|
Confessions of a Fan Fiction Writer
It started innocently enough. I had attended my monthly revival
meeting (my writers' group), where a friend read an excerpt from
a story she was working on. I had enjoyed the reading and made
the mistake of asking if there was more to the story. She was
thrilled that I had expressed interest, and promptly informed
me of her web site, which is dedicated wholly to fan fiction
she has written.
Curiosity can be both a blessing and a bane. Of course, I
had to ask her what fan fiction was. She told me it was fiction
written by fans (no kidding) that revolved around favorite characters
from movies and television shows. It began with *Star Trek* in
the 1960s, and has since expanded to include a wide variety of
shows. If it's on a screen, big or small, there is probably a
fan fiction piece written about it somewhere.
My interest was immediately piqued, for I have been a *Star
Wars* fan since May of 1977 when it was first released. I have
read every novel, and even a few of the comic books. On video,
I own the original threesome, as well as the special edition
trilogy, and "The Phantom Menace". I am rather abashed
to admit that I can quote whole scenes, word for word. And I
have successfully indoctrinated, ah, I mean, introduced my children
to that galaxy far, far away. It had never even occurred to me
that I might be able to cavort in George's playground. What an
idea!
The first chance I got, I clicked my way to my friend's web
site and read her *Star Wars* pieces, ignoring her other fandom
writings. It was like water to my drought-stricken English ivy.
A tantalizing taste of the Old Republic without having to stand
in line for the next novel. She was a trifle fixated on Obi-Wan,
but ... c'est la vie.
This initial foray into the world of fan fiction was not only
enjoyable, but very inspiring. My imagination began firing on
all thrusters. Within days I had a story orbiting in my mind,
complete with plot, setting and characters. 35 pages, quite literally,
poured out of me. In the eyes of fan fiction devotees, though,
I had committed a grievous sin, for I had centered my story around
an original character. Apparently such stage-stealing interlopers
are called "Mary-Sues", and are to be avoided at all
costs. By then it was too late. I had been captivated by this
character, who was not named Mary-Sue, and went on to blissfully
ignore this fan fiction 'rule'. And my friend declared that it
was a successful infraction. (She was my Master, I was her Padawan,
and life was good.) I ignored that bit of dogma for six months,
through eight stories and over 400 pages. To say I was obsessed
would be a kindness. I can speak in the past tense, because I
have written my last tale involving this particular character.
At least, I hope I have.
Hey, but at least I was writing. And my family did get fed
-- most nights. (Yes, this is rationalization at its finest.)
And now I am faced with a dilemma of galactic proportions,
by an author's standards. I have a readership of three: my aforementioned
friend, my beta-reader, and her daughter. Being, as all writers
must be, a touch arrogant about the exceptional quality of my
work, I have been sorely tempted to send that first story off
to TOR books, knowing that they will be immediately struck by
the brilliant prose and masterful plotting. And, of course, my
rejection file could use another addition. (I have heard that
some writers paper the walls with their rejection letters --
a wonderful way to lighten up a den done in dark wallboard paneling.)
Woefully, I realize my best option is to post the stories
on the Internet, where they will be read (gulp) for free, and
hopefully enjoyed, by *Star Wars* fans everywhere. And the more
I look, the more I think I will have to resort to creating my
own web page, as my friend did.
It is more than just an issue of control (but there is that).
For you see, I prefer a full-fledged story, and most sites are
more geared to smaller offerings. (My own work consists of one
eight-page vignette, with the rest ranging from 35 to 132 pages.
I admit, I got a little carried away in length.) And I simply
have no patience for searching those massive general sites. Though,
I do so, occassionally. And when I find a story I enjoy, it is
like discovering a diamond in a pile of grass cuttings; I search
madly for any other story written by that author. Is this what
editors face when they peruse the infamous slush pile? [The author
suppresses a shudder.]
With my own site, I am free to present my stories as I see
fit. I will not get lost amongst the thousands. You don't need
to search for me -- here I am.
There are sites where the moderators do the searching for
you and present their personal favorites. The one I most often
wing to is "TheForce.net's
archive", and I'm sure there are many others. Regardless
of genre, good writing is always sought after and appreciated.
The Internet is a world stage unlike any history has ever
been witness to; far more people than just Big Brother are watching.
Posting a slap-dash effort is a little like appearing in public
wearing only tattered underwear. I, for one, would rather be
seen in formal attire. Best foot forward and all that.
As a writer, that means I ... Write. Rewrite. Check for spelling.
Watch my grammar and punctuation. Edit myself (and get someone
else to, as well). I sincerely hope my writing meets my own standards.
You know, my friend once told me, "Once you start down
the fanfic path, forever will it dominate your destiny."
If she had told me that from the beginning, I might have resisted
the urge to write that first story. Because now I feel obligated
to do something with it.
Quiller, Bard of Dakshee
|
