Defending fan fiction

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

It's not news, exactly, and we don't have a tag for "link".

Editorial: in defense of Star Trek fanfiction writers

The Star Trek franchise has always inspired creative individuals, even back when the original series was still airing. The first fandom magazine, Spockanalia, a

redshirtsalwaysdie.com

 

[MikeJaffa]

I've been too lazy or whatever to not write professionally, and it may be too late to start. But I got into fan fiction 24 years ago. I get my creative rocks off. I like doing it, and so far, I haven't run out of ideas.

 

[pio1776]

I've been too lazy or whatever to not write professionally, and it may be too late to start. But I got into fan fiction 24 years ago. I get my creative rocks off. I like doing it, and so far, I haven't run out of ideas.

never too late

 

[Alexander Corrino]

I've read fan fiction. I've read novels. And I must say, the fan fic was quite often just as good or even better. And, unlike novels, fan fic tends to feature the pairings I want to read about. The first thing I generally do when I get into a new show/franchise/whatever is look through AO3 to see if there's fan fic; I don't scan through Amazon to see if there are any novels. That says a lot about my preferences.

As a fic writer I'm really tired of the whole "fan fiction is badly written" thing. Yes, there are fics that aren't exactly amazing. But there's an equal amount of fic that IS amazing. Also, there are quite a few big name novel authors who started out as fic writers. And besides, us fic writers are a very creative bunch, and being creative is something to be treasured, not shunned.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I enjoy being able to put words in the mouths of characters I already know something about.

 

[Firebird]

Getting into writing fic has helped me become a better writer beyond measure. In just the last four years, I'm no longer worried or ashamed of the dialogue I write, which is a massive improvement to what I think of any spec scripts I attempted in the years prior. Treating the craft seriously as if I were writing a real TV series has improved my skills at story arcs, characterization, and episode construction.

Fanfic is something I'll never be ashamed of writing.

 

[RevdKathy]

Writing fanfic got me through some dark times. And made me laugh in some fun times. And found me friends.

I'll never be a professional writer; too much life in the way, too many other things I want to do/learn/discover.

Not everything has to be something you can monetise. You can do things just for fun, to whatever standard you like.

Not every painter is Van Gogh. Not every dancer is Nuyerev. Do it because you love it and it enhances your life. That's enough.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Fanmade fiction can be just as good or better than licensed fiction.

The stigmatised type of fanfiction I think one could argue is a genre of its own.

 

[somebuddyX]

I envy writers because I enjoy writing out synopsis or jotting down ideas, but I can't get it to then progress to dialogue or writing scenes. That why I just make fanart because it removes that element.
One of my favourite Star Wars stories is a fanfiction from 1982 that was a sequel to Empire. It was like a rich character exploration which puts Luke and Vader together in a story about revenge and anger. I like old fanfiction in that way, like a moment frozen in amber that went in one direction while the universe moved on in another.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

You can indulge your whim for silly out-of-character moments that would never happen in the franchise without ruining the show or film permanently.

Readers can enjoy all manner of takes on the same in-between-stories gaps without having to pick one.

I envy writers because I enjoy writing out synopsis or jotting down ideas, but I can't get it to then progress to dialogue or writing scenes.

That's part of the appeal of my pitch games, too - just imagine a situation, no need to write the whole thing.

 

[somebuddyX]

You can indulge your whim for silly out-of-character moments that would never happen in the franchise without ruining the show or film permanently.

That's why I love chatgpt. I have Klingons reviewing Hamlet. I have a romance between an Enterprise-D tour guide and the gift shop girl.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

 

[Alexander Corrino]

I feel this (Twice as annoying for me since I do my own beta-ing, which means I can't even blame anyone else for not spotting the typo, lol.)

 

[Rockson]

Is there a place I can put down an idea for a Star Trek movie?

 

[FredH]

Is there a place I can put down an idea for a Star Trek movie?

I mean, I guess the Fan Fiction forum (ie this one) would be the most appropriate spot for it (though of course that’s for the mods to determine, I’m just some rando).

 

[somebuddyX]

Is there a place I can put down an idea for a Star Trek movie?

Maybe in the "Future of Trek" section? You might be able to just post your own idea or you could create or see if there is a thread for "What should the next Star Trek film be about?" The mods are usually more keen for discussion on a topic rather than just comment on one thing, but I think other people might have posted their ideas there. You also might get more traffic on a broad topic than just one idea plus you get other people's ideas too which I find can enrich my own concepts or just be fun to read.