Discussion You Know You're a Fan Fiction Writer When...

Do it!

<— may not be the most helpful person to answer, I have no experience with this.

 

I suppose it depends on whether or not this bio has any bearing on how management and HR sees you—as in, will anything you say be looked at and considered if/when promotion/raise time comes around? If so, I'd leave it off. If not, on the other hand...feel free.

 

Well, ever since I heard the word 'fanfiction' mentioned on TV's 'Monk,' I've thought that it is becoming mainstream, soooooo .... maybe?

 

I say do it. What's it going to hurt? It means you have a fun and unique hobby.

 

This thread feels like it's missing something...



Ah, there it is.

 

I probably wouldn't say I write fanfiction because that always gets people thinking about comic con, cosplayers and other superfans.. I tell people I belong to an online writers group and we write stories for each other to read. I guess if they asked to see my work I'd tell them my screen name is ginchy. She writes much better than I do.

 

Hey!

Sometimes it's hard being a fic writer, though. You spend all your time writing, but if you don't want to tell people you're writing fanfic, what do you say? It ends up looking like you're just wasting time or not doing anything, when in fact you're crafting stories and chatting with friends. It's a strange situation!

 

You could say you're a...social writer.

 

I've always considered my fanfic misadventures to be a form of literary training—which is to say, honing my basic skillset and experimenting with advanced techniques—for use in pursuing the kinds of original fiction stories that I want to tell. Therefore, you know you're a fan fiction writer when...

...you believe that the fandom you write for can serve as a substitute backdrop for other kinds of tales.

 

...you've put serious consideration into cosplaying as your characters.

...you've actually cosplayed as your characters at some point.

Oh god I am so very guilty of this. *hides in closet of shame*

 

Now I have to ask: which character(s) and when?

 

I've made custom RPG miniatures, too. D:

 

YKYAFFW when....while people watching, you use them as a template for potential OCs.

 

Sounds to me like a technique that need not be limited to amateurs and/or fanfic writers...

 

Very true.
I just caught myself placing them in the GFFA and thought "what a fanfic writer thing to do!"

 

How about 'write and critique works of fiction with fellow fans'? If you want to put that out there, sure, go for it. I know of someone who put "Best Fanfiction Winner" on a book cover of his own (original fiction) on the advice of someone else... still don't get that one, really.

You know you're a fic writer when you watch cats at an animal shelter play with toys to provide better characterization for your feline OC because you don't actually HAVE a cat and haven't for ten years.

 

...you get super-excited when one of your ongoing fics gets over 9000 views, in accordance with the meme.

 

It's over 9000!!!

Even reviews/replies reach fifty or more.

 

Bloody forum...please delete.

 

Probably been said before but what the hoo-hah:

YKYAFFWW...

...you create a character and name it, then promptly forget how to pronounce that character's surname or, worse, the entire name. Bonus points if you can't work out the original intent even after having a go at trying once more (i.e., finding the name and reading it to yourself).

 

...when you give a recurring OC a last name and forget what it is, remembering only because the last name was mentioned in a drabble set.

 

...when you buy a pack of pens for the express purpose of writing fanfics.

Doubt I'll get anything written, but at least I have pens!

 

I actually bought a pack of pens and a new three subject notebook for writing ideas for fan fics.