Fan fiction is what literature might look like if it were reinvented from scratch after a nuclear apocalypse by a band of brilliant pop-culture junkies trapped in a sealed bunker. They don’t do it for money. That’s not what it’s about. The writers write it and put it up online just for the satisfaction. They’re fans, but they’re not silent, couchbound consumers of media. The culture talks to them, and they talk back to the culture in its own language.
Dunc mentioned that quote too in her Club Jade post. It is wonderful, isn't it? It's also not just that fans talk back, but that they talk to one another. It's a very interactive process. Also the article emphasizes the transformative nature of fan-derived works, and that is so very true as well.
One of the best things fan fiction has done is made the whole writing process extremely interactive. I love it. And actually, thinking of interactive, that reminds me of Pottermore. Obviously, we don't know exactly what that's going to be like, but the whole idea of such an interactive reading experience for an established, published work is fascinating. And it will be so interesting to see how fans react to it (through fanfiction, especially!)
Oh, I do agree. There's something so inclusive about fandoms, and there are often surprisingly strong friendships that are built within them. I certainly count myself lucky to know everyone I've met in the few fandoms I do dabble in!
The nice thing about that article is that Grossman came to us and talked to us (via lg_interview) and asked useful questions like “What do most articles about fanfiction get wrong?” and so forth. I'm very pleased: it's by far the best mainstream article on fic I've ever seen.
It's funny how I never considered what made me love fanfic besides the obvious of good stories until now. I absolutely adore it, I think, because of the things you mention: the inclusion, the back and forth with authors (or at least the good ones that actually think about what's in the reviews instead of just acknowledging them and moving on. Thanks for being brilliant about that Rth!), the amazing feeling of looking at a fandom and thinking "I helped shape this", the knowledge that you can help someone else while entertaining. Fanfic has introduced me to other cultures, languages, music, art, everything pretty much! Some I'd eventually learn anyhow, but many things that I wouldn't have. I'm constantly astounded by how much I feel included, though I only know one writer in person, and she's the one who introduced me to fanfic! So, I guess what I'm saying is, thank you, both for pointing it out and making me think, but also for contributing to that sense of warm, fuzzy, inclusion-y happiness!
I (obviously) completely buy into the entire premise of fic as bonding. I met a lot of amazing women through the first fic I wrote. I've mentioned here before how it provides a framework and context for the conversation. Also, of course, what turns out is that if people like a story, they often share other similar interests in other fandoms, books, films, etc. If you like a friend, you'll probably like HER friends too, right? FEEL THE FAN FIC LURVE
Grossman is a good person to write this, seeing as his books are practically Narnia/Harry Potter fanfiction themselves.
I appreciated the talk about the conversational aspect of it--for me, it's a lot of lit crit and discussion and meta, only in story form instead of essay.
I know that for me, were it not for fan fic, I would be very much associating mostly with people of my own age, education, life experience and social milieu. Fandom has enormously expanded my horizons and I know that even as an old lady, I've continued to grow morally and intellectually as a result of it. And you are so right about the lit crit, meta, and discussion. The stories provide the framework for the ongoing conversation.
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Fan fiction is what literature might look like if it were reinvented from scratch after a nuclear apocalypse by a band of brilliant pop-culture junkies trapped in a sealed bunker. They don’t do it for money. That’s not what it’s about. The writers write it and put it up online just for the satisfaction. They’re fans, but they’re not silent, couchbound consumers of media. The culture talks to them, and they talk back to the culture in its own language.
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Thanks for sharing!
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~LotL
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Grossman is a good person to write this, seeing as his books are practically Narnia/Harry Potter fanfiction themselves.
I appreciated the talk about the conversational aspect of it--for me, it's a lot of lit crit and discussion and meta, only in story form instead of essay.
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And a much more interesting framework, I think!
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