What Tolkien really thought about Fanfiction

[dagmarjung]

I got myself a copy of Tolkien's 'Letters' at the Tolkien Thing. A fascinating read that gives a lot of background. Just this moment I stumbled over this one. Here's to you, fanficcers!

(The letter is from 12/12/1966 to publisher Allen & Unwin, about a proposed sequel to LotR, written by a fan.)

Comments

[fishwithfeet]

This made my day. Awesome.

[dagmarjung]

You're welcome. I happen to like fanfic, the 5% that are actually readable. But I'm not Tolkien.

[wulfila]

I am probably lucky that Tolkien never encountered my orcs. I fear even he would not have been polite enough to call the Tumhalad outlaw storyline mere tripe. ;)

[dagmarjung]

It's obvious from his letters that he had strong possesive and protective feelings about all his creations, including orcs.

[wulfila]

I don't blame him. That is probably the one good thing about being mostly ignored and unpublished as a writer - nobody is going to do bad things to your creations.

[keiliss]

Wonder what he'd think of the Library of Moria *smiles innocently*

[dagmarjung]

I'm sure he would be NOT AMUSED.

Or to (loosely) quote Theresa Green's 'Revenge of the Fanfic husbands':
"What's that whirring noise?" - "Sound of Tolkien rotating in his grave..."