So, What Hath Fanfiction Wrought On The YA Industry?

However, the simple fact that the new boom of fanfic-to-print will primarily feature tales of Bella Swannish Girl-as-Everygirl, whose primary issues concern landing the boy of her dreams (or choosing between two), is pretty disheartening. Furthermore, a literary agent I know who works in YA mentioned recently that young adult versions of Fifty Shades are coming down the pipeline in spades. Yikes. I’m loath to consider the implications of that one, aren’t you?

Yesterday, the Awl featured a timely and fascinating essay Rachel Monroe on the complexities and specificites of teen girl superfandom, from ’60s boy bands to Leonardo DiCaprio to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (“Beatlemaniacs were overwhelmed with heterosexual frenzy; Columbiner sexuality tends to be much more fluid and self-aware”). And consider the case of Dark Knight Rises shooter James Holmes, who, horrifically, quickly acquired groupies via Twitter.

It doesn’t require a huge stretch of the imagination that, with certain names and circumstances changed, teen girls can soon buy something at Barnes & Nobles that began as, say, James Holmes fanfic. And that, let me tell you, is scary as shit.

Image via Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock