Fan-fic vs. “Literature” by Benjamin Fife
A guest post from my awesome narrator Benjamin Fife.
A project I’m in the middle of producing, Pemberly: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon has got me thinking. As I’ve told friends and family about the project, I’ve had more than one person respond with “So, it’s basically Fan-Fiction then?” My initial knee-jerk reaction has been, “Well, no, its kind of its own sub-genre called Gas-Lamp Fantasy.”
But it made me consider – what makes something fan-fic? Is there some line between a “legitimate” work of fiction, and “fan-fic.”
Is fan-fiction just taking something in Pop Culture & putting your own spin & stamp on it?
One of the highlights of my youth was when after a dearth of new Star Wars material, George Lucas finally gave the green light to Timothy Zahn who in 1991 released Heir to the Empire. It was a new era. Was Timothy Zahn the ultimate fan-fic writer? His Thrawn trilogy was superb, and probably in large part the impetus for the special edition release, followed by… you know the rest.
But the Thrawn trilogy was superb. Yes, it was Star Wars told by someone other than the original creator. The characters themselves have become such fan favorites that Thrawn is now canon, as well as several of the names created by Zahn, David Wolverton, Kevin Anderson and more. I myself had a superb novel etched out in my mind after revenge of the Sith that filled in the prequel holes & married it to many of Zahn’s characters. But alas, Disney chucked out 3/4’s of my plot (I still toy with the idea of writing the story as a non Star Wars book, with the names changed to protect the innocent). Was Zahn a Fan-fic writer? He was already a writer, well established. The reason the Thrawn trilogy did so well, was because he used is skill and applied it to a universe that was already there.
Isn’t that what all fiction is?
Yes, there are folks like George Lucas, Frank Herbert, Brandon Sanderson, George RR Martin, JR Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis who have created completely fleshed out worlds of their own, but ultimately, all fiction is a variation on something we already know about. There have been roughly 70 billion self aware humans who have inhabited this planet. Imagination exponential. We’re bound to revisit things again and again. Some things are obvious: The Three Amigos, Galaxy Quest, A Bug’s Life. All the same idea. Is that fan-fic of an idea? I’m sure there’s probably a Shakespeare play that it goes back to.
Some of my published works started out as Alternate Universe fan fiction, which I then re-wrote with new character names and the plot changed enough to clear the bar of ‘original’.
“The Highwayman’s Legacy” borrows heavily from Alfred Noyes. “Cinderella Grows a Spine”, and the subsequent trilogy and side novellas were inspired by the classic fairytales, even if the end result was very different. My “Two Sides of the Same Coin” series was heavily inspired by the plot-holes in Sky High and The Incredibles. I’ve lost count of how many short stories were kick-started by Tumblr posts or online writing prompts.
There are a lot of fanfic writers who are frankly amazing, and in some cases at least as good as the original authors. The amount of time and effort, sometimes years in the process, amazes me. Fanfiction is also an excellent way for a beginning writer to figure out how to set up a plot, write consistent characters, and receive feedback on where they need to improve, without the obligations and deadlines that come with being a published author. It’s also good practice for interacting with fans.
There has been fan fiction written for competitions (bragging rights and maybe cover art for the winner), for charity fundraisers, and raising awareness. I have made friends and learned so much from my decade or so writing fan fiction, and I can’t regret it.
Of course, there are also the ones who go way too far, turning a children’s story into a retelling of the SAW movies, or writing Real Person Fiction, or writing in a fandom they’ve never actually read/watched because it’s popular and absolutely butchering the characters. So, it can be something of a mixed bag.
I hadn’t really thought about the question in these terms before because, to me, a well-written novel that helps me think about issues beyond the novel is good literature. Maria’s dragon books do just that and are are my favorites among the many delightful variations she has written. On the other hand, I realize that I have been very careful who I tell about my delight in both Jane Austen’s originals and the stories that have sprung from them simply because I’ve had enough of rolling eyes from those who prefer “real” literature – whatever that might be.
Still, not everything that is categorized as Jane Austen Fan Fiction falls into the category of good literature for me. (Please note the “for me” part.) Too many fall back on caricatures of the original characters or waste pages on descriptions of genitalia, etc. Others ignore the culture and social norms of the time about which they are writing. Others are just plain poorly written and edited with huge plot holes, clumsy efforts to sound “Regency”, and acutely painful grammatical errors. You can tell they come from the heart of the author, but a good heart does not always produce good literature.These are books I stop reading and return within a couple of chapters as I have little time to read for enjoyment and won’t waste it.
To be honest, when I first saw the title about a dragon, I nearly moved on. But I’d read some of Maria’s books before and enjoyed them and she prices her Kindle books at a level I can afford, two factors that make a difference. So I clicked, read and was hooked. Her dragon world is seamlessly integrated into the world of Pride and Prejudice. She knows the Regency and it shows. She does not turn our beloved characters into caricatures but deepens them and shows us different facets of their personalities. Of course some are necessarily different from the original. Where would the story be otherwise?. There is the sort of believability in her interwoven worlds that allow suspension of disbelief and eagerness to know what happens next. She takes me away from the challenges and difficulties of my life into the challenges and difficulties of lives in a world far removed from my own and makes me think. Are they perfect? No. There are some inconsistencies – minor ones – from book to book. Only someone as picky as I am would notice. So yes, these novels qualify in my mind as literature with no snob appeal attached. I am grateful.
(Also shared on Benjamin Fife’s blog)
It seems to me that in many ways, writing in an established universe mirrors the constraints of poetry. In various types of poetry, there are various constraints of rhyme pattern, meter, scansion, stress, and more. Those constraints prevent the writer from doing “whatever they want” but the effect of those constraints can result in being MORE true to the purpose of the writer. The results can be more beautiful than “unrestricted” prose, as well.
So, in writing in another author’s universe, there are likewise constraints. Rather than meter, they are setting and character and circumstances.
Some do this poorly and write only for their own enjoyment, and never publish. Others publish and are better (or worse) at holding within the constraints. Or they choose which constraints to “break” for the sake of their own story.
Either way, we readers can choose to accept or reject what has been written. I have certainly read stories that were purportedly from Austen’s universe where they *only* similarity was the names of the major persons in the story. The stories would have been better without hijacking the names – but would probably not have gotten the sales, either, as part of the draw is the twist on the familiar story. I have also read stories (such as the dragons Maria Grace gave us) that interweave beautifully with Austen’s times, places, and personalities. My reading is enriched, either way.
I’m going to have to agree with Diana’s comments on this topic. I’ve experienced the caution in discussing what I love to read. I’ve seen the eye-rolls and determined I’d never find someone with my passion for fan fiction. I actually didn’t know what fan fiction was until I stumbled on a book by Regina Jeffers. That opened the door to JAFF for me. I joined an online group of fellow Austenites and I then discovered Maria Grace and all her delightful books. Like Diana said… price does make a difference. I cannot and will not pay $10 or $9.99 for an ebook. I did it once and I won’t do it again. I believe in supporting authors. This is their job and perhaps only support… but not at the expense of my eating and paying bills. I appreciate the love and care that Maria Grace gives to her craft. I’ve seen those books Diana described and it hurts me to see porn used with our beloved characters or they are made so caricaturish that they are unrecognizable. It is a fine line but Grace respects Austen’s characters and would never betray our trust. I loved her Dragons series and the Elizabeth in that story. I look forward to new adventures in that context. Dragons… who knew? Literature or fan-fic… I don’t care what you call it. I love it. Thanks for this post.