The Best and Worst of Fan Fic!

I have become an absolute Dark Shadows freak, always trying to work Dark Shadows references into everyday conversation, probably annoying and confusing everyone around me! In addition to this, I also greatly enjoy writing and reading DS fan fiction. One of my favorite stories I've read has Sam from Quantum Leap leaping into the body of Barnabas Collins, circa 1967, and solving everything from the murder of Paul Stoddard to Barnabas's vampire curse!! I wished that writer had Sam solve the Quentin's ghost problem too.

Another one I enjoyed was one where a young Elizabeth Collins discovers Beth Chavez's dead baby in a shoe box under her father's bed!!

And I am sure most of the Cousins on here would LOVE the one I read about Victoria and Jeff Clark happily married in the year 1968!

Who else loves/hates the fan fic?

I'm not the best judge of what's good or not so good because I've read very little fan fiction.  Your post has made me think that I should check out more of it though.  A few years ago, I downloaded some stories about Willie involving him finding true love  via time travel etc.  It was a fun read as I recall. 

I have become an absolute Dark Shadows freak, always trying to work Dark Shadows references into everyday conversation, probably annoying and confusing everyone around me! In addition to this, I also greatly enjoy writing and reading DS fan fiction. One of my favorite stories I've read has Sam from Quantum Leap leaping into the body of Barnabas Collins, circa 1967, and solving everything from the murder of Paul Stoddard to Barnabas's vampire curse!! I wished that writer had Sam solve the Quentin's ghost problem too.

Another one I enjoyed was one where a young Elizabeth Collins discovers Beth Chavez's dead baby in a shoe box under her father's bed!!

And I am sure most of the Cousins on here would LOVE the one I read about Victoria and Jeff Clark happily married in the year 1968!

Who else loves/hates the fan fic?

I read that story on http://www.fanfiction.net  I agree, it was WONDERFUL!!  Actually, I didn't want the story to end.  I've read other great stories, one of my favorites is the series called "Windmills".  It's being posted on two Yahoo groups and they are simply marvelous!  Many people are trying their hand at writing, including me, and I've read stories that are written very well and not so well.  I appreciate people trying their hand at creativity so I don't fault anyone for that.  The ones written well do flow much better and entice me to return to their stories over and over.

I do believe fan fic is very subjective.  If the stories don't content certain characters, people who favorite certain ones will not read them.

I appreciate people trying their hand at creativity so I don't fault anyone for that.  The ones written well do flow much better and entice me to return to their stories over and over.

Me too - I say if you enjoy it and have always wanted to try it then by all means do!

I do believe fan fic is very subjective.  If the stories don't content certain characters, people who favorite certain ones will not read them.

I think that's why I think of most of it as Fantasy Fulfillment Fiction - not that there's anything WRONG with that!!! 

I think of most of it as Fantasy Fulfillment Fiction

Gee, ya think? 

not that there's anything WRONG with that!!!

Well, so long as the characters involved behave with the same personalities and motivations as they displayed on the series. Giving characters personality transplants to suit ones own ends is often a big mistake in any sort of fanfic. And one doesn't even need to go to fanfic to see it. 

All that being said, though, there is some wonderful DS fanfic out there written by some very perceptive DS fans. 

Well, so long as the characters involved behave with the same personalities and motivations as they displayed on the series. Giving characters personality transplants to suit ones own ends is often a big mistake in any sort of fanfic. And one doesn't even need to go to fanfic to see it. 

Yep, totally agree.  I figure ppl are free to write pretty much whatever they want so long as there's SOME semblance of who the characters were on the show.  We did a Round Robin once on the Sci-Fi boards where one of the 'writer's' decided to make Barnabas gay and Willie was his pimp who brought him young boys to 'enjoy', then kill!  Interesting concept to be sure, but NOT what fans would expect to see of these two characters.  Nothing wrong w/a gay Barnabas mind you, but I think it was pretty well established that he enjoyed woman, so his being gay in this story went against what was established about him on the show.  I had the chapter after this person and decided to turn his chapter into a wild dream that an aged Julia had!  

Speaking of the Christmas Round Robin, Mark, are we doing that this year?  

Personally I prefer the DS characters to stay "in" character in fanfic.  I cringe when I read about Barnabas doing or saying something that he'd never do/say on the series.  A character can change his/her "stripes" I suppose but make it believable, say after the series was over.

 

I think of most of it as Fantasy Fulfillment Fiction

Gee, ya think? 

YUP... ...doh!
You have just uncovered one of my greatest talents - stating the obvious. And I was trying so hard not to be boastful!

not that there's anything WRONG with that!!!

Well, so long as the characters involved behave with the same personalities and motivations as they displayed on the series. Giving characters personality transplants to suit ones own ends is often a big mistake in any sort of fanfic. And one doesn't even need to go to fanfic to see it. 

I figure ppl are free to write pretty much whatever they want so long as there's SOME semblance of who the characters were on the show.

Gotta agree with that.  If the writer would want to change an established character very much it wouldn't make any real sense to be doing Fan Fic in the first place.

We did a Round Robin once on the Sci-Fi boards where one of the 'writer's' decided to make Barnabas gay and Willie was his pimp who brought him young boys to 'enjoy', then kill!  Interesting concept to be sure, but NOT what fans would expect to see of these two characters.  Nothing wrong w/a gay Barnabas mind you, but I think it was pretty well established that he enjoyed woman, so his being gay in this story went against what was established about him on the show.

I could see this as being acceptable as an additional character - but, a bit too radical a change for one of the most well known characters.

If you're writing a DS novel in hopes of actually having it published and making a profit from it, then by all means, you'd better keep the characters the way they were originally written, and don't let the plot stray too far from the Collinwood we all know and love.

But if you're writing for the love of it, because you have a story idea you just HAVE to explore, and characters you're dying to bring to life, then write what you damn well please

Personally, if I was to write such a novel, the opening scene would be the one where the Collins family is burying Barnabas at the crossroads of some major intersection in Maine, accompanied by the Rite of Exorcism being intoned by a Cardinal, at the very least.

But that's just me. 

Personally, if I was to write such a novel, the opening scene would be the one where the Collins family is burying Barnabas at the crossroads of some major intersection in Maine, accompanied by the Rite of Exorcism being intoned by a Cardinal, at the very least.

 

I'm not much for fan fiction since I'm leery of anything that isn't show canon (e.g. anything that didn't air on the show) but when I read Luciaphil's stories (on the old Sci-Fi board and as part of the DS Virtual Series, http://www.dsvirtualseries.com/) I was blown away.  The DSVS writers know the characters better than the actual show writers!  I highly recommend the site to people interested in DS fan fiction.

ProfStokes

YES!!!!!
A place for a blatant and shameless commercial
for my DS Fan Fiction!
 

"With books, you don't have to wait for a commercial

to go get a root beer." Snoopy
  

YES!!!!!  A place for a blatant and shameless commercial for my DS Fan Fiction! 

I too will shamelessly promote my books too!     I have a volume of short stories on the various characters and of course, my NEW Bramwell/Catherine/Civil War novel!   

I too will shamelessly promote my books too!     I have a volume of short stories on the various characters and of course, my NEW Bramwell/Catherine/Civil War novel!   

Yes, I highly recommend this.... You will learn much about the Civil War for starters.  Plus a lot of expostion that helps to explain the  PT 1841 story and relationships.  And keep a box of tissues handy--- it's a "multi-hanky weeper."

I have the "World of DS" fanzine the Quantum Leap/ DS X-over appeared in.  The late Dave Brown wrote a fine X-over of DS and The Fugitive (original version) which rang true to both programs--- this was also in WoDS.

I have tended to favor the Karlenzines, which obviously covers every single aspect one can imagine about Willie Loomis and the other JK DS characters (and even once included an amusing Cagney&Lacey story about "good old "Harv".)

However, as long as a story or novel appears, IMO, to be well-written, I'll give it a whirl, no matter which character is in the spotlight. though complex multi-character plotlines are always appreciated.  (I've endeavored to include as many original characters as well as my own in my fan-fiction, with vital actions for all.)

Yes, I highly recommend this.... You will learn much about the Civil War for starters.  Plus a lot of expostion that helps to explain the  PT 1841 story and relationships.  And keep a box of tissues handy--- it's a "multi-hanky weeper."

Thanks DF!  Glad you enjoyed it.  It was a labor of love believe me.  Actually, it was a labor of loves, plural, as in addition to loving 1841 PT, I'm a huge CW buff as well. 

I have tended to favor the Karlenzines, which obviously covers every single aspect one can imagine about Willie Loomis and the other JK DS characters (and even once included an amusing Cagney&Lacey story about "good old "Harv".) 

I bought Karlenzine #1 back in the 90's and it was a GREAT zine!  Karlenfan, not surprisingly, owns them ALL!    In fact, this year at the Fest she told Mary Overstreet, the KZ creator, "Mary, you're KILLING me!  You KNOW I've got to own them all!" and whipped out her wallet.