Should I? Shouldn't I?

[Dreamfire]

Hi Y’all.

I want to ask those who read my BJ fan fic a serious question. When I started writing BJ fanfic it was to satisfy my own hunger for stories about these characters and the premise of the story. I did it for love. Recently I found myself scared to put up a story because of the response I might get if the girls who read it felt offended that I had taken such liberties with the lives of our loved characters. Hmm, made me realize I had shifted from writing for my joy to trying to fill others expectations so they would have joy.

I have mapped out stories all the way to 2010 where some of the stories written, some in progress and some done but before I post I want to make sure this is the right place to put them up. They contain radical things like the divorce I just posted, Jimmy being a complete dog, and way out scenarios that might not really happen in real life, like Hank getting police status, undercover work for Jim, Marty being nice, you know, stuff that shows character development and change past that which happened in the series. I would like to know if I should post them here on this board or pop them elsewhere so you guys don’t have to see it?

If you don't care either way, that's fine, I'll go ahead and post here but if there are some who'd rather I didn't, please let me know and I will just use fanfic.net or something.

Cheers
N

[Duchess of Lashes]

Whether you do or don't is entirely up to you - I would hate to think that you would quit writing, something you obviously enjoy, because you think you are going to offend some people. For those of us who aren't finding the enjoyment we used to find in your earlier fan fics or don't agree with what you are doing to the characters or the storylines, we can simply choose not to read them.

[Dreamfire]

Thanks LL,

I have no intention to stop writing, just wondering where to post. Thanks for your feed back. N

longlashes said:

Whether you do or don't is entirely up to you - I would hate to think that you would quit writing, something you obviously enjoy, because you think you are going to offend some people. For those of us who aren't finding the enjoyment we used to find in your earlier fan fics or don't agree with what you are doing to the characters or the storylines, we can simply choose not to read them.

[Duchess of Lashes]

Good, I'm glad to hear it! But can you do me a favor? Slow down! You don't even give us time to digest one before there's another posted. It's nice to have some time to breathe between these stories. I know because I spent my whole weekend breathing and catching up on some really fabulous fics I have missed over on fanfic.net.

Fanfic.net seems to be the place to post if you are going to roll them out that quickly. Perhaps just posting that link would be a good alternative?

[mlm828]

I basically agree with LL's original reply. I don't think it's a question of offending people. After all, none of us created these characters. My personal preference is for stories that continue the characters' development in a way that seems consistent with what we know about them from the 13 episodes. Speaking only for myself, I find it difficult to enjoy a story when the characters do or say things I don't think they would do. It takes me out of the story if I start thinking, "Jim (or whoever) would never do (or say) that." But we all have our own ideas of where these characters might have gone in the Blind Justice future (if only there had been one!), and no one can say her ideas are any more valid than anyone else's.

[Chris]

I also agree with LL's original answer, if someone doesn't enjoy your stories they might just skip them.
I enjoy reading your stories, I might not agree with you having Jim and Christie divorcing, being the big, soft romantic that I am, but I am always enjoying reading them anyway.
Like MLM said, as long as I feel that what the characters say and do is true to what I think they would say and do, I enjoy reading the fan fic, even if there is parts of the story-line I don't agree with.
In short, keep them coming, here or at ff.net, I for one love your fan fics

Take care and keep smiling
- Chris - I'm such a Romantic

[Katryna]

I more or less agree with LL's response as well. I do not read most of the fanfic because I just don't have the time to do it. Additionally, I am not well-versed in the "rules" of writing fanfic as to whether or not the writer is obligated to present the characters EXACTLY the way they were in the original broadcast. For instance, Chris mentioned the divorce...I have no problem with that. I don't think one should completely re-write a character, but who really knows how these characters would have developed.

That said....it is fan fic. Not something that someone is writing as a novel that can be published. It is just for fun, isn't it? And if people read it and enjoy it, that's all that can be hoped. For that reason - that it is for fun (in my opinion) - why subject it to such intense scrutiny? Take it for what it is and enjoy it for that. If you don't enjoy it, don't read it. I have no objection to it being posted here. As I said, I don't read the majority of it. I just skip over it.

[rducasey]

In my opinion, I would hope you would continue to post here. I really enjoy fanfic. It makes no difference to me that the characters remain true to the series or not. (I don't know if there are rules about that but from some of the stories on fanfic.net, I would guess "no". 'Let your imagination run wild', or something similar I think it says ) Maybe it is the teacher in me that just enjoys the beauty of the work in terms of imagery, style, and good word choice. Sometimes I am just blown away by particular lines, and find myself rereading these lines and thinking how some people just have an ability to express things so well. I love watching the creative juices flowing, and know that person is writing for the pure joy of it. So in my opinion, stories and more stories please. Gosh, he could become the first blind astronaut for all I care, because, "truth", at the end of the day, he is back in the eighth solving crimes and going home to Christie. Isn't he? Maybe the rest is "in his imagination".
On a particularly boring day in the eighth, Jim Dunbar sat back in his chair with the latest argument with Christie banging around in his head. Couples yoga, and she had already signed them up! What was she thinking? Didn't she know he was only kidding when he mentioned that? Ah, what would it be like to be single again with all the adoring ladies......(insert N's story here) Works for me.

[Dreamfire]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Sorry to anyone who got the idea I was considering giving up writing BJ. It was never on the cards, the questions was about just where to post. From the responses here and the personal messages I've had no one seems to mind if I do keep posting.

I will continue to post my stories here. If they get too wild I will make a note on the top or let you know where they are if even I think they're too wild for the board.

Love,
A
Mmm, Jimmy D The astronaught?... Let me see...

[Deleted]

For the record, I share this link that gives a broader definition of fan fiction, etc. www.agentwithstyle.com/glossary.htm

Since this thread was started, for what reason I remain unclear, I will say that perhaps a *warning* should be put if the story is a little too wild. Let's end this thread with for those who like it read it; for those who prefer the characters to remain true to form, don't read it.

Plain and simple.

[anna]

There were fics and RPG's early on in which Jim and Christie divorced; one, both, or neither remarried; Jim had an affair or developed a post-divorce relationship with Karen or a new female character. The earth didn't spin off its axis. Personally, I like Jim/Christie, but I read all of it and don't remember ever getting upset about anything. Write whatever you like and post away!

[maggiethecat]

Amen, anna, and post away, ashatan.

We all have a different and entirely personal idea of what constitutes satisfying fanfic . . . just as all of us on this board have different takes on the characters, which has made for some wonderfully lively conversations in the past almost-two years. For me? Well, I respond to fic that adheres more strictly to what we know of the characters from the 13 episodes, for the simple reason that we were cheated out of additional episodes, and some of these fics fill that gap. That's what I tried to do, anyway -- create missing episodes -- when I wrote "Out of the Psst" and "The One-eyed Man." It's what pleases me, as a writer, and I will take that one step further and say that no writer creates in a vacuum, and so I was writing what I hoped (!) my friends on this board would enjoy. And it's a kind of fantasy/wish fulfillment (case in point, I had a blast envisioning Jim in my "Godfather" nightmare; and I keep seeing Stockard Channing as Miss Mary!).

But's that just me, folks. This is just my take on things, and what I am inspired to write, as it's a kind of enjoyable mental exercise (for me) trying to keep my characters true to the episodes we know. That others are inspired to take things one or two or twelve steps further is just fine.

This board has ALWAYS been an open and inclusive forum, in which we are free to express ourselves in any way that doesn't offend or injure anyone. So if anyone wants to write fic that takes the character far afield? GO FOR IT! Why not? It's all brain candy, and it's just for fun.

Mags

PS. I know, I know. I never finished "The One-eyed Man." I will, though. Believe it.

[hoosier]

I am just happy that you continue to write and share your stories with us. I look forward to reading all of them. Post away!

[Dreamfire]

maggiethecat said:

PS. I know, I know. I never finished "The One-eyed Man." I will, though. Believe it.

OOOh yay!

[bjobsessed]

ashatan said:

maggiethecat said:

PS. I know, I know. I never finished "The One-eyed Man." I will, though. Believe it.

OOOh yay!

That's good news! ;D