Fanfic in the World

[shakatany]

Over the past few days I've come across three interesting links about fanfic:

Did you know that California got its name from a book that could be described as fanfic as it was an unauthorized sequel to a popular novel? Read about it here. Fanfic of that sort dates back to the Middle Ages (though most, if not all, was het *g*). We are following an ancient, though not necessarily honorable, tradition.

Finally there's Why Heather Can Write which talks about how "Not everything kids learn from popular culture is bad for them: Some of the best writing instruction takes place outside the classroom in online communities." We knew that, didn't we?

Comments

[lit-gal.livejournal.com]

Things like Robin Hood and King Arthur are more fanfic'ed than not. Anyone who wanted would write a story with the characters. In some Robin Hood stories, you have Maid Marrion. During Edward's reign, a number of writers turned to slash to amuse the young king. The idea of "owning" words and stories didn't exist until after Shakespeare was in his grave. And I love when people point that out!

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

Well who knows who is the official creator of Robin Hood though, with the idea of anonymous was a woman, I can see some mother trying to entertain her kids and creating the adventures of Maid Marion and Robin Hood only to find others take the tale and run with it.

Love the idea of medieval slash too.

Copyright protection is now going to absurd lengths as the Walt Disney Co. and others want to keep control of their (lucrative) creations as long as possible. I'm so glad that Roddenberry and Paramount saw no future for "Star Trek" after it was cancelled and fanfic took off and since then no one has been able to halt it as the genie, so to speak, was out of the bottle.

Shakatany

[lit-gal.livejournal.com]

Oh, and the California thing... that's funny!

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

And so appropriate that a state named for a make believe character is now home to make believe (Hollywood) and governed by Conan the Barbarian *g*

Shakatany