I love that there's a community of fanfic writers, too. Because you can't write in a vacuum [...]It's good to have readers and immediate response.
Yes, I think this is the best part of fandom/fanfic - it's just so encouraging! Even when you know that there's room for improvement in your work, there will be people who are telling you that they love what you are doing and that they want to read more. And since the way to become better at anything, including writing, is to PRACTICE, what you get is constant encouragement to practice! It makes you WANT to practice.
I've been trying to write original novels on the side, and it's SO MUCH HARDER, and not because I have to think of and introduce my own characters, because I've done that in fanfic before without trouble. It's that when I write something, I just see how bad it is, and there's no one to ignore the bad stuff and tell me to keep writing anyway, there's no one leaving comments saying "Please write more!" So, I just get discouraged. That immediate feedback is so helpful.
Editing is so left brained, it ruins ALL creative impulses. Avoid it unless you know you're strong and ready to fight the left/right brain battle.(Incidentally, my Inner Editor popped up when you called some types of fanfic "Porn" and announced, "It's not called Porn, it's Erotica." So I ganked the bitch and sent her back to the depths of novel hell. Hah! Shut up, you know it all Editorial Demon.)
Good job defeating the Editing Demon! Haha.. it's hard when the lingo is different in two different worlds. In the "outside world" or "IRL", the word for what we write is Erotica, but in the fanfic world, the most used, and therefore correct term is "Porn". Frustrating to any editor who would rather have consistency across the board. Where's our universal style-guide?!
Thanks for the great review of what sounds like a thought-compelling book. I'm off to buy the last (or so they say) copy on Amazon.
Re: response to the past four or so responses
Yes, I think this is the best part of fandom/fanfic - it's just so encouraging! Even when you know that there's room for improvement in your work, there will be people who are telling you that they love what you are doing and that they want to read more. And since the way to become better at anything, including writing, is to PRACTICE, what you get is constant encouragement to practice! It makes you WANT to practice.
I've been trying to write original novels on the side, and it's SO MUCH HARDER, and not because I have to think of and introduce my own characters, because I've done that in fanfic before without trouble. It's that when I write something, I just see how bad it is, and there's no one to ignore the bad stuff and tell me to keep writing anyway, there's no one leaving comments saying "Please write more!" So, I just get discouraged. That immediate feedback is so helpful.
Editing is so left brained, it ruins ALL creative impulses. Avoid it unless you know you're strong and ready to fight the left/right brain battle.(Incidentally, my Inner Editor popped up when you called some types of fanfic "Porn" and announced, "It's not called Porn, it's Erotica." So I ganked the bitch and sent her back to the depths of novel hell. Hah! Shut up, you know it all Editorial Demon.)
Good job defeating the Editing Demon! Haha.. it's hard when the lingo is different in two different worlds. In the "outside world" or "IRL", the word for what we write is Erotica, but in the fanfic world, the most used, and therefore correct term is "Porn". Frustrating to any editor who would rather have consistency across the board. Where's our universal style-guide?!
Thanks for the great review of what sounds like a thought-compelling book. I'm off to buy the last (or so they say) copy on Amazon.
I hope you enjoy it! :)