This is a toughie. I hear what you're saying about writing fanfic vs original fic. (In fact, I'm dragging my feet about writing either right now to respond to this--oh LJ, what a lovely time sink you are!)
The thing with fanfic is that most of the worldbuilding is done. Your audience is coming into it already in love with the characters. They are predisposed to like them, and hey! There's a forum in place for instantaneous feedback! *You* love the characters as well--you know them as well as you do your own family--perhaps even better!
Contrast that with writing OF. Original fiction is *hard* You have to world-build from the ground up. You are struggling to learn your own characters--they may or may not reveal themselves to you. You have to shut out fanfic because that easy, natural, *beloved* voice speaks louder than the new voice you're trying to hear. The sandbox is bigger. People don't always like your stories and they are more willing to be openly disparaging about them. And the feedback! You're lucky if you get a tenth of what you get from posting a fanfic story!
I struggle with this daily. Sometimes though, writing fanfic is like cleansing the palette between OF stories. If you look at it as a writing *exercise*, then you can justify it. ;-)
This past week I've been avoiding finishing a cheer-me-up fanfic story for a friend of a friend. I have no idea why I am struggling to write--normally it is a joy. I'm worried about the story and the recipient as a result. I have another (big) story on a deadline that I need to start and the reality is, I should be writing OF *right now*.
Bottom line for me is that sometimes you just need to sit down and write.. Stop worrying if it is good or bad and tell the story you want to tell. I leave you with John Sheppard for motivational support here. :-)
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The thing with fanfic is that most of the worldbuilding is done. Your audience is coming into it already in love with the characters. They are predisposed to like them, and hey! There's a forum in place for instantaneous feedback! *You* love the characters as well--you know them as well as you do your own family--perhaps even better!
Contrast that with writing OF. Original fiction is *hard* You have to world-build from the ground up. You are struggling to learn your own characters--they may or may not reveal themselves to you. You have to shut out fanfic because that easy, natural, *beloved* voice speaks louder than the new voice you're trying to hear. The sandbox is bigger. People don't always like your stories and they are more willing to be openly disparaging about them. And the feedback! You're lucky if you get a tenth of what you get from posting a fanfic story!
I struggle with this daily. Sometimes though, writing fanfic is like cleansing the palette between OF stories. If you look at it as a writing *exercise*, then you can justify it. ;-)
This past week I've been avoiding finishing a cheer-me-up fanfic story for a friend of a friend. I have no idea why I am struggling to write--normally it is a joy. I'm worried about the story and the recipient as a result. I have another (big) story on a deadline that I need to start and the reality is, I should be writing OF *right now*.
Bottom line for me is that sometimes you just need to sit down and write.. Stop worrying if it is good or bad and tell the story you want to tell. I leave you with John Sheppard for motivational support here. :-)