Kyla’s presentation on Monday got me thinking about Fanfiction and my own experiences with it. I originally started reading Harry Potter fanfic, then transferred over to Twilight (Yes, I am ashamed), and have since read fanfic in a lot of different fandoms. I dabble.
However, my heart always goes back to those one or two Harry Potter fanfictions that I really loved a few years ago. Every once in a while I’ll be hit with nostalgia, I’ll log back into the site to reread this treasured tome from my youth, and then I’ll remember. “This story hasn’t been updated in 2 years. The author has been notified by email.” I look at the last updated date: “05/24/2009.” A single tear rolls down my cheek, and I turn and yell at the sky (metaphorically; a lot of times this phenomenon happens in public places where getting upset at an unfinished fanwork would result in mocking).
And that’s why I’m so excited about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them coming out this year, in addition to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Finally! New material! I have this hope that all the new material will rejuvenate the fiction writers of old. Perhaps seeing a new movie will excite them once again. Maybe, just maybe, my favorite fanfic authors will finally update my favorite fanfics.
One can only hope, right?
I wonder if any fanfics have been canonized? There might be some legal issues, but assuming both authors develop an amiable relationship, that might be pretty interesting?
I mean, I guess it depends on what you consider fanfiction and what you consider canon. Modern day? Not really. I don’t know of any Harry Potter fanfiction that’s being published as Harry Potter fanfiction. However, my class on Arthurian literature is filled with people’s fanfiction that became canon. There’s even a name for these texts: continuations. They continue a story or expand on a character who was only briefly touched in another text. There are hundreds of romances, and all of them are extended fanfictions of the original story by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It’s crazy stuff!
That being said, I have been talking to my friend who is a big comic geek, and he made the argument that most comics post 1960 are fanfiction. I’m going to ask him more about that and hopefully write a blogpost about that tonight; hopefully that answers your question about modern day canonized fanfiction.