The merits of fanfiction.
Have you ever watched a TV series and despaired because two people who should be together aren’t because the scriptwriter either did a bad job or simply did not care what viewers wanted to see?
I bet that most of you will categorically answer yes to that.
As writers we are lucky because we can make things happen the way we want to.
When I was recently undergoing a crisis of confidence with my own Lynchcliffe series I took to writing fan fiction about Downton Abbey. In the past I have also written stories about Heartbeat and Casualty (to those of you across the Pond Casualty is the Emergency room).
The beauty of fanfic is that things can happen the way you want them to. The downside for those of us who are self published is that we can’t make any money from it because we are using someone else’s characters and settings but I have found it to be a great fun outlet for creativity and frustration.
People can and do leave reviews on fanfiction.net but even if you get bad ones it doesn’t sting anywhere near as badly as a one star hatchet job on your own work. However audiences are more appreciative because for the most part they are not writers and have a genuine appreciation for people who write about characters they care about.
I write about Downton Abbey but you can find fanfic on just about any TV show, book or movie that ever existed. You write under an alias (I am Kiddymonster75). Like other aspects of the writing game you get to make great friends and discover new talent.
Here is a link to my Fan fiction profile and that of a friend with whom I have a good rapport. His stories really are worth checking out.
http://www.fanfiction.net
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4285697/Kiddymonster75
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4290352/Baron-Munchausen
So next time you think things should have gone differently remember that you can make a difference if only for your own sense of satisfaction. Although, as I have said, you cannot make money from fanfic it can help you keep your hand in if you are experiencing writer’s block with regard to your own works. We do it because we love the characters we are writing about.
Fan fiction net has a rating system and most things are meant to be suitable for teens so if you want to go anywhere near a racy angle it is best to rate M. Mind you since most teenagers have been there done that and got the baby and the dose of Chlamydia to prove it I don’t see why they should be shielded but never mind. Being a writer of historical adult romance I have problems sometimes keeping the tone acceptable but the site has not rejected anything yet so I live in hope.
If you have never given fanfic a try then do so. It is enjoyable albeit not profitable but most of us write because that is what we love to do. You have no need to worry about one star reviews or rankings and so the pressure is considerably less.
Have you ever watched a TV series and despaired because two people who should be together aren’t because the scriptwriter either did a bad job or simply did not care what viewers wanted to see?
I bet that most of you will categorically answer yes to that.
As writers we are lucky because we can make things happen the way we want to.
When I was recently undergoing a crisis of confidence with my own Lynchcliffe series I took to writing fan fiction about Downton Abbey. In the past I have also written stories about Heartbeat and Casualty (to those of you across the Pond Casualty is the Emergency room).
The beauty of fanfic is that things can happen the way you want them to. The downside for those of us who are self published is that we can’t make any money from it because we are using someone else’s characters and settings but I have found it to be a great fun outlet for creativity and frustration.
People can and do leave reviews on fanfiction.net but even if you get bad ones it doesn’t sting anywhere near as badly as a one star hatchet job on your own work. However audiences are more appreciative because for the most part they are not writers and have a genuine appreciation for people who write about characters they care about.
I write about Downton Abbey but you can find fanfic on just about any TV show, book or movie that ever existed. You write under an alias (I am Kiddymonster75). Like other aspects of the writing game you get to make great friends and discover new talent.
Here is a link to my Fan fiction profile and that of a friend with whom I have a good rapport. His stories really are worth checking out.
http://www.fanfiction.net
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4285697/Kiddymonster75
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4290352/Baron-Munchausen
So next time you think things should have gone differently remember that you can make a difference if only for your own sense of satisfaction. Although, as I have said, you cannot make money from fanfic it can help you keep your hand in if you are experiencing writer’s block with regard to your own works. We do it because we love the characters we are writing about.
Fan fiction net has a rating system and most things are meant to be suitable for teens so if you want to go anywhere near a racy angle it is best to rate M. Mind you since most teenagers have been there done that and got the baby and the dose of Chlamydia to prove it I don’t see why they should be shielded but never mind. Being a writer of historical adult romance I have problems sometimes keeping the tone acceptable but the site has not rejected anything yet so I live in hope.
If you have never given fanfic a try then do so. It is enjoyable albeit not profitable but most of us write because that is what we love to do. You have no need to worry about one star reviews or rankings and so the pressure is considerably less.