Fiction Scribe

While I am, for the most part, a supporter of people who write fanfic (and admit that’s what they’re writing), someone suggested to me that I do a Thursday Thirteen list of reasons to not write fanfic.

Please don’t take this as me withdrawing my support or trying to insult people who write fanfic, but there are reasons to not do it…

1. Bottom line - the stuff isn’t yours.
2. You may get praised for your writing skills, but you’re not likely to be praised for your imagination.
3. Being locked down. No matter what, there is only so much you can do with other people’s characters and worlds.
4. FanFic is “safe” writing. You don’t really have to risk anything showing your work to others because it’s not completely your ‘baby’. If you write fanfic, you may never stop because of being in that “safe” zone.
5. Satisfaction. While fanfiction is satisfying in a way - I did it when I was younger to get some things ‘out of my system’ when it came to the series I was reading - there is infinitely more satisfaction to be had when it’s all of your own creation.
6. When you write fanfic, you don’t always have the chance to threaten your friends with “I’ll put you in my novel”.
7. Even if you do get to use the threat in number six, it’s not much of one given fanfics don’t exactly become best sellers.
8. If you’re not working completely from your own material, you’ll never find all the things you need to work on.
9. This one is purely my opinion, but fanfic is easier to put down. Put away. Forget about. You don’t have to worry about forgetting things ‘whenever’ you get back to it because all you have to do is go back and read the original. There isn’t the urgency there.
10. The stereotypical drinking, smoking writer doesn’t really work for a fanfic writer…
11. You have a limited audience. You’re narrowed down twice - once to the group who likes what you’re writing fanfic about and once again to the group within that group who would actually read fanfic about the subject.
12. There’s no reason to be scared. Nobody has to read what you write when you finally strike out on your own with your own creations.
13. There is nothing like completing something of your own creation. I know I’ve already said that, but when it’s well and truly your baby, you love it warts and all. You’re more dedicated to it, will polish it more, will take that little bit (or lot) more pride in what you’ve done.

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens at Write Anyway, Long Relationships, and The Book Stacks