By Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way
Hive Correspondent
Washington College is introducing new classes in the coming year, including a new English course, Intro to Fanfiction, which will be offered in the fall and spring semesters.
Fanfiction is fiction written and published online by fans of TV shows, movies, and bands, featuring settings and characters from the original works. According to the course description, students will, “develop new reading, writing, and critical thinking skills needed to complete and understand academic texts that contribute to the modern age teen and young adult.” The course will also, “strengthen students’ grammar and organization to improve their skills in the act of storytelling.”
WC has hired a new professor to teach the course to students. Professor Louisa Kiene has a degree in English and took a special interest in the idea of fanfiction after graduating.
“My nieces and nephews were on their phones and computers just reading. When I asked them if they were reading something like ‘Divergent’ or ‘Hunger Games,’ they shook their heads. They started telling me about fanfiction, and so I decided to investigate a little. Now I am hooked.”
Kiene finds it critical for people to learn about fanfiction, as it has grown to be an important part of pop culture. “Fanfiction has brought a new era of reading to the younger generations.”
Students will first study and read different fanfictions of different genres, then will learn how to write their own with topics of their choosing. The course will provide iPads to every student to be able to download fanfiction apps like Wattpad and Episode. These will be the main texts for the course. The students will also need to buy a few fanfiction novels that have been published in physical copy form to read. These selections have yet to be chosen by Kiene.
Freshman Olivia Tommison said, “I am excited to sign up for the course. I love reading YouTuber fanfiction and hope to write something as good as the ones I have read.”
The course is also attracting people who have never heard of fanfiction before. Junior Alfie Sings said, “Being an English major and wanting to become an author has always pushed me toward exploring all types of writing. So, I think it will be cool to explore and try something new. Who knows, maybe I will be able to be the next great fanfiction writer.”
Sophomores Luke Jennings and Aria Flash are taking it together to bond as a couple. Flash said, “I’m glad I finally got Luke convinced to take this with me. I really think he will enjoy it.”
Jennings said, “Yeah, let’s hope I enjoy it. I just want to be able to understand what my girlfriend is reading when she says she can’t go to the movies with me and is talking about One Direction.”
Intro to Fanfiction will be an introductory class that will count for distribution credit as well as credit for English majors and minors and Creative Writing minors.