I'm Saying it Now!

The Fault in Our Stars Tag

In case you're wondering, yes I've read the book. Did I watch the movie? My latest status can answer that.

Now before some of you start attacking me, please realize this is MY opinion. Your opinion is yours, and mine is mine. I'm not going to sit here and agrue pointless about how I find The Fault in Our Stars not amazing as many fans believe it is. MY opinion. Not yours.

Back to the point. Many people love the story, movie, or both. And that's fine. There's some fanfiction on this webiste, and that's fine too. However, some people need to know when inspired by and based off apply to their story.

Now, I understand cancer was a pretty huge element of the book. But you still need to do research if you're going to involve a certain cancer in your story. People can't just say, "She has cervical cancer," insert a few quotes from the book, and expect people to not question how the fuck she has cervical cancer.

OR WORSE! Fucking mention a problem about her arm when she has cervical cancer! 

"Do your research," Sherlock said as if the author was Anderson. 

But still! DO your research! It's not hard! It's really not! Wikipedia could help you stop yourself from sounding like you have no clue!

There's also the second case I've come across.

"OMG! I loved FioS! It was so inspiring that I wrote a book based on it!"

In this book we are beholding, there is no one like the characters from The Fault in Our Stars. There is no boy who has cancer or some sort of physical drama. No, he just has some sort of dark past or bullying issue. Good job. And the main character? Oh, yeah. She's totally fine. She just feels mistreated even though there is clearly nothing wrong with her. This dear readers, is not based on the Fault in Our Stars anymore. This. THIS RIGHT HERE! is another cliche story that simply wants to use the Fault in Our Stars tag to fucking get attention. And don't get me wrong, one of them was actually a good book, but it had no use to use the tag other than holding a trending tag to get attention.

And since we're on the topic of this tag, please don't give a great celebrity cancer in your fan fiction and then use the Fault in Our Stars tag. Just don't.

"But Alex, it really is based off the Fault in Our Stars!"

No! Stop. Please. There is a difference between inspired by and based off.

I'm just going to give examples.

First for "based off", the obvious cliched BASED off the movie plots. Don't know these? There's plenty of fan fiction that created this cliche. I'm sure you could search The Hobbit, Sherlock (episode based), and Black Widow (Avengers) to find yourself reading almost exactly what you saw in the movies.

Second: Role play. "Alright. So this is the story of Sherlock and John taking the place of Anna and Kristoff from Frozen into the Frozen plot."

Third: "Remember that scene when Jeane was missing? Where here's what actually happened during that time!"

Fourth: Use of characters. "Here's what happened when Molly met Irene!"

If your story follows something of the above, you can probably use The Fault in Our Stars tag if you wish. If NOT (most of the stories with this fucking tag follow this), it's probably inspired by and MIGHT (this is just general and I can't read people's thoughts and feelings) follow one of the criteria below.

First: "Omg! I love the Fault in Our Stars. However, Hazel and Gus aren't in this book. This is just a story I based off of them... with my own characters... and no one has cancer."

Second: "So in my story the main character's dad has cancer! and OMG the guys is super hot! Wanna read it? Lol check out my mad grammar skills. hashtag fault in our stars because the daddy got cancer."

... I'm not even gonna go on. But can anyone see why I get so angry? There is a grand difference with based off and inspired by. People need to learn the line between them. And just because you amputate the boy in the story also does not mean someone can use the Fault in Our Stars tag.

Other than people using a tag that has NOTHING to do with their story, I feel like people have belittled those who actually do have cancer or amputated legs. I also feel this way about The Fault in Our Stars (hey I actually capitalized the T). Why do I feel this way? Now, I'm not saying that EVERYONE in the fandom hasn't delt with cancer in some way or another, but I do feel that the MAJORITY has not. And for them, they only know of cancer's horrible grip on people because of this stupid book/movie that romantisizes the struggle with cancer.

There are people in hospitals right now, gasping for air to have a nurse bring that pain pill. They can't stand the pain so much that they can't talk. I remember hearing a lady scream from down the hall to get a pain pill. She had some sort of lung cancer, and yet, she screamed louder than any scream I've heard. They're are people who get multiple surgeries, tumors, or worse.

There's a suicide brigde at one of the hospitals my grandma used to work at in California, and she told me that the one suicide she won't forget, that is associated with that bridge, was the one of the cancer patient named Sarina. She didn't have a boy. And you know what? She didn't want a boy. She just wanted to wake up and say, "hey, mom. I'm okay now." And that's why my grandmother and I won't forget her.

Hazel was right. Depression isn't a side of cancer, but it is one sure hell of a bully for some people. And not everyone has a little boyfriend is or is even fucking concernced about a boy or having a love story.

... I've bummed myself out. But hopefully, now, some of my fans will understand why I was angry and still am angry with the Fault in Our Stars and why I really don't feel like watching that suck ass movie. Once again. My opinion.

... I'm going to go work on Sherlock now.