On RPFs
This is in response to windstar127's post about RPFs but it got way too long ^^; I make a couple references to her post, so let me know if I need to clarify anything.
Let me reiterate: it got way too long.
It's fitting that you touch on this now since discussion needs to be held on million_dreams in regards to RPFs (Note: I'll be posting this soon; I'm in the middle of moving this week hence the "not yet" status of beginning this discussion on million_dreams, which will focus on how to post them on the comm, not what I'm rambling about in this post ^^;)
I was introduced to anime fanfiction before RPFs. When I did run across my first RPF, I was, admittedly, supremely weirded out by it and swore that I "would never write such things!" Now, almost 10 years later ... *glances at writing LJ and sweatdrops*
I agree that writing RPFs for Takarazuka (and performers in general, really) is much easier because of the "profiles" that they have. It's everything a writer needs, which is *not* everything and that creates two things: 1) a separation between the real person (who is defined by more than a simple profile) and the performer (the public persona that is defined by the profile) and 2) severe temptation for a writer, whose mind is constantly looking out for ideas and takes hold of even the simplest thing for a story (I personally love Katelyn's anecdote about being inspired by a radiator kicking on ^_^).
I agree with your point of "distance makes the writer's muse grow stronger" (XD) [That is, the more distance a person has from the 'sienne/performer, the more of a "stranger" the 'sienne/performer is to the writer, thus making it easier for a writer to write about them.] Though, I must make a note that most - if not all, arguably - fiction is based off of reality. But it's tweaked in some way or another so that it no longer is true to that reality and therefore is fiction.
I want to add that I think that enjoying RPFs has to do with one's ability and willingness to suspend disbelief. I think that's why I was weirded out by RPFs initially. These performers (I was a big K-Pop fangirl at the time) were much too real for me, even though all I knew about them were from profiles. The real person and the public persona - as defined by those profiles - were one and the same. "They wouldn't act like this," I thought, with a good amount of disgust.
That does not mean to say that now, 10 years later, I don't still have a part of my brain saying, "Tch, this person would never act like this" or "How the heck do you know this would happen?" I do - and this is where the line gets a bit weird. Even though I do not fully believe what I'm writing, I wholeheartedly do believe in what I'm writing.
Confused? I know. Let's take Osa as an example. I have come to understand (I'm hesitant to say "know" when it comes to someone I've not met ^^;), from various profiles, interviews, etc., that she is bloodtype AB, describes herself as quiet and laid-back, likes to listen to bossa nova, prefers winter to summer and other such things. We're going to mark these things as truth because these are taken straight from her (I know that things change but we're not going to talk about that right now :P).
For a writer, this is perfect for a story. Even now, my muse is like, "Okay, so she's bloodtype AB, that means that even though she said she's laid-back and quiet, there's a side to her that isn't that way. What kind of situation would bring out that other side?" and thus a story is born. But while writing that story, I know that what I write *is not true* - the only thing we know is true is that she is bloodtype AB and describes herself as quiet and laid-back. Anything beyond that is fiction.
But. While writing, you can't think that. You have to believe in what you're writing. You have to believe in the situation you're creating, this world where Osa prefers winter to summer because she likes to lounge around next to the fireplace, listening bossa nova, all quiet and serene but when a tractor comes crashing into her house, she totally - and justifiably - freaks out. (Okay, extreme example, but see! As a writer, you have to believe it! XD) You have to believe in the situation, in the world that you are creating, even if that world is fiction.
And you have to believe that this person is real, that they have a personality and certain things that they wouldn't do. And I think this is where it gets even more tricky - the idea of staying in character. This is where those doubts, those questions from earlier ("Tch, this person would never act like this" or "How the heck do you know this would happen?") come into play. It's a check, and because it goes against the public persona, it's a check against the real person. Would real person Osa freak out or would she be totally unfazed by a tractor suddenly taking out half of her living room? (Okay, I know there's a difference between laid-back and the reaction I described, but just go with me :P) Thus, it can be said, that in trying to keep the character in character we are venturing into the realm of the real person.
But how do we know that's the real person? We don't. And thus it is fiction.
RPFs, even though they are based on real people, are works of fiction. The RPF writer is not writing about the real person - they are are writing about the public persona that that person - 'sienne/performer, etc. - has revealed through interviews, appearances, etc. Thus it is also up to the reader to suspend disbelief and acknowledge an RPF as such: a work of fiction.
Sidenote: Does a person have the right to write RPFs? 'Siennes/performers have the right to their privacy; in a certain sense, one could contend that RPFs are just another form of gossip and are no better than tabloids and other such things. For me, that's more a matter of content and quality, not to mention the writer's intentions for writing. That aside, I believe that it still goes back to my original point, the idea that there is a separation between the real person and the public persona, and that the real person *does* have their privacy because RPFs only deal with that public persona.
(I could also tangent that into a discussion about a person's "true self" but that is definitely something for another day *headdesk*)
So. I think I typed myself into a circle ^^; Please, feel free to discuss~
Let me reiterate: it got way too long.
It's fitting that you touch on this now since discussion needs to be held on million_dreams in regards to RPFs (Note: I'll be posting this soon; I'm in the middle of moving this week hence the "not yet" status of beginning this discussion on million_dreams, which will focus on how to post them on the comm, not what I'm rambling about in this post ^^;)
I was introduced to anime fanfiction before RPFs. When I did run across my first RPF, I was, admittedly, supremely weirded out by it and swore that I "would never write such things!" Now, almost 10 years later ... *glances at writing LJ and sweatdrops*
I agree that writing RPFs for Takarazuka (and performers in general, really) is much easier because of the "profiles" that they have. It's everything a writer needs, which is *not* everything and that creates two things: 1) a separation between the real person (who is defined by more than a simple profile) and the performer (the public persona that is defined by the profile) and 2) severe temptation for a writer, whose mind is constantly looking out for ideas and takes hold of even the simplest thing for a story (I personally love Katelyn's anecdote about being inspired by a radiator kicking on ^_^).
I agree with your point of "distance makes the writer's muse grow stronger" (XD) [That is, the more distance a person has from the 'sienne/performer, the more of a "stranger" the 'sienne/performer is to the writer, thus making it easier for a writer to write about them.] Though, I must make a note that most - if not all, arguably - fiction is based off of reality. But it's tweaked in some way or another so that it no longer is true to that reality and therefore is fiction.
I want to add that I think that enjoying RPFs has to do with one's ability and willingness to suspend disbelief. I think that's why I was weirded out by RPFs initially. These performers (I was a big K-Pop fangirl at the time) were much too real for me, even though all I knew about them were from profiles. The real person and the public persona - as defined by those profiles - were one and the same. "They wouldn't act like this," I thought, with a good amount of disgust.
That does not mean to say that now, 10 years later, I don't still have a part of my brain saying, "Tch, this person would never act like this" or "How the heck do you know this would happen?" I do - and this is where the line gets a bit weird. Even though I do not fully believe what I'm writing, I wholeheartedly do believe in what I'm writing.
Confused? I know. Let's take Osa as an example. I have come to understand (I'm hesitant to say "know" when it comes to someone I've not met ^^;), from various profiles, interviews, etc., that she is bloodtype AB, describes herself as quiet and laid-back, likes to listen to bossa nova, prefers winter to summer and other such things. We're going to mark these things as truth because these are taken straight from her (I know that things change but we're not going to talk about that right now :P).
For a writer, this is perfect for a story. Even now, my muse is like, "Okay, so she's bloodtype AB, that means that even though she said she's laid-back and quiet, there's a side to her that isn't that way. What kind of situation would bring out that other side?" and thus a story is born. But while writing that story, I know that what I write *is not true* - the only thing we know is true is that she is bloodtype AB and describes herself as quiet and laid-back. Anything beyond that is fiction.
But. While writing, you can't think that. You have to believe in what you're writing. You have to believe in the situation you're creating, this world where Osa prefers winter to summer because she likes to lounge around next to the fireplace, listening bossa nova, all quiet and serene but when a tractor comes crashing into her house, she totally - and justifiably - freaks out. (Okay, extreme example, but see! As a writer, you have to believe it! XD) You have to believe in the situation, in the world that you are creating, even if that world is fiction.
And you have to believe that this person is real, that they have a personality and certain things that they wouldn't do. And I think this is where it gets even more tricky - the idea of staying in character. This is where those doubts, those questions from earlier ("Tch, this person would never act like this" or "How the heck do you know this would happen?") come into play. It's a check, and because it goes against the public persona, it's a check against the real person. Would real person Osa freak out or would she be totally unfazed by a tractor suddenly taking out half of her living room? (Okay, I know there's a difference between laid-back and the reaction I described, but just go with me :P) Thus, it can be said, that in trying to keep the character in character we are venturing into the realm of the real person.
But how do we know that's the real person? We don't. And thus it is fiction.
RPFs, even though they are based on real people, are works of fiction. The RPF writer is not writing about the real person - they are are writing about the public persona that that person - 'sienne/performer, etc. - has revealed through interviews, appearances, etc. Thus it is also up to the reader to suspend disbelief and acknowledge an RPF as such: a work of fiction.
Sidenote: Does a person have the right to write RPFs? 'Siennes/performers have the right to their privacy; in a certain sense, one could contend that RPFs are just another form of gossip and are no better than tabloids and other such things. For me, that's more a matter of content and quality, not to mention the writer's intentions for writing. That aside, I believe that it still goes back to my original point, the idea that there is a separation between the real person and the public persona, and that the real person *does* have their privacy because RPFs only deal with that public persona.
(I could also tangent that into a discussion about a person's "true self" but that is definitely something for another day *headdesk*)
So. I think I typed myself into a circle ^^; Please, feel free to discuss~