Continued again... 2a. How does what I derive from these things differ from each other? Like I said, I can't really see much of a distinction between genfic, 'shipper fic, and slashfic, because what I'm really looking for is _good_ fic.
2b. How does what I get from fanfic differ from what I get from the source material? Great question. The first thing is what I mentioned above, the opportunity to play with a story that I love. All the rest grows from that - the opportunity to imagine characters doing things they wouldn't normally do, or set in places they wouldn't normally be, or just extending the story beyond what's shown on screen. I like fic from almost ANY source, but there are many sources where I'm far more interested in the fic than in the source material. For TV sources, it's often because the stories on TV are pretty weak. For movies/books/discontinued tv shows, it's because the stories as corporate-produced entities have ended - but I liked the story, and want to keep taking it to different places.
One thing I do think is interesting - I don't think weak sources often generate a lot of good fanfic. But strong sources can take either of two dichotomous paths in fanfic. They may not produce much fic at all, possibly because the stories really are pretty satisfying as is (I'm thinking the new Battlestar Galactica). Or they may produce a body of fic that's got a lot more good stuff than the average fandom (I think the explanation here must have something to do with good sources attracting smarter-/cooler-than-average fan writers.)
2c. How does what I get from fanfic differ from real life? Fanfic is fantasy, escapism. Same as published genrefic. Maybe because I have high standards for the fic I read, I don't think it's much different from what you get out of any other form of literature. Stories let you see parts of life you might not be able to experience yourself. Like slaying vampires, or traveling to other galaxies, or being a superhero, or having magic powers, or becoming a pirate, or finding another world in the back of a wardrobe, or growing up Trancendentalist, or finding a husband in 17th-century England...
Also, in real life, I get to have sex. :) Rarely have I had the opportunity to mess around with two attractive guys (but for a particularly memorable night), but fanfic lets me put myself into scenes like that whenever I want a kick.
3. Writing's a lot harder than reading. Because I can't meet my own standards. I can think out extensions to stories (or new stories of my own) in my head, but getting them down in text is slow! I'm far more comfortable writing essays and non-fiction than fiction, because I can't make characters act like real people. Reading allows me to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor...
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Re: Like another set of responses is desperately needed...
Date: 2005-12-05 04:56 am (UTC)2a. How does what I derive from these things differ from each other?
Like I said, I can't really see much of a distinction between genfic, 'shipper fic, and slashfic, because what I'm really looking for is _good_ fic.
2b. How does what I get from fanfic differ from what I get from the source material?
Great question. The first thing is what I mentioned above, the opportunity to play with a story that I love. All the rest grows from that - the opportunity to imagine characters doing things they wouldn't normally do, or set in places they wouldn't normally be, or just extending the story beyond what's shown on screen. I like fic from almost ANY source, but there are many sources where I'm far more interested in the fic than in the source material. For TV sources, it's often because the stories on TV are pretty weak. For movies/books/discontinued tv shows, it's because the stories as corporate-produced entities have ended - but I liked the story, and want to keep taking it to different places.
One thing I do think is interesting - I don't think weak sources often generate a lot of good fanfic. But strong sources can take either of two dichotomous paths in fanfic. They may not produce much fic at all, possibly because the stories really are pretty satisfying as is (I'm thinking the new Battlestar Galactica). Or they may produce a body of fic that's got a lot more good stuff than the average fandom (I think the explanation here must have something to do with good sources attracting smarter-/cooler-than-average fan writers.)
2c. How does what I get from fanfic differ from real life?
Fanfic is fantasy, escapism. Same as published genrefic. Maybe because I have high standards for the fic I read, I don't think it's much different from what you get out of any other form of literature. Stories let you see parts of life you might not be able to experience yourself. Like slaying vampires, or traveling to other galaxies, or being a superhero, or having magic powers, or becoming a pirate, or finding another world in the back of a wardrobe, or growing up Trancendentalist, or finding a husband in 17th-century England...
Also, in real life, I get to have sex. :) Rarely have I had the opportunity to mess around with two attractive guys (but for a particularly memorable night), but fanfic lets me put myself into scenes like that whenever I want a kick.
3. Writing's a lot harder than reading. Because I can't meet my own standards. I can think out extensions to stories (or new stories of my own) in my head, but getting them down in text is slow! I'm far more comfortable writing essays and non-fiction than fiction, because I can't make characters act like real people. Reading allows me to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor...
I think I addressed 4 and 5 a lot above...