I am bugged by her conclusions because they put a burden on fanfiction that shouldn't be on any art form. Creative works do not have to make the world a better place. Sometimes they can simply be enjoyed.
I believe in writing fanfiction responsibly, but I am coming from a different direction than heatherly. I want to be responsible to fandom, to my readers, not a possible "victim."
For instance, when a heated discussion of unconscious racism in SGA fanfiction occurred a couple of months back, I agreed it was a serious problem the SGA fandom needed to talk about. The point was not "Don't write about racism!" but instead suggesting a writer think twice about creating an AU where Teyla is a maid and Ronon a chauffeur. I don't think stories like that necessarily "victimize" anyone, but I do feel they are inaccurate characterizations of Teyla and Ronon, based on the writer's unconscious prejudice. Therefore, stories like that are a disservice to fandom. It would be entirely possible to write a realistic SGA AU about racism -- Teyla and Ronon on Earth and dealing with prejudice at Stargate command, for instance. Can anyone rec a story like that?
But how is a racist SGA AU irresponsible when a rape story is not? Both racism and rape have the power to victimize, after all.
There is a important difference between racist SGA AUs and rape stories. The racist SGA AUs contained real racism, unconscious or otherwise. Rape stories do not, however, contain real rape, no matter how much a story may glamorize or trivialize the subject.
I think the only responsibility I have as a fanfiction writer is to write stories with accurate characterization.
P.S. I typed "victim" as fictim by accident. We could use that to refer to the "writing responsibly" argument. I was fictimized by your story! Heh.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-06-10 05:40 am (UTC)I believe in writing fanfiction responsibly, but I am coming from a different direction than heatherly. I want to be responsible to fandom, to my readers, not a possible "victim."
For instance, when a heated discussion of unconscious racism in SGA fanfiction occurred a couple of months back, I agreed it was a serious problem the SGA fandom needed to talk about. The point was not "Don't write about racism!" but instead suggesting a writer think twice about creating an AU where Teyla is a maid and Ronon a chauffeur. I don't think stories like that necessarily "victimize" anyone, but I do feel they are inaccurate characterizations of Teyla and Ronon, based on the writer's unconscious prejudice. Therefore, stories like that are a disservice to fandom. It would be entirely possible to write a realistic SGA AU about racism -- Teyla and Ronon on Earth and dealing with prejudice at Stargate command, for instance. Can anyone rec a story like that?
But how is a racist SGA AU irresponsible when a rape story is not? Both racism and rape have the power to victimize, after all.
There is a important difference between racist SGA AUs and rape stories. The racist SGA AUs contained real racism, unconscious or otherwise. Rape stories do not, however, contain real rape, no matter how much a story may glamorize or trivialize the subject.
I think the only responsibility I have as a fanfiction writer is to write stories with accurate characterization.
P.S. I typed "victim" as fictim by accident. We could use that to refer to the "writing responsibly" argument. I was fictimized by your story! Heh.