Reclaiming Derivative Fiction

[labingi]

With the heightened visibility of fan fiction in recent years, conceptions of what constitutes professional-caliber fiction have been in flux, and derviative fiction (based on pre-existing works) has been slowly regaining legitimacy. I want to share my new enthusiasm for the richer, truer world that opens up for all participants in narrative when

Comments

[shimere277]

Very interesting and thoughtful comments. I would add that our culture's current fascination with "reboots" is a search for the mythology we have abandoned. A primary characteristic of myth is that a story exists in variant forms; also, science fiction and fantasy often grapple with the "big" themes (the origin and meaning of life, defining what it means to be human) that realist fiction has abandoned

[labingi]

Thanks for your comments. :) Good points about high art often not being associated with making money. I think maybe there's a different between "high artist" and "professional artist" (more a business term), where professional indicates making a certain level of money that suggests a certain level of skill, but not necessarily that the most skilled make the most money. For example, one could be thought of as a romance novel "hack" but still a pro. I'll ponder revisions to address this

[shimere277]

I think that "literary writers" aren't the ones insulting fic - my guess is they don't engage with it much. I think the criticism is coming from genre writers - and when you think of it, genre writers are in direct competition with fic writers. They demand pay for something fic writers give away for free. In order to justify that, they need a rationale showing what they offer is worth the money.

I think maligning the competition is only part of the issue, though. The 20th century was very much in love with the idea of originality, rebellion, breaking new ground. I see signs that, as a culture, we're tiring of it. You can only have so much new for newness' sake before it becomes old.