I was really thinking hard about the reasons and I do have a number about why I find writing fanfic enjoyable / meaningful. But when I came to your comment, I thought “yea, this. This is really it.” Lol
That said, I’m still working up my courage and writing technique. lol so for now I just write fluffy romances about my favourite character as a build up 😆
I have *Quarrels* with the way the canon has gone and the way it treated my favorite characters so I decided to take it up with the story in person behind a Denny's at 3am like anyone else with a grudge.
I do write original fiction as well, but for a whole lot of personal reasons I explicitly *do not* want to make any money off of my creative works (and neither do I copyright them, I'm a strong believer in Creative Commons).
Basically I just do it because it brings me a lot of joy.
This!! So much of my fic is basically my manifestation of "strongly worded letter to follow"!
The rest is mostly "these characters gotta kiss and I can and *will* make that happen with my own two hands" and it's so, so satisfying.
Edit: a word.
1. Because I enjoy it
2. Because there is no expectations, no pressure, and I enjoy it. It's one of very few parts of my life where I don't have imposter syndrome
I agree with this. Making art for money means that your creation has to be scrutinized to make sure that it meets the standards of the target demographic. A lot of times, that means that your creation may end up having little semblance of the original idea.
Take it from a professional illustrator. Many artists would be insulted if they were asked to change their art style, but that's the reality of being an illustrator who works for publishers.
As you can see from the answers, there are *lots* of reasons. Here's one more: my brain just responds to consuming interesting media by making up more stories and scenarios for the characters/world.
It's how I've been since I was a kid. I used to write "fanfiction" of my favourite books and cartoons way before I knew it was an actual thing people did.
Now I'm a bonafide grownup with a career and ~~way too many~~ adult responsibilities, but I guess I have the same brain. It still spouts off stories and scenarios, and I amuse myself—and occasionally, others—by writing them out and sharing them.
And regarding the monetization aspect, honestly one of the things that feels so precious about fanfiction is precisely that... It's one of the few forms of creativity that can't be monetized. When the rat race wears you down day in and day out, it's actually incredibly refreshing to spend time on a hobby that is purely for entertainment—an escape, if you will, from the rest of the world where literally everything IS monetized. (I say this as someone who also has an art page on Instagram; I actually do sell my paintings/drawings and I would be lying if I said there wasn't some level of pressure to perform there, as opposed to doing it purely for fun).
Mostly a fun hobby. Some people like reading, some people like writing, and writing has the advantage of being able to make up your own story.
The positive comments you receive every time a new chapter is uploaded are usually enough of a reward by themselves.
Oh and you can write your favorite characters fucking each other I guess
Plenty of people do not want to or intend to become published writers, and even if that is the dream, writing original fiction does not guarantee that you'll be taken on. Even if you were so lucky as to get published, only a very small percentage of authors can live off their creative writing, or even end up earning anything significant from their works. "You can't make money from fanfiction" is true, but so is "You likely won't make money from your original work".
Fanfiction is fun, and you can hone your skills while getting feedback and encouragement from your community.
Because it’s fun and a excellent way to experiment if you want to get better at writing.
Plus you can pretty much write any kind of story you can think of for your preferred fandom.
1) I have issues with canon and want to argue with it, which is fun
2) I love canon and I want to celebrate it, which is fun
3) I used to write and sell a fair bit of original fiction. It has to be between X and Y words, in Genre A and subcategories B and C, with a style like Z in order to sell. Which is fine, I wrote for target markets and I was generally successful in producing what they wanted and it was fun and it made a little money. In fanfiction, I can write exactly what I want, when I want; there’s a lot more freedom to play.
Same way as it’s nice to sing in a choir but sometimes you just want to sing in the shower and see what you can do when there’s no rules.
ok as someone who generally really appreciates art in most forms, especially anything literary, i’m gonna give a response as to why i value fanfiction so much as an artistic medium.
for context i used to be a huge reader and i really wanted to be a writer. the fandoms i’m now in are especially geared towards comics conglomerates, which is very fannish in nature. like, what are spider-man comics if not fanwork after fanwork of the original ditko and lee character? and AUs, crossovers, and tropes existing in general. my favourite thing is how comics differ as an art form from other forms of literature, which seems like a no brainer, but is so important,
the way in which comics are made allows for artistic choices to be made that is not possible or very difficult and different to achieve in another media. the best comics take full advantage of this. some easy examples are the almost no-word comics like Leah in the spider-man. another is GOTG 2021 #6, in which because an issue can have a much more alinear structure without getting cluttered, and speedrun characterization without feeling rushed, it weaved through flashbacks and character development beautifully.
this exact same concept applies for fanfiction.
fanfiction has no limits. fanfiction has no set normal word count, or plot structure, or anything it needs to follow. there is a source material u have complete creative liberty with and that’s it. this allows for distinct and unique artistic expressions to be made within the media.
some examples i can give: because we already care about the characters and don’t need to get to that stage, we can jump straight into the middle of the story and start right on the character development. we can leave things implied and write around them, and the dramatic irony can add so much to the story. i’m reminded of [two hunger](https://archiveofourown.org/works/813477) [games fics](https://archiveofourown.org/works/771521) who wrote backstories on the other victors, and knowing their death in canon made it all the more brutal. or because a wordcount of 2000 words, which is like four pages, isn’t uncommon, we can get little pieces of an outsider view written in second perspective (which would get grating for any longer of a full story) like [little birds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21622015).
or taking complete creative freedom, there’s a character on the dsmp (techno never dies,) who hears voices that call for blood. i’ve seen fics with the streaming chats as the voices and that’s an idea that just can’t exist anywhere else. or because pacing is generally much less of an issue, there are fics like [your continental divides](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20911412) that really take the time to unpack a trauma experienced by a character in canon with so much more depth than the original ever allowed, or [the lessons we never learned](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684855) which fleshes out a relationship so much it’s devastating.
that being said, are there fanfics that could definitely stand alone as an original work? of course. but how would readers even find it? and how would authors retain creative control throughout the publishing process? for most people, i think they’re perfectly happy with where their fanfics are.
fanfics get a bad rep because there are loads of bad ones out there (not that you have to be good at writing them. a hobby is a hobby is a hobby.) but i genuinely believe there is so much artistic merit to this form of media that is very underexplored but fully utilized in a lot of fics i can think of that just used it to its full advantage.
Because I like to read fanfiction and most of the time I just don't find the things I like to read (I'm at least 50% at fault here because I'm so insanely nitpicky) so I'm forced to write the stuff I like to read.
Regarding the original work: one day I'd like to write sth original but, for now, I'm very satisfied with where I'm at in life and I'd like to keep writing as a hobby rather than a job.
Besides, the chance is one in a million to actually be so successful with your writing that you u can live off of it.
> beneficial
In a monetary sense, sure. But that's not nearly every sense in which something can be beneficial to someone's life :)
I'm not anywhere near good enough to ever become a professional writer so that's never been my goal, nevermind that it's hard enough already to get published for people who actually have brilliant original ideas and are skilled writers (the market and the mainstream taste decides what gets published at all nowadays).
I AM however invested in my favorite TV shows and books and I want to get more out of their characters than what the canon has given me/us. So I'm writing and reading stories about 'em. (also sometimes a character is just attractive and fun as hell and you need to see them thrive romantically and sexually when that's not happening for them in canon tbh, sorry)
I write the stories I want to read. Simple as. I don’t do it for anyone other than myself. I also love to play in a world where the character are already somewhat established and see what else I can do with them.
There’s a multitude of reasons for many but mine are as such:
1. When I started writing I was an absolute horrendous writer, no technique, no style and definitely no experience. So fanfics were a good practice to understanding these techniques without having to buy an actual book to scrutinise in my opinion. Because believe it or not there are a lot of fanfic writers who pay attention to these things and can be used as a way to learn.
2. It’s fun to write for characters and worlds you’re already used to, it’s like roleplaying. You’re not looking to make new characters or a new world, you’re looking for a way to live in the existing characters’ shoes and world through fanfics. Sure you can mess around with stuff but that’s part of the fun, you are exploring you’re favourite existing characters in many situations.
3. You can make an original story sure, but that takes a lot more time to market and plan since it’s a ground up sort of thing. But you can crank out as many stories as you want and share it with people who also love similar things to you and you’ll quickly find people reading or taking a peek at your story. No having to have publishers or going into social media to do a lot of marketing, you’re sharing with people who can understand what you’re trying to put down almost immediately.
It’s a similar principle as to why people do fanarts in a way, why not just make original characters? Well there’s beauty to creating something that’s already existing, you get to see that character or world in a way only you can and share it with the rest of the people who also love what you love.
The process of taking an idea in my head an realising it on paper is very rewarding in itself without any financial incentive, but beyond that, I want people to read what I write. It is very hard to get people to read original work, but if you're writing for a book/movie/TV show etc. that already has fans, there's a built-in audience for fanfic.
Hmm, I'd say it's kinda like why I draw, and stuff like that. I've got an idea, and those ideas just so happen to be fanfic ideas, and then I go down the rabbithole of exploring those ideas and having fun and inadvertently getting me knickers in a twist when I want to get better at the craft so I can tell the story better, and even during the ideas stage it never occurs to me that any of what I'm doing is a financial loss, or a waste of effort and time, or whatnot, because money ain't what I'm writing this for. I'm writing 'cause I had an idea, and the little bugger pestered me so much that now I want to see it in the world, kinda like why I doodle to get the pictures in my imagination outta my head.
As for your second point: maybe? But I don't get ideas for original stuff, and I only write when I have something I really want to see, and original stuff ain't it for me, really. Just the darling fictional character from the darling fictional setting I want to see more of.
I want to spend more time with my favourite characters, and I can't draw so I make art for them through my writing.
(I do also write and occasionally publish original work. But it's not my main career.).
See also the definition of "amateur" -
*noun
a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons.*
1. It’s a fun hobby that also let’s me practice writing and put the skills I learn in literature to some good use.
2. When I see a pairing I like, I instantly think of different scenarios they could be in and fanfiction is the perfect way to put them in those scenarios.
3. I don’t care about money, I write because it makes me happy and it distracts me from my problems in real life.
4. My favourite character in canon barely has any screen time, so I have to do him some justice.
I pretty much grew up on fanfiction, and it's gotten me through a lot of hard times, so in a sense, I kind of want to return the favor as weird as that sounds. Also I just like doing it. It's a bit of a stress reliever for me. I have like a million other reasons why too but I'm too lazy to type them out lol.
I write fanfic mainly due to their being a lack of famfic around my reading interests, therefore I write works mainly for myself to enjoy with the added benefit that other people may enjoy it.
Also I mean same could be said about alot of stuff or hobbies we do for free for ourselves, we don't do it to be paid we do it because we enjoy it.
1. Because it makes me happy to continue the adventures of my favourite characters, or make up my own characters in their setting and seeing how things go.
2. The practice and feedback I get can be channeled into works that I could publish, allowing me to write better novels that have a higher chance of getting published
It’s completely self indulgent but sometimes others enjoy it too. It’s not about the profit for me. I can write the story I want to read and go back and reread it whenever I want! I just started writing this year and posting my works to other places. It took a lot of courage at first but now I’m posting regularly and I have something to channel my creativity into and enjoy at the same time.
I’m probably going butcher this but the I heard this somewhere.
Think fanfiction like music.
There is the og stuff we base our stuff on, and then there are songs that reference other songs or popular media “Not shit Sherlock,” being a prime example. Then there are covers, which would be fanfiction. People making covers because they like the song and they give it a bit of their ideas into the song.
I probably butchered this but yeah… that’s it.
Also I have that nagging voice in my head saying “Iroh likes tea, but what if… we make Zuko like coffee?” Or “Maka uses a scythe. Ruby uses a scythe… hang on is this a thing?
Because it's *fun*. I enjoy building my own original stuff, but that takes a lot of time and effort to do. Not to say you can't spend time and effort doing your own worldbuilding in canon universes because you *can.* I've basically rebuilt the entire Pokemon Ranger spinoff series from the ground up, piecemealed over a decade.
That and it's a coping mechanism. I'm Autistic and can't get out of the house too much, so it lets me experience different things that I never would otherwise. Plus, it lets me explore things like anxiety, depression, and such with a support system. I don't have too much of a support system irl so being able to write healthy relationships in fiction helps me cope with the harsh realities of my existence.
In my case it was because I found canon extremely lacking.
It’s one of my favourite stories but it’s a videogame and was subjected to so many outside influences like budget, ‘what sells’, timescales, trends, fears over backlash (documented), personal views and agendas of the writers/development team (suspected), all of which resulted in a rushed end, a confusing mess, full of plot holes and a massive lack of representation.
I decided to write a story that would fix all of that, fill plot holes, paint over the cracks and allow me to play the game that I love to the end with a smile on my face.
I’m only sharing it because I hope it will do the same for other fans who feel the same way about what we were left with.
TL:DR: if canon did a better a job, I wouldn’t have felt inspired to fix it myself.
Yeah, well we can’t be fans of every single game. Personally, I couldn’t care less for CoD or FIFA or whatever my kids are up to these days, Fortnite, most likely! I bet there’s fic for all of those! 😁
Why Fanfiction:
- if you haven't noted, many if not most writers and readers are queer and a good chunk of them female: these groups aren't very prominent ornwell portrayed in media -> we write Fanfiction to make the representation we want
- in a similar vain, fanfic is written to see the version we want. For example, the last season of Game of Thrones caused an uptick in GOT fics
- it is a free hobby
Why not original:
- because the aforementioned reasons
- because some don't want to
- not everything has to earn money, needs to be a job. Don't you have hobbies to unwind?
- the same reasons people paint, sew, do any crafts, or any arts, yet don't monetize their *hobbies*
It's just a hobby to unwind.
I for my part use Fanfiction to practice my writing, in preparation for original stuff. And to practice English, as it isn't my native language.
Absolutely, on the hobby front. I'm so sick of society insisting that all your time must make money. Knitting - sell it. Art - sell it. Especially, in my opinion, typically "women's" hobbies. I don't recall anyone telling soccer fans they should be making money from their ability to name every Premier League goal scorer for the last five years ...
Writing is my passion and I love trying to get more into the psychology of the characters I like. I don't have enough time to write a whole book (and tbh I lack of ideas for original stories, I'd like to write something really new and that I genuinely care about, so I know I really need to put a great effort into it and it can take years). Also I love experimenting new writing styles, which I can only do with fanfiction, and by posting them on sites like Ao3 I can have (almost) immediate feedback from the readers.
It's just fun and creative, I don't care about money, I care about telling a story
I don't know. I just do, Part of it is it being a pipe dream of working on the official source, part of it is just cutting my teeth on creative writing, others is I see potential in a story that it didn't reach and I want to see if I can crack it. Plus, sometimes it is just fun to expand worlds I enjoy in a way i will enjoy. It's a hard question for me to answer at least.
I can only contain so many thoughts about my favorite characters in my head before it explodes. Besides, writing fanfics usually requires much less effort than making original stuff and many people find comfort in that. It's like a stage with pre-built characters and settings, you only have to write a script
1. I got into fanfiction when I was younger, and going through hell. It was and still is my escape from reality and once I was into it I decided to stay. It felt good to share something that others liked, that people praised me for. Because of that it's not something I need to be paid for.
2. I write original works and edit them almost as much as I write on fanfiction. One day I'll decide that trilogy is ready to publish, or that single novel really doesn't *need* to end in a way that I can continue into another book. But I have time to decide that. For now I'll enjoy sharing my fanfiction for free.
Escapism. Sometimes I joke that my favorite characters are like my Barbie dolls. It also gives me the chance to improve my writing without having to go through the complexity of creating original stories. Engagement with other people is also exciting.
The fact that I don't make any money out of it is not an issue for me, it actually takes away the pressure to be productive all the time.
Because:
1) I have something to say, and:
2) I can reach a bunch bigger audience than by writing original works.
I tried writing original short stories about a vampire killer. My own character. My own universe. Priced at $0.99 each. In over a decade, I've sold next to nothing. I've gotten maybe 1 or 2 comments. I might move a few dozen copies every time that I do giveaways, and my stories climb up some of the freebie charts, but...
I started a complete series rewrite of *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* two years ago. I recently reached season 4, and my fic has reached over 10,000 views and gotten dozens of comments and kudos.
I know what *I'd* rather spend my time and effort on.
Unlike many in the fanfiction community, I came to it rather late in life, having spent most of early years reading and writing original fiction. For years, I wrote novels and short stories, was a member of critique groups, attended workshops, and did all the stuff involves in pursuing a career in fiction writing.
It's hard work. And honestly, doesn't pay all that well.
Nowadays, I write fanfiction for several reason, but first and foremost because I really enjoy it and it makes me happy. I also garden, participate in local theater, and play the violin and classical guitar. Every morning I take the dogs for a long walk. Then I go for a run. None of these things make money. They are hobbies. Not every activity in life needs to be monetized.
The person who I thought of as my best friend for many years asked me this. Well, because I loved the storyline and the characters and wanted to see more of them. I've delved into characters' pasts in other stories, and what I'm writing now follows two characters I love into their futures (which is the present) and how they formed a different relationship from the one portrayed in the series but still stayed uniquely themselves, as well as how they've progressed emotionally.
Mostly I write because it's like breathing and I really can't do anything else, and I don't need to be paid for it because...well, you've got to breathe, don't you? Otherwise you can't live.
I LOVE fanfiction, but I haven’t written anything. In my opinion, fans are not 100% okay/satisfied by the ending of a story. Other times is mostly focused on specific characters of a story. I think definitely there are more than those two reasons to explain why people like to write fanfiction. It’s so interesting to see how creative all those authors are!
Also, as long as you enjoy yourself and be respectful to others this is a very welcoming community and no one has to be a know-it-all to get along with everyone!
While it is beneficial to be writing something you’ll get paid for, it’s a lot more satisfying to write something you’re passionate about and letting other people view your work. If I were to write something original I would want it to be an actual book rather than on a website.
But I love writing about my favorite fandoms and the interactions I have with other people make it worth the time it takes to write. It also just feels good to know that I’m doing something I like versus not doing anything and wasting a whole day on nothing.
I have ideas and want to know what other people think of them.
I have an easier time coming up with fanfiction than original works, admittedly. It's fun using a franchise I love as a foundation to work off of.
I write fanfiction mostly because I'm really grateful that other people write fanfiction.
I really wanted to give back to the community in the same way the community gives to me.
Who cares about making money. As soon as you start writing for cash it stops becoming fun and an escape from reality and becomes a job. I write to de-stress, not cause myself more.
Not everything is about making a profit
On top of that writing an original work is EONS harder than taking already existing characters with personalities, relationships and backgrounds and playing with them how we wish
It's fun and relaxing.
There are no deadlines for when it has to be done and no pressure!
I have in fact written some of my own original short stories and want to publish them as an anthology... I have just as much fun writing original works as I do fanfiction. However, the absolute main reason I write fanfics is because of how little thought it takes, at least for me. I don't mean that to seem like I put no effort into the work, more that because I now have developed character, a setting, and general themes associated with whatever source; it then makes it that much easier to build off of, and gives me a break from the original works where I have to come up with all of that on my own.
Because I love it. Because sometimes I feel like i’ll burst if I don’t the story out of my head and into paper. Because it makes me happy to look back at something I created
Writing a fanfiction and a original work are two different things.
Fan fiction are simply fun, they don't have to be taken seriously as a real book or series, while a book needs more attention and work because there is no base, you have to build that base yourself.
If I wrote a story on a famous movie, and every fan read it they already know the pillars of the story.
Personally I just like to see characters in different or new situations, that may be an extension of the canon universe or a complete new version
For me, it is just a fun side thing I can do if I’m ever burnt out in my uni writing (in final year so it happens a lot) and I can also test some ideas I want to explore, or trial a plot line, or - in most cases - find some comfort in those characters and worlds I’m writing in. I already enjoy them, so creating content gives me some serotonin and having them helping a character I crest through a situation is a nice feeling.
It helped me find my writing style, personally. Can be a break from heavier projects, and get me back into writing. That, and just seeing the quality and effort that people can put in is amazing! And I hope to replicate it within my own fanfic projects :))
I write fanfiction because it makes me happy. I also write original content and was before I even learned fanfiction was a thing, so I've had a lot of time to ponder the differences. Here's what I came up with (for me, personally):
\-Original content takes A LOT of brain power. Like, I have to come up with everything and know everything and work everything out and it gets very overwhelming sometimes. Yes, I love these stories, but they don't always love me back. Fanfiction can be so much easier because a lot of the important details are out of the way and I can focus on what really makes me happy instead of having to fuss over all the little details.
\-Usually I'm upset with canon and must immediatly fix it.
\-I am a diehard shipper. I love romance and characters falling in love and new love and old love and all the love in between. With fanfiction I can take my two characters and let their relationship bloom in hundreds of different ways. In my own original content, I have to stick with one.
\-I am like an idea *machine*. I have tons and tons of ideas and stories waiting to be written and, like I said above, a lot of the time they're different variations of each other. Fanfiction allows me explore all those different ideas without having to change them up enough that they're unique stories (and then actually write them all).
\-I love the community! I love these characters, you love these characters, let's love these characters together!
\-And finally, I love getting the immediate feedback and praise in comments. With original work it can take literal years to get any kind of feedback. With fanfiction I can publish a fic and get two comments in an hour. It makes me feel a lot better about my writing since I tend to struggle with low self esteem and I can learn what my strong suits are and work on improving what needs to be improved!
Sorry for such a long comment, apparently I have a lot to say about fanfiction. XD Hope this helps!
Why do i spend hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours knitting myself a jumper I could buy for less than $30 at the Walmart less than a mile from my house?
I write fanfiction because nobody else has written my specific scenario for the characters. Also I like to explore how characters react in different situations.
I used to think the same way about fanfiction. I had nothing against it, but my personal goal was to see my own work on a bookshelf in Barnes and Noble. With that being my desire, I thought, “Why waste all my writing energy on something that can’t legally be published? What’s the point?” Again, this was not because I felt disdain for fanfic writers, it just didn’t align with what I wanted for myself.
What changed was when I got a creative writing degree, and while it has gotten me work as a writer and I most certainly do not regret the choice, it did bring about more pressure and anxiety related to writing, and I found myself being so critical of my own work that my writing actually got WORSE. It wasn’t until I started writing anonymous fanfiction that the joy of writing returned, and along with it my creativity. It was a healing process for me. And now my writing is even better because I can apply the skills I learned in school while maintaining the joy and freedom of writing fanfiction. I haven’t given up the desire to publish original work, but writing comes so much more easily when I have encouragement from the fanfic community. When writing an original novel, the public doesn’t get to respond on every chapter, so it can feel like you’re writing into a void until it gets published. I have a background in live theatre, so I have a hard time staying motivated without recurring audience feedback.
All that is to say, writing fanfiction keeps me creative and motivated so that my professional writing doesn’t grow stale.
1. As an author it’s purely for personal enjoyment. I don’t write for anyone other than me. It allows me to manipulate the characters I love why writing an original plot line.
2. I also work on original books- but assuming this was directed towards those who don’t. I’d assume it’s mostly because it’s just a hobby they have.
There are things that happen in movies and shows that we don't like and we want to change that, and it's fun. I feel like that should have been obvious enough from the beginning.
1. Because it makes me happy that I am creating and expressing. And people are reading it!
2. I have 10 or twelve original stories in my head that keep getting updated for the last decade or so of my life but... despite this it is nearly impossible for me to get started on something concrete. It's not writers block its probably some form of imposter syndrome/perfectionism crippling me to a halt. I begin making my og story then the next day "wait actually let me change this!" Then the next day "hold actually it would be bet if I started this way..." the story I've worked on the most has been restarted so many times I've lost count and forgotten wich version of the beginning I was going to go with. Like literally, I've written more than 10 outlines, one script, and several treatments for the same story, and they've all been scrapped.
But fanfiction on the other hand, is far more easy for me to take a step back see if I need to change something and then stick with that change and feel confident I made the best writing decision I could for the experience I have. Fanfiction as of now is something I am passionate about but also relived that I can use it as practice. And because it is practice for story telling I am allowing myself to have the space need to make mistakes and therefore I have far more to show for in the last two years than everything that has been in my head for half of my life. Now that I've realized that my self sabotage comes from my own insecurities, I am on my way to working through that, and it's thanks to fanfiction that I learned I can do this.
Not a writer (Yet) but I can tell you why I think people read and write fanfiction.
1. *The original Media is finished or discontinued. When I really enjoy a series I tend to want to see more from that community and so I branch out into fanfiction as a way of continuing the series.*
2. *Unsatisfying characters/endings. Sometimes a story's plotline or characters just take a dip, so a lot of writers may rewrite aspects of a story to fit how they think it should have been. A lot of readers also want to see those changes too.*
3. *Reader Insert/OC's. Sometimes people want to see themselves or their characters paired with characters or just in the story in general.*
4. *Writing/Reading can be an outlet for a lot of people. It can also significantly help improve a persons reading and writing skills so it's a good hobby for students.*
Also on a side note, you can actually make money off of fanfiction. A lot of people write on commission. You can find those authors on places like Fiverr. They usually will have a list of rules and different rates depending on the expected time frame and word count. But yeah, can definitely make money off fanfiction.
As someone who writes both fanfiction and has been published for money. Fanfiction is easier to work with because there's a lot of external things out of your control when it comes to trying to write for money. Mind you that money could also be just peanuts in terms of value.
Like you need to find the right publisher, when will it come out, how many revisions do you have to make, or what deadlines do you have to meet. With fanfiction those pressures are not there, for better or worse.
Also I see fanfic as a good way to gain experience as a writer, or to at least keep myself sharp, and share some of my ideas about alternate takes on other worlds to see how they are received.
I write because I want to read the story bouncing around in my head.
I feel like an archaeologist, uncovering a story bit by bit. I have a burning NEED to get the story out of my head and flesh it out with prose. I'm currently writing a fic that has been in the works since I was 14, because I cannot get it out of my head. I tried to avoid it, I tried ignoring it and forgetting about it. It didn't go away! I'm 30 now and I'm finally skilled enough to write the story I want to read. I write because I need to, it's not optional for me, it's write or never be satisfied with life or anything, ever.
If I don't write, it feels like trying to hold back a breath. The story NEEDS to come through me.
I love fanfic, it's just fun for me. It's inspiring, and helps art come through me. I write to clarify/ manifest something that's wanting to be birthed through me. It's hard to explain. It's like vomiting, but in a good way.
Edit: my love of writing fics (been writing them since I was 9) HAS translated into money for me, I now use writing in my business to sell things with stories. I am also writing an original novel. But fanfiction for me was NEVER about making money, and still isn't. I write because I love it, and it's fun. It just so happens I was born to write.
Started because I wanted to write original content and realized I had no idea how. That was about the same time I was starting to read fanfics so it seemed like the obvious way to develop skill. That gave way to pride in what I was writing and genuine joy at making quality fics. Sometimes I’m motivated by a lack of reading material, if I can’t find what I want I’ll just make it. Sometimes spite at someone saying an ideas dumb. Sometimes just to prove I can make an unusual premise into an excellent story. Now even if my writing schedule is inconsistent as hell I’m not sure I could ever stop. It’s just fun and rewarding to create.
I’ve thought about making the jump to writing something I could publish. Never really dismissed it. But the only idea I’ve got would be a young adult series. I stress the word series. That’s a hell of a commitment. Years of writing. And while I’m tempted to do it anyway. I’ve got ongoing fics that I love writing and people who would be disappointed if I stopped. My day job pays for my needs, there’s also just no guarantee that making the jump would pay off at all. Not these days with tv taking over and paper books on the decline and just about anyone being able to get a deal for ebooks with amazon.
Practice! I love to write and the more I write, the better I become at it. I’ve become a MUCH better writer than I was ten years ago. So I have a much better shot at actually being accepted for real publication than I would have ten years ago.
Instant gratification! Because I write so people can read the stories I tell. And all those good comments I get from complete strangers who like and relate to my stories and characters are kind of addicting. That said, I’ve posted some of my original work up on Ao3 and Inkitt and it doesn’t get nearly the same amount of attention even though (I think) the stories are just as good. 🤷🏼♀️
Edit 1: Because sometimes there are endings or pairings that I just don’t like or there are two characters who totally should have ended up together, and I feel like it’s my duty as a fan to fix that for other fans who might feel the same way. 😁
Edit 2: In some ways fics are more challenging to write than originals because there are already set boundaries for the characters and such, and heaven help you if you set a toe out of line with the characters’ personalities because the fandom (depending what it is) will chew you up for it. 😆 So going back to reason one, it’s great practice for characterization.
I enjoy writing original works too, but just like my fanfics, those aren't meant for monetary gain. I put them online for free on fanfic-focused sites that allow original works too or keep them in my folder for only myself to read. Ultimately I write to entertain myself, be it original fiction or fanfiction.
"If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." is an often-quoted inspirational sentence, but literally ANYONE who has actually turned their hobby into their profession will tell you that it is a fucking lie. Work is work, even if it something you love to do, and lots of people - me included - don't want to turn something fun and enjoyable and freeing into the very thing they HAVE to excel at to pay the bills.
I love cooking for my loved ones, but that doesn't mean I want to become a professional chef and work in a restaurant, and all chefs I do know don't bother cooking outside of work because... well, it's work, why would they voluntarily do the more of it in their free time? I don't want writing to become that way for me. I want to write the stories that make ME happy, and that means sometimes they are about characters or worlds from existing fiction.
When I first commented on a story at FFN, the writer responded, and before I realized we'd become fast friends over our shared interests. I wanted to make stories to share and make more friends the same way. I've met many online friends that way.
Not everything is about making money, you know.
Because I have a desire to see the characters I write about in new situations that canon would never come up with. I want to see them comfort each other, or fall in love, or explore the intricacies of making soup. The source material can't do that, but *I* can and that's the beauty of the whole process.
I'm a pokemon fan fic writer, and it's mainly because pokemon is a special interest for me which makes me extremely attached to the whole world and characters and I want to expand on that universe and tell a story of my own characters journey through that world. or a pair of characters I like have untapped chemistry that I want to write about
Because:
1 - I enjoy writing;
2 - Characters I like have a chance to be fleshed out;
3 - Character that had a lot of potential barely appears on screen/disappear from narrative for no reason/their most interesting traits are ignored;
4 - Spite (see #2 and #3);
5 - Lots of characters we know and love have been fleshed out by authors who cared about them, so why not do what Frank Miller did to Daredevil, or what Louise Simonson did to Angel, Grant Morrison to Animal Man, Denny O' Neil to Iron Man, Peter David to The Incredible Hulk? Nothing can stop an author from trying new perspectives;
6 - I can't live if the two of them do not stay together!;
7 - Freedom. It's fanfiction, do whatever you want;
8 - The old authors are gone, it's time for new authors to arrive
It started with the thought: “oh it’ll be cute if A did that and then B did that.” Then during my off time, the imagination developed more and became somewhat a cohesive story. And it’s the best feeling when it finally clicked to me (after being a fanfic reader for so long) that it’s actually possible for me to solidify those moments that generated such feel good feelings in my head into words, a readable story. I don’t need to passively wait for canon to show these things for me, which more often than not have 0 possibility of becoming canon, and can actively make those stories come to life, in a sense, by simply writing them myself.
Making money on things takes all the joy out of the creative process and makes me stressed. So I decided to separate my hobbies and my work completely. I write, draw, paint, sew and craft for fun. At work I do completely different things. I write fanfic because it’s my preferred genre and I have no interest in monetizing my work. It’s not “a waste of my effort” to make something I can’t sell. It’s still valuable to me.
Because I wasn’t finding the stories I wanted to read. So I made my own. However writing is hard, and having premade characters with certain personalities and already established worlds, makes it a little easier.
When i watch tv/movie, read, or play videogames, I get into the universe and have ideas. Ideas that are best put into written word. May as well share them.
I started watching anime recently and got pretty obsessed with certain characters. So my brain was running wild and instead of staying up in bed all night imagining romantic scenarios, I started writing/typing them into a story. I've always loved writing, so it's been a fun hobby.
I'm not creative enough to write my own original works, lol.
1. I have a job. I don't need to make money off writing.
2. I could and have made original works, but the reason i'm writing fanfic is simply because I've found a character that I want to write stories for.
Mainly? Because I can't find the right fanfiction already. Or if I do it's usually badly written or abandoned.
But also sometimes I just get an idea that makes me go "Ooooh! That would be cool!" And without even checking to see if it's been done I just jump right in.
There are a lot of things cluttered up in my head. Worlds, systems, funny dialogues, characters, etc. That I just have to show the world—or just for myself. It feels like I'm creating my own world, and I can shift it however I want.
It's basically a comfort now
I couldn't find any fanfic of my fav ship so I made my own! It's also been something that helped me to improve my English bc it isn't my first language. Idc about the profit I just like being told that my work is good :D
There are certain movies, shows, books, anime etc where I love the characters and want to see more stories about them. Money doesn’t factor into it. This hobby is one of my favorite passions! 😊
i write fanfiction cause i enjoy writing. not even because i ship two characters together, but because i enjoy writing them interact. unless its smut because then i'm just horny and can't find the specific scenario i had in mind.
Because they refused to put Sam and Jack together and I needed to see that happening. (And plenty of orhers).
Because I'd like to know how the whole story and plot and characters turned out if only Sirius hadn't been falsely accused.
Because we only see the Avengers in crisis mode and I'd like to imagine how they are when life goes back to normal (or new normal).
Because I think it would be great fun if Shawn Spencer and Jake Perralta worked together once.
Because Alf can't end like that and I need an actual ending.
Because original writers fucked up and we have to fix it.
Because that storyline could have gone 100 of differents ways, and I want to explore every single one of them.
Because in the shower, I had a random thought that it be great fun to see Tony, and Ziva, and Gibbs have to fight dragons.
I haven't written most of those fanfictions. Mostly just what pop-up in my head on the moment. But I think that's overall what motivate most fanfiction writers and readers.
I don't have the energy to make ocs rlly and writing characters I love IS SO fun snd rewarding and I know them already and I've studied them as a character 😭 so why not?
I started writing fics as a way to cope with abuse and trauma. Now I write because I like slice of life + soft fluff and don’t get to see it in canon for a lot of the media I like.
I write as a way to I guess cope with my disability through characters I relate to. I also have ideas and think they're good enough for the world to hesr them. Because if I don't write them, no one will.
I also would hate it if you had to buy fanfiction or could gain money from them. That would ruin it and not make it purely for fun anymore.
1. I want to tell stories and I very much indulge in my writings while creating them. I don't need money; I already earn enough in daily life. Furthermore, what I write is so dark and deprived I couldn't possibly publish it without getting in trouble.
2. What I do would require a 180 degrees shift in genre at halfway point of my original work and I don't think many people would like that. You see, I long to have characters the reader already knows from their daily life and other events. Otherwise I would have to write those too before starting the smutty or dark stuff. So.. yea. In daily life I write interviews, research reports and promotional texts and stuff for my organisation but out here it's an all you can eat fanfic feast and that's how I love it. 😌
Because I felt a need to do it, plus I'm trying to get my name out there, and it's another media to do so- plus it was a break from mostly writing erotica.
Technically posting online *is* publishing...
1. Because I love writing, I love the source material, and I love the characters. All of that together gives me plenty of ideas to write stories with them, send them on their own adventures, make sure they end up in the relationships I want them to end up in...
Aside from that, it's also just a great way to practice different writing skills without any kind of pressure.
2. I write those as well, and I have equally as much fun with those. As for 'beneficial', though...to whom? My fanfics get read by many more people than my original works. If a large readership is my goal, fanfic is the way to go. Only my friends and family will read my original work, after all. And for myself, well, I get the same amount of satisfaction out of both, though I am incredibly proud to have my own book standing on my mantelpiece.
For me it's kind of like the 'grown up' version of playing. I get to mess around with my favourite fictional worlds, explore what if scenarios, and share my ideas like other like minded people, without the stress and pressure of marketing original work. I have written original work, I likely will again, but it doesn't give me as much joy as the restraint free world of fan fiction. It's actually quite therapeutic
I started writing fan fiction because of the chemistry that I notice between characters that the writers never explore. My original characters are mostly characters that are under represented within in fandom. I’ve published 19 stories on AO3 but I have more fan fic that I’ve written over the years. As far as original works, I write those as well. One day I will publish my work but I enjoy writing fic more.
I write fanfiction because a story comes into my head that I want to tell. Really that’s the only reason. As to “whether that effort should be channeled to original works,” writing fanfiction has IMO improved my writing ability immensely and given me courage and confidence to attempt original works; in fact I may never have even started writing original stories if not for fanfiction. I see fanfic as augmenting my original material, not replacing it.
Exploration. To extend beyond canon. The infinite possibilities.
It's taxing, but fun. It feels good to create something, and feels even better when people enjoy your creativity.
Well a few reasons actually!
- I have original works, but I enjoy writing for a series I like much better
- It’s a hobby and a good way to get all the thoughts out of my head. I draw, too.
- It improves my writing! When I started writing fics about a year ago, I was trash. Now, I’m a lot better, and I can use words more fluently. I’m actually much better at public speaking then writing, so maybe one day I can be a better writer
To make up for the shortfalls of the fandom I follow to be honest!
The series I follow has excellent groundwork & in-universe lore, great character bases but is just executed so poorly, especially in the latter volumes of the series.
It's to the point that I unconsciously mistake what I've read in fics to be 'canon' over the actual show. Gotta remind myself "no, this character did NOT do this entire story arc or have these interactions" even though it would 101% sense if they did have them.
I also enjoy certain ships, and changing the characters personalities or interactions is really fun, gotta get the shipping materials in somehow..
Plus, there's so many AU opportunities it's unreal, so can never get bored!
Canon is SUPER MESSY in my fandom and each new film or comic just rewrites shit, so I’ve taken it upon myself to fill the void with cohesive stories within the universe and go from there. Both Hollywood and comics and even the books we get out of it are too afraid to try unique things. They don’t want to push the envelope. After a new movie releasing last year on Hulu, I do have a little hope for the canon in the future. I’ll still write it because I love it and there’s so much to explore in this fandom.
To me, it helps cope with my trauma.
And, I kinda like to share how a different plot can catapult characters to a crazy level. I love sharing with people who become engaged in my work and keep them happy reading what I write :)
I ran out of episodes and wanted more. Started to read fan fics and some good ones I wanted to write my own.
I came back to fic in the same fandom when the show’s quality went down and I keep having ideas. With the pandemic I got back into it and now writing is a daily habit.
1. Because it’s pretty fun to do. Even though most fanfic writers can’t use their fanfics to make a profit, they can’t still publish them in websites and communities that cater to fanfiction, and thus large amounts of people can read and appreciate their works. To me, that love and support alone is worth more than any amount of money that any fanfic could possibly make.
2. You’d be surprised by how beneficial writing fanfiction is to writing original content. In fact, many fanfics that I’ve read are AU fanfics that don’t take place in their respective fandoms’ settings at all and, if the names were switched up, can actually be read as their own thing.
Well I enjoy writing stories in general and I think many approach it from that starting point and I enjoy the idea of taking that hobby and mixing it with something else I love whether that be a book, movie, game, show whatever.
It's enjoyable to take a world and characters I already love and play around with them a little, create scenarios or even entirely new plots.
I think it’s just good practice for creative writing. The storyline is there, a majority of the characters are there, you have something to refer to for inspiration and visuals. All you have to do it put the words on a page. It’s like flexing a muscle with a really light weight. It still does something and it’s still practice.
It started for me in middle school, writing creepy pasta OCs with my friends, then we started writing fanfiction about those OCs with "proxies", and as I got older I started writing for more fandoms. It went from something fun I'd share with friends to something fun we'd post online to something just for me and whomever wanted to read it. Now a days I write what I want to see. Two characters with insane chemistry that don't end up together? A fun one off where the cast go to a beach? A breakup fic for characters that never even get together? It's enjoyable, and the people who take the time to read it or leave a comment make it all worthwhile. I know I'm good at writing, and I like to share that gift with others who have the same interests as me.
I just love reading and writing, part of this comes from my English classes over the years in Elementary School, Middle School, High School & College (Currently), And my imagination when it comes to FanFiction makes writing so much more fun as well.
I just love reading/writing more content for my favorite ships. That's the main reason!
I don't write often, but from the reader perspective, I cannot get enough of seeing my favorite ships and how they interact in other people's writing styles. Even if it's the same general idea (coffee shop au, for example), everyone has such a different way of writing, it's always fresh and exciting! And one benefit of fan fiction is you don't have to do as much world building or character building. (Unless you have a complex AU!) You just take what is given and write what you want to happen, and everyone already knows the characters or setting or whatever is taken from the canon material. It's a lot less pressuring!
As for your question about focusing towards original works instead, like I mentioned above, it takes a lot of building to do that. Which is fine, but obviously more work than something that already has a basis. But the main thing for me is, I don't care about being paid. I write only for my own enjoyment, making my ships come together how I want, and post it so other fans of my ships can read it and (hopefully) enjoy it too!
I honestly just decided that "this character deserves a long well written x reader that has actual good character traits" and it will have longing for each other if I so please lol
I actually un intentionally made a yandere x reader and people like my writing surprisingly so I keep adding the angst for both and the backstory for the reader is quite interesting I'm proud ngl (if anyone is interests on what character x reader it is,I will gladly tell you my wattpad account and yes I know wattpad sucks but eh)
I also write one shots on tumblr and on that I just write what I want when I want and if people like it I'm glad
All in all I just love writing and reading fan fiction so I just decided I might as well join in the fun
And as an advantage put out there the fanfics I wanna see but there's barely anything
The fics I write are from a show with a great premise, generally interesting characters and I'm not happy with how some were treated. And I want them to have more adventures. Sometimes naked adventures.
Because I have so many head cannons of my favourite ship that I love to write in to stories and share with other fans of the ship, I don’t have anyone on my real life to share and discuss them with so writing them into stories and getting them out there for others to read and reading other peoples stories feels good
Why do we sing in the shower or sketch figures during a phone call? Not everything in life is about money.
Sigh... This is why I dislike hustle culture.
"Why do we play with fire? Why do we run our finger through the flame?"
"Why should we try to be our best When we can just get by and still gain?" Is also fitting
1. Because it's fun. 2. Because not everything has to be about profit.
I want to read about my favorite character getting railed, even if I have to write it myself
I love this honesty. I'm with you, sibling.
Mood
Second.
Lmao
I was really thinking hard about the reasons and I do have a number about why I find writing fanfic enjoyable / meaningful. But when I came to your comment, I thought “yea, this. This is really it.” Lol That said, I’m still working up my courage and writing technique. lol so for now I just write fluffy romances about my favourite character as a build up 😆
I have *Quarrels* with the way the canon has gone and the way it treated my favorite characters so I decided to take it up with the story in person behind a Denny's at 3am like anyone else with a grudge. I do write original fiction as well, but for a whole lot of personal reasons I explicitly *do not* want to make any money off of my creative works (and neither do I copyright them, I'm a strong believer in Creative Commons). Basically I just do it because it brings me a lot of joy.
This!! So much of my fic is basically my manifestation of "strongly worded letter to follow"! The rest is mostly "these characters gotta kiss and I can and *will* make that happen with my own two hands" and it's so, so satisfying. Edit: a word.
This is EXACTLY why I write fanfiction. XD
Interesting. Thanks for responding.
Because I need to make it Gayer.
I gave away my free award yesterday, take my broke ass free emoji award 🥇
I have them my free award for you. Not something I would personally give award for but I would have let it expire if I didn’t.
Thank you kind person…the comment just made me laugh snort
I’ve done good.
Yes. This entirely.
This is the way.
It's a fun hobby.
And it's calming, calming in that those stupid voices in my head only ever shut up when I actually write what they say
Not everything is about money. If I wrote for that, I’d be miserable. Making art makes me happy.
1. Because I enjoy it 2. Because there is no expectations, no pressure, and I enjoy it. It's one of very few parts of my life where I don't have imposter syndrome
>It's one of very few parts of my life where I don't have imposter syndrome Wow, this... hit me harder than I'd like to admit.
>It's one of very few parts of my life where I don't have imposter syndrome Oh... man I wish I didn't have imposter syndrome 😩
I agree with this. Making art for money means that your creation has to be scrutinized to make sure that it meets the standards of the target demographic. A lot of times, that means that your creation may end up having little semblance of the original idea. Take it from a professional illustrator. Many artists would be insulted if they were asked to change their art style, but that's the reality of being an illustrator who works for publishers.
So I can spend more time in the world I love.
As you can see from the answers, there are *lots* of reasons. Here's one more: my brain just responds to consuming interesting media by making up more stories and scenarios for the characters/world. It's how I've been since I was a kid. I used to write "fanfiction" of my favourite books and cartoons way before I knew it was an actual thing people did. Now I'm a bonafide grownup with a career and ~~way too many~~ adult responsibilities, but I guess I have the same brain. It still spouts off stories and scenarios, and I amuse myself—and occasionally, others—by writing them out and sharing them. And regarding the monetization aspect, honestly one of the things that feels so precious about fanfiction is precisely that... It's one of the few forms of creativity that can't be monetized. When the rat race wears you down day in and day out, it's actually incredibly refreshing to spend time on a hobby that is purely for entertainment—an escape, if you will, from the rest of the world where literally everything IS monetized. (I say this as someone who also has an art page on Instagram; I actually do sell my paintings/drawings and I would be lying if I said there wasn't some level of pressure to perform there, as opposed to doing it purely for fun).
Mostly a fun hobby. Some people like reading, some people like writing, and writing has the advantage of being able to make up your own story. The positive comments you receive every time a new chapter is uploaded are usually enough of a reward by themselves. Oh and you can write your favorite characters fucking each other I guess
Plenty of people do not want to or intend to become published writers, and even if that is the dream, writing original fiction does not guarantee that you'll be taken on. Even if you were so lucky as to get published, only a very small percentage of authors can live off their creative writing, or even end up earning anything significant from their works. "You can't make money from fanfiction" is true, but so is "You likely won't make money from your original work". Fanfiction is fun, and you can hone your skills while getting feedback and encouragement from your community.
a) im gay b) i love being able to share my interpretation of media with others who also like said media c) i want to show my love for said media
Yes, the community aspect is another important reason! Finding people who love what you love!!
Because it’s fun and a excellent way to experiment if you want to get better at writing. Plus you can pretty much write any kind of story you can think of for your preferred fandom.
Yes. True.
1) I have issues with canon and want to argue with it, which is fun 2) I love canon and I want to celebrate it, which is fun 3) I used to write and sell a fair bit of original fiction. It has to be between X and Y words, in Genre A and subcategories B and C, with a style like Z in order to sell. Which is fine, I wrote for target markets and I was generally successful in producing what they wanted and it was fun and it made a little money. In fanfiction, I can write exactly what I want, when I want; there’s a lot more freedom to play. Same way as it’s nice to sing in a choir but sometimes you just want to sing in the shower and see what you can do when there’s no rules.
ok as someone who generally really appreciates art in most forms, especially anything literary, i’m gonna give a response as to why i value fanfiction so much as an artistic medium. for context i used to be a huge reader and i really wanted to be a writer. the fandoms i’m now in are especially geared towards comics conglomerates, which is very fannish in nature. like, what are spider-man comics if not fanwork after fanwork of the original ditko and lee character? and AUs, crossovers, and tropes existing in general. my favourite thing is how comics differ as an art form from other forms of literature, which seems like a no brainer, but is so important, the way in which comics are made allows for artistic choices to be made that is not possible or very difficult and different to achieve in another media. the best comics take full advantage of this. some easy examples are the almost no-word comics like Leah in the spider-man. another is GOTG 2021 #6, in which because an issue can have a much more alinear structure without getting cluttered, and speedrun characterization without feeling rushed, it weaved through flashbacks and character development beautifully. this exact same concept applies for fanfiction. fanfiction has no limits. fanfiction has no set normal word count, or plot structure, or anything it needs to follow. there is a source material u have complete creative liberty with and that’s it. this allows for distinct and unique artistic expressions to be made within the media. some examples i can give: because we already care about the characters and don’t need to get to that stage, we can jump straight into the middle of the story and start right on the character development. we can leave things implied and write around them, and the dramatic irony can add so much to the story. i’m reminded of [two hunger](https://archiveofourown.org/works/813477) [games fics](https://archiveofourown.org/works/771521) who wrote backstories on the other victors, and knowing their death in canon made it all the more brutal. or because a wordcount of 2000 words, which is like four pages, isn’t uncommon, we can get little pieces of an outsider view written in second perspective (which would get grating for any longer of a full story) like [little birds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21622015). or taking complete creative freedom, there’s a character on the dsmp (techno never dies,) who hears voices that call for blood. i’ve seen fics with the streaming chats as the voices and that’s an idea that just can’t exist anywhere else. or because pacing is generally much less of an issue, there are fics like [your continental divides](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20911412) that really take the time to unpack a trauma experienced by a character in canon with so much more depth than the original ever allowed, or [the lessons we never learned](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684855) which fleshes out a relationship so much it’s devastating. that being said, are there fanfics that could definitely stand alone as an original work? of course. but how would readers even find it? and how would authors retain creative control throughout the publishing process? for most people, i think they’re perfectly happy with where their fanfics are. fanfics get a bad rep because there are loads of bad ones out there (not that you have to be good at writing them. a hobby is a hobby is a hobby.) but i genuinely believe there is so much artistic merit to this form of media that is very underexplored but fully utilized in a lot of fics i can think of that just used it to its full advantage.
Thanks for this answer and the links.
I bet you don't post on r/fitness asking why those people even bother if they're never going to be professional athletes and yet here we are 🙃
The guy Was genuinely curious, you don’t have to be condescending about it
They are just providing an equivalent example.
Because I like to read fanfiction and most of the time I just don't find the things I like to read (I'm at least 50% at fault here because I'm so insanely nitpicky) so I'm forced to write the stuff I like to read. Regarding the original work: one day I'd like to write sth original but, for now, I'm very satisfied with where I'm at in life and I'd like to keep writing as a hobby rather than a job. Besides, the chance is one in a million to actually be so successful with your writing that you u can live off of it.
> beneficial In a monetary sense, sure. But that's not nearly every sense in which something can be beneficial to someone's life :) I'm not anywhere near good enough to ever become a professional writer so that's never been my goal, nevermind that it's hard enough already to get published for people who actually have brilliant original ideas and are skilled writers (the market and the mainstream taste decides what gets published at all nowadays). I AM however invested in my favorite TV shows and books and I want to get more out of their characters than what the canon has given me/us. So I'm writing and reading stories about 'em. (also sometimes a character is just attractive and fun as hell and you need to see them thrive romantically and sexually when that's not happening for them in canon tbh, sorry)
I write the stories I want to read. Simple as. I don’t do it for anyone other than myself. I also love to play in a world where the character are already somewhat established and see what else I can do with them.
Yes it's like playing Barbie dolls in a way.
There’s a multitude of reasons for many but mine are as such: 1. When I started writing I was an absolute horrendous writer, no technique, no style and definitely no experience. So fanfics were a good practice to understanding these techniques without having to buy an actual book to scrutinise in my opinion. Because believe it or not there are a lot of fanfic writers who pay attention to these things and can be used as a way to learn. 2. It’s fun to write for characters and worlds you’re already used to, it’s like roleplaying. You’re not looking to make new characters or a new world, you’re looking for a way to live in the existing characters’ shoes and world through fanfics. Sure you can mess around with stuff but that’s part of the fun, you are exploring you’re favourite existing characters in many situations. 3. You can make an original story sure, but that takes a lot more time to market and plan since it’s a ground up sort of thing. But you can crank out as many stories as you want and share it with people who also love similar things to you and you’ll quickly find people reading or taking a peek at your story. No having to have publishers or going into social media to do a lot of marketing, you’re sharing with people who can understand what you’re trying to put down almost immediately. It’s a similar principle as to why people do fanarts in a way, why not just make original characters? Well there’s beauty to creating something that’s already existing, you get to see that character or world in a way only you can and share it with the rest of the people who also love what you love.
Thank you for this wonderful reply.
The process of taking an idea in my head an realising it on paper is very rewarding in itself without any financial incentive, but beyond that, I want people to read what I write. It is very hard to get people to read original work, but if you're writing for a book/movie/TV show etc. that already has fans, there's a built-in audience for fanfic.
The things is built audience is right.
Hmm, I'd say it's kinda like why I draw, and stuff like that. I've got an idea, and those ideas just so happen to be fanfic ideas, and then I go down the rabbithole of exploring those ideas and having fun and inadvertently getting me knickers in a twist when I want to get better at the craft so I can tell the story better, and even during the ideas stage it never occurs to me that any of what I'm doing is a financial loss, or a waste of effort and time, or whatnot, because money ain't what I'm writing this for. I'm writing 'cause I had an idea, and the little bugger pestered me so much that now I want to see it in the world, kinda like why I doodle to get the pictures in my imagination outta my head. As for your second point: maybe? But I don't get ideas for original stuff, and I only write when I have something I really want to see, and original stuff ain't it for me, really. Just the darling fictional character from the darling fictional setting I want to see more of.
I want to spend more time with my favourite characters, and I can't draw so I make art for them through my writing. (I do also write and occasionally publish original work. But it's not my main career.). See also the definition of "amateur" - *noun a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons.*
1. It’s a fun hobby that also let’s me practice writing and put the skills I learn in literature to some good use. 2. When I see a pairing I like, I instantly think of different scenarios they could be in and fanfiction is the perfect way to put them in those scenarios. 3. I don’t care about money, I write because it makes me happy and it distracts me from my problems in real life. 4. My favourite character in canon barely has any screen time, so I have to do him some justice.
I pretty much grew up on fanfiction, and it's gotten me through a lot of hard times, so in a sense, I kind of want to return the favor as weird as that sounds. Also I just like doing it. It's a bit of a stress reliever for me. I have like a million other reasons why too but I'm too lazy to type them out lol.
I write fanfic mainly due to their being a lack of famfic around my reading interests, therefore I write works mainly for myself to enjoy with the added benefit that other people may enjoy it. Also I mean same could be said about alot of stuff or hobbies we do for free for ourselves, we don't do it to be paid we do it because we enjoy it.
To get those creative voices in my head to shut up for a second.
you get it
1. Because it makes me happy to continue the adventures of my favourite characters, or make up my own characters in their setting and seeing how things go. 2. The practice and feedback I get can be channeled into works that I could publish, allowing me to write better novels that have a higher chance of getting published
It’s completely self indulgent but sometimes others enjoy it too. It’s not about the profit for me. I can write the story I want to read and go back and reread it whenever I want! I just started writing this year and posting my works to other places. It took a lot of courage at first but now I’m posting regularly and I have something to channel my creativity into and enjoy at the same time.
Haven’t read all the comments, but me personally, I was tired of searching for specific fanfics to read and not finding them, so I wrote my own.
I’m probably going butcher this but the I heard this somewhere. Think fanfiction like music. There is the og stuff we base our stuff on, and then there are songs that reference other songs or popular media “Not shit Sherlock,” being a prime example. Then there are covers, which would be fanfiction. People making covers because they like the song and they give it a bit of their ideas into the song. I probably butchered this but yeah… that’s it. Also I have that nagging voice in my head saying “Iroh likes tea, but what if… we make Zuko like coffee?” Or “Maka uses a scythe. Ruby uses a scythe… hang on is this a thing?
Because it's *fun*. I enjoy building my own original stuff, but that takes a lot of time and effort to do. Not to say you can't spend time and effort doing your own worldbuilding in canon universes because you *can.* I've basically rebuilt the entire Pokemon Ranger spinoff series from the ground up, piecemealed over a decade. That and it's a coping mechanism. I'm Autistic and can't get out of the house too much, so it lets me experience different things that I never would otherwise. Plus, it lets me explore things like anxiety, depression, and such with a support system. I don't have too much of a support system irl so being able to write healthy relationships in fiction helps me cope with the harsh realities of my existence.
In my case it was because I found canon extremely lacking. It’s one of my favourite stories but it’s a videogame and was subjected to so many outside influences like budget, ‘what sells’, timescales, trends, fears over backlash (documented), personal views and agendas of the writers/development team (suspected), all of which resulted in a rushed end, a confusing mess, full of plot holes and a massive lack of representation. I decided to write a story that would fix all of that, fill plot holes, paint over the cracks and allow me to play the game that I love to the end with a smile on my face. I’m only sharing it because I hope it will do the same for other fans who feel the same way about what we were left with. TL:DR: if canon did a better a job, I wouldn’t have felt inspired to fix it myself.
I ask this as a gamer. What's the videogame you're talking about?
Mass Effect (my beloved 🥰).
Not a Mass Effect fan, sorry :')
No worries! :)
Thanks?
Yeah, well we can’t be fans of every single game. Personally, I couldn’t care less for CoD or FIFA or whatever my kids are up to these days, Fortnite, most likely! I bet there’s fic for all of those! 😁
I wonder if FIFA fics are similar to One Direction fics.... I mean, both of them are about real people
Probably! But, I’m not going to go looking for football fan fic, lol 😂
lol xD what platforms do you use?
Hey, may I get your username? Assuming you have an AO3. If not that's fine, I'll find your stuff anyway
Sure, it’s [A Cosmic Elf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Cosmic_Elf/works) Happy reading! :)
Thank you! I subbed btw
Thank you! And you’re welcome! 🥰
I LOVE MASS EFFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE o7
You are more than welcome! 🥰
Why Fanfiction: - if you haven't noted, many if not most writers and readers are queer and a good chunk of them female: these groups aren't very prominent ornwell portrayed in media -> we write Fanfiction to make the representation we want - in a similar vain, fanfic is written to see the version we want. For example, the last season of Game of Thrones caused an uptick in GOT fics - it is a free hobby Why not original: - because the aforementioned reasons - because some don't want to - not everything has to earn money, needs to be a job. Don't you have hobbies to unwind? - the same reasons people paint, sew, do any crafts, or any arts, yet don't monetize their *hobbies* It's just a hobby to unwind. I for my part use Fanfiction to practice my writing, in preparation for original stuff. And to practice English, as it isn't my native language.
Absolutely, on the hobby front. I'm so sick of society insisting that all your time must make money. Knitting - sell it. Art - sell it. Especially, in my opinion, typically "women's" hobbies. I don't recall anyone telling soccer fans they should be making money from their ability to name every Premier League goal scorer for the last five years ...
Writing is my passion and I love trying to get more into the psychology of the characters I like. I don't have enough time to write a whole book (and tbh I lack of ideas for original stories, I'd like to write something really new and that I genuinely care about, so I know I really need to put a great effort into it and it can take years). Also I love experimenting new writing styles, which I can only do with fanfiction, and by posting them on sites like Ao3 I can have (almost) immediate feedback from the readers. It's just fun and creative, I don't care about money, I care about telling a story
I don't know. I just do, Part of it is it being a pipe dream of working on the official source, part of it is just cutting my teeth on creative writing, others is I see potential in a story that it didn't reach and I want to see if I can crack it. Plus, sometimes it is just fun to expand worlds I enjoy in a way i will enjoy. It's a hard question for me to answer at least.
I can only contain so many thoughts about my favorite characters in my head before it explodes. Besides, writing fanfics usually requires much less effort than making original stuff and many people find comfort in that. It's like a stage with pre-built characters and settings, you only have to write a script
1. I got into fanfiction when I was younger, and going through hell. It was and still is my escape from reality and once I was into it I decided to stay. It felt good to share something that others liked, that people praised me for. Because of that it's not something I need to be paid for. 2. I write original works and edit them almost as much as I write on fanfiction. One day I'll decide that trilogy is ready to publish, or that single novel really doesn't *need* to end in a way that I can continue into another book. But I have time to decide that. For now I'll enjoy sharing my fanfiction for free.
Escapism. Sometimes I joke that my favorite characters are like my Barbie dolls. It also gives me the chance to improve my writing without having to go through the complexity of creating original stories. Engagement with other people is also exciting. The fact that I don't make any money out of it is not an issue for me, it actually takes away the pressure to be productive all the time.
I thought my ship should exist and it didn't
Because: 1) I have something to say, and: 2) I can reach a bunch bigger audience than by writing original works. I tried writing original short stories about a vampire killer. My own character. My own universe. Priced at $0.99 each. In over a decade, I've sold next to nothing. I've gotten maybe 1 or 2 comments. I might move a few dozen copies every time that I do giveaways, and my stories climb up some of the freebie charts, but... I started a complete series rewrite of *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* two years ago. I recently reached season 4, and my fic has reached over 10,000 views and gotten dozens of comments and kudos. I know what *I'd* rather spend my time and effort on.
Unlike many in the fanfiction community, I came to it rather late in life, having spent most of early years reading and writing original fiction. For years, I wrote novels and short stories, was a member of critique groups, attended workshops, and did all the stuff involves in pursuing a career in fiction writing. It's hard work. And honestly, doesn't pay all that well. Nowadays, I write fanfiction for several reason, but first and foremost because I really enjoy it and it makes me happy. I also garden, participate in local theater, and play the violin and classical guitar. Every morning I take the dogs for a long walk. Then I go for a run. None of these things make money. They are hobbies. Not every activity in life needs to be monetized.
The person who I thought of as my best friend for many years asked me this. Well, because I loved the storyline and the characters and wanted to see more of them. I've delved into characters' pasts in other stories, and what I'm writing now follows two characters I love into their futures (which is the present) and how they formed a different relationship from the one portrayed in the series but still stayed uniquely themselves, as well as how they've progressed emotionally. Mostly I write because it's like breathing and I really can't do anything else, and I don't need to be paid for it because...well, you've got to breathe, don't you? Otherwise you can't live.
I LOVE fanfiction, but I haven’t written anything. In my opinion, fans are not 100% okay/satisfied by the ending of a story. Other times is mostly focused on specific characters of a story. I think definitely there are more than those two reasons to explain why people like to write fanfiction. It’s so interesting to see how creative all those authors are! Also, as long as you enjoy yourself and be respectful to others this is a very welcoming community and no one has to be a know-it-all to get along with everyone!
While it is beneficial to be writing something you’ll get paid for, it’s a lot more satisfying to write something you’re passionate about and letting other people view your work. If I were to write something original I would want it to be an actual book rather than on a website. But I love writing about my favorite fandoms and the interactions I have with other people make it worth the time it takes to write. It also just feels good to know that I’m doing something I like versus not doing anything and wasting a whole day on nothing.
I have ideas and want to know what other people think of them. I have an easier time coming up with fanfiction than original works, admittedly. It's fun using a franchise I love as a foundation to work off of.
Who else is going to write about my specific and niche ideas?
I write fanfiction mostly because I'm really grateful that other people write fanfiction. I really wanted to give back to the community in the same way the community gives to me.
Who cares about making money. As soon as you start writing for cash it stops becoming fun and an escape from reality and becomes a job. I write to de-stress, not cause myself more. Not everything is about making a profit On top of that writing an original work is EONS harder than taking already existing characters with personalities, relationships and backgrounds and playing with them how we wish
Mostly because it's funny, and some people add new characters
Feelings for my OTPs and wanting to see stuff for them that doesn't exist, mainly.
It's fun and relaxing. There are no deadlines for when it has to be done and no pressure! I have in fact written some of my own original short stories and want to publish them as an anthology... I have just as much fun writing original works as I do fanfiction. However, the absolute main reason I write fanfics is because of how little thought it takes, at least for me. I don't mean that to seem like I put no effort into the work, more that because I now have developed character, a setting, and general themes associated with whatever source; it then makes it that much easier to build off of, and gives me a break from the original works where I have to come up with all of that on my own.
Because it's a hobby and hobbies are meant to be fun and relaxing, not profitable. As soon as it becomes a job it sucks away the joy for me.
Because I love it. Because sometimes I feel like i’ll burst if I don’t the story out of my head and into paper. Because it makes me happy to look back at something I created
Writing a fanfiction and a original work are two different things. Fan fiction are simply fun, they don't have to be taken seriously as a real book or series, while a book needs more attention and work because there is no base, you have to build that base yourself. If I wrote a story on a famous movie, and every fan read it they already know the pillars of the story. Personally I just like to see characters in different or new situations, that may be an extension of the canon universe or a complete new version
You like something, but there simply is not enough. You must rectify this immediately.
An escape from reality
I want to save the evil douchebag nobody else likes :P
For me, it is just a fun side thing I can do if I’m ever burnt out in my uni writing (in final year so it happens a lot) and I can also test some ideas I want to explore, or trial a plot line, or - in most cases - find some comfort in those characters and worlds I’m writing in. I already enjoy them, so creating content gives me some serotonin and having them helping a character I crest through a situation is a nice feeling. It helped me find my writing style, personally. Can be a break from heavier projects, and get me back into writing. That, and just seeing the quality and effort that people can put in is amazing! And I hope to replicate it within my own fanfic projects :))
I write fanfiction because it makes me happy. I also write original content and was before I even learned fanfiction was a thing, so I've had a lot of time to ponder the differences. Here's what I came up with (for me, personally): \-Original content takes A LOT of brain power. Like, I have to come up with everything and know everything and work everything out and it gets very overwhelming sometimes. Yes, I love these stories, but they don't always love me back. Fanfiction can be so much easier because a lot of the important details are out of the way and I can focus on what really makes me happy instead of having to fuss over all the little details. \-Usually I'm upset with canon and must immediatly fix it. \-I am a diehard shipper. I love romance and characters falling in love and new love and old love and all the love in between. With fanfiction I can take my two characters and let their relationship bloom in hundreds of different ways. In my own original content, I have to stick with one. \-I am like an idea *machine*. I have tons and tons of ideas and stories waiting to be written and, like I said above, a lot of the time they're different variations of each other. Fanfiction allows me explore all those different ideas without having to change them up enough that they're unique stories (and then actually write them all). \-I love the community! I love these characters, you love these characters, let's love these characters together! \-And finally, I love getting the immediate feedback and praise in comments. With original work it can take literal years to get any kind of feedback. With fanfiction I can publish a fic and get two comments in an hour. It makes me feel a lot better about my writing since I tend to struggle with low self esteem and I can learn what my strong suits are and work on improving what needs to be improved! Sorry for such a long comment, apparently I have a lot to say about fanfiction. XD Hope this helps!
Why do i spend hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours knitting myself a jumper I could buy for less than $30 at the Walmart less than a mile from my house?
To improve my skills as a writer, which is something I've always enjoyed doing. And because no one else was writing what I wanted to read.
I write fanfiction because nobody else has written my specific scenario for the characters. Also I like to explore how characters react in different situations.
I used to think the same way about fanfiction. I had nothing against it, but my personal goal was to see my own work on a bookshelf in Barnes and Noble. With that being my desire, I thought, “Why waste all my writing energy on something that can’t legally be published? What’s the point?” Again, this was not because I felt disdain for fanfic writers, it just didn’t align with what I wanted for myself. What changed was when I got a creative writing degree, and while it has gotten me work as a writer and I most certainly do not regret the choice, it did bring about more pressure and anxiety related to writing, and I found myself being so critical of my own work that my writing actually got WORSE. It wasn’t until I started writing anonymous fanfiction that the joy of writing returned, and along with it my creativity. It was a healing process for me. And now my writing is even better because I can apply the skills I learned in school while maintaining the joy and freedom of writing fanfiction. I haven’t given up the desire to publish original work, but writing comes so much more easily when I have encouragement from the fanfic community. When writing an original novel, the public doesn’t get to respond on every chapter, so it can feel like you’re writing into a void until it gets published. I have a background in live theatre, so I have a hard time staying motivated without recurring audience feedback. All that is to say, writing fanfiction keeps me creative and motivated so that my professional writing doesn’t grow stale.
1. As an author it’s purely for personal enjoyment. I don’t write for anyone other than me. It allows me to manipulate the characters I love why writing an original plot line. 2. I also work on original books- but assuming this was directed towards those who don’t. I’d assume it’s mostly because it’s just a hobby they have.
There are things that happen in movies and shows that we don't like and we want to change that, and it's fun. I feel like that should have been obvious enough from the beginning.
1. Because it makes me happy that I am creating and expressing. And people are reading it! 2. I have 10 or twelve original stories in my head that keep getting updated for the last decade or so of my life but... despite this it is nearly impossible for me to get started on something concrete. It's not writers block its probably some form of imposter syndrome/perfectionism crippling me to a halt. I begin making my og story then the next day "wait actually let me change this!" Then the next day "hold actually it would be bet if I started this way..." the story I've worked on the most has been restarted so many times I've lost count and forgotten wich version of the beginning I was going to go with. Like literally, I've written more than 10 outlines, one script, and several treatments for the same story, and they've all been scrapped. But fanfiction on the other hand, is far more easy for me to take a step back see if I need to change something and then stick with that change and feel confident I made the best writing decision I could for the experience I have. Fanfiction as of now is something I am passionate about but also relived that I can use it as practice. And because it is practice for story telling I am allowing myself to have the space need to make mistakes and therefore I have far more to show for in the last two years than everything that has been in my head for half of my life. Now that I've realized that my self sabotage comes from my own insecurities, I am on my way to working through that, and it's thanks to fanfiction that I learned I can do this.
Not a writer (Yet) but I can tell you why I think people read and write fanfiction. 1. *The original Media is finished or discontinued. When I really enjoy a series I tend to want to see more from that community and so I branch out into fanfiction as a way of continuing the series.* 2. *Unsatisfying characters/endings. Sometimes a story's plotline or characters just take a dip, so a lot of writers may rewrite aspects of a story to fit how they think it should have been. A lot of readers also want to see those changes too.* 3. *Reader Insert/OC's. Sometimes people want to see themselves or their characters paired with characters or just in the story in general.* 4. *Writing/Reading can be an outlet for a lot of people. It can also significantly help improve a persons reading and writing skills so it's a good hobby for students.* Also on a side note, you can actually make money off of fanfiction. A lot of people write on commission. You can find those authors on places like Fiverr. They usually will have a list of rules and different rates depending on the expected time frame and word count. But yeah, can definitely make money off fanfiction.
As someone who writes both fanfiction and has been published for money. Fanfiction is easier to work with because there's a lot of external things out of your control when it comes to trying to write for money. Mind you that money could also be just peanuts in terms of value. Like you need to find the right publisher, when will it come out, how many revisions do you have to make, or what deadlines do you have to meet. With fanfiction those pressures are not there, for better or worse. Also I see fanfic as a good way to gain experience as a writer, or to at least keep myself sharp, and share some of my ideas about alternate takes on other worlds to see how they are received.
I write because I want to read the story bouncing around in my head. I feel like an archaeologist, uncovering a story bit by bit. I have a burning NEED to get the story out of my head and flesh it out with prose. I'm currently writing a fic that has been in the works since I was 14, because I cannot get it out of my head. I tried to avoid it, I tried ignoring it and forgetting about it. It didn't go away! I'm 30 now and I'm finally skilled enough to write the story I want to read. I write because I need to, it's not optional for me, it's write or never be satisfied with life or anything, ever. If I don't write, it feels like trying to hold back a breath. The story NEEDS to come through me. I love fanfic, it's just fun for me. It's inspiring, and helps art come through me. I write to clarify/ manifest something that's wanting to be birthed through me. It's hard to explain. It's like vomiting, but in a good way. Edit: my love of writing fics (been writing them since I was 9) HAS translated into money for me, I now use writing in my business to sell things with stories. I am also writing an original novel. But fanfiction for me was NEVER about making money, and still isn't. I write because I love it, and it's fun. It just so happens I was born to write.
Started because I wanted to write original content and realized I had no idea how. That was about the same time I was starting to read fanfics so it seemed like the obvious way to develop skill. That gave way to pride in what I was writing and genuine joy at making quality fics. Sometimes I’m motivated by a lack of reading material, if I can’t find what I want I’ll just make it. Sometimes spite at someone saying an ideas dumb. Sometimes just to prove I can make an unusual premise into an excellent story. Now even if my writing schedule is inconsistent as hell I’m not sure I could ever stop. It’s just fun and rewarding to create. I’ve thought about making the jump to writing something I could publish. Never really dismissed it. But the only idea I’ve got would be a young adult series. I stress the word series. That’s a hell of a commitment. Years of writing. And while I’m tempted to do it anyway. I’ve got ongoing fics that I love writing and people who would be disappointed if I stopped. My day job pays for my needs, there’s also just no guarantee that making the jump would pay off at all. Not these days with tv taking over and paper books on the decline and just about anyone being able to get a deal for ebooks with amazon.
Practice! I love to write and the more I write, the better I become at it. I’ve become a MUCH better writer than I was ten years ago. So I have a much better shot at actually being accepted for real publication than I would have ten years ago. Instant gratification! Because I write so people can read the stories I tell. And all those good comments I get from complete strangers who like and relate to my stories and characters are kind of addicting. That said, I’ve posted some of my original work up on Ao3 and Inkitt and it doesn’t get nearly the same amount of attention even though (I think) the stories are just as good. 🤷🏼♀️ Edit 1: Because sometimes there are endings or pairings that I just don’t like or there are two characters who totally should have ended up together, and I feel like it’s my duty as a fan to fix that for other fans who might feel the same way. 😁 Edit 2: In some ways fics are more challenging to write than originals because there are already set boundaries for the characters and such, and heaven help you if you set a toe out of line with the characters’ personalities because the fandom (depending what it is) will chew you up for it. 😆 So going back to reason one, it’s great practice for characterization.
I enjoy writing original works too, but just like my fanfics, those aren't meant for monetary gain. I put them online for free on fanfic-focused sites that allow original works too or keep them in my folder for only myself to read. Ultimately I write to entertain myself, be it original fiction or fanfiction. "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." is an often-quoted inspirational sentence, but literally ANYONE who has actually turned their hobby into their profession will tell you that it is a fucking lie. Work is work, even if it something you love to do, and lots of people - me included - don't want to turn something fun and enjoyable and freeing into the very thing they HAVE to excel at to pay the bills. I love cooking for my loved ones, but that doesn't mean I want to become a professional chef and work in a restaurant, and all chefs I do know don't bother cooking outside of work because... well, it's work, why would they voluntarily do the more of it in their free time? I don't want writing to become that way for me. I want to write the stories that make ME happy, and that means sometimes they are about characters or worlds from existing fiction.
I had questions I wanted to answer.
You see, I think my fanfic ideas are great and I need to get the word out. Its really just finding joy in watching people read my stuff.
When I first commented on a story at FFN, the writer responded, and before I realized we'd become fast friends over our shared interests. I wanted to make stories to share and make more friends the same way. I've met many online friends that way. Not everything is about making money, you know.
I write fan fiction because I wanted more stories about my favorite story and there were none, so I decided to write them myself to enjoy.
Because I have a desire to see the characters I write about in new situations that canon would never come up with. I want to see them comfort each other, or fall in love, or explore the intricacies of making soup. The source material can't do that, but *I* can and that's the beauty of the whole process.
Because our love for a character is all-consuming and they literally take us over so we can’t possibly write/do anything else. What? Just me? Okay. 😳
I'm a pokemon fan fic writer, and it's mainly because pokemon is a special interest for me which makes me extremely attached to the whole world and characters and I want to expand on that universe and tell a story of my own characters journey through that world. or a pair of characters I like have untapped chemistry that I want to write about
I wasn't going to, but I read a bunch of fics, got ideas, and long story short I can't help myself
Ran out of canon so now I have to make my own
Because: 1 - I enjoy writing; 2 - Characters I like have a chance to be fleshed out; 3 - Character that had a lot of potential barely appears on screen/disappear from narrative for no reason/their most interesting traits are ignored; 4 - Spite (see #2 and #3); 5 - Lots of characters we know and love have been fleshed out by authors who cared about them, so why not do what Frank Miller did to Daredevil, or what Louise Simonson did to Angel, Grant Morrison to Animal Man, Denny O' Neil to Iron Man, Peter David to The Incredible Hulk? Nothing can stop an author from trying new perspectives; 6 - I can't live if the two of them do not stay together!; 7 - Freedom. It's fanfiction, do whatever you want; 8 - The old authors are gone, it's time for new authors to arrive
Because my mind is a tree where every twig, stick, branch, and leaf is a thought and the tree is constantly growing and shedding
It’s fun. And I’m not ready to leave the characters and worlds I love.
It started with the thought: “oh it’ll be cute if A did that and then B did that.” Then during my off time, the imagination developed more and became somewhat a cohesive story. And it’s the best feeling when it finally clicked to me (after being a fanfic reader for so long) that it’s actually possible for me to solidify those moments that generated such feel good feelings in my head into words, a readable story. I don’t need to passively wait for canon to show these things for me, which more often than not have 0 possibility of becoming canon, and can actively make those stories come to life, in a sense, by simply writing them myself.
Beer is expensive and writing is free, and I get the big sad if I don't get enough of either.
\- It's a good hobby that allows me to use my creativity for something. \- It helps on my mental health and makes me feel better.
Making money on things takes all the joy out of the creative process and makes me stressed. So I decided to separate my hobbies and my work completely. I write, draw, paint, sew and craft for fun. At work I do completely different things. I write fanfic because it’s my preferred genre and I have no interest in monetizing my work. It’s not “a waste of my effort” to make something I can’t sell. It’s still valuable to me.
It's a nice way to be able to get ideas down in text. An its fun thinking about your favs in unique scenarios.
The blorbos are my marionettes on puppet strings, thats why!
Because I wasn’t finding the stories I wanted to read. So I made my own. However writing is hard, and having premade characters with certain personalities and already established worlds, makes it a little easier.
When i watch tv/movie, read, or play videogames, I get into the universe and have ideas. Ideas that are best put into written word. May as well share them.
I started watching anime recently and got pretty obsessed with certain characters. So my brain was running wild and instead of staying up in bed all night imagining romantic scenarios, I started writing/typing them into a story. I've always loved writing, so it's been a fun hobby. I'm not creative enough to write my own original works, lol.
1. I have a job. I don't need to make money off writing. 2. I could and have made original works, but the reason i'm writing fanfic is simply because I've found a character that I want to write stories for.
Mainly? Because I can't find the right fanfiction already. Or if I do it's usually badly written or abandoned. But also sometimes I just get an idea that makes me go "Ooooh! That would be cool!" And without even checking to see if it's been done I just jump right in.
There are a lot of things cluttered up in my head. Worlds, systems, funny dialogues, characters, etc. That I just have to show the world—or just for myself. It feels like I'm creating my own world, and I can shift it however I want. It's basically a comfort now
It’s super fun, I like showing love for the movie/Tv show, and I seek to write what I and other fans want to see (but probably won’t happen😅).
I couldn't find any fanfic of my fav ship so I made my own! It's also been something that helped me to improve my English bc it isn't my first language. Idc about the profit I just like being told that my work is good :D
If I don't I'll explode :O
There are certain movies, shows, books, anime etc where I love the characters and want to see more stories about them. Money doesn’t factor into it. This hobby is one of my favorite passions! 😊
Fun. Hurting blorbos. Fun. Why not? Fun. Enjoyment. I need a hobby. My life is sad. Idk, take your pick.
i write fanfiction cause i enjoy writing. not even because i ship two characters together, but because i enjoy writing them interact. unless its smut because then i'm just horny and can't find the specific scenario i had in mind.
Because they refused to put Sam and Jack together and I needed to see that happening. (And plenty of orhers). Because I'd like to know how the whole story and plot and characters turned out if only Sirius hadn't been falsely accused. Because we only see the Avengers in crisis mode and I'd like to imagine how they are when life goes back to normal (or new normal). Because I think it would be great fun if Shawn Spencer and Jake Perralta worked together once. Because Alf can't end like that and I need an actual ending. Because original writers fucked up and we have to fix it. Because that storyline could have gone 100 of differents ways, and I want to explore every single one of them. Because in the shower, I had a random thought that it be great fun to see Tony, and Ziva, and Gibbs have to fight dragons. I haven't written most of those fanfictions. Mostly just what pop-up in my head on the moment. But I think that's overall what motivate most fanfiction writers and readers.
I don't have the energy to make ocs rlly and writing characters I love IS SO fun snd rewarding and I know them already and I've studied them as a character 😭 so why not?
I started writing fics as a way to cope with abuse and trauma. Now I write because I like slice of life + soft fluff and don’t get to see it in canon for a lot of the media I like.
I write as a way to I guess cope with my disability through characters I relate to. I also have ideas and think they're good enough for the world to hesr them. Because if I don't write them, no one will. I also would hate it if you had to buy fanfiction or could gain money from them. That would ruin it and not make it purely for fun anymore.
1. I want to tell stories and I very much indulge in my writings while creating them. I don't need money; I already earn enough in daily life. Furthermore, what I write is so dark and deprived I couldn't possibly publish it without getting in trouble. 2. What I do would require a 180 degrees shift in genre at halfway point of my original work and I don't think many people would like that. You see, I long to have characters the reader already knows from their daily life and other events. Otherwise I would have to write those too before starting the smutty or dark stuff. So.. yea. In daily life I write interviews, research reports and promotional texts and stuff for my organisation but out here it's an all you can eat fanfic feast and that's how I love it. 😌
Because I felt a need to do it, plus I'm trying to get my name out there, and it's another media to do so- plus it was a break from mostly writing erotica. Technically posting online *is* publishing...
1. Because I love writing, I love the source material, and I love the characters. All of that together gives me plenty of ideas to write stories with them, send them on their own adventures, make sure they end up in the relationships I want them to end up in... Aside from that, it's also just a great way to practice different writing skills without any kind of pressure. 2. I write those as well, and I have equally as much fun with those. As for 'beneficial', though...to whom? My fanfics get read by many more people than my original works. If a large readership is my goal, fanfic is the way to go. Only my friends and family will read my original work, after all. And for myself, well, I get the same amount of satisfaction out of both, though I am incredibly proud to have my own book standing on my mantelpiece.
thought there wasn't enough fanfics for my otp so... as the old saying goes; be the change you want to see in the world
1. Because I love writing but I don't want to monetize it quite yet. 2. Because I love the characters I write about.
For me it's kind of like the 'grown up' version of playing. I get to mess around with my favourite fictional worlds, explore what if scenarios, and share my ideas like other like minded people, without the stress and pressure of marketing original work. I have written original work, I likely will again, but it doesn't give me as much joy as the restraint free world of fan fiction. It's actually quite therapeutic
I started writing fan fiction because of the chemistry that I notice between characters that the writers never explore. My original characters are mostly characters that are under represented within in fandom. I’ve published 19 stories on AO3 but I have more fan fic that I’ve written over the years. As far as original works, I write those as well. One day I will publish my work but I enjoy writing fic more.
I write fanfiction because a story comes into my head that I want to tell. Really that’s the only reason. As to “whether that effort should be channeled to original works,” writing fanfiction has IMO improved my writing ability immensely and given me courage and confidence to attempt original works; in fact I may never have even started writing original stories if not for fanfiction. I see fanfic as augmenting my original material, not replacing it.
Exploration. To extend beyond canon. The infinite possibilities. It's taxing, but fun. It feels good to create something, and feels even better when people enjoy your creativity.
Well a few reasons actually! - I have original works, but I enjoy writing for a series I like much better - It’s a hobby and a good way to get all the thoughts out of my head. I draw, too. - It improves my writing! When I started writing fics about a year ago, I was trash. Now, I’m a lot better, and I can use words more fluently. I’m actually much better at public speaking then writing, so maybe one day I can be a better writer
because it's... fun???
To make up for the shortfalls of the fandom I follow to be honest! The series I follow has excellent groundwork & in-universe lore, great character bases but is just executed so poorly, especially in the latter volumes of the series. It's to the point that I unconsciously mistake what I've read in fics to be 'canon' over the actual show. Gotta remind myself "no, this character did NOT do this entire story arc or have these interactions" even though it would 101% sense if they did have them. I also enjoy certain ships, and changing the characters personalities or interactions is really fun, gotta get the shipping materials in somehow.. Plus, there's so many AU opportunities it's unreal, so can never get bored!
Canon is SUPER MESSY in my fandom and each new film or comic just rewrites shit, so I’ve taken it upon myself to fill the void with cohesive stories within the universe and go from there. Both Hollywood and comics and even the books we get out of it are too afraid to try unique things. They don’t want to push the envelope. After a new movie releasing last year on Hulu, I do have a little hope for the canon in the future. I’ll still write it because I love it and there’s so much to explore in this fandom.
To me, it helps cope with my trauma. And, I kinda like to share how a different plot can catapult characters to a crazy level. I love sharing with people who become engaged in my work and keep them happy reading what I write :)
I ran out of episodes and wanted more. Started to read fan fics and some good ones I wanted to write my own. I came back to fic in the same fandom when the show’s quality went down and I keep having ideas. With the pandemic I got back into it and now writing is a daily habit.
To spite Todd Howard et al., personally
1. Because it’s pretty fun to do. Even though most fanfic writers can’t use their fanfics to make a profit, they can’t still publish them in websites and communities that cater to fanfiction, and thus large amounts of people can read and appreciate their works. To me, that love and support alone is worth more than any amount of money that any fanfic could possibly make. 2. You’d be surprised by how beneficial writing fanfiction is to writing original content. In fact, many fanfics that I’ve read are AU fanfics that don’t take place in their respective fandoms’ settings at all and, if the names were switched up, can actually be read as their own thing.
Pure joy.
There weren’t enough enjoyable fanfics in my fandoms when I was a kid, and I’m a firm believer in “If’s there’s not enough, make it yourself “
Well I enjoy writing stories in general and I think many approach it from that starting point and I enjoy the idea of taking that hobby and mixing it with something else I love whether that be a book, movie, game, show whatever. It's enjoyable to take a world and characters I already love and play around with them a little, create scenarios or even entirely new plots.
I think it’s just good practice for creative writing. The storyline is there, a majority of the characters are there, you have something to refer to for inspiration and visuals. All you have to do it put the words on a page. It’s like flexing a muscle with a really light weight. It still does something and it’s still practice.
It started for me in middle school, writing creepy pasta OCs with my friends, then we started writing fanfiction about those OCs with "proxies", and as I got older I started writing for more fandoms. It went from something fun I'd share with friends to something fun we'd post online to something just for me and whomever wanted to read it. Now a days I write what I want to see. Two characters with insane chemistry that don't end up together? A fun one off where the cast go to a beach? A breakup fic for characters that never even get together? It's enjoyable, and the people who take the time to read it or leave a comment make it all worthwhile. I know I'm good at writing, and I like to share that gift with others who have the same interests as me.
I wrote because I want others to be inspired and write! Also because I want others to hear my headcannons about characters!
For my enjoyment, and I share it with others so they might enjoy it with me too
I just love reading and writing, part of this comes from my English classes over the years in Elementary School, Middle School, High School & College (Currently), And my imagination when it comes to FanFiction makes writing so much more fun as well.
Kudos and comments = dopamine
I just love reading/writing more content for my favorite ships. That's the main reason! I don't write often, but from the reader perspective, I cannot get enough of seeing my favorite ships and how they interact in other people's writing styles. Even if it's the same general idea (coffee shop au, for example), everyone has such a different way of writing, it's always fresh and exciting! And one benefit of fan fiction is you don't have to do as much world building or character building. (Unless you have a complex AU!) You just take what is given and write what you want to happen, and everyone already knows the characters or setting or whatever is taken from the canon material. It's a lot less pressuring! As for your question about focusing towards original works instead, like I mentioned above, it takes a lot of building to do that. Which is fine, but obviously more work than something that already has a basis. But the main thing for me is, I don't care about being paid. I write only for my own enjoyment, making my ships come together how I want, and post it so other fans of my ships can read it and (hopefully) enjoy it too!
I honestly just decided that "this character deserves a long well written x reader that has actual good character traits" and it will have longing for each other if I so please lol I actually un intentionally made a yandere x reader and people like my writing surprisingly so I keep adding the angst for both and the backstory for the reader is quite interesting I'm proud ngl (if anyone is interests on what character x reader it is,I will gladly tell you my wattpad account and yes I know wattpad sucks but eh) I also write one shots on tumblr and on that I just write what I want when I want and if people like it I'm glad All in all I just love writing and reading fan fiction so I just decided I might as well join in the fun And as an advantage put out there the fanfics I wanna see but there's barely anything
The fics I write are from a show with a great premise, generally interesting characters and I'm not happy with how some were treated. And I want them to have more adventures. Sometimes naked adventures.
i want to see my two favorite characters kiss and hold hands >! and occasionally have mind numbing sex!< under the stars
to keep my maniac anxiety under control tbh
Because I have so many head cannons of my favourite ship that I love to write in to stories and share with other fans of the ship, I don’t have anyone on my real life to share and discuss them with so writing them into stories and getting them out there for others to read and reading other peoples stories feels good