Birds said:
This is not my idea, mind you. Someone over at the Outlander board said that they find fan fiction creepy (in a thread about copyright issues).
Now, I do sometimes feel a bit of an imposter because I freely help myself to all the wonderful N&S character backgrounds created by Gaskell, and by the actors (and everybody else who participated in the process) of the mini-series, and just start happily writing away without doing the groundwork first...
I, too, have heard this line of talk on other threads over the years, Birds. Basically, they say, "Why can't you write an original story and not rest on the laurels of someone else?" Nine times out of ten, these comments are made by those who haven't written anything and have no idea how challenging it is.
I wager that a majority this generation's top writers' early attempts utilized varying degrees of imitation of
their favorite writers' works, be it by imagining a sequel, adopting a similar plot line or by borrowing an interesting feature from the original they love. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it is said. We have to begin
somehow. Like young children, we toddle along with one hand gripping our parent's finger, until we learn to balance, to walk and then, to run. Rare is it that someone's first attempts are exceptional. The goal for most of us, I assume, is to improve in skill and, perhaps, to attempt an original work; but until then, we practice; and practice, hopefully, makes perfect.
So, I come to the next question:
Why is there so much fan fiction about N&S? ...
...considering that the book is mostly unknown even in English speaking countries (and as for beyond; there has never been a German translation, for example), and even many of the mini-series' audience came across it only by accident?
What do you think--what is it in N&S that inspires creativity?
This is only a theory, but I doubt we would have seen the flurry of N&S based stories if the tv mini-series had
never been attempted and if we did not live during this age of global communication. First, that visually compelling, brooding tale of misery and unrequited love accomplished most of it. Not to mention the magnetic performance of one Richard Armitage. The screen story (and he) captured the hearts of many a fair lady in a way that the book - as gripping as it is - could not do to such a limited audience. Then, in consequence of N&S's first airing on tv and magnified during this age of blogs and websites and video streams, the magic happened. Viewers(and the media) began discussing the amazing series and encouraging others to view it. For some, writing a sequel to the series for their friends was a natural desire to prolong its mesmerizing effect. As in my case, and in yours, Birds, I think, we received wonderful encouragement to continue and...Voila! Those who never considered writing found they could produce something of interest, even of quality, though not yet ready to go without the comfort of the structure of the original story. But one day................an original story idea arrives unbidden!
Laura said:
I agree with what you said to Pat the other day on her fanfic thread, that because of the story's abrupt ending (in the book and the series) it feels that there is unfinished business and that John and Margaret's story has just begun with so much more to tell.
This is probably true, but I couldn't help thinking of one of the 'alternative endings' to P&P in the e-book,"Lost in Austen" where Elizabeth decides
not to marry Darcy because every romance she'd ever read ended with a proposal, a marriage and a big THE END - as if life for the heroine ceased to exist after the marriage.
Almost all romance movies/books end quite abruptly when the main characters come together, resolve their differences, declare their love and marry. There was something exceptional about N&S, however. Personally, I think it was the darkness of the drama, especially RA's riveting performance, which struck a specific chord with the public and made us not want to leave him and Margaret ever.
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birds_14
9 years ago
This is only a theory, but I doubt we would have seen the flurry of N&S based stories if the tv mini-series had never been attempted and if we did not live during this age of global communication.
Of course. Fan fiction is very much a phenomena of the 21st century and came up on a larger scale with the internet and social media. The TV series in 2004 hit a nerve at the right time--and definitely largely due to RA.
But still, Margaret Hale's story is incomplete in a way that e.g. Elizabeth Bennet's or Jane Eyre's are not. Those novels give us an outlook on their heroines' married lives in the end, however short. But even if this wasn't so, there are still not as many loose ends as in Margaret's case... The latter will have to come to terms not only with married life, but with a less than enthusiastic mother-in-law, Milton society (where she'd been an outsider before) and making friends there (apart from Nicholas and Mary), plus finding some occupation for herself (I just can't see her as a full-time housewife--she is a 'do-gooder', after all).
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laura1-07
9 years ago
But still, Margaret Hale's story is incomplete in a way that e.g. Elizabeth Bennet's or Jane Eyre's are not.
Yes, I agree. But also, John's story as well. We want to know if he will rebuild Marlborough Mills back to its former glory.
N&S fanfic was the first that I read. I just couldn't get enough of it, especially the continuing story ones because I just wanted to know what happened next.
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birds_14
9 years ago
Yes, I agree. But also, John's story as well. We want to know if he will rebuild Marlborough Mills back to its former glory.
Yes, of course we want to know that. And also how he fares with suddenly having two strong-minded women not only in his life but under his roof... Will it all turn out well, or will he feel stuck between a rock and a hard place?
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laura1-07
9 years ago
Yes, of course we want to know that. And also how he fares with suddenly having two strong-minded women not only in his life but under his roof... Will it all turn out well, or will he feel stuck between a rock and a hard place?
Yes, I like to think whilst trying not to get stuck in the middle he would take the side of his new wife over his mother, especially while she adjusts to living with Mrs T.
I like to imagine John as a father as well. From what we see of the interaction with young Tommy in the series, I bet he will make a great one.
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birds_14
9 years ago
I like to imagine John as a father as well.
...and thers's that. Do you happen to know any N&S fan fiction which goes that far into the future, Laura? (thinking not of babies but school age kids, who are a very different challenge, after all... )
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laura1-07
9 years ago
Do you happen to know any N&S fan fiction which goes that far into the future, Laura?
Not off the top of my head. The stories I've read don't tend to go that far into the future. 'A Heart For Milton' by Trudy Brasure has a epilogue where the children are older but it is only short and doesn't really go into any great detail.
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birds_14
9 years ago
(Outwardly) tough guys and kids... Which brings us back to Outlander--Quite a few of my favourite scenes from the books are those with Jamie and some children; either strange ones, his nieces and nephews, or his grandson... and those few scenes with his own son William, of course.
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laura1-07
9 years ago
I agree. I think DG writes children very well and the scenes of Jamie with children are always a joy. Such a shame we never got to see him interact with Brianna as a child as well.
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