Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Writing and Living and an RPF World
RPF.
RP Fic.
Real Person Fiction.
Whether you write Robsten, Rob/OC, Jackson/OC, or Kellan/OC, whatever it maybe - you write RPF, and I love you for it. To say we are a dying breed is onoverstatement, but to say that we are underappreciated is an understatement.
I'm not sure when writing RPF became this taboo area in the fandom, and itconfuses me since Slash and BDSM are more accepted than RPF. Don't get mewrong, I love a good slash fic and Tara Sue Me changed my view on BDSM fic’sfor sure. But there is this noticeable rift in the fandom where writing RPF islooked at like it's, well, wrong. Unacceptable. Unappreciated. Misunderstood.
We write about real people, yes. But what we write is 100% fiction. It's nodifferent from those who write Canon, AU, and AH fictions. We are takingestablished 'characters' - a public persona - and placing them in a fictionalworld that we create and craft. When done right, there is no harm to thispublic version of the real person. It is simply our view, or vision, of them asit fits or pertains to the story we are creating. Just as Canon, AU, and AH do.I have always viewed RPF as more of an offshoot of the AH world of fan fictionwriting.
Yet, we are not always viewed as 'valid' by some in the fandom. And thatbothers me.
We write.
We craft.
We create.
We follow the rules of grammar.
We outline.
We develop storylines and plots.
We create conflict and resolution.
We create angst and romance.
We drive a wedge in the couple and resolve the tension.
Is that not writing? Is that not what writers of fiction (and romance) do?
So why, then, is RPF viewed as 'fringe' in the fandom. Are RPF stories notas carefully thought out and crafted as a Canon fiction? Do RPF writers notdeal with writers block? Can we not be as hurt by a flaming review as someonewho writes AU? I sometimes wonder if it rests on issues like our heroine isKristen, or Rob is a jerk-turned-softie, or Kellan falls in love with athirty-five year old mother of twins, or Jackson gives up music to be with histrue love in South Africa. I don't know - just some random thoughts.
It is well known in the fandom that there are some great fictions out there and some that are trying to find their stride. One thing is fact - theyare RPF and the author took the same chance publishing them that any other fanfiction author took. Fear of rejection and fear of acceptance does not go awayjust because we have graduated high school.
So, here we sit - a fiction-writing world of women of varying ages,all of us loving the fandom. And that should be the point, the goal, and theguideline -as it were.
There are so many amazing authors out there. Some have ten reviews forwhat they have posted so far, others have a hundred. But we all love what wewrite and love that there is maybe just one other person out there that isloving what we write too.
And I write for that one person. Whether it is RPF, AH, or AU. I writefor myself, that one person, and anyone in the fandom that stumbles upon mycreation.
Amazing writers who give their free time to a fandom is a wonderful thing.Amazing readers who do the same.
To you, I say thank you.
jakeward
RP Fic.
Real Person Fiction.
Whether you write Robsten, Rob/OC, Jackson/OC, or Kellan/OC, whatever it maybe - you write RPF, and I love you for it. To say we are a dying breed is onoverstatement, but to say that we are underappreciated is an understatement.
I'm not sure when writing RPF became this taboo area in the fandom, and itconfuses me since Slash and BDSM are more accepted than RPF. Don't get mewrong, I love a good slash fic and Tara Sue Me changed my view on BDSM fic’sfor sure. But there is this noticeable rift in the fandom where writing RPF islooked at like it's, well, wrong. Unacceptable. Unappreciated. Misunderstood.
We write about real people, yes. But what we write is 100% fiction. It's nodifferent from those who write Canon, AU, and AH fictions. We are takingestablished 'characters' - a public persona - and placing them in a fictionalworld that we create and craft. When done right, there is no harm to thispublic version of the real person. It is simply our view, or vision, of them asit fits or pertains to the story we are creating. Just as Canon, AU, and AH do.I have always viewed RPF as more of an offshoot of the AH world of fan fictionwriting.
Yet, we are not always viewed as 'valid' by some in the fandom. And thatbothers me.
We write.
We craft.
We create.
We follow the rules of grammar.
We outline.
We develop storylines and plots.
We create conflict and resolution.
We create angst and romance.
We drive a wedge in the couple and resolve the tension.
Is that not writing? Is that not what writers of fiction (and romance) do?
So why, then, is RPF viewed as 'fringe' in the fandom. Are RPF stories notas carefully thought out and crafted as a Canon fiction? Do RPF writers notdeal with writers block? Can we not be as hurt by a flaming review as someonewho writes AU? I sometimes wonder if it rests on issues like our heroine isKristen, or Rob is a jerk-turned-softie, or Kellan falls in love with athirty-five year old mother of twins, or Jackson gives up music to be with histrue love in South Africa. I don't know - just some random thoughts.
It is well known in the fandom that there are some great fictions out there and some that are trying to find their stride. One thing is fact - theyare RPF and the author took the same chance publishing them that any other fanfiction author took. Fear of rejection and fear of acceptance does not go awayjust because we have graduated high school.
So, here we sit - a fiction-writing world of women of varying ages,all of us loving the fandom. And that should be the point, the goal, and theguideline -as it were.
There are so many amazing authors out there. Some have ten reviews forwhat they have posted so far, others have a hundred. But we all love what wewrite and love that there is maybe just one other person out there that isloving what we write too.
And I write for that one person. Whether it is RPF, AH, or AU. I writefor myself, that one person, and anyone in the fandom that stumbles upon mycreation.
Amazing writers who give their free time to a fandom is a wonderful thing.Amazing readers who do the same.
To you, I say thank you.
jakeward
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Fic Recc's Request
This blog entry is being done by my ficwife, the shrew, as I don't have enough hours in the day. Enjoy!!
From the shrew:
The ficwife is busy with the awards. I think she needs to create a rec page, which should eventually become it's own site, for faithful shipping stories ONLY. I am ready to "head into the woods" just reading all of the summaries that basically rehash the same, sad tale that separates soulmates. Shit! I have enough angst in my Real Life that I don't need that in my fiction all the time. Sure, it's a good change-up once in awhile, but I need me something that doesn't just dwell in agony.
So my faithful shipper, would you see fit to amend this blog to recommend quality (in both writing AND story content) fanfictions that stay true to the soulmates? This shipper heart breaks every time they are needlessly pulled apart. They can go through all the travails necessary to recognize what a beautiful and unique thing that is, but please! They (and I) need the Pride and Prejudice ending. 'Nuff said.
From the shrew:
The ficwife is busy with the awards. I think she needs to create a rec page, which should eventually become it's own site, for faithful shipping stories ONLY. I am ready to "head into the woods" just reading all of the summaries that basically rehash the same, sad tale that separates soulmates. Shit! I have enough angst in my Real Life that I don't need that in my fiction all the time. Sure, it's a good change-up once in awhile, but I need me something that doesn't just dwell in agony.
So my faithful shipper, would you see fit to amend this blog to recommend quality (in both writing AND story content) fanfictions that stay true to the soulmates? This shipper heart breaks every time they are needlessly pulled apart. They can go through all the travails necessary to recognize what a beautiful and unique thing that is, but please! They (and I) need the Pride and Prejudice ending. 'Nuff said.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Fandom
Those of us that write, write for the sake of the story; for the love of telling a story. We write because we have characters that speak to us and tell us a story - while based on someone's creation - that means something to us, that has to be told.
When the awards start to pop up, they were created to recognize the fantastic effort that someone put into a story; the time it took to craft the story. And that is great.
I've started an awards site. The hope was to recognize lesser known authors. But I question if this will happen. I would hate for people to just vote on the standard "popular" fics. And I would really hate for people to ignore RPF/RL fics as well. There are so many talented authors who contribute to this genre that it's a real same more people aren't reading them.
I know that awards are more popularity-based, and I understand that. I just hope that people take the time and focus on those that aren't in the inner-circle, that write quality fictions, but just aren't well know.
Grand hope? Foolish? I truly hope not.
The Faithful Shipper
http://thefaithfulshipper.webs.com
When the awards start to pop up, they were created to recognize the fantastic effort that someone put into a story; the time it took to craft the story. And that is great.
I've started an awards site. The hope was to recognize lesser known authors. But I question if this will happen. I would hate for people to just vote on the standard "popular" fics. And I would really hate for people to ignore RPF/RL fics as well. There are so many talented authors who contribute to this genre that it's a real same more people aren't reading them.
I know that awards are more popularity-based, and I understand that. I just hope that people take the time and focus on those that aren't in the inner-circle, that write quality fictions, but just aren't well know.
Grand hope? Foolish? I truly hope not.
The Faithful Shipper
http://thefaithfulshipper.webs.com
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Douchebag
To: Philip Kim
Us Weekly Magazine
Mr. Kim,
If you didn’t get the interview you needed to write a valid interview, perhaps you should have asked better questions. And if you were unable to impress your editors with the interview you wrote, maybe a trip back to Journalism school is needed.
Is it not enough, anymore, in today’s celebrity magazine society to just write the facts as they stand and are given? Must writers for weekly publications bastardize the words of talented, busy actors to make for better copy? It seems to me that if you wrote the interview, as given to you by Mr. Burke, then there would have been enough positive information to write about. No need to twist the words of people to make it more interesting. He is a talent and intellectual actor; I am sure there was enough conversation for you to write a great article without bastardizing his words.
To twist something, to bastardize someone words, simply for a more salacious article is showing a lack of character on both you and your magazines part.
While I would like to thank you for your time, I doubt you gave the same courtesy to Mr. Burke when you bastardized his words.
The Faithful Shipper
(from email sent to Philip Kim)
Us Weekly Magazine
Mr. Kim,
If you didn’t get the interview you needed to write a valid interview, perhaps you should have asked better questions. And if you were unable to impress your editors with the interview you wrote, maybe a trip back to Journalism school is needed.
Is it not enough, anymore, in today’s celebrity magazine society to just write the facts as they stand and are given? Must writers for weekly publications bastardize the words of talented, busy actors to make for better copy? It seems to me that if you wrote the interview, as given to you by Mr. Burke, then there would have been enough positive information to write about. No need to twist the words of people to make it more interesting. He is a talent and intellectual actor; I am sure there was enough conversation for you to write a great article without bastardizing his words.
To twist something, to bastardize someone words, simply for a more salacious article is showing a lack of character on both you and your magazines part.
While I would like to thank you for your time, I doubt you gave the same courtesy to Mr. Burke when you bastardized his words.
The Faithful Shipper
(from email sent to Philip Kim)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Leaving Comments
This blog has been protected. You can not leave posts unless you are a member of this blog. Just make it happen people, create and account and comment away!
Failure to admit defeat + move on already + rehash + try to add another 15 of fame courtesy of other peeps= SIGH
Dear Madame Former Director -
Ok, we get it. You cast Rob. Please stop acting like you are their romance publicist already. And if it weren't for the spectacular cast you assembled, the movie would have been FAIL. So you're a crack-shot with casting - I'm overlooking NR, here- and you can scout a mean location. But really, that's where it ends. Well, you did film some great kissing scenes, I will give you that. But being honest, the greatness of those moments rests in your former leads. But the rest of the movie looked....blue. It's really the only word for it. I dig the wolf ref in Bella's room, clever really, but the rest was a let down to me. If it weren't for the incredible talent of you leads, the movie would likely have been mocked. Consider yourself lucky they both still speak to you and that fans are over it.
Your TwiTime is limited, November 20 sounds about right. Then you are just a footnote on the Saga. Maybe some actress will write another script about how she bff'd a rising star, tried to steal the bff's would-be-boyfriend, tried to steal said bff's current boyfriend, then acted as if none of it ever happened. Not that I would I would watch that movie....
Now, can you please move on? Please?
The Faithful Shipper
This post fueled and encouraged by: The Awful Truth post http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/the_awful_truth/b138923_catherine_hardwicke_on_tortured_robsten.html
Ok, we get it. You cast Rob. Please stop acting like you are their romance publicist already. And if it weren't for the spectacular cast you assembled, the movie would have been FAIL. So you're a crack-shot with casting - I'm overlooking NR, here- and you can scout a mean location. But really, that's where it ends. Well, you did film some great kissing scenes, I will give you that. But being honest, the greatness of those moments rests in your former leads. But the rest of the movie looked....blue. It's really the only word for it. I dig the wolf ref in Bella's room, clever really, but the rest was a let down to me. If it weren't for the incredible talent of you leads, the movie would likely have been mocked. Consider yourself lucky they both still speak to you and that fans are over it.
Your TwiTime is limited, November 20 sounds about right. Then you are just a footnote on the Saga. Maybe some actress will write another script about how she bff'd a rising star, tried to steal the bff's would-be-boyfriend, tried to steal said bff's current boyfriend, then acted as if none of it ever happened. Not that I would I would watch that movie....
Now, can you please move on? Please?
The Faithful Shipper
This post fueled and encouraged by: The Awful Truth post http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/the_awful_truth/b138923_catherine_hardwicke_on_tortured_robsten.html
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The 'Couve....and then some
Just to get started, I wanted to let you all know that I am totes thrilled that the cast is getting back to Vancouver. If I had to see one more picture of KStew in leather, or RPatz with Blondie McNot-a-chance, I was gonna cut a bitch. LOL. I have no idea what this blog will end up being, but it here for now. So in the immortal words of Dana Carvey, "Party on, Wayne".
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