The Most Important Thing I Learned From Fanfiction

The Most Important Thing I have Learned From Writing Fanfiction

Taking Criticism -- Constructive or Not:

We all love our moms. She tells us that we are the most pretty girl in the world, that our writing is fantastic, and that we'll be bigger than Nora Roberts. Unfortunately, you could be butt-ugly, unable to string two words together, and Nora Roberts would laugh in her Gucci heels before riding off into the sunset on her diamond-encrusted pony rocket at the thought of you gunning for her. You're Mom isn't necessarily lying to you – she probably thinks that you're great because she loves you.

The people online don't love you – you have to make them love you. In fanfiction, you can get instant feedback from people across the world. And, not all of that feedback is good. I've gotten horrible feedback (along the lines of 'please never write again because I don't think the world can stand such stupidity again') on stories that I busted my ass on which made me want to cry. But, I still thanked them for reading. Why? Because no one is going to love your work like your mother or your best friend and you will have to deal with that.

Whether you are being published online in a fanfiction livejournal community or in the newest anthology from Ellora's Cave, you are still putting your work out there to be viewed at by the general public. Between you and me, the general public is a nasty beast with a short attention span and finicky nature. The general public doesn't care if you had a bad day or your dog died or that you have kidney stone – the general public wants to be entertained. And, it doesn't matter if they spend five dollars or only five minutes to read your story, if you don't deliver they will be disappointed. They might even tell their friends or write on their blog about how much your story sucked and to avoid you at all costs.

The readers and writers of fanfic aren't as nice as the Romance Community. They'll say if your story sucked donkey balls without pointing out that they liked the sidekick. I've gotten used to getting my babies stomped on, but it still hurts. That's why when I get a comment (any kind) on my work, I step back and let it soak in before I make any kind of reply. That keeps me from making an ass out of myself a la Sally Fields at the Oscars or Laurel K. Hamilton in her 'Dear Negative Readers' rant. Mrs. Giggles is never going to strike the same fear into me as angry, snotty English major posting my story on their journal for the sheer pleasure of ripping it apart. Trust me, its happened and I survived. Mrs. Giggles doesn't make personal attacks which fanfic readers will. Always, remember that they are reviewing the story and not you.

Here's the tough love on publishing. Once you publish it – its going to be mocked, loved, hated, ignored, liked, disliked, and celebrated. If you don't want to know what the outside world might think of your story then keep it under your bed. If you can't handle a unkind word about it, ditto.

As, for myself, I use every mocking comment, negative reply, and constructive criticism as a challenge, promise, and means of improving my work. I feel grateful that people actually read the story and had some sort of emotional reaction to it even if it was revulsion. Hey, at least, if they are making fun of it they aren't indifferent to it. Now, that is the reaction to fear – indifference.