I wish that book reviews were presented the same way as fanfiction reviews:
“AFHAKFHDKFHAKHFADSKFHKDFDKJHFKJAD” –The New York Times
“OMG I CANT EVEN WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO THEM” –The Wall Street Journal
“you asshole im crying now” –NPR
“AHH THAT WAS SO CUTE THANK YOU! I’ll publish that book I said I’d write for you like next week, I’m a little busy right now but I LOVE THIS” –Sarah Dessen
Imagine you have a coworker who likes to bake. Every week, they bring in a batch of delicious, homemade cookies and leave them in the break room. Next to the plate of cookies is a sign, “If you like my cookies, could you please just leave me a note and tell me what you like about them? The more feedback you leave about what you like, the more incentive I have to bake.” A hundred coworkers walk by and take a cookie. One person leaves a note. “Great cookies! Bake some more soon!”
The next week, once again there are cookies in the break room with the same sign. Once again a hundred people take a cookie and only one person leaves a note. “Nice! More soon!”
Week Three- Once again, a hundred people take a cookie. No one leaves a note.
Week Four- One hundred people take a cookie. No note.
Week Five- There are no cookies. Someone leaves a note. “Where are the cookies? I loved them. Please, please bake some cookies.”
Week Six- There are no cookies. Ten people leave notes. “I miss your cookies. They were my favorites. I loved the chocolate chips. My friend really liked the way you had almonds in the cranberry ones.”
Week Seven- Motivated by the wonderful notes, the baking coworker stays up late to bake the best batch of cookies they have ever made. That week, a hundred people take a cookie. No one leaves a note.
The co-worker gives up baking for their colleagues.
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Please, if you like the fan fiction that you are reading, let your authors know. Stories are abandoned for a myriad of reasons, but it is very, very hard to stay motivated when you receive no positive feedback. If there is a story that you like, whether it is a completed one or a work in progress, please leave an up-lifting comment or review. By doing so, you’re providing that writer with motivation to spend their time and energy creating more stories for you.
And that way, you both win!
This is the best post I’ve ever seen on this.
And if you’re ever encouraged to leave a note like:
You should have used dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate.
Why would you make oatmeal when it’s obvious they should be sugar cookies?
You forgot the icing. Where are the decorations?
The cookies were good, but the presentation was awful. Nobody eats off paper plates anymore.
Me: Sis, I need medical advice.
My Sister MD: … for fanfiction?
Me: Yup!
My Sister MD: *sighs*
Me: So, listen – I need a body part that, when shot, will bleed lots, and the guy may even pass out from it, but other than the blood loss he’ll be alright.
My Sister MD: I take it the penis is out of the questions?
Me: … the penis is still necessary for important plot reasons later in the story.
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Experienced Readers: You know why she writes? She doesn’t get paid or anything. She likes it. She gets off on it. The weirder the story, the more she gets off. And you know what?One day, “happily ever afters” just won’t be enough. One day we’re going to read about a fictional body and she’ll be the one that wrote it there.
New Readers: Why would she do that?
Experienced Readers: Because she’s a fanfic-writer. And fanfic-writers get bored.
I read a lot of scripts. A lot. From professionals to aspiring writers to complete newbies. Features and pilots. Specs and treatments.
And 8 times out of 10 the fan fic that I’ve read over the last, oh, 15 years is leagues better than this stuff. It’s more inspired. It’s more compelling. It’s genre bending and creative and heartfelt. It’s well-paced and intense and funny and sexy and meaningful. It’s smart and thoughtful and good. It’s novel-quality. Better than, sometimes.
Rare is the script I don’t want to put down, but how often have we stayed up until 3am to get to the last chapter of a 100k fic? And it’s not even a fan fic author’s day job. This is what they do on the side. In their spare time. For free.
So my point is, fan fic authors, you’re good. You’re good writers and great storytellers. I know it doesn’t always feel like it, especially if you’re one of the authors who’s not a BNF and doesn’t get the notes/hits that a few do. And because some people still view fic as “not real writing.” You guys know the shit that gets made into movies. You’re better than that. So be better than that. If writing is what you think want to do, then just know you’re already doing it. You’ve already started.
And you’re more talented than you might think.
To all of my writer friends. This is so fucking true. <3
writing fanfic like “am i getting the dynamics of this friendship right?” “would this character actually say this?” “what is the proper ratio of kindness to sass?” “am i falling prey to overused fanfic personality shortcuts or is this a canon trait?” “am i overthinking this so much that i will grind to a standstill out of sheer terror?”
Does anyone else ever think about how traditional fiction is categorised by plot/setting (romance, crime, thriller, fantasy) but fanfiction is categorised by the emotions it’s meant to give you (hurt/comfort, fluff, angst, smut)?
