Mythmoot Presentation: "Transformative Works as a Means to Develop Critical Perspectives ..."

[dawn_felagund]

I had to let the video upload on YouTube run overnight because of my current Internet situation but--at last!--the video of my presentation on Saturday at Mythmoot is finally ready. The full title (which is too long to fit in the title field) is "Transformative Works as a Means to Develop Critical Perspectives in the Tolkien Fan Community." The paper covers the history of Tolkien fan fiction, the development of online communities, and the use of Tolkien fan fiction as a means for writers to not only learn more about the texts but to become more analytical and critical readers. This is probably not news for anyone here, but keep in mind that I was presenting to a general (and not necessarily fanfic-friendly) audience at a fantasy studies conference.

The handout for the presentation can be found here. An audio-only version of the presentation can be found here.

"Transformative Works as a Means to Develop Critical Perspectives in the Tolkien Fan Community" (Watch on YouTube)

Thoughts and reactions are most welcome, of course! :)

Comments

[aranrhodinhimring]

I have a tendency to forget that a lot of people have issues with the legality of fanfic - I was introduced to it when I was about 12, so was a pretty ubiquitous part of my formative years! It probably didn't help that two years of my undergrad were spent looking at how recent issues of things like copyright and 'idea ownership' are, so I feel like it's cemented as absolutely valid to me and I have to remind myself that not everyone agrees.

Multiple translations of works are fascinating, so it'll be interesting to read it, and the criticism that goes alongside it! Another thing to go on my to-read list ...

And hah, that some synchronicity!

[dawn_felagund]

It just seems to me that the mainstream media can't write about fan fiction without identifying it as a "legal gray area" or somesuch, even when the article is positive. I was glad it wasn't brought up at my presentation. I was prepared to address it in as few words as possible, but it would have been dispiriting to have the main purpose of the paper missed in favor of addressing what feels for me as well like something that is tired and old. (I am not expert, but I feel like the law very much favors creators of fanworks and that there is a reason why fanfic hasn't been challenged in court: because the rights holders know full well that they are likely to lose! :)