How to Write a Good Fanfic

1.0 ~ What is Fanfic?

What is fanfic?

Here is what Fanfic says in How to Write Fanfiction. "For all intents and purposes, fanfiction is any fan-produced writing that uses, remixes, or subverts fictional worlds to create unique stories."

A few people may people be thinking, but this doesn't include real people fandoms. However, stories written for real people fandoms aren't fanfic, but known as RPF (real people fiction), popfic and authorfic. It's only recently that certain people have started to mistakenly categorize RPF as fanfic, but typically this is the only place modern RPF has to be categorized on any given site. Saying it's not fanfic isn't in any way a diss to RPF, but as Wikipedia currently says, "Real person fiction or real people fiction (RPF) is a genre of writing similar to fan fiction, but featuring celebrities or other real people."

If you go back to Moonbeam's Predilections Fanfiction Terminology, it says the following.

Fanfic (-tion) – refers to derivative creative stories featuring the characters, settings, premises, etc... based on the original source material, but written by a fan. It is a form of transformative work designed as an expression of appreciation and exploration of the canon material. No profit is made from it's production or distribution; no harm is meant.

And...

RPF and/or RPS = Real Person Fiction and/or slash – refers to stories featuring the actors themselves (rather than the characters they play) or other real life person, celebrity, or historical figure.

This has existed for over twenty years, but has been one of my original sources for discussing fanfic/RPF with people. As Wikipedia points out, the two are similar, and there is a comradery between the two groups when those who write Fanfic can put aside their initial gut reaction to RPF. However, there are differences in how the writers go about writing their stories, but the legal issues each have to go through. Both are valid forms of writing, and both have found their place.

A few people may be thinking, but basing a work off mythology or history – that comes from a "canon" or an "original source material". However, by this logic we would classify Percy Jackson as fanfic, or a historical fiction novel written about some famous historical person, but the thing is, we don't. When referring to "canon" and "original source material", it's been taken as a given that people understood this to be referring to fictional source materials, not non-fiction source materials. Both mythology and historical narratives fall under the category of non-fiction.

In regards to RPF, some will argue that definition includes "historical figures" in order to qualify, but the problem is, stories written about "historical figures" actually get categorized under "historical fiction", where as modern RPF gets classified under fanfic because it's modern RPF. However, let's not forget the fact historical fiction RPF writers have historically snubbed modern RPF writers, but told them they don't belong in the original fiction category.

Fact is, you don't ever see people labeling historical fiction or works based on mythology – Percy Jackson anyone – as fanfic. The reason they don't is because it's not fanfic, but considered original fiction. Modern RPF is allowed simply because it would be snubbed by other original fiction writers, yet they also relate more closely to the struggles that fanfic writers go through. They need their niche, place to be just as much as us fanfic writers – those that fall under the traditional definition – need our niche.

The reason I bring this up is because – for the Fanfic Friday contests – I've seen a few people submit stories which utilize mythological figures, or which qualify as historical fiction submitted to the Fanfic Friday contests despite the fact there is no category for either among the lists – as they aren't fanfic. (Stories submitted for works like Hamilton don't count, as that's fanfic of a historical fiction work.) However, one person in question got mad because I was up front with them that their story wasn't fanfic, but original fiction.

They argued that my definition – which is what's been used by everyone – was just my definition. However, fanfic is definitely derivative works based off another person's fictional work, and popfic is fiction based of famous people from modern times. This isn't something that's ever been arguable, but worse, it pretty much argues that a writer can submit something which would be considered original fiction.

Those who write their stories based on existing mythology, folklore or fairytale archetype wouldn't need to feel guilty for working with another writer's fictional characters. Those who wrote historical fiction wouldn't have to feel guilty about writing for real people who are very much alive and not yet historical characters. They don't face the same problems and issues we fanfic and popfic writers face, yet by this person's argument they should be allowed simply because he's a fan of what he's writing for. Actually, it gets worse, because under that logic someone who's a fan of the Fantasy genre could submit work which is original fiction of the Fantasy genre.

All original fiction writers would be able to submit original fiction to the contests despite the fact what they write isn't fanfic. It also shows a major lack of understanding in regards to the fanfic community, and how things work, but what defines the fanfic and popfic genre. It's like trying to submit a non-scifi story into a contest for the scifi genre. However, it's also arguing that a non-scifi story should have the potential to win said contest, which in turn is very unfair to everyone else entering.

Seriously – if an original fiction piece which was based off existing mythology or a historical fiction piece one, there would be no way there wouldn't be uproar over the win. However, you can't just come into fandom and expect people to be happy that you're trying to change things so suddenly your Percy Jackson like story – it's based on any given mythology out there – would be allowed and considered fanfic.

Trying to say original fiction should be included in the Fanfic category, that's like saying a non-romance story could be classified as Romance, a story with no historical context classified as historical fiction, a story with no scientific elements classified as sci-fi. Things don't work that way.