To Meta or not to Meta (That is the Question)

So with the recent poll on the site going on over the possible inclusion of "meta" stories, there has been some interesting feedback over it. I want to point out up front, that as a writer of sci-fi and supernatural, I am very much pro-meta stories.

I still have one on the Ponyfiction Archive somewhere entitled, A Horse With No Name in which two bronies were attempting to write a fan fiction that wasn't like the usual stuff they'd read before. It includes several snippets of fiction in, first, second, and third person, and covers blank verse and crossovers. It's not the most profound of stories I've ever written, but as a bit of silliness, I am still quite fond of it.

What even made me want to write this post, is more or less as an act of rebuttal to a comment on knighty's blog, where a user says, and I quote: "Meta stories on their own are just plain stupid. You do not need any sort of skill, or effort to write a meta story. You are basing the story's entire popularity on nothing but a big inside joke. It takes no skill, and it takes hardly any effort. Meta stories, in turn, are complete and total trash that rely on humor and shock value to make their authors popular. Long story short, people who write like garbage are going to get popular for writing garbage. Oh wait, that last part already happens. I guess we'll just have more of it."

For some reason that really chaps my ass. I realize that it's personal opinion, and what not. But I mean, come on... seriously? How can a writer... no... how can anyone that wants to be taken seriously as a writer believe this? I'd like to think that I've been around the circus rings a few times, and in that time, I really have to say that this point of view is complete and total bullshit.

For one thing, we need to open our eyes and stop pretending that life the universe and everything is all somehow related to goddamn ponies, or the fandom! If we did, then maybe we'd realize that there is more to the term meta than just a story featuring knighty getting assraped by a gang of angry parasprites or timberwolves.

Metafiction has existed a long time, and while I'm sure we imagine it as being [insert fandom reference here], it is so much more.

Just to give everyone an example, read this wikipedia entry on the subject, and then tell me if this person hits the nail on the head, with whether or not metafiction is trash or a joke, and requires no skill.

Jesus Christ, that really got under my skin. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make myself a nightcap and smoke a cigarette; I'm too pissy to write on my fan fiction anymore tonight.

Comments

Fiction banns piss me off. Stories get rejected because it doesn't meet the standard that we are force to comply with. We subjected to conform, limiting our imaginations.

In the rules, it says "•Stories that are not related in any way to the Friendship is Magic universe. Your story must be related to the universe at the time of submission, otherwise it will be rejected"

In that logic, human version of the characters should be allowed. It's not related to the universe of Friendship is Magic. Then alternate universes and cross overs shouldn't be allowed either since they are not affiliated with the main universe. Some bronies have creativity other than Twilight does the dishes, Hands: The remake., or Pinkie meets some random character from another series .
Granted that some Meta stories are basically a thought process being written down, but they still involve the Friendship is Magic universe even though the author acknowledges that it's fictitious.
For those who write Meta stories that use it as an escape from their world, to be denied asylum in a site that once was welcoming. It's sad. Expressionism through creativity and originality should be encouraged, not hindered.
(Sigh)... My head hurts