Fanlore:Featured Article Archives/2020: Week 3

A tie-in is a published work meant to complement (and derive a profit from) another published work. In general, tie-ins are novels or graphic novels that spring from a movie or television show.

Tie-in novels have been the subject of widespread discussion in fandom as to whether or not they constitute professional fanfiction - particularly as many tie-in authors got their start writing fanfic. The acceptance of tie-ins among fans also varies from fandom to fandom, as their quality and adherence to canon can vary wildly.

Tie-ins are not to be confused with adaptations, which are the translation of the same story from one medium to another (e.g. comic book to film) in a way that may or may not be faithful to the source; or with novelizations, which translate a film, video game, TV series or similar into a novel form without significantly deviating from its plot. An authorized sequel is a tie-in work written with the consent of the author or their estate.