The Things Non-Fanfic Writers Wonder...

Hello!! This is Irish_Jedi_Jade and Myriad_Daydreams!! We thought we'd start a thread that came from a conversation we had. There are so many threads talking about us as fanfic writers and the things we do...but what do those around us who aren't writers think? Has someone made a comment, criticism, jab, joke about what you do...and it made you smile? Then tell us!! Here are some examples of what we mean.

Have these things ever happened to you?

**Your parents wonder why you needed to be on the computer to do geometry? (When you really were writing fanfic?)

**Your friends wonder what you're writing in that notebook you always bring and write in during Geometry?

**Your father wonders why there are windows titled "Beyond the Saga" and "Fan Fiction Resource" open in addition to the Science websites you're "studying"?


Just a few to get you started! Have fun!

Myriad_Daydreams & Irish_Jedi_Jade

 

**Your friends wonder what you're writing in that notebook you always bring and write in during Geometry?

I didn't have friends in high school (because it costs money to buy them), but I did have my 9th grade algebra teacher wonder what I was writing every day in his class instead of doing the assignments. It was called a 324 page rewrite of Return of the Jedi.

To say the least, he wasn't happy with this. But I couldn't do algebra, and he didn't want to help, and I was stuck in that class, so I had to do something useful.

And I had my mother constantly asking me if I was going to write something "real". Because of course fanfic was just a way to keep from getting bored. Never mind that I was sending it off to print zines (back in the ancient times for you little ones around here). She never seemed to get the concept that writing is an art form unto itself.

EDIT: I got a small amount of enjoyment irking my algebra teacher. It was one of very few laughs I got during that time. The comment from my mother, of course, was irritating.

 

***Your family wonders why on Earth are you typing so much while sitting at the computer...

 

Your friends wonder why you are always glued to the computer, and your parents don't see why it takes you three hours just to check your email. If only they knew...

 

(I get this one alot) What is fanfiction?

 

*Your friends complain because they can never find the "book" you're reading at the book store?"

 

LOL, I get the "which story is real and which one is not?" question from my Mother all the time.

*Random people on the train looking over your shoulder wonder why the names "Leia," "Han," "Luke," "Chewie," etc keep appearing coincidentally together in the notebook you're scribbling in. (It's rude and I usually ignore them though, no explanation from me! )

*Your family wonders how a little story you wrote for fun has had over 2000 hits on a website filled with other "written for fun," stories.

 

Ditto.

**Your friends wonder why, if you're so into Star Wars and writing fanfiction for it, don't you just send your work in to George Lucas and ask for a job on his next project.

I have had that said to me once or twice, and my answer is always to laugh hysterically. Yeah right, like it's that easy!

 

I was bold and young and stupid enough to actually do it.

(Of course I got rejected. I knew that was going to happen. I still have the letter, on Lucasfilm letterhead).

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v94/leiamoody/lucasfilmlettermodified.jpg]

 

Actually, that's kind of cool that you at least got a response, even though it was a rejection letter.

You have no practical way of explaining this to your family without them thinking that you're totally crazy.

 

I had a writing meeting with my philosophy prof after I submitted a paper that was about 80% fanfiction. She thought it was great, but was a little confused about the universe in which the characters resided, and noticed that "these characters seem to show up an awful lot." (Not strictly true- it was my OCs, and one of them had made an appearance in one other paper).

Also, most of my friends now I have been working on a fanfic epic for over two years. Almost none of them have read it. Occasionally I get questions on what the heck it's about, and why I'm still keeping at it. Oh, if only they knew...

 

That's pretty cool. Thank you for sharing that with us, leiamoody.

 

Thanks. It was one of two shining moments in my life. Not bad.

 

My husband keeps telling me to write something that would make money. <sigh> Others have told me to send my stories to George like leiamoody did. I just shake my head and tell them if I wrote stuff for money, it wouldn't be fun - it would be WORK!

 

*They wonder why words like "Anakin" and "Kamino" are programmed into your spell checker. And why when you type the word "Padme" it automatically puts an accent on the 'e'.

*Your little sister wonders why you keep talking about some girl named Mary-Sue and who she is.

*They tell you that you are evil and twisted and you say thank you. Then your mother tells you that twisting the plot line beyond imagination is cool... until you turn Leia into a Sith.. then she tells you it's just wrong.

*When you think you've finally come to your senses when you say "There's only so many ways Luke can save the galaxy." And then you start writing OCs

 

A few - very few - of my friends know I write fan fiction; I have actually allowed my mom to read a few (she doesn't get it - doesn't like any sci fi, go figure).

Mom's comments: "Why don't you write something original and see if you can 'do something with it'?" Mom thinks I'm talented.

Me: "Why? I can't plot a decent story, for one thing, and this is fun."

Back in college (ah, remembers ANH and lines around the blocks for months) I, too, had a few (my first) stories published in 'zines. Wasn't one named Millennium Falcon? I still have those zines, but I'm afraid - very afraid - to go back and read those stories. I didn't know Leia was Luke's sister in those days.

Heck, at one time I even wondered if Bobba Fett might be Luke's father on an undercover mission. Explain that one!

Leiamoody: what name did you write under in the 'zine days? Maybe I have a few of your stories and don't know it.

 

Hee! I love everyone's responses! I thought of some more:

--My family wonders why I write with a calculator at hand... and when asked, I respond "I need to count words!" (drabbles, lol)

--Many wonder why I roll my eyes when someone asks me "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if Luke went to the dark side in ROTJ?" Yeah, you and everyone else on TF.N think the same!

And my personal favorite: --After reading Sacrifice, I was moping around, and when asked what was wrong, I choked out: "Luke Skywalker's wife was just killed!" I got a blank stare () and my friend asked "Luke Skywalker is married?!" *me=headdesk*

 

--After reading Sacrifice, I was moping around, and when asked what was wrong, I choked out: "Luke Skywalker's wife was just killed!" I got a blank stare ( plain ) and my friend asked "Luke Skywalker is married?!" *me=headdesk*



That happened to me too!

 

Me, too!

 

My friends found out I write fanfic, and when we went to see RotS (none are fans beyond the films), they kept asking me if "this is right?" or "did that happen the way i t was supposed to?"

Everytime I would just look at them and roll my eyes.

 

My dad asks me thins alot...Why don't you sell your stories? I can't count how many times I've explained that fanfiction is written just for fun.

 

For the people who know what I write:
I get the "What is fanfiction?" question all the time. And:
"Why don't you write something you can sell?"
"How can you stand being on a computer more than you are at work?"
"Writing? But... but... you are an accountant, you cannot be a writer!"
"I tried to look you up on Barnes and Noble.com and could not find you, what is your pseudonym?"
"Why bother if you are not getting paid?"
"Who would want to read fanfic? I hate reading!"
"Why do you know all those random Star Wars facts?"

From my family I get: Why are the letters faded on the "s","k","y","w","a","l","k","e", and "r" keys on the keyboard? Actually, they complain about the "a" and "e" keys the most, but they get around to the other letter eventually. They've also asked some of the other questions I previously menioned.

 

Me three!! But the horrible thing was...I found out when my mother was in the ER...so there was nobody to tell, and I felt horribly guilty because I was *almost* more heartbroken over Mara dying than I was over mom being in the hospital! I know...I'm a terrible daughter! But I recovered and helped her through seven hours in the emergency room...then went home and FREAKED out over our dear Mara!

Another one that just makes me smirk. I was explaining to a friend of mine how I hated Jacen because he turns dark and kills Mara...and I got as a reply "Waiiittt....Luke married Mara? And Jacen...*pish* he may have turned dark but he's HAWT!" *hits head on desk multiple times*

Leiamoody: thanks for sharing with us! Hey, it was Lucasfilm that pulled the short straw...their loss of you! But hey, we lucked out cause now you're here!

 

Shocking, there are people who actually know who Mara is? I never even get that far without having to explain who Mara is and how I know it's true if it wasn't in the movies. It's enough to make a person go batty. The Jacen comment I hear a lot, more people I meet know who he is than who Mara is, which confuses me greatly.

I get this question on a daily basis.

 

Ahh! I remember when I first told my friend about fanfiction! She turned to me and outright said, "So... What exactly is the force?" The horror.

Now she's in love with Luke Skywalker! (Who isn't?)

Cheers_Cazza