The Awesomeness of Writing Fanfic
Okay, I promised
quenya_tattoo I was going to write this ages ago, and as I'm in the mood to write but unable to focus on any fic in progress tonight, I'm going to take a stab at it. For those of you who have absolutely no interest in why I write fanfic, or what I think is so cool about it, I'm putting the vast majority of my long-winded ramblings behind a cut.
Besides, it looks more important that way.
I've had a number of people ask me over the last eight years or so why I write fanfic. Some of them are trying to push me into writing something original, with the idea that in such case I might actually receive monetary compensation (hah!), some think I spend far too much time writing, period, and some, admittedly, are just curious. But a few months ago, I asked myself the question. Why Do I write fanfic? After all, it's not as if I don't have other things I could be doing with my time, right?
Just say right, it makes me feel as if I have an exciting life. ;)
The first reason, of course, is that plot bunnies invade my mind and run rampant, forcing me to exert far too much time and energy tracking them down and forcing them into some semblance of form. In other words, I get the ideas, and if I don't write them they drive me insane. Modding an RP gave me an additional outlet for these for a while, because I'm not convinced that there's anything cooler than watching Other people play with my plot bunnies (that sounds very, very wrong). But writing has the advantage of being able to control every aspect of the plot and bring it together.
The second, of course, is that once these plot bunnies are harnessed and forced to work for the greater good...I like the feedback. The more, the better, and constructive criticism is always welcome. Well, except at 6am, at which time I'm rarely conscious enough to handle criticism. But it's a thrilling feeling, knowing that I'm writing something that other people are actually Reading. And, in some cases, enjoying.
But ultimately, it doesn't matter if they enjoy it or not. Don't get me wrong - I'd love the entire world to read my fic and pronounce it the greatest thing ever. I'm also realistic. There are far better authors than I out there, and if I wanted huge quantities of people to gush over my fic, I'd be writing ROMY or JOTT or some other incredibly popular pairing that draws lots of attention. (no insult intended to ROMY and JOTT writers - there Are good ones, some of whom are on my flist. I just don't write stories revolving around them.) Instead, the vast majority of my fic revolves around either Bobby or Bobby/Kitty, the pairing I'm normally associated with even though I didn't originate it, and a bunch of other "b-list" (to borrow the term from my husband) characters.
So, why?
Now we come to the very coolest thing about fanfic. Someone, somewhere is reading it. I may not know them; they may never review, or e-mail, or plague me on IM with endless questions and requests for the next chapter to contain some brilliant idea they've thought of that would render things perfect. They could be anywhere, in any part of the world. Or it could be my next door neighbor, however disinclined I am to believe that as I can't picture him with a comic book.
But...ultimately, whether they like it or hate it, some small part of it will stick with them. Possibly not the title of the fic, almost certainly not the name of the writer. No one is every going to approach me at a comicon and gush "Oh, you're Sue? I Love your fic". If they did, I'd probably run in terror. But someday, they'll be thinking of something totally unrelated, and think to themselves, "Oh, I read a story once where such and such happened..."
And it'll be something I wrote.
I'm not sure why, exactly, I find that thought so attractive. I probably make a greater impact in the grander scheme of things by checking out books at the school library. But to me, it sounds like the coolest thing ever.
There. Maybe now I'll get to work on some of my WIPs. Anyone have a preference as to which?