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Date Posted: Mon, Nov 17 2003, 18:15:26
Author: Architeuthis
Subject: Re: [OT-ish] What to do when friends discover fanfic?
In reply to: Catseye 's message, "[OT-ish] What to do when friends discover fanfic?" on Mon, Nov 17 2003, 17:15:02

I don't know which fandoms you write for or which ones your friends write for, but I will say some fandoms are more forgiving of Mary Sues than others.

The various "Star Trek" fandoms are an example. Ever notice how every other character "graduated at the top of their class" or the like? To an extent this is understandable, as a majority of the characters are members of Starfleet, which is depicted as an elite organization. It's only natural that the "best of the best" would be concentrated there.

In Harry Potter and most comicbook and anime fandoms, characters often have superhuman powers.

One thing you can do is advise your friends to make their OC's fit the fandom. No putting a drow in Middle-Earth or a vampire in "X-Men"-- unless the story is a crossover.

Advise them to learn and obey the fandom's rules. 16-year-olds do not captain starships in "Star Trek." Albus Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in HP, with Voldemort a close second. Professor Xavier of "X-Men" is the world's most powerful telepath. Human/elf pairings are RARE in Middle-Earth, but are more common in "Forgottens Realms."

Advise them to keep the canons in character. Do not make somebody fall in love with a teen-age girl if they canonically prefer adult women. Do not change chars' sexuality. Gay chars stay gay and straight chars stay straight. Do not bash least favorite characters. Yes, movie-Elrond mistrusts humans. No, he is not a jerk, perverts, or psychopath.

Avoid hot-button topics like rape or homosexuality-- for now. They can tackle those when they've got some experience under their belt.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

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