Here at the SWG, we believe that fanfiction can be considered both literature and literary criticism and is worthy of being discussed as such. (We also recognize that this is not the sole—much less superior!—purpose of fanfiction!) Our fanfiction book clubs provide a venue for discussions of works of fanfiction as literature and literary criticism.
Fanfiction book clubs are held periodically on the SWG's Discord server on the channels #fanfiction-book-club and #fanfiction-book-club-nsfw. Most book clubs are hosted by SWG members and often have a theme. Authors who want to have their story discussed sign up ahead of time. The hosts will publish a schedule of discussion times, then all participants meet on the #fanfiction-book-club (or fanfiction-book-club-nsfw) channel to discuss the story.
New book clubs are announced on our Discord server in the #fanfiction-book-club and #announcements channels and are included in the weekly round-up posted in #signal-boosts. If the host chooses to do so, book clubs may also be announced on the SWG site.
Participating as an Author
Authors should sign up for the book club ahead of time with a fanwork that fits the word count and theme requirements for the book club. Only Silmarillion-based fanworks are eligible; you can learn more about how we define "Silmfic" here. You will be expected to provide a public link to your fanwork and select which times you will be available to discuss your fanwork.
You should only sign up fanworks you have written. Book clubs are for discussing your work, not the work of other authors, even if you have their their permission.
If you have co-created a fanwork with another person(s), provide one of the Discord server moderators (listed in the #read-me-first channel) with your co-creator's contact information, and we will handle getting permission from them for the work to be featured.
Once you've signed up, watch the #fanfiction-book-club and #announcements channels on the SWG's Discord for the schedule. Discussions will be held on the text channel #fanfiction-book-club. Fanworks with adult or NSFW content are eligible for book clubs but will be discussed in the #fanfiction-book-club-nsfw channel in accordance with Discord's policies.
While we do not require authors to participate in discussing other fanworks included in the book club, we ask that authors make a good-faith attempt to attend the sessions for and discuss at least two other fanworks included in the book club.
You might wonder: What will a discussion of my fanwork in an SWG book club look like? We expect discussions to remain positive-focused unless you specifically ask for constructive criticism. Participants will discuss what makes your fanwork work as a piece of literature and specifically transformative literature. For example, participants may discuss literary elements, style, and canon and how those make the fanwork effective. Readers may ask you questions, and you're welcome to ask questions of your readers as well.
Participating as a Reader
All SWG Discord members are welcome to participate in fanfiction book clubs. You do not need to have a fanwork signed up in order to participate. We welcome all readers who want to discuss a fanwork or "listen in" during the discussion!
Book club discussions are positive-focused unless the author asks specifically for constructive or critical feedback. You can contribute what you enjoyed about the fanwork or techniques or elements the author included that made the fanwork function as a work of literature. For example, you might think about how the author used characterization, worldbuilding, setting, description and imagery, symbolism, metaphor, plot, conflict, pacing, point of view, theme, and stylistic devices to create a fanwork that is also a work of literature and art. You can (and should!) ask questions of the author.
When discussing canon, keep in mind the SWG's stance on canon interpretation, described in our Site Etiquette and Terms of Service:
The SWG is a positive-focused, open-minded space. We are not interested in finding a One True Canon but exist to consider the many ways that texts can be interpreted and used to make fanfiction and other transformative works.
Given this, book clubs are not an appropriate venue for discussing "correctness" of the author's interpretation and use of canon. You should assume that choices around canon interpretation are intentional and consider how those choices function as further literary elements that make the fanwork effective as an artistic production. For example, discussing how an author's characterization of Fëanor as a bad father supported a story's theme would be an appropriate line of discussion. It would not be appropriate to discuss the relative merits of the debate around whether Fëanor was a good or bad father.
Hosting a Book Club
Any member of the SWG Discord is welcome to host a book club! If you want to host a book club, you will roughly follow these steps and considerations:
- What theme would you like for the book club? Themes can be built around genre (e.g., horror, romance, fluff), character, pairing, format (e.g., drabble, poetry), canon element (e.g., Years of the Trees, Dwarves), or anything else you can dream up. Think about your word count requirements. We generally recommend that hosts set an upper word count limit, as longer fanworks are difficult to discuss in a single session. Book clubs must be open to all SWG Discord members (with the exception that underage members cannot participate in NSFW channels per Discord's policies).
- When will the book club occur? Book clubs typically occur across one or two days. You should set times that work for your schedule; you do not need to make an effort to have slots available outside what is convenient in your timezone or for your personal schedule.
- Many book club hosts, before they make an official announcement, will post to the #fanfiction-book-club channel to gauge interest in the theme and possible dates. This is recommended but not required.
- Set up a sign-up form. Most book club hosts use Google Forms, but you are welcome to use another platform if you prefer. Your sign-up for should collect the following:
- author's preferred name and pronouns (which helps with introducing the fanwork),
- a public link to the fanwork, and
- preferences for day (if the book club is multiple days) and time. Make sure that you specify what timezone the author should use.
- Announce your book club! You should post your announcement in the #fanfiction-book-club channel. The SWG server mods will take care of ensuring your book club is announced in the #announcements channel and included in the weekly round-up in #signal-boosts. The moderators will also contact you to see if you'd like the announcement posted on our website as well. Your announcement should include:
- The date(s) and times the book club will be held.
- The theme and any word count requirements for fanworks.
- A link to the sign-up form and the date sign-ups are due. We recommend giving yourself about a week between closing sign-ups and the book club itself so that you have ample time to make and post the schedule.
- Once sign-ups close, close the sign-up form and make the schedule. You will need to consider the size of the discussion blocks. Half-hour blocks are typical but can be shorter for very short fanworks, such as ficlets and short poems, or longer for lengthier fanworks. Ideal schedules include multiple discussions in a row to make it easier for readers to participate and to encourage authors to discuss fanworks other than their own. If a block of discussions extends past the two-hour mark, we recommend scheduling a break between sessions.
- Post the schedule to the #fanfiction-book-club channel. The SWG server mods will take care of ensuring it is posted to #announcements and on the site, if applicable. The schedule should include the title of the fanwork, author, a public link, and the discussion time.
- Make sure you know which, if any, fanworks will need to be discussed in the #fanfiction-book-club-nsfw channel so that discussions happen in the appropriate place, per Discord's policies.
- On the day of the book club, you will facilitate discussion on the #fanfiction-book-club (and possible #fanfiction-book-club-nsfw) channels. You should introduce each fanwork at its scheduled time and post the link so that participants can easily open the fanwork. Many hosts familiarize themselves with the fanworks on the schedule ahead of time so that they can ask questions and generate discussion about a fanwork if needed. You will moderate the session to make sure that the discussion stays positive (unless the author specifically asks for constructive criticism) and otherwise follows server rules. A few minutes before the session ends, notify participants so that they can post final questions and comments. Make sure that you end sessions on time so that the next session begins on time. Thank the author and participants and introduce the next block!
The SWG Discord moderators are available to provide support to book club hosts through all steps of this process, whether you want to brainstorm ideas for themes, need help setting up a form, or want support in moderating the discussion itself. One of us will reach out to you when you announce your interest in hosting or post a sign-up, but feel free to contact the server moderators (listed in the #read-me-first channel) if you need help or have questions at any point of the process.
If you would like a moderator to be available to help you moderate the discussion itself, notify us before you announce your book club to ensure that one of us is available to be online. If you have any problems during the book club itself, contact the moderators for help using @moderator.
Questions about book clubs are also welcome using the contact form on our site.
