It’s inevitable that when a piece of literature becomes popular, fans can’t get enough. And when all possibilities of sequels or spin-offs are exhausted, many will take matters into their own hands by creating fanfiction.
In this post, we’ll explore how fanfiction allows your favorite stories and characters to live on, and show you where you can find some of the best fanfiction online.
What Is Fanfiction?
In essence, fanfiction is when fans take certain characters, settings, or any other story elements from an established work of fiction (often without the original author’s permission), and use that material to write their own stories.
For example, did you know that the term Mary Sue (an over-idealized and seemingly perfect character) originated from fan fiction? The first Mary Sue originated in Paula Smith’s 1973 satirical short story “A Trekkie’s Tale,” where she appeared as young, smart, competent, and skilled— everything that Star Trek fans wanted to be.
Fanfiction doesn’t stop at fiction though but has even penetrated real life. If you google “______ fanfic”, substituting the blank with any popular celebrity’s name, you’d likely find a few (read: a lot) results. As far as I’ve found, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles seem to have the most fanfiction being written about them.
Sometimes people even write crossovers, where two entirely different literary universes collide. For example, I’ve read crossovers between Samurai Jack and Star Wars, The Dresden Files and Good Omens, Sherlock Holmes and H.P. Lovecraft, and so on. There are tons more out there.
Why People Write Fanfiction
There are many reasons why fans go to such lengths to emulate their favorite fictional work or celebrity. Usually, it’s their genuine love for the story or character.
Think of the first time you watched your favorite movie. Did you imagine yourself as part of the movie or as one of the characters? I certainly did. That desire to be part of something fans enjoy and love drives them to spin their own scenarios and expand on what was given to them by the original author or creator. Or, in the case of celebrity fanfics, some fans just like daydreaming about their favorite celebrities.
But sometimes fanfiction is an attempt to answer unresolved questions or speculate on “what if” scenarios. One of the largest questions in fanfiction to date is from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. What if Harry and Hermione ended up together instead? That question alone spawned tons of fanfiction stories by avid fans imagining what could have been.
The bottom line is that people write fan fiction because they’re interested and invested enough in a subject to do so. They indulge in theorizing, imagining, and eventually writing about something they like.
Top Fanfiction Websites
If you’re interested in reading some fanfiction, there are a ton of websites dedicated to this form of fan labor. I’ll tell you the three most popular sites though. Check them out below!
1. Archive of our Own
Archive of Our Own (or AO3, for short) is a fully fan-created and fan-run non-profit website for all things fan-made, including fan art, fan videos, and of course, fanfiction.
It has absolutely no ads to destroy your reading experience. Mix that with its large assortment of fanfiction and you’ve got quite an excellent site for reading.
Pros:
- Huge database of stories
- Excellent search engine that easily lets you find stories you like
- Longform stories with little to no censorship, so you’ll likely find what you want here
Cons:
- Membership is invite-based
- No communication system
2. Fanfiction.net
Fanfiction.net is perhaps the largest website that specifically caters to fanfiction. The site offers readers with a wide variety of fanfiction, ranging from games and novels to tv shows and movies. It’s well-maintained and is a bit more straightforward to navigate than AO3.
Pros:
- Thriving community you can socialize with (especially when it comes to Harry Potter)
- Huge database of stories to peruse
- Simple and easy user interface
Cons:
- Stories aren’t quality controlled so you’ll frequently see some poorly written stuff
3. Wattpad
I’ll be honest, Wattpad seems almost like a free-for-all site specifically for writers and readers. You can find full-length books, novellas, serial fiction, and fan fiction on this site.
It attracts a lot of people so you’re sure to get a lot out of this site. If you remove all the other stuff and concentrate on fanfiction alone, there’s still a ton of stories you can browse through.
Pros:
- Huge content base (original and fanfiction)
- Great community tools
- Thriving community
Cons:
- The huge amount of content can make it difficult to find what you like
- A lower amount of variety in genre compared to the other two sites
- Largely caters to teens
Is Fanfiction Illegal?
Fanfiction is rarely sanctioned by the copyright owner and is also rarely published professionally. There’s a lot of discussion about whether fanfiction can be considered under the fair use policy, or if it violates the copyright holder’s rights.
There are a lot of legalities involved with this subject, and the line between fair use and abuse is often unclear. It’s safer to assume that a fanfic’s legal status is largely a case-to-case basis, as copyright owners have responded to them with a wide range of reactions. Some are indifferent, some encourage the practice, and some seek legal action.
Is It Bad to Read Fanfiction?
It’s entirely up to you whether to read or shun fanfiction. After all, they’re not part of the canon of your favorite novel, tv series, movie, or game; they’re merely unofficial add-ons to something you enjoy.
But if you are interested in experiencing more content related to your favorite fiction, feel free to read some fanfiction. It won’t be able to ruin your love of the original work. In fact, fanfiction might even enhance your appreciation for the original, because regardless of whether it’s canon or not, you’ll still enjoy a good story with a unique twist.
Have you read any fanfiction? Share your experience in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- What Is Creative Nonfiction? Definitions, Examples, and Guidelines
- Audiobooks vs. Reading: Which Has More Benefits?
- Exploring Speculative Fiction: Your Guide to this Super-Genre
- The Most Popular Fiction Genres: Definitions and Examples
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
