Week 6: Curwood

Throughout my middle school years, many of my friends were drawn into the world of Harry Potter fan fiction, writing stories, reading work of other contributors, and actively finding solace in the community. Such interactions have always fascinated me. In Curwood’s publication, the author discusses the potential of such fan-fiction communities to “reflect the ways in which literacy is conceptualized within national education policies and valued within content standards.” 

While fan fiction provides readers across the spectrum to engage with their interest, I wonder if actual writing skills improve. Furthermore, in my own friends, I noticed that the obsession with contributing was short-lived. To what extent does engaging in such affinity spaces contribute to long-term writing? Does practicing writing informally truly align with national academic standards?