Check It Out: Fanfiction Culture

The rise of fanfiction is not a new phenomenon. This unique form of literature emerged from the wealth of fans who wanted to expand the universes they were presented with, and to explore the characters that may or may not be fictional. Fanfiction encompasses multiple mediums besides the traditional writing form, including podcasts, painting and drawings, and even music playlists. It allows for a wildly creative shift in the traditional forms of literature.

Websites like fanfiction.net and archiveofourown.org create a space for fanfiction to be shared globally, and bring communities together where members can share their head-canons and their alternate universes across every genre and most fandoms. Fanfiction began with Star Trek and has spread across television shows, movies, and books.

Fanfiction culture is unique and expansive, and is an empowering space on the internet to encourage people to express their own thoughts and ideas in a creative, productive, and enjoyable form.

As an avid consumer of fanfiction myself, I see it as a way to explore different writing styles, fantastical plots, and expose myself to different points of view. I think that people who write fanfiction should be given more credit, because they often create original characters and plots just as traditional authors do, and they share their work free of charge. Sharing original writing is never easy, but fanfiction sites make it easier to share and show how these communities love and support their own members.

So the next time you have a cool idea about where a plot could go differently, very wrong, or just plain interestingly, share it! Write your own story, and you never know--you might just meet people who share your ideas and love the stories just as much as you do.

Reminder: Plagiarism is not cool! Make sure your fanfiction isn't impinging on what other people own the rights to--disclaimer statements are a fanfic writer's friend!