I uploaded seven new stories to www.fanfiction.net yesterday: four Star Trek, one Stargate SG-1, one Stargate SG-1/Quantum Leap crossover, and one Quantum Leap/Buffy, the Vampire Slayer crossover. (For a great definition of a crossover, please go here: www.agentwithstyle.com/glossary.htm -- you'll learn more about fan fiction then you'll ever want to know.)
I enjoy fan fiction. I enjoy reading well-done fan fiction and I enjoy writing fan fiction. On the other hand, I'm starting to feel a bit odd about the whole thing. I'm getting some great, thoughtful reviews on my fan fiction. My stats for hits on the stories went from fourteen on Saturday to 245 on Sunday to 210 so far today. My record on Smashwords (www.smashwords.com) is 210 for one story. (All of my stories are free.) Now, I admit that many readers on FanFiction.net have lower expectations than those searching for an original story. Still, I'm thrilled that I'm getting a nice audience for my work
However...
I've been trying to convince myself that I have the ability to go professional. I've written one book that I'm trying to market to agents, and a second book that goes along with the first. I've had a second reader that really liked it. But I don't get any feedback. I realize that agents or editors don't dare give feedback to anybody they don't know because of all the crazies out there. It's very frustrating.
And I refuse to continue with something I'm not decent at. (I don't play tennis for that reason.) It's so very, very tempting to give up the pro dream and continue with the fan fiction.
But then again, is my "success" in fan fiction an indicator that I can go pro?
I don't know. But I refuse to give up without a fight. And I just have that feeling that this was what I was meant to do. So for now, I'll grab whatever ego-boost I can get from Fan Fiction and use that to fuel my energy for my original fiction.
Wish me luck.
I enjoy fan fiction. I enjoy reading well-done fan fiction and I enjoy writing fan fiction. On the other hand, I'm starting to feel a bit odd about the whole thing. I'm getting some great, thoughtful reviews on my fan fiction. My stats for hits on the stories went from fourteen on Saturday to 245 on Sunday to 210 so far today. My record on Smashwords (www.smashwords.com) is 210 for one story. (All of my stories are free.) Now, I admit that many readers on FanFiction.net have lower expectations than those searching for an original story. Still, I'm thrilled that I'm getting a nice audience for my work
However...
I've been trying to convince myself that I have the ability to go professional. I've written one book that I'm trying to market to agents, and a second book that goes along with the first. I've had a second reader that really liked it. But I don't get any feedback. I realize that agents or editors don't dare give feedback to anybody they don't know because of all the crazies out there. It's very frustrating.
And I refuse to continue with something I'm not decent at. (I don't play tennis for that reason.) It's so very, very tempting to give up the pro dream and continue with the fan fiction.
But then again, is my "success" in fan fiction an indicator that I can go pro?
I don't know. But I refuse to give up without a fight. And I just have that feeling that this was what I was meant to do. So for now, I'll grab whatever ego-boost I can get from Fan Fiction and use that to fuel my energy for my original fiction.
Wish me luck.
Don't give up. You ought to consider a crit group. I've heard good things about critters.org. Also, Absolute Write has a good crit group. You have to have a certain number of posts there before you can post your work.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, you can always file off the serial numbers... ;-)
From looking in (from the outside, BF is an author) I agree with barrettmanor. A writers group (real or virtual) is an extremely good idea.
ReplyDeleteThere is also the possibility of writing tie in work. It would take your fanfiction to another level.