Winter is Coming
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Approve or Disapprove: What 8 famous authors think of fanfiction

By Monique Jacobs

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 25: Writer George R.R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" signs autographs during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention-Day 3 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 25, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 25: Writer George R.R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" signs autographs during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention-Day 3 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 25, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images) /
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SHADOW AND BONE (L to R) BEN BARNES as THE DARKLING / GENERAL KIRIGAN and JESSIE MEI LI as ALINA STARKOV in SHADOW AND BONE Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2021
SHADOW AND BONE (L to R) BEN BARNES as THE DARKLING / GENERAL KIRIGAN and JESSIE MEI LI as ALINA STARKOV in SHADOW AND BONE Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2021 /

Shadow and Bone author Leigh Bardugo is honored by fanfiction

Shadow and Bone, based on the first book in Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy, is the latest fantasy series to become a streaming hit on Netflix. Bardugo’s series has also been a hit with fanfic writers for many years, and the Grishaverse author was only too happy to give her views on fanfiction when asked about it.

In a now-deleted Tumblr blog post written by Bardugo before the full Grisha Trilogy had been published, she admitted that while she hadn’t thought too deeply about the subject, fanfiction flattered her. “I’m delighted that anyone would feel invested enough in my characters or the world I created to want to write stories based around them—even if it’s because they don’t like where I took the narrative (who got killed, who got kissed, etc),” she wrote.

However, during that time period, she declined to read fanfics, not because she disapproved in any way, but because she didn’t want other narratives in her head until her trilogy had been published. For similar reasons, she refrained from reblogging fanfic posts as she felt it would blur with her own canon or endorse fan narratives and pairings. “But I just want you guys to know that, even if I don’t read or reblog, I’m honored by any fanfic you’re inspired to create,” she said.

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