By the way -- I'm still thinking/annoyed about that fan fiction conversation from yesterday, so I just want to say, as a professional writer, I'm grateful for the people who make art based on my work. I've never read it, because I can't, but knowing it exists makes me happy.
The BIGGEST frustration of my job is just limitations of time (both the 42 minutes I get to air and the time we have to shoot) and budget. Fan fiction writers don't have those limits, so it thrills me to know that the blanks will get filled in by your imaginations.
One of the best episodes I ever wrote was MAGICAL and 63 minutes long. 21 minutes hit the cutting room floor, and no one will ever see them. The episode was fine. But I think about it all the time, 5 years later, because I envisioned so much MORE. I'm glad when you guys do too.
An exec once asked me to clarify in a Roswell ep that Alex and Michael hadn't seen each other since high school. I said respectfully, no. I knew I might never be able to fill in their interaction over those 10 years, but I wanted to leave that space open to fans' imaginations.
I also think the instant gratification nature of fan fiction -- you publish it, and there's instant feedback from your exact intended audience (as opposed to professional critics) -- actually teaches you a lot about writing for a living.
Is fan fiction ~high art~? Nah. Neither is "One Tree Hill" and not only did it air for 9 years and make a ton of money -- but last year at age 33 I had to make a decision that broke my heart and I thought "What would Brooke Davis do?" and I did it. Whatever your art is, matters.
The reason I'm so irked is that the fans who watch my work and feel inspired to create something more make me feel good every single day. I can't watch you get kicked by some loud bully and not stand up for you & tell you that whatever brings you joy HAS VALUE period.
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