The Importance of Fanfiction

Article contributed by Erin Fagan

Were you an avid watcher of How I Met Your Mother that likes to pretend that its ending doesn’t exist? Do you ever wonder what Buffy the Vampire Slayer would be like without the vampires? Or perhaps you are disappointed with the lack of representation in Harry Potter and want to expand upon the world with a more diverse viewpoint? There is a world of fanfiction here to help!

Fanfiction is a completely free space where people write and publish based on preexisting works while giving credit to the original creators. It has been an important tool throughout the years for fans to take characters and/or plots that they are already familiar with to create new stories. It’s not only a great way to practice writing and editing using elements that you are already familiar with, but a way to share your love of fandom with other fans. Many fans use sites such as Archive of Our Own (AO3), Fanfiction.net, Livejournal, Wattpad, Quotev, and Tumblr, and each has a wide variety of voices and communities. With worlds and characters already established, fans are able to explore and play in the fanfic they create.

Fanfiction can be a safe space to explore how your favourite characters would fare in an alternate universe, or perhaps add in scenes that you believe would be important to their canon lives. Writers have the freedom to explore relationships that are subtly hinted at, done poorly, or are commonly celebrated. Fanfiction could be a haven for identities that have been marginalised or ignored in media, especially LGBTQ+ voices, and can help many readers feel seen and valued. On AO3, queer relationships are some of the most common pairings, and writers can take couples that have been teased but never actually addressed, such as Sherlock and John from the show, Sherlock, and actually give them fleshed out relationships that fill the void in media.

There are so many corners of fictional worlds still yet to be discovered. For example, the Marauders era of Harry Potter has intrigued fans for years. What were Harry’s parents like when they were at school? “Dalton”, a very popular Glee fanfiction by CP Coulter explores the private school that one of the canon main characters, Kurt, attends for some time. Over the years “Dalton” has become almost like a novel and it could stand alone if the author changed the names and Glee references. The author gives rich backstories for many background characters from the show, and creates a dramatic, beautiful world, a “daltonverse”, that is as intricate as the TV show itself.

No one reading your work may know who you are, thus these sites are a common ground for novices to professionals. By focusing on pre-established stories, writers can develop their plot, character, and dialogue skills, and find their artistic voice. The anonymous style encourages writers to grow and share their work without having to go through a publisher and many famous authors have gotten their start writing for their favourite fandoms.  Naomi Novik, the author of the Temeraire series and Uprooted, started her career with fanfiction, writing for the Master and Commander universe. She has been a strong advocate for preserving fanfiction and even helped establish the Archive of Our Own.

There is something for everyone in the world of fanfiction. Sometimes writers lean into common tropes such as “enemies to lovers” or “fake dating” or explore relationships that are less common in the canon material. You can break rules and try a new writing style. When reading, you can set filters to specifically search for a particular character, relationship, genre, etc, and even decide the length of what you want to read. Crossovers are another great way to bring your favourite worlds together. And if there is a story or a fandom that you want to see, that’s your chance to create it!

For stories with multiple chapters, you can subscribe and get notifications when that story is updated. This episodic structure can be intimidating sometimes to writers as they often write and release chapters as they go, but it also provides a unique opportunity to see how the public reacts to your story bit by bit. You can see how that cliffhanger at the climax drives them nuts, or how that long-awaited kiss pays off. Multiple chapter stories are a great way for writers to hold themselves accountable if they have a schedule, but even if it takes years for an update, there will always be someone waiting to read it.

During this pandemic, fanfiction has become a great anchor to fandom and art. With conventions going virtual, and tv shows and movies uncertain about safe filming timelines, sites have gained a lot of traffic. According to AO3 statistics up to April, not only did views and stories increase, but comments dramatically increased, and people seemed to be interacting with stories more. We need stories more than ever and fanfiction sites are an incredibly accessible resource to spread joy and imagination.

Do you enjoy fanfiction? Tell us in the comments below!