Fan Fiction=Porn?

[Randy Giles]

I used to *love* reading fanfiction, but so much of it is just bad, and it was always my luck that the best stories were always left incomplete! DAMN! (Especially on FanFiction.net)

I eventually just gave it up, I haven't read a real fan-fic in years.

 

[sosa lola]

I don't read anything at Fanfiction.net, they're usually bad. I prefer Live Journal fics, once you find the right writer, it's all good.

 

[Perny]

Ok... I've read A LOT of Spuffy fanfics.. Some fluffy, some naughty. 😉

A fic can very well be naughty, and kinda porny, without getting disgusting or anything. Sometimes they are quite enjoyable to read.

But I suggest if you don't like that, you could read "100 years of solitude." It's Spuffed up(a lil Spawn too) and it's AU. It's really good.

 

[UnKle]

I don't bother searching for fanfic very often. I will go look at something if a friend points me to a link, or if I find a site that looks promising, I'll spend an hour or two on a Sunday weeding through the bad to find the good while I wait for the next Season 8 comic. I have even managed to sift through the rubble and locate some pieces of fanfic that are highly worth reading, even more than once - but such a find is more a rarity than commonplace.

And yeah, there's too much smut in fanfic. I enjoy good smut when it's got its proper time and place, and it's worked up to nicely, and the characters are a pairing that I think could really happen if they weren't canon on the show. But it's another thing to start reading a story that's pretty good, then devolves into, basically, a low-budget hardcore porn with knock-off actors.

Fanfic is so much bad, honestly, that I'm inclined to write my own to counter the craptasticness of it all. You know what they say about "if you want something done..." A friend and I have been plotting something out for a few months, with just that intent. But we were inspired to do this because we're both completely underwhelmed at the fanfic.

We're taking our sweet time and weaving the story outline carefully, to make sure it works. We're in no hurry to write and publish. We want it to actually not suck, and we want to like it, and most of all, we want BtVS fans to like it.

I do have one or two stories that I'm watching right now, that I think are characterized very well, and the story is very believable. But I hate that it's like looking for a needle in a haystack to find stories like that.

And that's my feeling about fanfic. 🙂

 

[Kemy]

When I write fanfiction I always aim to write something more or less the same as we see in the show, sticking to the same themes and all.

I often look up fanfic thats the same, just ordinary stories or something that does a "what if" tangent. When I want naughty, I just look up naughty and thats mainly Willow/Tara or Willow/Fred. And I've read some amazingly sweet and well written Tillow stories that have so much more than the sex written around it.

But then theres the...worse stuff. Like accidentally finding a Faith/Dawn thing I wish I could erase from my memory but there you go.

 

[Airam]

Ugh... Faith/Dawn?! *shudders* I get in moods where all I want to do is spend hours reading fanfics, then I'll go months not reading anything and then obsessed for a whole week again. I've read some really great ones over the years and of course my fair share of pretty awful ones. Most Spuffy fics do tend to be NC-17, sometimes the ones that aren't are too fluffy to be any good. The sex stuff can get a little overboard but if the rest of the story is amazing then its worth it to just kinda skim over those parts. Probably the most amazing fic I ever read is an example of this, kind of a lot of sex but the plot, story, character voices are just top notch. You guys should look it up if you want a good read its called Closure by Kyra Storm and can be found at the Bloodshedverse. There was also a site called Sinister Attraction and its sister site Poetic Attraction that both hosted awesome fics but I just tried pulling them up and they seem to be gone 🙁

 

[Tranquillity]

These days I prefer short fanfics - the long ones take too long to read, are more likely to get bogged down in unnecessary details or inappropriately timed sex scenes and are often not finished so they leave you dangling. Short ones often capture the voices of the characters with more success, can be very clever and to the point (whether that point be an adventure, a conversation or a sexual encounter).

 

[UnKle]

But then theres the...worse stuff. Like accidentally finding a Faith/Dawn thing I wish I could erase from my memory but there you go.

Arggh. I've found some of that worse stuff, too - pairings ranging from bad to evil. Gangel. Any kind of Dawn with anybody that's not her age, or who is related. Then there's just the strange ones that have even the tiniest morsel of hmmm, like Oz and Cordelia. Still, though, I prefer my pairings canon, and if not canon, then within the realm of canon possibility.

There was also a site called Sinister Attraction and its sister site Poetic Attraction that both hosted awesome fics but I just tried pulling them up and they seem to be gone

One thing I learned from time in a different fandom is to get in the habit of saving every fanfic that you like. Because Murphy's Law says that the moment you want to re-read it, it will be gone.

For everything else, there's http://www.archive.org . 🙂

Short ones often capture the voices of the characters with more success, can be very clever and to the point (whether that point be an adventure, a conversation or a sexual encounter).

I agree. Short ones that are just a few pages long can tend to be some of the best-written stuff out there. They tend to focus on one particular moment of story and explore that moment through layers of characterization. The characterization can get into the heart and head of the character and explore what they're thinking or feeling and, if done well, it can be tied neatly to an arc in the show and be as easy to read as if the creator themselves had written it. Often, these are some of the best stories I've seen and right now I can think of two off the top of my head, one in this fandom and one in Battlestar Galactica, that were extremely memorable and less than 5 pages long. One was a short examination of Kara Thrace's mentality during the "Scar" episode, and one was a random, non-ep scene of Buffy and Faith dealing with the aftermath of losing a battle. Good stuff.

 

[Relic]

I like fanfics but I've never actually read a Buffy one in its entirety. I've read RPG fanfics and stuff like that, but short of Morrowind and Starwars stuff, I've stayed away from single author writing.

It's my personal experience that when it gets racey (nothing wrong with that in how it appeals to my personal tastes, as long as it equal parts other things...like plot!) it's usually a single author work, or a RP among husband/wife or close knit long term friends. Maybe for the embaressment factor?

Anyways, this place seems like it keeps things series friendly for everyone. I appreciate that.

The one thing that confuses me as it pretains to here, is that there are few to no individual works and that there are so many (all?) roleplays. Is that single person fanfic against netetiquet, or am I just not looking hard enough, or are there just no writers currently doing it?

Well, sorry for the questions and such.

I love Buffy.

I enjoy Fanfics.

Seems like icecream and fudge to me.

I'm actually looking forward to reading a Buffy fanfic, what I've glanced over here screams talent in the RP section; I'd love to join but the layout of the writing is so script like, I fear I'd suck big time. Guess I'll need a few dress rehearsals.

 

[UnKle]

The one thing that confuses me as it pretains to here, is that there are few to no individual works and that there are so many (all?) roleplays. Is that single person fanfic against netetiquet, or am I just not looking hard enough, or are there just no writers currently doing it?

I admit I'm really confused. I didn't understand most of what you said. lol

Roleplays... single person... what?

 

[Relic]

Well, where I cut my teeth on the net, roleplays were a group story with a guiding director/DM/whatever, while a fan fiction was a single author story.

Basically, in a roleplay you write it with friends and you all assume a role, a fan fiction has you wearing all the hats and telling a story, like you would in a book manner...but with you writing!

There are no other contributing parties to your story in a fanfic...it's just you, unless you start a "discussion thread" about your story and then readers can help your story by a seperate threads comments. Sometimes Roleplays have them as well....know I'm giving myself a headache!

In a nutshell.....Fanfic equal one writer (usually) while roleplays tend to have a few.

I hope that helps! If not, maybe someone better at explanations can explain it.

It use to confuse me also, I know what your saying. 😉

sorry for the mumbo-jumbo.

 

[UnKle]

In a nutshell.....Fanfic equal one writer (usually) while roleplays tend to have a few.

Ahh... now I get you! I have never been into the roleplay thing at all, so that's why you lost me. But I had a friend who did all that. I never understood half of what she was going on about most of the time so I usually tuned her out. 😛

But yeah, I get you now. Sort of like a round robin - a round robin is a story that several people write by taking turns. Except you're not actually playing the role, you're the third-person omniscient narrator. But I get that now that you've explained it.

So yeah... but how would you know if a story was written by 10 people or 1? And if it was from a roleplaying session or not? And do roleplaying stories turn super smut fest of doom like badly written fanfic does? Curiouser.

 

[Relic]

You can generally tell by seaking out a discussion thread and seeing how many people are participating, sometimes these get lost though, and all you can do is read and jot down how many people are posting. This can be fun, it lets you see others writing styles and get a feel for how an author thinks.

As far as the naughty goes....I tend to see larger roleplays remaining smut free, course, maybe I'm reading the wrong roleplays! 😉 I am not sure why, but as i suggested i think its alot to do with comfort level of the person or people you are posting with.

Thats what it really comes down to as far as the success of a good roleplays is concerned, that 'at home' element. Short of coaxing my wife into writing a roleplay I'd have a hard time doing a romantic scene myself, due to my own insecurities and awkwardness, whatever...in a person plus two environment. I often find the best roleplays are seasoned writers with a long standing history or at least knowledge of one another.

Fanfics are a different, more simple, but just as elegant animal. (if your reading a good writer)

Me, myself and I could get a pretty racey 3 way going, I'm at home writing by myself with nearly anything, but around here things are very well structured and almost narrated like a script, read one you'll see. Plus there are few individual works.

I do like this script form i see here for roleplays though, but it is outside my element. In time I'd like to join one when i am free of the fear of screwing it up.

Roleplays are often better than fan fiction in my experiences because they include so much outward input and inward thought, not that fanficts do not; I just find the characters can usaully be more multidimensional and unique when they each are the role of a different writer. Roleplays more closely mimick the round robin I imagine seson writers went through, with ideas, staying in character, etc. etc.

Then again, I'm no expert. This is just my opinion and it could change.

Who knows?

At any rate, read the stuff here at the BB; from what little I've read, I wish I had the time to read more!

Sorry for the blathering, I love writing! 🙂

Very gifted writers....Palabra Vamp. had me in awe...then i read the next post by another BB author...got awed again. (then got very shy about my writing chops!)

If there ever was a place to try it and get your feet wet, I'd wager you've found it. You can learn from some gifted writers about the topic you love; not to mention people seem pretty friendly around here.

🙂

 

[AvatarofTruth]

My experience with fan fiction has been pretty much the same as my experience with film and literature. Eighty percent is mediocre, ten percent is horrible, and ten percent is amazing. This seems (to me) to be the 'golden ratio' for humanity. Even IQ curves tend to statistically work out this way.

Are you limited to Buffy/Spike fic, or are you open minded? Because if you're the latter, I think I can heartily recommend some of that last ten percent.

 

[white avenger]

I have no use for the "PWP" sort of non-stories, but a lot of the R and even NC-17 rated longer ones are quite good, and the sex scenes are far less descriptive and kinky than the ratings might imply. Few of the ones that I have read are much more graphic than the average PG-13 rated movie. Certainly, there's come pretty raunchy stuff on the internet, as well as some really terrible writers. Combine the two, and the results can be sickening. There are, however, some very skilled writers out there too, if you take the time to look for them.

 

[Senior Watcher]

did anyone else click on this thread just because they saw the word "porn?" um, yeah, me neither *trying to act not guilty*

 

[Angelic Slayer]

I've read a lot of fanfiction, especially in the buffyverse (probably far too much!) and in my experience as WA said, you really get the best and the "worst" out there. I've read excellent fanfiction that didn't even touch on the subject of sex (in fact, most of my favourite stories don't) and some I've started reading and quit after the first page or so.

I think that is really like watching a movie without knowing the rating of it. Adult material like that can be illuded to or inserted tastefully, or it can turn into a PWP that's pretending to have a storyline-- it just depends on your luck. Nothing to me is more frustrating than taking the time to read almost an entire fic only to get to some random sex scene between character x and y that doesn't make any sense and is there strictly to have a sex scene. Drives me up the wall and often I just stop reading when I hit something like that, I won't even bother seeing how it all ends.

BUT, that being said, there really are some excellent writers out there that do tastefully include NC17 material. Ducks, Gia, Tango and Indie are all some of my favourite Buffy/Angel authors and I think that all four of them have included stuff like that in their fics. When I come across it I just skip over it and keep reading, really can't be bothered to waste my time reading about two fictional characters getting it on-- I've got a story to read! 😉 I don't mind authors putting it into a well written story, it's par for the course, I just can't be bothered to take the time to read it!

I'm a sap, what can I say? I'm more into reading about those rare, peaceful moments between characters; like so and so takes so and so to the place that they first met and just watch the stars. Stuff like that gets me much more into a fic 🙂

 

[Perny]

Honest to God, I think there are some pretty good naughty fics out there. But I albsolutely feel sick and horrofied when the words c**k f*** me and all the other yucky words appear... It's disgusting and out of character!

 

[AvatarofTruth]

Plot, premise, character development, etc- all necessary elements to any good piece of fiction, and fan fiction is no exception. Assuming these elements are present, I have no problem with sexuality, even 'excessive' sexuality. I have always (at least since adulthood) taken issue with the strangely puritanical stance that most Americans adopt when dealing with literature and film. Too much violence is better than too much sex? There is a logical disconnect there which I think many people fail to see. I am comfortable reading about human sexuality, and I don't feel the need to broadly employ epithets like 'smut' or 'porn' simply because someone has written more sex than I might be used to reading.

In the words of my favorite watcher: I think [we are all] a little old to be spelling things out.

 

[Blondie Bear]

^ I think we Americans have a very unhealthy relationship with just about everything: sex, violence, alcohol, drugs. . . . It's all or nothing with us for some reason; we don't know the meaning of the word "moderation." It's kind of frustrating.