Let me sum it up in a less unwieldy fashion: I do not want other writers defining canon in a universe I create.
I'm too tired to jump into this lovely conversation, but this does sum up my feelings on this, I think--it's what as a writer most concerns me. Also--I've been told I have a distinct "voice", part of the reason I've never sold any tie-in novels. I'd be afraid someone would mess up the voices of my characters in my head.
I loved "The Very Secret Diaries", but have not read her Harry Potter stuff--slash Harry/Draco doesn't interest me. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Draco comes around to fighting on Harry's side before it's through...
I've written one fanfic--a short stream of consciousness novel slotted into a TV series that I needed to get out of my system--and never showed to anyone. I condensed and made a synopsis to try and sell it, but the publisher was hiring only their own stable of writers, so not sure it was ever considered--only saw Del Rey people doing the writing.
Someone mentioned being annoyed when the writer seems to change the universe out from under fans? (I went back to the root post, so can't see it right now.) This brings to mind three things--one, reading a novel, after over 100 pages of what seemed to be a pure fantasy novel, no hints of SF anywhere, a character suddenly finds a spaceship. This annoyed me so much I never finished the novel--and it was from an otherwise pretty good writer.
On the other hand, Tepper slipped the SF element into her True Game books so slowly it worked for me.
And then a third thing--I haven't read the latest "Anita Blake", but I understand that many fans are furious about the personality mending among the three protagonists of the book. Yet from what has been described to me, and the novelette I saw from the book, this makes sense in the evolution of magic/the world/Anita's expanding powers. I'm not saying I would have done it that way, myself, but I can see why Laurell thought it might go that way, and chose that direction.
She's the author. Her world, her book, her call. People can choose to buy it or not (book or idea) and can debate all they want among each other. They can send her fan letters and scream that they're unhappy. But constantly harping on this ad nauseum is foolish--the book can't be "unwritten" except by that "Ooops, it was a dream" dodge most of us hate, except in parody of the most famous example on TV.
Fanfic is a special niche unlike anything else. I know writers who have written it and have a special affection for it--have even moved into writing tie-in novels of favorite series! But I suspect most of us feel the same way, bottom line--this is our advice for how to spend your time, if you want to become a writer.
Write your own stories, with your own world and own characters. Share something of *you* with us, as we have given to you.
If you only wish to please yourself in an amusing hobby, then quietly write on and share fanfic with friends.
Songs or artwork about my characters? I don't think I'd find it threatening...I'd see it more as being creatively inspired, as opposed to TV/movies, where they'd better buy the rights first.
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branchandroot
Hummm...
Date: 2004-10-24 11:35 pm (UTC)I'm too tired to jump into this lovely conversation, but this does sum up my feelings on this, I think--it's what as a writer most concerns me. Also--I've been told I have a distinct "voice", part of the reason I've never sold any tie-in novels. I'd be afraid someone would mess up the voices of my characters in my head.
I loved "The Very Secret Diaries", but have not read her Harry Potter stuff--slash Harry/Draco doesn't interest me. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Draco comes around to fighting on Harry's side before it's through...
I've written one fanfic--a short stream of consciousness novel slotted into a TV series that I needed to get out of my system--and never showed to anyone. I condensed and made a synopsis to try and sell it, but the publisher was hiring only their own stable of writers, so not sure it was ever considered--only saw Del Rey people doing the writing.
Someone mentioned being annoyed when the writer seems to change the universe out from under fans? (I went back to the root post, so can't see it right now.) This brings to mind three things--one, reading a novel, after over 100 pages of what seemed to be a pure fantasy novel, no hints of SF anywhere, a character suddenly finds a spaceship. This annoyed me so much I never finished the novel--and it was from an otherwise pretty good writer.
On the other hand, Tepper slipped the SF element into her True Game books so slowly it worked for me.
And then a third thing--I haven't read the latest "Anita Blake", but I understand that many fans are furious about the personality mending among the three protagonists of the book. Yet from what has been described to me, and the novelette I saw from the book, this makes sense in the evolution of magic/the world/Anita's expanding powers. I'm not saying I would have done it that way, myself, but I can see why Laurell thought it might go that way, and chose that direction.
She's the author. Her world, her book, her call. People can choose to buy it or not (book or idea) and can debate all they want among each other. They can send her fan letters and scream that they're unhappy. But constantly harping on this ad nauseum is foolish--the book can't be "unwritten" except by that "Ooops, it was a dream" dodge most of us hate, except in parody of the most famous example on TV.
Fanfic is a special niche unlike anything else. I know writers who have written it and have a special affection for it--have even moved into writing tie-in novels of favorite series! But I suspect most of us feel the same way, bottom line--this is our advice for how to spend your time, if you want to become a writer.
Write your own stories, with your own world and own characters. Share something of *you* with us, as we have given to you.
If you only wish to please yourself in an amusing hobby, then quietly write on and share fanfic with friends.
Songs or artwork about my characters? I don't think I'd find it threatening...I'd see it more as being creatively inspired, as opposed to TV/movies, where they'd better buy the rights first.
And now, sleep....