Literacy Matters Vol. 25 Winter 2025

One of the strongest arguments for using fanfiction in the classroom is that it increases student engagement (Curwood et al., 2013). In a study on the role of fanfiction in an ELA classroom, researchers found that fan-based literacies led to an analytical reading of the text and increased student motivation with the ELA curricula (Lammers et al., 2022). Students write using familiar stories, giving them a base to begin their ideas. Beyond the benefit of having a familiar world and characters to practice literary skills, fanfiction spaces provide an opportunity for equity (Leigh, 2020). Students can rewrite stories to include themselves within the text, either by self-inserts (writing themselves into the world) or by changing aspects of the characters to be more representational for themselves. Through the use of remixed mentor texts, students can create stories that reflect their identity. The next section of this paper provides specific recommendations for remixed texts and a lesson for educators to implement. Diverse Remixed YAL and Lesson Recommendations To begin building text sets with remixed YAL, the following suggested texts (see Table 1) are examples of a) fiction literature marketed for adolescents, (b) explicit retellings or remixes of traditional literature, and (c) diverse representations of racial identities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. These selected texts rewrite characters from traditional literature as members of different racial, gender, and sexual identities. This list is a launching point for teachers and students considering incorporating remixes as paired texts with traditional literature or models for fanfiction that represent students’ identities. The sample lesson in Figure 1 provides a concrete example of including remixed texts in the classroom. This lesson is based upon the 10th-grade South Carolina English Language Arts Standards and utilizes Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen as one of the anchor texts. This sample could guide the design of multiple lessons for two to three weeks of instruction. Conclusion Merging the concept of remixed YAL and fanfiction can provide an opportunity for students to rewrite stories and see themselves reflected in texts (Garcia et al., 2016) and using a mentor text to guide students is effective in inspiring students to share their personal experiences (Flores & Flores, 2021). Combining these two concepts allows students to have a template for writing stories from existing literature, with a goal of inclusion within their writing. Fanfiction spaces are ones of equity and discovery (Leigh, 2020), and diverse text sets allow students to see themselves represented and encourage them to rewrite the stories they read to make themselves a part of the narrative (Nelson & Opatz, 2023). When creating text sets, it is essential to think about the different types of representation and create a mentor set that is diverse and inclusive. Table 1 and Figure 1 are provided at the end of the article.

Black representation in science fiction, Toliver (2020) reported that the women surveyed wanted to see themselves reflected in the science fiction texts they read and to read texts written by Black authors. It is also beneficial for people to see others represented since it can lead them to understand others. Bean and Moni (2003) argue that “Issues of reader voice, positioning, inclusion of diverse literature, and an expanded literary canon are all important elements in the messages about reading and responding to literature that students take from their school experiences” (p. 640). When considering the utility of remixed literature in the classroom, there are many advantages to introducing remixed texts to students. The following sections explore the intersections between remixed literature as mentor texts and fanfiction. Mentor Texts Mentor texts are texts that students can use to facilitate understanding of a writing genre, author’s craft, and writing skills (Nelson & Opatz, 2023). Critical text sets, or “groups of texts written by diverse authors and across multiple modes that facilitate understanding of a writing genre” (Nelson & Opatz, 2023, p. 76), are essential to disrupting the cultural mismatch of student demographics with the standardized text sets suggested in schools. Using diverse text sets allows students to see themselves represented and encourages them to rewrite the stories they read to make themselves a part of the narrative (Flores & Flores, 2021; Nelson & Opatz, 2023). We suggest using remixed literature as mentor texts for student-generated fanfiction. Remixing As described by Lankshear and Knobel (2011), remixing is the creative changes made to existing cultural artifacts. Remixing is not reserved only for literature; it has a long-standing history in music and other multimedia formats, with one of the strongest representations taking place in the creation of new music (De Kosnik, 2019). Remixing has become popular across fan cultures, and research has started examining the benefits when embedded within the curriculum (Wright, 2021). An ELA teacher preparation course in Georgia looked to answer how student-remixed works critically commented on educational issues, with the findings reflecting that remixing may be a way to counteract barriers in place in today’s media. However, more studies are needed with the various social media algorithms in mind (Wright, 2021). Research focusing specifically on remixed literature suggests that it is both agency-building (Thomas & Stornaiuolo, 2016) and useful as a meaning-making tool (Dail & Thompson, 2016; Wright, 2021). Using a remixed mentor text provides a new opportunity for students to see themselves in texts (Sims-Bishops, 1990) and serve as an inspiration to create their own representations through fanfiction. Fanfiction The creation of fanfiction, where fans create new stories based on existing works, has been a practice since the 1980s (De Kosnik, 2019). What started as remixed stories of Star Trek in the ‘80s has evolved to cover almost all media sources, including television, movies, literature, video games, and even music/bands (Lankshear & Knobel, 2011). According to Garcia et al. (2016), the connection between the critical possibilities of fanfiction remixes is understudied.

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Given the context of consistently shifting legislation in South Carolina, we suggest teachers explore remixed literature before

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