I got this topic from another forum. It seems that the people who posted in that mostly disliked fanfics and fanfic writers/readers. Some even classified fanfic writers as having no talent. I was offended by that and I know that they are very wrong.

Here's what I wrote: My Personal opinion:

I write fanfics and I enjoy reading them, too. I consider myself a writer, because I don't just do fanfics. I have written two original stories and I've written poems/songs. I don't think anyone should be insulting anyone for what they enjoy doing. I imagine that most fans just write it for entertainment and just for fun. That's what I do.

The only work I really take so serious is my own. Still, personally, a lot of hard work does go into fanfics. Not as much as originals, but I do work hard on my fics.

Well, if we're not real writers, than I've just wasted two years of my life...lol...but seriously, I consider it real writing, unless it's just total crap. You know what I'm talking about folks, those fics that range between 1-500 words that just suck. Where it's usually a N3W8 who can't write worth crap. That's not writing at all, and I don't consider it to be writing. And in the words of my best friend Elizabeth, "If it's not written in a comprehendable language, it's not writing."

I know what you mean. I think real writers are people who put hard work into writing their fics, whether it's a fan fic or not.

I consider it real writing, but it's not on the same level of 'prestige' as doing something completely original. The main thing that fanfiction writing I think serves for to me in a practical sense, besides allowing you to come up with your own plotlines for favorite characters, is that it also serves as a training ground for the writer doing it.

When I originally started 'Green-clothed Warrior' years ago, the main reason why I started it was because at the time, I had NO skills in coming up with my own plot or my own characters. Writing GCW has been a big learning experience for me. I always knew I was a great writer, because in 8th grade my teachers MADE me and the rest of my classmates write essays constantly. I didn't like it at first, but it did get me to where I was familiar enough with writing in general to where I was comfortable with it.

Adapting the InuYasha characters to the Zelda universe in Green-clothed Warrior required me to learn, and learn, and LEARN about what the InuYasha characters themselves would tend to do very closely, and also learn as much as I could about the Zelda characters they would be interacting with in the story. From doing these things I learned a lot about what it takes to put together good characters, and what things good characters generally have. Mainly though, what I've come away with from writing Green-clothed Warrior has been more what goes into a good plotline and how to keep things interesting.

Most of what I know about character development I've learned from working 'Futuristic Warrior' with my brother, and watching how my brother developed Galahad, his Paladin-like character, from the beginning all the way up to where he's at now in the story close to the end of it. Over the weekend, brother and I will get back together to review this story and start brainstorming on how we will conclude it, what's going to happen in the climactic battle in the last couple chapters, etc.

Anyway, fanfic writing can serve as a training tool as well as entertainment purposes. I've learned quite a bit about creative writing in my endeavors in it.

Some jerk on the forum where I got this from was really aggressive and mean toward people who wrote and read fanfics. I had explained my point, stating that I wrote fanfics and my own original stories and poems.

He rudely said that he would poke out his eyes before reading my poetry, just for the simple fact that I wrote fanfiction and so that I would probably suck. I really don't see why writing a fanfiction would make a person a bad writer. But that guy there is a big jerk, from what I've seen.

Writing, in all shapes and forms, is a form of art. No matter what form it is in, even in fanfiction, it is still a form of art. There is no question about it. That jerk just can't appreciate the fact that people enjoy writing about characters they like or shows they like. Either that or he's just being pissy.

I have to admit that writing fanfictions has helped me improve a lot in both writing and poetry, as well as play writing. When I first posted my stories here, I actually wanted constructive criticism, not just some sappy 'UPDATE PLZ!LOLZ" from people. At the same time, I didn't want any insults thrown at me. After posting UnSins on adultfanfiction.net, I actually got real helpful advice. That and Kikyophobia has helped me a lot.

If you have read the first chapter of my story 'Unforgiving sins'; you'd notice a lot of grammical mistakes. But as the story progressed, I started to actually critique my own work and did all I could to improve. Some people may have noticed, others may not. And I probably didn't improve, but I am still struggling to. That's all that matters to me.

But also the reason why I continue to write Inuyasha fanfictions is because I just put it in more of a way that I wished that the series had. Of course, it's never going to happen. I know very well that what happens in my story will never happen on Inuyasha. I try my very best to have my own wish fulfillment but at the same time to satisfy my readers.

You have a good point...
I want to get better at my fanfics and write many intereresting
Death Note and Inuyasha stories because I believe it's REAL writing....and I don't need people like the one you described, 2 bring me down..
To be honest, I believe they think of it as being a joke 2
tell u that u suck..
DON'T let it get 2 you!!
It just ticks me off so much!!
Something just like that happened 2 me at school about a mouth ago
and I just can't seem 2 get over it!! :devil:

What he said did kind of make me feel bad. But I got over it. It's not like he's anyone important to tell me what talent is or is not. He's just an idiot, plain and simple, thinking that he's right.

But I do really think fanfiction is writing and talent and skill are needed for it. I put a lot of hard work into what I write, and I've read some fan fictions that are amazing. It proves that what that guy believes and what those other people on that thread believe, to be simply put, an opinion and not a fact.

And it's funny that there are only about 5 or less people there that defended fan fic writers, and I was one of them.

Well, here, there should be more.....hopefully.. -__-

No anime-lover can live without their fanfics. There, that's my opinion.
Fanfictions shall inspire many others 2 write fanfics, and so on and so forth, throughout many generations of fans....

Let's see...

What's the difference between writing a fanfiction and writing a short story? The characters. But what do the characters have to do with the writing? If we're talking about style and grammar, then nothing. Writing fanfictions is great practice for those aspects. Without having to worry about the taxing process of developing characters, young writers can focus on their writing in general. After they feel they've developed enough, they can move on to write their own original works.

My point being that fanfiction writers are writers. I find the insinuation of the inverse to be rather offensive. I write fanfictions myself. I write novels, short stories, and poetry as well. But just because I write fanfictions I'm not a writer? Last time I checked I was the one wrote the words down. I added the detail. I developed the imagery and complex syntax. I worked on giving the characters life, even though they weren't mine. I came up with the dialogue. Not only that, but I put my heart and soul into it.

But maybe I am ignorant as to what makes a writer.

Well put, KP. I completely agree with that. These more to writing a story than just developing your own characters.

Yes, fanfiction is consider a type of writing. Fanfiction is a style of writing, same with short stories, poems, script, etc.

Writing a Fanfiction is still writing; You just can't publish it as your own.