I'd never heard of the term "fanfiction" until I heard Amie Kaufman talk about it - I believe it was at an Inky Awards ceremony (brief pause to remember those important awards that we lost . . . sigh) and the way she spoke about it was very much as you're doing now. It occurred to me later that I'd done a lot of my own version of fanfiction as a child - solitary, but still exercising those skills you mention by using someone else's characters and concept.
Ahh... the Inkys. Fanfiction does come in many different forms! Even during my arts degree, when we wrote using a similar style to the writers we studied or wrote a different version of their stories, that totally counts as fanfiction ;)
Yes good point - my eldest did this in Year 12, writing a short story inspired by the voice and characters in a story of her choice from Cate Kennedy's excellent collection Like a House On Fire. And having not tried any creative writing for a few years, she loved this assignment. I like your point about forums, accountability and mutual support, too - when I was starting out I was a member of a writers' forum and I can't imagine how I would have succeeded without it.
Definitely. I found that community before I moved to Melbourne, when I was feeling very alone and sad and out of place. Having other writers around you is so important!
I'd never heard of the term "fanfiction" until I heard Amie Kaufman talk about it - I believe it was at an Inky Awards ceremony (brief pause to remember those important awards that we lost . . . sigh) and the way she spoke about it was very much as you're doing now. It occurred to me later that I'd done a lot of my own version of fanfiction as a child - solitary, but still exercising those skills you mention by using someone else's characters and concept.
Ahh... the Inkys. Fanfiction does come in many different forms! Even during my arts degree, when we wrote using a similar style to the writers we studied or wrote a different version of their stories, that totally counts as fanfiction ;)
Thanks for reading, Emily!
Yes good point - my eldest did this in Year 12, writing a short story inspired by the voice and characters in a story of her choice from Cate Kennedy's excellent collection Like a House On Fire. And having not tried any creative writing for a few years, she loved this assignment. I like your point about forums, accountability and mutual support, too - when I was starting out I was a member of a writers' forum and I can't imagine how I would have succeeded without it.
Definitely. I found that community before I moved to Melbourne, when I was feeling very alone and sad and out of place. Having other writers around you is so important!