Fanfic Or Not To Fanfic

"Fan fiction can be defined as any piece of writing inspired by the original work of another."

I am a fan fiction fan.  I"m also a fan fiction writer.

And yes I can hear the cries of shock, horror and outage from here.  Because admitting that you like fan fiction (much less saying that you write it)  is a bit like admitting that you like porn (which some...okay a lot... of fan fiction is).

Fan fiction never has an easy time.  Those that hate it see it at best as lazy writing and at worst as plagiarism, stealing and akin to selling your soul to the devil.  And don't even mention Fifty Shades of Grey.

And yet despite all this I love fan fiction with a passion... and I'm not the only one. FanFiction.Net a website devoted to fan fiction works has more than 2 million users.

2 million.

That in itself should tell you the popularity of fan fiction.  Of course just because something is popular doesn't necessarily mean that it's a) good or b) legal.

From my own personal perspective fan fiction is just as legitimate and worth while as any other creative endeavour.

Is is lazy writing? Well yes there is a lot of bad fan fiction but there is also some really great fan fiction.  You just have to dig a little deeper for it.  But trust me it's there. 

Plagiarism and stealing? Perhaps. Though most (about 99.9 %) make no money from what they create and have no desire to do so.  They do it for love of a show/book/movie, to share their love with others, as a way of improving their own writing skill and a great many other reasons.  People with a love of art or music copy and adapt famous works all the time and no-one cries out.  So why is writing any different?

Of course fan fiction fans don't always help themselves.  Some in the fan fiction community can be pretty brutal in their defence.  It's enough to make a fangirl like me hang her head in shame at the antics of others.  Luckily there are plenty of others that make up for this and help make fan fiction a warm and entertaining community where you can share your love of whatever it is that makes you *flail*.

And at the end of the day that's what fan fiction is all about.

It's about exploring possibilities that the original author never thought of.  To celebrate a TV show/movie/book/character that another created in a way that is original to you and to share that love with others.  And that is a pretty great thing.

By the way check out Auckland Libraries latest events.  There's a discussion about Fifty Shades of Grey on next Thursday. http://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/EN/Events/Events/Pages/darknight.aspx

Armageddon: A Fangirly Moment

You'll be forgiven for thinking that I'm talking about the end of the world since December the 21st 2012  will soon be upon us, but though it might be a squealy moment for some if it does turn out to be the end of the world, it's not quite the event that I had in mind. 

What I am talking about is far more fangirly; that is the annual Armageddon Sci-fi Expo that is on in Auckland this weekend.

It will, of course, come as no surprise that I’ll be attending, after all how can any self respecting SyfyGirl not go to what is one of the biggest Sci-fi events in New Zealand; the event that I look forward to and circle on my calendar every year.

Now I know what you are thinking.  

She's one of those.  

One of those strange people who wears the funny costume, speaks in strange tongues and knows all the words to her favourite show.  Okay I'll give you that one, though I don't know all the words - just some - honest... and I definitely don't know any Klingon nor have I ever worn a costume, funny or otherwise but if I did well that's okay too.  Fans of Sci-fi come in all shapes and sizes and ages, and that's part of the fun of going to Armageddon.  It gives you a chance to revel in your geekiness in however you want.

Being a geek has never been so cool.

Wiffle lever to full! : daleks, death stars and dreamy-eyed nostalgia at the strangest sci-fi conventions by Bob Fischer.

If you've ever wondered what exactly goes on at Sci-fi conventions then look no further.

Bob Fischer dives head first into what is seen as a strange and mysterious world when one summer he travels around the UK attending  a huge array of Sci-fi conventions.  From Doctor Who to Blakes 7 he covers them all in his search to get reacquainted with the shows he use to love.

Comic-con and the business of pop culture : what the world's wildest trade show can tell us about the future of entertainment by Rob Salkowitz. 

To fans Comic-con is the holy mecca of conventions.  Held annually in San Diego, it attracts people all over the world.  So much so that attendance has been capped at 130,000 due to the huge demand from those wanting to go.

This is an eye-opening book that looks at not only the rise of Comic-con but the good, the bad, and the downright ugly business of conventions and the entertainment industry as a whole.

Comic-Con. Episode IV, A fan's hope by Morgan Spurlock.

Better know as the director of Super Size Me and POM Wonderful Presents, Morgan Spurlock  looks at the world of Comic-con with his latest project.

As a fan himself this accompany book to the movie is filled with photographs celebrating everything that is Comic-con.

The geek handbook : practical skills and advice for the likeable modern geek by Alex Langley.

Any book that has Sheldon on the cover has got my vote.  This guy is the master of geeks and has helped to make The Big Bang Theory the highly successful show that it is.

Covering all things geeky and things you've never even thought about; from the best shows to watch with friends to the kind of players you'll meet while playing dungeon and dragons to the threat level of computers when they finally do become self aware and want to kill you, this is the book to help you get in touch with your inner geek.

Geek girls unite: how fangirls, bookworms, indie chicks, and other misfits are taking over the world by Leslie Simon.

Most people tend to forget that girls can be geeks too and that geekdom isn't just about a love of Sci-fi or fantasy or comics.  There are bookworms and music fans and a whole world of geeky lifestyles and this book celebrates them all in a collection of essays that focuses on an often over-looked phenomenon - the girl geek.

Who knew there were so many geeks in the world.

The Big Bang Theory

This TV show has probably done more for geeks, geekiness and everything that goes with it than anything else.

And one of the reasons it has been so successful is that nearly everyone who watches can relate to what is portrayed.

It is a love letter not only to fans of Sci-fi and gaming and comics but to anyone who has ever felt awkward or nervous or out of place in the world.