The Fanfic-to-Trad Pub Pipeline: Helpful or Harmful?

In recent years, a trend has begun to emerge in publishing. More and more fanfics are being rewritten into original stories. This phenomenon is not new, but today, the line between fanfiction and the media they’re based on is being blurred more and more. 

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Nobody feels this effect more than the people who are part of fandoms. As most of these communities have existed for a long time, they already have an established set of rules that allow them to exist, as well as grow, without running into legal issues. However, the sudden influx of new people in the fandom has sent some communities into chaos. Some newer fans are not only unfamiliar with these unspoken rules, but also unwilling to follow them, which might have bigger ramifications later on.

Nothing New

The concept of popular fanfiction being published into original novels is nothing new. E. L. James had also been open with the fact that her book Fifty Shades of Grey had originally been a Twilight fanfiction called Masters of the Universe. Author Rainbow Rowell was also open about the fact that in her book, Fangirl, Simon and Baz were meant to parallel a popular Harry Potter ship. 

Today, the general opinion on fanfiction seems entirely different.

Fanfiction Blows Up on #Booktok

#Booktok has caused some books and genres to skyrocket in popularity, creating celebrities from authors, content creators, and even characters. It also popularized romantasy, a subgenre of literature in which romance takes place in a fantasy setting and normally contains erotica. #BookTok also tends to favor romance books with “spice” or erotic elements.

Aside from #BookTok, bookbinding videos also gained traction on the app. Sometimes, bookbinders would rebind existing books to show off their skills and design talent. Other binders printed out copies of fanfiction and designed full layouts and covers, incorporating either commissioned or existing fan art. These kinds of videos also blew up on the app, garnering interest for the stories that the covers and art were made for.

Already popular among the community, SenLinYu’s Manacled was often at the top of recommended lists, causing the story to garner more and more attention on the app. However, not everyone learning about Manacled for the first time was familiar with the concept of fanfiction and thought that the binds were for sale. Some accounts were quick to jump on the opportunity and started making money. 

Fanfiction’s boom on #BookTok caused a sudden influx of new people into fandom communities. On the bright side, the popularity of fanfiction has given some authors the opportunity to publish their original work. Unfortunately, it also seems that with these fanfiction writers becoming traditionally published, some think that blurring the lines between fanfiction and traditional publication is a good thing, going so far as to treat fanfiction like books by reviewing them publicly and using fanfiction and the fandom community as a marketing tactic. 

Why Is This a Problem?

In the ’90s, Anne Rice, author of the popular book Interview With a Vampire, sent cease and desist orders to individuals that moderated forums where fans discussed theories and wrote fanfiction about her books. This has led to the erasure of entire online communities and transformative works.

Fanfiction is legal because it is protected by the Fair Use clause. When a piece of media is transformed enough to provide insight or critique on it, it is no longer considered copyright infringement, provided that those who create transformative works do not make money off the copyrighted material. The sudden boom of fanfiction could very likely bring in a situation similar to the case of Anne Rice, where fanfiction writers, fan artists, and in general, fans who like to discuss theories online may be hit with cases and forced to disappear from the internet, causing individuals to lose their communities.

Unlike fanfiction, traditionally published works come with expectations. They have been professionally edited at least a few times by proofreaders and copy editors. They also have a publishing team that helps with marketing and distribution. As publishing houses are businesses, they have a relationship with and a responsibility to their consumers. 

On the other hand, fanfiction is meant to be shared and discussed among communities. As is  often said in the community, fanfiction and other fan media are gifts, not products. Fandom is one of the few remaining spaces where we are able to freely exercise our creativity without judgment or expectation. It is meant to be a safe space for play and should remain so.

The Aftermath

In the coming months, three books from three popular fanfiction works will be published. The authors of two have removed their fanfiction works and have requested that people stop distributing them. Brigitte Knightley, the author of the upcoming novel The Irresistible Urge to Fall in Love With Your Enemy, has stated that they will not be taking down the fanfiction work that they are known for, stating that the story of the novel is far removed.

While a fanfic writer being published will always be celebrated, it needs to be acknowledged that the removal of these fanfiction works are a huge loss to the fandoms they belong to. As this trend continues, it will be likely that other publishers will hop on, leading to more fics being removed from the internet. Moreover, as this trend continues, we will see less people engaging with fandom genuinely.

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