100 Things Challenge (#3): Confidence and the Wimpy Writer

[dawn_felagund]

Today, I received good news about a paper I'd written for my recent grad school class, but for the first time in a long while, I'd been very nervous about something I'd written. It's that comfortable old dread, that sudden realization of the possibility that one has labored hard and still produced a dud. As I clicked through the university's

Comments

[spiced_wine]

To the contrary, when we fannish writers approach a story, I think we consider more if what we are writing communicates to our readers what we want it to, whether an insight on a character or commentary on something in the "canon."

Yes. I find it really strange, as I thought writers were writers were writers, but the writers within fanfic have a far different attitude, and a vast amount of what comes across as deep love for the characters they write of. Not that you can't love characters you write in o-fic, but usually in fanfic the love is for some-one else's creation that we just want to explore, for nothing, not for fame or money, but out of sheer love.

As for wimpiness. I view writing as looking up a flight of stairs. I see writers many steps above and know in my heart I can't get that far just because I've not go the intelligence or their gifts; I feel it's not ever possible to climb those stairs, but I am glad they're there because it shows me what can be done. Of course I feel that way when reading good original fiction, but the authors are distant, fanfic authors are closer, so it's like being on the same set of stairs, which is humbling but also acts as a kind of spur to me.

[dawn_felagund]

I love that analogy. You're totally right that seeing what other authors make possible can act as an inspiration and motivation to stretch one's creative wings a bit! :)