Which is harder? Fan or original fic?

[zevie]

I agree! In fanfiction, you have to follow someone else's rules. In original you can do whatever the heck you want. So, to actually just sit down and write, I think fanfiction can be a lot harder. However, to write something original that other people will love as much as you do seems like a giant challenge to me, lol. I think when you consider the audience it puts the two on more equal ground (though it's probably different for everyone, too). Plus, thinking up characters that you yourself will love is a lot harder (for me at least) than just adopting characters that you already adore.

I'm not a writer by trade, I'm a musician, but this topic REALLY relates. When you're performing pieces that have been written long ago, and everyone loves them, you know that people are going to tune in just to hear it. But, there are tons of people who devote their lives to figuring out these pieces, and everyone has different opinions, so when you pick a popular piece, it's highly likely that EVERYONE will find at least one thing wrong with your interpretation. (Somewhat like trying to interpret Dallas, lol.)

But, when you create something new, people have all these great songs floating around in their head, and they already approach what you do with a measure of skepticism - you have to really work to prove your worth among everything that's come before. There's a huge opinion out there that music was better "back in the day" and now it's gone to s***. If you just do whatever you want, you run the risk of not being relatable and, um, on a practical note, not making any monies. But, if you're not true to yourself than people sense that and again you won't be relatable. A lot of the time it seems like sheer dumb luck that you manage to create something and people end up on the same wavelength.

Boy. That was a lot of typing and I'm not sure I actually said anything. Okay. My point, I think, is that I find them both hard - to do well, and to make it rewarding. It's really easy for me to write a lot of original crap (and I mean crap) but if I tried to write something decent I'd find it just as hard.

[latch22]

I'll confess, I cheat in fan fiction. Not in canon or characterization, but I think that I rush it a bit, or... I dunno. It's just not as good as my original writing. I don't think the narrative is quite as good, either.

As for difficulty... I dunno. I pretty much have really bad writing habits all-around--no discipline in the actual process.

In some ways, original is more difficult, because I have a lot less to work with. I think that I may need structure.

I think my original fiction is better regardless, though--you know, when I actually bother to write a decent portion of a single story before moving on... (Confidence is good, right?)

Cheers!

[fairlane]

In some ways I find fanfiction easier, because the characters and setting is already there, and it's safe to assume everyone has read the original story so there is no need for introductions and explanations on what is a greaser etc.

Of course actually staying in character is the hard part, especially the well developed characters like the Curtis brothers.

One of the parts I find hard is writing something set in a different country and trying to use correct slang and terms for things. Tim wouldn't say things like "Cop it sweet bro", would he?

[Nittanylizard]

I find fanfiction more difficult to write because, like mars said, with my original stories I have more control over the world and the characters.

In fanfiction, you really need to focus a lot of energy on getting the characters down well, so I think it's a great exercise in developing a character in a believable way, even if it's a character you didn't invent. And then, it's all subjective - forget just coming up with an interesting and believable plot, you need to convince the readers that these characters really would react the way you're writing them.

That said, I think the wonderfully fun thing about fanfiction is that you can take these characters who everybody knows and give all kinds of what-ifs, and try to surprise the readers without crossing too many lines.

[Tensleep]

You know, I think fanfic is easier. I mean, someone else already gave you characters and rules and then she was nice enough to say "Go have fun". What could be easier than that?

I do find I enjoy writing my original characters more, though. I find I just get into their heads better since they came from my head. One problem with fan fiction, though, is that you often find it sounds more natural if it's written in the same POV as the original piece. We're lucky The Outsiders was first person since I really am not so great at third person and won't write second.
So that's why you see a lot of original characters in my work because they work out better for me.

Also I always find this overwhelming urge to post original stuff and then rewrite it because I have more than one plot for it going on in my head. So thats hindering. Fanfic have one direction in my mind and if they have others then you have a whole other story to write and post.

So that's my thoughts on it.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[Masquerade]

I think fanfiction is easier, at least for me, to write. True, you have to stay within certain boundaries with the characters, since everyone already knows and loves them just the way they were in the book. But you're given a good plot to work with (even if loosely, as in some fics) and characters that, as I said above, people like. And you have all that to work with.
For me, when writing original fiction, I have a hard time creating characters that I'm satisified with. I never like my own characters as much as I like the ones I read about in books. And my plots...I read them over again and I just wince. Overdone, overdramatic, worst plots EVER!
Sometimes it's hard for me to remember to keep everyone in character, but for the most part, fanfiction is a great tool for me, which helps with my more difficult-to-write original fiction.

[zevie]

sodame8 said:

For me, when writing original fiction, I have a hard time creating characters that I'm satisified with. I never like my own characters as much as I like the ones I read about in books.

I'm exactly the same way, lol. It takes a huge effort to create someone I love, and then it's sooo hard to let go and move on after the story is done. There's usually a period of time in which I'm incapable of writing anything about anyone besides my last character - I have to get him out of my system, lol, before starting anything else. Frustrating... But, I always love the boys from S.E.'s work, so fanfic is always possible, as long as I've got an idea (not opening that can of worms, lol).

[Masquerade]

If I'm not in the mood to think up all new characters, setting and whatnot, fanfiction is perfect. Ideas--not necessarily good ones, mind you--come to me pretty easily and randomly.
Fanfiction is toughest with the characters. But if you get them right, it's so fun to write. Really, I love it. I can't believe it took me so long to find it. Sorry. That was a little off-topic, and I apologize.

[Tensleep]

You know, there was a time where I had no idea what fanfiction was and I was sure I was going to jail because I loved writing Louis L'amour's characters. Glad I discovered it, even if it wasn't until I was what, 16 years old? Man, I feel very old now...

I think part of the allure is that we all get the chance to put these characters where we always wanted them to go in the books We get the chance to see where things would have gone in different scenarios and that makes it both easier and harder in my mind. Easier because there's already established characters, but harder because everyone seems to have the same ideas these days.

That's the hard part - being original in fanfiction (A veritable Oxymoron). I personally always try for this, always aim to put something out there that no one else has read before and that's always been fun at least. At least it gets you writing, right?

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens