Why I Criticize Fanfiction

For many of the reasons Professor Pisces has already explained (unless the whole set up has been altered and his post is above this), fanfiction is seen as an amateur and stupid way to pass time. Most of the time, this is actually true.

In my many years of writing, I have gotten most of my experience from fan-fiction. I won't deny that I have been writing ever since I was ten (by writing, I mean creating fanfics), and in my earlier years, my writing skills were truly horrific. But back then I thought I was a master. Oh boy, I was in for some trouble. After maturing from my half-hearted writing, I reopened one of my old accounts and read some of my older stories, only to die, torn in half by shock. None of you will get that reference, so I won't explain it.

Not only were my characters beyond Mary-Sue (I may or may not explain this in full one day), but I had no proper plot. As you can tell, I blew up my account. I killed it with fire. Or with Hiei if I feel like being creative.

I created a new account on that very same website and started up writing some new stories. This was a fanfiction website, so you seriously expect less from me? I've learned through trial and error about what makes a good fanfiction and what makes a bad one. So far, over 70% of fanfictions have been riddled with so many spelling and grammar errors that it would make The Eternal Editor cry. (Note from The Editor: Boo-hoo. Saracastic weep.)(Rinrei: You've read the story extract in Evil's post on fanfic. You died on that.) It's worse than mine, and that's saying something. (Note from The Editor: Too true...)(Rinrei: I'm getting better!)

So, being the experienced veteran of story writing that I am, I decided to be an online critic. I point out the errors and stick in ideas. This is generally how the 30% of good fanfiction writers get the rest of the population to improve.

However, there are those who do not want to better their plot and do not want their characters to be original or believable. They want their character to be far superior to all other characters and take the canon characters so out-of-character that it makes me want to head-butt a creeper while stabbing myself in the stomach with a pencil screaming: ALL FANFIC WRITERS SUCK! Luckily, the few remaining good writers, or those willing to change the plot with a bit of advice, have stopped me from dying again by being professional about their writing.

While fanfiction has no proper category of it's own and appears simple enough, it requires work. You need to research every single detail about that canon world and make sure you place your characters into it properly without breaking the laws of that universe and without changing any major plot points. In 'Future Talk', although the story is set in an almost alternative universe, Graphospasm (the author) still managed to keep the laws of the universe in place and even add in a few alternative places of her own (except for the Blue Amazons, which seems a bit too close to 'Avatar').

'Story of the Century' managed to keep the entire plot line perfectly in place and still managed to twist in a new theme and a believable, original character without having to alter anything.

There is also '72 Hours', which is a fanfiction of 'Battle Royale' but far more violent and, in my opinion, more awesome than the original. I wrote the clipping of the girl's index finger into my story before reading it, which scares me. I guess all psychopaths think alike.

So, in conclusion, it is definitely possible to write good fanfiction stories, but don't go thinking that it means that you can twist the characters and plot for your own sick and/or stupid fantasies, because no one will like it unless they also enjoy having characters bend to the will of your perfect Mary-Sue. That, and you may get a very unpleasant visit from me about how your lame story irritates me.

Here are some links to the stories I referred to in this post, to avoid the authors thinking I did not acknowledge them:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5656243/1/Future_Talk: Don't judge it by the beginning; it's supposed to be like that to show off how bad half the fanfiction author population is.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5590180/1/Story_Of_The_Century: The best fan-fiction I have ever read, minus '72 Hours'.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1501019/1/72_Hours : The black humour really is to my style, although I don't recommend it for the squeamish.

Oh, I almost forgot, Graphospasm has a blog somewhere, and she's really good. Go and follow her like you follow us, minions: http://graphospastictendencies.blogspot.co.uk/

SIGNING OFF!
   Rinrei