Professional fan fiction

[lucidscreamer]

In the latest issue of the TOR/Forge newsletter, Kevin J. Anderson talks about the latest novel in the classic Dune series, Paul of Dune* (co-written with Brian Herbert).

"What in the world happened between those two novels [Dune and Dune Messiah]? How can we explain the dramatic shift in Paul’s character? Paul of Dune is the untold story of

Comments

[dknightshade]

Interesting. I think you and I share similar views on pro fanfic (wouldn't they hate hearing it called that?). It's interesting to know that the method is the same - or at least sometimes the same. It's good to know that these two in particular care enough about the source material to read and re-read to get it right. I think some of the pro authors don't care that much.

[lucidscreamer]

I think some of the pro authors don't care that much.

Too many of them, judging by some of the stuff that gets published. :P

Books like this one escape the fanfic label only by a technicality, IMO. They're fanfic that is officially sanctioned, but still...

[dknightshade]

*nods nods*

[frenziedpanda7]

I know of several authors of Star Trek books that got their start writing fan fiction. (Back in those prehistoric, pre-intenet days of fan zines!) I for one, will take good fan fic over officially santioned hack writing any day.

[lucidscreamer]

That's true. And at least one of them is openly anti-fanfiction (Laurell K. Hamilton, I'm looking at you!). Not just fanfic based on her books, but fanfic in general. She sneers at it.

Most of what I read these days is fanfic. I just can't find that much pro-fic that I want to read (not to mention the ridiculous prices for even a paperback). And when it comes to media properties, like Star Trek, the well-written fic is much more satifying to me as a fan than the pro tie-in novels. So, yay for good!fic! ^_^

You need to write more of those cute YGO vignettes (like with teh ebil kitties of DOOM and card destruction). Because it's all about me, and I need teh cheering up. ;)

[frenziedpanda7]

In all fairness, I have remembered that back in the eighties, (Yeah I'm old! )The Star Trek franchise did publish two anthologies (sp?)of Trek fan fic. (New Voyages I think.)Each story was introduced by a member of the cast! Would'nt you love to see that with YGO?

I've been working on an AE muti chapter, but will take a little break from it to do a couple more kitty stories.(The first two chaps of the AE are done, just waiting for final approval of the beta reader.)After what just happened,(see LJ) I NEED some more humor! Plus, I promesed Not Hathor a b-day snippet...

[lucidscreamer]

I remember those. I still have a copy of "New Voyages 2" around here somewhere... Pocket Books did several other "New Voyages" anthologies in the 90s, holding contests and publishing the winners in the anthologies. I had one of the new volumes, but (given the restrictions of the contest) they read pretty much like very bland pro-fic. Meh. The original two NV were FUN. I still remember the one where Uhura gets into all kinds of trouble while trying to set up a surprise birthday party for Kirk. :D

Would'nt you love to see that with YGO?

OMG, YES.

After what just happened

I saw that! Is everyone all right? When my daughter was in middle-school, they had to lockdown due to a bank robbery just up the street. Only I didn't find out about it until that night, so I had a retroactive coronary... What a world.

but will take a little break
from it to do a couple more kitty stories

Yay!

[tex_chan]

Yay for fanfic vindication!! *cheers* =D

...

Oh wait. This doesn't help me, does it? My fanfic remains in the "icky" classification because I write stuff that is "different" from what's out there and generally accepted in my fandom. People don't like "different". Poo. -.-

Still ... *small cheers* =D =D =D

[lucidscreamer]

Oh wait. This doesn't help me, does it? My fanfic remains in the "icky" classification because I write stuff that is "different" from what's out there and generally accepted in my fandom.

Buh? I'm not up on that fandom, so I'm confuzzled. Elaborate, please?

I'm not familiar enough with the canon to really "get" most Weiss fic, unfortunately. I really need to see the rest of the first series... And I know zero about the "fanon".

[tex_chan]

Weiss is a very "yaoi-fied" (Look, Mom! I made up a new word!! LOL) fandom. Which, I guess, I can see. I mean, that happens with pretty much every fandom it seems ... and we are talking four guys all living together, yadda, yadda, yadda. I have nothing against yaoi/shounen-ai, but I can't write it. Not for Weiss, because I just don't see the characters that way ... which makes me the minority, big time.

People just don't read my fic, either. For some reason, I can't attract readers to my stories. I would like to say this is because I write the boys straight when pretty much everyone else writes them not that way ... or wants to read them not that way. But, this even happens with my original stuff. I think it's a curse ... or something. -.-" (Or a sign. A sign of Doom. bleh.)

(Sorry about the very late reply. *hugs*)

[lucidscreamer]

Ah, I see! Yeah, I've always been pretty much a gen writer, so I've had the same problems. At least with the YGO romance stuff, I'm getting readers. It's a nice change for me!

:hugs:

[icthyopook]

I agree. Just because a lot of fanfiction is bad, obviously that does not mean that ALL fanfiction is bad. And why write fanfiction instead of something '100%' original? Like you said, it's a great challenge to take someone else's character and try to put your own spin on them and their world while keeping all that they are intact. I think a lot of original fiction fails because the writers never learned how to keep characters true. Just because you created them doesn't mean they would do whatever you think up for them. "So I have a cowboy and he loves watching doctor dramas!" Uhh... what? WHY? (How does he even own a TV?!) A lot of people forget about motivation and it's harder to forget when you're dealing with a character you already know.

Hmm... sorry if I basically just repeated your words back to you. o_o'

[lucidscreamer]

Sturgeon's Law says 90% of everything is crap. That includes pro-fic. LOL

it's a great challenge to take someone else's character and try to put your own spin on them and their world while keeping all that they are intact.

Yes, it is. That's one reason I have so much fun (even if it is a lot of work) writing AUs.

think a lot of original fiction fails because the writers never learned how to keep characters true. Just because you created them doesn't mean they would do whatever you think up for them.

Exactly! Hence the fan outcry when the creators "get something wrong" on a TV show or in a book series. How many times has fandom cried "[Character] would never DO that!"? A lot! Because even the pros can get it wrong, even for their own creations.

Hmm... sorry if I basically just repeated your words back to you. o_o'

Comments are good! I love getting some discussion going here, so never worry about commenting. It's a Good Thing. ;)

[misura]

Admittedly, it's been a while since I read them, but from what I remember, the direct prequel trilogy was fairly good (if you liked the original series, you might want to give it a try). The one about the Butlerian Jihad (which I had higher expectations from) wasn't as much to my liking - it reminded me of the worst parts of the second Star Wars-trilogy, except that the authors had added in a couple of buckets of blood, gore and other stuff I really didn't need them to describe to me in detail for several pages. (It also didn't help that the central character switched every chapter ... with chapters being between two and seven pages and most of the characters being on different planets and occupied with different things than the others.)

So ... won't be picking up this one, probably.

[lucidscreamer]

I liked Dune. Things kind of went downhill after that one, IMO. I hated the last one I read, many years ago -- can't even remember the title, but it was the last one that Frank Herbert wrote himself.

I can't stand KJA's writing style. It's very... flat. Or something. It just doesn't "click" for me. I vaguely remember trying to read one of his Star Wars novels and getting so irritated with the writing that I threw it at the wall.