Fan-Fiction: How Fandoms have Re-Structured The Narrative
From the very introduction of digital media and the culture surrounding such, we have seen audiences engaging more and more with the media they love. Fan culture as a whole began to sprout from this devotion to the beloved media which audiences consume. Within these devoted fandoms there are patterns of behavior and institutions of community which promote engagement of audiences and the media that bridges their connections. As these connections in fandoms grew, so did the role that fans played in extending the works they are invested in.
A branch of the behavior of fan culture which has been around for most of my own adolescence and continues to grow in popularity, is the work of fan fiction. This transformative work phenomenon allows fans to evolve the stories and media they love beyond that of the work that is provided to them by the original creators. Creating stories that bridge off of those already told, taking characters and endings and making them their own. With this concept comes along the die-hard supporters and those who embrace the work of fan artists. As well critics of the general activities of fandoms have much to say on the nature by which fans take control of stories. Within this post and my course long project that stems from such I would like to explore the effect of fan fiction on digital media, the public responses, and ethical dilemmas that stem from such.
The importance of this topic is shown through the growth of fan culture and the overall evolution of the roles fandoms play in media production. As Jay Rosen writes in reference to fans being referred to as the people formerly known as the audience, “We graduate from wanting media when we want it, to wanting it without the filler, to wanting media to be way better than it is, to publishing and broadcasting ourselves when it meets a need or sounds like fun” (Rosen 14). Fans have more tools than ever accessible to them to create and evolve media to fit their growing needs and desires. This concept includes the fan works that individuals develop based on their digital communities and the stories they surround. Understanding how these evolving stories impact readers, authors, and society can reveal much about fan culture and how digital technologies promote this participatory activity. As well discussing the problems that can arise from the production of this content is pivotal to continuing the growth of fan culture in an ethical manner especially on digital platforms which are designed for the creation of such material.
Highlighting the evolution of fan control of media brings to the forefront the power that fandoms have to furthering education, representation, and amplifying audience voices. Just as with tracking the behavior of any particular culture, analyzing the digital culture surrounding fan fiction and transformative works by fandoms creates an important discussion on the evolving role of these individuals and their works in the online world.
My goals for exploration throughout this project are as follows:
- What are the ethical dilemmas that arise surrounding the production of fan fictions? (ex: copyright laws, negative depiction of characters/actors, portrayal of sexuality & gender, etc.)
- How has the production of fan fiction impacted digital media creatives’ and audience experiences?
- How have transformative works broken into traditional media production? Can fan created media become as prominent as traditional writing and storytelling?
- Where does the backlash of writing fan fiction stem from? What is the traditional author’s perspective on transformative works?
Through my preliminary research I have found that discussions on fanfiction, it’s ethicality, public and creative’s opinions, and advocacy for such is incredibly common. A research point that remained persistent in various resources which I discovered was the distinction between traditional authorship and writing of fanworks. In an article for The Guardian written by Mikaella Clements, an author herself, she discusses her own fanfiction writing and the debate which remains present in discourse. This debate including the negative perception behind writing that develops from previously established worlds and stories (Clements 2018). Fans play a major role in the success of stories and the community engagement of fandoms, yet their work is still often diminished by long-established practices of story development. Even George RR. Martin, the author of the Game Of Thrones stories, is quoted by Johnson (2016) as advising against writing transformative works based off of his and others stories. There seems to be a negative perception on the expansion of stories by fans, even in light of the growing popularity of such a practice and the positive reception of fan communities. Though this discussion remains prevalent in digital writing communities, this has not completely hindered the expansion of fan works into mainstream media.
Many stories which have been brought to the screen or published on paper have started as fan works which grew to become pieces of traditional media, such as published books and movies. In many of these cases we see intellectual properties associated with original stories changed to make a work of it’s own. Yet the inspiration of the original tale remains, in a way relieving the issues that can stem from connection to already written material. As the creation of fan works continues, so does the discourse around its potential for more and the practices needed to do so. I intend to focus my project on answering the exploratory questions I laid out which reveal what fan fiction means for fan communities, authors, and larger media production as a whole. Addressing both the concerns that surround the practice of fan fiction writing and the growing relevance of fan created stories.
I have come up with a few questions for my fellow digital culture researchers in regards to my research on fan fiction. Feel free to engage with any of the questions below! I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!
- What is your perspective on the debate surrounding fan fiction, is it a fun activity for fans to engage with their community and stories, or are there potential dilemmas which stem from it?
- Have you ever enjoyed a movie, book, or television show and found out it was inspired by fan fiction? If so, what was it? As well, did it change your perspective or view of the piece of content?
Below are some readings from which I have done my preliminary research, as well as sources to continue investigation on this topic of digital culture:
Works Cited
Clements, Mikaella. “From Star Trek to Fifty Shades: How Fanfiction Went Mainstream.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 Aug. 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/aug/08/fanfiction-fifty-shades-star-trek-harry-potter.
Johnson, Brittany. “Live Long and Prosper: How the Persistent and Increasing Popularity of Fan Fiction Requires a New Solution in Copyright Law.” Minnesota Law Review, vol. 100, no. 4, Apr. 2016, pp. 1645–87. EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy3.library.arizona.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=114587589&site=ehost-live.
Rosen, Jay. “The people formerly known as the audience.” Participation and media production: Critical reflections on content creation. Cambridge Scientific Publishers Ltd, 2008.
Sources I have found to use for further engagement with the topic:
Grady, Constance. “Why We’re Terrified of Fanfiction.” Vox, 2 June 2016, https://www.vox.com/2016/6/2/11531406/why-were-terrified-fanfiction-teen-girls.
Johnson, Miriam J. “Digitally-Social Genre Fiction: Citizen Authors and the Changing Power Dynamics of Writing in Digital, Social Spaces.” Textual Practice, vol. 34, no. 3, Mar. 2020, pp. 399–417. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy3.library.arizona.edu/10.1080/0950236X.2018.1508067.
Duggan, Jennifer. “Transformative Readings: Harry Potter Fan Fiction, Trans/Queer Reader Response, and J. K. Rowling.” Children’s Literature in Education, Mar. 2021, pp. 1–22. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy3.library.arizona.edu/10.1007/s10583-021-09446-9.
