Two Articles From The Feminist Librarian About Fanfic

[cuddyclothes]

These are two fascinating articles that are worth discussing here. These are from a blog called The Feminist Librarian. The first article mentions not writing for canons the author really loves. I find this interesting because I often don't write fic for things I love. For "Supernatural" I basically had nothing to say. I wrote crack, mostly for exchanges. One of my current obsessions, "Prodigal Son", I not only don't want to write fic for, I don't want to read fic for. I want it all contained in the the show.


Reading and Writing Fanfic As A Non-Fan

Excerpt: I was introduced to fanfiction as a genre — a genre that resonated with my own “homegrown” approach to fictional narratives (more below) — rather than coming to it through a particular fannish community. My now-wife was the one who introduced me to the language and conventions of fic, specifically slash, because she thought I would be interested in slash fiction as a form or cultural critique and also countercultural / queer erotica. I mean, it was also a wildly successful form of nerd-flirting. But I think my introduction to the activity of fanfiction as an idea rather than as a form of participation in a specific fandom continues to shape my relationship to the practice — and to fandom culture more generally.

P.S. In Fanfic Are Characters The Defining Source?

Excerpt: This is an addendum to last night’s post fueled by the conversation I had with Hanna on our walk to work (which, more often than not, constitutes gossip about fanfic).

One of the defining features of fanfic as a genre, for me, is that it is character-driven. Fic, the way I read and write it, is primarily about individual characters and their relationships (erotic or platonic) with other characters. It’s not about establishing the rules of the universe or about the suspense of the plot. It’s about asking “What would these individuals do if they were presented with X situation?” either in canon, in the canon ‘verse, or in a completely different setting (an alternate universe or AU).

Comments

[kittywhite]

Agree on the character focus for writing fic, especially for fandoms where the source material tends not to get very introspective. I’ve been in a lot of male dominated fandoms over the years (UC Gundam, Initial D, Street Fighter etc) and the canon focus is always on plot progression or just to give a reason for characters to be in the same place to interact. This then for me tends to gloss over some serious issues e.g what is it like to be raised as a child soldier or to have your immediate family wiped out in quick succession? So I’m then more motivated to seek out fanfics that address these issues.

[cuddyclothes]

I love fanfics that address those issues! Plus AUs. I am a total slut for AUs.

[author_by_night]

COMPLETELY different arena, but I'm currently in a fandom for a comedy (Schitt's Creek), and there are a lot of fics that focus on the darker things the show alludes to but, being a comedy, never puts too fine a point on because if it did, it would stop being a comedy fast, or at least be a much darker comedy as opposed to the feel-good comedy it's meant to be.

I've also been into fantasy shows where the plot was mostly about plot progression rather than character study, and while I was never really in the fandoms, I definitely felt the need for more meat. Also, at times, more "everyday" interaction between the characters. Overall I prefer shows - regardless of the genre - where we see multiple locations and contexts, rather than it JUST being one place and/or context.