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Abstract:
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Fan fiction and romance novels constitute two bodies of romantic literature being produced for and by women within dramatically different environments. The purpose of this project is to analyze these two varieties of romance, detailing some of the ways that romance stories are being constructed in contemporary society and how they bring pleasure to their readers through immersion and sensuality. In this thesis I examine the writing guidelines currently provided by the Harlequin company for potential romance authors. I survey within fan culture to establish the popularity of romantic fan fiction and to learn more about fan fiction readers and their reading preferences. I also analyze the stories themselves, reading popular contemporary romance novels and works of fan fiction. The term textor is used, instead of fan writer, to convey the layers of writing, remixing, and creative play the creators of fan fiction engage in when developing their stories. |