An introduction to fan fiction

By Nadja Lee (nadjalee2000@hotmail.com ) 29-7-02

Declaimer: Please ask before hosting this anywhere else.

 

Why write fan fiction?

For several reasons. Haven’t you ever seen a movie or read a book and thought ‘why didn’t he/she just...?’ or ‘this movie should have ended with...’. Fan fiction is simply writing those thoughts down.

But it’s also far more than that. An author puts a part of his or her soul into every work and so also in fan work of any kind. Many writers write because it’s their escape or a kind of therapy.

 

Who writes fan fiction?

Anyone can but my experience is that it’s people who have issues. People who feel alone, who needs to say something, people with a message of some kind even if they don’t even know themselves what it is.

I once read that all work, artwork or writing, is written/drawn because the writer or artist feels isolated and/or in pain.

 

Why rate fiction?

I personally don’t care how old people are when they read something, just as long as they know what they’re getting themselves into but not everyone feel this way. In general I think it’s better to rate too high than too low.

The ratings are read like this:

G = General audience. All can read.

PG= Parental Guidance suggested. Few strong words. Maybe a kiss

PG-13= Children below 13, only read with permission from adult. Swear words, mild sexuality and/or violence.

R= Restricted. Contains strong images of violence, milder sex scenes or disturbing subjects like rape.

NC-17= Often given for graphic sex scenes. Only adults may read.

 

Why run an archive (e.g.a. why post fiction on a website like this one?)

Actually that’s a great question; why indeed? It’s a full time job but with no pay and it’s lonely and hard work. Archivists do it for the love for a character or a show. But some day that love WILL die. However the flame can burn much longer if readers drop an mail now and than or writes in the website guest book that they appreciate the effort being made because it’s a lot of work to run an archive and naturally the bigger the archive, the greater the work.

 

Would you host my story?

If it's about Scott and portray him in a flattering light. Read the submission guidelines on the fan fiction page. One of the reasons I made an archive for Scott was so people could enjoy ANY kind of story they wanted; not just stories by certain well-known 'fic Goddesses'.

 

What is a 'fic Goddess'?

It's a fanfic writer who is either very popular or very good; sometimes both. Some of them are nice enough, some of them make up their own groups, webpages and rules for what a 'real' fanfic is all about and only FB's and reads each others stories which of course is fine but it makes it hard for new authors (and new ideas) to come into the universe.

 

What is slash?

That’s stories that tell about a romantic or erotic relationship between two women or two men. Stop being so closed minded and open up to new ideas. Some of the best fiction is slash fiction so go be adventurous, free and tolerant.

 

Why write slash (M/M or F/F) stories?

Why not? If I think two characters personality fit then I want to try and write them together. Such is the freedom of words; you can do anything.

 

Who writes slash?

Anyone but mostly straight women though also bi or lesbian women. And yes…also some men…gay or otherwise. This type of fiction is dominated by women though!

 

Women can’t write M/M slash! You’re…women! What do you know about the love (and sexual acts) between two men?

If a writer can only write about what he or she has experienced then there would be very few stories out there. No one knows for sure what it’s like to be a mutant in the first place as mutants like this doesn’t exist. Nothing of this is real; it’s fiction.

Yes of course female writers will never know precisely what it’s like to be a man in love with another man but the female writer wouldn’t know what it’s like to be a mutant either….almost all the fanfic here is written by women but the stories are often told from Scott’s POV…or Logan’s or another man!

 

What’s POV?

Point of View. What’s talking in a fic.

 

Who reads slash?

Anyone but mostly women. Slash is mainly written by and for women.

 

Women? Why would women read about two men being in love or having sex?

Why not? M/M slash is not about being a man or being gay; it’s about freedom; freedom of expression, writer’s freedom, women’s freedom…. simply freedom. It’s about fantasies, it’s about handsome men but more than anything it’s about love, about finding love in all places and embracing that.

 

I think slash is weird/strange/not right etc

You have right to your opinion but grant others that same right. Also maybe it’s about time you opened your eyes and tried to look at the world in shades of grey instead of black/white….some of the best fan fics are slash stories.

 

What is gen?

General fiction. No slash and often no relationships.

 

What is het?

F/M sex stories, basically.

 

Why write AU? It’s no longer the X-men; they are (maybe) not even written as being mutants:

So what? It’s about writing a story and it’s about how the author thinks the characters would react in a given situation.

 

What’s angst:

A story where a person worries or expresses emotional pain/confusion and so on. Often sadder pieces.

 

Why so many different pairings?

Again; why not? There are so many great Logan/Scott fics out there but there’re just as many great Scott/Jean fics. It would be a shame to miss great stories just because the reader is a ‘shipper. Everyone has a favorite couple but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other stories. I think it’s very important to be open-minded and tolerant in life and that goes for fan fiction too.

 

What is a shipper:

Someone who only likes one pairing. If you only like Scott/Jean then you’re a Scott/Jean shipper.

 

Why send feedback (e.g.a. tell authors that I read their work and what I think?)

Because it’s the only pay a writer gets. No feedback and soon the author will stop writing so keep your favorite author writing by sending feedback.

 

Why are sending flames bad? What is a flame anyway?

Flames are when you read a story you don’t like and writes things like ‘burn in Hell, bitch. This sucks’ or ‘you can’t write at all’. That’s flames. Why? Because you don’t explain what’s wrong, you’re just being mean. Sending flames is the clearest sign of unintelligence and intolerance. Remember every author is also a person and words like that hurts...wouldn’t they hurt you? Think before you write and always be kind. Isn’t that what you would want from strangers too?

 

Why can’t authors just only write the pairing I like?! I want whoever to be together with whoever! ONLY!

Fine but respect others opinions. There’s something like free speech, free thought and the freedom to express yourself and your ideas. Respect these rights, as you would want people to respect yours.

 

I only like the version of Scott that whoever writes! Not whoever, whoever and whoever!

*Sighs* I get that a lot. Fine, so agree with one author and disagree with the rest but everyone are entitled to their opinions and that means the other authors as well. Also what you hate someone else are bound to love. So be respectful and kind, respect others and they’ll respect you.

 

Scott (or whoever) would never act like this in the fic called “......” by whoever

Fine, that’s your opinion. The author obviously thought differently. Again respect others opinions. What makes your view on what Scott (or another fictive character) would or wouldn’t do more right than others? Scott (and all other fictive characters) has changed personality lots of times in canon. Every time a new writer writes Scott in the comics he acts differently; so goes with Jean and so on. So again; respect others way of thinking and just be happy that we’re all different and think differently. It would be boring if we all thought alike.

 

What is character assassination:

If someone thinks a character acts totally out of characters (not the way they normally would). Many would say character assassination on Scott if someone wrote a fic saying Scott in the comics was beating and abusing Jean. However AU and slash is NOT character assassination; it’s trying different angles; the characters still act like they normally do, just in new surroundings and situations. If this wasn’t allowed there wouldn’t be any X-men fanfic at all.

 

What is PWP?

PWP= Plot What Plot? Or ‘Porn Without Plot’. It’s basically a written porn. 

 

What is AU?

AU= Alternative Universe. If something is set in an alternative universe it basically means anything goes. It’s often ‘what if’ situations and as such no character can act ‘wrongly’ as the event that tricked the characters behavior never happened in canon.

 

What is a crossover?

It’s when two fandoms crosses over. If you take the X-men and put them on Middle Earth to meet the Fellowship of “The Lord Of The Rings”, you mix two worlds and two fandoms. That’s why my story “Fellowship Of Heroes” is a crossover between “Lord Of The Rings” and “X-men”.

 

What is canon?

Something the fandom has said happened. That Scott is married to Jean in the comicverse is canon.

What’s fandom?

The base of fans in which the story takes place. Here the X-men universe. Other fandoms are Highlander, Lord Of The Rings, Harry Potter and so on.

 

What’s fan-based facts?

Something fans claim is real. Like in the Star Wars fandom the authors who started writing fanfic said Chewie called Han ‘Cub’ so after that everyone had to accept this and say this. As an author you can of course break these ‘fic rules’ but that’s often at the risk of flames.

 

What’s fic rules?

Things that always happen in fan fics. In X-men a fic rule is that Scott and Jean are always together, or in movieverse that Logan and Rogue are together and so on. I’ve personally broken next to all these rules. Why? Because I see no reason for them, I don’t care for rules and I get bored reading and writing the same thing in a 100^th different ways.

 

What is the comicverse? Movierverse?

Stories that take place in the comic world, which means Scott and Jean are married and Remy exists, and so on. In the movieverse Gambit wasn’t in the movie so in a fic he’s normally not included.

 

What is FB?

FB= feedback. It’s very important to every author; it’s what makes them continue writing.

 

All in all; be kind and respectful. There’s a real person behind every e-mail address and you can’t know what he/she has been through, their past, their pain or their current life so be kind. Remember that you get a lot further with honey than a stick.

If you have any questions then you can always e-mail me: nadjalee2000@hotmail.com

Finally, as readers please remember to give FB; it doesn’t have to take long and it’ll mean so much to the author. Besides, if you have the time to read the story you sure have the time to FB it as well! Remember that without FB, no stories and with no stories what would you then read?!

Love

Nadja