fan fiction?

[kcomics]

Well, I started posting some of my drafts to Archives of Our Own, so far no one has read any of my works. They're just drafts; I get impatient and don't usually develop whole stories, so they may not even be worth reading, but the lack of feedback is a bit discouraging.

[HellHere]

People aren't there for drafts, they're there for stories. If you write stories, and tag them correctly, people will read and comment and kudos.

Plus, if you don't write stories, there's even less reason to be worrying about making money off them. The level of expectation for what people pay for is even higher.

[kcomics]

What about it? If DC aren't signed up for it, they're not signed up for it. And if you're getting paid, it's not fanfic. Fanfic by it's nature is by fans for other fans. Plus at least you get to keep some control of your story and where it's put up.

This is just a way for companies to expand their products with no risk on their end and no need to pay the people developing them even the peanuts that pro-writers get.

It doesn't really matter, because the Batman franchise isn't part of the Kindleworlds' agreement, so if I write Batman fan fiction, I've done it just because I like it. I guess I just like the idea of established brands actually taking chances on new writers and making it worth their while; it makes me feel like the admiration isn't just one-sided. I think I would be far more likely to consume a quality product and try to contribute to it if the people who developed the product accepted my contributions as valid and worthwhile. Either way, though, I have started writing fan fiction again, even though DC hasn't given any limited licenses to its Batman fans, so for now it's just for fun.

[kcomics]

People aren't there for drafts, they're there for stories. If you write stories, and tag them correctly, people will read and comment and kudos.

Plus, if you don't write stories, there's even less reason to be worrying about making money off them. The level of expectation for what people pay for is even higher.

I know. I wanted to start posting drafts to at least get a little feedback, but I'm not going to say they're worth anything. That's up to my readers to decide. I didn't spend a lot of time on them, so they probably aren't very good, right now.

[kcomics]

So far, I've only written for fun. I wish there was a way for me to get more readers, though. It says my works have gotten a few hits, but no one has left any comments, so I don't really have any feedback on what I need to improve upon. I have a degree in English, so I shouldn't be half bad as a writer, even though my fan fiction usually consists of lazily assembled drafts.

[HellHere]

N/m.

Honestly, writing is work and it just doesn't sound like you enjoy it.

[kcomics]

You are right. I haven't felt like writing fan fiction in a while. I just don't feel like putting the energy into something that isn't going to yield any returns. I've thought of some great concepts, though, but, really, what good is a work if it won't get many readers? Now, if I were in a position to write and publish a cool little graphic novel using these characters, that would be incentive, but DC won't allow lay fans to do that. Past writers have created great interpretations of the comic book stories, such as Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, but lay fans aren't allowed to make such contributions. DC fan fiction is more or less just a hobby for lay fans with no rights to gain returns on their works. I'm not saying I won't write anyway, but, seriously, what good is a great story if there's no one to read it? I tried writing and publishing to AO3; a few people probably read my work, but I didn't get any comments. I maybe felt like it was sort of a waste of time.

[TomServofan]

I'm an adult, and fan fiction writing is seen as a waste of time if it can't get published and make money; that's the world I live in. Plus, I'll admit to being a totally irrational fan girl over some of my favorite DC characters. Too bad Batman isn't one of the options for the Kindle Worlds series. I would love to write fanfics I could actually get paid for...oh well...

“Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”


― C.S. Lewis

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

@kcomics- i think you should think about why you wanna write and what you wanna write. Writing Batman is a good bucket list goal or whatever but it shouldnt be the only reason you want to write. If it is than maybe getting work as an editor maybe a good place to start.

I dont think its childish to write fanfiction as an adult. If you do it as a hobby or for fun go at it. The childishness comes in when you decided that your gonna be a writer thats get paid for writing batman based on your fanfiction. Buddy it doesn't work like that. Most writers who work for Marvel and DC are proffessional writers who have done other things, especially their own things. Heck they work on other things while working on batman.

Your childish not because you wanna write fanfiction but because you dont understand what it is or how to make it work for you.

[lumusislight]

Originally Posted by tellmeaboutcomics
Should I publish my first fanfic story on WattPad, myfanfic or pimion? I found one of the stories there too: A Batman Fanfiction ~ Bruce And Me. Will posting on reddit be a good way to hear the criticism? How can I know I'm not repeating the storylines?

I would never post my first story on Reddit (or second, or third, or any story at all). Just read The Most Unsettling Batman Fan Fiction by Hannah Collins to get an idea what has already been written and perhaps it can help you think of some good alternatives.

[Restingvoice]

People make and post fanfic because they like the characters and they like to write about them.

It doesn't really matter where you post it, the response will be slow. A lot of people read fanfic but the people who comments are registered member. At least. So out of maybe 20-50 people reading you'll only get 1 comment.

Fanart or fan comic gets more response because they're short and easier to read. Even on computer, maybe especially on a computer, people are more lazy to read compared to watch.

People who read fanfic tend to have a specific taste, for example, a ship they already like, or a genre they want to see.

The popular ship in the Batfam is Dick Babs, Dick Kori, Jason Dick, Jason Tim, Superman Batman, Batman Catwoman, Bruce Diana, Dick Slade, Tim Kon, Tim Steph, Damian Jon, Damian Maps... while the popular setting is the whole Batman family sitcom where they pile everyone together in Wayne Manor and funny shenanigans ensue.

Other than that there's high school drama, cafe, college, mermaids, flower shop, and so on...

Of course, there's the genre to consider too. Comedy, romance, hurt and comfort... can't tell which one's the most popular though...

If the fans already know what they're looking for then that's what they browsed, for example, their specific pairing or setting that they already like. People who browse everything are usually first-timers who haven't discover a specific taste or fetish... or has consumed all the fic they like and want to expand...

So if your genre isn't popular it may take months or years before people discover it.

So my only suggestion is whatever fic you make, spread the link with tags, hashtags or keywords in various social media... or... browse what's popular in the fandom and make a fic of that, then send the link to the people who ask for it.

Also, why are you worried about being an adult and writing fanfic? If you don't tell me you're an adult, I don't even know you're an adult.

Well... I was assuming you're going to use a username but it sounds like since you want income and recognition too so maybe you're going to use your real name... correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, people will read your fic for the characters first. If it's good, then they'll want to read more fic from you, and if you're active in social media, THEN they want to find out more about you. That's gonna take some time depending on how popular your fic is in the fandom.

[Celgress]

Hi,

I'm sort of a fan of detective comics, especially some of the Batman villains. I wanted to know if there was a place I could go to read and post short fan fiction works.

Here is where I post my fanfics. I have quite a few readers who follow me (about two thousand at last count) so it can be done, but it took about two years to establish myself -

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5362168/

[Zaresh]

Also, why are you worried about being an adult and writing fanfic? If you don't tell me you're an adult, I don't even know you're an adult.

In additon to this part.
Plenty of adults write fanfics. If they're actual professional writers, they usually use an alias, unless they don't care at all about being identified. And yes, even famous writers write fanfics. Some start their writing venture with fanfics even (and then write some original works that actually make their names known).

There's nothing wrong or childish about writing a story based on a piece of fiction written by other people. At worst, there're some legal issues if you want to profit on your fanfics... in some countries, actually, but not all across the globe.

By the way, @restingvoice is giving some pretty good advice in the matter of advertising and sharing work. And having an actual releasing schedule also helps with gaining followers, too.