Fanfiction/speculation

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 31295

Gwen wrote (regarding why some fans don't do fanfic):

 
Because we are constantly exposed to theories, ideas,
> schemes, plot points, and interpretations of our members, are we not
> therefore allowing our vision of the world to be mingled with and 
even
> changed by others'?
>  

As a non-fanfic reader/writer, I find this to be a very interesting 
question.  To tell you the truth, I didn't have any real 
understanding of what fanfic writers are trying to do before you 
spelled it out a bit.  Now that you mention it, it does make sense 
that writing a fanfic is similar to spinning out an elaborate theory 
on this board, but that you are walking the characters through the 
theory.

But I still think there's a pretty big difference between theories on 
the board and theories in fanfic.  When one of us spins a theory on 
the board, we are basing it on canon.  Listies blow the whistle if 
you stray from canon, or even embellish canon ("Where does it say 
*that?", they will howl.)  There is a reasonably bright line, IMHO, 
between what is a creative theory based on canon and what is just 
someone making something up (e.g. is Harry really Tom Riddle, Sr. 
reincarnated).  

But fanfic seems to go one step further -- the writer is allowed to 
start with canon, but then change *huge* things.  It is harder, I 
think, to evaluate whether this or that character would do this or 
that in a fanfic because I see it as an extra step removed from 
canon.  Facts and characters have been added, so how could one even 
really conclude whether the fanfic is true to canon?  

Gwen again:
>  
> For those of you who can speculate and theorize without turning to 
the
> actual writing of fanfiction, how is it that you keep track of all 
the
> interwoven details to keep things straight? 

Uh, actually I don't.  I have no idea what position I took on a 
theory even last month.  To me, the fun is in simply turning the 
ideas over and over.  The most entertaining questions for me are 
those that involve reverse engineering JKR's wizarding world and 
figuring what she has written as the backstory for the characters and 
other plot elements.  A lot of that is backward looking ("What's the 
difference between a concoction and a potion?").  I think I spend 
less energy figuring out how Snape would act if such-and-such 
happened, although I'm always willing to take a shot at it.  :-)

Sure, it would be fun to see some elaborate theory we developed on 
the board become a part of a subsequent book.  But I actually like 
approaching the Potterverse issue-by-issue.  Maybe that doesn't make 
sense, but it is much more manageable for me.

That said, I *really* envy the people who are involved in fanfic.  
They get to play around with HP regardless of JKR's schedule for the 
books.  I, on the other hand, have to sit idle for another 6-7 
months, waiting for OoP.  Then I have another 2-year drought before 
the next book.

Cindy (who, in a weak moment, found herself wondering what would 
happen if OoP were released and it turned out to be really, really 
awful by any measure)