silwritersguild | Fandom Voices: Fanon in Fanworks

For the past several months on our Cultus Dispatches column about Tolkien fan studies, we have been looking at canon and authority. This has begun to shade into fanon and fan authority. Historically, these have been complicated topics in the Tolkien fandom, generating disdain from some even as others gleefully embrace fan-created elements in the fanworks they read, write, and view.

We are looking to hear from you about your perspectives on fanon and other fan-generated elements in fanworks! Fandom Voices is a periodic project that is a part of Cultus Dispatches and seeks fan perspectives on topics related to the fandom. If you read, view, or create fanworks, you are eligible to participate. Note that the question is very open-ended and intentionally so! We welcome anything you wish to share about fanon in Tolkien-based fanworks.

You can learn more and share your thoughts on fanon here.