Let's talk a bit about TV tie-in novels

We're starting this mini-season with a bit of a bitesize (though not as bitesize as I intended!) episode laying the groundwork for the TV tie-in season. In this episode, we're not looking at any particular book but at the complex world of TV tie-in novels, and some of the challenges involved in writing them. In this episode, I will try to answer the following questions:

1. What exactly is a TV tie-in novel?
2. Why might fandom be a double edged sword for a TV tie-in author?
3. What are the things that make TV tie-in writing difficult? (If you thought it was easy...)

This episode also introduces some key sources used as research and referred to throughout the season. You can find the links below:

M.J. Clarke - The Strict Maze of Media Tie-In Novels (2009)

Matt Hills -Torchwood's trans-transmedia: Media tie-ins and brand 'fanagement' (2012)

Filipo Gilardi and James Reid - Transmedia storytelling: Paradigm shift in literary studies, narrative, adaptation, teaching and learning (2014)

Shaun Duke - Fan Fiction vs. Tie-in Fiction: A Framework (2023)

Karen Raugust - Tie-ins Attract TV viewers to the mystery genre (2012)