Reading and Writing Fan Fiction: Questions

[Tulipp]

Dear Kittens,



Help? This is an experiment….what do you think?



I am thinking of ways to connect my love of W/T fan fiction (I read it avidly and recently have been writing it, too) with my academic work (which isn’t getting done because I love W/T fan fiction so much). So, I am considering submitting an article on W/T fan fiction writing/reading to the editors of a planned college textbook called The Slash Reader: Fan Communities and the Fiction of Desire. And writing some of my dissertation on this topic.



Please know that I am a huge W/T fan and a huge fan fiction fan and, recently, a fan fiction writer. I am simply not interested in analyzing, over-intellectualizing, or criticizing fan fiction writers or readers. I’d like to see at least one chapter in this textbook be a celebration of the reading and writing that goes on in the name of W/T and a celebration of the Kitten and Pens boards and what goes on here. And who better to say what makes reading and writing W/T fan fiction interesting and compelling and unique and satisfying than Kittens?



However, if the idea of me asking questions in this thread for the purpose of writing an article makes people uncomfortable, please say so, and I will find myself another topic. I really will. With that said, and until I hear otherwise, I’ll assume it’s okay, and I will see what happens here.



I’d like to ask a few general questions and to invite any of you who are interested to respond. If you read and write W/T fan fiction, please feel free to answer some or all or say something else entirely.



1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Additional Questions:



5. Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not? Is it really cathartic if you keep coming back to it?



6. How important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing OR READING fan fiction?



7. Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?







DISCLAIMERS:



*The mods have approved the concept of this thread. (Thank you, Xita!)



*I am focusing only on W/T fan fiction produced and shared on Pens. So all regular rules apply.



*Remember that my intention here is to write about what you say, so if you are not comfortable with the idea of being quoted anonymously or otherwise in a (probably obscure) textbook, you should say so. (Although I will ask your permission if I want to quote you and would refer to you in whatever way you wish: anonymously, by screen name, by real name).



*This article is extremely unlikely to make me any money, but if by some chance it did, I would donate it to whatever charity the folks in the donation thread decide to go with.



Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this and for considering sharing your thoughts about fan fiction writing and reading with me, others, and potentially readers outside the Kitten.



If you would like to contact me via e-mail, please do: tulipp30@yahoo.com.

Edited by: Tulipp at: 7/22/02 1:57:42 pm

[Magrat70]

I hope this okay



1) I write W/T fiction mostly as an escape from the stressful job I do. I find it a way to wind down and relax. I don't read as much as I used to because I don't have time but certain writers I will always look out for.



2) The only difference in the W/T fiction I read compared to the other fiction I read would be the slash/romantic element. I mostly read Terry Prachett whose stories deal with fantasy/magic etc.



3) Since the recent events I have wrote a lot more then before and probaly have read more too.



4) You can contact me if need be at magrat70@hotmail.com

These five words in my head scream "are we having fun yet?"

Chad Kroeger

[tommo]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



I think I keep coming back to Willow and Tara because to me, their story isn't done yet. Obviously, given recent developments in the show, fan fiction has become even more heightened because even though Willow and Tara aren't a couple on TV, it seems all the more important that they stay a couple in fiction.



I've always taken the line of thinking that I needed a good idea. And once I got a good idea, there was nobody I wanted to explore it more than Willow and Tara. I see the show as portraying a fragment of their lives in pretty particular, restrictive and dogmatic ways. Fan fiction offers the opportunity not only for many different writers to show their perspective on the couple, but also to explore the vast range of storylines that we never saw on TV.



And I keep coming back to Willow and Tara fiction because they're unique. And reading about them is unique. And sometimes, if you're very lucky, some of the fanfiction that's written about them is unique, too.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



Hmm, I think for me, Willow and Tara fanfiction is different from other slash that I've read in that it's canon. And that's what's so odd about it; you get this couple who are together in the show and then you take them off believably into a myriad of other worlds and experiences, but the basic tenet of the relationship is the same. They're a couple. Onscreen, and in fiction. And I think, again, that's something you don't often find in slash fic.



As for writing Willow and Tara fanfiction, I'm not really sure what the essence of that is. I mean, I'm writing about two women who have the kind of relationship I want. I suppose in a way, a lot of it is wish fulfilment. But then again, it's Willow and Tara; to me they feel like familiar friends. There's a whole odd kind of mixture of emotions that's wrapped up in them and their relationship, and here I am explaining it all really badly, heh.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



Oh I definitely feel more compelled to write fiction now. I feel that recent events stopped me for a while; but then all writers get times when they simply can't write a thing. After that passed, I feel all the more passionate about seeing, reading and writing decent Willow/Tara fiction. It's about time someone treated them right, right? Also, I feel that the two characters and their relationship don't really belong to ME anymore. Sure, the copyright does. But the real characters? Bah. They need to be in the hands of people who will do it properly and with some kind of moral decency.



I feel that now, I'm reading so much more fanfic. It's strange, because I think that the general level of quality has risen. There are so many stories now that are truly angst-ridden and I'm finding that talent is rearing its head in a lot of different ways. The compelling quality of these fics is that they offer us as readers something we never got on the show. I think that's the reason why we Willow/Tara fans need them so much more now as well.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Please, feel free. It's tommo27@hotmail.com

----------
It's dirty. It's all dirty. And all
over me. Dirty, dirty, bad. Bad!

[ruby]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



The easy answer is escapism, but it’s so much more than that. It’s fun to immerse myself into a fully-imagined world of characters I love, but I think the ultimate purpose W/T fic serves goes a lot deeper. It speaks to the need for complex women and resonant, intelligent stories in mass culture. As a lesbian, I cherish W/T because they were a rare example of a sustained, non-caricatured lesbian couple on TV. But they also were there for smart girls, shy girls, girls who grew up in repressive families and got out…those types of girls usually don’t see themselves represented, either. As major characters on Buffy, W/T showed, as part of canon, that you could be all those things, be beautiful, find happiness, and not die tragically. Oops. Well, they did until recently.



Fanfic generates stories that we need to see. It reflects, in many ways, aspects of our realities that we don’t see anywhere else. It creates images that fire our imaginations when mass media is impoverished for ideas. It helps us imagine a different, better world where brainy lesbians can kick ass.



[Slightly OT: By “recent events,” I assume you mean the disgraceful way the sixth season of Buffy ended. But that line immediately made me think of something else it euphemizes. I live in NYC, and living through last fall was terrifying. For days after 9/11, the air was a chemical-y yellow and it stung your eyes and throat to go outdoors. Fighter planes were the only sounds in the sky. Trees and cars and the soles of your shoes covered with ash. I was unable to concentrate or sleep because all I could think of was what I had seen that day, and what I went through to get home. At the time, reading fanfic was probably the best solace I had. It wasn’t enough; it didn’t minimize the horror or change what happened. But I was grateful for the chance to leave my own circumstances for a little while. Sometimes escapism contributes to survival.]





2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



It’s very different. For one thing, it’s all about pleasure. I enjoy being able to read and write for a living, but it’s always tied to deadlines, stress, and tough intellectual questions I turn over endlessly in my head. W/T fanfic taps into a mental place that is gratifying without being overly demanding.



Fanfic can be a private experience, but it can also give one access to a community of readers and writers who are generous with support and enthusiasm. It’s a good way for a writer to find an audience, and a unique way for a reader to offer interactive feedback. And the serialized nature of many stories builds shared suspense that’s more fun than any movie or TV show.



As far as W/T fic in particular—I like the challenge of working within the constraints of the Buffyverse as much as I like AU stories. I have a vested emotional interest in these characters and want to see their stories fleshed out and expanded. One of my favorite recurring dreams is that I’m listening to a record I love, and when it’s over, instead of silence, there’s another whole song I’ve never heard before, and I’m overjoyed that the experience doesn’t have to end. Reading W/T fic is like that.





3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



The recent events on BtVS, with Tara dying senselessly and Willow seeking insane homicidal vengeance, were offensive on every level: emotionally, politically, narratively. The show’s writers had created such layered, lovingly developed characters in W/T that the S6 finale felt simplistic and slapped-together. It was bad storytelling, pure and simple, and it violated the show’s own internal logic (no guns, respect for life, women refusing to be victims, cliché-busting, etc.). That’s why well-written W/T fanfic is more important than ever. We, the viewers, have an intensely cathectic relationship with these characters, and we watched them be annihilated with no resolution, reason, or closure. It makes sense that we provide those things for ourselves. It makes even more sense that we refuse to let it happen at all, and keep telling their story in a thousand different permutations.



BtVS the series is a lot less fun to watch than it used to be. At one time, the writing was so good that episodes could bear many viewings. They could make me laugh and cry and think every time. Now, knowing the direction the show took in S6, earlier seasons are bittersweet. I can no longer love this show without reservation, because it has destroyed its own reason for being, and taken the imaginative energy of the fans along with it. Fanfiction, in this regard, is an act of rebellion and reappropriation. If the show’s own writers can’t take care of their creations, and can’t be trusted to give them believable motivations and storylines, you can bet we will.



In a nutshell: the fic is doing for me what the show used to. The show is broken beyond repair, but the fic just gets better.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



But of course. You always know where to find me, as I remain

your trusty beta,

Ruby

Smashed. Wrecked. Gone.

Edited by: ruby at: 7/18/02 7:42:36 am

[jdcioffi]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



Yes, I do, in facy have all of the above, but I always make time for fic. Why? That's too easy. The writers aren't given me what I know the characters are capable of. So, I found a group of people who know the characters, and love them, enough to let them be more than the foil, the token lesbian or the butt of a joke. Here, their strengths and weaknesses are played out, as well as their affection for one another.



Where else can gay (or gay friendly?) people find something like this?



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



I'm a creative writer, as well as a business writer. For obvious reasons, business writing is unlike any type of creative writing I have ever done. I find, however, that creating an entirely new story (new characters, new everything) is much easier than writing fic.



With fic, you need to know your characters. You need to know their fears, their loves ... you need to know every little motivation. You're not making someone up in fic -- that person already exists. You are just explaining them ... differently than they have been explained before.



It's a hard thing to live up to -- and many fic writers stress about characterization, knowing that fans of the show will be reading their work, looking for the thing that, to them, signifies that character.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



Not at all. In fact, due to recent events, more fic has been generated. I try not to read stories with the Tara's demise in it for the simple fact that, as a reader, I'm more interested in how they got together. (Those facts having been omitted from the original series).



As a writer, I can't begin to explain the events, as I have yet to fully comprehend the choices of the show's writers. So, I have not been able to grasp the situation enough to be able to write anything other than -- "I miss Tara."



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?

Yeah, sure. murmurz@yahoo.com

"I smell the smelly smell of something that smells smelly!" (SpongeBob Squarepants)

[Puff]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).

Fan fiction gives me a wonderful escape from reality, it's different than reading many books as the characters are already known to me and therefore I can immerse myself in the storyline so much better. Fanfic also cheers me up it doesn't matter whether the story is angsty or happy the writers love the characters so much that the W/T love just flows off the page.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?

I guess I answered this in question 1 already but I'd like to add that this is fiction written by fans. It can follow the show or place well known and loved characters in situations you wouldn't see on the TV. It's basically about what the fan wants the characters to go through and therefore always makes a compelling read.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?

The W/T fanfic that was prodominant after the show finished focussed on W/T maybe having a child or how they had found each other again. Basically that the realtionship started onTV was by no means over. I have always read a lot of W/T fanfic and what has happened in the show has not affected that amount, it has effected the types of stories I read though.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?

Sure it's Puff614@hotmail.com

-----------------------
You know, it's a real deal relationship and that's why people can relate to it
Amber Benson

[Sheridan]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



Why do I write fanfic? Well to begin with it is partly cathartic, my anger at how the characters were treated needed some sort of release. Then there is the element that on Pens I can get an instant reaction to my work, whether people like it and want to read it or not.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



What's different is that the characters are so totally opposite from myself, female and lesbian as opposed to male and straight. There is a challenege in trying to get inside two characters who are so outside my experience.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



Well I didn't start writing for Pens until after it became clear what was going to happen onscreen, in fact it was the rumours of Tara's death that brought me to the Kitten board.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Sure, it's michael.mullen1@btinternet.com

Willow: ...I have to tell you....

Tara: No, I understand you have to be with the
person you l-love

Willow: I am

[Tulipp]

I haven't read everyone's responses thoroughly yet, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for responding! I think I will have some more questions, but for now, it's so interesting to see how people think about this stuff. More later.

[Kieli]

These are a rather interesting series of questions



1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



I love to read W/T fanfiction because it is, more often than not, THE most interesting, original, quirky and entertaining stuff out there. Rarely have I found writers (as well as readers) who have taken two characters and have lovingly taken care of them in their stories and devotion. I like to write W/T fanfic mostly because the two of them are so natural together. I could never even dream of having them apart. It just seems like a very natural, hones progression to have them be with each other always. They are the perfect example of Yin/Yang....they balance each other so well. Fan fiction is IMHO usually done better and there seems to be far more talent being overlooked in the Pens. The writers of the actual shows are overpaid in my opinion. I've seen better work by non-professionals. They don't feel pressured to do anything but write their souls....using either what is found in canon or their own AU.





2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



see previous answer *LOL*



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



W/T fanfiction, in light of recent events, has kind of been a balm for the troubled souls of their fans. Considering how W/T have been callously mistreated this season, the fanfiction authors have offered up an enticing buffet of plausible endings to the season (or other things like AU timelines and hilarious pardoy).



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?

Surely. kieliran@hotmail.com

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[molsongrrrl]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can?t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).





I have never shipped a couple before on any show. Probably because of the lack of lesbian couple anywhere on network television! For me the main reason I take the time to read w/t fan fic (and of course leave feedback) is there are huge holes in the progression of the relationship on the show. Writers on pens give us the opportunity to see the first kiss, the first date ? etc. I also really enjoy stories that take a reader beyond the limits of the Buffyverse. Well-written AU fic can be interesting and fun because you still get the same loving relationship in a different world.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?





I have not yet posted any of my attempts at w/t fic ? I am not a creative writer, but I am working on it. And one of these days I will post a story! I can only answer this question in regards to W/T fan fiction because it is the ONLY fan fic I read. I read a lot ? books and magazines, but I limit my fan fiction reading to this relationship. I really got into ?Buffy the Vampire Slayer? because of Willow and Tara. It was wonderful to see a happy, healthy lesbian relationship on a television show. But because of network restraints much of the relationship happened off screen. When I discovered fan fiction, I found writers who imagined all the things we don?t get to see on screen ? the progression of the relationship, conversations, sex ? hey fan fiction has it all! Fan fiction is really an opportunity for writers to imagine characters beyond the confines of the verse of a show. And in the case of W/T still maintain cannon i.e. their love.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



The recent events I assume you are talking about the debacle called season 6. And I have to admit I am more compelled to read the W/T fan fiction then ever before. The death of Tara and the DarkWillow story line completely turned me off the show. And here is where the fan fic writers really help. Most of the stories on pens were much better than the crap the writers of Buffy were putting on screen this year. And the other big plus is with fan fiction I don?t have to put up with shirtless Spike.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Sure, drop me a line at catliz16@mindspring.com.

A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants

[Tiggrscorpio]

1) I write fan fiction because it fills a void in my life, right now. I've made choices that have brought me to a time and a place that don't make me happy. When I write about W/T, I am happy. Their love give me hope for a better future for myself. I read fan fiction becuase the better written stories help me to develop my own writing skills.



2) I'm truly emotionally invested when I'm writing or reading W/T fan fiction. I really care what happens to them. For me, they represent my ideal of how two people should love each other, right down to the fact that they both make mistakes. I don't usually give my heart so completely to other things that I read or even other stories that I have written.



3) When I read the early spoilers, in March, I had just finished a story. I didn't write for a long time. I also didn't want to believe it was true. When it happened, I saw the grief on the board and I wanted to do something. I wrote a happy fic. To make Kittens laugh during that dreadful time was rewarding. That's when I realized that W/T could never be taken away from me. As long as I and the other writers tell their story, they live on. Always and forever.



4) Sure...Tiggrscorpio1117@aol.com.



Good Luck!

*****

She's my everything!

[WebWarlock]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



I have written a bunch of things that will never see the light of day (thank god!), but for me it is cathartic.

I read W/T FF because this is a story that deserves to be told and deserves tp be heard. I have had such enjoyment from Fan Fic that there may come a time when I will forget about the works of Joss/ME and be happy that the story is being told right by the people that really care about the girls.

Plus it is very interesting to see the different points of view of the various authors. Ruth's Willow is similar, but not the same as Sass' or Lisa's or Kirk's, but at the core is a character we all know and instantly recognize.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



Fan fiction is more like sitting down and listening to story being told rather than reading to me. Most of my reading and writing is either technical, horror or RPG related. Fan Fics are an escape from that, but they are a thing in and of themselves.

This is nothing new. The 'Net as made access easier, but I remember reading Star Trek and Doctor Who FF back in the 80's

Plus there is the immediacy of the medium. Rare can you talk to the writers and have them talk back to you.

One other really cool thing is watching the writer grow. Great example is Sassette’s “Answering Darkness”, not to pick on her or exclude anyone else. It was really great to watch her writing improve and grow. In the end we had a fantastic story! I saw similar growth in Bobo’s Mom’s fic “When the Goddess Calls”. I wish my own writing had improved as much.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



At first I couldn't read any at all, let alone write anything. I could not even write my witch stuff because W/T and witches have been so linked in my mind for so long, despite having been writing about witches for 11 years before that.

Only recently have I been able to read it. To my pleasure and surprise the fics have been really good! In fact they have been getting better.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?

Of course! I encourage it! web.warlock@attbi.com"> web.warlock@attbi.com



Warlock

-----

Web Warlock

The Other Side, home of Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks

That's right there's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over!
- Frank Zappa, You Are What You Is.

[slayer747]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



i do it (read and write) because of the reasons you gave. yup, i have a busy life and i do it to unwind. i can usually write them in less that an hour and i feel so happy and refreshed after i'm done (reading and writing). it also teaaches you valuable things if you stumble accross a very very good fic.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



yes. i am a cloumnist in the school paper, usually the stuff i write about are current events and reviews (of movies, books, etc) and in my column i could bitch around mercilessly. i don't do that with my w/t fiction. there i allow myself to be a little gentle, or romantic or dramatic even. i can't (and won't) do that in my column and with my essays.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



it makes me feel better that i can still have a bunch of willow and tara goodness even if joss won't do it anymore.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?

yup. rogueslayer747@hotmail.com

------------
"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong, and those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie "Once and Again"

[La]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



I want to read more about the couple I love to watch on TV. If I can't watch them anymore, I can still read about them. And I can read about them in so many different situations. On the TV show, unless they do an AU or future storyline, we're only going to see them in one situation. But by reading fan fiction, I can see Willow and Tara meet in high school. Or I can read about them 10 years from now. I can read about pairings where one of them is a vampire. There are so many different possibilities. They'll never die in fics and there are so many different possible fics to choose from.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



I read a lot of novels, but with a novel (unless it's a huge series, but even then it only follows one main storyline), you read the novel, and then it's over. Like I said above, with fan fiction, you can read about the same character in hundreds of different circumstances. When you read a novel, you don't usually jump around to different timelines and universe with just one character. With fan fiction, you get to take a well-known character and see her do something that might no be possible on the tv show (or in the normal storyline), like smut .



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



I feel more compelled now. It's given me a chance to read a slew of different (and better) endings for the end of the season. I know that W/T will always be alive in fics over on the pens board.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?

'course: lasahana@hotmail.com

~La

You know you've been in Korea too long when you start categorizing every experience as your "last". Your "last trip to the supermarket," "your last time on a long-distance bus," your "last time walking down this street."

[Tulipp]

Thanks, Magrat70, Ruth, Ruby, jdcioffi, Puff, Sheridan, Kieli, Molsongrrrl, Tiggrscorpio, WebWarlock, Slayer 747, and La.



I’ve just gotten back from a few days out of town and read through all these very thoughtful responses. Thanks so much to all who responded; I will be e-mailing you shortly to ask you some specific questions. But I noticed that a couple of patterns emerged in the responses, and I thought I’d point them out and see if anyone would like to comment on them, add to their previous responses, etc.



1. Fan fiction reading and writing is cathartic. Almost everyone said this. And I feel this way, too. But then I started thinking…if catharsis is cleansing or purging, then doesn’t it have an end point? A time when the reader or writer has achieve catharsis? Is this true of fan fiction, too, that at some point…different for everyone…the reader or writer will be cleansed enough to not need fan fiction anymore? Is this true? Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not?



2. W/T fan fiction writing involves community. Of course, several people said that they write for themselves and don’t necessarily post, but for those that do…how important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing fan fiction? And for readers, do you read the responses, too, or just the fic?



3. Writing fan fiction improves a writer’s craft. A couple people mentioned seeing writing improve over time, or seeing their own skills develop. Is this just a matter of practice? Is it a result both of writing and of reading what other people say? Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?



I’d be thrilled to see what people have to say in response to any of these questions. You all have really got me thinking, and there are many more questions where these come from.

[Sheridan]

Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not?



Well for one thing I've got about half a dozen story outlines and an overall arc to the end of S6 to write. Seriously I suspect the drive may reduce ove time, but as long as I have a story to tell I expect I will continue.



how important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing fan fiction?



I find it very rewarding, also it's an instant measure of good a job you've done in creating a story.



Is it a result both of writing and of reading what other people say? Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?



For me it's the way it helps me to develop the habit of writing regularly, and also the beta feedback I get before the story is posted.

Willow: ...I have to tell you....

Tara: No, I understand you have to be with the
person you l-love

Willow: I am

[Katharyn]

Okay I came late to this...



1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



To me W/T were always deprived on screens of their lives together. This in part is why when I write I exclude the scoobies to a large extent. Nor are there usually monsters. I want to explore the characters and give them soemthing that they never had in the show itself - at least not onscreen. In a sense I think I miss the days of S4 where their time together was about them and nothing much more than that. When I write I get back to that. Recent events make that even more the case of course.



Hmmm, also W/T is the first serious stories that I have written that I ever completed and we are talking about some BIG stories here. In a sense what I am saying there is that it gives me a sense of accomplishment to put that together and get the damn thing to work.



They inspire me to create and here I am.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



As noted above I actually complete W/T writing. My style, as those few who have read my non-W/T fics will tell you, is decidedly slanted towards internal dialogue. I think though that is a product of choosing to write that way about W/T and it has spread to my other writing. So is there a difference? No... but that is because other things have become like the W/T stuff. Besides the balance of W/T to Other is about 95-5 in favour of the girls.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



Just as I cannot watch the end of S6 I will not read anything set after SR... even stuff that brings Tara back. I cannot go there. I do not want to go there and I will not go there. No matter who the writer is and how much I trust them. No matter how beautiful what they create is. But the other fic is no worse or better for me than it was before. It depends on the skills of the writer as to whether I am interested.



From a writing PoV obviously I do not go near S6... luckily I was already playing in AU.



Like all things Buffy sometimes I get very down on fic (mine and others) after what has happened but that is not fic specific.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Yup. katharynrosser@hotmail.com.



Now for your supplementary questions...



Will my need for W/T fic go away? - I think it is inevitable. BUt not any time soon. Still lots in the pipeline including a fic for next Xmas... There are other things I want to write and intend to, but that would simply be a question of wanting to do that rather than losing interest in W/T. They are wonderful characters and as long as someone wants to read the fic I think I will be interested in writing it. Just maybe not selling my soul by doing anything quite so huge again.



Feedback? - feedback is critcal for me. I need to know that someone is there and wanting what I am creating. If that makes me a feedback whore or junkie so be it. I think that Pens is a virtually unique forum in how the feedback works. E-mails from someone who could be bothered every few months from an archive site does not interest me. For this reason I have always said that I have no interest in archiving my fic or making it available elsewhere. I write for the Kittens and if someone wants to read it then they come here to do that. If they do great... if I miss readers because of that.. so what? I love the kittens.



With regard to the feedback that is in there I think it is important to view multipart fic with the feedback intact - so much so that I save every completed page of the thread. The fic, my fic at least, changes with feedback. Also I get to explain things to readers and they get to ask questions that are (hopefully) of interest to others. I love to see this in fic I am reading too.



And from a timemanagement PoV other peoples feedback lets me judge if a fic (and there is alot) is worth reading. It sucks I know but I have too little time to read everything... maybe when I finish writing this fic...



Does it improve the craft? - In my case I have to say definitely. My first big W/T fic was a learning experience in many ways that set up the improvements (such as they are) in my current fic. Specifically I was taught the advantage of careful planning, careful plotting and the value of a consistent and good beta reader. Also brainstorming with people is of value. I am much happier with my current fic than the last one which makes me cringe when I read it.



Was that a result of feedback though? Hmmm... tough one. Not what anyone said... most of it is via practice and my own opinion after the fact. That said the lack of feedback from people for several parts of that old fic taught me that I had lost them as readers adn therefore something was wrong with what was in there. No one really said anything in feedback that helped me with that though. When I tell people what I found out for myself they tend to agree with my estimation of the problems. Either that or it was much worse and they will not say so!



Good luck with the article.



Katharyn

------------

[Kieli]

Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not?



Good question and I agree with Kath in that it's inevitable for that to be so. There was a time when I lived for Xena/Gabrielle fanfic. I had tons of it saved, printed out, etc. Now, after the way they've been treated by Taproot, I can't bear to look at any of it. So many people have so many excellent takes on how the W/T relationship should have been treated that I think it will be quite a long time before I hit my saturation point.



How important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing fan fiction? And for readers, do you read the responses, too, or just the fic?



I really am a feedback slut. Mostly because the first time I tried to write W/T fic, it was such a bust that I couldn't even bear to look at it. I burned it as soon as I could. This time around, though, I forsook the traditional method of writing. I found that, when I had someone beta for me, I wound up writing like THEY would write or what they would do instead of writing like ME or putting my own mark upon the work. I felt myself using another person's viewpoint just to have people like the work instead of keeping my own ideas. After freeing myself from the constraints of what was deemed "proper" by some chosen online few, I feel much more relieved and content with my work. I'm actually happy to go back and read what I've written because it sounds much more relaxed than the uptight stuff I was writing before. As a reader, I even read others' comments but, in the main, they do not affect my observation of the piece at hand. I have my own opinions and observations about that fic. I don't always post them.



. Writing fan fiction improves a writer’s craft. A couple people mentioned seeing writing improve over time, or seeing their own skills develop. Is this just a matter of practice? Is it a result both of writing and of reading what other people say? Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?



You know, I really have no idea. I've mostly written poetry before so writing actual fiction is rather new to me. I'll let you know once I've finished "Come Away With Me". If I still want to write, then there's your answer. Feedback does help me quite a bit in that it helps me to know if readers are viewing the scenes that I am trying to set up the way I hope they would. That is always very rewarding.



I hope this helps, Tulipp.



Toni

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[Bagheera]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else?



I really only started to give W/T any major thought when the solid spoilers about Tara's death began to come out. I frankly couldn't believe it. I started to realise how much I liked them as a couple and how important a part of watching "Buffy" they were for me. Then, after the SR broadcast, I went through a grieving process for Tara. Writing fanfic is a waying of working through that process. I spend more time writing than reading fanfic mostly. I don't do any other sort of recreational writing, and I've been writing fanfic on and off since 1984. I have several other "Buffy" stories either complete or in progress, but haven't bothered posting any of them.



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



Compared with the other "Buffy" fics I've done, I'm much more involved and passionate about W/T because of the terrible way they were treated on the show. It's also totally different from the writing I do professionally, which is very dry, precise and technical. I believe other scholars have suggested fanfic is a way for fans to rewrite plotlines of shows where they were unhappy at the outcome. I would definitely agree that is a major motivation for me.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



See above. I'm definitely more motivated to write. It means a great deal more than it used to.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



You can private message me, although the server may have fallen over and I'm on holidays this week. I can't check my mail server until next Monday when I'm back at work.



5. Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not? Is it really cathartic if you keep coming back to it?



If Season 7 is as big a train wreck as Season 6, I'll have to write a Season 8 that reunites W/T. It probably will be cathartic, yes.



6. How important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing OR READING fan fiction?



I think it's moderately important. It's always nice to see replies go up to a new fic part, rather than just keeping an eye on the hit counter. When I read something that is really good, I think it's important to let the writer know.



7. Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?



Yes, a little, though I don't see a great deal of constructive criticism, most of the feedback I see is positive. More importantly is some of the speculative feedback, where readers have thought about a situation in my story in a way I haven't. It can really make me sit up and think about what's going on in my story, whether I can incorporate that bit of original thinking into what happens next. Sometimes the connections between feedback and subsequent writing can be extremely tenuous, however.

Willow looks hopeful, then delighted as the words sink in. Tara meets her halfway and they kiss passionately.

"Entropy"

[Tulipp]

Thanks so much, Katharyn, Kieli, and Bagheera.



I'm so interested in how people are thinking about feedback, whether it's an actual writing help or an affirmation. This is something I have been thinking about a great deal.



I will be in touch....



-Tulipp

[Katharyn]

Just to add Tulipp... I think that the most useful form of feedback that I get in terms of making me a better writer is from people I chat to or who beta the fic for me. They can go into so much more detail than is possible here... they really do improve what is posted theme and idea wise.



Is that beta? Or is it feedback? I like to think of it as a mixture of both.



Katharyn

---------------

[pikachu1060]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



Well, actually, i'm quite new at the fanfic reading. It's been a week (only) now that i discovered how great fanfics are, and i just can't stop reading them. Before that, i used to think that fanfics should be some lame substitute for the real show (how wrong and stupid was i!!). Then, last week, i was kinda bored, and i decided to give it a try. I just loved it, and now, i'm totally addicted. I'm not a huge reader (more like a tv junkie), but this last week, i've just been reading and reading. I can't stop. I spend my whole nights reading, i only stop when i can't prevent my eyes from closing (usually around 6.30 am) then, i sleep a few hours, and i'm back at reading... My mom thinks i'm going crazy. Why am i doing this? Cause since the last events on the show, i've been feeling kinda down. Then, the exams made me think about other stuffs, but after the end of the exams, i went back into my first addiction (that is BtVS) which get me down again. With the different fanfics, i'm discovering a new world, where tara is still alive, and where we get more often a happy ending than on the actual show. It just cheers me up. Plus, it helps me improve my English (i'm a student in translation, and the two languages i study are italian and english). Well, at least, it's what i try to convince myself of in order to feel less guilty when i'm reading instead of working on my thesis. So, fanfics give me comfort and cheer me up, plus i like the way they're written (really, i am so impressed to see all the inspiration and the great writing skills of some of the kittens).



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



WT fanfics are about... willow and tara, who are two characters i'm totally fond of. It's great to read a story about them, and you don't get that with any book. It's always about them and that's what i love. When you buy and read a book, you just have the time to bond with the main characters and the book is already over. Here, when you finish a fanfic, you just pick an other one, and it's again about those two cute witches.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



Since i haven't read any fanfic before the last events, i can't say it changed my feelings about reading them. But i think what happened on the show is the reason why i got so quickly addicted: since i know i won't get what i want on the screen anymore, the only mean i have to get it is reading fanfics, so in a way, it's the last events who brought me into reading them.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Sure: pikachu1060@hotmail.com



Additional Questions:



5. Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not? Is it really cathartic if you keep coming back to it?



My need for WT fanfics would only go away if my addiction for willow and tara did so, which will never happen. I've been totally addicted to those two witches since the very first time i saw tara on screen, and i'm still addicted and will always be. So, as i stated before, since i can't get to see them on the show anymore, fanfics are the only mean to have more WT goodness, which i always will be needing.



6. How important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing OR READING fan fiction?



7. Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?



I guess feedbacks are important, especially to improve a writer's craft, but since i don't write, i guess i'm not qualified to answer the last two questions.



Hope this helps.

Chris.

[Tulipp]

Katharyn, I'll ask you this on e-mail, but do you mean real live chat or Kitten chat? That's an area of the board I haven't ventured into yet...



Pikachu, thanks so much for your reply. I hope you have a happy fan fiction future...right now, I agree that fan fiction is the best cure for the sadness we feel about what happened on tv.



Thanks.

[jomarch]

1. Why do you keep coming back to read or to write W/T fan fiction? You probably have a job/school/family/busy life, and reading and writing fan fiction takes time and effort. Of course, the characters themselves are a huge draw, but what else does fan fiction give you that you can’t get anywhere else? (In general, but also with regard to recent events, of course).



Writing fan fiction is very involving but it also allows a certain freedom to express oneself creatively and that is quite satisfying in itself.

I started out as an avid fan of the pens board and couldn't get enough of the stories. Despite being extremely busy at work, I use to (to be honest, still do) print out stories I want to keep up with because unlike the show, fan fiction gives you so many different points of view of the characters and a myriad of interesting and involving storylines. Different writers focus on different things but througout all stories, there will be a few tenets that are not broken i.e. Willow and Tara will be together and being happy is not a bad thing that willl always attract badness (well not in the end, at least )



2. Is there something about reading and writing W/T fan fiction that is essentially different from the other reading and writing that you do? How would you describe that difference, or how would you say what makes fan fiction reading and writing unique?



Well, I work in the financial industry so I would say hell yes, writing fanfiction is different from writing a report on restructuring a company's bad debt . Seriously, I think what makes it unique is that the fan-fiction writer writes because she or he truly loves the characters and does not do it for profit or anything else. It is a simple homage.



3. Have the recent events on the show changed your feelings about W/T fan fiction specifically? Do you feel more or less compelled by it now than before? Does it do something more or less for you than it did before?



Well, initially it was always nice to read about W&T in other situations or in other storylines that still kept to canon. But now, it's amazing the number of amazing stories that do not keep to canon because of recent events and are just as interesting, if not more so.



4. May I ask you follow-up on questions via e-mail?



Sure, JoAnnMarch@hotmail.com



Additional Questions:



5. Do you think that at some point your need for W/T fan fiction will go away? If not, why not? Is it really cathartic if you keep coming back to it?



Due to work and other commitments, I have not kept up with all the stories I would like and tried not to start new ones but I think I will always try and read



6. How important is the response and feedback of readers to the experience of writing OR READING fan fiction?



It is very important because it allows the writer to see what is working in the story and what is not and it is a form of encouragement.

7. Does feedback help to improve a writer’s craft?

yes, feedback from all sources i.e. from the beta reader and the people on the board does help.

-----------------------------


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion

[Loco2]

i am a bit crap in the brain department (it knows what is being asked, it knows the answers, too, but cannot word them properly) so i can only answer:



5: feedback, in my opinion, does improve a writer's craft - my reasoning: it gives, over all, confidence. and let's you get to know the readers a tiny bit, you know what they want, and generally, you feel compelled to deliver. and if you continue to deliver, you get practise, and improve. hmm - there's some other stuff, too, but i can't put it into words, and now i think i've forgotten it, anyway. you wouldn't believe that i'm one of the top few in my year, would you?



i hope (but highly doubt) this helps,

steph

"Dr. Becker, have you seen the skeleton?" "What do you think I am, a skeleton thief? You want to search me?!"
"Oh, bugger off, you brolly!" - Anya to Giles on his use of the english language
"We'll all be a lot happier without the constant whining....Mom, Buffy, Tara, Waah" - DMW to Dawn

[Katharyn]

Hmmm Loco - Your thoughts on feedback are interesting. There is definitely an element of confidence in that. I would say that it is very easy though to be "compelled" too much.



Pressure, real or imagined, for updates can act to the detriment of the fic. At least it did for me. In my first big fic a large portion suffered because I thought I had to post something now rather than something better later.



In the long run that actually helped with the craft as I refuse to go there again. I decide I am going to post at a certian speed and I try to do that. If the quality of fic is not there for that I slow down well in advance so that the kittens get something good a little less frequently rather than something bad often... or something good weeks apart.



That made little sense... oh well.



Confidence from feedback is great. Big help.



Feeling compelled is a double edged sword IMHO. Compelled to quality - what I think you meant is great - compelled to deliver 'something' less so. Just my personal experience there... I was a bad girl*S*



I will explain it better to Tulipp if asked*S*



Katharyn

---------------

Edited by: Katharyn at: 7/24/02 12:46:45 pm

[Kieli]

I have to agree with Kath. There are times when I've felt compelled to post something rather than wait for the story to speak to me. I've since changed that philosophy and found that it makes a difference. For me, I can't just outline things and draw up detailed maps about how my chapters are going to be. I usually can only write when the mood strikes or when inspiration gives me a nudge. Mostly, I sit down in front of a black document in Word and just start typing (or I sit and stare at the screen for a few minutes, whichever comes first). I think some of my best work has been unplanned and unforced. But I realise that not everyone is like that and there are far better writers than I who must have organization.



Toni

Love is tricky. It is never mundane or daily. You can never get used to it. You have to walk with it, then let it walk with you. You can never balk. It moves you like the tide. It takes you out to sea then lays you on the beach again. Today's struggling pain is the foundation for a certain stride through the heavens. You can run from it but you can never say no. It includes everyone."--Amy Tan "The Hundred Secret Senses"

[Tulipp]

I'm so interested in this question of feedback, and Katharyn, you explain the idea of compulsion very well, I think.



Kieli, I am right now feeling the pressure to rush my latest chapter, even though I know it's just not ready, but of course that's another story.



As for this compulsion issue, and I'm thinking of what jomarch and loco2 have said, as well...does it work both ways? Do feedbackers feel compelled to say something positive about a fic, and does that positive feedback actually help? I mean, I know it helps me IMMENSELY to know that someone is reading and liking something I've written, but I also know that Kittens are a supportive bunch in general and not prone to criticism, that I can see. So how does that affect the role of feedback?



Clearly, it's time for me to e-mail everyone with questions...I hope to get to that tomorrow. Thanks, all.

[jomarch]

Personally, the beta reader would be the one who shoul be most critcal and hopefully help the story be better than it was. A good beta is one that criticises and helps improve thestory be it the flow, grammar or just plugging up holes

[Tulipp]

Thanks, jomarch.



I have been reading through the responses again and getting some follow-up e-mails ready, but I'm also now facing the fact that it's hard to try to write ABOUT this stuff. I'm not sure that I can intellectualize my own or others' experiences, even if the intellectualizing is meant to be appreciative and celebratory.



Fan fiction reading and writing is so deeply personal and emotional and sometimes difficult in spite of the pleasure. I am still working on this project, but it is tough. Thanks to all those who are thinking through it with me.



Perhaps I'm responding to the fact that the general mood of the board over the last few days seems sad to me. That, of course, is part of the experience, but it doesn't make it any less sad. Circular logic, I guess.