TBBS Fanfic Recommendations

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction' started by Naraht, Apr 18, 2005.

  1. DrGojira

    DrGojira Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    No recommendations. Fanfic is a waste of time. Read some classical literature.
     
  2. Lorraine Anderson

    Lorraine Anderson Writer Red Shirt

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    Meow.

    I like some of the classics, dear.

    I generally don't post here -- and sorry, guys, I don't read fan fiction on-line -- but I'd rather read good fan fiction than "Moby Dick", which is generally held up to be a classic. I thought I'd never get through that book. Bleh. I learned more about the care, habits, and dissection of whales than I ever cared to know.
     
  3. RevdKathy

    RevdKathy How scared are you? Moderator

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    Warning to Dr Gojira for trolling. You don't have to like fanfic, but neither do you have to come into a fanfic forum and make a fuss aout it.
     
  4. DrGojira

    DrGojira Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    What fuss? It was my mildly stated opinion of fanfic.
     
  5. captcalhoun

    captcalhoun Admiral Admiral

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    that was still trolling. you neither needed to post that nor even enter the forum if it's not your cup of hot caffinated beverage.
     
  6. DrGojira

    DrGojira Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    I'm new here. What is the appropriate forum to express my opinion on the nocent effect of fanfic on aspiring writers?
     
  7. captcalhoun

    captcalhoun Admiral Admiral

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    there isn't one. if you don't like fan-fic, don't post on the subject. you'll not be appreciated here and none of the other forums are appropriate.
     
  8. BrotherBenny

    BrotherBenny Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Well, there's the General TV and Media forum. That way you can talk about how terrible fan fiction for all genres and books and shows is, and you should be able to get a good debate going.
     
  9. DrGojira

    DrGojira Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    That's an absurd assertion. Is constructive criticism appropriate or are only panegyrics allowed as comment?
     
  10. Starkers

    Starkers Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, right...I think you need to redefine 'constructive critisism'. Want to make constructive comments about individual stories, no problem, however you seem to just want to make stupid sweeping statements about the entire range of fanfic.

    Why is fanfic useless to the aspiring writer? Why does the fact that I write stories featuring original characters in the Trek universe make them less valid than if I wrote original characters set in a historical setting like WWII?

    Your argument has no weight.
     
  11. DrGojira

    DrGojira Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Obviously, those are areas I wish to discuss and I assumed this was the forum to expound.

    Your use of the word "stupid" does you little credit. What have you written? I will read it with an open mind and critique it.
     
  12. Gibraltar

    Gibraltar Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    If you wish to discuss the pros and cons of fanfic, I'd encourage you to open a new thread dedicated to that topic. The Fanfic Recommendations thread isn't the appropriate venue.
     
  13. Lorraine Anderson

    Lorraine Anderson Writer Red Shirt

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    The problem was that your original post didn't seem designed to create an open discussion. Your original post insulted the people on this forum, no matter what your intentions were. And you seemed to assume that those who read and write fan -- or, possibly, any media-based, professional -- fiction are ignorant of the classics and are, therefore, wasting their time.

    If I am wrong about your intentions, please let me know.
     
  14. DrGojira

    DrGojira Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Gibraltar and Lorraine, thanks for the input. The next time I log in I will start a thread about this.
     
  15. RevdKathy

    RevdKathy How scared are you? Moderator

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    A well written, non-insulting thead about the merits of fan writing would be welcome. Barging into a thread on a different topic and posting a one-line insult isn't.
     
  16. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Dr. G-try some of the fanfic-some is good, some is bad and some will leave you wondering where all of this talent came from. Look on my previous entry in this topic for useful guides to ST fanfic that's worth a darn. As someone who has A LOT of time on my hands and a DEEP background in scifi in general I tell you my suggested story pages in my last entry are good to excellent reads.Give it a chance. Hey, its cheaper than going to Borders and buying something! And as good or better.
     
  17. Starkers

    Starkers Admiral Admiral

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    Generalisations are always stupid- whether it's that all Americans are idiots, all Muslims terrorists, or all fanfic is worthless.

    You can find much of what I've written on my website linked in my sig, but to be honest I have no interest in your critique. Even if you like my work frankly I have no interest in your opinions given the boorish way you made your presence felt on this forum.
     
  18. Dulak

    Dulak Commander Red Shirt

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    "Generalisations are always stupid-"

    Hmm, does that include this one?

    Here's my four cents (adjusted for inflation). I write FanFic for several reasons. I happen to like the concept of Star Trek more than most recent content, so by writing, I can experience what I'd like to see in the shows/movies. It also is good writing practice to make onself be able to at the same time conform to certain external standards, while also generating a readible, original story. It's also free from possible future commercialization, so it is really writing for writing's sake.

    As to why I read the stuff. It's fun. I like classics too, but don't choose to limit myself to preconceived ideas about any genre or sub-genra of literature/writing.
     
  19. DavidFalkayn

    DavidFalkayn Commodore Commodore

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    I've always felt it was bad manners to come into someone's house and smack them in the face with a dead fish--which in a way is what you did, DrGojira. As pointed out above, if someone wanted to open up a polite, non-insulting thread regarding fan writing, that would be more than welcome and would probably get me involved. The problem is though, that I'm not sure there's anything we could say that could sway your opinion--your mind appears to be made up all we would have would be a back and forth with nothing being accomplished.

    The thing is DrGojira, if you got the chance to get to know us through our comments and our stories, you might be surprised at what you'd find. You say we should read the classics. Ok, I happen to love the classics: Livy, Polybius, Thucydides, Shakespeare, Ovid, Dickens, A. C. Doyle, and I can go on. I also enjoy the literary science fiction classics: Wells, Anderson, Dickson, Poul, Asimov, Silverberg, Ellison, Heinlein, Niven, Pournelle, and again I can go on. And yes, I do use some of their themes and ideas in my work. That's not original you say? Well, Shakespeare took the theme and plot for Romeo and Juliet from Pyramus and Thisbe. He also 'borrowed' quite from other myths and tales in his other plays. If it was good enough for the bard, it's good enough for me.

    Many of us have also been published elsewhere: academic journals, New Voyages, and in other print media. So, why do we do this? Why do we write fan fiction in general and Trek fiction specifically? Because it's FUN! We enjoy playing in the Trek universe, we love our characters, and we like entertaining others with our stories. What's so horrible about that?

    As Crackers aka Starkers pointed out, Generalizations are stupid--although I would clarify that statement by saying at times they are a necessary evil because there are times you actually do have to generalize. There are all sorts of fan fiction out there. Some of it is...not very good. Some of it cannot be distinguished from published works by professionals--in fact, I would content that those stories are better than some published works. And you have all sorts of stories in between.

    The key is to keep an open mind. If you've already decided, then any sort of discussion is an exercise in futility and you might find a more comfortable environment in one or more of the other categories of this board--there's a little something for every Trek and scifi fan here.
     
  20. adm_gold

    adm_gold Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I have never written a fanfic but have read many. Some bad, some good and some that blow my mind away as being good enough to shoot a film or show. When i like something I have started to try and post that. If i don't like it, I don't post unless I have something I can add to make it better.

    Why be so negative? If you don't like it, go away.