Role-Players and Fan fiction... by wytchcroft

BLUE SUN ROOM

Role-Players and Fan fiction...

POSTED BY: WYTCHCROFT
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 05:43
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Monday, August 4, 2008 2:22 AM

Role-(play)ing and er, tumbling!

To what extent do you role-players and fic writers fuse and mingle?
I’ve noticed a few fics apparently generated from the back-story or character generation of an rpg take on the verse – are there actually a lot?

Some role-plays I’ve seen (read that is) have been pretty in-depth, character wise and verse detail wise, a quick gander at the Universe thread here is a testament to that. This is true of RPGs in general – check out the detail on some of those RPGs at Live Journal. But what do people here think? Is there an influence on fan fic from RPG – and if so, is that a good thing?

I’m aware that both are prevalent on live-journal but they appear at least stylistically different. But then one thing about live journal however, is that it is very much a fast-fic kinda drive-thru. Everything labelled and packaged, Slash (both sexual and violent elements): M/I Rating R good to go – with a new role play paragraph on the side etc. Which is where I start wondering - in most peoples’ minds are fics inevitably slash or ship, I mean is that what fan fic is supposed to be? Are the more serial styled character based and plot based elements more likely to be found/appreciated in an RPG?
Or hell, are RPG’s just the same? I may have stumbled on a few exceptions to the rule for all I know. I have bumped into a couple of very slash oriented RPGs out in the hinterblack so… they’re out there.

What do readers expect – and what do writers?

The BSR here is a not altogether reliable guide since everything goes into the same vault – but I’ve noticed definite phases – from very much the ‘hell if this is the only way we can get more firefly so be it’ fics to a big fluff phase last year (as well as the Jayne saves the day and Mal gets tortured (!) phases we also had) to the more ongoing domestic based sipping which started pretty much straight off and is still popular, (one defunct form is script – there was a lot, as I recall back in FFFN’s early days).
What directs these trends - the distance (time) from the source? - so, as firefly recedes the type of fics written change accordingly? I’m not sure…

The BSR seems not so slash based as other sites – but maybe that will come.

But what of readers – do they look for the specific pleasure a certain shipping combination gives? Or do they look for the continuation of the show? I realise that some readers (myself among them) will read writers they are familiar with and appreciate – though those writers may well move between different ‘types’ of fic and include elements that would not normally draw the reader in elsewhere.

Hmm… adopts Yoda voice: – clear as muddy waters my thinking always is – but let’s have a few readers and writers give up the skinny. It’s always interesting…

So… thoughts – views - preferences?
I realise these questions get asked every now and again – but it’s been a while and they’re healthy questions, the answers often change.

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Tuesday, August 5, 2008 8:44 AM

CHARLIEBZ

I've never been into the RP thing. In fact, I just learned what "RP" was - I was disturbed because I thought it meant "rape."

But your question about what do readers expect is a good one. I want fics to be an extension of the show. I want to read about all the characters created by Joss. What is happening to them? How do adventures change them? Do they grow/regress because of their criminal lives? Why are they like they are? What important events could change them? Give the characters some serious reflection and show your readers that you are actually thinking about them. Let the adventures spring from the characters.

So, for me, it all comes down to one simple thing: characters. Isn't that what Firefly is all about?

Oh, and if you present Inara in an interesting non-bitchy fashion, you'll definitely have my interest. I think her character is treated the worst in fics.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2008 5:16 AM

WYTCHCROFT

Quote:
Originally posted by CharlieBZ:
I want fics to be an extension of the show. I want to read about all the characters created by Joss. What is happening to them? How do adventures change them?

i agree:) For me, Yo/saff, Badger, Monty, Sheydra etc are as interesting as our heroes. Although I wouldn't want to see guest charatcers recurring all the time.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2008 5:43 AM

NCBROWNCOAT

For me fic comes in several types.

There's the "fill in the gap" which includes the back story of the characters. That's where I've landed most of the time with "young Mal."

There's also an expansion of the canon episodes and BDM. Plenty are good but some just rehash what we already know.

There's the pure "ship". Be it Mal/Inara, Zoe/Wash or Simon/Kaylee. I really can't get into any non canon ship but Slumming has a believeable Mal/River (just can't fathom Jayne/Inara though. Not in a million years!) and Jane 0904 has terrific Mal/Freya (OC) and Jayne/River ships going on. But Jane0904 had Inara do a disappearing act (and I miss her) after she and Freya came to an understanding about Mal.

Both Jane 0904 and Slimming combine their ships with the continuation of the story after the BDM. These are more like RPG's and have to be character driven in order to work.

I've also read some of the slash over on LJ and IMHO in general it's lacking in character and believability and is mainly just sex.

Maybe an incident or two with Inara, who does service both sexes, but Mal/Simon, Mal/Jayne, Jayne/Simon and every other combination just doesn't ring true at all.

I made a mistake one time and regretably read a 3 way with Mal, Inara and Kaylee. Never, ever again!

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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