Right, SO, I don't want to ask anything, just say something. I've just read my first ever fanfic, and it was 'between each beat' by you and Darcy. For many years, I laboured under the misapprehension that fanfic was a trite and boring genre that should be ignored by proper grownups like me (I am a bit of a twat), until by chance I saw someone mention that this fic you and Darcy wrote was the bee's knees and I thought let's see. I cried and laughed out loud on the tube. I love it. It's great.
Ahhh, thank you, and welcome to the wonderful world of fanfic! I’m so glad you gave our fic a try and that it seems to have changed your perception at least a bit. The stigma around reading (and writing) fic is such an interesting phenomenon. While yes, there is certainly fic that might be trite or boring, as you said, or that just isn’t suited to a reader’s personal taste, there are also stories that are incredibly compelling. Just like the world of published fiction, fanfic quality and content varies wildly; and just like with published fiction, it’s all a matter of seeking out authors who write in a way that speaks to you, who tell stories that you want to read. I’ve certainly found several fic writers who I think write more lyrically and handle particular subjects and plots and characters more deftly than a lot of published authors I’ve read. Quality writing is there if you look for it, and with the sheer amount of fic that’s out there, you don’t even necessarily have to look all that hard to find it.
I’m glad you’ve decided to give it a look. :) Happy reading!