What is filk?
Filk is folksinging, often with a science fiction and/or fantasy theme. The songs can be original, parodies, or based on other songs. Tom Smith says, “There is fan fiction. There is fan art. Filk is fan music. Period.” The term ‘filk’ is alleged to derive from a typo in a convention program book. Filk was typed instead of folk, and the singers took the term as their own. (Experts dispute this story but the precise origins are murky.
