On Fanfiction: author projection

[alnair_tair]

Do you know that feeling when you’re reading a fic, which is mildly oc but seems well enough written and entertaining and boom. You get hit in the face with what is clearly a projection on the charas and the plot of the fic author own issues instead of canon or a well thought au?

As I’ve read more and more fic I’ve become more and more able of seeing those poor author issues through the flimsy excuse of writing fic, and while sometimes it’s really cathartic because it meshes really well with canon in most cases I’m like: “gosh author, this is much more than I needed to know about you. Can we go back to this chara plausible issues and not you own projection of your problems?”

Which makes me feel mean, so I don’t comment or anything and just close the window. But also makes me feel embarrassed on their behalf, although they’re very brave for posting anyway I guess, or just ignorant of how they come across….

I won’t pretend that projecting our own issues isn’t what everybody does when writing, but when you write well it isn’t an imposition on the poor chara, that comes out of left field but part of the story you know? But fanfic is amateur so you come across these things super often. And it’s weird. 

So I guess what I wanted to say was that one needs to learn to distinguish btwn chara and oneself, bcs the basis of fanfiction is the chara and/or worldbuilding (i consider this one also imprescindible but i know i’m in the minority here so….).

And now I’ve realised that this view implies that inserting lgbt+ issues or other mental health things is wrong. Eh. No. I’ve enjoyed most of my fic in that category. But also. Don’t write a pamphlet or the rant to your parents you wish you could give? Like. 

Use the chara personality and world not yourself dear god; unless that’s exactly what you meant to do; in that case proceed without worry bcs we’re all free of doing whatevs in fiction and tag with OOC or self-projection or something for purists like me. 

Please tag it ;_; (although if you have a hand of gold writing then everything is pardoned. good writing is good writing, although it may be poor fic itself >_<)