Oft-maligned genres and sub-genres that you happen to enjoy

[Jay R]

Nerhaps because of the escapist nature of many fantasy stories, or perhaps because of the overuse of cliches and copying from previous works, there are many in the education profession who have a hate for fantasy stories. I know about one teacher who soft-banned students writing fantasy stories for creative writing exercises in English class; she would pick apart every single detail she didn't like (which included seemingly everything about fantasy) just so she could give very low grades for fantasy stories, and when challenged she would admit that this was because she thought fantasy was terrible.

By contrast, I convinced an English professor to set up a college course on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, and did the legwork to make it happen. This was in the 1970s, and she taught the course for the next forty years, publishing two or three books on the subject, in one of which I was listed in the acknowledgements.

So it's kind of hard for me to consider it an oft-maligned genre.

[Cristo Meyers]

By contrast, I convinced an English professor to set up a college course on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, and did the legwork to make it happen. This was in the 1970s, and she taught the course for the next forty years, publishing two or three books on the subject, in one of which I was listed in the acknowledgements.

So it's kind of hard for me to consider it an oft-maligned genre.

I think it's still kinda malinged, just not like it was even just a decade ago.

Clare and I had that when we actually entered college. This professor had a 100-level intro class that focused on one of two things: vampire fiction or fantasy. I got the former, Clare got the latter. My freshman year had me reading Salem's Lot, Interview with the Vampire, and Dracula. Clare's revolved almost entirely around Lord of the Rings.

[DomaDoma]

As regards the maligned nature of fanfic, I think it has a lot to do with the porn-vs-plot ratio. The trick is to get outsiders to acknowledge that fanfic with a good plot even exists.

[Ibrinar]

Well the number of porn fanfics probably doesn't help since many associate it with that. But it is possible to filter that out. I think the main reason fanfics are maligned is because their average actually is lower. Fanfics don't have the filter of having to find a publisher which sorts out some of the worst(well self published ebooks exist now of course) which still leaves plenty bad ones. Then writers who successfully make the jump to getting their own books published tend to write their own stuff not fanfics so the best tend to leave the fanfic field. Also much is serial fiction in small portions and while there are great works like that it does limit the possibilities for properly editing the work as a whole. Plus writing about known characters from a known setting often limits the creativity of writers and they usually aren't as good at writing the characters as their original author. Also it is imo harder to find the good ones and harder to guess their quality from their synopsis, well that is part of what makes finding good ones harder.

But yeah the opinion that no good ones exist is quite common.

[Cespenar]

By contrast, I convinced an English professor to set up a college course on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, and did the legwork to make it happen. This was in the 1970s, and she taught the course for the next forty years, publishing two or three books on the subject, in one of which I was listed in the acknowledgements.

So it's kind of hard for me to consider it an oft-maligned genre.

While that's awesome and you unironically deserve some kind of an award for that, that's pretty much the opposite of what's going on in the rest of the world, even now at 2018.

And going down a level deeper, Tolkien is also kind of a fringe case within fantasy, and I think people are affected a bit by the "classics" bias when referring to him. I've seen many people discarding the genre wholecloth while cutting Tolkien some slack because he lived enough years ago for his works to be considered a classic.

[solidork]

As regards the maligned nature of fanfic, I think it has a lot to do with the porn-vs-plot ratio. The trick is to get outsiders to acknowledge that fanfic with a good plot even exists.

My go-to "proof that fanfic can be good" fic is Empty Graves by Unpretty. It's short (only 6k), about characters almost everyone is familiar with and it's just that good.

The summary is: "Time travelers who plan to kill Superman never account for Martha Kent in their plans. She may not be the World's Finest but she's a mother with a shotgun, and all told that might be scarier."

[The Glyphstone]

One of my favorite authors has a side business running a web magazine where people can submit stories they've written set in his literary universe. Submissions good enough to print get paid short story print rates, so in essence I've gotten paid to write fan fiction. Nearly a unique corner case as far as I'm aware, but still a fun thing to bring up when fan fiction is discussed.

[Gnoman]

Well the number of porn fanfics probably doesn't help since many associate it with that. But it is possible to filter that out. I think the main reason fanfics are maligned is because their average actually is lower. Fanfics don't have the filter of having to find a publisher which sorts out some of the worst(well self published ebooks exist now of course) which still leaves plenty bad ones. Then writers who successfully make the jump to getting their own books published tend to write their own stuff not fanfics so the best tend to leave the fanfic field. Also much is serial fiction in small portions and while there are great works like that it does limit the possibilities for properly editing the work as a whole. Plus writing about known characters from a known setting often limits the creativity of writers and they usually aren't as good at writing the characters as their original author. Also it is imo harder to find the good ones and harder to guess their quality from their synopsis, well that is part of what makes finding good ones harder.

But yeah the opinion that no good ones exist is quite common.

There's also a great deal of the "agenda" variety of fanfic, where the author is either pushing their own views on the setting as a whole, or is using the setting to push a real-world belief or philosophy. Many of the former case are just taking the opportunity to tear down what they don't like about the setting (which can include just about the entire thing - I've seen a few Star Wars fanfics where the main goal was to "prove" that Star Trek was better), while the latter usually are trying to be the "moral alternative" according to whatever compass they follow. Both types tend to have all of the really bad writing flaws that are almost-unique to fanfic and shared universes, as well as those that are common in writing as a whole.

[Velaryon]

There's also a great deal of the "agenda" variety of fanfic, where the author is either pushing their own views on the setting as a whole, or is using the setting to push a real-world belief or philosophy. Many of the former case are just taking the opportunity to tear down what they don't like about the setting (which can include just about the entire thing - I've seen a few Star Wars fanfics where the main goal was to "prove" that Star Trek was better), while the latter usually are trying to be the "moral alternative" according to whatever compass they follow. Both types tend to have all of the really bad writing flaws that are almost-unique to fanfic and shared universes, as well as those that are common in writing as a whole.

So basically Karen Traviss, but without an actual publishing deal?

[Gnoman]

So basically Karen Traviss, but without an actual publishing deal?

And with even less talent (which is admittedly an impressive accomplishment) for writing.