Subject: WtG XIV: The Nature of Fanfiction
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Posted on: 2012-05-01 22:29:00 UTC

Fanfiction.

A constrained environment, defined by its usage and adherence to a previously created work of fiction's characters, settings, and themes. For many burgeoning young writers, this is where they begin, continuing a legacy of storywriting that has existed since we first began telling stories.

In some cases, unfortunately, in their attempts to write a story these new writers stumble into serious mistakes, ones that can cause terrible harm to the fabric of the original canon, through poor adapatation of the characters, destruction of the setting, and ignorance of the themes involved.

In this environment, of course, we find a rich ecosystem develops, with more experienced writers finding the works of the inexperienced poor, and leaving much to be wanted. These new writers also often introduce a new, invasive species into the world; Mary Sues.

Mary Sues are often unwanted things, an exotic pet set loose in the wrong environment; often dangerous on their own, they can lead to changing the story around them for the worse, for these creatures have no natural predators.

Due to this, groups of Mary Sue "hunters" developed.

Much like the ranger protects nature from negative influences that can lead to the destruction of those precious natural resources and to maintain an area's natural population, thus do members of the Canon Protective Initiative work.

Here we can see two at work; these two are constables- agents- of the Protectors of the Plot Continuum, entrusted with, in their case, culling Mary Sues from where they do not belong.

In this particular work of fiction, a particularly obtrusive Mary Sue has been located. She is an elf of the variety one often sees in high fantasy, as inspired by Tolkien's seminal work The Lord of the Rings.

Unfortunately, she is in a fanfiction that is set in the world of Harry Potter, where elves are house elves, minor servants who bind themselves to a master and work for free.

Here, she has entered a relationship with Bill Weasley, and the story is on the cusp of the Quidditch World Cup that marks the opening chapters of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Indeed, the fanfiction has heavily borrowed from the canon, with only a few lines differing to include the Sue.

Finally, however, we see the slightest of divergences, as Aliena- as the Sue is named- and Bill are not joining Harry Potter and the others to travel by Porkey.

The constables, Myall Bromia and Cris Wirewood, are under an unsual amount of stress on their mission today, for though the Sue is a quite simple one, as far as Sues go- all members of this particular organization are required to maintain a list of wrongs done by the Sue to determine how detrimental to canon she is- there is something awry with their equipment.

In a situation where being able to react to the narrative and use it to their advantage is frequently the difference between a successful culling or perilous injury to themselves, they are at a disadvantage.

It is not preventing them from carrying out their duty, however, as they await under the Weasley family kitchen table, observing the Sue.

"Did you hear that?" Cris whispers.

"Hear what?" Myall asks, as she looks around.

"The narration! There is definitely something wrong. It sounds like David Attenborough!"

"Oh, yeah, it does, doesn't it?"

"Also, now you're a guy."

"I was hoping we could ignore that."

Finally, the Sue and her canon companion rise from the table, to put on their robes, as Percy Weasley returns from preparing himself for the day.

Charlie's robes were deep forest green, probably to offset all the bright green Ireland colors he would be collecting once they got there. Percy's robes were dark blue, and Bill's were a shade above jet black. Aryen's own robes were a rich burgundy color.

Soon after a final motherly order from Mrs Weasley, Percy, Bill, and the Sue depart for their destination through apparation, leaving our agents behind.


[Your next genre: Stream of consciousness!]

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