The Hugo Awards are a set of literary awards given each year to the best in science fiction and fantasy stories. The Hugos were first given in 1953. This year’s nominations have just been announced, and come with a surprising contender in the “Best Related Work” category: Archive of Our Own (AO3), the most prolific fanfiction site on the web.
AO3 is a nonprofit organization made by fans, for fans, for fun and the love of stories. Fans can explore their own creativity, hone their writing skills and share their creations with fellow members of their fandom. There’s no shortage of worlds to expand upon on AO3. The site hosts stories from over 30,000 different fandoms, from popular series like Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and Marvel comics to more niche interests like fairytales, musicals and even Dr. Seuss. If it exists, there’s a fair chance at least one person’s written a fanfic for it.
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AO3 has been up for Hugos in the past, and snagging a spot in the 2019 lineup continues to show that the way we view and define literature, and what makes a “real” writer, is changing. Are writers always motivated by royalties and bestseller lists, or is it about the simple love of storytelling? What are the qualifications to win an award like this?
While fanfiction writers use characters and sometimes already-established worlds, they are still crafting a story and exploring relationships and possibilities beyond the canon content. There are so many paths left un-tread, and many alternate universes to create. Oftentimes fanfic writers are able to craft an entirely new story that just happens to feature recognizable places and characters. These stories are written without any expectation of fame or fortune, but rather the joy of sharing the possibilities — whether realistic or far-fetched or even entirely impossible — with others who love those characters.
There are a myriad of reasons why fans decide to write continuations and divergences of their favorite stories. Some do it for pure fun, others to put their fan theories to the test, and some as a way to hone their storytelling abilities, build an audience, and eventually even make a career with their own original work. Posting to AO3 is in some ways like a writing workshop, as you share with others who can then comment and critique if they choose. And on a personal level, you can see the progression of your skills with every new work that you share.
Fanfiction may not be the most traditional of literary forums, but its newness doesn’t make it any less valid. AO3’s Hugo nom is a step in the right direction, as it proves that the awards are responsive to cultural change.
Since its launch in 2009, AO3 has provided a platform on which to share and celebrate stories beyond what we see on the page or screen, and a place where fans can connect. After a decade of service to fans, it’s high time that the Archive, its moderators and its contributors receive their due credit.
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h/t The Verge