A few weeks ago I wrote a post on fan-fiction and an interesting question was brought up: where is the line between fan-fiction and retellings?

I spent a long time talking with Nicole on twitter about this issue. And she just wrote a post on her opinion on the matter. I agree with pretty much everything she said, so rather than restate a similar opinion I decided to take it to another level.

I have contacted four authors of "retellings" and asked them the following questions:

What do you consider fan-fiction?
Do you consider your book to be fan-fiction? If not, what sets it apart from your definition?
Based on your definition, should fan-fiction ever be published?

Their answers are very interesting and very different. Here's a preview of each of their answers, and then I'll be posting their individuals answers over the next few weeks.

Marissa Meyer
Author of the fairy tale retelling Cinder

To me, fanfiction is when a work takes specific characters or settings from an original work and re-uses them. Alternatively, a story about a boy who discovers that he's a wizard or a band of magical beings who go on an epic journey to destroy a dangerous artifact - while they may have very direct and obvious influences - wouldn't be considered fanfiction in my opinion, because they aren't making use of the world and characters from the original.

I've always understood fanfiction to be any piece of writing which utilises a world or characters that already exist (in whatever form) under copyright to the original author. Something is not fanfic if the world and characters that you use are out of copyright - if they no longer belong to someone else.

Amanda Grange
Author of numerous Jane Austen inspired novels

I suppose to me fan fiction is something based on other people's creations, written solely for the pleasure of the fan fiction author or possibly the pleasure of the fan fiction author's family and friends as well ,and then posted online. It doesn't have to meet any standards so it can be good, bad or anywhere in between.

There are currently things being called "fanfic" and posted on fanfic sites that I personally wouldn't consider fanfic. For instance: someone who types up the words of a published novel and then changes the names of the characters in that novel into the names of the characters in the "fandom" -- that is not fanfiction. That is not "crossover fanfic." That's not "AU fanfic." That's just plagiarism. (It's happened to me and it's just baffling -- they're missing the whole point!)

Want to see more of their answers to the other questions? Check back each Wednesday to see what each of them have to say in more detail

I'll try to make this a short-ish story:

I've always loved the idea of cosplay. I was an actress all through high school and the idea of dressing up and pretending to be a well-loved character is great. I was always too self-conscious to do it until I made these new friends who also think that it's cool. Hence, I now do cosplay (I'm working on one right now and it's epic).

HOWEVER, I have always looked down on fan-fiction. To me it was the "lesser art" meant to be sneered at. Creepy, anti-social nerd-geeks in their basements wrote fan-fiction. (How many of you have I offended yet?) BUT, these same friends are writers of fan fiction. And... after a little bit of persuasion I tried my hand at it.

It's. So. Fun.

Do I still think of it as a "lesser art"? Heck yes. The majority of the people who write fan-fiction have very little talent. But there are gems hidden within the dreck. But the real magic in fan-fiction is how easy it is. I recently posted on twitter: "[my] fan-fiction is now over 3000 words. Why am I so much more motivated to write this than my current WIP?"

Two which a very wise person (who will remain unnamed since I didn't get his/her permission) responded: "Because there is no pressure and you love the characters, of course."

And that got me thinking. Fan fiction is the perfect stepstool to original story writing. The world and characters are already there, and so it's just an exercise in creating true characters, interesting plots, and engaging dialogue. There's no pressure to come up with something totally new and original.

Of course, this is still coming on the heels of this post over at WORD for Teens, which I totally agree with. I do not believe that fan fiction should be published. I just don't. But, at least for me, it has been very eye opening.

I have often convinced myself that I'm just not cut out to be a writer because I don't have the passion for it. But this has showed me that I DO. I'm writing a prequel right now, and with some idea of where the story should end up, I get SO EXCITED to write new things! In the past three days I have written FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED WORDS. In THREE DAYS.

(For your comparison, my original WIP (which I started in January 2012) is currently 9,400 words long and I haven't written anything since July.)

Needless to say I'm now conflicted. I used to think fan-fiction was a dark pit where characters went to die. But now... I kinda like it. Writing it, at least. I'm still warming up to reading it.

So how do you feel about fan-fiction? 
Do you read/write it? Do you ignore it? Are you passionately against it ? I want to know!

Hey y'all! Just another reminder about Writing for Charity this Saturday. If you  haven't signed up yet, it's not too late! Even if you can't come for the full day, you should definitely sign up for half day 'cause it's going to be EPIC!

SO EXCITING! It's finally here!!!!


What do you think? Matched is still my favorite, but I love this one, too! The red is so powerful.

Read more about it here.

I have started a writing blog. Here it is. This may be akin to shooting myself in the foot, which is why you should carefully read the first (and only) post on said blog.

The end.

I have a question for both readers and writers: when you read/write, do you prefer past or present tense? I'll give you examples of each in case you're confused:

Past tense (from The Savage Grace):

"I winced. The heat radiating off of Gabriel's hands was almost too much to bear. I gritted my teeth, trying to hold on."

Present tense (from Grave Mercy):

"The room is poorly lit, which suits my purposes well. Keeping close to the shadows near the wall as I have been taught, I make my way to the stairs that lead to the second floor."

I'm just curious because I know that when I write I have this habit of switching back and forth between the two. And so I wanted to know which people prefer. Do you notice when it's different? Does one seem stronger/weaker to you? If you're a writer, which one do you usually write?

Calling all aspiring writers/book lovers! Do you want to go to an awesome event AND donate to charity? You're in luck! There's an AMAZING event called Writing for Charity that was started by Shannon Hale a few years ago. I went the first year, and I'm SO EXCITED to get to go this year!

Please take a minute to go to their website and look it over. If you don't want to go the full day (which includes a personal critique with an author!) then there's a half-day option with an awesome signing and break-out sessions.

Please come! I'll be there, and so will these authors: Brodi Ashton, Bree Despain, Dean Hale, Shannon Hale, Mette Ivie Harrison, Janette Rallison, Emily Wing Smith, Dan Wells, and MORE!


P.S. If you have some Utah readers and wouldn't mind spreading the word about this event, I'd really appreciate it. It's for such a wonderful cause.

I would like to pose a question purely hypothetically. Let's say (hypothetically, remember) that a certain person would like to start writing again. But that certain person knows she/he would need a beta reader who would motivate, support, and question her/him in her/his writing. How would she/he find such a beta reader?

Writer friends, discuss.

Dunno if you guys have heard about Haunted Halloween, but there's a contest to write a creepy story. I wrote this my junior year of high school, and I figured it could easily be repurposed for this. I know now that this isn't very original anymore because zombies are all the rage, but I wrote this LONG before the zombie craze. This was actually based on a dream I had. So... enjoy.

Her breath raced as she ran down the hill. Sweat glistened on her face in the light of the half-moon. Her pursuer was not far behind, his long arms flapping limply at his sides. She turned right and hid behind a trash can and prayed he would pass her by.

“Chloe,” He croaked. “Come out. You know I won’t hurt you. How could I hurt you? I love you.”

Silent tears slid down her face. How she wanted to believe those words. But she knew now that he was lost to her.

Footsteps were heard receding into the distance; he was gone, for now.

The cement was cold under her skin and she shivered, her breath caught in her chest and she sobbed louder as she looked at the school where they had spent their happiest year. She had been seventeen and he was eighteen, high school sweethearts and soul mates. But then…

She had been twenty-two, recently graduated from college and engaged to Devon. It was the happiest time of her life, until the epidemic struck. It began with reports on the news and escalated into being right outside the door, they called them “the Dead”.

Masses of people through out the world contracted the strange disease. Beginning by a slight grey tinge to the skin it spread until even the eyes were grey. The teeth turned yellow and rotten, hair fell from their heads. Their voice lost all gentleness, and finally a slow decomposition of the brain.

No, they didn’t die. That would have been merciful. They lost all reason to live.

Two weeks before their wedding Devon became ill, the doctors said it was just a bad virus, but both of them had doubts. Devon had soon became violent and crude, and it hadn’t stopped there.

“Chloe.” Her head jerked up as she heard something in his voice. Compassion? “Come back to me.” She shook the hope out of her mind. It was a cold, hard, lifeless voice.

She closed her eyes for a moment, steeling herself, and stood. Every muscle in her body was trembling.

Devon smiled, revealing yellow teeth that had once been so beautiful. “That’s it. Accept the dead.” He reached out his arms, bright eyes glowing.

Life without love is not worth living. She thought to herself as she took slow shaky steps into the endless embrace.

They embraced as they had never embraced before. Silence swept over the street in a wave. Life flashed through Devon’s eyes but then it faded. He caressed her face gently then squeezed her tighter. A loud crack split the silence and Chloe’s body fell, lifeless, to the ground.

a memory on snowy wings
has waited long to wake
and fly into that gilded world
beyond those big glass gates

but memory her heart was pierced
when she saw what lay beyond
not glitterings and friendships
but something far forgone

this wasn't the same yesteryear
that she had grown to love
this was something new and wrong
unfitting for this dove

this place where she had bloomed and grown
had turned to something stranges
he didn't know if she could make it
ever be the same

it wasn't long before despair
struck deep within my friend
a tear rolled down her now-grey cheek
she wished it was the end

and all i could say was continue on
and please be strong and true
try onward till the end
for what else can we few do?

perhaps your shine's not meant to last
but meant to see the truth
for at the close there is one thing we choose
and that is Youth.

~Yolie Matsutamo

Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, be passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.

We paused before house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.


~Emily Dickinson

The heart is the symbol of love.
But love doesn’t come from the heart.
The heart is a muscle, made only to keep us alive.
Pump blood.
In.
Out.
It’s the brain that causes true emotion.
At least, that’s what they say.

Can they explain why, then,
The heart quickens?
The blood runs cold?
Then warm?

Or can they explain why, then,
The brain goes into a fog?
Words are lost?
Then unnecessary?

When they can explain why, then
I will give you my brain.

Until that day,
I give you all my heart.