In defense of my life as a hack

[foxxcub]

For quite awhile now I've heard various rumblings about the Robin Hobb rant against fanfic, but I'd never stopped to read on it because, frankly, my opinion on professional authors lambasting against fanfic is that they can bite it. End of story.

But then I read storydivagirl's insightful meta contradicting said rant, and then discovered the joys of metafandom, and well, this rant was born. Because there are few things I get worked up about, but fanfic snobs always get my goat.



Let me back up for a second. I have six hours toward a master's degree in creative writing from a fairly prestigious writing program. And six hours is all I will ever have. Why? Because I realized throughout the course of several writing classes that no one should ever be able to tell you what to write. You want to go out and write the great American novel and win a Pulitzer? Great, have fun. You want to write smutty bodice-rippers that get sold at Wal-Mart? More power to you. To each his own love of writing. That's what anyone who simply loves writing and creating scenes and characters and images should believe. Sure, you can be in it for the money and the fame, or conversely, the craft. But NO ONE should tell you one way's better than the other.

That was my problem with grad school: I was basically being told that the type of writing I wanted to do wasn't the right kind of writing. I wrote a short story based on experiences that actually happened to me, and was then informed that my characters' actions weren't realistic.

So, where is Aleesha going with this little anecdote about her higher ed experiences? Basically, when Hobb or Mr. Paid Author goes off into their speech on the evils of fanfic with such mind-blowing, ridiculous drivel such as:

“All you really have to do to "get" the author's perspective is to ask a victim how it feels to have just been raped.” (Dawn Rivers Baker)

...and has the audacity to compare fanfic, which is written out of LOVE for fandom and the book/show/movie etc. it's based on, to rape, which is comprised of hate and anger and the intent to destroy, I get a little miffed.

Let's be honest. When I write something and post it, be it in my LJ or an archive somewhere, I know I'm not posting the next great piece of literary greatness. I fucking KNOW I'm a hack, and I'm damn proud of it. Because you know what? I love my fandom and the characters in it, and paying tribute to both by writing about them is an act of love in its highest form. I'm not disrespecting J.J. Abrams or Damon Lindelof by taking their creation and keeping it for myself; rather, I'm expressing my love for it. Comparing it to rape is just downright utterly insulting.

Shakespeare was a hack, and he knew it, too. He stole from everyone and everywhere, because he was trying to make a buck and make his way as a professional writer. Now, you could argue that he still created original characters and situations, which he did, and brilliantly. But somehow I really feel that if Will himself were alive today and found various fics written about Beatrice and Benedict having a threeway with Hero, well, he'd laugh and go on with his life.

It's not as if me writing fanfic is threatening the well-being of published writing. That's like saying a garage band playing a set of Nirvana songs is threatening the ticket sales of the next Lallapalooza. It feels to me like these writers that take the time and energy to write rants against the existence of fanfic are just putting on display their insecurities and pretentiousness for the world to see. Robin Hobb is trying to tell us that by taking an already written scene and expanding on it is contradicting the author's vision; you obviously didn't understand their meaning, or you wouldn't be creating your own situations and characterizations. According to Hobb, we write fanfic because we're too ignorant to fully grasp to writer's intentions.

Hobb also goes on to say that writers who write fanfic in order to exercise their skills is no better than a painter coloring in a coloring book or a singer performing in a karaoke bar. Which, again, is such a load of crap. I do and have written original stories in the past, but guess how many people have seen them and gave me input and feedback on them? Mmmm, maybe twenty, possibly twenty-five if you include various people in my creative writing classes, and that's not even counting short stories I wrote for fun and have never left the dark confines of my hard drive. Sure, writing fanfiction is partly about a desire for instant gratification, but it's also about learning what works and what doesn't when it comes to writing. Book sales and bestseller lists tell you if people like your work, but it's still not someone sitting down and putting into words how much they enjoyed it, or think you need work, or ideas for future writings.

I've always felt that if fanfic generates a love of writing in someone, young or old, who's never really considered writing before, then that's all that should matter. If some big-shot professional wants to rant and rave about how fanfic stiffles creativity, then they've never read some of the fanfic I've read. I've read fanfic that's emotional and beautiful and gut-wrenching and so extremely well-written, it puts many "professionals" to shame. And don't even get me started on those writers that feel fanfic is inferior to novelizations, because I've read published X-Files novelizations that were so god-awful in comparison to the detailed, fabulous fanfic at the time that I wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all.

I love to write, and I love fandom. I love the way fanfic creates friendships and a mutual understanding and admiration for fandom. F. Scott Fitzgerald was often critized for prostituting his talent by writing in pulp magazines. Hey, if I'm prostituting my so-called talents by expressing my love for my fandom, I'm more than happy to sell-out. And I'm not even getting paid.