Abstract

In my short Introduction, I introduce the three different kinds of writing practice—theory-fiction, autofiction and autotheory, and art writing—that the following essays concern themselves with. In particular, I briefly lay out some of my provisional argument that these forms of writing not only enact a blurring between genres but also are each performative in some manner. I also introduce the question of place (and circuits) of publication and dissemination of these ‘new’ kinds of writing. This relates not only to what has become known as para-academia (especially as regards theory-fiction) but also to the growth in small presses (especially for art writing). My Introduction also briefly addresses how these ‘new’ forms of writing involve a turn away not only from more typical academic or essayistic writing but also from literary fiction per se (having closer connections to what is sometimes called ‘genre fiction’). It is this position in the margins—and away from at least some gatekeepers—that also means these ‘new’ genres can speak about other experiences and other subject positions.