Distraction, an online journal dedicated to the study
of fanfiction, seeks submissions for its pilot issue.
Essays are welcome which thoughtfully examine any
aspect of fan-produced literature from any and all
fandoms, including literary, sociological, historical,
cultural, psychological, political, statistical and
other studies.

Topics include, but are by no means limited to:

Character Studies - Character definition or
re-definition through fanfiction, standard fanfiction
characterization ("fanon"), archetypes, pairings,
heroes and anti-heroes.

Literary Criticism - Style, genre, plot, symbols,
characterization, theme, allusions, and specific
comparisons to genres and works of literature.

Genres & Plot Devices - Poetry, songfic/filk, drabble
(100 words), novel-length stories, coming-of-age,
original characters, "Mary Sue" stories
(self-insertion), parodies and humor, hurt-comfort
(incl. rape, abduction and sexual, physical and
emotional abuse), angst (incl. depression and
loneliness, eating disorders), costuming and disguise,
body-switching, crossovers, challenges, works in
progress, and "real person" fanfiction.

Alternate Universe Fanfiction - Examinations of a
point at which fanfiction routinely diverges from its
source; use of canon characters in original settings;
use of canon setting with original characters.

Gender & Sexuality - Definitions of sexuality and
gender, incl. the blurring or establishing of
boundaries; male and female homosexuality; homo- and
heterosexualization of a character who is
hetero-/homosexual or sexually ambiguous in canon;
male pregnancy (MPreg); body-switching.

Love & Sex - The language of love, sex and possession;
control and power dynamics; positioning and action;
male and female virginity; significant age
differences; love triangles (and polygons).

Sexual "Deviance" - BDSM; statutory rape/"chan";
student/teacher; rape; abduction/Stockholm Syndrome;
sexual abuse; incest; necrophilia; bestiality, incl.
traditional bestiality as well as sexual relations
with beasts, aliens, demons, monsters, ghosts and
other non-human creatures.

The alien and supernatural - Extraterrestrials and
supernatural creatures in fanfiction; literal and
metaphorical vampirism; space, the future, alternative
universes and other fantastical settings; time travel;
relationships between living humans and aliens,
ghosts, demons, and other characters which cannot be
defined as either human or animal.

General - Fanfiction taboo; use of illustrations/fan
art; stories from obscure fandoms; fanfiction and
pornography; fanfiction archives; demographic &
statistical studies; fanfiction by published authors;
authors'/creators' responses to fanfiction; fanfiction
author/reader relationships; effect of film/television
adaptations on fanfiction; novelizations and film,
television and theater adaptations as fanfiction;
incomplete and ongoing source materials, incl. effect
of the end of the series on fanfiction, effect of
fanfiction on source material, attempt to achieve
closure and/or back-story.

All topics may be addressed as they apply to
fanfiction in general or to one or more specific
fandoms. Please keep jargon to a minimum and explain
potentially confusing terms in parentheses or notes.

Deadline for inclusion in the first issue is 1 April
2005; acceptance will be rolling for subsequent
issues. Send 500-word abstracts or completed essays of
no less than 3,000 words to cfp_at_fanfiction-studies.net
with the subject line as follows: "CFP – [title of
paper]" We ask that you also include a short bio.

Distraction will be available at
www.fanfiction-studies.net

Regards,

Nichole Suprina & Stephanie Dutchen
Editors

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              From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
                        CFP_at_english.upenn.edu
                         Full Information at
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Received on Thu Feb 10 2005 - 14:02:04 EST