Feedback Meme

[moonshayde]

I've been watching too much SPN. I just thought I saw a man standing in our hallway from the corner of my eye. When I turned my head, nothing there. Hmph.

Fanfic Meme stolen from luzitasg1:

Why fic? Why not original stories?

Hmm...I do both. In fact, I do more original writing than fanfic writing these days.

But why fanfic? I find it easier. Safer. It's not as scary as original fic. Certainly, fanfic has its own set of difficulties, but the characters are ready made and the universe is set. I just have to come up with the suspense and plot.

I've had to ease up on fanfic to further my original writing career. I still go back to it as a break or nice escape though :)

Do you, as a fanfic writer, write for feedback?

Yes and no. I won't lie. I've written fic for feedback. I've written fic tailored for certain parts of fandom. And you know what? It made me miserable so I don't usually do it. That is not my norm. And as I've become more and more comfortable with myself, I feel less reliant on the self-gratification of feedback. I don't need to cater to different fangroups to validate my writing. Now, I just write whatever comes to mind. If it is something that will have a better chance at being popular, so be it. If it is something that only two people might read and never feedback, so be it. For me, it's all about the concept :)

Do you post fanfic for feedback?

Well, if you're writing for feedback, then really, you're posting it for feedback, too. If you're writing it for the sake of writing, then not really. I believe that most fanfic writers are a combination of both of these. The balance is thrown off, sometimes it's more about feedback and other times it's more about the story. So, that would apply to me as well.

Do you expect reviews?

Yes. Not because I feel I always feel I deserve them. I guess just because I am used to them. I may not get like 200+ reviews, but fandom has been very kind to me regarding feedback and reviews. I still am shocked when I come across a recommendation or someone writing up something about my writing on their websites.

Why else would you post fic?

There are so many reasons aside from feedback to post fic, though I think feedback is the main motivation for most people, whether you vocalize it or not. I post fic because I have to get my ideas out there. I want to share. I'm driven to share. I'm also satisfied by the feeling of accomplishment of seeing my fanfic posted online. It's there. It feels real.

Of course, I love feedback. Who doesn't? I won't deny that feedback is a part of fanfic writing. But if I was solely about feedback, I wouldn't keep writing no matter what. I wouldn't be writing original fic - that is a very lonely process.

Another part of fanfic I don't think many people like to admit is the recognition. Your name is out there. You post and there you are.

As much fun as fanfic is and how much we enjoy it, I think these reasons serve as reminders and warnings as well. It's awesome to embrace the fan culture and have fun, but beware the traps and pitfalls that feedback and the strive for popularity creates. If you are aware of that, then fandom should be more fulfilling :)

Comments

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

You need to call the Ghost Hunters! Hee!

I like the interaction of fb. I just posted because of the community atmosphere (wow, other people do this too!) And then...well, feedback is addictive. I don't know about the name recognition thing, but that may be because I'm always surprised anyone finds me/knows who I am. And I even now still don't understand the BNF thang. ;-) Interesting meme.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I just report what I see ;)

There are many reasons for posting and for writing. It's a very complex web we weave.

[shiawmeimei.livejournal.com]

I miss writing fanfic... *sigh* But original fic takes all my spare time. I still love feedback though--original stories or fanfic. While royalty checks are really nice feedback, emails from readers are addictive!

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I miss writing it too. I haven't given it up ompletely, but I know the day will come when it will happen. Original fic is my goal so that means my time should be spent on it.

Feedback is always nice :)

[tresa-cho.livejournal.com]

Hrm. I was going to make a comment but now I cannot stop staring at Dean and Sam rolling off the bed in your tag-bar. *stares*

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha. They are too awesomne, aren't they?

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

I've been watching too much SPN.

Bite your tongue! Such a thing is impossible. I should know. :P

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

You've already gone over the deep end. Your comment is invalid ;)

[luzitasg1.livejournal.com]

Interesting point about writing fan fic for popularity, or gearing it to please certain groups. The same thing happens in the world of professional writing, when authors try to write something based on guessing at what will sell. Seems to me that seldom works, because if the writer doesn't truly "believe" his story, readers aren't likely to find it compelling either. Of course, just because a writer loves a story doesn't guarantee that it will connect with very many other people. That's just the way it goes.

But there's also a positive side to fan fiction being so communal. It's amazing to me that many fan fic writers are able to write in response to prompts, or in order to please a particular online friend. That takes a lot of creativity. And, like any gift that you've made yourself, it's a special way of bonding with others.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

You bring up a very good point about original writing. Writers become very transparent when they are forcing themselves to write something when you know their hearts aren't in it. You just can tell.

I really do like the fanfic community. I fully take part in the awesom aspects of it. I just can't help but see the darker side ;)