Do you prefer original fiction or Fanfiction?

[jano]

(Obviously in regards to the fetish) Ever since I discovered this site, I limited myself to only fanfiction bwcause it was what I was familiar with. Probably also because I would usually know the character already. It feels more personal to me.

These days, I find myself knee-deep in the original fiction section, and completely enjoying myself Which made me think, what about the rest of us on the forum? Do you like to read original fiction or fanfiction, or both, or none? Curious to hear your answers!

[darkness-is-the-light]

I like fanfiction more. I guess it's because I'm attracted to a character already and want to see them in certain fetish situations.

[Sneeze999]

I prefer Original, you can put your own faces to the characters on there, whereas in Fanfiction they are pre-created characters and they aready have a face and personality, so I just prefer Original cos I can, basically, create my own charatcer while reading.

[SilverFox]

I like reading both actually. At times I like reading fanfiction more because I know the character but reading original stories is also great. I like to get to know new characters and events.

[AdrianMarx]

I like both. It's only recently I've discovered how much fun writing original characters can be because I basically have complete freedom to create their personalities and backgrounds which I often did with fanfiction before that because I was more into Alternate Universes. But I do enjoy the skeleton characters fanfiction provides and the predetermined readership. It's much easier to draw people in and, therefore, it provides more opportunity for constructive criticism. And I think that, if you're really into something, it can be a good way to get your creativity flowing. You can just write in a world you don't have to create all on your own so there's none of this worrying about setting because it's all laid out for you.

In terms of reading, I like both too but I have an extreme soft spot for Sherlock fics, I have to say.

[VoOs]

I generally prefer original fiction. I wasn't into fanfiction at all until maybe two years ago, when I became part of a fandom that had characters I cared enough about to want to read about them. Nowadays I certainly enjoy both writing and reading fanfic, but I still tend to find original fetish fiction... sexier? I read fanfiction to squeal and get the warm fuzzies, but when I'm in the mood for porn, I visit the original fic board.

Edited March 19, 2014 by VoOs

[Vetinari]

I don't honestly mind, so long as it is well written. I can even enjoy a fandom with which I am wholly unfamiliar if it's well done. I guess the problems with fandoms come:

1) If it's a show/book I love, but the story is so far out of canon that I can't get into it (I dislike pairings that I find unbelievable, for example)

2) If it's a show I don't know, and the writer hasn't taken the time to make the characters / essential plotlines rounded on the assumption that "everyone knows already".

[Sawyer]

Nowadays I certainly enjoy both writing and reading fanfic, but I still tend to find original fetish fiction... sexier? I read fanfiction to squeal and get the warm fuzzies, but when I'm in the mood for porn, I visit the original fic board.

Just going to second this. I feel the same exactly.

[Ouro]

Nowadays I certainly enjoy both writing and reading fanfic, but I still tend to find original fetish fiction... sexier? I read fanfiction to squeal and get the warm fuzzies, but when I'm in the mood for porn, I visit the original fic board.

Just going to second this. I feel the same exactly.

Thirded.

I'm also much more picky about fanfiction than I am about original fiction, so there tends to be more of the latter that I enjoy. Partly there just aren't that many fandoms I'm into (at least in a fetishy way) these days, but I'm also just ridiculously picky about characterization and tone being in keeping with canon. I think I actually expect more in the way of skill and effort from fanfic writers than I do for writers of original stuff. I suppose that's basically wanting the fanfiction to be as well written as the book/show/movie, which I realize is a big ask in many cases (although we do have some incredibly talented writers here!) but I just can't get into fanfiction if it isn't both really well written and in keeping with the characterization and feel of the original.

Whereas with original, well, it's original. The author is the creator of the characters and world as well as the plot, their vision IS the canon and who am I to say what's right or wrong? I still look for original work to be decently written, but I'm not looking for any particular style, mood, or character representation the way I am when I'm reading fanfiction.

[Azrael]

i enjoy both, but ill ONLY read fanfictions if theyre about someone that ive actually been wanting to read about, or im attracted to. i wont read just any fanfiction, and since im into stuff that practically no one ever writes about...(maybe ill see something i like, once in a blue moon)....i usually will prefer original fics.with originals, you can imagine the characters to be whatever you want them to look like, etc

[Mercury]

I tend to prefer fanfiction, to both write and read.

I think I enjoy reading it more because when I want a story that's sneeze centric, even though I have to have good characters, good writing and at least a smidge of plot, the sneezing seems more at the forefront. With original fiction there needs to be a lot on the way of introducing characters and their world and relationships before any sneezing comes in for me to feel connected to them enough to enjoy it, where as fanfiction already has that going for it. Also, there can be a lot of subtle language choices and references in fanfiction that can be understood by the reader without having to be explained within the text, which then detracts from the the subtlety of it.

With writing, I need to write for an audience. Fanfiction has an audience and I usually have a sense about what people want to see, and little details about the characters they’d enjoy. I’ve tried writing original sneezefic, but I can never do it. It seems far too self indulgent, because the only person I know for sure who would enjoy reading it is me, but when I write a story I don’t find it sexy, because I’m thinking about pacing and language etc. For me, writing original sneezefiction is like literary masturbation, except I always end up frustrated, unsatisfied and wondering why I even bothered trying.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Mercury

[VoOs]

writing original sneezefiction is like literary masturbation

I think this is why I find original fetish stories sexier than fanfic (both to read and write). It's... rawer, somehow. More intimate. For me, the self-indulgent aspect is a positive thing. A fetish fic becomes sexier to me when I can tell that the author was truly enjoying themselves while writing it.

[MoonDuck]

To read, it kind of depends. For fanfiction, it has to be about something I'm familiar with, and I like these because I know the character. For original fiction, I haven't found too many I especially like. Always ends up too romantic, a genre I'm not a big fan of. Seems like it's always someone gets sick and then there's care taking.

To write, fanfiction seems hard. I'm just not good at writing the characters. Most of the stuff I write is based on a daydream that I need help with moving along Original fiction is easier, in my opinion, because you can do whatever you want with the characters, make them do, say, or have the personalities of whatever you want.

[Mercury]

writing original sneezefiction is like literary masturbation

I think this is why I find original fetish stories sexier than fanfic (both to read and write). It's... rawer, somehow. More intimate. For me, the self-indulgent aspect is a positive thing. A fetish fic becomes sexier to me when I can tell that the author was truly enjoying themselves while writing it.

I understand that. For the few original fics I've enjoyed there has been a lot of care and intimacy not just with the sneezing aspect, but also with the development and personalities of characters. The enjoyment that's evident in the writing comes from the characters, regardless of the sneezing, and it seems as if they're writing a sneeze fantasy about characters that already exist in them, if that makes sense.

When it comes to writing I think that's why I don't enjoy the self-indulgency, not just because I rarely enjoy my own writing, but because I would have to create characters for the sole purpose of sneezing, as all my original characters that I plan non-sneezing stories around are unattractive or deliberately nothing special so I wouldn't want to have them sneezing. Thus, even if I did like my own writing, I would be writing a sneezefic with none of the elements I enjoy reading.

... I may be other-thinking this, but for the amount of times I've tried and failed to write an original sneezefic I've had a lot of time to figure out why I've so far been unable to. Although, I do understand and, to some degree, agree with your point.

[Xds9075]

I think I prefer fanfiction. Something about feeling like I know the characters I'm reading about, I think. I have an easier time envisioning it.

[AdrianMarx]

When it comes to writing I think that's why I don't enjoy the self-indulgency, not just because I rarely enjoy my own writing.

Although I do like writing original fiction, this is something I have a problem with too. I'm always too afraid to be totally self-indulgent because then I feel like I can't enjoy it because I wrote it. And, like most people, I'm my own worst critic. In that sense, writing original sneeze fiction for me has to be fluffy because I can't enjoy reading my own writing. I also find self-indulgence on my part to be somewhat embarrassing since this is the first place I've ever been so open about the whole thing. Maybe that will come with time, I don't know. But I think I'd find it a lot easier to be self-indulgent with fanfiction because those characters are far less personal to me. If I were to indulge my own fantasies with my original characters, I think I'd feel exposed because I've spent so much time creating them that they're almost like a projection of myself.

Maybe I'm thinking too much into that. Everything being said, I do enjoy both but for different reasons.

[NoV]

I think that it terms of reading and writing, I prefer original fiction. Writing fanfiction is something I find particularly difficult because everything is already known about the characters, making research - so as to be authentic to the existing fiction world - very important.

I also enjoy reading original fiction because I don't have to rely on prior knowledge to get the most enjoyment from the story. I am unfamiliar with a lot of the fandoms represented on this forum through sneezefics. And very often I am reading purely for the sneezes, not familiar characters

[Candy Dust]

I'd go for original fiction mainly because... well, the type of fanfictions I read are never written in the fetishy zone, I'm afraid. So, I don't know! lol

[tma]

writing original sneezefiction is like literary masturbation

I think this is why I find original fetish stories sexier than fanfic (both to read and write). It's... rawer, somehow. More intimate. For me, the self-indulgent aspect is a positive thing. A fetish fic becomes sexier to me when I can tell that the author was truly enjoying themselves while writing it.

*nods* I personally think that original stories have *much* more personality when they are written with the author's own specific "voice", which (in my opinion) comes across when they are writing for a specific person; whether it be themselves or sometimes a gift fic. Usually with fics that are created to just have a random "audience" like it and/or be popular, to me they fall flat, because what makes a story special to me isn't a generic formula.

I'll admit to being totally self-indulgent re: my writing original fiction. I am *very* happy when other people enjoy it, but I can't imaging writing something that I really wouldn't want to read. Maybe I'm too full of myself (note: there *are* people WAY better at writing than me and I do re-re-re-re read some people's stories), but I *do* go back and re-read what I've written (and even tweak sometimes). I can put really specific images or ideas that *I* love that I wouldn't necessarily see written if I didn't write it.

Original fiction is easier, in my opinion, because you can do whatever you want with the characters, make them do, say, or have the personalities of whatever you want.

For me, both have things that are difficult about them. I *totally* get what you are saying because there is no "canon". But (for me), there is a point when I create a character where I *can't* make them do or say *anything*, because it *would* be out of character, in though I have created the characters.

I'll read both but sometimes I'm a little picky. I *really* want characters to be in character. I generally don't tend to read fandoms that I don't know, unless it is a fandom that is "real world" (like "The Good Wife" or "Hannibal"). Not really into cartoon or anime.

For original I like to have characters that have personality. Also, because of my age, I'm not really into high school age fics.

For both I love it when the writer picks *just* their words and images really carefully. Good writing (for me) makes even sf stories just even YUMMIER. If there is a writer that I I *will* try things that I don't normally try.

I both types of stories.

[GenieBenie]

Well, I had a more interesting reply, but tma covered it

mainly, I like to read fics to feel an emotional happiness and originals to.... *Ahem* enjoy

[Seniorstatus14]

I prefer fanfiction I love knowing the characters because I can just see the story unfolding in my mind like a movie. Plus, for me it's easier to write fanfiction than original fiction because I'm not very creative. Haha

[Hibiscus]

Original fiction all the way, haha.

I rarely know any of the fandoms. When I do know a fandom, my subconscious annoys the heck out of me by always thinking, "Would the character really say this?"

Also, with original, I like seeing the author create their own personalities to put on the characters.

When writing, I prefer Original because I don't have to limit myself to said character's personalities and traits. It's more of a free rein.

[Hibiscus]

It is the best when the author describes their characters actions very well, especially pre, during, and post sneeze. I can't stand stories where it leaves a lot to the imagination. Just UGH!

[March Hare]

Both, but hardly. I've read so much fiction over the years, I've become incredibly picky. There are only a few fandoms I want to read about - and a lot of fandoms which I just wish nobody would ever touch because OMG NO HOW CAN YOU IT'S BLASPHEMY AND ANATHEMA - and original fiction has to be... well, really original, for me to enjoy it.

So I might almost just as well say 'neither, with exceptions'.

[PuddinPop]

I'm not incredibly picky. I do like to read fanfiction because I get a feeling that I know the characters well and seem to able to see everything in my head more clearly than I can with original.

This is just talking about fetish fiction, by the way.

With original fiction there needs to be a lot on the way of introducing characters and their world and relationships before any sneezing comes in for me to feel connected to them enough to enjoy it, where as fanfiction already has that going for it.

I agree with this completely. I do like reading original fiction, but only if I actually have the time to read it. I can only enjoy reading original fiction if I get to know the characters through the writing and if I'm just looking for pr0n then I tend to steer away from original. I can't get into original stories where there is no character introduction or backgrounds or relationships, just because I feel like I don't know who the characters are and I also feel like I'm almost intruding on other people's work. I can't really explain it.

However, with fanfiction, I can read fanfics on fandoms that I'm not familiar with, but I do tend to enjoy them much more if it's a fandom that I know and also a character that I'm attracted to. Like Ouro, however, there are only a few fandoms on here that I am actually interested in, so although there is an abundance of a particular fandom that I like, there isn't too much else that takes my fancy, so I don't tend to go into the stories section too much.