this breaks my heart and pisses me off, all at the same time

[mickeym]

You all know how much I love Diana Gabaldon's writing, and her Outlander series. I adore Jaimie and Claire. I've been reading her books for as long as she's been writing them, about 18 years, now. I have recced her to friends and family; I've given her books as gifts; I wrote her this long, rambly, gushing email and squealed like a little kid when she wrote me back.

Then today I see this:

Diana Gabaldon on fanfiction: "I think it’s immoral, I _know_ it’s illegal, and it makes me want to barf whenever I’ve inadvertently encountered some of it involving my characters."

It's not so much that she's against fanfic -- everyone is entitled to their own opinion/thoughts/feelings on stuff. But it's how she compares fanfic authors to thieves and rapists, or the creepy, stalkery, pervy neighbor who writes dirty emails of his fantasies with your daughter.

I really feel kind of betrayed here, which is all kinds of silly. I don't know the woman, she doesn't know me. But she's coloring all of us with the same crayon/paintbrush, equating us with plagiarists and worse, and it just really hurts.


Link by way of azephirin and gweneiriol.

Comments

[manna]

This is why I never want to know too much about authors. It's amazing how often they turn out to be asshats.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Yeah. :( The worst thing about it, too, is if she doesn't people to write fanfic about her stuff is just SAY so. As many people noted in comments to her, the fannish community is pretty good about respecting authors' wishes

[manna]

And whatever her feelings about fanfic, you'd think that someone would have the sense not to insult their paying customers like that in public. Good Lord. Hate fanfic with a fiery burning passion if you like, woman, but be grateful for the sales and keep your mouth shut.

I know

[pop-anger.livejournal.com]

(sorry for responding to this; I've been reading your Spn fic & just haven't commented :( Love it, by the way--Undeniable Affirmation is one of my favorite fics).

Anyway--the whole Gabaldon thing really bothers me. I've loved her stuff since it was first published and this just disappoints me. The way she categorizes fanfic authors as unimaginative thieves is just sad.

I always thought I could separate an author's personal views from their writing; man, I don't know anymore.

Re: I know

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks :) And you're welcome to comment anytime, anywhere :)

I think the same you do: I thought I could separate the two, but I don't know. I guess it's something to think on.

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

It's perfectly clear that Outlander started as fanfic, you know:

a companion from Doctor Who (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_McCrimmon)? Who was named Jamie McCrimmon and played by Frazer Hines?

-- aspects which she has conveniently forgotten, it appears.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

No doubt she has figured out in her head how to justify it so that she's not "plagiarizing". Or stealing. Or raping. >_< Ugh. This is just really making me angry and sad.

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

Well, she seems to think that writing fanfic and then doing a search and replace to change the names makes it perfectly okay, so.

[shinycuba.livejournal.com]

I have no clue who she is, but my god, what a cunt. Purely based on principles I'm now intent to now never again read something from her or purchase anything that would get her money. Oh, and _IF_ she is, you know, a _real_ _WRITER_, I would _imagine_ she knows how to _WRITE_ instead of using ridiculous non-existent _ICONS_ and symbols. Sorry, reading that post just pissed me off. _A LOT_.

[shinycuba.livejournal.com]

Oh wait she is from Arizona? That just explains a lot, nothing good seems to be coming from there these past two weeks. /stillpissed

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

Some of the comments are just sad. People will jump on any bandwagon without having a clear understanding of the situation. *sigh*

There are authors and producers that encourage fanfic for all the right reasons. That this author chooses to have this kind of narrow view is really disappointing. Her opinion of fanfic writers is also kind of offensive, you know what I mean?

Oh well...

[jeeronie.livejournal.com]

Well as a fanfic reader I feel insulted.
Is she saying I have terrible taste and no patience to wait for the real deal?
I wouldn't watch or read lots of things if I hadn't found them through fic. To me, if something is good enough to inspire good fanfiction then I'll give it a shot.

Way to make sure you lose potential readers, silly woman.

Also, I don't really think there is anything original anymore and copyright is on its way to ending, but that is another discussion.

[alasse.livejournal.com]

Well, after reading that post I felt offended and angry and, yeah. Not cool. I want to remind this author of what William Blake once said, "To generalize is to be an idiot. To particularize is the alone distinction of merit. General knowledges are those knowledges that idiots possess." because, hey, lady - get of your high-horse. Really.

[jamesinboots.livejournal.com]

*blink* How on earth is fanfic immoral? It's difficult to even argue it's illegal - people use fictional characters in other fictional works constantly. Fanfic or otherwise. And people use non-fictional or mythological characters constantly, such as Greek gods, presidents, kings, etc. I'm really not all that aware of what OTW is up to lately, but maybe they'd have more info on the legalities of fanfic-writing.

Fuck her. I hope she barfs a lot and destroys her esophagus.

In my opinion it's incredibly stupid of an author to denounce fanfic based on their work or their characters. Fanfic can keep a series popular that would have died forever ago. And if you say fanfic's illegal, what about meta? What about artwork based on someone else's characters? What about songs written about the characters? People do that all the time, both for fandom purposes and professional purposes (e.g., the 9,000 songs mentioning comics superheroes by name or deeds).

[jeeronie.livejournal.com]

Baah, I had to comment, I got pissed.
Here's what I wrote (even though it will make no difference)
Well, as a fanfic reader I disagree with your points. I read fanfic because it fills blanks that original work doesn't and gives me more of something I like and often have too little of.
Usually I read the fanfic first and, if I like it and there is a lot of it, I will think the original stuff is probably pretty good and will go look at it.
And I don't think, as original as a character may be, that anything truly original is written. All writers seek inspiration somewhere, they just mix it all up and rename. Like fanfic writers do, except for the rename bit.
Still, reading this was a pretty good way to tell me I really shouldn't read your work as you disregard the enjoyment that others may be getting from it just to make a point.
But, judging from all the comments from people who mostly have no idea what fanfic is or have never read it and are willing to say you are absolutely right, I'm sure you don't need another fan.

[gooferdusty.livejournal.com]

ive never heard of her or knowingly read any of her work. i think she is totally missing the point. she has released these characters into the world to be read and enjoyed. she should actually be flattered that people care about her characters. when you stop and think about it its actually a huge compliment that people are invested enough in her characters to want to write about them. having said all that its quite possible shes just jealous! there are some damn imaginative and talented fan fic writers out there. bottom line, if she didnt want the readers of her work to take ownership of her characters then she should never have published her work in the first place. but then, i guess there's no money in that!


phew! ok rant over!

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

I actually think you are right on the money. Writers should certainly be flattered that their characters MATTER so much that people devote so much time and energy into understanding them a little more.

I certainly won't be reading Gabaldon in future, since she is so quick to slander.

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

Sorry that one of your fave authors is pretty much a dick when it comes to fanfic. I've surely been there before, and no doubt will be again with another author I like.

Of course, wrt Gabaldon, this quote: "About that privacy of your own imagination thing...[cough] While not all fan-fic is pornographic by any means, enough of it _is_ that it constitutes an aesthetic argument against the whole notion" had me howling with laughter. I mean, given that she writes epic noncon, domestic discipline, etc., etc., I find her quote just a tad ironic. *g*

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

One thing I have always loved is the BEAUTY of fanfic. Far from being an aesthetic failure, some of the best fic takes advantage of the short form (you know, 5-10k words or fewer) to really study a moment, a possibility, an emotional connection.... the possibilities are endless.

For a long time, I've been trying to ponder what some writers perceive as an intrinsic difference between "fanfic" and "original fic". I can't claim to understand that difference, though it's not for lack of trying.... but in my humble opinion, writing a fanfic is similar to writing an episode or an authorized novel, except without the handcuffs of the autoreset that every novel has to have built into it. Like I just read Jeff Marriote's "Witch's Canyon," and I kind of liked it, but I knew before I went in that it was a very long shot that it would grab me even half as much as a good Big Bang. One thing a great Fic can do is TRULY RESOLVE, which is something an authorized novel can NEVER DO, and episodes rarely. Just to take an acknowledged classic (by a professional, published writer) astolat's The Old Country goes places that not only deliver with utter satisfaction the story she is telling, but that take Sam and Dean into the APOTHEOSIS of who those characters CAN REALLY BE.

And just for the record, Kim, your writing is well-acknowledged in our community to achieve the level of beauty and story-telling resolution that I'm talking about. Maybe not every time? but enough that we're sure as hell not going to miss it if you post!!

Gabaldon is self-serving and misled. She has done herself a grave disservice by airing her ill-considered views in public.

[runedgirl.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong that I cheered myself up by laughing myself silly over the typos and misspellings in the most anti-fanfic comments? "...I hate Outlandish fanfic...it's so vial..." Bwahahahahahaha!

[ninhursag.livejournal.com]

I liked her stuff too :(. Really, really, pro-authors on the internet need to get mute buttons installed. They keep ruining their own work for me!

[fufaraw]

As I have mentioned elsewhere, this quote:

I'd want to do it the old fashioned way. Not cheat. Not write a story, get praise and feedback for it online

From the person who--at least used to--posts sections of her current WIP on her website for fans to read and give her feedback?

I mean, the hypocrisy, it burns.

[maerhysetc.livejournal.com]

I just saw this at Smilla's journal and thought of you. :( I've loved her novels and I loved meeting her but this just sort of ruins it all for me.

[calime]

Yeah, I'm presently trying to get the bad taste out of my mouth too, and repeating 'I can dislike what an author says and still enjoy their work'... I hope it works.
Methinks Ms. Gabaldon could benefit from some good PR-education, herself...