Novels don’t have Author’s Notes
I think one of the problems which fanfiction authors face is the fact we are one of you. We are a fan. We love the work. We recognise the faults. We want to be a part of the community and contribute.
Because of this, however, there’s this mentality that fanfiction authors, who do everything without getting paid and often without recognition, owe it to people to write things the way they want it to be written.
Don’t like something in a novel? Put it down. Walk away. That’s it. That’s the end. (I mean, unless the novel turned into a craze and then it’s okay because you’re supposed to hate things that are popular, right?)
Don’t like something in a fanfiction? Let’s tell the author. In detail. Let’s be condescending about it. Let’s insult them at the same time. After all, they owe us for reading.
Not updating fast enough? Complain. Updating too fast? Complain. Don’t get the exact right details? Complain. Omg, there’s sex/death/murder and I wasn’t warned? Doesn’t matter that fanfiction gets far more warning than most. Complain anyway. Don’t want to wait until the chapter’s released which explains it all? Complain. Omg, these two characters are underage, they shouldn’t even be kissing let alone having adult conversations about sex. Complain. Loudly. Call the author a paedophile.
Pick up any novel off the shelf and there’s nothing in terms of who the author is and what work they put into the story. You pick it up, you read. There’s no notes in the middle to explain something that people might not get. There’s no notes saying “Hey, this might not be historically/culturally accurate.” There’s no warnings. It’s fiction. People get that things may not be the same in the real world. Yes, a story is expected to be at least believably accurate but it doesn’t have to be.
People don’t seem to understand personal preference vs facts and interpretation vs critique.
By all means, critique a work. People like to know if they’re getting grammar wrong, or overusing words, or breaking rules. People need to know hear “hey, PTSD isn’t quite what you think, would you like to discuss it?” or “That gunshot wound isn’t realistic, I can help”. But please understand, people who write fanfiction do so for the love of the work. A lot aren’t professional and they shouldn’t be expected to be. Do we want to improve? Yes, absolutely we do. Offering guidance and gently nudging is so much better than; “You got this wrong. You’re terrible. I don’t like it. Die in a fire.”
You wouldn’t say that to a published author. Why say to a fanfiction one?
We are far more approachable than the average published author and a lot more fragile. We don’t have publishers and editors backing up our work. We’re unproven and our egos are often not strong. Authors are given the benefit of doubt until the book is finished. Why can’t fanfiction authors be given the same benefit?
kianamaiart
theartofmadeline
turnnoffyourmind
