Thursday, June 4, 2015

Guest Author: Author Alexis J. talks about Teenage Fan Fiction

As I spent the day today with my granddaughter, Alexis J., she started telling me a little bit about how fan fiction works, and so I decided to interview her about it and share it with everyone at Novel Spaces. Enjoy! (signed: Marissa Monteilh)

Q: I understand that you write fan fiction. Can you tell us what that is, and what type of stories you've written?
 
A: Fan fiction is where you, the fan, take a group of characters, one or more, from a particular band, play, movie, book or TV show, and you put them in your own story and create your own little world for them to live in by your means. I wrote Poison Love, a Vampire Diaries fan fiction title. Vampire Diaries is a TV show that airs on The CW. And I'm also writing about the band called One Direction. I take the members, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne, on a journey in a story called Adopted by One Direction. I'm writing it in 2nd person, so you, the reader, are actually featured in the story, and you get adopted by One Direction; it tells about what happens when you get separated from your brother, Adrian, and how you cope with being without him, but with a group of five men instead. In the story, the guys are not famous, they're just regular guys. So far I have over 240 pages written.
 
Q: Why is it that we don't hear a lot about fan fiction?
 
A: Fan fiction isn't as popular because you can't really publish it; you post on your blog pages or other sites, but I think someone should find a way to get approval from the authors/writers to publish fan fiction so that followers can enjoy it in print, and other formats.
 
Q: Why do you write fan fiction?
 
A: One reason, but not the only reason I write fan fiction, is because it's actually easier. You already have popular, established characters that readers and viewers have bonded to. Plus it's a lot more fun for that reason because people can already relate to the characters. Like in my story Poison Love, I can take them through situations that the creator of the series hasn't done yet. I can throw in some awesome cliffhangers and my followers seem to beg for more. Like when Damon compels the main character, Echo, to remember all that she'd been compelled to forget. The readers were like, "Oh my gosh? Now she remembers everything!"
 
Q: Where can someone read stories, or post their own fan fiction stories? And what age group?
 
A: The main sites are Fan Fiction, Watt Pad, Movellas, and Quotev. The age group for what I write is usually teenagers. I write under a pen name.
 
Q: Do you see yourself starting more fan fiction stories, and if so, based on which already established shows/characters?
 
A: Yes I do. I love Beverly Hills 90210, so that would be cool, and maybe stories about some of my favorite singers, like Lorde, Ed Sheeran, and Hozier, who's from Ireland. He's so amazing! He sings Take Me to Church. That would be fun.
 
Q. Can we expect any follow up titles to Bailey and the Bully?
 
A: I'm still writing so many titles, but I'm not sure which ones will be published yet. I mainly write for fun. Bottom line is that I write every day, and that is what I enjoy.  


Bio: Alexis J. is a young storyteller who's always had a way with words. Writing is her favorite subject in school. She enjoys creating characters who go against what people in their lives would expect, and who even surprise her. Alexis' hobbies are singing and playing soccer. Bailey and the Bully is her first book.

7 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Interesting way to get started. I've tried my hand at Robert E. Howard fan fic.

Liane Spicer said...

Hi Alexis! Welcome to Novel Spaces!

Very intriguing. I've seen the term fan fiction around but didn't know much about it. I understand that some very famous writers started off writing fan fiction.

Marissa Monteilh said...

Mr. Gramlich, thanks for taking the time to comment. I'm going to have to look up Robert E. Howard. Signed: Alexis J.

Marissa Monteilh said...

Ms. Spicer, I'm glad you found it intriguing. I'll make sure to do research into which authors got their start with fan fiction. Thank you! Signed: Alexis J.

Jewel Amethyst said...

I commented a few days ago but somehow the comment didn't make it to the post, I don't know why. To answer the question about publishing fan fiction, Amazon Kindle Worlds has found a way to publish fan fiction based on a number of popular series including Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. It's called Kindle Worlds and they've obtained the licenses for many popular series. There is a submission portal and you even collect royalties from it.

So good luck in your writing Alexis. I hope to see more from you.

Marissa Monteilh said...

Thank you Jewel, I told her about this. I had no idea! That is so great, and perhaps over time we will submit her stories. She says thanks for wishing her luck. You are appreciated!! Marissa

Joanne said...

And let's not forget the most in/famous fan fic of all 50 Shades which started out reportedly as Twilight fan fic... true story... I actually have one piece of fan fiction included in the anniversary re-issue of my book Dancing Nude in the Moonlight...it's the winner of a next chapter contest put on by a local bookstore as a promotional thing and won by a teen reader/writer imagining a different ending or extended ending for the book and capturing the rhythm of the narrative and the voice of the characters quite well...when I decided to do a 10th anniversary edition I decided to include it and contacted her...generally, though publishing fan fic for profit can raise other legal issues but as this interview (as my experience with Dancing) proved fan fic can be a good bridge between the love of reading and the love of writing especially for young readers or even for older closet writers; thanks for sharing.