For as long as there have been fan communities, fans have been reinterpreting and re-imagining the stories that they love, by filling in specific gaps. Whether this is “missing scenes,” emotional catharsis, queer headcanons, or exploration of trauma and disability, fans continue to transform their favourite things into more. How do we navigate putting ourselves into the things that we love? Where do we most crave that transformation and fulfillment? And when can this become problematic?
August 13-15, 2025 – Worldcon 2025, Seattle, WA:
Not Just Training Wheels
Fanfic is often claimed to be “good for practice” on one’s route to becoming a professional author, but this is not the only reason people write fanfic. Panelists will discuss some of the others: Bonding with a community, exploring story concepts with very niche appeal, enjoying a personal fantasy, and more.
The Keys to Creative Collaboration
Writing is a notoriously isolating activity, and writers defend their independence fiercely. But writing collaborations have a long and rich history, and can provide the strengths of both authors in one package. Every collaboration is different, but there are some universals. Panelists discuss their own experiences, pros and cons of collaborative writing.
All authors need to balance the demands of their muse against those of their personal and professional lives. This session provides suggestions on how to manage those competing demands on an author’s time as well as some time management strategies that might help provide authors with some guidance in managing those demands.
Collaboration for Prose – Hour 28
Our panelists share tips and tricks on collaboration grounded in their experiences. From how to choose a collaboration partner to how to select a good project, what tools are helpful, and what pitfalls to avoid, they’ll cover the gamut and field questions from the audience.
Faye Gabriel | Writer 