Fanfiction Survey

[cellen14]

Hi, 

I am looking for Sherlock fanfiction readers/writers to answer a few questions for an academic research project. If you could spare a few moments to answer these questions it would be much appreciated.  

 

• What is your gender?
• Do you read/write Sherlock fanfiction? Why?
• What websites do you use the most for fanfiction?
• Do reviews effect how you write in any way?
• Do you ship Sherlock characters? Who?
• Do you role play Sherlock online? What do you enjoy about it?
• Do you read/write Sherlock slash?
• Do you think the BBC should pay more attention to fanfictions in relation to future plot lines?

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

1) I am female

 2)Yes, I both read and write Sherlock fanfiction. Why?  I read it because there are some brilliant authors out there that have captured the characters very well. I write, because I enjoy writing and people have been very receptive to my stories and say that I have captured Sherlock's voice. My stories and characters are believable and true to form.

 3) FF.net, AO3 and BBC Sherlock Forum.

 4) Reviews help tremendously. They are a barometer and touchstone of how I well my stories are capturing the attention and keeping the interest of the readers.

 5) No, I'm not a shipper. I have no problem with it, and enjoy reading a lot of it but I don't write it because I'm rubbish at relationships so would probably be rubbish at writing it.

 6) No, I don't play Sherlock online.

 7)  I may read some slash as long as it has a good plot line and isn't graphic but no, I do not write it.

 8) I don't see why BBC should. It's already clear that they do take their fanbase into account, but they have three great writers. They really don't need us.

[besleybean]

1.  Female.

2. One miserable attempt at my own fanfic and I rarely read others by choice, tho have acted as a beta. I'd possibly write more of my own if I had time, but am not really into reading fanfic. Having said this, I have read some really good ones.

3. I tend to be emailed fanfic, but know I have read some on both Live Journal and Tumblr.

4. Only 1 person has ever seen part of my feeble attempt. I got no feedback.

5. I have only shipped characters I have invented, or stick to the ships in the series. 

6. Don't role play.

7. Have read slash, but often find it samey and sometimes a bit much. I try and write 'asexually' for my ships!

8.I don't think the BBC should pay attention to fanfic at all.

[Caya]

Hi cellen14 and welcome to the forum!

 

1) female

2) Read yes, write no. Read yes, mostly because there are only three measly episodes per series, not enough to get my Sherlock fix . Write no, because I don't feel up to the challenge of doing Sherlock (the char) justice. I write other fanfics, though.

3) ao3 and this forum here

4) Reviews are how I learn (well, and betas, who are incredibly helpful, but still, voices of strangers are a valuable help). Feedback is important to me.

5) I must admit I ship Molly and Lestrade .

6) Nope.

7)  I don't read slash in other fandoms as a rule, but in this one, I wouldn't be left with a lot of stories (once you subtract the Mary Sues). So yes, I read them as long as they have a plot beyond the boys boning. Write, no, see above.

8) Dear me, no. What would be left to write if they did?

[cellen14]

Thanks guys, really appreciated! 

[T.o.b.y]

1 another female

2 read: very little but have read some, write: not really. But I do get ideas stuck in my head about this show and I have found that writing them out makes them go away

3 use none regularly, have followed links to various websites from here or from google hits

4 nope, because I don't publish what my brain spills out. But I have found it is very pleasant to find one or two who will read through my stuff privately and criticize the hell out of it

5 no, I don't. I like the way the relationships are on the show

6 no

7 read: if it's well written and doesn't make me sick... Write: nope, so far, my mind has had mercy on me
8 definitely not!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hi, cellen14 -- welcome to Sherlock Forum!


1.  What is your gender?  Female.  I suspect you'll find that the vast majority of Sherlock fan fiction is written by females (and that was certainly the case with original-series Trek fan fiction too).

 

2.  Do you read/write Sherlock fanfiction?  Why?  Read sometimes, not a lot.  Have written one story.  Read because some of the stories out there are awfully good and also serve to scratch my Sherlock itch between seasons.  Write because I had an idea that wouldn't shut up till I wrote it down.  (And have written only the one because writing is a slow -- albeit satisfying -- process for me.)

 

3.  What websites do you use the most for fanfiction?  I believe I've read mostly on LJ and AO3.  My own story is posted on AO3.

 

4.  Do reviews effect how you write in any way?  Picky point: if you mean "influence," then that should be "affect."  To date, I'm not aware of any reviews of my story.  I did work with a couple of betas, however, and they definitely affected my writing, primarily helping me make it more believable and more clear.

 

5.  Do you ship Sherlock characters? Who?  The only as-yet-unbroadcast pairing that I am hoping to see in future episodes is Molly Hooper and Greg Lestrade.  I have read fan stories featuring them and other unbroadcast pairings, but that wasn't generally my reason for reading them.  In my own story, John Watson has a girlfriend, but she's an original character.

 

6.  Do you role play Sherlock online?  Nope.  Never have gotten into that sort of thing.

 

7.  Do you read/write Sherlock slash?  Have read a few stories, ranging from ones where the slash is merely background, to ones that could serve as how-to manuals.  Have not written any.  Not that you ask, but I read slash stories if they're good stories, not because they're slash.

 

8.  Do you think the BBC should pay more attention to fanfictions in relation to future plot lines?  (I assume you mean the Sherlock writers, rather than the BBC as such.)  I think they should continue to write what they think are good stories.  If they happen to spot an intriguing idea in a fan story, and if the author gives her permission, then I don't object to their using that resource, just as they've already borrowed from other Holmes adaptations.  But as far as "should" -- no.

 

[Caya]

4.  Do reviews effect how you write in any way?  Picky point: that should be "affect." 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, give my beta a hand . Isn't she the best?

 

Seriously, we all overlooked that till you came to the thread. Carol betas are great, get yours today, while supplies last .

[Carol the Dabbler]

Actually, y'all were probably just too polite to mention it!

 

[aely]

1.) Female

 

2.) Yes to both.

I read Sherlock fanfic specifically for a number of reasons - a.)  because three ninety minute episodes every 2 years isn't enough Sherlock! b.) in general Sherlock fanfic is well written and thought provoking, even that which is set in very alternate universes. c.) I can read about things that are either not shown on screen or are only touched upon - fanfic is a good way to get back story (Harry Watson a good case in point).

I write because I have to. I am a long time fanfic writer (since the late 1990s) and I get characters in my head who won't shut up (my recalcitrant muses) unless I let them get their story out there. I didn't start writing Sherlock fanfic until after S2 as until then, I didn't have a specific muse until one day John Watson decided he had a few things to tell me! A lot of my motivation for writing is the question "What if?" - it covers situations personal, emotional, geographical and very very random...

 

3.)  Mostly Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Live Journal but also occasionally here on the Sherlock forum. I don't read on fanfiction.net unless I have a specific rec as I dislike the place (partly it's a personal thing as I have found that reviewers can be weird at best but also downright nasty) and the formatting sucks.

 

4.) (answering the the way I think you meant it, see Carol's reply re affect/effect) Yes and No. I am mostly a crossover writer and as such write for a niche audience so I don't get a lot of reviews anyway. If a review offers constructive criticism then yes, it might change the way I write. I am pretty good with grammar so don't generally need last minute corrections by review, an exception being with American syntax if there is an American character speaking (I'm a Brit). If I get a review that essentially tells me my stuff is rubbish and that would never happen to Sherlock, John et al then I ignore it. I usually have a specific world view and how the heck is anyone else supposed to see how I view the world in which I am writing? It's all a matter of opinion. Each to their own!

 

5.) I am what can be known as a multi-shipper.

If I look at the series in just a general way, I don't necessarily 'ship' anyone, I just see the incredible deep and loving FRIENDSHIP that Sherlock and John have for each other, which is fine and I am happy with that. On a second and third watching I usually look at the series and characters in a different way, and then I am shipping people left, right and centre...

have a list -

John/Sherlock,

John/Lestrade,

John/Mycroft,

John/Sherlock/Lestrade,

Lestrade/Molly,

Sherlock/Lestrade

Mycroft/Lestrade

Sherlock/John/Mary

Irene/Anthea

John/James Bond (told you I was a crossover lover)

 

You did ask!

 

My #1 thing with ships above all things is that I abhor the use of portmanteaux names (Johnlock, Mystrade et al) as I feel that it takes individuality away from the characters and promotes viewing them only in terms of their relationship with the person who forms the other part of the portmanteau name and turns them into some sort of weird subsumed being and not their own individual selves. Yes, it's probably an over reaction, but it's how I feel.

 

 

6.) I don't do RP

 

7.) If you look at the answer to the shipping question, you could assume that I was a slash reader. This would be a correct assumption. I have also written explicit Sherlock slash, with co-authors (and het, but you didn't ask about that).

 

8.) NO. Not ever.

For Sherlock, they are essentially writing fanfic themselves anyway (of the ACD stories) and I don't think their twisty little brains are going to have any trouble coming up with plot lines all on their own. I also don't think the BBC in general should trawl fanfic for plot lines - fan service can go seriously wrong at times although a slight nod towards certain things can be amusing (or make fandom combust).

[Carol the Dabbler]

... fan service can go seriously wrong at times although a slight nod towards certain things can be amusing (or make fandom combust).

 

... the current fan reaction to "Last Vow" being a case in point.  If they actually intended the episode to have that effect, they're far more sadistic than I realized (and not entirely in a nice way).

 

[Zain]

Female.

 

I read. Haven't written one since I do enough writing for a living

Well, I enjoy reading, and there are great authors out there. When those use my favorite characters, that's even better.

 

Mainly AO3 (archiveofourown), sometimes livejournal and fanfiction.net.

 

Since I don't write, that's somewhat redundant. I once was a FF writer (some time ago) and no, it didn't affect me that much. Mostly people liked what they saw, and if they didn't, they apparently didn't leave comments.

 

Oh God. I am a bit all over the place at the moment. I read almost any ship as long as it's interesting.

My favorite pairing right now: Sherlock/Victor. Which is a bit hard to come by.

Then there's John/Sherlock, Sherlock/Irene, Sherlock/Lestrade, sometimes Lestrade/Mycroft, I've read Sherlock/Molly a couple of times. Which is no indicator, I really read almost everything (without Mary, though). As long as it's interesting.

 

Nope. Never was into roleplaying.

 

Don't write slash either, and never have. I read slash, though. As my ships suggest. I read het and gen as well. As long as it's interesting.

 

They actually do pay more attention than other series to their fans, I think (even if they deny it). I recognize many elements. So I don't think they have to do more. I feel appreciated as a fan, and they do think of us. TEH was nothing but a homage to the fandom, and by large, the fanfiction writers/readers.

 

Hope that helps.

 

[Alice Holmes]

1) What is your gender?

 

I'm a girl. I'm Alice. Hi.

 

 

2) Do you read/write Sherlock fanfiction? Why?

 

I tried to write one. It didn't really happen. I was over-thinking it. I read it if it's in front of me, or I'm feeling very hormonal.

 

 

3) What websites do you use the most for fanfiction?

 

This forum, and fanfiction.net.

 

 

4) Do reviews effect how you write in any way?

 

Yes! I love advice, negoative or positive. It's the basis of good writing.

 

 

5) Do you ship Sherlock characters? Who?

 

MollyLocker all the way.

 

 

6) Do you role play Sherlock online? What do you enjoy about it?

 

I role-play my character Alice Holmes on this website, just in general. Sometimes my posts are in character even outside the roleplay sections, depending on the situation. I like being someone else, I guess. I'm not mad, trust me.

 

 

7) Do you read/write Sherlock slash?

 

Not usually...

 

I have to be SUPER hormonal for that.

 

 

8) Do you think the BBC should pay more attention to fanfictions in relation to future plot lines?

 

I don't want JohnLock to happen, so my answer is no.

[Ruthyone]

• What is your gender?  Female

• Do you read/write Sherlock fanfiction? Why?  No

What websites do you use the most for fanfiction?  I don't usually read fanfiction

Do reviews effect how you write in any way?  If I did write I would probably let close friends read what I'd written and take their views as well

Do you ship Sherlock characters? Who?  No

Do you role play Sherlock online? What do you enjoy about it? I have a little, I like to use my imagination

Do you read/write Sherlock slash? No

Do you think the BBC should pay more attention to fanfictions in relation to future plot lines? If it was really well written

[Alice Holmes]

Can you honestly imagine, though, what a complete mess we'd be in if writers payed attention to fanfictions? The world would be such a terrible place! Have you read some of the horrors out there???

[T.o.b.y]

Can you honestly imagine, though, what a complete mess we'd be in if writers payed attention to fanfictions? The world would be such a terrible place! Have you read some of the horrors out there???

 

I am afraid I have and I am very glad that there is precious little chance they will get much attention from the writing team. To be fair, I think, though, that most fan fiction authors wouldn't even want that themselves. And to be fair again, I have also read a few things that were extremely well written, too.

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

When you think about it, a lot of movies like Lord of the Rings,The Hobbit, Thor, Captain America and Sherlock are versions of fan fiction anyway. Peter Jackson, Moffat and Gatiss are writing and producing these things the way they want to see them, and they're not much interested in how their audience perceives them especially Jackson. He makes a rousing good fantasy action film and he does know Tolkien's story but he adds stuff and deletes stuff as he wants to.

 

 As one Tolkien fan put it after watching "The Hobbit": Great movie, but he did a terrible job with the book and is just milking it for money.

[Carol the Dabbler]

But it's way better than any Hobbit movie I'm ever likely to make -- so I kind of put up with Jackson's divergences (some of which were actually good choices, I think) and make the most of the true-to-the-book parts (which were, however, few and far between in movie #2).

 

[Ruthyone]

A lot of books are written by different authors after various films have come out. There were a number written around Star Wars and Star Trek, which involved new stories written about the casts of these programmes.

 

http://www.thetrekcollective.com/2013_10_01_archive.html

[Undead Medic]

When asked if he'd ever written any fan-fiction in an interview once, Steven Moffat replied: "I can't remember the last thing I wrote that wasn't fan-fiction".

[Carol the Dabbler]

When asked if he'd ever written any fan-fiction in an interview once, Steven Moffat replied: "I can't remember the last thing I wrote that wasn't fan-fiction".

  

 

... and not only fan fiction, but blatant Mary Sues!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

isn't that the truth. At least Peter Jackson does a very quick cameo....Gatiss has a recurring role.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh, good point.  I was actually talking about Moffat, though -- I would find it very hard to believe that he does not identify with Sherlock (and presumably The Doctor as well).

 

[besleybean]

Really?

I had never thought of that...

Maybe there is a bit of this...

[Alice Holmes]

Moffat and Gattis are fabulous. Can I just say that?

 

And Mary Sues...(laughs)