We're still authors!

[a1y_puff]

"IF fanfic authors were real authors they'd write their own books. But writing your own stuff is pretty difficult and incredibly daunting. So, I understand the attraction of wanting to borrow someone else's characters - the hard work is already done."


Okay, I know this is not a fresh-from-the-oven issue, but duuuuuuuuuudeee, I just get to read at least enough discussions about the so-called storm that Diana Gabaldon had started some time ago.

So Gabaldon has already deleted her THREE entries regarding her view of all-fanfics-are-immoral-and-illegal, but I kinda got a screencap of her blog before the entries were deleted. And you know what? I read up to the third entry but couldn't finish or else I would have actually acquainted my head with my plate on the desk since I was eating.

So okay, I wouldn't even touch the copyright laws or those heavy stuff because bookshop had already brilliantly rebutted all of Gabaldon's arguments regarding those stuff. Check it out, btw, it's really awesome and DETAILED.

I'm not going to say much about Gabaldon and those anti-fanfic posts because I think a lot of you have already known about this, yeah? But if you do want to know more, just go HERE.

Anyway, back to the quote I posted up there. It was originally a comment posted by someone named Chip Michael in response to A Challenge for Fanfics Authors posted by a yet-to-be-published author, Eddie Louise.

So Chip Michael said that fanfic authors aren't real authors because they don't write their own book? I beg to differ. I had already published two books before I even set foot in the world of fanfic-writing back in mid-2007, and now that I LOVE writing fanfics, does it make me less of an author than I was before?

I don't think so. I know there are a lot of published authors who love writing fanfics. It's not that we are stupid or not creative enough to create our own characters. It's just that we happen to LOVE
a series and its characters so friggin' much. Fanfics aren't a form of plagiarism; it's a creativity of its own. It's a form of love that the fans have for certain fandoms and characters, right? And the fandoms that we're in, don't they kind of feel like home?

At least, it is to me. As this particular post said, I grew up here.. This is where I found myself, where I learn to understand myself, my quirks, my defense-mechanism. This is where I learn to love myself as I am, to be a better person, to want to understand others. Fandoms gave me knowledge and wisdoms that I don't get from RL. Fandoms gave me great friends and family.

And as isumi_ilde so eloquently put in this entry about what fandom is to her, and maybe to a lot of us too, "It shapes me in a way, along with my own real life. It's part of my identity, where I belong."

True, that I have already published my own works before I started writing fanfictions, but the fanfic world is where I really grew, matured, and got better in writing. There's a significant difference in my writings before and after I started writing fanfics. Ask isumi_ilde, she's read my very first novel and compared it to my third, which I wrote after months of writing fanfictions, and the third, she said, was much, MUCH better. Hell, I even love my recent fanfics better than my first two published novels >.>;;

I became a better author thanks to reading and writing a lot of fanfics.

So you CAN'T say that fanfics authors aren't real authors. I admit that some fanfic authors are still immature and not much of a writer, but you can't just generalize us like that! Many of us are as much as an author as those published authors. Some of us are even both, right? :)

And if some people out there think I'm ridiculous and obsessive for saying all these things? Well they just have to suck it up that we have different kinds of lives.

That aside! Today’s works were a bit hectic. We just got a big client who will work with us for the next six month, and it’s an international company too! So I’ve been translating documents after documents and damn my lack of vocabs for official/formal stuff.

Thus, I want to thank metacifer and vierblith_tefu who are such lifesavers for helping me. I’m sorry I’ve been bugging you guys, but thanks sooo much! <333

ETA: Just when I thought I was finally free, my boss gave me another batch of articles to translate. Holy shit I haven’t even eaten lunch! *wails*

ETA 2: My flirty co-worker bought me a chocolate bread and a box of tea because I wouldn't be able to get my lunch anytime soon. Hmm... flirting has its benefits? XD;; *shot*

Comments

[kencana-kencana.livejournal.com]

Kalau saya sih bakal cuekin aja. Kan orang yg menulis artikel itu tidak mengerti apa2 ttg saya, juga alasan saya menulis fanfic.

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

Pengennya sih cuek, tapi ngeselinjuga. Masalahnya dia pake argumen yang lumayan intelligent dan seolah2 tahu segalanya. It's annoying. Period :(

[animegoil.livejournal.com]

You know, you brought up some interesting points (I wasn't aware, actually, that there were published authors writing fanfics as well).

But to add to what you're saying too, yeah, I find that comment a bit insulting. Yes, creating and fleshing out your own, made-up characters and world is difficult. I know that I sometimes balk at the idea of having to do that, and in that regard, yeah, it's easier to play with established settings and characters. But on the other hand, many, many fanfic authors expand on the established universe, or create their own, and that's sometimes just as difficult (how do you go beyond what's already there, in a way that works with what's already there, and works for your own goals in the writing, you know?). And additionally... even though we're playing with established characters, that doesn't mean we're not analyzing them and creating new aspects to them or elaborating on certain aspects of them. And that's certainly not something that's easy either. Sitting there and trying to figure out how to make a character your own without defiling their already set personality, or trying to envision how they would realistically act in a non-canon situation is a mental exercise that's very different, but at once very comparable, to creating your own character. One could argue that creating your own character is the easy way out -- anything they do is canon! Since they're yours, you could make them do anything and just say that's who they are! Unlike in fanfics, you don't have to create or find a logical reason, or try to make it seem realistic and natural for the character.

:/

so yeah. I find that comment very ignorant.

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

I know a few published authors who write fanfics XD;;

And regarding what you said about fanfic-writing, I couldn't agree more. It's true that some fanfic authors especially those preteens ones oftentimes just recklessly use existing characters without thinking much about canon settings and characterization. BUT NOT ALL OF US ARE LIKE THAT!! There ar also A LOT of fanfic authors who, as you said there, BOTHER with details like canon characterisations and setting, and also struggling with the established characterizations when we put them into a non-canon ituations. It took a lot of efforts, sometimes, it's so difficult that when your reader said you did well and the fic was IC, you'd explode with joy. Right? And in that regard, writing fanfics are, in a way, more difficult thatn creating your own story. Becuse as you said, anything tha you do with your own story will be canon anyway.

Seriously, when I read that comment yesterday, I thought I'd explode in anger. Blah. :(

[vierblith-tefu.livejournal.com]

Hello. A lot of us also write original. If we don't have our own books, it's only because we don't have friends or relatives and contacts to get published.

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

Totally RIGHT. Couldn't agree more. :(

[forbiden-past.livejournal.com]

LOLOL..secara yg Gabaldon itu pengarang buku yang bagus, heran bs2nya dia mikir kayak gt. Kalo sekedar nerbitin buku, asalkan ada uang, semua orang juga bisa. Tapi kalau untuk bikin cerita yang bagus, itu yg susah. Bkn fanfict atau bikin buku ga menentukan kadar/skill seorang penulis.

Lagian..perasaan banyak kok pengarang buku yang bikin fanfict/doujinshi, termasuk dari buku mereka sendiri. contoh, harry potter, trus death note/TRC (doujinshi).

Dan mayoritas pengarang tu justru senang kalo banyak yg bikin fanfic/doujin berdasarkan buku mereka, karena itu artinya, fans suka dengan karya mereka.

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

Keknya banyak yang il-feel sama buku2nya Gabaldon setelah dia bkin pernyataan itu. Lagian dengan dia ngomong begitu, bukannya dia melecehkan fansnya sendiri? Yang dia komplen kan orang2 yang bikin fanfic untuk buku dia, yang aman adalah orang2 yang juga BELI buku dia. ckckck...

Ada memang beberapa author yang ga suka karyanya dibikin fanfic, tapi kan tinggal bikin pengumuman yang melarang fanfic di fandom dia, ga usah pake melecehkan fanfic in general, hawhaw... aduh, jadi esmosi lagi gw XD;;

[dark-kana.livejournal.com]

Lots of us write original fiction. I do as well. More so these days, seeing my fanfiction muse seems to be a little dead... I just don't publish books. But writing fanfic most certainly doesn't make us less writers... I whole heartly agree with you and animegoil.
Because of me writing fanfic, my writing has improved a lot. My English has improved a lot. And I have improved alot. I got to know me. Fanfiction, writing in general, helped me with that.

Oh, that comment made me angry as well... *pouts*

Anyway. Good luck with translating. And yeah, I guess flirting does have its benefits... XD

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

But writing fanfic most certainly doesn't make us less writers... <-- my point exactly. Writing is still writing, and in a sense, writing fanfiction, when you want to do it right can be more difficult. Because there's an established settings, characterization, etc etc, yeah?

And yeah, I can see that the comment set you on fire, if your icon is any indication. XDD *shot*

Thanks, btw <3

[dark-kana.livejournal.com]

Yes, writing is still writing. And it shouldn't matter if you write original or fanfic... Because they both have their difficulties and I love to write them both.. And yes, original might be harder, because you have to think out characters and their traits and everything around them and stuff like that. But fanfic can be harder because you know the characters and their traits and everything, and when you write about them you have to keep them in character...

*grins* Well, that icon is my 'I'm angry'-icon ... XD

[raatkerani.livejournal.com]

hahaha... orang yang bilang kalo penulis fanfic itu gak bisa nulis... should just... be ignored.
saya mulai nulis cerita original (non-fiction) waktu masih sd atau smp, meski nggak pernah dipublish selain dibaca temen2 sekelas... dan baru menulis fanfic dari hampir lulus kuliah.
nulis fanfic itu lebih enak untuk latihan, terumata, menurut gue lebih banyak dapat comment (dari hasil perbandingan posting di fanfiction.net dengan fictionpress.com) ... so input, beta, and everything is easier to find in fandom rather than in original fiction forum.

we still do write our original fictions right?

but i have to admit... that writing a fanfiction is easier because i don't have to make up all the characterization. i tend to think over my OC too deeply that i could make several writing projects just to write histories of each characters... thus... all my original fictions are never finished.

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

nulis fanfic itu lebih enak untuk latihan, terumata, menurut gue lebih banyak dapat comment (dari hasil perbandingan posting di fanfiction.net dengan fictionpress.com) ... so input, beta, and everything is easier to find in fandom rather than in original fiction forum.
ECACTLY! Makanya mungkin karena itu ya bisa lebih cepet maju. Gw kalo nunjukkin original fics ke temen2 ga dapet komen yang detail2 banget, paling "Oh bagus" or something. Belajar bahwa nulis cerita ga cuma nulis tapi juga adayang namanya karakterisasi, membangun atmosfir sama gimana cara wording yang bisa ngasih efek ke pembaca, itu semua gw dapet dari fanfic. Dan yang jelas, fanfic bikin kemapuna bahas aInggris meningkat XDDD

i tend to think over my OC too deeply that i could make several writing projects just to write histories of each characters... thus... all my original fictions are never finished.
THAT IS MY CURRENT PROBLEM DAMMIT! Hahaha... makanya udah lama gak nulis teenlit lagi, padahal nyoap udah dorong2 karena duitnya lumayan gede XD

[yoshikochan.livejournal.com]

I agree! I still have to read through the links, but it makes my eyes roll in the back of my head that they just don't get it. I've read a lot of fanfics that are more brilliant than many, MANY published books - and yes, they're feeding off pre-created characters, but so what? Look at the Star Wars novels - I highly doubt their authors would enjoy being told they aren't authors for using Lucas's universe and characters. So stupid.... I've gotten a lot better too, at writing, at thinking about characters and plots and developments.... even simple things like spelling.

And fanfiction is so entertaining ... sometimes more so than the original series, sometimes even more thought provoking. And as far as I see it, with any creative work, that's what matters most.

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

I've read a lot of fanfics that are more brilliant than many, MANY published books
ME TOO! Some fanfics are really much better than some books found in store.

Also, if you read bookshop's rebuttal, you'd find a list of fanfics-turn-novels/movies etc. Fanfics definitely isn't something to look down at.

And fanfiction is so entertaining ... sometimes more so than the original series, sometimes even more thought provoking. And as far as I see it, with any creative work, that's what matters most.
I have no words, except that I agree :D

[hakasha.livejournal.com]

so I spent the last... I don't even know how long, reading what you wrote and the stuff you linked... and to see people speaking so ignorantly and saying such things makes me really sad and upset. >___>

But then I read the pro-fanfic arguments and I feel better. XD I had never really considered or thought about how much fandom and fanfiction is such a part of our culture in general, and of ourselves and our growing up process really, so it was all rather awesome.

And that's what fandom taught me today! 8D

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, ignorance =/= bliss. ignorance can cause you t o fall of the cliff! HARHAR!
And I think that people shouldn't mess with us fangirls/fanfic authors. You've seen how angry the response are, yeah? And how the rebuttal looked much more intelligent than Gabaldon's post, and I'm pretty sure it's not just me being biased towards pro-fanfics. Many fangirls are actually awesomely intelligent people, and you should know better than to mess with them. XD

Also, fandom, to me, taught a lot of things, and I'm pretty sure it does the same to a lot of people, yes? Fandom is awesome! <3

[anyajulia.livejournal.com]

who does that person think he is?...

agree with isumi too... fanfics shapes us... while before reading fanfics my story writing weren't satisfactory... even to myself... but ever since i started reading fanfics... it started to get easy writing stories.. i have come to an understanding.. what technique to use.. what works and everything else... i even started writing fanfics nowadays... though not finished yet... but reading the first two paragraphs made me smile & realize just how much i have changed... all thanks to fanfics...

anyway:
good luck to ur hectic job... and as for flirting... yes it does have benefits... especially when you have forgotten the formula for an equation...

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

He's just an ignorant person who knows nothing about "The Big Bad Internet", LOL.

And yup, fanfics sure did a lot of things to us, ne? They're TAHT awesome ^___^
And I'd love to see your fics when you finish them :D

especially when you have forgotten the formula for an equation...
LOL. Anyway, thanks XD

[(Anonymous)]

hurray for fanfics.....

yep.. flirting does help... though that time i wasn't sure if he was gonna give me said formula since he's stingy with his answers... my momy forced me to ask him... it wasn't until an incident that i realized he had a crush on me... and to make it worse... he thought I ALSO HAD A CRUSH ON HIM... eeeeewwww... talk about conceited....

[thecommawhore.livejournal.com]

I don't really have anything to add that hasn't already been said - just that yeah, pretty insulting. I know for sure that when I'm a published author - which I will be! - I'm not going to stop writing fanfic. I'll always be a fandom girl at heart. <3

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

I know for sure that when I'm a published author - which I will be! - I'm not going to stop writing fanfic. I'll always be a fandom girl at heart. <3
YEESSSS!! Once a fangirl, always a fangirl. Right? XD *bricked*

Anyway, good luck on getting your books published! YOU CAN DO IT!! And then tell me if the book is in English, I'd love to read :)

[thecommawhore.livejournal.com]

Once a fangirl, always a fangirl, indeed! :D

Thank you! ^__^ The books will be in English, the only other language in which I'm fluent is French, and I'd doubt my skills to write a novel in that language. >> I've got a few partly-done books kicking around and a bunch of half-formed ideas. Nothing ever quite nears completion. :P

[freakingcage7.livejournal.com]

I think that flirty coworker is going to marry you. Let me know when that happens so I can gloat a bit. :">

AND I AGREE. Sure, some people don't take fanfiction writing seriously, but the loads of us that do consider it to be extremely challenging. Everyone's take on a character is different, and if anything it only adds to the deepness of that character.

Besides, anyone can do a crap job on a real novel and make a character extremely cliche (COUGH, That kid in Eragon COUGH). And who hasn't read a fanfction that took a completely nonessential character and made them seem like they were the reason the stars shine? Some of the most noninfluential characters in canon can become heros in fanfiction!

So I agree! Fanfiction writing can even be harder, since it's not your own character! With your own made up people, you can say, "They did that because I wanted them too," anything can be explained away! But with already made characters you have to plot around them, making sure everything they do would be something they would in fact do, you know?

Anyway, my own personal rant is now finished. :D

[a1y-puff.livejournal.com]

LOL no, in fact I think I am now the love councelor... for some reason. It's not like I have a lot of experiences in the subject, reading fanfics aside, lol.

the loads of us that do consider it to be extremely challenging. Everyone's take on a character is different, and if anything it only adds to the deepness of that character. <--THIS is what makes fanfics interesting, right? The different takes on a character.

Anyway, I also agree on everything you say. Seriously, people shouldn't just look down on fanfics just because they use existing characters and settings. On the contrary, THERE is where the challenge lies D:

And lol, great. Ranting is good for your health XDDD