Rutherford, Leonie Margaret. 2009. “Industries, artists, friends and fans: Marketing young adult fictions online. First Monday 14(4): http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2443
I am looking forward to the discussion for this week’s class because I really enjoy reading what I know as fanfiction.
I believe that it is also very beneficial for young adults because it can encourage them to both read and write which aid in improving their literacy skills. Although the article mostly focuses on fans of the fiction and consumerism/capitalism, I think that making the characters seem more available benefits young adults in building not only their literacy skills but also developing an appreciation for reading. I do agree with Rutherford that the fanfiction can be used as an easy form of free advertising, but I think that its benefits for young adults are worth it.
Besides the literary genre, there are many categories fanfiction that can appeal to young adults including films and television (my personal favourite). Not only are authors able to use their imaginations to introduce different characters from different shows to another, but they can also put themselves into the storyline. They learn to develop characters, a plotline, and how to write in a way that appeals to their peers. With free access to social networking sites, people can publish their own works without going through the traditional route of seeking a publisher in order to have other people read their final product. Fan clubs give non-professionals the forum to share their hobby and enjoyment of the series without feeling judged or embarassed.
Fanfiction is a great way to encourage young adults (and the not-so-young adults) to read and write. Just as a side-note, my favourite fanfiction site is http://www.fanfiction.net/
2 comments:
Oh, interesting article link, thanks! Way back when I did some community work for iVillage.com, I was very much into online cultural research. I've gotten a bit behind the curve on reading since, though.
And I hear you on enjoying the recreational reading, there, too. Some of the popular crop of current YA writers started out in fanfiction. Cassie Clare, for instance, who was active in the Harry Potter fandom.
Heck, you may even know some other people who write fanfiction, too!
That is good to know! I will look at some of Clare's work, it is a great starting point for aspiring authors!
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