Should one ignore canon when writing fan fiction?

[Bendy 1,819]

Should one ignore canon when writing fan fiction?

 

I for one think you should. I don't think someone should limit themselves to what is canon.

 

If you want to write a 18+ grimdark pony story, then write it.

 

Don't like the way the griffons were portrayed in canon show? Well, go write your own griffon race in alternate universe to the show then. With their own country or whatever.

 

Want Pinkie Pie to be cold blooded killer in your story? Then write it.

 

Don't like a pony being shipped with 'X' in canon? Then ship them with someone else in your story.

 

Don't like 'X' in canon ignore it and write own history of Equestria.

 

I for one think sticking too close to the canon makes your sorry boring. As long as the characters behave somewhat like their canon selves I tend to enjoy the story.

 

I don't mind out of character so much, as long as they aren't out of character all the time. Even then, I enjoyed some stories where they were OOC.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Bendy

[ConcorDisparate 385]

Art should not follow any rules (as long as you're not hurting anyone, that is).

You may not like it, but that doesn't mean it's not likeable.

 

Rules should only apply when you want to stick to a certain style. If you write an horror movie, you can't write a story with no link whatsoever with the horror. it's logical. And still, that doesn't mean you can't create an horror movie in a world of unicorns, as long as it follows the style.

 

You can create whatever you want, as long as you're not pretending to belong to one style or another while you're not : You can't write a story about pinkie pie rampaging ponies and pretend to write canon fan fiction. But that does not mean you cannot write it at all. And as long as I am concerned, fan fiction does not limit you. Of course, your work should have link to the universe you're using, but you're not forced to write canon stories.

 

See, I don't mind if people are writing dark and horrible stories in the MLP universe. As long as they warn people :okiedokielokie: .

Edited July 30, 2015 by ConcorDisparate

[Sky Knight 1,172]

Depends on which direction you would like to take with your fan fiction. It doesn't need to be cannon just like it doesn't need to be all its own universe. If you feel being canon will improve the story you're telling then go for it, if not then don't. I personally think it's more creative when people think up new and interesting stories. But I also find canon fan fiction has its merits too, most notably because we have reference of what you're talking about.

[Alleviate 342]

Depends on the fiction really. It can instantly give characters background and purpose, but it can also feel bland and overdone if the author's not careful. Observing canon quickly gives you a starting point and you don't need to explain much because everyone generally knows what you're talking about without explanation, but similarly, it greatly limits the story if you follow it too much, so a loose following it probably optimal. Just enough that Equestria and its citizens are in the right state of existence, but that's about where it should end, unless that's the direction that fiction is taking. Re-inventing canon character backstories with little-to-no reason is a bit of a no-go for me though. Sure, editting them slightly and adding you're own take on them is fine, but completely annihilating a pre-existing character just so you can re-build them? Nahh. Unless, of course, that's the focus of the fic, then by all means, do so.

 

At the end of the day, fuck it (not literally. That could cause complications)- it's fan-fiction, do what you will (apart from Edgy Red and Black Alicorn OCs), I know what I do!

[superdogz1999 551]

Yes I think so. Fanfiction is totally up to the writer and no matter what direction they can go in the story, the writer can either ignore canon or not ignore canon.

[Commissar Alexer 763]

Stick close as possible.

 

OOC characters aren't that really liked.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

The point of fan fic is to create your own story, so if you want to ignore canon, you should.

[Steve Piranha 28,778]

That depends with what are you aiming for. If you wanna ignore canon of something already stabilished as canon, you should justify it, otherwise, I see no problem with it

[Prince Firemane 309]

I think it depends. If you're writing your story as if it's taking place in the Equestria we see on the show, then yes, you should stick to canon as much as possible. If you're writing your story in an established alternate universe, then by all means do what you want.

[Megas 27,063]

I depends on what you write. If your story your writing about depends on canon events, then it should follow. If not, then write to your hearts content

Edited August 5, 2015 by Lemon Zest

[Justin_Case001 4,855]

There is no should or shouldn't.  Write whatever you want.  Though it may be a good idea to include a little disclaimer or something that says if your story includes non-canon elements.  This might prevent butthurtedness.

[Wolfeus Silverpaw 301]

I ignore canon when writing, personally. That way I can write myself into the story (Nightlight Sparkle) and I don't have to worry about what to do with Spike (because he doesn't exist in the universe I write in). Though, while I want all the ponies to have a tender, loving side, I also take their personalities into account.

[Kiri 7,277]

Embrace the fact that as a writer, you have the power to bend "reality".

 

I personally like it when people take their creative liberties and deviate from the canon of the show because it gives me a whole new perspective on Equestria. 

Edited August 1, 2015 by Quartz Aegis

[BlueBrony 388]

I believe to qualify as fan fiction, it must be inspired by show canon. People who read fan fiction expect for there to be heavy influences from the source material (people who read fallout equestria expect influences from fallout and MLP). However, influenced is not the same as completely consistent. Changes and liberties help to make fan fiction unique and interesting. People read fan fiction to read a good story. Canon can provide a nice ready-made foundation with established characters and rules, but if the story is not told well, it will not be good.

[RarityFan01 2,444]

It depends on the writer. I personally prefer to stick to canon unless otherwise specified, but some prefer to not stick to canon. My non-canon ones have canon in them, but not completely. One of my fanfictions that I'm no longer writing was based off comics, so it's techincally not based on canon. I think it should be specified is canon is ignored, though. I don't want to read a fanfiction where Pinkie Pie is an alicorn from Mars without a warning. It would throw me off. 

[Steel Accord 6,658]

It depends on a lot of things.

 

For one thing if you're story takes place in a sci-fi reimagining, you're already in an alternate universe so some breaks from canon are acceptable.

 

Some fics have this as a deliberate action. What if? stories.

 

Overall, the kinds of stories where the canon should be the most heavily considered are the more character focused or slice of life fics. Their nature as character pieces mean that the characters have to be as close to canon as the writer can make them. If they aren't, then the piece looses it's ability to act as a character study.

 

Canon, in general, is good to keep in mind unless you are deliberately subverting it. Reading fanfics means we have some preconceived notions of the events in these character's lives, damaging that risks loosing the reader.

[[NULL] 906]

Most of the time, yes. If the show ends up establishing something that contradicts your fanfiction, you could just say it takes place in an alternate timeline, or something. Most fanfictions are what-if scenarios anyway.

[Fellytones 17]

Isn't that what AU fics are for?

[Silver Letter 1,830]

The "fanfiction" genre of writing operates by distorting or expanding canon universes. Canon is not as much ignored but changed to suit a story's purpose. For all other types of story that is meant to fit in the universe of MLP or something else, canon should be recognized.

[Quinch 1,119]

Not fully ignore, no, but my personal philosophy is never to let canon get in the way of writing a good story. The less conflict it has with established canon makes it that much easier to mentally insert it into the world, but in the end, all fanfiction is non-canonical.

[BlackWater627 700]

 

 

Art should not follow any rules (as long as you're not hurting anyone, that is).

 

 

This is the law of art: there are no rules. 

 

I kind of stick to canon. But I can never keep my stories accurate to future canon, so I make a rule of only following canon as it is when I first draft the outline. There's no reason I have to follow canon at all though. I do tend to like stories that have close ties to the official show, however. That said, one of the current stories I'm writing is based off of S2 canon because I started it like two years ago. lol 

[VengefulStrudel 1,486]

I don't think there's a "should" or "should't" rule for art, do what fits your story best. I personally prefer fics that break the canon and do something different~

[skbl17 199]

Depends on the author. If you feel your story would be better by sticking to "the canon line" than being completely original, then follow canon.