A Song of Ice and Fire, the epic saga written by George R.R Martin, has amassed a colossal fanbase worldwide. In America, the fandom is active and vast, encompassing a spectrum of discussions around Martin's universe's depth and intensity. A myriad of fan-authors take inspiration from the original text and give birth to imaginative fan fiction set within Westeros's and Essos's world. This article explores aspects about this thriving fandom culture, its platforms, and its numerous fan-fiction categories.

Fan Platforms

An array of platforms is available for American fans, with sites like Fanfiction.net, Archive Of Our Own (AO3), and Wattpad making the most significant waves. Fanfiction.net, launched in 1998, is among the earliest websites to host fan-written stories. Archive Of Our Own (AO3), on the other hand, was developed by fans themselves and has a very interactive interface. Wattpad, although not exclusively meant for fan-fiction, still harbors a massive collection of stories.

Each platform has its unique features that make it attractive to the respective set of users. Fanfiction.net is celebrated for its feature allowing story filtering by the genre, character, and length, etc. AO3 offers a more social approach with tagging systems enabling relationship-based and theme-based story collection. Wattpad prioritizes more on user engagement with ratings, comments, reading lists, and picture-adding functionalities. Therefore, fans have a plethora of choices to select the platform that suits their taste the best.

Romantic FanFiction

A large sum of fan-fiction tends to focus on romantic narratives, adding elements of romance to original plots or developing relationships that did not exist previously. Particularly popular candidates are Jamie and Brienne or Arya and Gendry.

Interweaving romantic elements into the harsh and brutal Westeros provides a respite for fans seeking softer moments amidst the grueling narrative of the original story. These narratives reveal a more humane side to characters that they did not get to explore in the main plotline.

Alternate Universes (AU)

Another popular fan-fiction category is the Alternate Universe (AU)—a type of fan-fiction where the story's setting, era, or overall context is drastically different from the original. A variant of this category is the Modern AU, where characters are placed in contemporary settings.

AUs allow fans to reimagine characters' dynamics and relationships without the constraints of the story's original setting. Whether it's placing the Starks and Lannisters in a high school or catapulting Daenerys into the corporate world, AUs allow for endless creativity and fresh perspectives on familiar faces.

Highlighting Minor Characters

In the expansive world that Martin created, it is natural that many characters didn't get as much spotlight as primary characters. Fan-fiction often explores these minor characters and their potential arcs. Characters such as Edmure Tully, Shireen Baratheon, and Jaqen H'ghar are given more depth and development in fan-written narratives, which adds to the richness of the main story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is fan-fiction?
A: Fan-fiction are stories written by fans based on established characters, settings, or plotlines, often expanding or altering the original story.

Q2: Is all fan-fiction romantic?
A: While many fan-fiction do revolve around romantic subplots, there is a substantial number that explores other genres such as adventure, mystery, horror, or even comedy.

Q3: Is fan-fiction legal?
A: It depends on the usage. Non-commercial fan-fiction that credits the original work is generally tolerated. However, selling fan-fiction without the original author's permission is considered copyright infringement.

Conclusion

American fan-fiction culture, particularly surrounding A Song of Ice and Fire, is a testament to the love and dedication of fans. It not only keeps the fandom alive between book releases but also offers fans an outlet to express their creativity. And with various platforms available, anyone can make their mark on the rich tapestry of Westeros and Essos.

References

1. George R.R Martin. (1996- present). A Song of Ice and Fire. Bantam Books.
2. FanFiction.net. An active community of ASOIAF Fans.
3. Archive of Our Own. AO3 Collection of ASOIAF fanfiction.

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