Just updated the Fan Fiction page to reflect the new stories being released, and I saw Lyn Perry’s comment on the page about what it would mean if I started writing fan fiction within the fan fiction. And this got me thinking about what fan fiction reminds me of. It’s jazz. The literary equivalent of jazz.
Most people have a positive reaction to fan fiction. I’m aware that some (mostly other authors) frown on the stuff. I’m not sure why. One of my favorite albums is Diana Krall singing the greats. She’s singing other people’s music, a common practice in Jazz, but giving it her own spin, her own voice. I remember looking at versions of “Summertime” a while back and finding out that there are hundreds of recordings from various artists. I was tempted to collect and listen to them all.
Some talented writers are playing around with the silos. I could easily see myself jumping in their world and playing with them. How is that different from five or six musicians hopping on stage for an impromptu jam session and riffing off one another’s works (and the works of those not even present or perhaps not alive)? Literary jazz. Some might hate on this; everyone else is tapping their feet.
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