What is Slash Fiction?

[AFriendlyFace]

Hi all,

 

I thought I'd start this thread based on a discussion in the New Members Welcome thread (thanks to David and Xephia for the inspiration! ).

 

How do you define "slash fiction?"

 

I'll reiterate my own thoughts:

 

I always thought "slash" fiction involved the fictionalizing of a relationship between two characters created elsewhere. In other words the stories involving Harry Potter and Ron (or any other male character) would be "slash" because that isn't how they were originally and explicitly created by the author (basically any fanfic with a gay twist). On the other hand a story involving a relationship between two males that I myself create would not be slash because they are my original creations.

 

 

So that's how I've always used and understood the term. Anyone else have any thoughts? Is there an accepted definition out there?

 

 

Take care all

 

Kevin

[Lugh]

I think Wiki does a pretty good job of explaining slash.

 

Personally, when I think of slash I think of homoerotic fan-fiction written by women, generally for women.

[Toast]

I'm probably completely wrong. Slash fiction is a M/M relationship in a world where it is accepted at least, if not considered normal, even celebrated. Example: The Nightrunner Books by Lynn Flewelling. Slash is written by women put for a wide audience. I could make a long list of books. I have read a lot of it.

[JamesSavik]

I always thought that slash fiction == fan fiction and avoided it like herpes.

[Toast]

avoided it.

 

James you would like "Luck in the Shadows" by Lynn Flewelling. It is highly regarded.

[Arpeggio]

Whenever I think of slash fiction, I always think of Draco and Harry stories, so I'm just assuming that it's gay(?) fan fiction with sex in it(?)

[Krista]

The Wiki link was pretty informative actually... So it does deal with what we call "fan-fictions," but I had no idea it was dominantly started by females? Heh. So Slash fiction isn't normal fiction depicting homosexual relationships, it has to deal with "borrowed" characters from media? Of course it is 2:30 in the morning and I scanned over it so I could be completely wrong.

[Rizan]

Uh...This is gonna make some people wanna slap me in the face but...I don't even really know what fan-fiction is.......And I didn't even know such a thing existed called Slash Fiction =X

 

But luckily I have wikipedia to aid me.

[Dolores Esteban]

Quote from Dusk Peterson's article:

 

(...)

 

There has been controversy in the fan fiction community over whether terms such as "slash," which originally applied only to fan fiction, should be applied to original works that have a similar quality to fan fiction. (...) However, this isn't entirely true, since some authors who call their writings original fiction have never written fan fiction.

 

(...)

 

The term "slash" has recently been used by some small presses seeking to attract the same sort of readers who read similar genres, such as yaoi or gay romance. However, with the exception of a brief section on original slash at Wikipedia, the term "original slash" is not often used outside of the fan fiction community. Even the current version of that article is apologetic about the terminology, stating that original slash is "properly termed Homoerotic Fiction but [it is] very often termed 'original slash', perhaps in an effort to better relate to the vast slash fanfiction audience thriving on the Internet, or perhaps because several of the authors participating in the genre priorly participated in slash fanfiction." Alas, the term homoerotic fiction is itself a source of controversy.

 

(...)

 

 

 

[David McLeod]

It appears that once again, members of the GA site are on the leading edge of a literary controversy: an evolving definition. I say we should go with Kevin's definition, while keeping in mind what Dolores added...while working to ensure that homoerotic fiction, per se, isn't a source of controversy. I understand James' initial, apparent dislike of homoerotic fan fiction; a lot of it is juvenile, wish-fulfillment, and poorly written. However, not all of it is, and if you like the Star Trek universe, for example, you will find a superb fan-fic story (A Vulcan's Love) on this site. There are also a couple of most excellent stories set in the Harry Potter universe.

 

Here's a question that might expand the discussion: one of our members has begun a story involving King Arthur. There's a young, male protagonist. The story may not include sex, but it's almost certainly going to be homoerotic. Is that "slash"? My guess is that, by the current definition, it is. Dolores writes lovingly detailed and crafted stories that take place in historical settings and which often include one or more real historical figures. They are tasteful, but clearly homoerotic. Are they slash? By the current definition, I would guess not. Besides, "slash" is...in my mind...associated with knife-wielding maniacs. (Yeah, I know alternate meanings, which are, IMO, tacky.)

 

Perhaps we need some new words to go with our evolving definitions.

[Lugh]

Here's a question that might expand the discussion: one of our members has begun a story involving King Arthur. There's a young, male protagonist. The story may not include sex, but it's almost certainly going to be homoerotic. Is that "slash"? My guess is that, by the current definition, it is.

 

Actually, that would be a no, David. King Arthur is a historical figure, per se, and authors are free to play with his tale as much as they like with no reprocussions from pissed off copywrite lawyers who do not want their "universes" mucked with by mere amatures.

 

Dolores writes lovingly detailed and crafted stories that take place in historical settings and which often include one or more real historical figures. They are tasteful, but clearly homoerotic. Are they slash? By the current definition, I would guess not.

 

Delores also does not write FAN FICTION she writes ORIGINAL FICTION which is the big distiction here. Maybe you missed that part?

 

Slash deals primarly with fan fiction.

Always has, always will.

[Lugh]

I'm probably completely wrong. Slash fiction is a M/M relationship in a world where it is accepted at least, if not considered normal, even celebrated. Example: The Nightrunner Books by Lynn Flewelling. Slash is written by women put for a wide audience. I could make a long list of books. I have read a lot of it.

 

 

You are completely wrong.

 

Slash fiction does have the / between the coupling like m/m or f/f yes, but it is typically set in a world where there is not any homosexual couplings such as the original star trek or harry potter. Slash is TYPICALLY written by women FOR women (to get their rocks off) and is not sold nor marketed nationally (nor even locally).

 

On the other hand, there are a lot of nationally marketed books with homoerotic themes written by both male and female authors. They are the creators of their worlds. Therefore they have not borrowed nor stolen them, thus created them with homosexual-friendly elements which makes them not fan-fiction, thus not slash.

 

The Nightrunner books are excellent reads. Lynn is a very fun person to talk to. She encourages fan fiction (including slash) by the way. She gets a kick out of reading it too and has a forum where her fans can post fiction and art dedicated to her stories. Way kewl author there.

[irangel]

Fan Fiction, generally understood to be fiction based on established characters in books, movies, television shows etc. or literature, history (?)

Slash generally, is the pairing of two (or more) characters in fan fiction and putting them in a homoerotic relationship. (There is also fem slash)

 

There have been several good articles on Slash, fan fiction and other sub-genre's over the last 2 years. I found them informative and one common thread was the origin of the term "slash." It comes from the first series of stories written in the days of bulletin boards. Slash came about because some of the first stories written were in the Star Trek universe of the original series. A story involving Kirk and Spock would be K/S, or Spock and Chekov would be S/C etc.

the slash in the middle of names or initials gave the genre its name. Kirk/Spock stories were so popular at some Comic Cons they were printed and sold or traded. There was some grumblings that William Shatner was totally unnerved by these slash stories and tried to stop them somehow...might be apocryphal.

 

My first introduction to slash came when I found slash written based on the characters in Lord of the Rings the movies. A/F, A/L (Aragorn/Faramir, Aragorn/Legolas), since then I've found Harry/Draco, some Mutant X slash and most recently Arthur/Merlin based on the characterizations in the BBC series "Merlin".

 

It amazes me the amount and passion out there for the genre. Slash can be juvenile, but I've found some to be exquisite, even sublime. The communities that have been created via Live Journal and the Internet in general are amazingly supportive. There are from what I can tell legendary flame wars, in its history but slash communities seem to be stable nowadays simply by virtue of the number of them. The fans are spread around.

 

One recent development that is somewhat "creepy" although tantalizingly alluring...(my weakness is trying anything once...twice if I'm not sure)...is RPS-Real Person Slash. These have come about recently and were at first solely based on boy band members pairing them up, and usually written by young fans...it shows.

However, there is now RPS of actors, in series, or movies wherein they hook up for RPS. The most surprising pairings are being made out there including...the last Die Hard movie pairing Bruce Willis with the young actor whose name I can't remember...I haven't read any but it typifies the RPS world.

 

I think if these actors ever read these stories they'd be upset to say the least... part is it seems an invasion of privacy if not downright slander and defamation of character. Still these are out there and more are written every day.

 

Finally, one story that I read brief and full of sex was a short little thing where the slashed pair was the Mac guy in those commercials, paired with a military character they used for a few months to make fun of Vista's feature of asking for permission. The guy was a hunk military dude and he and the Mac guy got it on but the Mac guy had to say yes to every action being taken...let your imaginations run with it.

 

Fan fiction seems to have been around as far back as Conan Doyle, maybe even oral story telling traditions. When fans read their favorite characters were killed off or retired, they would continue writing stories keeping the character alive forever; and so it goes.

[Mark Arbour]

The Wiki link was pretty informative actually... So it does deal with what we call "fan-fictions," but I had no idea it was dominantly started by females? Heh. So Slash fiction isn't normal fiction depicting homosexual relationships, it has to deal with "borrowed" characters from media? Of course it is 2:30 in the morning and I scanned over it so I could be completely wrong.

 

Wait a minute...didn't you write one of these stories and post it in E-Fiction a while back? And aren't you a heterosexual female?

[Krista]

Wait a minute...didn't you write one of these stories and post it in E-Fiction a while back? And aren't you a heterosexual female?

 

I didn't deny writing slash fiction. But, I am heterosexual and female, yes.

[David McLeod]

Actually, that would be a no, David. King Arthur is a historical figure, per se, and authors are free to play with his tale as much as they like with no reprocussions from pissed off copywrite lawyers who do not want their "universes" mucked with by mere amatures.

 

 

 

Delores also does not write FAN FICTION she writes ORIGINAL FICTION which is the big distiction here. Maybe you missed that part?

 

Slash deals primarly with fan fiction.

Always has, always will.

 

 

Sorry: I didn't express my original questions well. First, although the King Arthur of literature may have been loosely based on one or more historical characters who were given life in fanciful and imaginary histories, the King Arthur of Tennyson and T.H. White (source of both "The Sword in the Stone" and "Camelot") is a fictional character. Are you saying that since he exists in the public domain, then stories that include him are not slash?

 

Second, I understand that Dolores writes original fiction; however, some of the historical characters with which she populates her stories to provide verisimilitude and atmosphere have almost certainly appeared in both fiction and non-fiction. Am I being too persnickety, here?

 

Bottom line question: Do the characters if slash fiction have to be "contemporary"?

[Dolores Esteban]

I was thinking. None of the main characters of any of my stories is a historical character, except Patroclus who reveals the story of Achilles in the first part of my trilogy Love Story - A Greek Tale. This story is based on historical characters, but the plot is entirely fictitious. If that story was based on the movie, you could refer to my story as a typical fan fiction slash story. This, however, was not my intention. The story is not based on the movie.

 

I mentioned Napoleon in two of my stories. But he wasn't a character I focused on. Those stories were just set in Napoleon's time.

My character Cagliostro from my story The Path I have Chosen is based loosely on the real person Count Alessandro di Cagliostro. But, except of the name and their interest in occultism, my character and the real Cagliostro have nothing in common. I stated that clearly in the disclaimer of said story.

 

 

Disclaimer: None of these stories and none of my other stories uploaded to GA are based on any work that was written by another author. Characters and plot of any of my stories are entirely fictitious.

 

According to Dusk Peterson, my stories could be termed 'original slash', as could be termed most of the stories uploaded to GA. This term, however, is not widely used. So, my stories are better termed 'homoerotic fiction' in case they focus on same-sex relationships. I uploaded a few short stories (Flash Fiction) to eFiction that do not focus on same-sex relationships. These stories are 'general fiction'.

 

Like Lugh stated, slash deals primarily with fan fiction. And, like Kevin said, a story involving a relationship between two males that an author creates would not be (fan fiction) slash because they are the author's original creations.

 

 

 

Edit to add:

 

I forgot my entry to the Fall Anthology. Hadrian and Antinous are historical characters. But this story is also not based on any work written by another author.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2009 by Dolores Esteban

[thatboyChase]

nasa/trek

[Libby Drew]

 

According to Dusk Peterson, my stories could be termed 'original slash', as could be termed most of the stories uploaded to GA. This term, however, is not widely used. So, my stories are better termed 'homoerotic fiction' in case they focus on same-sex relationships.

 

 

*nods* The term 'original slash', while popular a few years ago, has fallen off and the more aptly descriptive 'gay-themed fiction' or 'homoerotic ficton' have replaced it, at least in most online publishing houses.

[S.L. Lewis]

Okay, first of all...the Star Trek comments, I like a very select few, but yes, I agree. They are good.

 

Now, onto the term itself. I saw Yaoi running around there. Yaoi is the western term for Shonen-Ai which means 'Boys Love' which is the Japanese term for, well, two males togther in a relationship. Mostly denoted to Mangas or graphic novels. Yaoi is actually a acronym of three words: Yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi, which translate to "No climax, no point, no meaning." Which is what yaoi is.

 

Now, from Yaoi, we come to Slash, which was applied to the homosexual fan fiction. Fan fiction is just that. Fiction written by Fans. It is a newer term that is used beyond Yaoi seeing as Yaoi was coined by the

dōjinshi market of the late 1970s by Yasuko Sakata and Akiko Hatsu ^[/url]and popularized in the 1980s

.

 

Okay, so we have that cleared up.

 

Personally, I call half of the fanfiction I write Yaoi (seeing as it really has no point to it), the other half slash since it's come to denote that the story has an actual plot. My originals? I call it just that. Either that or 'originals with some homosexual overtones' seeing as my characters aren't really straight half the time.

 

It's more about who you're talking about when it comes to what is being written and how the word is used I would think.

 

Then again, I'm a bit of a research nut...

 

Wiki for Yaoi

Wiki for Slash

Urban Dictionary for Slash (funny, very very funny)