User blog:Gumball2/Canon Within Fanon

Thought I'd try to create another discussion. As the title suggests, the question I wanna pose to you is how much you think canon should matter when writing fanfiction (more specifically, when is it okay to downplay or dismiss a concrete canon event for the sake of writing a story).

Now my first impression is that most people would probably want at least some common ground in order for a story to truly count as fanfiction. And with that said, I also know that some people are okay with disregarding certain events if it's specifically an episode re-write or an alternate ending. But putting those two assumptions, I'm talking more about casual instances of applying canon to Fanon.

I'll give my opinion on the matter and then I'll leave you to agree, disagree, or come up with your own idea.

Generally, I can work with most things in the canon (characters, settings, and episodes). Most of these are either fundamental to the show or are tolerable enough to where I find they can also coexist in the world I'm making. I say "world" because all fanfiction is just the writer's interpretation of the work. Some of these interpretations strive to be as close to the reality as possible, but personally I don't work too hard to make it just like the show. "The Loud House" is a fine show and it has plenty of good episodes, but I have little interest in copying the tone to such a degree that it might as well belong on the show.

And I guess that brings me to the controversial part, the part where I'm gonna get flak or be called a denier. But here it goes.

There are some elements (mostly contained to specific episodes) that are too mean-spirited for me to handle. I feel like if I don't do something about it, that element's sour implications will undermine whatever emotional attachment I'm trying to establish in my story. What good is Lincoln's parents saying "I love you" when the events of NSL have played out in its entirety? How can I give any assurance that Lisa is cared for when her parents let her keep dangerous chemicals in the House (which have clearly demonstrated a health risk)? And what authority would Luan possess to tell someone they're going too far when she clearly has no qualms with doing it herself?

It is moments like these when I'm forced to make a choice. I have a vision of what the show ought to be. It's nothing too radical and it upholds enough of the world for it to be recognizable. But if I faithfully translate the canon in every way, wouldn't I be inheriting all of its issues, leaving my story with the burden of making up for them? Should I just stick with original fiction?

I believe that fanfiction, even if it's not a clear representation of its work, still possesses the potential to inspire others the same way original works can. It's a fun way of bringing a community closer together. That's why I do it. I do love this show and it inspires me to take its strong components and turn them into something even more (something that's free from the mistakes its originator produces).

I realize that some people when they don't like something prefer silence on the matter, to not address it in any way. While that sentiment can work for some, there will be other readers that will inevitably keep the episode in the back of their head as they're reading. In a way, you don't really erase a bad moment just by pretending it doesn't exist. And if you're fine with that, then that's okay. There's plenty of writers I enjoy reading that don't spend all of their time with a red marker scribbling things out. But for me, I see low moments as an opportunity to make the universe something better than the one I first encountered. At least, that's how I see it

But what do you think? How do you view canon when writing fanfiction?