On the arts and fandom

Over the weekend, I had a conversation with a few friends on the topic of the arts and fandom related to said arts. It's no secret that some authors out there have a hatred of fan fiction and want complete control over their created charactres. On the other hand, some feel that fan fiction is a fantastic avenue for not just promotion of their original works, but a great way for people to potentially break into the writing scene by writing about the characters from the novels, movies, and television writers whom they love.

I'm in the latter category. It is my feeling that people should, can, and will write fan fiction based upon already created characters in their favorite fandoms. As long as they are not claiming those characters are original and are giving credit to the original movie, television show, or novel writer, I frankly don't see the problem.

Personally, I'm a huge advocate of fan fiction and fandom. I feel that it's a wonderful way for many to connect with the stories and characters whom they love and fulfill their creative outlet. I also see it as a harmless way to promote the arts as well as the original work.

If I ever stumble across fan fiction based on my writing, I'd be sincerely flattered--and I'd want to encourage the person to continue writing. Some fan fiction writers find themselves writing original fiction and getting published, and the more arts promotion there can ever be, I say the better!


-A