Fanfiction- Yes, this is a debate.

[Jason Tandro]

As an avid fanfiction writer, I was wondering what you all thought about the subject. Not counting the TE fics (which I consider to be not so much fanfictions as stories within this element that we've created) what do you consider to be good fanfiction? Do you think that the only good fanfictions are about certain games? Or maybe only certain genres? Do you think fanfiction should be funny parodies, or serious attempts to fill in the gaps?

Yours truly does it all. Mostly Final Fantasy, I'll admit. I've got a series of funny short stories called Shinra Inc. And, I am novelizing Final Fantasy VII, I've done epic stories based on Final Fantasy 8 and Wild Arms 3, I did some dark fics about FF7 and FF9, and I've done some truly dumb and random fics as well.

[EverPhoenix]

i prefer serious fanfics. then again, i dont really read (m)any. but if i were to id like to read either prequels, sequels, or other time-filling things that involve the main characters

[Jason Tandro]

Ever gander at any of my works?

If you like sequels and Final Fantasy 6, then there is a GREAT fanfiction I can suggest to you.

[inferiare]

It... really depends on the fic. It's been a long while since I've read anything worthwhile, and I know a lot can deviate from actual character personality/voice if you're not careful. THAT drives me up the wall.

That and self-inserts. Of course, I think anyone who has written fic, especially at a younger age, has probably gone the route of "I really like this character, I'll make an original character based off of me that gets this character to fall in love with my character!" stories. I know I have, but that was when I was 14 (and argh that makes me feel OLD).

It can be a fun medium, like fan art, however, if it's done correctly. Mpreg is NOT CORRECT.

[EverPhoenix]

rainichan wrote:

It... really depends on the fic. It's been a long while since I've read anything worthwhile, and I know a lot can deviate from actual character personality/voice if you're not careful. THAT drives me up the wall. That and self-inserts. Of course, I think anyone who has written fic, especially at a younger age, has probably gone the route of "I really like this character, I'll make an original character based off of me that gets this character to fall in love with my character!" stories. I know I have, but that was when I was 14 (and argh that makes me feel OLD). It can be a fun medium, like fan art, however, if it's done correctly. Mpreg is NOT CORRECT.

fanart is possibly one of the best (and potentially worst) byproduct of gaming fans

[inferiare]

Lol well, it goes back to that self-insert crap. Sure, I'm guilty of it, but hell, I stopped that some time ago. You know, 10 years ago. People my age STILL do it though, which is horrible. And disgusting.

[SoulBlazerFan]

They say a writer writes what they know... and yeah, I self-inserted myself into a story I wrote some time ago. It was the first story I ever wrote- and I think part of it has to do with us creating the version of ourself that we wish to be, as opposed to who we actually are.

I got into fan fiction to tell stories beyond the story- I got into Gundam fan fictions, and unfortunately, I never released them. I wrote up somewhere in the range of 14 or them that I never had the heart to put up onto the internet, for various reasons, and probably never will.

I moved into horror sometime later, and wrote several slasher film based fan fictions. I planned several different stories, like a "Halloween Trilogy" which only the first two parts were ever released, a "Dangertainment Trilogy" which only the first two parts were ever released... see the trend? I start things I can never seem to finish. However... the current project I mentioned which caused me to stop writing TCOITE is a fan fiction I started over five years ago and stopped after having written 4 chapters. It's a sequel to the film Freddy VS Jason, and when I had begun it I had a clear view of how the story went. I got four chapters into it, and suddenly stopped. I had written several ideas to continue the story over the years, but never quite got around to actually writing it.

Then, about a mouth ago, I began to write a chapter, which for whatever reason I titled "Chapter 5," and had no idea what it was. It wasn't until I was half way through it I realized I had lost my writers block on this fan fiction, and I started it up once again. I went from having roughly 9 pages and 4 typed chapters (Which is on my fanfiction.net account) to now having an additional 120 pages and 21 chapters (Handwritten).

I say, if you can find inspiration from some place, take it. It's a perfect medium to build on your abilities as a writer, and it certainly helped me write some more of my original stuff. (I have part of a book written- one day perhaps I'll try and finish it and shop it around).

[Jason Tandro]

Never done a self-insert, and I try to keep characters true to themselves, except in parodies, of course. I also steer clear of alternate reality fics (what if Meteor was never summoned? What if Aeris never died? etc...) but I am giving the genre a shot with my more recent fic called SeeD (an AR of FF8 wherein Balamb Garden was destroyed and SeeD stayed in prison for two years before re-emerging.

As for Fan Art... well some of the best hentai is produced that way.

[EverPhoenix]

ive never done a self-insert. have made up a character based somewhat on myself and made a new story though ^^. but then again the only actual fics ive written have been based on terranigma. one when i was about 10 or so, presenting itself as a possible sequel when Ark wakes up again in Crysta only to find it besieged by the Shadowkeeper...

and another one i wrote only about 4 years ago, which was basically an novelisation of the neotokyo sewers scene. it was for an english project and i think i did reasonably well.

Jason Tandro wrote:

As for Fan Art... well some of the best hentai is produced that way.

[tay120n64]

There is no "right" or "appropriate" way to write a fanfic. That's what makes them fanfics.

On that topic, though, I've been working on a prequel to A Link to the Past for some time now. It follows three primary characters in the period prior to and during the Imprisoning War: Link's ancestor, Kilik; Ganondorf; and Mudora, one of the Six Sages.

For Kilik, the story opens with his recruitment to the Hylian Knights, and shows his progression among their ranks. It also tells of his encounters and journeys across Southern Hyrule (the map from Four Swords Adventures/A Link to the Past) as well as his involvement in the Imprisoning War. For Mudora, the story opens with her return to Southern Hyrule after a three-year journey across Northern and Eastern Hyrule. It chronicles her companionship with the other five sages, as well as bringing to light the many mysteries of Hyrule that she has ascertained. For Ganondorf, the story opens with his exile from the Gerudo Tribe, and continues with his raids across Southern Hyrule. The second half of the story deals with his acquisition of the Triforce and his inevitable imprisonment in the Dark World.

I've laid a basic outline for the story, but I'm really bad about putting things off, as I've only finished the prologue and the first chapter.

[Jason Tandro]

*Looks forward to it.

If you have a fanfiction.net account, friend me and I'll totally read it! Otherwise be sure to show it on the forums!

[tay120n64]

Jason Tandro wrote:

*Looks forward to it. If you have a fanfiction.net account, friend me and I'll totally read it! Otherwise be sure to show it on the forums!

I should probably join that once I finish a few more chapters. Actually, once I'm fully satisfied with the prologue, I'll prolly post it here on the site to whet your appetites. There are going to be references to every game in the series (with the exception of Wind Waker and Majora's Mask, they being in alternate universes and all), but it is mostly going to deal with events and locales from The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, and Twilight Princess.

[Yet One More Idiot]

Hmm.....I think fanfiction should be anything the writer likes. I definitely believe that it should be something that the author likes, and not written to try to please the readers (as there will always be some who won't be pleased by it).

My own personal tastes as to what fanfiction I read tend to be slightly more towards the serious end of the spectrum, although I did once try my hand at writing funny meta-fic (breaking the 4th wall and such). But yeah, I prefer to read the more dramatic, and preferably in-character, stories.

And prequels and sequels are always a good place to start when writing for the first time.