[ SECRET POST #2468 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2468 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 065 secrets from Secret Submission Post #353.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

01. http://i.imgur.com/2jJBb9c.jpg

[feotakahari]

Just remember, someone had to read the original story in order for there to be fic of it in the first place. There's still a market out there for original fiction, and there can't NOT be one so long as fiction itself exists.

[(Anonymous)]

I think the OP's point is more that they don't have anyone to share that thrill with. Which I completely understand, having been there myself.

[(Anonymous)]

Personally, I would be much more interested in reading a friend's original fiction than fanfiction. So don't lose hope, OP! Just because your specific group of friends only reads fanfics doesn't mean everyone is like that.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't write, but for me the urge to read fanfic is quite different than the urge to read original novels and stories. A person who writes fanfic that I like may well not write original fic that works well for me as a reader. Especially if the stuff of theirs that I like is smutty. Different brainwaves entirely when reading.

I have an ex-bf that writes these epic fanfics that probably would sell well as tie-in novels if cleaned up a bit. I always felt bad for not liking them. It wasn't that he wrote badly, it was just that if I saw that same storyline in a book by someone I don't know in a bookstore, I would have bought something else. It just wasn't my thing.

Bottom line, the audience is different for different kinds of works. Maybe you could join some other groups who grok your original fic.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, there's this one fic author I started following because of their great porn fanfic. But then they switched to original fic and their style/process as well as settings are pretty different and it just doesn't work for me (also 1st person POV is a turn-off). I'm kind of annoyed at myself that I can't enjoy their stuff anymore.

[(Anonymous)]

Writing has always been a lonely business. If you're only writing for hugs and cuddles, stick to fanfic.

[sootyowl]

This. Creating original fiction is a lonely process. Creating fanfic has a quick payoff as you're posting right to the source and have lots of people to gush over it (there is already a fanbase for it as well).

[lyndis]

I agree as well. Fanfic is something you share and talk about in-progress, and original works are generally things nobody gives a shit about until it's finished. I don't mind listening to my friends tell me a bit about their in-progress novels but hit me up when you have a rough draft and I /might/ consider reading it.

But I'll warn them, too, that I'll tell them exactly what the fuck I think. I'm lenient with reading fanfiction but when it comes to original I'll critique the fuck out of it, especially for my friends who ~wanna get paid to sit around and write all the time~ cause I think they need a goddamned wakeup call.

As an aside, I have friends who write okay fanfic but I'd never touch their original stuff with a ten foot pole.

I have other friends who write both amazingly well and I pretty much worship the ground they walk on.

And then I have friends whose fanfiction is not very good because they're much better at original fiction and tell fanfiction stories in this way that's amazing but like, it doesn't feel like fanfic at all--maybe not OOC but it's like they use canon characters who conveniently fit in a pre-determined story. This is fine. Except that if you changed the names and tweaked just one or two minor things, it'd be an original novel.

Which is fine--but it's not good fanfic.

Your friends sound lame

[chardmonster]

They are probably also very stupid.

You should use your creative writing interest to find smart friends.

[(Anonymous)]

It sounds like you need to find a community of original fiction writers, anon. Start hitting up literary conventions (if you write SF/F/H, there are tons of them out there) and make new friends. Find a writing group, either online or in RL.

It's a different vibe, but it's very satisfying.

[(Anonymous)]

The last time I tried to join a writer's group everyone else was writing poetry and no one ever commented on any of my fiction. :-P

[caecilia]

Well, not everyone likes the same things. If you put it out there, someone who does like it might find it. Writing can be lonely, but I hope you keep going.

[lynx]

I feel you, OP. So hard.

Sorry for talking too much about myself here, but let me tell you my story? I never was a BNF by English-fen standards, but still used to have lots of fandom friends who were interested in my fics. And since they were interested in my fics, they also read my originals. Nice, huh?

Cue a couple of years later. I've lost everyone except for my RP partner, who will only read my fics if they are about our characters. I have no-one else who'd read my other fics (which I write mostly in Spanish, since that's my mother language), and thus, nobody is interested in my originals (which I also write in Spanish). I'm no Nabokov, writing creatively in English is hard for me, and the transltions always feel so lackluster I seldomly do one. When I do is to upload to AO3 and recieve any kind of feedback, because that's how lonely I feel.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is: It's shitty. I know the feel. But please, don't let that stop you from writing, whether originals or fanfics. Lonely is the road of the writer, and it always have been. Pull through it, you'll see you will not be able to stop writing even if you want to. A writer's head is always full of stories, even during the dreaded blocks. Let them out :3

[ketita]

I'm in the *exact* same boat as you. At first it was really, really difficult for me and I spent about a year horribly stalled on my original writing because I had nobody to share it with or bounce ideas with.
After a while I kind of started getting used to the situation and figuring out ways to work it out. Also, I found that if I even just have one person to share with and talk to when it gets rough, it already does wonders for my ability to write. It's like a tiny fandom of the two of us, but I make it enough for me.

Good luck with the writing, anon! Try to stick with it, it'll be worth it :)

[(Anonymous)]

Your friends suck. I would love so fucking much to read original fiction written by a friend/family, a lot more than reading fanfic. Being able to access a part of that person's inner world, imagination and fantasy is such an amazing experience.

[(Anonymous)]

sorry to hear that op, but you have to remember most people are in fandom for fandom stuff, and sometimes it's pretty busy reading all the stuff fandom produces and still have time for original stuff when you don't know if you're going to like vs something you know is what you like.

still though, your friends should support you.

[lyndis]

I agree friends should support one another but that doesn't always mean they should have to do so by spending hours reading stuff they don't feel particularly inclined to read.

I've read and critiqued novels before by friends but most of the time I'll say no because 1.) I haven't the time, and 2.) I probably don't care.

Plus my major is English and I have to read enough stuff already; adding amateur writing on top of it is just too much for me.

I don't know if OP pesters people to read their stuff or not (probably not) but those people do exist and they're annoying. I love my friends but sometimes it gets grating.

So basically I agree but there are caveats. Alsooooo yes you're right re: knowing what you like vs. reading something new. PLUS critiquing fanfic is one thing and original is something else entirely. Man you can REALLY hurt someone if you critique their ~special baby~ they've been working on for ages. In fandom, too, but man something about original fiction HURTS when people say it's terrible. That can factor in, too, re: friends not wanting to read it/critique it/give feedback.

(and I won't read original shit if I can't critique it. if you want asspats, fanfiction can be written instead.)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm sorry you're lonely but... you friends don't have the obligation to read everything you write and if they want to read only porn? That's perfectly fine.

[silverr]

There are on-line communities for writers of original fiction, but even better (if it's an option for you) is to take a Creative Writing class. Even in a non-credit one you'll have readers and critique.

[(Anonymous)]

Maybe your original work sucks?

[(Anonymous)]

some people just don't want to read original stuff, geez

find some friends who are more outside the fandom sphere and more in the original writing mindset, then you can all read each other's stuff instead of figuring that somehow your fandom friends would carry over to what is essentially an entirely different interest

[(Anonymous)]

I totally understand that loneliness. There was a time when writing fanfiction that I thought all I was valued for was the porn. Sometimes, it's just the groupthink you are trapped with, and people have a hard time leaving what they find comfortable to try something new.

If your fandom friends aren't supportive of your original creations, find some friends in RL who are. It's important to feel valued for the things you are passionate about. Even one person's support can be encouraging.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Anon,

Two writing sites were highly recommended to me as being free and providing good feedback. On one of them, you must review another story before you can post a story, so it keeps up a cycle of people actually reading things. Leaving a lame review is extremely discouraged.

I haven't made a lot of use of them yet - I'm dealing with huge bullshit irl, but here are the urls:

http://www.writing.com

http://www.writerscafe.org/

Also, please ignore a large portion of the people who have replied to you, because everything they say basically boils down to whining, "But I only waaaaaant to read pooooooorn! I shouldn't haaaaaave to look at anything without poooooooorn!"

They are fucking assholes and shouldn't have even opened their goddamned mouths because all they want to do is justification whining about how your fandom friends are "right" and you are "wrong" for wanting support and people to share your work with.

You're not wrong. How many books have you read that had a forward or an afterward talking about how it would have never gotten done without the support and encouragement of x, y, and z? And these are big name, well paid authors.

Further, you DESERVE a supportive environment. I hope you can find one via these websites or ones other people have mentioned. You can also check Craigslist for writing groups in your area. And taking writing classes is always a good way to meet other writers, and you'll improve your craft at the same time.

Good luck, and please believe in yourself.

[ariakas]

Like everyone's been saying: just because you're interested in one portion of an author's work doesn't mean you're interested in all of it. Sometimes if I'm truly in love with an author's style I'll check out their works in genres I don't normally enjoy, but much of the time I won't. That said, there are forums and communities for people who came specifically to read original work. Use those.

It's also possible your original stuff isn't up to snuff. Not a given, but possible. If you have a friend you trust to give honest feedback you might consider asking them directly if this is the case. It might even be helpful for you. For example, there was a fan author whose work I read and loved for years who started up on original fiction. I read some of it but couldn't stomach it - she could write other people's characters brilliantly, but her own were a parade of one-dimensional BL cliches. It was awful. She broke down and demanded to know why no one was r/ring her original stories; I worked up the guts to tell her; she worked on her characterization and has dramatically improved since then.