On fanficcing and proficcing

[altariel]

Over at meta_writer, across the next couple of weeks, there is going to be a post a day on the subject of fanfic and profic, particularly on making the transition from one to the other.

My thoughts are here, and the rest of the series is shaping up to be an interesting read. Enjoy!

Comments

[temeres.livejournal.com]

I was particularly struck by:

I love the improvisational nature of fanfiction, its guerrilla-style rapid response: the way that one’s frustration with a story’s resolution (e.g. Donna Noble’s in New Who) can be transformed into a more satisfactory ending within a matter of hours

That, to me, was always one of the most irritating aspects of B7 fanfic, a reluctance to accept canon as canon, in particular with regard to events. I didn't like that therefore it didn't happen and instead it happened the way I want it to like what I have written in this story here.

Not that I was entirely immune to this kind of crisis of wishful thinking, otherwise I wouldn't have erased 'Dawn of the Gods' from what I considered to be the 'proper' B7 canon.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That, to me, was always one of the most irritating aspects of B7 fanfic, a reluctance to accept canon as canon, in particular with regard to events.

:-) Takes all sorts.

[temeres.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid my First Rule of Fanfic would be "Do Not Contradict Canon Unless You Absolutely Have To".

Rulebook dispensible for humourous fiction, of course.

Perhaps it's the scientist in me - theories should conform to facts, not vice versa.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I enjoy keeping to canon primarily for the intellectual challenge, and tend not to break it without a story-driven reason (e.g. writing an AU), but I don't instinctively think of made-up things (e.g. TV scripts) as "factual". As I say, takes all sorts and, if I'm not assuming too much, the accurate detail of world-building is a greater draw for you, and story-constructing and character exploration are a greater draw for me.