So I'm not finished whining from yesterday's post

[meridian_rose]

So I'm not finished whining from yesterday's personal post. I should have held off until I felt really sad/pissed off and ranted all in one place I guess. Cross-posted from Tumblr where the gifs are

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Me: *writes fanfic*
*some kudos, comments*
People: Ugh, fanfic is so derivative. If you're a serious writer you must write your own work.
Me: *writes original fic*
*crickets*
People: It's not about audience!!! Do it for fun!!!
Me: ...


Can't tell if I'm an okay fanfic writer and a shitty original fic writer or if I'm a mediocre writer all around and fanfic readers are just more generous with praise.

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Comments

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I wish I had an answer. This is all...relatively new in regards to writing. Before the internet, and even in the beginning days, before fanfic, you simply didn't get feedback for writing outside of the classroom and a writer's group. Even then, the classroom was focused on critique and the writer's group on ego. I was knocked sideways my first year involved in fanfic, which was 2003. I was more interested in being a reader and was gobbling up everything I could find. I had never heard of such a thing and it brought me hours of endless entertainment. It wasn't until I came to LJ that I discovered you could communicate with an author and the politics of the thing became obvious.

Online fandom archives have given writers a gift with this unique form of exchange. But the shadow side to that is pretty dark.

Unless you're published, and even then you're really only getting feedback from reviewers and a handful of rabid fans, there is no question that fanfic is going to garner more response than original. If you really want to write short original pieces and receive a fandom-like response the options are few. Comms like Idol, of course, but it is competitive and requires much more than just writing. Online writer's groups where the shared goal is writing short pieces and the involvement requires commenting and feedback. Or a dedicated group of readers who enjoy your work enough to "exchange" the reading for comments.

We should talk about creating a small writer's group.

[zeph317toho.livejournal.com]

HUGS HUGS AND MORE HUGS even if you don't want them.

I agree with the first commenter that for better or worse, there is far more feedback and response on fanfic than there is for pretty much any other kind of writing. You ARE a terrific writer, even if you don't feel like it right now. <3

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

1) If it makes you happy -then they can fuck off
2) If it's not constructive criticism- then they can fuck off
3) if they are not a positive force in your life- then they can...(you get the idea! ;)