Can write fanfiction but not my own book
As a writer, you may have found yourself drawn towards writing fanfiction: narratives built around existing fictional universes and characters, while the task of crafting your very own book from scratch still seems like an insurmountable challenge. It's a peculiar dichotomy that many writers struggle with, including myself. Hence, let's ponder over this by discussing several reasons for this capability-quandary.
Platform Availability
Resources such as fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own have made it easy for writers to post copyrighted work and interact with readers. These platforms offer a sense of community and instant feedback from readers which may lack when one starts writing an original work. These platforms also have massive user bases, helping writers to reach out to a wider audience.
On the contrary, publishing an original book requires either self-funding or finding a publisher willing to take a risk on you, which can be a daunting task. It requires significant financial backing and the potential of rejection is high, which can be discouraging for potential writers.
Existing Universe to Play With
Another reason that fanfiction might be easier to write is that the world is already established. You can pick where and when your story happens, who your characters are, and what rules you must abide by. Essentially, a lot of the leg work is already done. The existing universe gives you a sandbox with predefined rules to play in. This eliminates the need for extensive world-building, which is time-consuming and challenging in original writing.
Writing your own book, however, demands creating your own setting from scratch. This includes establishing the world's rules, its history, the character designs, and their internal conflicts. It is perhaps the requirement of such detailed world-building which makes the creation of an original book a herculean task.
The Appeal of Established Characters
Characters are the crux of stories. Fanfiction allows writers to use pre-established, often beloved characters. You won't have to convince anyone to care about your characters. They already do, and they already know who they are because they're established in the source material. The job of character development, portraying their desires, and convincing readers about their credibility, almost everything is done for you, making life a little less stressful.
But the original writing demands creation of new characters and to make the readers fall in love with your characters, their struggles, triumphs, and flaws. It's a daunting task to draw people into caring for someone they've never encountered before, which is a massive challenge that fanfiction does not pose.
Feedback Loop
Fanfiction platforms offer instant feedback from a built-in audience. This feedback loop can be incredibly useful for refining writing skills. With immediate reactions, you can look into the critique, learn what resonated with readers, what can be improved, and make necessary changes accordingly.
Contrastingly, writing your own book lacks such a system. Typically, during the process, the only critique you get comes from a few beta readers, if any. The bulk of feedback, positive or negative, comes post-publication which might be too late for making changes.
The Fear Factor
The fear of starting from scratch, the worry of creating something new and original, and the fear of failure are often the significant barriers hindering creative individuals from crafting their own book. Fanfiction provides a safety net where you can experiment without the terror of total failure since you're working within an existing framework.
Writing your own book means walking on a path burdened with uncertainty. The lack of certainty coupled with the fear of rejection, failure, and criticism might make writing fanfiction a safer and more comfortable option.
FAQs
1. Can writing fanfiction improve my writing skills for my own book?
Yes, writing fanfiction can improve your writing skills as it offers a great platform to practice creativity while working within an existing framework.
2. Can I turn my fanfiction into original work?
Yes, some writers "file off the serial numbers" from their fanfiction, changing names and specific details, to create an original work. E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey started as a Twilight fanfic.
3. How do I transition from writing fanfiction to my own novel?
You can start by modifying your fanfiction story, changing significant elements to make it more original, or alternatively, you can write short stories to transition yourself gradually.
Recall that every writer's journey is unique and their struggles cannot be generalized. However, understanding these aspects can assist in dealing with the intricacies of writing fanfiction vis-a-vis an original book, thus helping a potential author overcome their fears and challenges.
References
- Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York: NYU Press. - Black, R. W. (2008). Adolescents and Online Fan Fiction. New York: Peter Lang.
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