Instigator / Con
7
1501
rating
2
debates
50.0%
won
Topic
#958

Is It Bad To Make or Create Fan-Fiction?

Status
Finished

The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.

Winner & statistics
Winner
7
0

After 7 votes and with 7 points ahead, the winner is...

Marc1123
Tags
Parameters
Publication date
Last updated date
Type
Standard
Number of rounds
3
Time for argument
Three days
Max argument characters
30,000
Voting period
Two weeks
Point system
Winner selection
Voting system
Open
Contender / Pro
0
1483
rating
1
debates
0.0%
won
Description

In recent times, I have observed that society seems to have created a sort of stigma when encountered with the word 'Fan-Fiction'. People tend to shun and mock fan-fiction creators, which I see the treatment as unjust and one-sided. I for one believe that fan-fiction is not as bad as most people say it is. I am here to defend the creation of Fan-Fiction, and the opponent will attack the creation of fan-fiction. Simple, innit?

The producers of fanfiction get something out of it, and somewhat more rarely other people get something out of reading it. That's really all that matters, right? They get to have "more" out of a series, explore it to such a depth that the actual thing wouldn't touch on, because the actual thing is just written by a few (probably rather unimaginative) guys oftentimes who are doing it more for the money than to have fun, and because they're obviously time-constrained in how much content they can include in their work.
Fanfiction means popular participation in a franchise, which can make it much richer, if only in a superficial way (since any resulting work is going to be non-canon). I've been writing a rather lengthy fanfiction series for close to 4 years now, which has branched off quite considerably from the actual work. The person who's gotten the most out of the project has obviously been myself, and that's why I've kept writing even though I've gotten terribly few reviews on any of it these past few years. It's a highly enjoyable exercise, and that's why I do it. Even if objectively my work isn't very good, I am satisfied with what I've accomplished. I'm sure most dedicated writers of such feel the same way. It was never supposed to be a professional endeavor and there's no reason why I or anyone else who writes fanfics should be held to that standard of quality.

Now, mind you, some people (I presume mainly of the female variety) write fanfics basically as an aide for *ahem* certain self-pleasuring activities. Most notably there's the woman who wrote "Fifty Shades of Grey" (which started out as a Twilight fanfic). These works tend to be extremely erotic (and usually homosexual), which is what most people unfamiliar with the pastime think of when they think of fanfiction. But the full range of the fans' creativity can be so incredibly diverse as to capture virtually every imaginable genre or category. Eroticism is just one part of that.

Even if he does respond, anything other than a concession will be dismissed by judges.

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@TheAtheist

I don't think he will answer. He's forfeiting his rounds. I expect him to forfeit this last round as well. I'm disappointed to say the least.

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@ScoutMaster25

I suggest you use more definite terms. What is "bad"? Do you think that fan-fiction writers should stop making fan-fiction? Do you think that they should get legally prosecuted? "Bad" is a really vague term.

i think I got a good argument

This is an interesting topic, but I won't accept because can't think of any good arguments that fanfiction is always a bad thing. Especially considering that The Aeneid, Foe, Wide Sargasso Sea, and other works of great literature are fanfics.

Read HPMOR. The fact of the matter is that good fanfiction exists. Bad normal fiction exists too, but it doesn't get published as often, so you don't hear about it.

I can envision some good arguments for and against.

For fan fiction, Steven Moffat wrote Doctor Who fan fiction before going on to writing the actual show; and Max Landis' fan fiction ending to Wonder Woman was far superior to what we actually got (still a great movie).

Against fan fiction, the majority of fan fiction is really bad, and then a good deal just is terrible... Let us not forget that Mary Sue originated in fan fiction, before she went on to damage so many beloved series (joke, she would have existed even if not named).

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@Marc1123

I hope the instigator will document the stigmatization of fan-fic because my experience is opposite.