"Fan fiction"

[Matterialize]

Hello, literature forum. I have a question for you.

Have you ever played through a great video game, watched a great movie or read a great book and thought "Man, that was awesome, but I can't believe it's over. I sure wish there was more."

That's where the phenomenon called 'fan fiction' comes in. Fans of whatever it is chip in and continue the story on their own terms.

From my experience, though, most of it is poorly written garbage that's authored by fans, and not writers. I'm aware that fan fiction covers all genres and types of media, so this is an extremely vague question, but I'd just like to know:

Have you ever read a good work of fan fiction? Please, recommend some talented authors or websites that are sources of decent writing (if they exist).

I'm going out on quite a long limb here and I hope someone comes through.

[Pieman]

I've been reading Fanfiction since I was 9, and I do agree that more then half is garbled gibberish, laced with sappy romance and male pregnancy. I usually read either Harry Potter or Naruto fanfictions, as they're the two most popular fandoms around.

Right now my favourite piece(s) of fanfiction would be the Denarian series, by Shezza88 (http://www.fanfiction.net/u/524094/Shezza88). It is a slight crossover with the Dresden Files series, but reading that isn't really a requirement, since the author intergrates it so well.

As for what sites, learn to wade through Fanfiction.net, there are tonnes of great stories there. If you can get past all the bullshit. Otherwise I'd reccomend joining some other forum about your particular fandom.

[illustriousaffliction]

I know what you're talking about, most fanfic writers suck so hard. But I've read quite a few good ones on livejournal. I prefer a mix of Panic! At the Disco and slash. Slash! At the Disco. But really, livejournal is a pretty good place to find good fanfics. It's actually the only place I've found good fanfics.

[Lush]

Depends what you read. I used to read the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. They have actual fanfiction novels written by fans of the series. A few of them are utter crap but majority are good. That's if you like fantasy. Otherwise, no clue. I'm not much for short story anthologies myself, so I can't recommend anything of that nature.
There are probably a couple hundred(maybe only a hundred, I haven't kept up) Dragonlance novels.

[Matterialize]

I prefer a mix of Panic! At the Disco and slash. Slash! At the Disco.

I think you're referring to the exact type of thing I'm trying to avoid, but that'd be me judging a book by its cover. I'll try to keep an open mind.

I guess a good fanfic should be enjoyable as a stand-alone story, while still retaining its references to the original canon to appeal to the fans as well. Meaning that, for example, you would be able to read and enjoy a good Star Wars fan fiction without any prior knowledge of Star Wars.

learn to wade through Fanfiction.net, there are tonnes of great stories there. If you can get past all the bullshit.
That's precisely why I made this thread in the first place. I was hoping we could make a list of sorts, taking down the names and locations of good authors.

I'll give that website a try in a couple days, when I can spend some time wading. If anyone wants to recommend a story or author I'll edit them in to the first post.

[illustriousaffliction]

I think you're referring to the exact type of thing I'm trying to avoid, but that'd be me judging a book by its cover. I'll try to keep an open mind.

I guess a good fanfic should be enjoyable as a stand-alone story, while still retaining its references to the original canon to appeal to the fans as well. Meaning that, for example, you would be able to read and enjoy a good Star Wars fan fiction without any prior knowledge of Star Wars.

Yeah, most of them kind of suck, but there are a lot of really good standalones on there where the only similarity is the names (of the band members). If there's a specific type you're looking for, such as about a book or band or something, then that's the place to go. I think pretty much any fanfic site you go on is going to have crap, some just have more than others.

[TuckerLOL]

One of the most talented writers I've met over the internet's LoZ: TP fanfic; Shadow World.
http://mechaganon.deviantart.com/gallery/#Shadow-World
He's got a few more on his dA.

[Crabstick]

I'm bumping this thread so the retard above me can stop breaking the whole forum tables with his stupid username.

[JonC]

I mostly dispise "fan fiction". Why? Because like Matty said, its mostly written very horribly. I have pondered about writing my own fan fiction because I know I could do it well, but I don't. Why? Because its my work to do so. Why the hell would I want to write some fan fiction when teh author and/or owner of the intellictual rights of the particular "story" doesn't even approve and whatnot? Ya know?

That's my take on it.

Though, I do sometimes wonder if people will write fan fiction based off the worlds I create with my novels. But, I plan on giving enough where people won't HAVE to create stuff because they want more.

[Pieman]

Most authors don't care about fanfiction. JK Rowling publicly announced that she supported it. The only crabby bitch who was against it is Anne Rice, so all Fanfiction sites banned all fanfictions of each story. Coincidentally, 20000 slash fangirls killed themselves that year.

While I agree theres tonnes of shit fics, their are also quite a few gems to be found. Just surf a popular site, and look for one with high reviews that doesn't include "Slash", "Yaoi" or "(Male)/(Other male) in its description and you'll be fine.

Also, if you've written a book, or are writing one, its inevitable that someones going to write a fanfiction. Include 2 male leads as a failsafe.

And heres (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/836450/1/DOOM_Repercussions_of_Evil) just a random piece thats so horrible, you'll laugh your ass off

[Crabstick]

Star Wars is one of the few series to have decent fan fiction - the Rogue Squadron series of novels was well written and had better character development than the original trilogy. They also managed to set up a conceivable storyline in case Lucas ever decided to make movies seven through nine.

Of course, then George Lucas decided if others could do it, so could he, so he made the new trilogy :indiff:

[JonC]

I mean, I won't like, go and kick people's asses who write fan fiction and all that. Sure, if you want to write it go ahead, at least I do know you like my stuff so much you want to create for it too. I would maybe be afraid of someone trying to say I took their idea, but to alleviate that, I could just not read the fan fiction based off the worlds I create.

Oh and the fan fiction you linked to, well, its bad, but with some work it could be better. Haha. (I didnt laugh by the way).

And JK Rowling is a nerf herder anyway. I like the HP books, but the Dumbledore is gay thing is a huge cop-out. Anyway.

Edit:
Star Wars is one of the few series to have decent fan fiction - the Rogue Squadron series of novels was well written and had better character development than the original trilogy. They also managed to set up a conceivable storyline in case Lucas ever decided to make movies seven through nine.

Of course, then George Lucas decided if others could do it, so could he, so he made the new trilogy :indiff:

Forgive my double post please.

Well, they're official fan fiction, so to speak. So the authors who write them do get paid to do so and whatnot, and they're actually published. And lucas isn't going to do 7-9. And the new trilogy isn't bad, be quiet.

EDIT: Wait a minute, I didn't hit "edit" the first time, is there an automatic edit functiion if you're about to double post?

[Derelict]

My sister used to write a lot of fanfiction for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Card Captors (that shitty old anime show), and she got quite a bit of praise for it. I think the only people who disliked her writing were those who didn't like the shows. She's always had a nack for writing, but doing the fanfiction thing is probably what pushed her farther towards becoming an English teacher. She used to write when she was in high school and she recently got her bachelor of arts, so I guess it worked out.

The only fanfiction I have ever read was Beast Wars. It ended so quickly. :wail:

[hoopymo]

About 90% of fanfiction turns into a fanerotica.

[Haggis McSpud]

About 90% of fanfiction turns into a fanerotica.

Oooh yeah!
My opinion is that most fan fiction is absolute rubbish by people who want to publish their wet dreams on the internet, but forget in the process that they can't write for shit. However, when you do find a well written story it's generally worth the read. Oh yeah, and the story "DOOM: Repercussions of Evil" was the best thing I have EVER read! My favorite quote is "No! You will BE KILL BY DEMONS". Truly a classic.

[Tastychainsaws]

Oooh yeah!
My opinion is that most fan fiction is absolute rubbish by people who want to publish their wet dreams on the internet, but forget in the process that they can't write for shit. However, when you do find a well written story it's generally worth the read. Oh yeah, and the story "DOOM: Repercussions of Evil" was the best thing I have EVER read! My favorite quote is "No! You will BE KILL BY DEMONS". Truly a classic.

I liked the part where he plasmaed the demons.

[Haggis McSpud]

I liked the part where he plasmaed the demons.

All in all a deeply meaningful, well written, gripping read.. I might just write a review!

[TheSwanAndTomatoes]

You do know that most of fanfiction is just stories about every conceivable childhood character you ever remember 34'ing?

[Pieman]

Most of Rule 34 spawns from Fanfiction. Check out AdultFanfiction.net (NSFW).

Theres everything there. Everything from Centaur/Woman to male pregnacy to one where the huge dog from Naruto has sex with every fucking character in the show.

[Orelinde]

I write fanfiction myself, though I haven't posted it on the internet. I guess I do it more for myself, for character development, to put them in different settings, use a setting/world/history already created by someone else, etc. I have read A LOT of fic online and it is pretty bad/discouraging/just plain icky. But I don't think the story posted above (which I promply forwarded to my friends) should discourage people from checking out F.F. The summary usually paints a good picture of what the actual story is going to be like.

[TheSwanAndTomatoes]

I went to adultfanfiction, not thinking of the horrors that awaited, and imagine my surprise when BAM. the first Pokemon story i read was one with some dude getting raped by his alakazam. Not good.

I never went back. Ever.

[Roxi]

That story linked above... was the best piece of literature I have ever set my eyes upon.

I laughed, I cried, I wanted to go on a killing spree. Amazing.

And I loved all the people who wrote really sarcastic reviews that will go way over that idiot's head and make them think they are good.

[Haggis McSpud]

I read a franfiction today on fanfiction.net that made me want to kill myself.. It was a Dragonball Z/ Twilight crossover about some characters from Dragonball Z meeting the Cullens. Needless to say I will never put my faith in fanfiction ever again.

[Tastychainsaws]

I read a franfiction today on fanfiction.net that made me want to kill myself today.. It was a Dragonball Z/ Twilight crossover about some characters from Dragonball Z meeting the Cullens. Needless to say I will never put my faith in fanfiction ever again.

How...does that? Eh never mind I can't image how that could work in anyway.

[Softmints]

Fanfiction... is for the most part, awful. Sappy romances, poor character development, no planned plot, and randomness which is supposed to be 'humourous'.

That said, if you can pick the cherries from the sewage, there's a lot to gain. I usually filter by words-per-chapter, a good author will invest more time in a chapter, and have 3,000+ words in each update. It's no guarantee, but it helps massively as a filter. Anyone who says they can't write summaries, or has awful grammar is not worth reading. If it's a decent summary, read the first few paragraphs. And then maybe the next few if you like it.

The best ones take aspects of a world and add to it; showing you ideas you never would have had before. Enriching that world and characters you already know, instead of detracting from them as described above. I know of a couple of great ones, but with so many fandoms around, it's easiest for you to browse through your own, filtering as described.

From the same author as above; a well-titled tale... Batman_Nemesis_Fight (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3920909/1/Batman_Nemesis_Fight)