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[Carl-E]

Starting here.    Follow the thread a bit for more. 

[jmucchiello]

It would be possible to add backstory, or pursue speculative story arcs like Marten doing something with his life, or Hannelore inheriting her mother's empire and cadre of minions.

Scenes from the struggle for robot civil rights would be interesting too.

Marten doing something with his life and not ending up in some form of relationship. Yawn.
Hanners running mom's company. Might work.
Robot civil right? Starring what QC characters? Why? Unlikely to feel like QC

My point was that QC is about friends hanging out and their interpersonal relationships. And it's funny. Take any of that away and it won't feel like QC. You may as well make up your own characters.

[pwhodges]

What else would a QC fanfic be about if not some kind of "new" relationship?

Imagination can go further than that, you know.

You may as well make up your own characters.

Feel free.

[Carl-E]

But why, when you can import all the known characteristics and background, building a new story without all that troublesome "character development"? 

[Is it cold in here?]

QC is also wacky. It would still be QC-flavored if someone wrote up Steve's adventures as a secret agent.

[DSL]

All QC fanfic would have to do to be QC fanfic would be to tell a story involving QC characters or the QC verse in a way that it's believably recognizable as such. It could be wacky, warm, serious, whatever. Doesn't have to ship or slash, although one could argue that any story is perforce about a relationship: Character with character, character with environment, Character with self. Judgment of its quality is another thing entirely. Nothing wrong with the idea of fanfic, even though it, like a lot of things, demonstrates Sturgeon's Law quite nicely.

Lot's of pro stuff out there that's basically paid-for fanfic, from Star Wars to Star Trek to Sherlock Holmes. Thousands of short stories and novels and what-have-you. The VenusPrime stuff in Arthur C. Clarke's 'verse, the expansion by other authors ofAsimov's Foundation 'Verse, the open invitation from Larry Niven to other authors to play in his Known Space 'verse. Some of it is of the "Oh, those poor trees" variety, and some of it is quite good.

By the way, I thought the fanfics linked by Carl-E and jwhouk in the fan art section were quite good.

[megamanx411]

I think with any material, you are probably bound to get plenty of mediocre fanfiction but you always have the chance for a rare gem. It depends on the person writing, how the writing connects with you, and how the characters and narrative are approached and integrated. Personally, I'm a hopeless romantic. So a "slash" story is certainly not objectionable to me, especially if it centers on my preferred characters. I find it fascinating to see how people perceive the characters and see how they translate those elements that aren't told so explicity. For example, I know not everyone shares the same opinion on Marigold that I do (I think she's a sweetheart deep down), so obviously reading someone else's story may depict her differently than how I would.

I could definitely see a lot of Sci-Fi story possibilities because of the (seemingly huge) Anthro-PC market and the implementation of that technology into everyday life. It reminds me a lot of the anime/manga series Chobits from CLAMP.

On that note, I'm off to the fan-art forum to read some fanfics.

[jmucchiello]

although one could argue that any story is perforce about a relationship: Character with character, character with environment, Character with self.

This is exactly what I've been saying. Depending on what you call shipping, you can't write fanfics without shipping at some level.

By the way, I thought the fanfics linked by Carl-E and jwhouk in the fan art section were quite good.

I only read the christian rock one and felt it was okay. The writing was fine, but not a story I would care to read again. For some reason when I try to read the Bot one my eyes glaze and I can't get far enough into it to want to finish it. I don't know if it's the writing or the subject matter or if I'm just really tired.

[pwhodges]

Depending on what you call shipping,

In common usage, as we use it here, shipping does not refer to just any relationship, but specifically to a non-canon romantic or intimate relationship of the kind that annoys our host if it is raised in this forum.  Many stories including other relationships could be written that do not fall into this category.

[DSL]

My understanding of the concept of "shipping" is the creation/advocacy in the reader's mind of a relationship between two characters, a relationship that is not realistic in light of evidence presented in-story. I also understand that "evidence presented in-story" is often in the eye of the beholder, beyond anything resembling reason.

EDIT : While you were writing, a moderator has flown over in his virtual A-10 Thunderbolt II and pickled off a laser-guided 2000-pound bunker-busting post. You may wish to review your post ...? No? Well, fine, then.

[pwhodges]

It's discussed to death in the sticky thread: Conduct in this forum.  There should be no need to go over it again, seeing as you will all have read that...

[Carl-E]

Your eternal optimism is so cute! 

As an educator, I know full well that what should be read rarely is, and what is read is rarely remembered. 



Although a mention of "the bearhat guy" might stir a few memories...

[pwhodges]

That thread does read a bit strangely in places now that times here have changed; but it still serves a purpose, I think.  I've considered pruning it a bit more (about half of it was pruned when it was make a sticky - the pruned posts are still on record, though hidden), but not done anything about it.