I'm a straight woman, and even though I've had people tell me that "Rowena" sounds like a man's name (it isn't, I know real life people named Rowena, and they're women) I've never tried to hide the fact that I am a straight woman, writing m/m fiction.
I've pondered many times why I write it, but it always comes back to the fact that I like to read it. Since I like to read it, I write it. So during this morning's shower, that's the path my wandering brain took. Why do I like to read it?
My "dirty little secret" is that I used to write fan fiction. I've read so many diatribes against fan fiction that I'm almost afraid to admit I wrote it. I started out back in 1998, writing het fanfic for the original La Femme Nikita TV series. The one with the hunky Roy Dupuis as Michael. I broke all the rules...I wrote Michael with a "Mary Sue" character. Oops.
I joined a mailing list, because they were all the rage back in the day. One of the rules of the list was no "slash" fiction. I had no idea what that meant....but then I found out.
One day, while trolling around the web for new fic to read, I stumbled across a story, and I can't remember the name unfortunately. The story featured Michael and Nikita...and a shape shifting character that was a man for Nikita, and a woman for Michael...until they all got in bed together. I was fascinated. I looked further and found a straight slash story called "Gemini"...alas all those original LFN fanfics were hosted at GeoCities, and I can't find any of these stories anymore.
So...there you have it. I was coaxed into reading m/m fiction by reading a story that melded the lines between het fic and slash fic.
Comments
I think Geocities is all gone now. An Archive of Our Own would be a good place to look - it hosts a lot of fanfiction.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with fanfic....but I know a lot of writers who hate it. ;)
I suspect the writers who hate it haven't read terribly much of the good stuff. Or it's a snob thing - I ran into that a lot when I was doing my degree. You weren't considered a 'proper' writer unless you were published and trying to get published in this country is next to impossible especially in some genres.
Good thing you got published then...eh?
Good thing you got published then...eh?
I still have moments when I think I'm going to wake up and it's all a dream.
I still have moments when I think I'm going to wake up and it's all a dream.
I hear that....same thing happens to me!
I just became HUGE fan of LFN (and yes! Roy's Michael!) 2 weeks ago and already turn the internet upside down for fanfics....I found an archive that contain thounsands of LFN fics and do indugle myself in reading them! my favorite author is Betsy and I greatfully thank her for recreating and relishing what was great about the character and the show!
I don't remember "Betsy"...but I'm glad you found some fanfics that excite you...that's always a good thing!