. she even wrote a lotr parody callled very secret diaries. umm anyway back to the topic. dont really like slash fics. unless they are funny ones lol.