Criticism of Fan Fiction
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Definitions of concept
While it is generally agreed that fan fiction is fiction written by fans of a given story, using characters and/or settings that they themselves did not create, definitions of the concept vary widely.
Licensed novels
There is some debate over whether licensed and copyrighted novels based on an original work can be considered fan fiction. Some view these works as a form of fan fiction because they were not written by the original creator. However, debate rages on due to the fact that, unlike most other modern works accepted as "fan fiction", these works are officially licensed, often have their basic plot outlines authorized and approved by the original copyright owner or his/her representatives, and are written for profit and published professionally for the mass market. Examples of such works include the Dune books written after the death of Frank Herbert and licensed novels published under the name of the late Robert Ludlum.
Some regard these features as indications that the writings should be considered "official" and thus not fan fiction, even if they are not part of the original series and even when they contradict the previously-established canon facts. Others, who define fan fiction more in terms of how "canonical" it is, see such works as fan fiction precisely because they were not produced by the original writer(s). This view does not appear to extend to novelizations of canon works released in other formats, such as feature films or television episodes.
Unauthorized derivative works
One of the broadest definitions of fan fiction — and one slightly different from the above — is simply an "unauthorized derivative work". In this interpretation, works such as the books of the Biblical Apocrypha are sometimes used as an early example of fan fiction, and unauthorized print sequels to popular novels such as Robinson Crusoe, including works written during the period before the copyright on the story has expired, are also considered a form of fan fiction. If this interpretation is accepted, licensed novels would not be considered fan fiction, as they are not unauthorized.
As an extension of oral literature
Fan fiction is regarded by some as a modern equivalent of the oral literature tradition of shared stories. This theory was initially popularized by Henry Jenkins in his 1992 book Textual Poachers. Other scholars, such as Dr. Elizabeth Judge (who argues that "fan fiction" covers copyright-violating works from the 18th century as well), also appear to accept this description.
In this academic view, retellings of fairy tales or mythology can theoretically be considered fan fiction — especially if they significantly alter the original version of the story. For example, the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys could be considered a form of fan fiction that expands on the original Greek myths about Hercules. In reality, such works are rarely understood as "fan fiction", since ancient myths, which existed in many versions even in their early forms, are no longer the property of any one author, if they ever were, and are fair game for modern reinterpretations.
Shared universes
Additional borderline examples are fan contributions to shared universes created by one author or a group of authors with the expectation that anyone can add material and help develop a fictional universe. A famous example is H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, to which both professional and fan contributions have been made for over fifty years.
| This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Fan Fiction. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. The text of this Wikinfo article is available under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license. |
