Is fanfiction a good substitute for reading books?

[Fluttershutter 2,529]

I'm sure there is good fan fiction but wading through all the crap makes it just about impossible to find, that's why I don't read much. At least you know a book was good enough to get published.

On 12/20/2012 at 3:38 PM, MorningFlash said:

Obviously reading a book on a screen could never compare to flicking the pages of a book.

Thank you! There's way too much reliance on screens these days and don't get me started with the obsession with audiobooks!

Yes, I'm a book snob.

On 12/20/2012 at 3:44 PM, Crispy said:

Psh.  You kids today will never know the joy of unrolling and rerolling scrolls.

 The cool kids paint on cave walls.

 

Edited July 10, 2020 by Fluttershutter

[HeavenSunset 1,867]

Isn't it the exact same?

[KatonRyu 1,033]

It kind of depends on how well the fanfic is written. Some are much, much better than a lot of books out there, so there's no real reason why they wouldn't be a good substitute, but others have such atrocious spelling and grammar that reading them is almost physically painful, in addition to often having ludicrously stupid plots.

[Jedishy 3,549]

Written works are written works. Some are good and some are bad. So I don't view it as replacement or not. Its just does it fit the universe and lore or doesn't it.  I mean I'm reading some CMC books now that are good but they are no FoE by KKat. 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,315]

5 hours ago, Fluttershutter said:

There's way too much reliance on screens these days

I rely on my Kindle. I don't use it to be trendy or "in". My eyesight is very poor. Even wearing my glasses, which I need every waking moment  (I have no memory of not wearing glasses) I get terrible headaches if I read hard cover books for more than an hour. I can't read paperbacks any more. If I can't get it in large print volumes, I HAVE to read it on my Kindle. I have the font set as large as it can go. I can read for as long as I like, with no headaches or eyestrain. It's a blessing for me. Oh, and my prescription is up to date. Sadly, I fully expect sometime in the coming years, to be classed as legally blind.

 

You should see how large I have my computer display web pages!

Edited July 10, 2020 by cuteycindyhoney

[Fluttershutter 2,529]

5 hours ago, cuteycindyhoney said:

I rely on my Kindle. I don't use it to be trendy or "in". My eyesight is very poor. Even wearing my glasses, which I need every waking moment  (I have no memory of not wearing glasses) I get terrible headaches if I read hard cover books for more than an hour. I can't read paperbacks any more. If I can't get it in large print volumes, I HAVE to read it on my Kindle. I have the font set as large as it can go. I can read for as long as I like, with no headaches or eyestrain. It's a blessing for me. Oh, and my prescription is up to date. Sadly, I fully expect sometime in the coming years, to be classed as legally blind.

 

You should see how large I have my computer display web pages!

But you're missing out on having twice your weight in books. 

[Tao 7,981]

I love books myself and always have two on me at all times! But I also find fanfiction to be a nice break also when I cannot find a book to read. 

[Twilight-Sparkle17 230]

They're two different mediums for which to write a story in. While I do enjoy a good book, I also enjoy a good fanfiction (as long as the story's well-written and told in a compelling way). When reading a story, poor grammar can really break the emersion that I have with a story. Same goes for if the characters are written grossly out of character and a lot younger than their actual age (with the exception of Pinkie Pie, of course).

However, books do feel really good to hold in one's hand. Plus the old book smell is a really good smell. So, fanfictions don't make a good substitute for a good book as the two can't adequately be compared.

[TBD 17,256]

Published books are in a whole level compare to unpublished stories. The only different between the two is that published books undergo deep editing and having sponsors. I don't think 'fanfiction' should consider as a good substitute for books giving the fact author(s) has taken their time very seriously to put the effort to editing and getting their work published. Fanfictions are just for fun/hobby. I'm not discouraging anyone who writes for hobby because I myself do the same. And I do agree that some fanfictions have a better intake than the original plot. But enough to substitute published books? No. Why? It's all come to the differences between canon and non-canon.

Moreover so, sponsors who helped get your stories published knows what to keep and what's not to keep. There's pro and con to that. The con is sometime they would ask authors to remove some few things from their stories just to have the story fit in their own image and expectation. So in a way it limited the writer's creativity. I remember doing a final script writing project and my professor sorta pushes me to edit my story to sound more like the norm typical story. The pro to that is sometime they know it's for the best. Authors tends to believe they can write whatever to satisfied their fans but often fall distracted by the fan's expectations. Leaving their stories falling more into 'fanfictions' rather then their own professional work. As example, "Romantic Apocalyptic," a webcomic. The authors and I was just discussing about how to get their comic famous and acknowledged. I advised her to get their comics published but she refused due to not wanting the company to take control of their work. Which is fine, but the problem with their comics is they're letting their fans tell the stories and not them. Which at the end the comic want downhill for me ever since. 

 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,315]

12 hours ago, Fluttershutter said:

But you're missing out on having twice your weight in books. 

Putting smile faces doesn't make the comment less hurtful. I wasn't joking. Don't you think I wish I had good eyesight? I miss being able to pick up any book I want to read.

[Fluttershutter 2,529]

1 hour ago, cuteycindyhoney said:

Putting smile faces doesn't make the comment less hurtful. I wasn't joking. Don't you think I wish I had good eyesight? I miss being able to pick up any book I want to read.

It was just a joke. People always tease me about how many books I have. I always compare myself to Twilight that way.

 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,315]

1 hour ago, Fluttershutter said:

It was just a joke. People always tease me about how many books I have. I always compare myself to Twilight that way.

 

I over reacted a little. Sorry.

[Vefka 1,499]

The only difference for me is that books are printed on paper and fics are published on websites. There are bad stories in both cases (except there are a lot more bad fics because of low enter threshold). As for myself I like reading fanfics and Background Pony is my favorite writing of all books and fanfics I've ever read