h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'll own up writing the Dr Who/Atlantis thing but I won't be updating anymore in the post due to differences of opinion with the Italics, I will be updating here tho A8111558

I've written at least 25 fan fic stories and haven't had a problem yet, although I do usually add disclaimers, sort of "I own none of the (Insert TV show Here) characters, I make no money from this, it's just a bit of fun" If you feel the need to write there is a dedicated Fan Fiction site here http://www.fanfiction.net they do have a Dr Who section 'cos I've checked it out.

*Sits in the "I Dislike Fanfic" corner and scowls at everybody*

*scowls back and wiggles eyebrows*

There's also A Teaspoon & an Open Mind, which is just for Who fiction:

http://www.whofic.com/

Ooh thanks Kerravon, didn't know about that one. I'll go explore!

Kerravon and Reefgirl, I'm going to have to do so much reading!
Who

I dislike fanfic too, Mr. Dreadful.

Or at least, I did until I read some by a couple of rather talented fan writers. I believe Kate Orman, and a number of others, got a start writing what they love.

Sho's fanfics are rather excellent, Reefgirls are also good stuff...

...but it's a lot like gold mining. Sometimes you have to work for the shiny stuff.

Thanks Gradient

Incidentally if anyone wants to read any *original* fiction go to http://dreadfultales.wordpress.com.

"Lovely cynical tone" - Agapanthus

I think my prejudice against fanfic comes from when I was a teenage obsessive and devoured everything sci-fi I could, including fanfic...

After several appalling crossovers, stories where the characters had been changed to fit into how the writers wanted them to act and far too many "Hey, this reminds me of when happened" I just gave up.

Ah.

Yes, I can see how that would make you want to avoid fanfic. Which is a shame, because, well, see the gold mining analogy above. And because when you find a rich vein of MarySue (for example) you can dip into it from time to time and say "well, at least I didn't write this..."

It depends on what you do with the Mary-Sue, there's a challenge on ff.net/Atlantis to write a readable Mary-Sue, with humour, a decent storyline and NO romance with the lead characters. It's turned up some interesting stories, including a piece by me which involves a chef whose language is worse that Gordon Ramsey's, the chief scientist, a freezer and lemons.

But most Mary-Sue is drivel

Well, yes, of course.

There are exceptions to nearly everything.

Nearly all Mary-Sue stuff is writer wish-fulfillment and consequently not very good. I keep threatening to finish my sole piece of fan fiction and post it somewhere, but haven't got around to finishing the first draft yet. I was distracted by a challenge, which has turned out to be rather more fun.

"I was distracted by a challenge, which has turned out to be rather more fun."

I can relate to that