Fanfic musing

[shapinglight]

I don't know why I said I needed an icon for my fic writing whinges when I have this one. Not that this post is a whinge. More of a muse.

So, the other day, brutti_ma_buoni said that she's written 300+ fics in the last five years, which got me to wondering how many fics I've written in my eight years of fanfic writing (I think it's eight anyway). I haven't

Comments

[rahirah]

I think some writers are drawn to particular sorts of character or relationship dynamics, and will be happy writing in any fandom, or about any characters, that have those dynamics. I think it's easier for them to switch fandoms, or write in multiple fandoms at once. Other writers are drawn more to the whole package - to universes rather than characters. Or maybe they just have much narrower ranges of relationship dynamics, such that they tend to arise only in certain types of universes. I dunno. I just know that it's a very, very, very rare fandom that inspires me to write fic - it's only happened twice, with Elfquest and Buffy. Not that I haven't tried to write fic about other fandoms occasionally (Star Trek, Doctor Who, Pern) but nothing's ever come of it.

A given writer may run out of things to say about a particular set of characters. But that doesn't mean that other writers won't still find new and interesting things to say about that exact same set of characters, because no two of us watch exactly the same show.

[shapinglight]

I'd agree with all of that, and it does help explain to me why I like the Buffyverse so much. It's a discrete 'verse, not just a few interesting characters. I'm definitely the second sort of writer.

And yes, it's quite true that new writers can come along and say something new and interesting. There are lots of cases in point, not least oni_9 fic, The Tinder Box,.

[kikimay]

Personally I think it's amazing that after all these years from both series finales there are still fanfics work in progress. I mean, how many other shows can have the same thing? I became part of the Buffyverse world after AtS ending and I'm one of the latest fangirls, so maybe I think it's amazing because of that, because I didn't see how it was before.

[shapinglight]

I mean, how many other shows can have the same thing?

There are possibly more around than you think, but I wouldn't really know, what with being so Buffyverse-centric. ;)

Anyway, I'm glad there's still enough here to interest and draw in newcomers.

[red_satin_doll]

BMB has written 300+ fics in the last year? DAMN

[rahirah]

Last FIVE years. Otherwise we'd have to kill her. *g*

[red_satin_doll]

Oops. My bad. Still - that's pretty amazing, or at least it is to me.

[rebcake]

Oh Hell Yes it is! That's like a fic every five days, or 6 every month. I just...whoa.

[slaymesoftly]

Like you, I don't have much interest in reading or writing about characters in any verse except the one that got my attention in the first place. Having at least one thing that I'm writing/working on almost all the time for the past ten years or so has become so much a part of my life that I wonder what I will do with myself if and when the fandom dries up completely. I just don't have that same level of involvement with characters from any other fandom, even though I will sometimes read something from another fandom and enjoy it - it's not something I seek out.

I have no idea how much I've written - and where to draw the line? Should drabbles be included? How about really short things like those for sb-fag-ends? (not that I've done all that many).

I'm just grateful that there are still people who care about the fandom and who still read and write in it. Even if the numbers are way, way lower than they were when I first got into it and there were lots of archives to peruse and many more people writing.

[red_satin_doll]

I'm just grateful that there are still people who care about the fandom and who still read and write in it. Even if the numbers are way, way lower than they were when I first got into it and there were lots of archives to peruse and many more people writing.the number of hours I have wasted in the last months - pleasurably - reading Buffy fanfic, I could not begin to quantify

[shapinglight]

I wonder what I will do with myself if and when the fandom dries up completely. I just don't have that same level of involvement with characters from any other fandom

I feel the same. I sort of hope I might get an idea for something original and write that instead, but I can't imagine fanficcing anything else now.

And of course drabbles should be included. Drabbles take a lot of work to get just right.

I would say that, of course, as they're what I mostly write these days, but I do still think they count.

[slaymesoftly]

And of course drabbles should be included. Drabbles take a lot of work to get just right.

That is true - but still... tiny and numerous. :)

[spikesjojo]

I came along really late, so I got to read all those stories when they were completed - except the ones that have been erased from the net. I kinda know what you mean from Trek fandom. I was a huge fan of the show when there was only one show, and no movies. It was one big family - dysfunctional as all hell

[red_satin_doll]

They make mistakes and have problems. Most shows seem to be more in the 'solve the problem of the week'. In the Buffyverse it's just as likely that any given character is the problem of the week. (Look at Lover's Walk)

Oh SO much so. It's why other tv shows are entertainment to me and the Buffyverse is something else entirely. I love that the characters actually challenge me to like them at times, and yet I can often understand them despite or because of their flaws.

The great thing about reading here (B-verse) is that so often the same basic plot can be used to create a completely different story.

Which comes back 'round to the fact that the writers here are so good and the level of writing so high. I've got a small handful of my favorite stories in the "Buffy and Spike post-Chosen or NFA" sub-genre, and they are each very different from one another but still capture something about the characters that feels true to me.

[spikesjojo]

Might be good to send the link...facepalm

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=anaross&keyword=Journey&filter=all

[red_satin_doll]

Thanks so much! I love her Buffy voice!