Steve's Canon versus Fanfic Post

[foxmoth at qnet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 16426

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Steve Vander Ark" <vderark at b...> wrote:

> I've read [The Aeneid and Paradise Lost] Do you consider them fanfic? And I only worry about 
> fanfic when it comes to Harry Potter. I don't care this passionately 
> about any other books. Sounds weird, but it's true. So what if 
> someone writes a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes or even Janet Evanovich, 
> both of which I read with great delight. I just don't care as much 
> about them.
	What's weird is that I read Harry Potter fan fiction because I *
do* care passionately about the books. I don't have the same desire to 
read, say, Star Wars, either the professional or amateur continuations. 			
I think the Aeneid and Paradise Lost can be considered fan fiction 
since they both involve characters and episodes originally invented by 
others, and both authors would probably have been vastly insulted if 
you suggested that they wrote verse for money. Milton got paid all of 
10 pounds for Paradise Lost.
Pippin