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If I was going to read fanfiction, I'd much rather read stuff that I won't come across in the book/series/movie/whatever. After all, what's really the point if you can simply see it in the show/book/etc? I've really never understood that. A bit of variety is always nice. A relevant quote from the wonderful English author Terry Pratchett: Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.

The Harry Potter fandom isn't much saner, to be very honest. I'd wager most fandoms can be obsessive. When I do write for a fandom, it's for a game fandom. The Dragon Age fandom doesn't seem quite as hysterical about sacred pairings, and I haven't been shot for my Neverwinter Nights 2 sidestep from the "canon" romance. But, like Melrick, most of what I write is original fiction.

I think that's the part of the rabid fandom thing that bothers me the most. When you drive a person away from writing simply because they wrote a pairing that isn't "beloved" of the masses, there's something profoundly wrong with that fanbase. Some people need to step back, look long and hard in a mirror, and think about how they'd feel if they were on the receiving end of the vitriol they spew with such abandon. Maybe there's a "50 Shades of Cyberbullying" out there handing out misinformation on what constitutes appropriate online behavior in a fandom?

Yeah, we enjoy ripping flamers a new cavity, so feel free to report them. As far as annoying, overly obsessive fans are concerned, I'm not sure if Harry Potter is as bad as it was, because as much as I really enjoyed the books, I found the fandom just a giant pain in the arse, where people demanded that everyone write stories exactly the way they know they should be written, so don't you dare write anything even slightly different! Screw that; screw that right to the wall and hang a picture on it. As much as I can see the appeal of writing fanfiction - all the hard work has been done for you - I much prefer to just stick to original fiction... when I can be bothered. I really don't like having my creativity stifled to such an enormous degree that it inevitably is when you write fanfiction.

Thank you guys so much. I have had some flamers before, when I first started writing band slash waaaay back in the day, anime people are just way OCD lol. Potter fans are pretty wild, I have a friend who retired from writing altogether because of the fandom. Broadening horizons is a term these people are not familiar with, and it why I stay out of it. I was never able to get into Potter and my ex burned me out on any comic fandom. I still write Inuyasha. That fandom is slightly easier to handle. Though it is horribly cliche'd with hot springs mating and mating marks. Write anything remotely nice about Kikyo and you'll get crucified. No lie. I think I said to someone last night, "So these people are okay with Naruto/Bolt yaoi incest but not OK with some Sasuke/Karin s&m. Seems legit."

XD XD I just checked your profile! I was JUST about to post about a writer who had some great Tsunade/Jiraiya stories and it's you! XD Long time it's been!

I believe I will have to check out your stories! Because, like you, I'm not a true to life fan of the anime. I only watch it here and there and half listen when my brother and hubby talk about it like a soap opera! Also like you, I hated Naruto. And Hinata. JFC; whoever did her English dubbed voice needed to be shot: it was like listening to someone scrape a chalkboard with their nails for nine hours straight! UGH!! Anyway: it makes me kinda glad I'm into a lesser talked about fandom although I do see it in the DC world as well: if it isn't about Young Justice or Arrow or SuperBat, no one's interested! Like, would it kill people to broaden their horizons...? Me personally, I like the crack pairings. So, I may be one of the rare few that probably won't read a Naruto/Hinata or Naruto/Sakura... or even a Naruto/Sasuke fic. Give me something like... Neji/Eno (although to be fair, I didn't like Eno either because she was just a bully for no reason)!

If he becomes an annoyance here, we'd be happy to assist.