Fanfic Question

[IndigoAjah]

I know that this site here is a sexual content (inc links) free zone and for good reason, but does anyone know what Sanderson's viewpoint on Fanfic with sexual content (as well as story exploration and sticking to canon situations) in general on other sites? In my opinion there's a good reason to write this one, and I think I've written it well but wouldn't want to go against the author's wishes so will delete if he would not approve.

[Kaymyth]

Generally, authors shy away from knowing anything about the fanfic about their works for a number of reasons.  I don't think that I've ever seen anything about Brandon's opinion on this specifically, but I think his opinion on fanfic in general is pretty relaxed.  But he's never going to read it, so I don't know that the content would really affect him too much personally.

 

Personally, I don't put sexual content in my Mistborn fic because it would just feel weird to me to change the style of fiction that drastically.  It's got nothing to do with my willingness to write that sort of thing in general, because  I'm perfectly happy to throw it into my original stuff if it's appropriate to the story (though obviously those are things I'd never be able to post here). 

[IndigoAjah]

Thanks

I just felt, amongst other things, there were some valid criticisms of the Vin - Elend relationship (and less valid ones), that I wanted to try to address. Some have said that it lacks passion, and I think this is very explainable by putting oneself in the mind of these characters at the time of WoA, as is the chasteness of their relationship, but someone did validly point out that the implied post-coitus reaction after they leave Luthadel came across as a bit of a cop out which I felt deserved some addressing in backstory as well as other things

[Kaymyth]

Yeah, the lack of sex in Brandon's work isn't because the characters aren't having it.  It's just that with his particular background, he's not comfortable with writing it.  And while there are those of us who feel that leaves certain relationships lacking a vital piece of life, it's his work and he's totally entitled to write what he wants to write.  But so are you.

 

As for canon vs. non-canon...well.  I think you'll find when I (finally) start getting Swift as Steel posted around here, I'm walking a thin line between trying not to totally contradict canon but still stay true to keeping my own story interesting.

[IndigoAjah]

It's more that Brandon DOES show the aftermath of Elend and Vin's first time in WoA and it glossed over as perfect despite both characters having really clear reasons to not be that comfortable with sex that bothers me! I thought their relationship in WoA was highly believable and demonstrated thought into their personas, the situation and their personal crises as well as their histories and the background culture that I'm amazed people seemed to have missed out on. The criticism I read that made me think was the one that talked about how it was all magically alright as soon as they have marital sex. The issue not being with the having or not having of intercourse but rather suspension of disbelief that these quite realistic psychological issues (Elend was FORCED to sleep with a Skaa girl at a young age and then she was murdered because of it! That's worse than what happened (A song of Ice and Fire Spoiler)

to Tyrion and he has severe issues stemming from that

) and I thought, though understanding why Brandon wouldn't address it (though then the post-coital implication is a bit odd in itself) it was worthy of addressing.

Plus I also quite wanted to let my favourite fantasy couple have romantic, love-driven sex, with Allomancy utilised. Just as a secondary matter

Thank you very much for your reply, though, and I agree that the tone doesn't quite fit with sex, never read his books and said "this is unrealistic because there's no sexual subtext"

Edited April 2, 2016 by IndigoAjah

[firstRainbowRose]

Funny enough, Brandon addressed exactly this on Reddit recently: https://www.reddit.com/r/Mistborn/comments/4bnuxt/spoilers_up_to_bom_romance_sex_and_chastity_in/d1bd5ma

[CaptainRyan]

On 4/1/2016 at 8:36 PM, IndigoAjah said:

It's more that Brandon DOES show the aftermath of Elend and Vin's first time in WoA... [snip]

CaptainRyan casts Resurrection on this thread! (full exp res of course)

As I was reading this thread I thought it might be worth pointing out that the first "on-screen" time for Elend and Vin is not, necessarily, their first time with each other. Brandon was very vague about when/how often Vin and Elend were intimate in the reddit thread (see above comment) so it is entirely possible that both Elend and Vin had issues with sex initially due to their upbringings but worked that out off-screen and we are only given a glimpse of a better time.