I has a thunk

[dreamer_easy]

Writing well about cultures not one's own generally requires a lot of homework. A professional writer, or hopeful professional, may be able to invest the necessary time and effort. But is this a stumbling block for fan fiction? Some fanfic writers lavish care on their work, but on the whole, fanfic is written fairly rapidly and without immense effort (gods know mine is). Mind you, plenty of hopeful writers don't want to spend the time and effort either, and plenty of professionals try and fall on their faces; I just wondered if fanfic might be particularly susceptible to dodgy characterisations of the Other because of its comparatively quick-and-dirty nature.

Comments

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

There's probably some of that, yes.

Mind you, that's arguably where an editor (for the pros)/second reader or beta (for the ficcers) comes in: to be able to take a slightly more objective look and poke at the things that seem dodgy. (F'rinstance, if the writer is an American, and the Other being written of is a Brit, there's often a need for a beta who's a keen Britpicker.)

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

We need, uh, racepickers. No, that sounds awful. Also, the job would have to come with enormous supplies of aspirins and tranquilisers.