But one day when I was at loose ends, I started reading someone’s fanfic and found myself wanting an answer to that age-old question: What’s going to happen next? And once I found myself asking that question, I knew I needed to stick around and find out the answer.

Since that time, I’ve found myself reading many fanfics, and all of them have something delightful to offer. It’s fun to have a window into someone else’s thoughts about scenes they would have welcomed the chance to see, because Days never gave us enough of Steve and Kayla.

Don’t get me wrong. I was glad to see what we did see, for the most part. Just SEEING Steve and Kayla again onscreen was a long-held wish of mine, and I’ll be forever grateful to Days that it came true, no matter what the shortcomings of the story turned out to be.

To see Steve and Kayla discuss important issues, support and encourage each other, laugh, tease, and make mad passionate love was a wonderful thing! But there were also things we were denied: the chance to see them fall in love again, for example. That’s where fanfic comes in. It can fix that for us…make it right, so to speak.

I love that.

So for all of you who write, thank you. Thank you for “making it right.”

Kris

I’ve not told any of friends that I do this, my husband doesn’t even know. Since my stories are R rated I don’t know if he’d be upset or aroused by my stories. I’m hoping aroused.

So inspired was I by that story, I decided one day to take the plunge myself and began plunking away on a Stefan and Katherine fan fic. I had several chapters written before I got the nerve to even tell anyone I was writing. I didn’t want to post. Why would anyone want to read my writing? I’m not that good. Still, Carol convinced me to face my fears and post a chapter just to see what kind of reaction I would get. I will say that I have never regretted it. Not only does it provide a creative outlet through the weaving of an original story, but it allows us to keep alive those charcters we love so much. It also gives us the freedom to write them our way, with no compromises.

The readers on RTM are so amazing and so supportive. I agree that if not for them, I would probably not be doing what I am doing (spending much of my free time writing). I love it when they stalk and I especially love reading their feedback/speculations. It warms the cockles of my heart to go in and see that people are enjoying my story. I will also say that the readers on RTM are a rare breed because they actually DISCUSS the story. They don’t simply demand updates (though they do that pretty well too) and then sit back and wait. They talk about the story and the characters. They relay their hopes and fears for where we are taking the characters, but one thing they never do is abandon us. They are with us for the entire journey, and that, my friends, is extremely gratifying.
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That first love scene? Forget about it. Wow, is that tough. I knew what I loved to read, what stories really sucked me in… All of them involved very intense emotions, which usually culminated in very passionate love scenes. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the PG-13 or below stories, I absolutely do, but when I began writing I decided to go for it full force, and write what I enjoyed reading the most.

I’ll never forget writing that first love scene, nor the terror I felt posting it. Though irrational, because I have NEVER seen a negative comment regarding anyones writing posted before, I just KNEW people were going to think I was perverted or sick for writing such ‘trash.’ But, once it was posted, and very well received, the fears were relieved and I was very glad I took the chance.

I think of Mary Beth’s comment…Do something that scares you. Well, writing that first FF definitely scared the hell out of me. But, now I consider it my way of blowing off steam and I am thrilled that there are people who enjoy reading it.

You could not be more right about our readers. I don’t think non-authors realize how important and powerful their comments can be. Without intending to, those comments can inspire, motivate and determine the outcome of many areas of a story. I have gotten countless ideas from the smallest of comments which have enriched my story far beyond where it was originally intended. Without readers who enjoy losing themselves in our favorite characters, the stories would be nothing more than words on a screen and a huge waste of time!

I am sad to know that our favorites will not appear on screen again, but take great solace in the fact that they will live forever in the ether…our FF will help make that happen and will we can enjoy them as long as they are in our hearts.

And to those who are afraid to take the plunge? There’s only one way to do it…just jump right in. You can’t imagine the pleasure that can be experienced if you are willing to put yourself out there. A billet is a great entry into the writing world. It’s little more than a paragraph, but can be so fun!

As for the soap writers of today…I’ll keep my mouth closed about them. My bitter party has only begun with them so the less I say about them the better!

I’ll stick with FF and enjoy every moment of reading…and writing!