sorta a bookmarking post while I think about this

[asimplechord]

I'm reading The Audience As Editor in Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet right now, and this bit caught my eye:

[...]beta reading represents a further refutation of the idea that individuals or groups can claim sole intellectual ownership over the texts and images that combine to form a shared frame of reference for a diverse and international community.

So as cheerleaders, aides, and editors, we are turning storytelling back into a folkloric, community-owned endeavor?

Gotta think about this.

Opinions?

Comments

[angela-snape.livejournal.com]

I wasn't disagreeing with you - I think the comparison to old-time storytelling is a good one. The beta, in my opinion, is a part of the creation process, but not the originator of the story - that's the fic writer. Of course, the (original) characters in FF belong to the person that created them...

and I do agree about being possessive of stories I've beta'd - if I went back & read it and there were glaring plot holes or SPAG errors I'd be embarrassed about missing them.

[angela-snape.livejournal.com]

Of course, looking back at my OC, I can't help but wonder if I've gone & contradicted myself...

Can I be possesive about a story without taking ownership for it?? *facepalm*