Transcending Trends
imestamp mini-stories are the new trend in fanfic, but does it have the ability to translate into the mainstream novel market?
For those of you who don’t read fanfic I feel I need to explain… timestamps are a relatively new phenomenon I’ve noticed in the fan fiction world in which (usually a short) story that is unrelated to the main story but apparently was still felt important is published along with the story. Sort of like a behind the scenes deal. The closets thing I can imagine being similar would be (maybe) the Short Second LIfe of Bree Tanner (Stephanie Meyer) or the entire concept of Pottermore in which J.K.Rowling occasionally reveals new information about the series that was previously unknown to the readers.
The concept itself is fairly interesting but I’m curious if it’s something that necessarily could translate into the mainstream in either the form of short stories/novella as in the case of the Short Second Life… or perhaps into a blog/website exclusive, like in Pottermore. Or perhaps as book apps become more popular (if they ever do) it could be an exclusive with the app.
Personally I have mixed feelings on the concept. On the one hand I definitely feel that it’s an interesting idea, however my concern lies almost entirely with the knowledge that as a writer, if something isn’t important enough to make it into the final draft, perhaps it isn’t important at all. That said, anybody who’s been on Pottermore can attest to how fun it is to read some of the backstory on characters like Professor McGonnagall and the like.
