Well, let me say this first...I usually only apologize for something after I've done it, but I have a feeling that anyone who is a fanfiction fan will give me some grief about this post...my first for this blog.
What I'm about to say may upset some, hopefully make some think, and (I'm crossing my fingers on this one!), keep some of yo coming back for more.
That being said...I am a fan fiction writer.
There I said it.
I'm a nerd...of the nerdiest nerds. (I say this because of a conversation with a friend from high school, who is still a Trekkiee...the guy wore Star Trek uniforms on picture day! I love him...but wow! He even told me...that fan fiction is the nerdiest of them all!)
There's probably a special level in purgatory dedicated just for fan fiction writers.
I DON'T CARE!
(OK, deep breaths....)
It all started back in late 2009...I saw the relationship I was in at the time crumbling and wanted a way to cope with it. When I first found fan fiction, I saw numerous authors writing things that seemed to me at the time, as outlets for everyday life.
What better way to cope? "I'll write a stylized version of the relationship and get over the fact that its coming to an end."
Yeah...that sucked and didn't work very well.
Along with the fact that it literally took me at least a year to get over that relationship, I moved to a place where Internet access wasn't readily available, so updates took longer.
As my depression waned, I stopped updating completely.
I never finished that story. (And have since removed it from my site of choice.)
As I hang my head in shame, I realize that RL (real life) affects more fan fiction writers than anything else.
As fan fiction writers, we are looking to hone our craft, but we need to maintain our RL.
Jobs, family, friends...the list can on and on.
It's really no excuse...just look at our beloved Stephenie Meyer.
She was a stay at home mom. Supporting her husband and kids; being active in her church.
She is the inspiration for so many fan fiction writers.
But what is even more insane is that so many of the fan fiction writers have gone on to edit their original works to include original characters, thus getting published through the usual means of publishing house, but also the group of writers that are self publishing in eBook format.
But, I digress....
While I was in my self imposed depression (IE...living in Missouri) I started a new fiction. Something that seemed original. Something that I took the time to think out and research and write well. (Without the use of a beta no less!!)
And while that story is still a WIP (Work in Progress) and I'm working on it everyday and batting idea back and forth with a beta finally...
I got complacent with the Twilight fandom.
I categorize the fandom into several groups:
The Twilight Canon group- They got vamps, wolves, the Volturi, and Bella eventually becomes a vamp...sometimes Reneesme is in there too...but not always.
The Twilight All-Human/Alternate Universe Group- This group can mean different things to different people/fans/writers. I've learned only recently that these two categories are not exclusive to each other.
All the main and original characters in the Twilight Saga are human. Generally there are no vamps, werewolves, or mythical/mystical creatures.
Angst, unrequited love, violence, and heartbreak are generally the plot lines here.
The Mobward/Mafia Group-I'm so sick and tired of these stories....they are prevalent in fan fiction. To me they are all the same, aside from one: Emancipation Proclamation...and as far as I know the author of this particular fan fiction has edited her story and has had it published in the real world.
Props to her...her story was amazing and I was enthralled by every word she had written. If anyone knows anything about this story or the subsequent publishing, please let me know. I would support her and that story to the end of the earth.
That being said...can't you Twilight fan fiction writers come up with something better than Edward being a mafia prince? Seriously...
That goes for you that write Carlisle as a doctor...or Edward. *Sigh* It's getting old.
Then...sometimes the most interesting, but least favorite group:
Edward the adulterer...in my opinion this goes hand in hand with the victimization of the female characters. Its disgusting and I can't really stand it.
I'd also like to point out the groups that don't fall into these categories, mostly because they aren't very popular.
The groups where Bella is the vamp.
The groups where Edward is the weak one and Bella the stronger character.
(My own fanfic shows Bella in a stronger light...The Walk)
And then....the Non-Canon groups- Jacob/Bella, Bella/Jasper, Bella/Emmett...the list goes on.
The thing about how SM wrote those characters, in my mind, left no room for them to be with other people or mates...
Jasper as an empath calms Alice.
Emmett and Rosalie compliment each other...flamboyantly.
Yet again, I digress...
As seen above, I included a link to one of my stories.
For more reviews? yes.
More readers? yes.
Shameless pimping of myself as a fan fiction writer? Not necessarily.
If people read my work, and I want you to, I want the reviews.
I say it often, I'm a big girl and I can take it if you have a negative response. Don't placate me.
But I also don't pimp myself out...I've only had one person do that, my lovely beta yagalinus0420, before she was even my beta.
Find my work on your own.
I don't enter competitions or do challenges.
I can't write that way. I don't want to put any more drabble out there.
OK, let's get back on track...where was I?
Oh! I have started a new story in a different fandom...
That's to say it isn't a Twilight story.
A lot of writers often apologize and say that their versions of these characters "stopped speaking to them" and use that as an excuse for the lack of updates.
My versions of the characters in my new fic won't shut up! In fact they've taken this story in a completely different direction than I had ever planned...and I'm embracing it!
Anyway...back to the ranting and raving...
The most recent problem I have found stems from about a a year or so ago.
I was sitting at home doing homework for my CNA classes while listening to Disney music on my iPod. (Hello product placement!) When an idea struck me.
I quickly wrote down at least 2 chapters, including a prologue, that I thought I would keep until I could flesh it out...and I thought I could also finish my other Twilight fic.
Fast forward to now...I lost that story. It was hard copy, because my laptop screen was busted and still no Internet.
I remember bits and pieces of it, but over the missing time the story has evolved into something similar...but different.
The problem I'm seeing is that this premise...apparently has been done. That doesn't surprise me...
In my opinion...it hasn't been done well. AT ALL.
And perhaps this is my biggest problem with fan fiction...really terribly written stories, with a jumbled plot, bad grammar, and dialogue become these huge hits!
Honestly, over the last few days I've read Twilight fan fiction about Bella being a mermaid.
There I said it.
I have a bizarre fascination with mermaids; thank you Walt Disney!
But, 90% of the stories I could read past the first few chapters had the Cullen clan as vamps and Bella being a mythical sea creature.
Let me add this disclaimer: I do not believe either exist.
But if one did...the other wouldn't. Sorry, that's just the way my mind works.
Are there things in this life that we have yet to discover? Sure.
Are vampires one of them? I doubt it. I really don't think we could have lived this long without them becoming public.
Same thing with mermaids.
So, I read some some of the fics to see where other writers had gone...not to infringe, but to make sure I could make mine unique.
Let me say this...I don't think I'll have a problem with that.
They are terrible.
If anyone knows of a good Twilight mermaid fic, please pass it along to me. Honestly, I could past chapter 2 on most of them. The ones where I did get farther, it was because I saw so much promise, but was disappointed a few more chapters in.
I don't usually bash stories...and you'll notice that I'm not linking any of them here. Why?
Because I can't make up your mind for you. Go find them and read them...then come back and let me know what you think.
It breaks my heart to think that I might hurt someones feelings with what I'm saying here. Because as a part of this fandom or any for that matter, we should be overwhelmingly supportive of each other.
Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...maybe I should have kept it to myself.
But the low caliber of Twilight mermaid fics makes me feel like I should write and post what could potentially be a great story.
I don't know what to do about that one.
What I do know?
I have fantastic ideas for stories...but then again, so does everyone else.
I have the time to put those ideas into writing.
I have a fantastic friend...who happens to be my beta.
And I have the guts to say what I think about the geekiness that is fan fiction writing.
Do you?
Tell me what you think or feel in the comments...or don't. I'm used to it by now! :)
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