7 Fanfiction Terms Explained
Fanfiction is alive and well, but the majority of the population is unfamiliar with the vernacular, so here are seven of the most commonly used terms and what they mean.
Fanfiction: content created using previously published characters or settings
Fanfiction can be about anything from a live action movie to an 8-bit video game to a novel from 1824. On occasion, fanfiction is publishable, such as in the case of the lapse of the source material’s copyright. Examples: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, or Enola Holmes.
Fandom: the individuals who interact with a body of published content
Fandom can mean different things depending on which community of individuals you interact with. While some fandoms are welcoming, others are wary of newcomers or those who violate their perceived rules.
Canon: material designated as part of the official timeline of a specific intellectual property
At times canon changes depending on the current owner of the intellectual property. Example: Disney changed the status of the 40 years of Star Wars novels, comic books, and other material from “canonical” to “extended universe,” nixing a wealth of content and information from the official Star Wars universe in order to reform the franchise around their vision for it (a colossal mistake in my opinion).
Alternate Universe: a form of fanfiction that deviates from canon, usually in a key aspect, like preventing character death, pairing preferred characters, or gender-bending a cast member
Many fanfiction endeavors can be traced back to dissatisfaction with canon material or reimagining the what-ifs for one or more characters. Example: My recent Trollhunters fic, One Petal at a Time reimagines the ending of this DreamWorks franchise, changing key events of the series-ending movie, Rise of the Titans and providing a more satisfying ending that embraces a tone of hope instead of futility.
Fandom-blind: the state of being unfamiliar with a particular fandom’s source material
Reading a fanfic fandom-blind can be challenging as many writers’ work is unintelligible to individuals unfamiliar with the source material, however, there are those who lower the barrier to entry and make fandom knowledge irrelevant. Fanfiction contests and writing challenges provide opportunities for writers and readers alike to read across fandoms in a more fandom-blind friendly environment as contest writers realize much of their audience will be unfamiliar with their source material.
OC: an abbreviation for Original Character; a fan made character used in a work of fanfiction
Fanfiction often includes original characters. In some fandoms, OCs are seen as a universal attempt at self-insertion or wish-fulfillment and automatically frowned upon. But others welcome original characters, encouraging writers to explore character-creation. Like any aspect of fiction, an OC can be poorly constructed, but many fanfic writers take great care when constructing their original characters, making them virtually indistinguishable from canon characters.
SI: an abbreviation for Self-Insert; a writer’s effort to write themselves into their story
It’s worth noting this isn’t something that only occurs in fanfiction. Professional content creators do it as well. Examples: Stan Lee’s cameos in many of the Marvel movies, or the character of Lemony Snicket in A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Stay tuned for more fanfiction term explanations.