Let’s Talk About Fanfiction – An Ode To the Wonders of Fanworks

Ironically enough, I actually planned on writing this post before there was all the discussion of fanfiction on Twitter the other day. Shame this post won’t be all that timely with my schedule. But fanfiction is something that I’ve loved reading and writing since I was eight years old and as both a writer and a reader. And its something that I feel like it’s important for me to actually talk about.

So, what is fanfiction? It’s simply stories written about other’s worlds and characters. It’s a fun way to delve into the series you love, whether it’s anime, video game, TV show, book or whatever else. You can see all these different depictions of characters and scenes you like, you can fix things you weren’t happy with, and you can even throw them into a different world. Personally, I love AUs best. I love seeing my favourite characters and ships explored in a world different from their own. In one of my old fandoms, a friend once said to me that she only knows me for my weird AUs and I am proud of that dammit.

My original plan for this post was to talk about how it can help writers like my roleplay post. But, I was seeing some stuff where people were pointing out that when people did that? It could make fanfiction feel like less. And it isn’t. But it is also a great way to really get started with writing and a fun way to practice it. What I don’t mean by that, is that fanfiction is only something you do before you move onto original writing. I still write fanfiction. I have a fanfic I’m planning right now that I am excited to write. It’s another weird AU, an angel/demon one, and I’m just as hyped to write that as I am any original fiction. I also see published authors talking about taking breaks to write fanfiction before, and you know what? That makes me happy too.

I used to be worried that moving onto original fiction would mean I’d have to give up on writing fanfiction. So it is a relief to see that I really don’t have to.

When it comes down to it, you’re told you should try to write every day, and if you have a fic idea that you’re more excited for over anything original? It’s still writing, and it still counts. So, of course, it’s good practice. Because writing anything is just as important, and is also good practice. My fanfiction is for an anime currently but is informed and inspired by the books I read and the original fiction I read is sometimes inspired by the fanfiction I write and read.

I don’t read as much fanfiction as I used to. Not because I don’t enjoy it or anything, I do, but because my current favourite ship doesn’t get fanfiction. So apart from the stuff, my friend writes, and the stuff I write? There really isn’t much I can read. So, I’m not so excited by it right now. But I still love writing it and think it’s so important. Like, seriously.

I always loved reading and writing anyway. I used to write clip-art stories before I discovered fanfiction but it showed me how much you can explore and it allowed me to start receiving feedback and making writing friends, and that means so much to me? Because those friends share my excitement for reading and writing and it just…it’s so good.

Fanfiction is something that is important to me and is important to so many people on it. It’s not less than and it definitely counts as reading and writing. It’s something all need to celebrate a lot more.

So here’s to fanfiction!