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dragonlady7via http://ift.tt/1RjPfFg:
Haha sure! I’ve been writing original fiction since I was a kid, and also went through a conservatory writing program. So yeah, I’ve written approximately two metric buttloads of original stuff. Some of it even earned me a little bit of money! I currently have a document open on my computer for my WIP original (fantasy) novel, which I think is close to done at 100,000 words. In your other ask you wanted to know about themes: a lot of my stuff involves people falling in love with unsuitable love objects, weird history, tropes taken seriously/to their logical conclusion, inverted tropes, gender hijinks, reluctant protagonists, culture clash, and people being prickly/flamboyant smartasses. Also, I do my diverse casting thing in my original stuff too, because it’s more fun that way.
You also asked about fanfic versus original fic: honestly, I find writing fanfic way, way easier and more fun. So much of the hard stuff – getting your readers to want to buy into the characters and universe – is already done for you, and the expectation that there needs to be much of a plot is almost nil. People want to enjoy your fanfiction, they want to read about these characters, whereas with original stuff you have to hustle your ass off just to get them past the first few lines. I could write 2,000 words of two random dudes with zero in common with the canon characters just hanging out and doing stuff, label them “Steve” and “Bucky,” and get at least one or two people on AO3 interested enough to click on it and leave a kudos: there’s something really freeing about that that makes it easier to take risks and write whatever my id is into. Also, with fanfiction you have this huge community of people who want to hear your thoughts about the characters you’re writing about/your WIP: original fiction is a much, much lonelier process. ALSO, in fanfic there’s not the potential of publication hanging over your head, so there’s not so much anxiety wrapped up in it/you’re not encouraged to start looking at your fellow writers like you’re two hungry pissed-off tigers stalking the last deer on the plain. If I had the kind of community/cheerleading section for my original stuff that I have for my fanfic I for sure would have finished my WIP a year ago. So yeah! Fanfiction! It’s really fun! I’m having a great time with it! You guys are awesome! High five!
Haha sure! I’ve been writing original fiction since I was a kid, and also went through a conservatory writing program. So yeah, I’ve written approximately two metric buttloads of original stuff. Some of it even earned me a little bit of money! I currently have a document open on my computer for my WIP original (fantasy) novel, which I think is close to done at 100,000 words. In your other ask you wanted to know about themes: a lot of my stuff involves people falling in love with unsuitable love objects, weird history, tropes taken seriously/to their logical conclusion, inverted tropes, gender hijinks, reluctant protagonists, culture clash, and people being prickly/flamboyant smartasses. Also, I do my diverse casting thing in my original stuff too, because it’s more fun that way.
You also asked about fanfic versus original fic: honestly, I find writing fanfic way, way easier and more fun. So much of the hard stuff – getting your readers to want to buy into the characters and universe – is already done for you, and the expectation that there needs to be much of a plot is almost nil. People want to enjoy your fanfiction, they want to read about these characters, whereas with original stuff you have to hustle your ass off just to get them past the first few lines. I could write 2,000 words of two random dudes with zero in common with the canon characters just hanging out and doing stuff, label them “Steve” and “Bucky,” and get at least one or two people on AO3 interested enough to click on it and leave a kudos: there’s something really freeing about that that makes it easier to take risks and write whatever my id is into. Also, with fanfiction you have this huge community of people who want to hear your thoughts about the characters you’re writing about/your WIP: original fiction is a much, much lonelier process. ALSO, in fanfic there’s not the potential of publication hanging over your head, so there’s not so much anxiety wrapped up in it/you’re not encouraged to start looking at your fellow writers like you’re two hungry pissed-off tigers stalking the last deer on the plain. If I had the kind of community/cheerleading section for my original stuff that I have for my fanfic I for sure would have finished my WIP a year ago. So yeah! Fanfiction! It’s really fun! I’m having a great time with it! You guys are awesome! High five!
