readermade

Readermade is a term used in literary and media studies to describe works or texts in which the creative act is primarily performed by readers rather than the original author. A readermade object may arise when readers reinterpret, repurpose, annotate, remix, or collaboratively assemble existing material to produce new meaning or material forms. The word combines reader with readymade, echoing Marcel Duchamp's concept of the ready-made while foregrounding reader participation as the decisive act of creation.

The scope of readermade includes fan fiction and fan-edited editions, reader-curated anthologies, annotated editions, collaborative wikis and transcriptions, and participatory art projects in which audiences contribute content or structure. In this framework, meaning is seen as co-constructed, with authors often retaining influence mainly through the original text or through the permission and boundaries established by communities.

Scholarly discussion positions readermade within reader-response theory, remix culture, and participatory art. Proponents argue that readermade practices expand access, democratize interpretation, and challenge single-author authority. Critics raise concerns about intellectual property, quality control, and the degree of originality in derivative works.

Because the term lacks a single standardized definition, its use varies across disciplines. Some scholars prefer terms such as reader-generated text or reader-generated editions to describe overlapping phenomena.

Related topics include reader-response theory, fan studies, participatory culture, remix culture, and collaborative annotation projects.