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Aaaand....the moment you've all been waiting for (maybe)! This is ELFIE'S FANFICTION RANT! WARNING: This is LENGTHY! Whee!
For those of you who don't know (and there may be some who don't), fanfiction is writing a story using another person's characters. It's fun for the whole family, even those members of the family who should be prevented, for the sake of humanity, from picking up a writing utensil.
Before I really start ranting, I feel that I need to make a few things perfectly clear.
Firstly, yes, I have written fanfiction. I've been writing fanfiction since I was ten years old. Why have you never seen any of these mythical stories? Because they are BAD. They are really HORRIBLE. I haven't written fanfiction in quite a while, and my old fanfiction often includes many of the things that irritate me in other people's fanfiction. This is why I don't inflict my fanfiction filth on the general public. I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to my own work. I am, however, writing/working on/plotting a Harry Potter fanfiction, but I'm doing my best to do everything right, so it'll be a long time before that one's even close to being viewable.
Secondly, these are just my opinions. I don't consider myself a fanfiction expert, but I have read enough fanfiction to find out what REALLY drives me bonkers. But these are my personal opinions. If you don't like 'em or think I'm picking on you personally, feel free to disagree respectfully. Or flame me. I don't care, really. I'm willing to listen to you, even if I don't agree with you. Also, if you know where some good fanfiction is (especially if it's yours!), please send me a link! I'm always looking for the good stuff!
Thirdly, this rant mainly refers to fanfiction that has been posted on the 'net. I'm not interested in the old fanfiction that's residing in your sock drawer. I found most of the things that irritate me in a fun place called www.fanfiction.net. This is a nifty site with many good authors, as well as many authors whom I would like to smack across the head with an unabridged Webster's dictionary.
Fourthly (is that a word?), I LOVE FANFICTION. When it's done well, fanfiction is a very nifty peek into how things might have been in the many fandom universes. The problem I have is trying to sort the gems from the garbage--and there's a lot of garbage out there.
Okay. That done, let's head into the ACTUAL RANT! HUZZAH!
1. Spelling and Grammar:
For me, this is pretty basic. Before posting something on the 'net, please please PLEASE at least run it through a spellcheck! You would be surprised how many ficcers just type something up in thirty seconds and then slap it up on the 'net without so much as a once-over edit.
Spellcheck, of course, will not catch everything. Spellcheck only catches the really major misspellings. If you've spelled the word correctly and USED it wrong, spellcheck will not catch you. I consider grammarcheck basically useless. Also, if English is not your first language and you're not fluent, neither of these so-called "tools" will help you very much. So, what's a ficcer to do? Call out the beta readers!
For those people who don't know, beta readers are nifty people who are willing to read your story and point out some of the errors you may have missed. You can listen to your beta reader, or you can ignore him/her. I would suggest listening. Sometimes, beta readers point out things that seem wrong to them but you wanted that way--however, always at least check out what your beta reader has to say. These people are lifesavers and can rescue you from dreadful reviews and much ridicule.
And speaking of ridicule--
1a. "L33T":
Do me a favor. Do ALL of us a favor. Unless you're doing a parody, do NOT write your fanfiction in L33T. For those of you who have been hiding in a bomb shelter for the past few years or so, L33T is a language that was developed by somebody who decided that it would be fun to use numbers instead of letters and form letters with numbers and symbols when there were perfectly good letters right there on the keyboard to use! GAH! L33T is another language. It is not English, and it is VERY difficult to read.
Also, using 'net abbreviations such as "IMO" instead of "In My Opinion" in your stories makes you look lazy. Do NOT use numbers instead of words. Using actual words and sentences (and SPELLING THEM CORRECTLY) makes you look much "kewler" than if you don't. Spell however you want in your personal e-mails and messages. Use the laws of grammar and spelling when you write a story.
When you don't use proper grammar and spelling, it makes your story difficult to read. Making your story difficult to read rather defeats the purpose of writing the story in the first place, and it tends to drive readers crazy. I'm not the only one who feels this way. If I can't read your story, I won't try. Writing a story clearly and distinctly shows that you care. If you don't care, why should I? 'Nuff said on that subject.
2. Real Person Fanfic:
I realize that there are fanfiction writers out there who enjoy writing fanfiction about their favorite bands, actors, etc. You have that right. However, exercising that right in public is really iffy. I, personally, hate RP fanfics. I think they're rather disturbing. They're also one step away from stalking. And don't even get me STARTED about NC-17 RP fanfiction. Ugh. Think about it this way: Would YOU like somebody who doesn't know you writing about their character having sex with you? I thought not. In any case, if you must write RP fanfiction, don't post it on the 'net. Please.
3. OOC-Ness:
OOC, or Out Of Character, characters in fanfiction are one of the many banes of my fanfic reading experience. OOC-Ness is also a tough one to call, because many characters' personalities are very open to interpretation. However, most characters at least have SOME established characteristics. Severus Snape of Harry Potter fame, for instance, is a chronically grouchy character who doesn't seem to like anybody and rarely smiles. He has greasy hair, bad teeth, and a "silky" voice. Very few people even like him in the actual books. However, there are many ficcers out there who have written Snape up as an ultra-popular, charming sex god with no logical explanation. GAH!
If you're going to write an established character with OOC characteristics, at least provide a semi-logical explanation. Make the changes gradual and realistic. If you want Severus Snape to be a sex god (*shudder!*), figure out how he got that way. Provide us with that information. People are EXTREMELY possessive of their fandoms, and the real fanatics will be down on you like terriers on a rare steak (scary!)if you don't provide some sort of justification for what you've done to their favorite character. Even if you DO provide justification, they may still not agree with you. Such is life. At least make the effort.
Another option in this category is this: Write original fiction. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, and then you can do whatever you want with your own characters. ^_^
4. Author's Notes:
I don't have a problem with Author's Notes, as long as they're at the beginning or the end of a chapter or story. It's nice to know what the author thinks or what the author was thinking when he/she wrote that particular story. What drives me NUTS is when I'm reading along and there's an Author's Note (A/N) in the middle of a friggin' sentence. It's very jarring and throws me right out of the story. What's worse is when said Author's Note tells me information that the author should have simply put into the fanfic itself. Please don't do this. If information should be in the story, find an appropriate place for it or decide whether or not it's really essential. Don't interrupt your wonderfully flowing narrative to tell me that Mary Mayflower had long, flowing blonde hair.
And speaking of Mary Mayflower (Starlight Rosalind Josephine Amethyst Pearl Fireblossom Overkill....)
5. Mary Sue and Marty Stu:
This is my big problem when I'm writing my own fanfiction. Mary Sue and Marty Stu are original characters made up by the author and added to the story. They tend to have incredibly long and fancy names, be absolutely gorgeous, be perfect at everything they do, be outrageously popular, etc. They also tend to take over the story and save the day, totally eclipsing the original main character(s). They also tend to be loosely based on the author, or what the author would like to be in this particular universe.
While Mary Sue and Marty Stu are huge temptations, they are to be mostly avoided. They tend to drive readers CRAZY. Who wants to read about someone who's perfect? It's BORING. Adding original characters to your stories is fine, but give them flaws. Connect them to the original characters by something other than jealousy or lust. And, if at all possible, keep them secondary characters. Most fanfic readers really want to read about the characters they know and love from the original universe. While your character may be an amazingly loveable and spiffy character, you may want to save him/her for your own enjoyment or a few select friends. Just think and check over your work before posting. Again, consider writing original fiction.
And now, another touchy subject--
6. Egos--Taking Yourself (too) Seriously:
If you post your work on the 'net, there are going to be people who like it and people who don't. It doesn't matter what you do. Even if you write a fanfiction with no attention to grammar or spelling and the most OOC set of characters anybody has ever seen, there are going to be people who write you rave reviews. I've seen it happen. Conversely, even if you write a beautiful, well-plotted fanfiction where everybody is in character and the spelling and grammar are immaculate, you are still going to get flamed. This is the way the fanfiction universe works.
The thing to keep in mind is this: Nobody is perfect, not even you. The mark of a good writer (fanfiction or not) is the willingness to listen to other people's opinions, sort through the bad stuff, pick out what's useful, and keep growing as a writer. If you think you're the best there is, think again. There will always be somebody better than you, and there will always be someone worse than you. Humbling, isn't it? However, if you accept this small, simple fact and keep writing, you'll get better and better. Be the best that you can be. That's all one can ask.
And speaking of other people's opinions--
7. Reviews and Responses:
Whether posting on an actual website or simply e-mailing stories to your friends, what all writers want most is reviews, right? Wrong. What many fanfiction writers want is plain, unadulterated praise. Don't be one of them. Just because you get a bad review does NOT mean that you are a bad writer. Also, just because you get a good review does NOT mean that you are a great writer. Reviews simply mean that someone liked/didn't like your work enough to tell you about it.
Reviews are a wonderful way to help you grow as a writer. "This is great!" or "This is awful!" are examples of unhelpful reviews. Unfortunately, these are also examples of the general sort of reviews that most people get. Occasionally, however, someone takes the time to give you a more detailed analysis. Treasure these reviewers, for they often stoke your ego as well as show you pitfalls that you never noticed.
And while I'm on the subject of reviews...something I've noticed is that there are authors out there who threaten me in this way: "If I don't get at least 20 more reviews I'm not going to write the next chapter!" You know what? I don't care. If you're going to hold your story for ransom, I'm going to leave you a very carefully worded review, and then I'm outta there. What I get out of this kind of threat is "Praise me or else!" If you're writing just to get praise, don't write. Period. Write because you love to write.
I also get irritated when authors respond to bad reviews with "I'll never write again!" Dearest Author-type, those reviewers aren't trying to put you down. They're trying to help you make your writing better.
There are exceptions to this rule. Flame wars seem to be fairly common in the fanfiction world: One person leaves a bad review on another person's story, and then the second person leaves a comment like "You suck!" on the first person's story, and then it degenerates from there. If you receive a flame, ignore it. Be sure, however, that the flame really IS a flame and that you can't get anything useful out of it. Truth hurts, but flames hurt unnecessarily. Most of the truly good critiques I have read (and by "good" I don't necessarily mean "extremely positive") have had a lot of suggestions for improvement, but they also tended to end with a lot of encouragement and praise for the author. It takes guts to post your work on the 'net. If you're an author and you get a flame, do the mature thing: Ignore it and keep writing. Don't let ANYBODY make you take your work off the 'net and quit.
One more thing before I leave this particular point: If you have a thin skin, don't post your fanfiction on the 'net. Send it to your friends who will praise and encourage you. Posting your work on the 'net leaves you open to critique, and some of it is going to be negative. "If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen," as the masses tend to say. Sounds harsh, but so is the world of fanfiction.
8. Plot Logic, or Knowing Your Universe:
Don't build your plot on coincidence. Explain how things happen. Make it semi-logical, even in an illogical universe. Use the rules of the universe in which you are playing.
DO YOUR RESEARCH. Don't write fanfiction if you don't know what you're talking about. Read the books. Watch the show. Talk to fans. Get opinions. Do NOT, however, allow people to sway you if you think you're right. You have the right to your own opinion. If you think that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are actually desperately in love, you have the right to think that. I challenge you, however, to convince ME. ^_^
And that brings me to...
9. The Rules:
Some fandoms have different rules than others. For instance, Anne McCaffrey (author of the Dragonriders of Pern series) has an order out stopping people from writing fanfiction about her characters. It is a sign of a true fan that you respect an author's wishes regarding his/her work. And don't whine to me about "free speech," okay? Free speech does NOT apply in this case. Fanfiction is, technically, a breach of copyright. You're playing with characters and universes that ARE NOT YOURS. We, as fanfiction writers, own nothing. The best we can do is post a little notice at the beginning of each of our fanfictions that gives proper credit to the author and explains that we aren't making money off of what we're doing--we're just having some fun. However, this "fun" is a privelege, not a right. We write fanfiction at the original author's sufferance, and that can be taken away at any time. The least we can do as fans is respect the original author's wishes.
Another thing that I'm going to bring up here (though I'm sure I'll wish I hadn't) is posting your fics on another person's website. Most ficcers remember the day when the moderator of www.fanfiction.net issued a set of limitations on the sorts of fanfiction that would be allowed to be posted on his website. Many authors had a problem with these new rules, which included a cease-and-desist on all RP fanfics and all NC-17 fanfics. The moderator gave his reasons, and that was that. What I'd like to point out here is, whether the reasons were good or not, the moderator had the right to do what he did. It may not have been fun, and it may not even have been right or fair or what-have-you, but it was his perogative. He owns the website, he's paying for it, and he can decide what goes on it. There's lots of free webspace out there for people who really want to post the kinds of fics that are now verboten. And that's all I'm going to say about that particular little soft spot.
Well, I think this particular rant has gone on long enough. The main point is this: If you're going to write and post on the 'net, CARE about what you're doing. Put effort into it. We, as readers, can tell if you've worked hard, and we appreciate it.
If you have a pet peeve in the realm of fanfiction that I missed, please feel free to comment and let me know. If you think I'm totally wrong and off base, let me know. If you think I'm the greatest ranter there is, let me know. (I'll laugh!)
For further rantings about fanfiction, please visit Godawful Fanfiction and head for the Godawful Message Board. I post there under the name "Elfie-chan, Lurker Child." Warning: Things get a little cynical there, and we do a lot of complaining. However, we're good people. A little uptight, maybe, but good people. ^_~ Head on over, and tell 'em Elfie sent you. Bai for now!
For those of you who don't know (and there may be some who don't), fanfiction is writing a story using another person's characters. It's fun for the whole family, even those members of the family who should be prevented, for the sake of humanity, from picking up a writing utensil.
Before I really start ranting, I feel that I need to make a few things perfectly clear.
Firstly, yes, I have written fanfiction. I've been writing fanfiction since I was ten years old. Why have you never seen any of these mythical stories? Because they are BAD. They are really HORRIBLE. I haven't written fanfiction in quite a while, and my old fanfiction often includes many of the things that irritate me in other people's fanfiction. This is why I don't inflict my fanfiction filth on the general public. I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to my own work. I am, however, writing/working on/plotting a Harry Potter fanfiction, but I'm doing my best to do everything right, so it'll be a long time before that one's even close to being viewable.
Secondly, these are just my opinions. I don't consider myself a fanfiction expert, but I have read enough fanfiction to find out what REALLY drives me bonkers. But these are my personal opinions. If you don't like 'em or think I'm picking on you personally, feel free to disagree respectfully. Or flame me. I don't care, really. I'm willing to listen to you, even if I don't agree with you. Also, if you know where some good fanfiction is (especially if it's yours!), please send me a link! I'm always looking for the good stuff!
Thirdly, this rant mainly refers to fanfiction that has been posted on the 'net. I'm not interested in the old fanfiction that's residing in your sock drawer. I found most of the things that irritate me in a fun place called www.fanfiction.net. This is a nifty site with many good authors, as well as many authors whom I would like to smack across the head with an unabridged Webster's dictionary.
Fourthly (is that a word?), I LOVE FANFICTION. When it's done well, fanfiction is a very nifty peek into how things might have been in the many fandom universes. The problem I have is trying to sort the gems from the garbage--and there's a lot of garbage out there.
Okay. That done, let's head into the ACTUAL RANT! HUZZAH!
1. Spelling and Grammar:
For me, this is pretty basic. Before posting something on the 'net, please please PLEASE at least run it through a spellcheck! You would be surprised how many ficcers just type something up in thirty seconds and then slap it up on the 'net without so much as a once-over edit.
Spellcheck, of course, will not catch everything. Spellcheck only catches the really major misspellings. If you've spelled the word correctly and USED it wrong, spellcheck will not catch you. I consider grammarcheck basically useless. Also, if English is not your first language and you're not fluent, neither of these so-called "tools" will help you very much. So, what's a ficcer to do? Call out the beta readers!
For those people who don't know, beta readers are nifty people who are willing to read your story and point out some of the errors you may have missed. You can listen to your beta reader, or you can ignore him/her. I would suggest listening. Sometimes, beta readers point out things that seem wrong to them but you wanted that way--however, always at least check out what your beta reader has to say. These people are lifesavers and can rescue you from dreadful reviews and much ridicule.
And speaking of ridicule--
1a. "L33T":
Do me a favor. Do ALL of us a favor. Unless you're doing a parody, do NOT write your fanfiction in L33T. For those of you who have been hiding in a bomb shelter for the past few years or so, L33T is a language that was developed by somebody who decided that it would be fun to use numbers instead of letters and form letters with numbers and symbols when there were perfectly good letters right there on the keyboard to use! GAH! L33T is another language. It is not English, and it is VERY difficult to read.
Also, using 'net abbreviations such as "IMO" instead of "In My Opinion" in your stories makes you look lazy. Do NOT use numbers instead of words. Using actual words and sentences (and SPELLING THEM CORRECTLY) makes you look much "kewler" than if you don't. Spell however you want in your personal e-mails and messages. Use the laws of grammar and spelling when you write a story.
When you don't use proper grammar and spelling, it makes your story difficult to read. Making your story difficult to read rather defeats the purpose of writing the story in the first place, and it tends to drive readers crazy. I'm not the only one who feels this way. If I can't read your story, I won't try. Writing a story clearly and distinctly shows that you care. If you don't care, why should I? 'Nuff said on that subject.
2. Real Person Fanfic:
I realize that there are fanfiction writers out there who enjoy writing fanfiction about their favorite bands, actors, etc. You have that right. However, exercising that right in public is really iffy. I, personally, hate RP fanfics. I think they're rather disturbing. They're also one step away from stalking. And don't even get me STARTED about NC-17 RP fanfiction. Ugh. Think about it this way: Would YOU like somebody who doesn't know you writing about their character having sex with you? I thought not. In any case, if you must write RP fanfiction, don't post it on the 'net. Please.
3. OOC-Ness:
OOC, or Out Of Character, characters in fanfiction are one of the many banes of my fanfic reading experience. OOC-Ness is also a tough one to call, because many characters' personalities are very open to interpretation. However, most characters at least have SOME established characteristics. Severus Snape of Harry Potter fame, for instance, is a chronically grouchy character who doesn't seem to like anybody and rarely smiles. He has greasy hair, bad teeth, and a "silky" voice. Very few people even like him in the actual books. However, there are many ficcers out there who have written Snape up as an ultra-popular, charming sex god with no logical explanation. GAH!
If you're going to write an established character with OOC characteristics, at least provide a semi-logical explanation. Make the changes gradual and realistic. If you want Severus Snape to be a sex god (*shudder!*), figure out how he got that way. Provide us with that information. People are EXTREMELY possessive of their fandoms, and the real fanatics will be down on you like terriers on a rare steak (scary!)if you don't provide some sort of justification for what you've done to their favorite character. Even if you DO provide justification, they may still not agree with you. Such is life. At least make the effort.
Another option in this category is this: Write original fiction. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, and then you can do whatever you want with your own characters. ^_^
4. Author's Notes:
I don't have a problem with Author's Notes, as long as they're at the beginning or the end of a chapter or story. It's nice to know what the author thinks or what the author was thinking when he/she wrote that particular story. What drives me NUTS is when I'm reading along and there's an Author's Note (A/N) in the middle of a friggin' sentence. It's very jarring and throws me right out of the story. What's worse is when said Author's Note tells me information that the author should have simply put into the fanfic itself. Please don't do this. If information should be in the story, find an appropriate place for it or decide whether or not it's really essential. Don't interrupt your wonderfully flowing narrative to tell me that Mary Mayflower had long, flowing blonde hair.
And speaking of Mary Mayflower (Starlight Rosalind Josephine Amethyst Pearl Fireblossom Overkill....)
5. Mary Sue and Marty Stu:
This is my big problem when I'm writing my own fanfiction. Mary Sue and Marty Stu are original characters made up by the author and added to the story. They tend to have incredibly long and fancy names, be absolutely gorgeous, be perfect at everything they do, be outrageously popular, etc. They also tend to take over the story and save the day, totally eclipsing the original main character(s). They also tend to be loosely based on the author, or what the author would like to be in this particular universe.
While Mary Sue and Marty Stu are huge temptations, they are to be mostly avoided. They tend to drive readers CRAZY. Who wants to read about someone who's perfect? It's BORING. Adding original characters to your stories is fine, but give them flaws. Connect them to the original characters by something other than jealousy or lust. And, if at all possible, keep them secondary characters. Most fanfic readers really want to read about the characters they know and love from the original universe. While your character may be an amazingly loveable and spiffy character, you may want to save him/her for your own enjoyment or a few select friends. Just think and check over your work before posting. Again, consider writing original fiction.
And now, another touchy subject--
6. Egos--Taking Yourself (too) Seriously:
If you post your work on the 'net, there are going to be people who like it and people who don't. It doesn't matter what you do. Even if you write a fanfiction with no attention to grammar or spelling and the most OOC set of characters anybody has ever seen, there are going to be people who write you rave reviews. I've seen it happen. Conversely, even if you write a beautiful, well-plotted fanfiction where everybody is in character and the spelling and grammar are immaculate, you are still going to get flamed. This is the way the fanfiction universe works.
The thing to keep in mind is this: Nobody is perfect, not even you. The mark of a good writer (fanfiction or not) is the willingness to listen to other people's opinions, sort through the bad stuff, pick out what's useful, and keep growing as a writer. If you think you're the best there is, think again. There will always be somebody better than you, and there will always be someone worse than you. Humbling, isn't it? However, if you accept this small, simple fact and keep writing, you'll get better and better. Be the best that you can be. That's all one can ask.
And speaking of other people's opinions--
7. Reviews and Responses:
Whether posting on an actual website or simply e-mailing stories to your friends, what all writers want most is reviews, right? Wrong. What many fanfiction writers want is plain, unadulterated praise. Don't be one of them. Just because you get a bad review does NOT mean that you are a bad writer. Also, just because you get a good review does NOT mean that you are a great writer. Reviews simply mean that someone liked/didn't like your work enough to tell you about it.
Reviews are a wonderful way to help you grow as a writer. "This is great!" or "This is awful!" are examples of unhelpful reviews. Unfortunately, these are also examples of the general sort of reviews that most people get. Occasionally, however, someone takes the time to give you a more detailed analysis. Treasure these reviewers, for they often stoke your ego as well as show you pitfalls that you never noticed.
And while I'm on the subject of reviews...something I've noticed is that there are authors out there who threaten me in this way: "If I don't get at least 20 more reviews I'm not going to write the next chapter!" You know what? I don't care. If you're going to hold your story for ransom, I'm going to leave you a very carefully worded review, and then I'm outta there. What I get out of this kind of threat is "Praise me or else!" If you're writing just to get praise, don't write. Period. Write because you love to write.
I also get irritated when authors respond to bad reviews with "I'll never write again!" Dearest Author-type, those reviewers aren't trying to put you down. They're trying to help you make your writing better.
There are exceptions to this rule. Flame wars seem to be fairly common in the fanfiction world: One person leaves a bad review on another person's story, and then the second person leaves a comment like "You suck!" on the first person's story, and then it degenerates from there. If you receive a flame, ignore it. Be sure, however, that the flame really IS a flame and that you can't get anything useful out of it. Truth hurts, but flames hurt unnecessarily. Most of the truly good critiques I have read (and by "good" I don't necessarily mean "extremely positive") have had a lot of suggestions for improvement, but they also tended to end with a lot of encouragement and praise for the author. It takes guts to post your work on the 'net. If you're an author and you get a flame, do the mature thing: Ignore it and keep writing. Don't let ANYBODY make you take your work off the 'net and quit.
One more thing before I leave this particular point: If you have a thin skin, don't post your fanfiction on the 'net. Send it to your friends who will praise and encourage you. Posting your work on the 'net leaves you open to critique, and some of it is going to be negative. "If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen," as the masses tend to say. Sounds harsh, but so is the world of fanfiction.
8. Plot Logic, or Knowing Your Universe:
Don't build your plot on coincidence. Explain how things happen. Make it semi-logical, even in an illogical universe. Use the rules of the universe in which you are playing.
DO YOUR RESEARCH. Don't write fanfiction if you don't know what you're talking about. Read the books. Watch the show. Talk to fans. Get opinions. Do NOT, however, allow people to sway you if you think you're right. You have the right to your own opinion. If you think that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are actually desperately in love, you have the right to think that. I challenge you, however, to convince ME. ^_^
And that brings me to...
9. The Rules:
Some fandoms have different rules than others. For instance, Anne McCaffrey (author of the Dragonriders of Pern series) has an order out stopping people from writing fanfiction about her characters. It is a sign of a true fan that you respect an author's wishes regarding his/her work. And don't whine to me about "free speech," okay? Free speech does NOT apply in this case. Fanfiction is, technically, a breach of copyright. You're playing with characters and universes that ARE NOT YOURS. We, as fanfiction writers, own nothing. The best we can do is post a little notice at the beginning of each of our fanfictions that gives proper credit to the author and explains that we aren't making money off of what we're doing--we're just having some fun. However, this "fun" is a privelege, not a right. We write fanfiction at the original author's sufferance, and that can be taken away at any time. The least we can do as fans is respect the original author's wishes.
Another thing that I'm going to bring up here (though I'm sure I'll wish I hadn't) is posting your fics on another person's website. Most ficcers remember the day when the moderator of www.fanfiction.net issued a set of limitations on the sorts of fanfiction that would be allowed to be posted on his website. Many authors had a problem with these new rules, which included a cease-and-desist on all RP fanfics and all NC-17 fanfics. The moderator gave his reasons, and that was that. What I'd like to point out here is, whether the reasons were good or not, the moderator had the right to do what he did. It may not have been fun, and it may not even have been right or fair or what-have-you, but it was his perogative. He owns the website, he's paying for it, and he can decide what goes on it. There's lots of free webspace out there for people who really want to post the kinds of fics that are now verboten. And that's all I'm going to say about that particular little soft spot.
Well, I think this particular rant has gone on long enough. The main point is this: If you're going to write and post on the 'net, CARE about what you're doing. Put effort into it. We, as readers, can tell if you've worked hard, and we appreciate it.
If you have a pet peeve in the realm of fanfiction that I missed, please feel free to comment and let me know. If you think I'm totally wrong and off base, let me know. If you think I'm the greatest ranter there is, let me know. (I'll laugh!)
For further rantings about fanfiction, please visit Godawful Fanfiction and head for the Godawful Message Board. I post there under the name "Elfie-chan, Lurker Child." Warning: Things get a little cynical there, and we do a lot of complaining. However, we're good people. A little uptight, maybe, but good people. ^_~ Head on over, and tell 'em Elfie sent you. Bai for now!
