Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Meta-Fiction

This is topic Meta-Fiction in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by WouldBe (Member # 5682) on :

I recently looked at the book jacket blurbs on a discount table because the term meta-fiction jumped out at me. This one was a chick lit story about a Jane Austin reading circle. Fiction about fiction.

The idea appeals to me. I'm not very interested in reading circle stories (there are many), but I wonder in what other forms meta-fiction occurs. I critted a story here about a book that self-writes biographies. I'm not sure if that qualifies. I know about books whose characters interact directly with the reader or the author in some way. Any others?

Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :

Hm, well, the book Possession comes to mind--I've never read it (ahem) but i think it's about students who are doing research about fiction and how the fiction weaves into their lives. The Hours also comes to mind--not sure if it qualifies.

I can also think of a few movies-- Adaptation, Stranger than Fiction (maybe?).

Posted by TaleSpinner (Member # 5638) on :

When I was at school we did Rattigan's 'Harlequinade', a play about a theatre troupe putting on 'Romeo and Juliet.' It starts with a scene about rehearsals, and the actors start giving directions to the fictional lighting crew. As a member of the real lighting crew I got confused.

I'm not sure if it counts but 'Counterfeit World' by Daniel F Galouye was an SF novel about a world within our world.

I seem to recall a Star Trek episode where Riker is acting in a play, and reality and fiction get confused. And of course there's 'The Producers' by Mel Brooks.

Can't think of much else. But Wikipedia has this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_within_a_story

Pat

Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :

I was thinking that the Spiderwick Chronicles were meta-fiction, but I can't remember if maybe it was another story instead. Something about being able to bring fictional characters to life?

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

When I was writing Internet Fan Fiction, the gang I used to hang around with online would once in a while call our work "meta-fiction." I'm not sure the definition applies...though I'm also not sure what the definition is.

Posted by Tricia V (Member # 6324) on :

Galaxy Quest does the meta-art thing, surprisingly.

"That's your problem, Jason, you were never serious about The Craft!"

Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :

Good point, Tisha V. I hadn't thought about that.

This discussion makes me want to think of meta-fiction stories to write, now.