This may be a silly topic to post, but I would really appreciate some feedback.

I've been writing fanfiction for.. ohph.. ages, and have finally decided, after all these years, to write a L&C style fanfic. I've visited the fanfic sites I could find via google and was overwhelmed by the quantity and quality of the stories that have been written. I have to admit this made me a little disheartened as I felt that most angles have been covered, or are used so regularly that another fiction would be pointless.

Would people be interested in another fiction? Is it better for me to write about another of my hobbies? I'm struggling to come up with an unique idea, and wanted to get some honest advice before I go crazy! Please help me. Any feedback would really be appreciated.

Of course, Miranda! It may be harder to find an truly original plotline this far into the fandom - it was undoubtedly much easier for many of us old timers back in the day - but that doesn't mean you can't find an original, fresh perspective on an old idea.

Even if your story covers ground already trodden before you, the fact that it's you who's written it and not me or Wendy or Pam or any other author means it will be a different story to the ones gone before. Your experiences, your style etc will all be different from any other author before you. And that will make for a new story.

Just take a wander through some of the stories posted here in the last year by the latest clutch of new authors to join the fandom. Not all of them can claim to have written something never seen before, but most of them have brought something new to the genre.

A good example of this is a story I'm currently beta reading - Janet's The Girl Next Door. There have been many rewrites of the Pilot and many Early Beginnings stories, but all the same I haven't been bored or visited by deja vu once while reading Janet's amazing and beautiful story.

So, my advice would be to write what your Muse finds interest in, don't worry about what's been written before you got here, and just have fun doing it. That's the main thing. If you have an idea, run with it and enjoy!

LabRat

Wow, thanks so much for your reply! You are right, it shouldn't really matter what the subject is, it will be unique just because I am writing it.

To be honest, I have started a short WAFFY type thing that isn't really going anywhere but has made me feel a bit better about writing. Maybe I'll try posting it somewhere to see what people think.

I don't want to tread on anyone else's toes, but it would be pretty impossible to read every story to see if I am close to someone else's idea!

Thanks for the confidence boost. I really appreciate it!

Hi Miranda

Like you, I came late to this party and was (and still am, really) very intimidated by the variety and quality of the stories already here. I know that the type of story I enjoy writing is not going to be seen as particularly innovative in this fandom. I don't write complicated, involved original plots and I tend to veer away from subjects like time-travel and alternate realities that really open up interesting new possibilities - mostly because I'm not smart enough to write about time travel without my head exploding

Basically, I write relationship stories, and that's a topic that's been explored in this fandom from pretty much every angle. It took me a year of reading and lurking to work up the nerve to post a story, and I'm still not sure why I finally did. But everyone who responded to it was incredibly gracious and welcoming, and if anyone looked at my story and thought, *yawn* not another one, they were nice enough to just quietly move on to something that interested them. In the meantime, I wrote a story I enjoyed writing without much thought to whether or not I was blazing new territory with it.

The bottom line is that new writers are the lifeblood of any fandom, and the folks here seem to get that. The fact that there are so many wonderful stories and talented authors at the archive does raise the bar a little for new authors coming in, but it doesn't mean there isn't room for us.

To echo LabRat, find something you'll enjoy writing, and chances are someone will enjoy reading it. This is a hobby, and it should be fun. Adding the pressure of trying to write something without a single element anyone else has ever used before would suck the fun right out of it for me.

My RL break is over so I need to run, but I do hope you'll decide to take the plunge

Best,

Caroline

I can only speak for myself, but I would definitely say "yes!". Always! For example, I've read countless TOGOM adaptations, but I never get tired of it - the stories are all unique in the way they're written and that's what's most interesting. Not to mention I personnally don't mind how many similar stories there are, as long as I get my few hours a day of plunging into the L&C universe and forgetting about the real one, I'm a happy camper.

And.... you'll find people around here are *extremely* nice and helpful and friendly and... just plain great. I've just started writing L&C fic a few months ago. I was seriously afraid people would laugh and find my stuff really lame the first time I submitted a story... but I'd had this really cool little idea (IMHO anyway) for a story, so I took the plunge. And the thing is, I got lots of wonderful feedback from several people. In fact, I've written a few more stories since and while they may not be the most original ideas in the world, I've gotten several positive comments on them. And even though my last story almost drove me insane cause I'm a big push-over and I tend to want to please everyone *lol* well, I'm having way more fun writing these stories than I've ever had writing children's stories, like I'd been doing for the last few years.

So, yes, you should totally go for it!!

Write it Miranda, write it!

Write it! Write it! Write it!

Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!Write it!

To quote Animal House:

"I think they like the idea, Hoov..."



LabRat

The short answer is yes

The long answer has already been given

See ya,
AnnaBtG.

Hah, I totally started a reply like 7 hours ago and left the computer...

The shorter answer is still WRITE!!! Most importantly, write because you enjoy it! In my opinion, fan fiction is so much more about you enjoying what you do than whether or not you think, omg is everyone going to like it, has this topic been done before, are they yawning already, maybe I won't get a huge feedback thread ahhh! And don't get me wrong, all of those things are wonderful! And especially if people are wanting to really improve their writing, storytelling, and such, those thoughts probably aren't far behind. I know I went down that road once. But it's even more wonderful if you're proud of something creative you've done. In the end, everything else falls into place. I'm convinced there's always a fan out there for any kind of story. Someone actually emailed me last month about something I'd written like 5 years ago. It was the first voluntary feedback I've ever gotten on it, and it was just nice to know someone thought of it!

So pick up your pencil (or your keyboard), and get to it! Indulge in your hobbies and creativities.
Jen

I find something original and unique in every story that's posted, and I will continue to read WAFFY relationship stories and revelations, regardless of how many other similar stories I've read. The process of writing is an art, a great intellectual pursuit. I think it's something interesting to cultivate in yourself. The readers in our fandom are very supportive of writers, new and old. So absolutely, go for it!

Thanks for your replies everyone. I really appreciate the fact you took the time to not only welcome me, but encourage me to write. I really owe you one.

I've finished my short story, and will be posting it soon. I hope you like it.

Miranda