color me curious, per usual

[kaigou]

A few questions for those who write and/or read fanfic, about what triggers your fanfic juices for one canon/story (or dulls your juices for another story, in contrast). Feel free to pass along, link, whatever, because I'd really like to see (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) what gets people the most fired up when it comes to writing (or considering writing) fanfic for a story.

Because it wouldn't let me put this in the middle, for questions #4 and #5, here are the definitions I'm using for the terms:

• individual = solo creator (novelist), and solo-owned copyright. (also two-author partnerships; count them as one merged-author for this poll's purposes)
• consecutive = single creator at one time, but multiple creators overall (eg long-running comics); usually corporate-owned copyright.
• collaborative = multiple creators at one time (eg movies: director, screenwriter, actors, editor, etc); corporate-owned copyright.
• group-produced/influenced = consecutive & collaborative, with coporate-owned and -managed copyright

Also per the definitions above, thanks to inkstone: if you're in a Japanese fandom, it's not quite so cut-and-dried, b/c in Japan, manga is usually solo-copyright, while anime is (obviously) corporate copy-right, and a manga based on an existing anime thus becomes a shared copyright. So copyright isn't always a valid guide -- you'll need to just use your best judgment on whether the fandoms you're thinking of would qualify as solo work (canon created and determined by one person) or a type of group work (canon influenced and developed by multiple people).

Next point, thanks to mikkeneko: the phrasing could use some tweaking on the first three questions, since they currently might give the impression there's a distinction being made between "what have you ever read/written" versus "what you're currently reading/writing". Since I can't edit the poll's questions now that it's posted, I figure so long as you think of the two consistently, the stats will hold up (as much as they can, given the non-validity here). So either think of questions in terms of "for all time/ever" OR in terms of "only right at this moment", and answer all questions in light of that.

thanks, you two. *wry*

my poll skills are way out of practice.

Poll #3089 the inspirations of fanfic

This poll is closed.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 57

1. Do you write and post fanfic?

yes, currently writing
37 (66.1%)

yes, used to write but not now
8 (14.3%)

no, but I read/crit
11 (19.6%)

2. When READING fanfic: how many fandoms do you read in, but NOT write for?

only 1
3 (5.4%)

2-3
6 (10.7%)

4-6
13 (23.2%)

7-10
4 (7.1%)

more than 10
30 (53.6%)

3. When WRITING fanfic: how many fandoms have you written for?

only 1
4 (7.3%)

2-3
10 (18.2%)

4-6
9 (16.4%)

7-10
9 (16.4%)

more than 10
15 (27.3%)

thought of fanfic but never written it
8 (14.5%)

4. When READING fanfic, which canon-types do you most often read in?

individual
10 (18.2%)

consecutive
1 (1.8%)

collaborative
9 (16.4%)

group-produced/influenced only
2 (3.6%)

all three are equally likely
33 (60.0%)

5. When WRITING fanfic, which canon-types do you most often write for?

individual
13 (26.5%)

consecutive
0 (0.0%)

collaborative
10 (20.4%)

group-produced/influenced only
1 (2.0%)

all three are equally likely
25 (51.0%)

6. In general, which is more likely to get you writing/thinking fanfic?

the story's so great, I want more of it
9 (16.4%)

the story sucks so much, I want to fix it
1 (1.8%)

mostly the first, only rarely the second
13 (23.6%)

mostly the second, only rarely the first
2 (3.6%)

both first and second can get me writing
30 (54.5%)

7. Which specific things get you writing/thinking fanfic? (yes, do check all that apply!)

a massive cast of characters
30 (53.6%)

an intriguing premise
43 (76.8%)

plotholes in conflict development
26 (46.4%)

discontinuity issues in sequels
17 (30.4%)

dropped/ignored story complications
42 (75.0%)

lots of subtext (of any kind)
43 (76.8%)

potential romance not explored
35 (62.5%)

actual romance too low-key
15 (26.8%)

specific favorite archetype is MC
32 (57.1%)

premise good but execution faulty
35 (62.5%)

potential ignored for background character
41 (73.2%)

non-MC more interesting than MC
40 (71.4%)

plotholes in story resolution
25 (44.6%)

unanswered questions in resolution
44 (78.6%)

crucial scenes played out off-page
27 (48.2%)

character development too sketchy
32 (57.1%)

unexplored character development
40 (71.4%)

other (see next question)
14 (25.0%)

8. If "other" for #7: what else in canon would inspire you to create?

9. Obligatory ticky!

cake!
20 (36.4%)

pie!
26 (47.3%)

both!
30 (54.5%)

ticky!
30 (54.5%)

also: continuation of poll per thoughts in comments: two more questions, thanks, all ya'll.

Comments

[morkeleb]

HMM. Interesting. Next poll you should find a way to make us sort the things that make us want to write in order of importance or likelihood. I think I could have clicked everything there if I didn't limit myself to "what happens most often", and that would have been singularly unhelpful. XD

I put "all three" because it's happened for all three, but as canon-types I'm likely to write fo single-author first, and sometimes for TV shows but only as long as all the writers and directors keep really close track of what each other is doing. Comic books where someone will do an arc and then pass it off to someone else who then feels the need to "fix" half the shit that's happened with massive plot handwavium have never appealed to me, no matter how many convenient plot holes they leave. Lack of coherence in the handling of the world/characters, I guess -- it might be fun in fanfic to see how differently other people will interpret the source material but as a canon source I want something with inner consistency.


... I have no idea if some of those words are even really english or just frenglish; it's midnight and my bed is calling. XD; Sorry.

[morkeleb]

OH and also =>

In general, which is more likely to get you writing/thinking fanfic?

I'm a lot more likely to write for something with awesome characters and/or very original setting but a bad/sucky/awkward/plotholey plot, than something with a great plot and generic characters. If the characters are interesting people then I want more of them. If they're not, once the plot is done, eh, it's done, byebye guys.

Funnily enough, I can't write for FMA (the manga version at least) because as awesome the characters and settings are, the plot is so tight and shiny most of the time I don't feel a need to fill anything in and there's no slow and obvious moment where I go "i wonder what they do on their days off". Nothing's missing and all my questions are going to be answered, so. (the last chapters have been a little... hm, I don't know, but since I know it's going to reach endgame soon there's really no space to develop anything.)

[kaigou]

Next poll you should find a way to make us sort the things that make us want to write in order of importance or likelihood.

Good point. I'm trying to think of how to manipulate LJ/DW poll code to be able to do that (without the poll being so unwieldy that it takes up four pages of scrolling) and... I'm drawing complete blank. Eh, well, I guess it becomes one of those things where the mass vote is what's gonna apply, even though weighting each would be far more useful on a statistical level.

Also, between you 'n Inkstone 'n Mikke, now I've realized there's another major question that's of particular curiosity to me... so, next-post shall be addendum!

man, get some sleep!

[ivoryandhorn]

Some extra lnotes:

3. Despite have written for 10+ fandoms (which surprised me when I took stock, I had no idea the number was that high), several of those are fandoms that I've only written for once. The fandoms for which I've written repeatedly and get inspiration for more consistently are far fewer.

5. I picked "individual" because that seemed to be choice that mapped the best onto manga, where the creative teams are a lot more stable than US-style comics which makes me think that "consecutive" doesn't quite apply. But I'm not sure if that was the right one.

6. I picked the first option but when I think "the story's so great" in relation to a fandom I want to write for, I mean I really really like some part of it and want to see more of that particular part. Most of the fandoms that I write for the most are like that -- I enjoy the setting, general plot, and general cast of characters (or at least am indifferent to most of the characters) but what really makes me want to write fic for it is one individual that grabs hold of my brain and refuses to be shaken loose. Even when I've abandoned the fandom itself.

For fandoms that I consider really great -- as in, all around and in every aspect -- I generally have no urge to write for or even read fic for them, as I'm happy to enjoy them as they are. I don't think I've ever been bunnied for something because I thought the fandom sucked and wanted to fix it...usually those impulses get saved for meta. :D;;

[kaigou]

I picked "individual" because that seemed to be choice that mapped the best onto manga

doh. I'd completely forgotten about the wacky Japanese system, since anime would definitely be collaborative, while manga would probably be mostly individual... and then you get into issues like, say, FMA (manga) being individual, while the first FMA series would be collaborative and the second FMA series would be individual (seeing how it's following the mangaka storyline so damn closely).

...or maybe that still holds up, now that I think about it -- because I've never felt the least inclination to write for the FMA-manga storyline, but I had ideas coming out of my ears throughout the FMA (collaborative) first series. (Not that I wrote all of them, just that the collaborative version had lots and lots of openings of the kind I like.)

--edit---

Despite have written for 10+ fandoms (which surprised me when I took stock, I had no idea the number was that high), several of those are fandoms that I've only written for once. The fandoms for which I've written repeatedly and get inspiration for more consistently are far fewer.

Now that you mention it... yeah, I'd have to say the same applies for me, too. Unfortunately, unless I get inspired to set up an off-site poll that would let me get that complex in polling, that kind of detail in LJ/DW polling would get so longhand... but sure would be interesting to track. Hrmmm. Oh, the limits of technology, they are so very annoying sometimes.

[hokuton_punch]

Oh damnit I forgot to answer 2 and 3 - if they were automatically filled in, don't count them, I guess? I read in a lot of fandoms just because I have good friends who write in a lot/went wild at Yuletide and read nine million things, but excluding historical RPF/classical stuff, I don't write in very many (and often not in the same fandom twice unless it's really got a hold on me, like Metalocalypse/Utena). ... also I'm too lazy to go count my tags.

[kaigou]

Nope, none of the questions has an auto-answer -- and you can always change your answers, too, so long as you have a DW acct, IIRC.

[hokuton_punch]

Aha! DONE. I love this site. *_*

(Also, wow, I had no idea I had written in 16-odd fandoms - even if most of them were one-shots! Pretty good for me. XD Ooooh, and that wasn't even counting horrible crap I wrote in high school or elementary school..)

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Only one objection to the wording of the poll -- the 'reading' question seems to imply 'currently,' while the 'writing' question seems to imply 'ever.' I really only read two or three fandoms at a time, but in total I've read for quite a few. And I only ever write for one at a time.

[kaigou]

erk, good point... now if only polls actually let me, y'know, edit the bastards. I'll add a note at the top & hope pollsters still remember the point by the time they get to those questions. thanks!

[edenfalling]

Re: question 6

I am actually not likely to write fic based on either of your options. If a story is 'so great,' I am generally happy with it and would not know where to find a loose end to start my own work. If a story 'sucks so much,' I generally don't read/watch enough of it to care enough to write fic. What tends to interest me is a story that's decent with potential, or awesome with flaws.

For fandoms I write in only once or twice, my motivation is most often along the lines of, "I like this canon, but flaw X is bugging me; I wonder if I can fix/explain it." (Or they are for Yuletide, in which case my motivation is, basically, "I know the canon and could probably do something with that prompt..." *wry*) For two of the fandoms I've written in more extensively, I started off fixing, explaining, or arguing with something, but I picked a long project as my first fic. As I wrote that first project, the characters took up residence in my brain and became available for stories that explore, expand, or alter canon rather than fixing or explaining canon. (My other two major fandoms just have so many gaps to fill and points I want to explain or argue with that I could keep writing that type of fic for years.)

[kaigou]

The problem is that how we define "it was bad" and "it was good" (and all permutations in between) is actually really personal. I mean, I've read stories that I could say were, for the most part, pretty good, but the unresolved conflict in the denouement leaves me saying the story was good except for how much it sucked... in a way that is specifically of huge importance to me. So it didn't suck, per se, so much as suck in such a specific way that it's a bad-good story.

Unfortunately, it's damn hard to get that into a poll question unless you're a professional at such things. Which I'm not. So I suspect the "equal amounts of both" -- that there's good in the story worth investigating AND bad in the story that needs fixing, might be the answer most folks are picking that best fits the description you just gave. (Or alternately, that they mean the story might be one, or the other, but either is decent motivation. That would be example of bad validity in question, I suppose.)

[torachan]

I didn't end up putting anything for "other", but I actually write a lot of stories that are not directly inspired by anything in canon. I write a lot of AUs, so often I will have story ideas that could be about anyone, and I will choose to write them with certain characters. (In fact, I would say that the majority of what I've written is not directly inspired by canon, but rather comes from having about stories I want to tell and then thinking about how I would tell them with X or Y.)

Also, I wish there had been an option with the canon types for just group & single author. I don't read US comics, so don't have any fandoms that are serial creator, but I still had to choose the "all three" option because I have the other two.

[kaigou]

Normally, I'd be thrilled at the number of minds with critical thinking skills hanging out around here. But man, it's frustrating when I can't edit a poll to reflect the valuable feedback! ...and I think it's already at like 40 people replied, so a bit much to ask everyone to do it all over again. Sigh.

*makes note for next time*

ETA: err, meant to also explain that for the question you're talking about, the issue is really solo-owned copyright versus corporate copyright. What I wanted to see with that question was if it makes any difference, in a very general kind of way, whether the original canon is individual-created or group-created -- so in effect, to say "only individual + consecutive" or "individual + collaborative" both amount to "all three, roughly" -- it's more a matter of me misphrasing that. Again with the grrr for not being able to revise polls!

[torachan]

*nods* I have heard some people say they only do fanfic for TV shows because it feels different to them with group-created stuff vs single-author stuff like novels.

[kaigou]

*waves hand*

Include me in that -- I like the way there's always plenty of unexplored and unresolved stuff when it's a collaborative storyline. Far more than you really ever find in single-author works, uh, unless we're talking really bad single-author works. Heh.