thoughts on derivative works and filing off the serial numbers.

[taraljc]

So I'd originally written this back in March 2008, at my pro blog. When I moved that blog to a different location, in an effort to segregate my pro work from my fannish life, I deleted it. But in light of certain meta recently, I decided to republish it here on my fannish LJ.

Comments

[clionaeilis]

Wow - the timing of this is spookily perfect. I've been thinking a lot about what it is about fan fiction and my attraction to and methodology for it, trying to find a way to talk about it. This weekend I went to a two-day writers conference (which was fabulous and I'll be posting about it soon, to make sure I don't forget my takeaways), because of the original fic inspiration I got after this year's Gosford Park yuletide piece. So, my focus was on historical fiction, and I was kind of freaking out about the parallels between the process/approach these historical fiction authors took with my own take on writing fanfic. It sounds like we are very similar in our viewpoints (although we already knew that, thanks to Ivor Novello!)

But the part that I can't explain, is the specific kind of context that's in play with most good fan fiction - the role or participation of the wider fandom. I can't really talk about 'what fan fiction means to me' without first talking about fandom, and painting that picture first, sufficiently enough that it's understood it's not a creator/consumer relationship - that it's much more interactive and fluid.

It reminds me of when I was at seminary/grad school, and I was open about my pagan/wiccan ways - one of my friends used to joke with me about 'so, when do we get to see a real witchy ritual'? And I had to explain to her that she never would, in a working coven, no one's watching while someone else is doing - it's a co-creation, so to speak. I feel like fan fiction is like that for me - even if I'm writing something insanely obscure (and as it happens, I always seem drawn to the most obscure fandom or pairing, without fail!), I'm still thinking of the reader as a partner rather than just a consumer.

Hmm - I was thinking out loud there, so I'm not sure how coherent that is. Back to another of your points that I've been thinking about - I have tried to repurpose stories I've written too, with no success. Finally, after this year's yuletide, I decided to hang around in the time period, in my character's neighborhood if you will, to see if I could find something there to spur some original fiction. That spurred me on to a huge amount of reading, and some various notions of character and plot which started coalescing recently (hence my decision to keep the spark going by attending this conference). Perhaps that might work for you as well? Stay in the characters' setting, rather than attempting to rehash the story or character that resided there?

Anyway - lots of rambling, sorry. Can you tell I'm fairly bowled over by this post of yours, and it's food - no, more like a feast - for thought?