Fan Fiction

[Darth Rosenberg]

That said, I've never understood the point of fanfiction that's written with the main characters within the plot of the actual source fiction. Like Buffy fanfiction. I don't get into it because as far as I care, it's not going to replace the show and the fact that it's trying to is working against it.

I understand your point about setting and world building/exploration, but I'd have thought the allure of writing for main characters is brazenly and unmistakably obvious, and fertile ground for writers; it's to explore these characters in ways the official canon doesn't.

If someone's intrigued by a certain character trait or dynamic between characters, but they see these aspects aren't explored either at all or to their fullest potential, then you write to do it yourself. All fanfic is a reaction to what's there, and so writing for main characters is arguably the purest and most 'reactive' approach to take. People didn't stay with Buffy and co for seven (or more) seasons for the world, they stayed for the characters inhabiting that world.

I've only written bits and pieces for established IP's since adolescence, and only one complete piece in the last five to ten years I think, but one unfinished/barely started piece was actually featuring Buffy, and Faith. Yes, yes, writing Buffy/Faith slash is about as inventive as Mulder/Scully... but some pairings are like veritable lightning rods for good dramatic [and/or erotic] reason.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer never explored the not-so-sub-subtext between the two Slayers, and had it done so in Season 3 it'd have pretty much dragged the entire arc off track (in an already busy and arguably initially quite disjointed season). There wasn't room or time - or a need (Faith was, with all of BtVS's characters, a cog in the wheel of the themes pertaining to Buffy Summers herself) - to explore it.

That's where non-canon writers come in, to take what could've been and explore it. It doesn't seek to alter, expand, or "replace" anything about the core IP. I tend to think of good fanfic as a kind of alt-universe dialogue between the fans, the creators, and the characters - who ostensibly belong to both creators and consumers.

edit - to briefly elaborate on writing for Buffy, for example; how would she deal with a given arc? And how would the Scoobies react? And what would those reactions reveal about these characters and therefore the universe Whedon and co created? A simple concept of a story leads on to ripple effects which then explore far more than just the lightning-rod leads themselves.

 

[Calyx_v1legacy]

I only read stuff with pairings, and usually erotic stuff at that. Only exceptions contain original characters in a certain universe that are also hooking up. Having said that, some of that stuff is well written and has some decent plot that can stand independently of the smut (in longer fanfics,) and I've even come across a few authors who had published original work that also wrote fanfiction as well.

As for writing I prefer to write original fiction, though I did once plan out a Skyrim fanfic, but just never got around to writing it.

 

[Erttheking]

So there are quiet a few FF writers. What are everyone's specialties and accounts? What's your shame?!

Crossovers, sci-fi, massive casts of characters, a moderate romance subplot and just recently I've been expanding into gallows humor with 40k.

OT: Because it's freaking fun. And because most original writers never make it big and those who manage to get published only have very small reader bases. I've given up on making creative writing my career and I'm moving into the more practical technical writing and journalism. But writing is still fun as hell, and its fun to take existing universes, put new spins on them, explore new areas, create new characters for them, it's all just so freaking fun.

And with some works, the fanfiction is actually better than canon. For example, the Command and Conquer official novelization? Considered to be crap. The Command and Conquer fanfiction Tiberium Wars? Blows it out of the water and is considered to be a masterpiece.

 

[Hawki]

And with some works, the fanfiction is actually better than canon. For example, the Command and Conquer official novelization? Considered to be crap. The Command and Conquer fanfiction Tiberium Wars? Blows it out of the water and is considered to be a masterpiece.

You mean Peptuck's novelization?

Playing Devil's Advocate, DeCandido did at least finish his novelization (and was almost certainly faced with writing deadlines and maximum length, given how tie-in fiction works), while Peptuck has the habit of starting stories and never finishing them, his Tiberium Wars novelization among them. It's on my favorites list for a reason though. And do admit to enjoying the Tiberium Wars novel, albeit for different reasons. I generally like DeCandido's writing style, how it's got a level of snark embedded throughout his works that's never too overbearing. And I think the novel has merit in telling a CnC story that focuses on individuals more than the big battles they take part in.

But yeah. Wish Peptuck had finished that work.