I don't ship non-canonical romances (though I did when I was younger). I don't write fan fiction -- romantic or otherwise -- nor do I read them. But I will always be a strong supporter of the right of others to do so. It's a subject I've thought a lot about for a long time, but never really had the chance to talk about until now. (By the way, none of this is directed to any of you specifically. I was thinking about these things long before you guys were talking about it.)
1. A big part of it is that, though I'm very close to all my characters and stories, I don't really view them as "mine". I believe characters and story ideas are gifts from God. Though our talent does have something to do with it, even that talent is God-given. Even as authors, I think it's important and humbling to remember that we are not the creators; we are the instrument the Creator uses, even when it comes to the stories that come out of our own heads. He could just as easily have let our ideas come into the heads of someone else, instead of us. Therefore, I guess I don't really feel it's mine to keep to myself.
2. Many people take fan fiction as an insult, which is strange to me. People don't write fanfics and come up with non-canon ideas because they don't think you did a good job. They do it because they love your books. They love the world you have created, and they don't want to leave that world once the book is over. They don't want to just put it back on the shelf and forget about it. They love it so much, they want to stay and play a little longer. Think about Jane Austen. When you go into a bookstore, how many fan-fiction novels are out there based on her works? A lot. Is that because Jane Austen is widely regarded as a bad writer whose works need serious fixing? No, it's because she's one of the greatest authors of all time, and people just can't get enough of her.
3. Whenever someone adores a story, they usually show that adoration by doing more with it. But we all use different methods. What if non-canon illustrations were looked down on, and we graphics makers couldn't make Narnia fanwork and wallies and avvies? What if Pauline Baynes was insulted by it, because she took our artwork as a statement saying her Narnia drawings weren't good enough? It would crush most of us, I think, if our love for favorite things was taken by its authors as an insult. And I don't think it should be that way, for us or for fanfiction followers.
4. When people write non-canon things about your books, it gives you a chance to see what could have been, if the idea had been placed in someone else's head.
5. Fan fiction, and anything non-canon (like shipping), can not hurt the original source. No matter how many stories about your world are written by other people, yours will always be considered the original one.
6. When you write a book, but don't allow fan-fiction, you show people a world you have created. When you allow fanfiction, you invite readers into that world and allow them to take an active part.
7. People feel more comfortable with, and respectful toward, authors who allow them freedom. For example, I adore Lord of the Rings. But I would
never want to meet J.R.R. Tolkien. Why? Because I know from letters and other sources how protective he was of his own books. I would be scared to death to talk about his books with him, lest my interpretation of his works turn out to be not as accurate as he would like, and be met with his scorn. That would be awful; to disappoint -- even anger -- a favorite author of mine like that. I would feel a bit paranoid, watching every word I said. Whereas, I would
love to talk to Lewis about Narnia. Because I know he was more open toward that sort of thing. In fact, I even remembering him sending a letter to a child who was asking him to write more Narnia books, and he told that child to feel free to write Narnia books of his own. And I admire him greatly for that. It's what I admire in all authors, and it's what I hope to emulate if/when I am an author myself.
8. My fans are my fans. And no matter who they are, or how they show their devotion, it's a great honor to have fans. And if we treat them with scorn and anger, not only would we lose a lot of fans, but we would also hurt them very deeply.
9. This is probably a painful fact for a lot people, but... Just because something annoys us like nails on a chalkboard, that doesn't give us the right to get rid of it so that those who do like it, can't read or watch it. For example, I greatly dislike Twilight. But the truth is, even if I literally had the power to silence them all forever, I don't think I would take it. Because whether I like Twilight or not, some people do like it. And they have a right to like it, whether it will be good for them in the end or not. I believe the same thing goes for fanfiction. I may create the stories, but I have no say in how people enjoy those stories in their own homes, and in their own imaginations.
D-T wrote:I think C.S. Lewis didn't really think it necessary to add romance into a children's book series, so, should movie makers do it?
It depends on what the filmmakers are going for. If they're trying to do a direct book-to-movie translation, then no. It would be contradictory to put non-canonical elements in a movie which they are trying to make as canon as possible. But if the filmmaker is going the fanfiction route -- if they just want to make a film that is their own personal spin on the books -- then they should be able to do what they want with it. If we don't like their direction, all we have to do is not go see the movie.
~Riella