Let me begin this by saying that any American rooting for President Trump to “fail” needs to reexamine their priorities – and what exactly that would mean for this country.That said, a fair chance is not – and should never be – a free pass.
In today’s world, many writers start by writing fanfiction. For those who don’t know, fanfiction is original work based on/inspired by existing properties. It is amateur work (although one could make the argument that the expanded universe of something like Star Wars is simply professional fanfiction), written by fans for fans. On the surface, there is no merit to it. Authors will never be paid for their work. That said, it can be a value learning tool. A free workshop in a sense.
I wrote a lengthy fanfiction story for Avatar: the Last Airbender and I will attest to the value in what was a tremendous learning experience.
Over the past week, I have been doing a lot of thinking on the so-called “writer obligation.” This is discussed a lot, often times involving a controversial text and whether or not it should have been written/be read by the public. It speaks to a writer’s obligation to society: stating that what is written in part shapes the fabric of daily life and perception. I don’t disagree with that last sentence, but still encourage all writers to not be obliged to anyone.
Colin McMahon 