If you don’t know what fanfiction is…

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

Just kidding. I have to explain the definition of fanfiction to a lot of people whenever I discuss my hobbies, so I know that it is not quite the household name that I often think it is.

Fanfiction is really for a specific group of people, and while some others outside the practice of writing it know of its existence, many still do not.

Fanfiction is stories about characters or settings written by fans of an already existing fictional work, rather than by the true creator.

This can be of a book, movie, TV series, anything, really, as long as it is written by a fan, not the author, and normally would never be published as it would not have the permission or backing of the original work.

The usual example I give is this. Say you like Harry Potter. You decide you want to write a story for fun, or maybe for some friends to read, involving Harry’s parents when they were younger, because the actual books don’t cover much of that. The story you write would be fanfiction.

Most people get hung up on the legality of fanfiction. In some ways, because of copyright laws, fanfiction could be considered straight-up illegal because it doesn’t have the permission of the author to be written and published (usually) online. However, Fan fiction is a derivative work under United States copyright law, it is transformative and therefore not a ripoff or blatant copy seeking to make a profit. An original creator will almost never try to press charges over something like fanfiction because it is harmless, no money is made (or should be), and it is free publicity.

A disclaimer before each story is usually how fanfiction writers bypass that fear of being seen as someone trying to make money off of or take credit for the original idea, and fanfiction writers live in peace most of the time with their parent writer comrades.

There are some exceptions, some authors who do not approve of fanfiction written about their work. Anne Rice is an example, poor woman, having lost her mind and all, and after creating one of the best vampire series ever too, the (original five books only) Vampire Chronicles. Sites that host fanfiction like Fanfiction.net will no longer allow submissions about Anne Rice’s characters, or of any other author who explicitly asks that fans do not write fanfiction on their work.
 
 

History

Pre-1965 ‘fanfiction’ was usually used as a term for new writers’ work published in magazines, often sci fi, but these days it is exclusively coined for non-original pieces. The change in definition was largely due to the growth of fanfiction in the late 60s and early 70s. Some of the first modern fanfiction was written about the original Star Trek series.

Actually, it could be said that the first fanfiction ever was also the first novel, “The Tale of Genji”. Written by the noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, her novel was basically fanfiction about the emperor’s son, Hikaru Genji. Granted, I have just defined fanfiction as fan-written work of an already existing fictional work, and this would actually be fan-written work of true events, but I like to think it still counts. While the novel does cover some interesting truths about court life at the time, it is speculated that not all of the story is plain truth but elaborated on or made up.

Before copyright laws existed, fanfiction was actually prevalent throughout history, seen in the many differing stories of the Arthur legend, retellings of Homer’s works, and stories like Arabian Nights. There were also many fan-authored versions of Sherlock Holmes tales. But the true boom of fanfiction was all thanks to Star Trek and the first publishing of fanfiction in the fanzine Spockanalia.

Even in the 60s, when fanfiction was first taking off as a modern phenomenon, the authors of fanfiction were largely female, and that trend continues today, though male authors are not unheard of. The internet has definitely seen the growth of fanfiction take on a whole new level, as it gives fanfiction writers and readers a place to group together and share their beloved stories on a much larger scale.

Doujinshi, or Japanese fan comics, are similar to fanfictions, though they also include art.

What To Write

Sometimes people ask me ‘what do fanfiction writers write about?’ And the truth is…everything. There are no limitations to what can be written. If it exists, fanfiction has already been written about it, probably more than you would ever guess.

Any book, movie, TV show, comic, etc. that has ever been created, has fanfiction. There is even an entire subculture dedicated to Real Person Fiction, which is often about celebrities. And hey, that brings me right back to “The Tale of Genji”. I guess it is fanfiction, after all.

The other question, of course, after choosing a fandom (community of fiction, art, etc. about a particular fictional canon) is what subjects do fanfiction writers write about. The answer here is also everything. Really. From stories about bipolar video game characters that attempt suicide and need their friends to help bring them through it, to simple fics about a TV show character going about their daily lives, anything can be touched on.

The usual genres can be Romance, Drama, Comedy, Action, even Horror, but there are many others that are used regularly to describe a specific subgenre of fanfiction. You will often see the term ‘Gen’ (for general) used. This refers to fanfiction that is trying to fit right into canon, as normal as possible, but it is still a work of fiction by someone other than the author. Usually, you will see this as a warning to people looking for a particular romantic pairing so they know that the story is only using canon as a basis.

‘AU’ is a popular genre of fanfiction. Meaning ‘alternate universe’, AU opens the doors to basically anything. You’re taking characters, like Kirk and Spock, for example, and placing them in an entirely different universe than they originally came from. Maybe they are Kirk and Spock by personality, but instead of crew members on a starship, they are college students, or maybe they are not in the Trek universe but in Firefly. There are no boundaries to where AU can go.

These days, since a lot of teenagers are getting into fanfiction and clogging up the works, I see a lot of ‘Angst’ tags for a genre. Not to say only teenagers can write about angst, but it is definitely a term more widely used today than when I first started writing. A similar genre is Hurt/Comfort, which means that a character is injured in some way and is then nursed back to health by another character in the story.

While I cannot possibly cover every term used regularly, because there are many, and often separate fandoms come up with their own terms too, I have to mention ‘slash’.

I have brought slash up before in past blogs, because it is a subject I know much about. I have studied fanfiction and the phenomenon of slash and I like to think I have some unbiased knowledge.

Slash, to be blunt, is when someone takes two male characters from an existing fandom and pairs them together romantically and/or sexually. Usually, this would be a pair of guys who are not in any way ‘together’ in the canon world they are from.

The term came about because of the slash (/) mark placed between character names to indicate what pairing is involved in the fanfiction, like Kirk/Spock.

Now, I realize that any pairing should be slash then, since you can certainly write Spock/Uhura in your fanfiction synopsis, but no. Slash is just slash. Spock/Uhura would be considered ‘het’ for heterosexual, and if you threw in Uhura/…wow, there really aren’t other female characters in the original. How about Wonder Woman/Supergirl? That would be femslash.

If you’re interested in reading or writing fanfiction, it is important to at least know these basic terms, or you’ll end up with very confused and angry readers, or you’ll read something yourself that you had no intention of ever allowing enter your brain.

It should also be mentioned that fanfiction allows for all sorts of lengths. Write what’s in you, no restrictions. If it ends up being chapters upon chapters until you could fill four 500 page novels, go for it. If it’s only a 100 words then you have yourself a ‘drabble’, and those can be pretty fun too.

Where to Post & Read Fanfiction

Where do I even begin? The truth is, you don’t have to post your fanfiction anywhere, but if you want it read, these days the internet is where you go. Here is the master list.

Fanfiction.net – This was my first site and I still think it is the prime place for new writers to go. Even though I am older now, I still post here and a lot of other experienced writers do too, not just the up and coming teenager writers. It is well organized, can be searched, allows for reviews and favorites, and is the best place to start.

LiveJournal.com – This is the new gold standard for fanfiction. It is a lot harder to find what you’re looking for sometimes, but if you join communities and discover the right places for the fandoms you most enjoy, you can find some of the best recommendations and make some really amazing friends because of the tight social network LJ creates.

I could list a lot more, but the truth is using these two resources can lead to a lot of others. There are sites dedicated to particular fandoms, well-known authors will have their own sites sometimes, there are mailing lists, you name it. Google is a great resource if you’re looking for something very specific. But if you’re looking to start reading, or just looking for a place to post then start with FF.net and LiveJournal.

Getting read and finding great work means finding other like minds. It has been very rewarding for me. Which brings me to my next subject.

Negatives & Positives

There are good and bad things about getting involved in fanfiction. I think if utilized correctly, fanfiction is a great tool for writers of all ages, whether starting out or if you’re experienced. For new writers it helps do the one thing that can often keep you from writing at all. It makes it easier to finish a story for the first time, because there are no limits or specifics on how long a fic needs to be

That was always one of my troubles when I was younger and had some great original ideas. I never got passed those first few pages. But fanfiction changed that. I wrote a lot of shorter works in the beginning and it taught me the basics of writing plot, character, and finishing a story. Also, getting feedback from posting your fics to the public can help you learn where you need improvement.

There is also the community and building of relationships, as I mentioned. I have gotten the chance to rewrite endings to fanfictions of other authors per their request. I have had collaborations that created wonderful masterpieces at the end. I have had fanfictions written of my fanfictions. It is a wonderful feeling to know you are recognized as more than just one of the many names out there with a story, but someone who has readers, fans, and comrades.

It’s beginner networking. Use it.

One of the negatives, and I can claim this side as well, is that focusing the majority of your attention on fanfiction can sometimes make it difficult to work on your own original projects. I have a lot of original ideas that I seem to keep putting off because I adore the community and immediate satisfaction fanfiction allows.

You have to find the right balance, folks, or you’ll never get beyond posting online. Fanfiction can be great for helping good writers get better, but use it as a hobby, not a career, because you can’t make money from a fanfic.

That being said, don’t think you ever need to grow out of it. Writing fanfiction is fulfilling, and if it completes something in your life for you then don’t give it up just because someone else thinks it’s childish or a waste of time.

There is a lot of wank out there (a rather humorous term for the people who take their fandoms too seriously and will debate topics like idiotic brats) but if you can wade through the bad, there is still plenty of good.

Fanfiction in the Scholastic World

There will always be dissenters in the world of fanfiction saying that it has no scholastic value and is a base endeavor. But not every educated person feels that way. Fanfiction is on the rise in being accepted among scholarly circles. One person who can be credited for this change is Henry Jenkins.

Henry Jenkins is a scholar of media and culture, a professor that recently moved from MIT to USC. Jenkin’s official blog, “Confessions of an Aca-Fan”, proclaims that he “also plays a significant role as a public advocate for fans, gamers, and bloggers” along with being an influential writer, teacher, and grade-A geek. He says that:

Through the woman who would become my wife, I discovered fan fiction. And we spent a great deal of time debating our very different ways of reading our favorite television series.

This guy understands the media culture that shapes our world, and sees the many ways that it can be a good thing, not just negative, like those who proclaim violence in video games caused school shootings like Columbine.

He has written countless articles, books, and blogs, and is one of the many pioneers helping lead us toward a world that will truly respect fanfiction one day.

A woman I consider a good friend through the community and wonderment of fanfiction, Lisa Macklem, known as deangirl1 online, has been a part of this growing academic look at fandoms for years now.

She even taught a class on fanfiction at The University of Western Ontario, “Writing Fan Fiction”. It was the first of its kind at that university. Other colleges and universities have introduced fanfiction as part of their courses (in various ways) as well.

Lisa has also done several conference papers, including most recently “Copyright and Fan Fiction: Why Isn’t Anyone Getting Sued?” this past year delivered at the Symposium of Convergence Culture at UWO.

She also flew down to Orlando, Florida for the 2009 International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts to present “Finding Time: AU’s, Missing Scenes, and Flashbacks in Fan Fiction”, along with a number of other claims to fame in previous years. And of course she is a fanfiction writer.

Fanfiction has a strong presence in mass media culture and society today and it is earning legitimacy more and more as years pass.

“There are lots of calls for fan related papers at conferences and for journals. There is still an element who poo poo it, but then there are lots of academics who still see no value in the graphic novel.” – Lisa Macklem

And we all know how crazy those people are.

Innovations

Fanfiction is no stranger to growing with the times either, and not just by being a large presence online. One of my dearest friends is a strong advocate of podfics. Many people know of podcasting these days, radio broadcasts and articles read aloud online through feeds you can listen to right off your computer. It seems that fanfiction has picked up the trend as well.

Much like books on tape, this is a way for readers to get their fanfiction fix when they are on the go. You just download the file, upload it to your computer media player or your iPod, and listen whenever you want. Some writers read their own work, some ask those with especially soothing voices to read for them, and there are a few very talented individuals out there helping this trend take off.

Check out http://www.audiofic.jinjurly.com/ for more information and some great podfics available for download. There are also links to the original written works, and the true author’s always get their due nod for creating the work.

Social media is a big one as well, of course, beyond just LiveJournal, but also on Facebook and Twitter. Writers and readers are getting together through all sort of internet facets that help them network to better promote themselves and find what’s good to read out there.

Conclusion

I have many names on the internet. MissSuperCube, G³, akanichiyoubi, Crimson in most of my fanfiction circles, and even just Amanda. I love writing. Why else would I be blogging at you with informative articles about geek topics every week? But even though I strive to get my original work out there day by day, fanfiction is one of my great love affairs, and I hope I never stop dabbling.

Maybe I should stray away from things like my Incubus epic for the fandom Supernatural (which took me two years and I’m STILL writing for it on the side) but I have become a better writer because of the time I have taken to write fanfiction well, and because of the people who have taken the time to comment and tell me what they think of my work.

Write on, my friends! You won’t go to jail. You might make some great friends. And you will definitely feel some fulfillment in adding that scene you always wished happened in your favorite movie, getting that couple together that just didn’t see how perfect they were for each other in the original television show, or fixing that one flaw that ruined an otherwise wonderful book.

Fanfiction is the greatest not-so-secret underground phenomenon of all time. Thank God and Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek that first led the revolution.

It was a stressful week last week, so in honor of that, on Friday I’ll be talking about the difficulties geeks face in the wide world, “The Upper Lower Middle Class: Why Geeks Pay More”. Be sure and check it out.

Thanks for tuning in.

Images taken from:
http://www.zazzle.com/fanfiction_addict_t_shirt-235194754429813244
http://www.teachersparadise.com/c/literary-genres-p-18292.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bibicall/2061292757/
http://www.bwog.net/tags/videos
http://www.ecoliblog.com/articles/e-coli-watch/
http://www.i-mockery.com/visionary/geek-hierarchy.php
http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/16086.html
http://sly-hostetter-podfic.webs.com/
http://www.mysoti.com/mysoti/designer/ChasingBear/product/90839%3Bjsessionid=monx8p9cci

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