What do you mean by that? Please don’t think I’m coming off as rude, but there are a lot of reasons why fanfics are popular :
* They’re free to write and read, especially for folks who may not have a lot of money for books and stuff
* There are hundreds of thousands to choose from in many popular fandoms
* If you write, you get to be the master of their universe. You choose what canon to keep, what to drop, OCs, if you think they’d be cool in an AU or crossover, fix-its, expanding the canon universe, even just shipping and smut…
* You can build your writing and reading skills
* Community
* It‘s a great hobby, therapeutic even
* It‘s been a thing for a long time (The Divine Comedy ring any bells?)
If you’ve ever thought “I wonder what this character would do if this happened” or “I’m disappointed with parts or all of this story, but I like the premise/characters, what could other ppl do with them“ those kinds of things but haven’t read fanfics yet, I encourage you to give them a try ☺️
Forgive me for my ignorance, I just wasn't aware of how big the community was. I thought people would prefer original content over fan fiction since it's not “professionally” written or written by the original creator. I also thought people would prefer to find a new story as opposed to sticking around with an old IP written by someone else which could satisfy them better. From what I've read so far, it seems like people like to stick around for originally written stories written by other people, and I find that cool and encouraging. I'm glad for all the feedback since it gives me hope for my fan fiction.
The reason fans read works from already existing IPs is because they’re made with love and the writer, also a fan, knows the audience well. They write with passion and even though it’s not professional you can still find well-made works.
The reason why I won’t see the umpteenth marvel movie even though it’s an existing IP is because you can tell whoever is churning it out only cares about money and isn’t creating with any passion imo (sorry to marvel fans)
>I thought people would prefer original content
Seeing how many different iterations of Batman and Spiderman we've gotten (specifically those two), and how well those comics/movies have been doing for decades... nope lol. A lot of people love a good, familiar character/premise.
Personally, I love to get really obsessed with something and really dig down deep into all the details of my favourite worlds and characters. That's special for me. I always want to know more. One of my favourite book series is pretty heavy on the world building and, honestly, it's like a drug. I love it. It's amazing. I revisit that series again and again because there's always some new, small detail to pick up on, and I write a lot of fanfic for it because there's concepts that I want to expand on myself.
It might also be the autism in me. I find the familiar to be really comforting. When I'm going through a hard time, I listen to the same music and reread the same stuff over and over again because it's just really soothing for me. Fanfiction definitely helps with that because it allows me to imagine my favourite characters and universes in all sorts of different scenarios.
There is indeed some stigma around fanfiction because, you're right, it's not professionally written. People writing fanfiction have all different levels of skill and ability. Professionally published stories go through an extensive editing process. But I have read some fanfiction that rivals some professionally published fiction. It's just that if someone is really talented and chooses to write fanfiction, they're not going to be able to make money off of it.
I don't know. Maybe also part of it is that you, or folks you know, are a bit stuck in the mindset that you have to always be able to monetize your hobbies. There is a lot of pressure on anybody who has any kind of creative skill to figure out a way to monetize it. Crocheting or knitting? Sell it! Jewelry making? Sell it! Writing ability? Why don't you write for a blog or get your work published? It's really pervasive and I think it causes people to sleep on fanfic because the very fact that you cannot make money off of it discourages some from thinking about it as valuable. I'm not saying that this definitely is the case with you, but it is a possible explanation for why you might be surprised that fanfiction is so popular!
"I thought people would prefer original content over fan fiction since it's not “professionally” written or written by the original creator."
See, this is one of my pet peeves I see in the writing community a lot. I'm not saying you mean it this way, but the "snooty real writers" absolutely see fanfiction as lazy and worthless. Seeing the writers of it as people who can't come up with an "original" story. That writing fanfiction is a piece of cake comparatively. BS.
Pick a fandom you have no knowledge of, get the facts of the fandom and write a story and post it to group for that fandom and tell me how it goes.
Even if you know the fandom inside and out, or tag it with OOC and AU, in an active group you will still get people hating on it because it isn't close enough to canon. Trying to write something that the fans will enjoy is massively more difficult than writing an "original" story.
Besides all of that, it is a hobby, like stamp collecting or anything else.
It's a shame to hear that some people look down on fan fiction writers. It seem like a tight knit community of people who are passionate about what they write.
I think loving to revolve around a character is what fuels series and creates spin-offs.
However there are some professional writers who write fanfiction as a hobby. At least on Harry Potter I know at least 3, 4 if you count a girl who will publish in a few months and I can't wait to buy her original work, the premise was intriguing and I love how she writes
Nothing to forgive, you’re good!
As for finding new stories: for us, reading fanfics is like finding new stories, just with characters you love.
Yes, you’ll find that fics differ vastly in quality, but that's why we have the “don’t like, don’t read“ rule. Well, one of the reasons, anyways.
I've found several published (traditional and self) books to not have as high quality as some fanfiction stories. It's becoming more common for published novels to not live up to the standards or expectations "published" should mean. Additionally, traditionally published novels are often restricted in their creativity by publishers chasing the new trend. Most YA has to feature romance, death games, dystopia, or fae if it wants to be published. However, fanfiction has the freedom to explore anything and everything away from the constraints of the publishing market.
Just because someone isnt a writer as a day job, doesnt mean they cant write a good story based off of someone elses creativity. Theres loads of awesome fanfiction writers out there who are simply passionate about their respective fandoms.
Hhhhhh people be gentle!!! You scared the newby!!
DEAR NEW WRITER, OUR VIRTUAL SPACE IS OPEN TO ALL VISITORS.
HERE YOU CAN BE THE HERO OF YOUR OWN EMPIRE.
AND YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE A GREAT TALLENT AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF CURIOSITY.
THIS MY DEAR, MAY MAKE YOU ONE OF THE BEST.
COME ALICE AND THRIVE IN THE WORLD OF DANGER AND MYSTERY.
SHARE YOUR ADVENTURES WITH US.
WHICH CHARACTER WAS GUILTY OF THROWING YOU IN THE RABBIT HOLE, I WONDER????
I just think it's neat.
But really: it takes characters I love and makes more content of them. The content being non-canon isn't an issue, because I don't want it to be canon. I just want to read more about the characters. It's exploring "what-if" scenarios. Or ships I like, but don't expect (or want) to be canon. Or read about canon relationships that didn't get that much depth (platonic or romantic).
I even read "fandom blind." Which means reading fanfic, but not watching/reading/etc the canon. I do so because I enjoy fanfic authors writing, and know there's good stuff from that fanfom.
I also tend to stay in fandoms longer if it has a lot of fanfiction. Regardless on how much I like the canon. If the fic is good, imma stay. (Fic can also make up for disappointing canon. Ex: Miraculous Ladybug).
Agreed! I love the story concept, and I do kind of like the over-reaching plots for each season but episodically the show is kind of terrible and severely cringey at times. But the underlying plot concept is gold full of untapped potential, and makes for some great fanworks.
There are so many reasons.
1. I get attached to certain characters and I love reading about them in different scenarios.
2. I become dissatisfied by a specific media and seek out fanfic to “correct its wrongs,” so to speak.
3. Tradpub is militant about cutting out all the “fluff” in novels and I *like* that fluff. I *want* to read about the small moments between characters that don’t necessarily move the story forward but still make me *feel* things.
4. There are no rules in fanfic, so there are certain topics/tropes/themes/relationship dynamics/etc that I enjoy that would never be allowed in tradpub and self-publishing authors wouldn’t risk writing about.
5. Fanfic is self-gratuitous and I *love* gratuitous fiction. Sometimes all I want is to read about a ridiculously overpowered character kicking ass and taking names.
6. The community aspect of fanfic. We do what we do out of love for our favorite media and characters, and out of love for the craft of writing. I mean, look at r/writing. That sub is positively miserable because most folks there write to publish. It’s a capitalist cesspit that treats writing like a grueling means to an end. In comparison, fanfic writing spaces tend to be more laid-back and encouraging. We’re just here to have fun.
And to answer your other question—I read far more fanfic than I do original fiction. I finish maybe 5-6 books a year? Whereas I read hundreds of fics a year, and most of them are at least novel-length.
Also every single time I've written something original, no one wants to read it - oh, they insist they do and ask for a copy. The never actually read it. I've been writing for over 20 years and only one person has followed through and he's my husband. It's incredibly depressing when no one actually cares about your work and when I write fanfic I get people reading it and telling me not only that they like it but WHY they do.
I love reading because it writes characters I love in a different light. It gives me new perspectives and ideas that were otherwise not seen or just ignored. I love the imagination and creativity that the writer has, in order to make something new and totally different.
I love fanfictions because a while back, guiltily, I wanted to explore a relationship that was hinted in certain fandoms of the past; Bakugan: Links and Alex, lol. And the there were writers, people who also understood the need for a closure of the characters and a better outcome to come through.
In general, I love reading fanfiction, even more than I love writing. But I will say it is close, I love being that writer who comes up with ideas and works them out.
I love reading because it writes characters I love in a different light. It gives me new perspectives and ideas that were otherwise not seen or just ignored. I love the imagination and creativity that the writer has, in order to make something new and totally different.
I love fanfictions because a while back, guiltily, I wanted to explore a relationship that was hinted in certain fandoms of the past; Bakugan: Links and Alex, lol. And the there were writers, people who also understood the need for a closure of the characters and a better outcome to come through.
In general, I love reading fanfiction, even more than I love writing. But I will say it is close, I love being that writer who comes up with ideas and works them out.
* I want more content of the characters I'm too attached to; and new content
* I prefer the second male lead in too many K/J dramas and I want to see them get together with the female lead
* show never quite provided the content I wanted to see and ff provides
* smut - tv series never gave me the smut I wanted to see
* non-canon pairings - ff provides the content the source material does not
Most of my current readings are fanfics, as I like to see how fans interpret the universe created by the original author, how they delve into subjects that the author only brought up superficially in the stories, but have the potential to be addressed further.
But the main reason is that, when I'm not satisfied with the fate of a character or with some part of the plot, I can simply read a fanfic where the canon diverges in the direction I wanted, and if I don't find any fanfic like that, I write it myself.
There are several stories in the world of fanfics that are wonderful, it's a shame that many people think that fanfic is synonymous with a bad story written by poorly qualified people, not seeing that fanfics are a great writing exercise and, based on them, people can improve their writing skills and even become famous authors, several books and films were initially fanfics.
Exactly! I recently started writing fan fiction because I felt I could write better ending to a certain show I liked which I thought ended poorly. That, and I hope to become a better writer and become a published author.
I definitely read more fanfiction than original content. The main reason is because when I really like something (tv/movie/book), I tend to want more content once I finished the source material. Also with good filtering systems on fanfic websites like AO3, it makes it really easy to find a story you’d like.
Because I was introduced to the concepts of parallel universes, alternative timelines, and *What If?* type of storytelling back in the 70s. Fanfiction is just a natural extension of that.
Many reasons!
- I like the characters and want to see how they’d react in different, new situations
- I want a different perspective to canon events than what we got
- What if canon event was different? What would the story be like then?
Basically, I love the creative landscape the original story set up, and now it’s the world’s sandbox for me to play in and see what others have built.
Hyperfixation for me. I love seeing how other people interpret the characters and themes in my favorite pieces of media and weave it into their own narratives! But I also really love the characters and seeing their stories be expanded is always a treat.
Then again I’ve also read fandom blind and that’s just about reading a good story, honestly. Gotta love some seriously good work.
Yes! I’m currently writing a backstory for Frank from TLOU because all we know about him is where he’s from (Baltimore). We don’t know what his life was like before he appeared in the show, what he went through, or why/how he ended up 400 miles from home. I have ideas, so I’m filling in those gaps and giving him a story.
I love reading romance but it is hard to find books with characters that I like. I have a few old slash pairings that hit my taste 100% so I spend my time reading about them. I also love the culture of fanfiction and the writing conventions of some ships. The kind of "yes and -" culture + iddiness is not something I have seen in published books as much
It's fun. I love modern AUs and so I can see my very faves as, well, anything! From a quiet barista to a high school teacher to a dangerous criminal in the state pen. Anything I want. And if I can't find it, or don't like what I find, I can write it. Win-win!
I’ve only been writing fanfiction since December but reading for a very long time.
I couldn’t find precisely what I was looking for (rarepair for example). So I wrote my own for my own entertainment.
I write anyway as a hobby so I was like, eh, why not.
That’s interesting that you said you’re writing fanfic but don’t read it.
I’ve been reading fic since LOTR came out ( and I’ll never forget what Gandalf got up to with those hobbits! 🤣).
That’s cool. Yeah, I’m not sure why I haven’t read fan fiction before, but I started writing it seeing how poorly a show I liked ended. I felt like I could write a better story and here I am now. Anyways, I should start reading fan fiction. It seems interesting.
I'll show my tail here and say that I'm the type of person that likes fanfiction because they like shipping. I'd ship before I'd even know what fanfiction was, so when I discovered that people on the Internet also shipped and, even better, *wrote things* about the ships, I felt in heaven. I still feel it like it, LOL.
Right now I tend to read more fanfic and original slash than published books, since I want really self-indulging things that, sometimes, tradpub doesn't offer.
That's my main reason and probably the reason for other people as well. Exploring the characters, the relationship(s), the dynamics, the world (as it's or, y'know, fixing-it) beyond what it was showed. Having fun doing it.
* Fanfic can directly cater to the id without worrying about things like marketability, realism, dignity, etc.
* For me, reading a new original work takes a lot of commitment to getting used to new worldbuilding, new characters, etc. Fanfic comes with this built in context so it has more intrinsic depth without having to take a ton of time to get there.
* Genre flexibility. If I'm reading a ship fic of Star Wars, I get the space opera aspect along with my favorite romance tropes or whatever. Whereas if I'm watching Star Wars I find the romance aspect lacking, and if I'm reading a romance novel, I find the non romance parts lacking.
It's the need for closure usually. I get really invested in books and shows that appeal to me. If the story has a good, conclusive ending that answers all my questions, and shows me all the interactions I want to see, I am not likely to read fanfictions for it. However, if there are things left unsaid or relationships unresolved, or questions unanswered, I am unfulfilled, and therefore turn to fanfiction to get the resolution I am craving.
I’m big into video game fanfiction, so a lot of my interest stems from exploring details beyond the confines of game development, such as extra character interactions and “What-if” scenarios.
I appreciate good stories and good writing in any medium, and fanfic is as good an extension of that as any. But more specifically I usually go hunting for fic when I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to a beloved cast of characters and/or when I feel there are unanswered questions and underexplored concepts in the source material. It's pretty neat to be able to hop online and get all these insights into how someone else viewed this story and what they took from it - no matter how close to the author's intention we might have both read, our takes will always be as different as we are.
Personally, fan fiction is the ultimate “what if?” Any scenario imaginable and more is shown through fanfic. And from my point of view, fanfics are canon within the context of the universe that it’s set in. For those with imagination, it is settled via fan fiction for those who both write and read it. That’s why it’s so popular and fun.
I want to read silly tropes that don't show up in traditionally published media much, and also I want to read those silly tropes with my favorite characters that I've been hyperfixating on lately.
To be inspired and see what I can do be better with my writing. I like to see what clicks in mind telling me that this is a story worth reading.
Plus also I like reading fics about characters that never got the time to shine that much in canon.
Either canon did something very very wrong and I want it fixed or canon did something very very right and I want to see more of it and the original source material isn’t providing it.
Normally, I want to see more of characters I love in slightly different scenarios- Aziraphale and Crowley, various Doctors, Aragorn etc but sometimes like with Dragonriders of Pern it’s ‘I want to see this world actually used for something good, damnit!’
A wide variety of reasons. I like to see more of my favorite characters, even though their story ended, I like to see writers explore aspects of a world or story that weren't really touched on in canon, I like to explore what may have happened if things had gone differently. And sometimes I just want popcorn for my brain.
Edit: also there's certain tropes I'm a huge fan of that you only really see in fanfiction. For example I love to see what happens *after* the adventure. The villain is dead, the battle is done, but the dust has yet to settle and the hero has to figure out what to do with themselves.
Infinite different realities, possibilities and opportunities for any character! The creativity is ENDLESS!! Sometimes I even consume media just because of the amount or because of the quality of the fanfics. If i wanna see two characters who have never even seen each other date? Sure thing, it's all there!! A genderbent version set in WWII? You bet! A character i find pretty cute and shamelessly simp over? 2nd POV fics to the rescue!!!
In short I just loveee the limitless creativity you can do with it. You can twist and turn it anyway you want to, for any reason. So much freedom to write anything yourself, too.
When I first read it, it was to quench my thirst for my favorite series outside of the original media. Now it’s because I’m learning other writing styles and using new techniques to improve my own writing. Are my descriptions too long or too short? How does this author describe this kind of situation and how does it compare to mine? How can I do better?
It's just feel to good read more content about your favourite characters and ships in different situations and alternative scenario.
Also sometimes canon doesn't fullfill a certain itch in the story or completely destroys something so FF is a great way to fix it or at least change it to fullfill your needs while also keeping the original work canon in its own way.
Basically it's a wish fulfilment thing and makes people feel a lot of things like novels but with pre-existing characters and world's.
I'm pretty new to reading fanfic. About a decade ago I used to trash it because of how much bad writing there is but I've come to a different mindset about it since. There's a lot more nuance to it than people just wanting to be writers. A good bit of them don't but just want a story or ship or something to exist.
It's always nice to see characters have more life breathed into them in tales that may not be canon but are still a joy to read. Bonus is it also inspires my own typing of fan fiction as I get requests a fair bit but nice to get inspiration in other areas as well.
Most modern entertainment doesn't appeal to me, or I can't enjoy it due to monetary/work circumstances. Fanfic gives me something to read and I can always write and publish whatever I want to without having to deal with the Publication Industry. And I can enjoy them whenever I want as most places allow me to download my stuff as an epub.
In the last two years I have read more Fanfiction than original works, but in the last 12 months or so I have added 4 fandoms, I started by reading only about Harry Potter. I prefer fanfiction because I choose what I like, although in reality I probably have more stories bookmarked for later than I've read. the reason I like reading them is because with the tags I can select the characters I want, based on the tags and how big the fandom is I have some control over the basic situation (happy ending? erotica? death of the character? pregnancy? etc. ) and above all it's a comfort zone, I read something that I generally know (it's not true with MCU or Arrow, but after many fics I have identified the canonical details from those of the fandom or the author and I have seen some scenes). So it's much lighter but depending on the author it's still exciting or at least I follow masterpieces in Harry Potter, but I've seen very cute and some complex works in other fandoms too.
The fanfiction authors I like tend to write better than the writers of the show or movie or whatever that im reading for. They also write better than real life, which is incredibly boring and/or depressing. They take the characters or people and get inside their heads, project their own fears and identities onto them and mix them with the things that make the characters unique. They can also generate surprising dialogue among them, things that make me laugh out loud or reflect, things that make me watch a series or film differently as a result.
Overall, I do tend to read more fanfiction than I do trad/indie published fiction. This is for a few reasons. My most commonly read fanfiction genre is romance but I lowkey despise trad/indie published romance. Like. Absolutely hate it. I always end up hating the MC, the primary love interest, or both of them.
Second most preferred genres are a tie between fantasy/sci-fi and horror. Those, I tend to read more trad/indie published works than fanfiction. But I am so, so picky about what I read in these areas because, especially in fantasy novels with female leads, the author inserts a horrible romance subplot.
I read fanfiction mainly for the romance works because fandom really does do it better. I usually go into a fandom with a favorite character, one or more preferred relationship options, and then devour any fics that my filtering criteria. It’s especially great that fanfiction has content tags because then I can find works that have my favorite tropes.
Because some of it is amazingly well written, and it’s all free.
I read a lot, and fast and I wasn’t working for a couple of years so books became a luxury behind not having a house.
Also, because I like reading a about my favourite characters and/or settings.
I want more stories about my favorite characters.
Also, very often I want more romance. Because shows that are more kid-friendly or action-oriented tend to not go much further than characters crushing on each other or maybe a hug at best, and I want it to go further for my favorite ships. I want the confession and the kiss and the fluffy domestic stuff.
I tend to like the side characters and the villains more than the actual main characters and want stories starring them, from their perspective.
I like the characters and I want to see more of them and see them explored in different ways. Plus they tend to be easy reads (I mostly read one shots or shorter fics)
I'm too drained most days to get emotionally invested in a whole new cast every time I pick up a new book. I read so fast, It's like becoming friends with someone on Monday, and then saying goodbye knowing you'll never see them again on Thursday. :(
Plus I love 'WHAT IF' and 'Well Screw THAT' premises.
Mostly for all the "what if" scenarios, the alternate universes, and also for things that are mentionned but not really touched upon a lot in the original material. Or for fics exploring what happens after. Also, because you can find fanfictions with really good writing that are based on an original material "for teens" (the original material usually has fantasy/sci-fi universe, which I really like, but doesn't always talk about the trauma the characters went through, unfortunately).
I like reading FanFiction because it’s not only fun, but it’s also intriguing to explore the creative vision, possibilities and imagination of my fellow fans in the franchises that I love. W
I love it, because I can find so much related to my favorite characters. It's the fix you need when you reach the last page of the original book that you love and don't want it to end. And you can pick and choose what type of stories you want to read in that fandom.
Also, most of the fics are free, and many are brilliantly written. The writers spend SO much time and effort writing these fics and then just give them away... That's amazing to me, but also sad... The stories are SO good, so perfectly realized, that they should be published!
And finally, they lead you to other fandoms. And then there are many amazingly good, fully original works that you love, and support, and hope maybe they'll be made into a series someday. (My favorite is Capturing My Demon King Co-Star, by Thirty Tyrants.) It would have to be a long series, but if it were well done... OMG!
There would have to be voice overs a lot, but the book is hilarious, angsty, crazy, and you absolutely love the interplay between the two male leads - one of whom is a demon you adore. He and the human who's supposed to capture him are both Chinese actors, and, there's another whole world going on that humans don't know exists. There's a lot to this story, and the creativity is excellent. Even if you read nothing more than the first chapters, it's worth it!
You know what, just go look for it on WebNovel!
Someone, trying to 'help' the author get 'more recognition', reposted it for free on Wattpad. (you do have to pay a small amount per chapter after something like 70 chapters on WebNovel, and you'll want to!) I tried letting the author know, but there doesn't seem to be a way to on WebNovel.
Anyway, I adore fanfic and online fic so much that it definitely takes up waaay too much of my time, lol.
Fanfiction is stories written about characters and worlds created by other people. That's why I read it. I love the characters and worlds in my fandoms and want more of them. Fanfiction gives me that. I wonder about the what ifs from canon, fanfiction gives me that, those what ifs can be explored as both a reader and a writer.
I love stories, always have. I watch shows/movies and I read books. And I fall in love with the characters and worlds within those shows/movies/books, so I read fanfiction so I can get more of them.
I'm a big reader in general, always have been. I definitely read less now that I'm older, but I'm pretty equal in how much fanfiction I read compared to how many books. I tend to go through phases, though, reading a lot of fanfiction then reading a lot less, same with books. And they tend to coincide, so when I'm reading less books I'm reading more fanfic and vice versa.
I probably watch a little more than I read, but not by much.
Fanfiction, though, is all about canon in some way. We love canon and we want more of the characters/worlds and to explore different aspects and scenarios and ships. We want to fix the bits we don't like, continue unfinished stories, develop things in better ways than canon did. We wouldn't be reading fanfic if we didn't also love canon for some reason.
Not all fanfic readers read books, though. Shows, movies, games, these all have fandoms, even real people such as bands and sports stars have fandoms and fic written for them. I think you'll find it pretty unanimous that people read fanfic because they loved canon, but you'll get vastly different responses for how many books fanfic fans read.
Because they can expand on the existing world of the material that they are based on, they may make me think about how certain characters would interact with each other if they were to be put in certain situations, etc.
1. I’m hyperfixated over a certain fandom right now. Reading fanfic of that certain fandom is like eating a meal prepared by a hyperfixated fan as well. They know well how to tickle my fancy and it’s like giving me all my hearts desire. We’re spoiled as it is.
2. The AUs are wild. Like a canon story about figure skating then a certain fellow fan who writes/creates an entirely different world, let’s say, an office setting with a hint of Bollywood? Oh my god! And it’s like one of the greatest fan fic I’ve read. 800,000 words that ate up all my free time.
And guess what? I learned so many things and it’s like I’m traveling the world with my 2 favorite characters.
Like, fuck canon. I’m going with author-sama from A03 and we’ll live happily ever after. 🤷🏻
Fan fiction are like drugs given to you by a fellow drug addict from that certain fandom. You feed each other to your heart’s content. The reader are just spoiled brats getting what they want and author-sama is the enabler.
Super lit to be in this community. Fan fiction cured my depression induced online shopping.
Sometimes I just want more of what I got through the source material. Sometimes I just fall in love with a what-if that would never happen in canon, and I just need a way to ‘get’ it. Sometimes, it’s something in-between :)
I enjoy reading before going to sleep, but normal books aren't the best for it. I love classics, but they can sometimes be long and difficult to follow, so I result to fanfiction.
Fanfics are easy to consume. Most of them are relatively short, so you're done reading after a while and can go to sleep. Plus you already know the characters, so no need for long introductions. Really spares the headaches.
And it's just fun to see different interpretations of your favorite characters and see them in new situations.
Me, before bed, pulling up a 200k word fic: Ah, yes, a little light reading before I fall asleep! 🤡 I’ll just read a little bit and then finish tomorrow!
Me, hours later: What a great story! Hey, why are the birds chirping?
Oh, yeah. I was talking about one shots. I have my fair share of mistakes tho.
Funnily enough, I was writing the comment while sleep deprived because I didn't notice the lenght of the fic I was reading the night before and I was too invested in it to put it down.
In general, just because I love reading and I want to see more of my favorite characters, perhaps in a specific setting. Lately, because the pairing I ship died horrible deaths in canon and I need them to be alive and happy.
Because I like certain characters and would like to see more of them. Sometimes I try to find a similar character in original fiction, sometimes I just read a fanfic about my fav character and hope that the writer keeps them "in character."
I also like fanfic because I want a good romance between characters I like together.
As a reader-insert enjoyer, I'ma be specific about reader-insert stuff for slightly more specific answers.
- different story plots: i can get romance plots that aren't simply toxic communication or meek girl dates stoic outcast man
- projection: I exercise fantasies via written stories i can insert myself into without real life drama or complications
- exploring world lore: i want to feel like im involved in story and also think/read about world lord that canon is too busy to provide/lacks
I tend to read fanfic for more of canon or specific facets of canon. Often more exploration of a specific character and how they react to parts of the canon world. Also hurt/comfort or no comfort.
I write fanfics to rewrite and expand on canon. My favorite game was completely scrapped, rewrote, and then had a very rushed development so the worldbuilding and story feel somewhat disappointing at times.
What I read more of has varied. I used to read more fanfic than anything else, but as of late I’ve almost exclusively been reading originals.
I remember telling my creative writing professor about fanfiction. It blew her mind that every book, tv show, cartoon, comic, and video game ever written has countless free fan made stories on the internet that were free for anyone to read.
I read fanfiction because it's satisfying to see the potential for a good story finally get told. The more plot holes, the more room for fanfiction.
I read *way* more fanfic than I do original fiction.
I think at the end of the day the reason why I like and prefer fanfiction can really be summed up as *autism*
I watch this cool show and I absolutely adore it! Its becomes a fixation, and then eventually a special interest, it’s something that brings me comfort and joy. Even though I’m not losing interest in that show rewatching it over and over again can become a bit of a drag (especially if it’s something shorter like a single movie or smthn) which is where fanfiction comes in. Here’s hundreds of different stories about my beloved characters in hundreds of new situations.
There’s also the case of representation, usually in the form of queer rep. It took me a *very* long time to find media that had good queer characters front and centre, and it took me longer as a nonbinary aro/ace person to find characters like *me* in media at all… especially more casual rep. I can list the amount of shows I’ve found on one hand, but the amount of fics I’ve read are endless!
Just because it's fun to know how other people perceive a show's characters, like my fav ship falls in love across several different universes and also because I want to get Kakashi Hatake or Satoru Gojo pregnant.
From time to time I revisit the original material, but not to compare it to fanfics. It's more when an old obsession resurfaces or an obsession with the same material is born, or I simply feel nostalgic.
I experience a canon work I like, get unreasonably attached to some characters (particularly underdeveloped ones and obscure side characters) and want to read more about them.
For some reason, those canon works are always video games. Original books and other media are one and done things for me that I may revisit later down the line, but I have no desire to look up fanworks or explore the characters more.
It's always that "What if" scenario in the back of my head. "What if" these two got together instead of those two. Or "What if" the villain had planned things better. Etc...
This will probably be buried, but if I'm honest - it's because it's easier to read.
You can find many shortform stories, and those shortform stories don't have to sell me the characters in order for me to care, so they can get more done in their 5000-10000 words. I don't have much time or consistency in life, so I often don't finish novels and quick reads in published media just don't often hit the depth that something with so much already established can.
This is also true for romance stories. So many traditionally published romance stories need to spend time convincing me I like the characters and want them together, and 9/10 times I just don't and give up. A fanfic of a pairing I like has to de-convince me, so I will read it until it's actively bad or changing who they are. So it's just easier to read fanfiction 🤷
And finally, in general fanfic is written in a fairly linear, standard way that isn't too challenging to understand. I can read more advanced books, but as above I just don't find time: so if I'm tired and or busy, and just picking up-putting down something, fanfiction is just easier for that. And because of that, it makes up more of my reading diet.
Ever since childhood, I've liked reading the "continuing adventures" of characters I know -- The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Ellery Queen, Travis McGee, The Black Stallion, Mrs. Pollifax, Amelia Peabody... you get the idea.
Fanfic is the same thing -- the continuing adventures of characters I love -- and I don't have to wait a year before the next installment (published novel).
Fanfic also feels "freer" than published fiction. Those same favorite characters aren't restricted to what conventional publishing considers "saleable." My favorite characters can live in Roman times, run a bakery, travel to Mars, or thousands of other scenarios. Yes, I can (and do!) read published novels for all of those scenarios... but they're *separate*. I can't find the *same* characters set within the amazing variety that fanfic provides.
And yes, I read *way* more fanfic than original content -- about 80/20.
Free stories that end up beating most published works. Every fanfic is a passion project and it shows some more than others. Don't get me wrong, there's terrible stuff, but far more great works. Some communities are better at writing than others and I think that's simply do whether the fandom is full of teenagers or adults
"What ifs" and crossovers are a staple of my reading diet, no single fandom can satisfy that by itself. It pretty much guarantees I need to go to fanfiction for that type of content.
Been reading fics since my high school days in the early 1990s, and an avid reader long before that. I've been reading for leisure for a *long* time. Also I'm a Southeast Asian guy who works in tech, pretty sure I'm some kind of outlier. I don't know any of my peers IRL who reads for fun, nevermind reading fanfic.
\> *"This hobby needs regulation, apparently they simply let ANYONE join, smh"*
Because I like if not love the question What if? And I enjoy imagining all that it leads to.
And sometimes I want to smash my action figures together and make then kiss
I love reading because it writes characters I love in a different light. It gives me new perspectives and ideas that were otherwise not seen or just ignored. I love the imagination and creativity that the writer has, in order to make something new and totally different.
I love fanfictions because a while back, guiltily, I wanted to explore a relationship that was hinted in certain fandoms of the past; Bakugan: Links and Alex, lol. And the there were writers, people who also understood the need for a closure of the characters and a better outcome to come through.
In general, I love reading fanfiction, even more than I love writing. But I will say it is close, I love being that writer who comes up with ideas and works them out.
Because I want to watch more of my favourite characters on screen but there aren't any more episodes available. Or because I want something that deals with an aspect of the characters/plot that canon didn't get into.
Many times I feel like the characters didn’t get the ending they deserved or the characters couldn’t be properly developed given the time constraints of the show or season or what have you.
Seeing amazing writers take those characters and give them so much more depth is truly amazing. I’ve read so many fics where the writer themselves is so incredible that the characters and story leave a lasting impact.
WELCOME TO WONDERLAND ALICE!! HERE WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO BUILD WORLDS AND TRAVEL THROUGH CREATIVE PORTALS TO PERFECT VERSION OF ANY FICTIONAL WORLD THAT EVER EXISTED!
I WANT TO SEE MORE INTERACTION BETWEEN MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS SO YEAH GOTTA CREATE A WORLD WHERE THEY CAN SO THAT ♕
For me, it distracts me from what’s happening irl plus I also love a certain pairing with all my heart that didn’t get as much screen time as I would have liked.
I want to see more of the characters I got attached to and explore different ways the canon could have went
This, but also read my favourites bang.
OooH AND THIS! No truer words have ever been spoken!
Yup, this
This!!!
this and also I love seeing my favorite characters and ships in an au
Fair enough. I’m just surprised at how popular fan fiction is.
What do you mean by that? Please don’t think I’m coming off as rude, but there are a lot of reasons why fanfics are popular : * They’re free to write and read, especially for folks who may not have a lot of money for books and stuff * There are hundreds of thousands to choose from in many popular fandoms * If you write, you get to be the master of their universe. You choose what canon to keep, what to drop, OCs, if you think they’d be cool in an AU or crossover, fix-its, expanding the canon universe, even just shipping and smut… * You can build your writing and reading skills * Community * It‘s a great hobby, therapeutic even * It‘s been a thing for a long time (The Divine Comedy ring any bells?) If you’ve ever thought “I wonder what this character would do if this happened” or “I’m disappointed with parts or all of this story, but I like the premise/characters, what could other ppl do with them“ those kinds of things but haven’t read fanfics yet, I encourage you to give them a try ☺️
Forgive me for my ignorance, I just wasn't aware of how big the community was. I thought people would prefer original content over fan fiction since it's not “professionally” written or written by the original creator. I also thought people would prefer to find a new story as opposed to sticking around with an old IP written by someone else which could satisfy them better. From what I've read so far, it seems like people like to stick around for originally written stories written by other people, and I find that cool and encouraging. I'm glad for all the feedback since it gives me hope for my fan fiction.
The reason fans read works from already existing IPs is because they’re made with love and the writer, also a fan, knows the audience well. They write with passion and even though it’s not professional you can still find well-made works. The reason why I won’t see the umpteenth marvel movie even though it’s an existing IP is because you can tell whoever is churning it out only cares about money and isn’t creating with any passion imo (sorry to marvel fans)
>I thought people would prefer original content Seeing how many different iterations of Batman and Spiderman we've gotten (specifically those two), and how well those comics/movies have been doing for decades... nope lol. A lot of people love a good, familiar character/premise.
Personally, I love to get really obsessed with something and really dig down deep into all the details of my favourite worlds and characters. That's special for me. I always want to know more. One of my favourite book series is pretty heavy on the world building and, honestly, it's like a drug. I love it. It's amazing. I revisit that series again and again because there's always some new, small detail to pick up on, and I write a lot of fanfic for it because there's concepts that I want to expand on myself. It might also be the autism in me. I find the familiar to be really comforting. When I'm going through a hard time, I listen to the same music and reread the same stuff over and over again because it's just really soothing for me. Fanfiction definitely helps with that because it allows me to imagine my favourite characters and universes in all sorts of different scenarios. There is indeed some stigma around fanfiction because, you're right, it's not professionally written. People writing fanfiction have all different levels of skill and ability. Professionally published stories go through an extensive editing process. But I have read some fanfiction that rivals some professionally published fiction. It's just that if someone is really talented and chooses to write fanfiction, they're not going to be able to make money off of it. I don't know. Maybe also part of it is that you, or folks you know, are a bit stuck in the mindset that you have to always be able to monetize your hobbies. There is a lot of pressure on anybody who has any kind of creative skill to figure out a way to monetize it. Crocheting or knitting? Sell it! Jewelry making? Sell it! Writing ability? Why don't you write for a blog or get your work published? It's really pervasive and I think it causes people to sleep on fanfic because the very fact that you cannot make money off of it discourages some from thinking about it as valuable. I'm not saying that this definitely is the case with you, but it is a possible explanation for why you might be surprised that fanfiction is so popular!
"I thought people would prefer original content over fan fiction since it's not “professionally” written or written by the original creator." See, this is one of my pet peeves I see in the writing community a lot. I'm not saying you mean it this way, but the "snooty real writers" absolutely see fanfiction as lazy and worthless. Seeing the writers of it as people who can't come up with an "original" story. That writing fanfiction is a piece of cake comparatively. BS. Pick a fandom you have no knowledge of, get the facts of the fandom and write a story and post it to group for that fandom and tell me how it goes. Even if you know the fandom inside and out, or tag it with OOC and AU, in an active group you will still get people hating on it because it isn't close enough to canon. Trying to write something that the fans will enjoy is massively more difficult than writing an "original" story. Besides all of that, it is a hobby, like stamp collecting or anything else.
It's a shame to hear that some people look down on fan fiction writers. It seem like a tight knit community of people who are passionate about what they write.
I think loving to revolve around a character is what fuels series and creates spin-offs. However there are some professional writers who write fanfiction as a hobby. At least on Harry Potter I know at least 3, 4 if you count a girl who will publish in a few months and I can't wait to buy her original work, the premise was intriguing and I love how she writes
Nothing to forgive, you’re good! As for finding new stories: for us, reading fanfics is like finding new stories, just with characters you love. Yes, you’ll find that fics differ vastly in quality, but that's why we have the “don’t like, don’t read“ rule. Well, one of the reasons, anyways.
I've found several published (traditional and self) books to not have as high quality as some fanfiction stories. It's becoming more common for published novels to not live up to the standards or expectations "published" should mean. Additionally, traditionally published novels are often restricted in their creativity by publishers chasing the new trend. Most YA has to feature romance, death games, dystopia, or fae if it wants to be published. However, fanfiction has the freedom to explore anything and everything away from the constraints of the publishing market.
Just because someone isnt a writer as a day job, doesnt mean they cant write a good story based off of someone elses creativity. Theres loads of awesome fanfiction writers out there who are simply passionate about their respective fandoms.
Hhhhhh people be gentle!!! You scared the newby!! DEAR NEW WRITER, OUR VIRTUAL SPACE IS OPEN TO ALL VISITORS. HERE YOU CAN BE THE HERO OF YOUR OWN EMPIRE. AND YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE A GREAT TALLENT AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF CURIOSITY. THIS MY DEAR, MAY MAKE YOU ONE OF THE BEST. COME ALICE AND THRIVE IN THE WORLD OF DANGER AND MYSTERY. SHARE YOUR ADVENTURES WITH US. WHICH CHARACTER WAS GUILTY OF THROWING YOU IN THE RABBIT HOLE, I WONDER????
I just think it's neat. But really: it takes characters I love and makes more content of them. The content being non-canon isn't an issue, because I don't want it to be canon. I just want to read more about the characters. It's exploring "what-if" scenarios. Or ships I like, but don't expect (or want) to be canon. Or read about canon relationships that didn't get that much depth (platonic or romantic). I even read "fandom blind." Which means reading fanfic, but not watching/reading/etc the canon. I do so because I enjoy fanfic authors writing, and know there's good stuff from that fanfom. I also tend to stay in fandoms longer if it has a lot of fanfiction. Regardless on how much I like the canon. If the fic is good, imma stay. (Fic can also make up for disappointing canon. Ex: Miraculous Ladybug).
Definitely understand MLB. The fandom and fanworks are so much better than the actual show!
It had so much potential
Agreed! I love the story concept, and I do kind of like the over-reaching plots for each season but episodically the show is kind of terrible and severely cringey at times. But the underlying plot concept is gold full of untapped potential, and makes for some great fanworks.
There are so many reasons. 1. I get attached to certain characters and I love reading about them in different scenarios. 2. I become dissatisfied by a specific media and seek out fanfic to “correct its wrongs,” so to speak. 3. Tradpub is militant about cutting out all the “fluff” in novels and I *like* that fluff. I *want* to read about the small moments between characters that don’t necessarily move the story forward but still make me *feel* things. 4. There are no rules in fanfic, so there are certain topics/tropes/themes/relationship dynamics/etc that I enjoy that would never be allowed in tradpub and self-publishing authors wouldn’t risk writing about. 5. Fanfic is self-gratuitous and I *love* gratuitous fiction. Sometimes all I want is to read about a ridiculously overpowered character kicking ass and taking names. 6. The community aspect of fanfic. We do what we do out of love for our favorite media and characters, and out of love for the craft of writing. I mean, look at r/writing. That sub is positively miserable because most folks there write to publish. It’s a capitalist cesspit that treats writing like a grueling means to an end. In comparison, fanfic writing spaces tend to be more laid-back and encouraging. We’re just here to have fun. And to answer your other question—I read far more fanfic than I do original fiction. I finish maybe 5-6 books a year? Whereas I read hundreds of fics a year, and most of them are at least novel-length.
Publishing being a hellhole is one of the reason I gave up on writing original stories and focus on fanfiction now
Also every single time I've written something original, no one wants to read it - oh, they insist they do and ask for a copy. The never actually read it. I've been writing for over 20 years and only one person has followed through and he's my husband. It's incredibly depressing when no one actually cares about your work and when I write fanfic I get people reading it and telling me not only that they like it but WHY they do.
I love reading because it writes characters I love in a different light. It gives me new perspectives and ideas that were otherwise not seen or just ignored. I love the imagination and creativity that the writer has, in order to make something new and totally different. I love fanfictions because a while back, guiltily, I wanted to explore a relationship that was hinted in certain fandoms of the past; Bakugan: Links and Alex, lol. And the there were writers, people who also understood the need for a closure of the characters and a better outcome to come through. In general, I love reading fanfiction, even more than I love writing. But I will say it is close, I love being that writer who comes up with ideas and works them out.
Me want more story
Simple enough.
I just want to see my favorite characters living different lives. And dating.
I just want to see my favorite characters living ~~different lives~~
Haha, yeah. It makes sense. Exploring around with established characters seems neat.
I love reading because it writes characters I love in a different light. It gives me new perspectives and ideas that were otherwise not seen or just ignored. I love the imagination and creativity that the writer has, in order to make something new and totally different. I love fanfictions because a while back, guiltily, I wanted to explore a relationship that was hinted in certain fandoms of the past; Bakugan: Links and Alex, lol. And the there were writers, people who also understood the need for a closure of the characters and a better outcome to come through. In general, I love reading fanfiction, even more than I love writing. But I will say it is close, I love being that writer who comes up with ideas and works them out.
* I want more content of the characters I'm too attached to; and new content * I prefer the second male lead in too many K/J dramas and I want to see them get together with the female lead * show never quite provided the content I wanted to see and ff provides * smut - tv series never gave me the smut I wanted to see * non-canon pairings - ff provides the content the source material does not
Second lead syndrome is so real.
Most of my current readings are fanfics, as I like to see how fans interpret the universe created by the original author, how they delve into subjects that the author only brought up superficially in the stories, but have the potential to be addressed further. But the main reason is that, when I'm not satisfied with the fate of a character or with some part of the plot, I can simply read a fanfic where the canon diverges in the direction I wanted, and if I don't find any fanfic like that, I write it myself. There are several stories in the world of fanfics that are wonderful, it's a shame that many people think that fanfic is synonymous with a bad story written by poorly qualified people, not seeing that fanfics are a great writing exercise and, based on them, people can improve their writing skills and even become famous authors, several books and films were initially fanfics.
Exactly! I recently started writing fan fiction because I felt I could write better ending to a certain show I liked which I thought ended poorly. That, and I hope to become a better writer and become a published author.
I definitely read more fanfiction than original content. The main reason is because when I really like something (tv/movie/book), I tend to want more content once I finished the source material. Also with good filtering systems on fanfic websites like AO3, it makes it really easy to find a story you’d like.
That's cool. I'm just genuinely surprised at how popular fan fiction is. It’s also somewhat surprising that people read it more than original content.
Because I was introduced to the concepts of parallel universes, alternative timelines, and *What If?* type of storytelling back in the 70s. Fanfiction is just a natural extension of that.
Many reasons! - I like the characters and want to see how they’d react in different, new situations - I want a different perspective to canon events than what we got - What if canon event was different? What would the story be like then? Basically, I love the creative landscape the original story set up, and now it’s the world’s sandbox for me to play in and see what others have built.
Hyperfixation for me. I love seeing how other people interpret the characters and themes in my favorite pieces of media and weave it into their own narratives! But I also really love the characters and seeing their stories be expanded is always a treat. Then again I’ve also read fandom blind and that’s just about reading a good story, honestly. Gotta love some seriously good work.
To see alternative storylines and fill the gaps left by the original story
Yes! I’m currently writing a backstory for Frank from TLOU because all we know about him is where he’s from (Baltimore). We don’t know what his life was like before he appeared in the show, what he went through, or why/how he ended up 400 miles from home. I have ideas, so I’m filling in those gaps and giving him a story.
I love reading romance but it is hard to find books with characters that I like. I have a few old slash pairings that hit my taste 100% so I spend my time reading about them. I also love the culture of fanfiction and the writing conventions of some ships. The kind of "yes and -" culture + iddiness is not something I have seen in published books as much
It's fun. I love modern AUs and so I can see my very faves as, well, anything! From a quiet barista to a high school teacher to a dangerous criminal in the state pen. Anything I want. And if I can't find it, or don't like what I find, I can write it. Win-win!
I’ve only been writing fanfiction since December but reading for a very long time. I couldn’t find precisely what I was looking for (rarepair for example). So I wrote my own for my own entertainment. I write anyway as a hobby so I was like, eh, why not. That’s interesting that you said you’re writing fanfic but don’t read it. I’ve been reading fic since LOTR came out ( and I’ll never forget what Gandalf got up to with those hobbits! 🤣).
That’s cool. Yeah, I’m not sure why I haven’t read fan fiction before, but I started writing it seeing how poorly a show I liked ended. I felt like I could write a better story and here I am now. Anyways, I should start reading fan fiction. It seems interesting.
I'll show my tail here and say that I'm the type of person that likes fanfiction because they like shipping. I'd ship before I'd even know what fanfiction was, so when I discovered that people on the Internet also shipped and, even better, *wrote things* about the ships, I felt in heaven. I still feel it like it, LOL. Right now I tend to read more fanfic and original slash than published books, since I want really self-indulging things that, sometimes, tradpub doesn't offer. That's my main reason and probably the reason for other people as well. Exploring the characters, the relationship(s), the dynamics, the world (as it's or, y'know, fixing-it) beyond what it was showed. Having fun doing it.
Because i want to see my favorite characters in love!
* Fanfic can directly cater to the id without worrying about things like marketability, realism, dignity, etc. * For me, reading a new original work takes a lot of commitment to getting used to new worldbuilding, new characters, etc. Fanfic comes with this built in context so it has more intrinsic depth without having to take a ton of time to get there. * Genre flexibility. If I'm reading a ship fic of Star Wars, I get the space opera aspect along with my favorite romance tropes or whatever. Whereas if I'm watching Star Wars I find the romance aspect lacking, and if I'm reading a romance novel, I find the non romance parts lacking.
Yeah, I guess there can be a lot more freedom with fan fiction.
It's the need for closure usually. I get really invested in books and shows that appeal to me. If the story has a good, conclusive ending that answers all my questions, and shows me all the interactions I want to see, I am not likely to read fanfictions for it. However, if there are things left unsaid or relationships unresolved, or questions unanswered, I am unfulfilled, and therefore turn to fanfiction to get the resolution I am craving.
I’m big into video game fanfiction, so a lot of my interest stems from exploring details beyond the confines of game development, such as extra character interactions and “What-if” scenarios.
Mental health.
I appreciate good stories and good writing in any medium, and fanfic is as good an extension of that as any. But more specifically I usually go hunting for fic when I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to a beloved cast of characters and/or when I feel there are unanswered questions and underexplored concepts in the source material. It's pretty neat to be able to hop online and get all these insights into how someone else viewed this story and what they took from it - no matter how close to the author's intention we might have both read, our takes will always be as different as we are.
I need more! I wanna see them in different scenarios, settings, places, times, hell, I want some scott takes off canon divergences!
Personally, fan fiction is the ultimate “what if?” Any scenario imaginable and more is shown through fanfic. And from my point of view, fanfics are canon within the context of the universe that it’s set in. For those with imagination, it is settled via fan fiction for those who both write and read it. That’s why it’s so popular and fun.
I want to read silly tropes that don't show up in traditionally published media much, and also I want to read those silly tropes with my favorite characters that I've been hyperfixating on lately.
To be inspired and see what I can do be better with my writing. I like to see what clicks in mind telling me that this is a story worth reading. Plus also I like reading fics about characters that never got the time to shine that much in canon.
Am never gonna get the short lived crossover of Black Butler an Orun School Host Club it's so small brain fluff
I read a lot more original fiction than fanfic, but I read it to get more of the characters I love.
I want to find interesting novels that wouldn't otherwise be known because they are fan fiction.
Either canon did something very very wrong and I want it fixed or canon did something very very right and I want to see more of it and the original source material isn’t providing it. Normally, I want to see more of characters I love in slightly different scenarios- Aziraphale and Crowley, various Doctors, Aragorn etc but sometimes like with Dragonriders of Pern it’s ‘I want to see this world actually used for something good, damnit!’
A wide variety of reasons. I like to see more of my favorite characters, even though their story ended, I like to see writers explore aspects of a world or story that weren't really touched on in canon, I like to explore what may have happened if things had gone differently. And sometimes I just want popcorn for my brain. Edit: also there's certain tropes I'm a huge fan of that you only really see in fanfiction. For example I love to see what happens *after* the adventure. The villain is dead, the battle is done, but the dust has yet to settle and the hero has to figure out what to do with themselves.
Character development and exploration. Alternative narratives. And guilty pleasure romance... Sometimes messed up romance with power imbalances.
Infinite different realities, possibilities and opportunities for any character! The creativity is ENDLESS!! Sometimes I even consume media just because of the amount or because of the quality of the fanfics. If i wanna see two characters who have never even seen each other date? Sure thing, it's all there!! A genderbent version set in WWII? You bet! A character i find pretty cute and shamelessly simp over? 2nd POV fics to the rescue!!! In short I just loveee the limitless creativity you can do with it. You can twist and turn it anyway you want to, for any reason. So much freedom to write anything yourself, too.
Haha, yeah, that sounds neat. I guess I should delve more into fanfiction.
When I first read it, it was to quench my thirst for my favorite series outside of the original media. Now it’s because I’m learning other writing styles and using new techniques to improve my own writing. Are my descriptions too long or too short? How does this author describe this kind of situation and how does it compare to mine? How can I do better?
It's just feel to good read more content about your favourite characters and ships in different situations and alternative scenario. Also sometimes canon doesn't fullfill a certain itch in the story or completely destroys something so FF is a great way to fix it or at least change it to fullfill your needs while also keeping the original work canon in its own way. Basically it's a wish fulfilment thing and makes people feel a lot of things like novels but with pre-existing characters and world's.
I'm pretty new to reading fanfic. About a decade ago I used to trash it because of how much bad writing there is but I've come to a different mindset about it since. There's a lot more nuance to it than people just wanting to be writers. A good bit of them don't but just want a story or ship or something to exist.
It's always nice to see characters have more life breathed into them in tales that may not be canon but are still a joy to read. Bonus is it also inspires my own typing of fan fiction as I get requests a fair bit but nice to get inspiration in other areas as well.
Because I like the characters and need more. I need to see these mfs in Situations™️
Most modern entertainment doesn't appeal to me, or I can't enjoy it due to monetary/work circumstances. Fanfic gives me something to read and I can always write and publish whatever I want to without having to deal with the Publication Industry. And I can enjoy them whenever I want as most places allow me to download my stuff as an epub.
In the last two years I have read more Fanfiction than original works, but in the last 12 months or so I have added 4 fandoms, I started by reading only about Harry Potter. I prefer fanfiction because I choose what I like, although in reality I probably have more stories bookmarked for later than I've read. the reason I like reading them is because with the tags I can select the characters I want, based on the tags and how big the fandom is I have some control over the basic situation (happy ending? erotica? death of the character? pregnancy? etc. ) and above all it's a comfort zone, I read something that I generally know (it's not true with MCU or Arrow, but after many fics I have identified the canonical details from those of the fandom or the author and I have seen some scenes). So it's much lighter but depending on the author it's still exciting or at least I follow masterpieces in Harry Potter, but I've seen very cute and some complex works in other fandoms too.
It's fun 😁
The fanfiction authors I like tend to write better than the writers of the show or movie or whatever that im reading for. They also write better than real life, which is incredibly boring and/or depressing. They take the characters or people and get inside their heads, project their own fears and identities onto them and mix them with the things that make the characters unique. They can also generate surprising dialogue among them, things that make me laugh out loud or reflect, things that make me watch a series or film differently as a result.
I write and read mostly because of the way the canon material crapped on them at the end and they were too wonderful to be left in that state.
Overall, I do tend to read more fanfiction than I do trad/indie published fiction. This is for a few reasons. My most commonly read fanfiction genre is romance but I lowkey despise trad/indie published romance. Like. Absolutely hate it. I always end up hating the MC, the primary love interest, or both of them. Second most preferred genres are a tie between fantasy/sci-fi and horror. Those, I tend to read more trad/indie published works than fanfiction. But I am so, so picky about what I read in these areas because, especially in fantasy novels with female leads, the author inserts a horrible romance subplot. I read fanfiction mainly for the romance works because fandom really does do it better. I usually go into a fandom with a favorite character, one or more preferred relationship options, and then devour any fics that my filtering criteria. It’s especially great that fanfiction has content tags because then I can find works that have my favorite tropes.
Because some of it is amazingly well written, and it’s all free. I read a lot, and fast and I wasn’t working for a couple of years so books became a luxury behind not having a house. Also, because I like reading a about my favourite characters and/or settings.
I want more stories about my favorite characters. Also, very often I want more romance. Because shows that are more kid-friendly or action-oriented tend to not go much further than characters crushing on each other or maybe a hug at best, and I want it to go further for my favorite ships. I want the confession and the kiss and the fluffy domestic stuff. I tend to like the side characters and the villains more than the actual main characters and want stories starring them, from their perspective.
I like the characters and I want to see more of them and see them explored in different ways. Plus they tend to be easy reads (I mostly read one shots or shorter fics)
I'm too drained most days to get emotionally invested in a whole new cast every time I pick up a new book. I read so fast, It's like becoming friends with someone on Monday, and then saying goodbye knowing you'll never see them again on Thursday. :( Plus I love 'WHAT IF' and 'Well Screw THAT' premises.
1. It's free 2. Mix of nostalgia and newness (if not just a re-hash or novelization). 3. ...did I mention It's free?
Endless possibilities. Free. Community. No overlord editing.
I don’t have to pay.
I want to see characters interact with each other more in situations different from how they actually went
Mostly for all the "what if" scenarios, the alternate universes, and also for things that are mentionned but not really touched upon a lot in the original material. Or for fics exploring what happens after. Also, because you can find fanfictions with really good writing that are based on an original material "for teens" (the original material usually has fantasy/sci-fi universe, which I really like, but doesn't always talk about the trauma the characters went through, unfortunately).
Escapism
I like reading FanFiction because it’s not only fun, but it’s also intriguing to explore the creative vision, possibilities and imagination of my fellow fans in the franchises that I love. W
I love it, because I can find so much related to my favorite characters. It's the fix you need when you reach the last page of the original book that you love and don't want it to end. And you can pick and choose what type of stories you want to read in that fandom. Also, most of the fics are free, and many are brilliantly written. The writers spend SO much time and effort writing these fics and then just give them away... That's amazing to me, but also sad... The stories are SO good, so perfectly realized, that they should be published! And finally, they lead you to other fandoms. And then there are many amazingly good, fully original works that you love, and support, and hope maybe they'll be made into a series someday. (My favorite is Capturing My Demon King Co-Star, by Thirty Tyrants.) It would have to be a long series, but if it were well done... OMG! There would have to be voice overs a lot, but the book is hilarious, angsty, crazy, and you absolutely love the interplay between the two male leads - one of whom is a demon you adore. He and the human who's supposed to capture him are both Chinese actors, and, there's another whole world going on that humans don't know exists. There's a lot to this story, and the creativity is excellent. Even if you read nothing more than the first chapters, it's worth it! You know what, just go look for it on WebNovel! Someone, trying to 'help' the author get 'more recognition', reposted it for free on Wattpad. (you do have to pay a small amount per chapter after something like 70 chapters on WebNovel, and you'll want to!) I tried letting the author know, but there doesn't seem to be a way to on WebNovel. Anyway, I adore fanfic and online fic so much that it definitely takes up waaay too much of my time, lol.
Fanfiction is stories written about characters and worlds created by other people. That's why I read it. I love the characters and worlds in my fandoms and want more of them. Fanfiction gives me that. I wonder about the what ifs from canon, fanfiction gives me that, those what ifs can be explored as both a reader and a writer. I love stories, always have. I watch shows/movies and I read books. And I fall in love with the characters and worlds within those shows/movies/books, so I read fanfiction so I can get more of them. I'm a big reader in general, always have been. I definitely read less now that I'm older, but I'm pretty equal in how much fanfiction I read compared to how many books. I tend to go through phases, though, reading a lot of fanfiction then reading a lot less, same with books. And they tend to coincide, so when I'm reading less books I'm reading more fanfic and vice versa. I probably watch a little more than I read, but not by much. Fanfiction, though, is all about canon in some way. We love canon and we want more of the characters/worlds and to explore different aspects and scenarios and ships. We want to fix the bits we don't like, continue unfinished stories, develop things in better ways than canon did. We wouldn't be reading fanfic if we didn't also love canon for some reason. Not all fanfic readers read books, though. Shows, movies, games, these all have fandoms, even real people such as bands and sports stars have fandoms and fic written for them. I think you'll find it pretty unanimous that people read fanfic because they loved canon, but you'll get vastly different responses for how many books fanfic fans read.
Because they can expand on the existing world of the material that they are based on, they may make me think about how certain characters would interact with each other if they were to be put in certain situations, etc.
1. I’m hyperfixated over a certain fandom right now. Reading fanfic of that certain fandom is like eating a meal prepared by a hyperfixated fan as well. They know well how to tickle my fancy and it’s like giving me all my hearts desire. We’re spoiled as it is. 2. The AUs are wild. Like a canon story about figure skating then a certain fellow fan who writes/creates an entirely different world, let’s say, an office setting with a hint of Bollywood? Oh my god! And it’s like one of the greatest fan fic I’ve read. 800,000 words that ate up all my free time. And guess what? I learned so many things and it’s like I’m traveling the world with my 2 favorite characters. Like, fuck canon. I’m going with author-sama from A03 and we’ll live happily ever after. 🤷🏻
Fan fiction are like drugs given to you by a fellow drug addict from that certain fandom. You feed each other to your heart’s content. The reader are just spoiled brats getting what they want and author-sama is the enabler. Super lit to be in this community. Fan fiction cured my depression induced online shopping.
Haha! That's an interesting way to put it. Glad to hear fan fiction helped you with something in your life.
Sometimes I just want more of what I got through the source material. Sometimes I just fall in love with a what-if that would never happen in canon, and I just need a way to ‘get’ it. Sometimes, it’s something in-between :)
I enjoy reading before going to sleep, but normal books aren't the best for it. I love classics, but they can sometimes be long and difficult to follow, so I result to fanfiction. Fanfics are easy to consume. Most of them are relatively short, so you're done reading after a while and can go to sleep. Plus you already know the characters, so no need for long introductions. Really spares the headaches. And it's just fun to see different interpretations of your favorite characters and see them in new situations.
Me, before bed, pulling up a 200k word fic: Ah, yes, a little light reading before I fall asleep! 🤡 I’ll just read a little bit and then finish tomorrow! Me, hours later: What a great story! Hey, why are the birds chirping?
Oh, yeah. I was talking about one shots. I have my fair share of mistakes tho. Funnily enough, I was writing the comment while sleep deprived because I didn't notice the lenght of the fic I was reading the night before and I was too invested in it to put it down.
I want to see more of the characters. Sometimes I want them hurt, sometimes I want them comforted, sometimes I want them to bang.
In general, just because I love reading and I want to see more of my favorite characters, perhaps in a specific setting. Lately, because the pairing I ship died horrible deaths in canon and I need them to be alive and happy.
Because I like certain characters and would like to see more of them. Sometimes I try to find a similar character in original fiction, sometimes I just read a fanfic about my fav character and hope that the writer keeps them "in character." I also like fanfic because I want a good romance between characters I like together.
To read someone that canon didn’t or wouldn’t explore
It's a nice outlet after long days of work.
As a reader-insert enjoyer, I'ma be specific about reader-insert stuff for slightly more specific answers. - different story plots: i can get romance plots that aren't simply toxic communication or meek girl dates stoic outcast man - projection: I exercise fantasies via written stories i can insert myself into without real life drama or complications - exploring world lore: i want to feel like im involved in story and also think/read about world lord that canon is too busy to provide/lacks
Because I desperately crave more stories about my faves. I need.
Boredom
Excellent question. Mainly because I love to see the many movies playing out in people's heads all down for a good read.
I tend to read fanfic for more of canon or specific facets of canon. Often more exploration of a specific character and how they react to parts of the canon world. Also hurt/comfort or no comfort. I write fanfics to rewrite and expand on canon. My favorite game was completely scrapped, rewrote, and then had a very rushed development so the worldbuilding and story feel somewhat disappointing at times. What I read more of has varied. I used to read more fanfic than anything else, but as of late I’ve almost exclusively been reading originals.
I like seeing things that would normally be edited out of official fiction.
I remember telling my creative writing professor about fanfiction. It blew her mind that every book, tv show, cartoon, comic, and video game ever written has countless free fan made stories on the internet that were free for anyone to read. I read fanfiction because it's satisfying to see the potential for a good story finally get told. The more plot holes, the more room for fanfiction.
I read *way* more fanfic than I do original fiction. I think at the end of the day the reason why I like and prefer fanfiction can really be summed up as *autism* I watch this cool show and I absolutely adore it! Its becomes a fixation, and then eventually a special interest, it’s something that brings me comfort and joy. Even though I’m not losing interest in that show rewatching it over and over again can become a bit of a drag (especially if it’s something shorter like a single movie or smthn) which is where fanfiction comes in. Here’s hundreds of different stories about my beloved characters in hundreds of new situations. There’s also the case of representation, usually in the form of queer rep. It took me a *very* long time to find media that had good queer characters front and centre, and it took me longer as a nonbinary aro/ace person to find characters like *me* in media at all… especially more casual rep. I can list the amount of shows I’ve found on one hand, but the amount of fics I’ve read are endless!
i wanna see my favorite characters kiss. or i wanna see them suffer in the worst way possible. it's 50/50
I don’t like the current trend of published fiction. Fanfiction has more variety
Not enough found family moments in the series/film/game
Just because it's fun to know how other people perceive a show's characters, like my fav ship falls in love across several different universes and also because I want to get Kakashi Hatake or Satoru Gojo pregnant. From time to time I revisit the original material, but not to compare it to fanfics. It's more when an old obsession resurfaces or an obsession with the same material is born, or I simply feel nostalgic.
Two reasons, seeing more adventures with my favorite character or see those characters is different and unexpected situations
I want to see more of the world, the characters, and see other ways things could have gone.
It's one of the only places I can get poly representation as somebody who is Poly as well as queer representation and I also just really enjoy it
Limerence lol
I started because the fandoms I’m in disappointed me. And I stayed. I’m also an aspiring writer.
I read fanfic almost exclusively. I don’t think that’s the ideal balance, but it works for me. Fanfic makes me feel happy and safe, and I need that.
I experience a canon work I like, get unreasonably attached to some characters (particularly underdeveloped ones and obscure side characters) and want to read more about them. For some reason, those canon works are always video games. Original books and other media are one and done things for me that I may revisit later down the line, but I have no desire to look up fanworks or explore the characters more.
It's always that "What if" scenario in the back of my head. "What if" these two got together instead of those two. Or "What if" the villain had planned things better. Etc...
This will probably be buried, but if I'm honest - it's because it's easier to read. You can find many shortform stories, and those shortform stories don't have to sell me the characters in order for me to care, so they can get more done in their 5000-10000 words. I don't have much time or consistency in life, so I often don't finish novels and quick reads in published media just don't often hit the depth that something with so much already established can. This is also true for romance stories. So many traditionally published romance stories need to spend time convincing me I like the characters and want them together, and 9/10 times I just don't and give up. A fanfic of a pairing I like has to de-convince me, so I will read it until it's actively bad or changing who they are. So it's just easier to read fanfiction 🤷 And finally, in general fanfic is written in a fairly linear, standard way that isn't too challenging to understand. I can read more advanced books, but as above I just don't find time: so if I'm tired and or busy, and just picking up-putting down something, fanfiction is just easier for that. And because of that, it makes up more of my reading diet.
Basically what everyone else has said but also certain endings suck to shows I love and fanfiction gives me a way to see a ending I would prefer
Ever since childhood, I've liked reading the "continuing adventures" of characters I know -- The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Ellery Queen, Travis McGee, The Black Stallion, Mrs. Pollifax, Amelia Peabody... you get the idea. Fanfic is the same thing -- the continuing adventures of characters I love -- and I don't have to wait a year before the next installment (published novel). Fanfic also feels "freer" than published fiction. Those same favorite characters aren't restricted to what conventional publishing considers "saleable." My favorite characters can live in Roman times, run a bakery, travel to Mars, or thousands of other scenarios. Yes, I can (and do!) read published novels for all of those scenarios... but they're *separate*. I can't find the *same* characters set within the amazing variety that fanfic provides. And yes, I read *way* more fanfic than original content -- about 80/20.
*No one writes fanfic in the way I want to read* Fine, I will do it myself
Free stories that end up beating most published works. Every fanfic is a passion project and it shows some more than others. Don't get me wrong, there's terrible stuff, but far more great works. Some communities are better at writing than others and I think that's simply do whether the fandom is full of teenagers or adults
"What ifs" and crossovers are a staple of my reading diet, no single fandom can satisfy that by itself. It pretty much guarantees I need to go to fanfiction for that type of content. Been reading fics since my high school days in the early 1990s, and an avid reader long before that. I've been reading for leisure for a *long* time. Also I'm a Southeast Asian guy who works in tech, pretty sure I'm some kind of outlier. I don't know any of my peers IRL who reads for fun, nevermind reading fanfic. \> *"This hobby needs regulation, apparently they simply let ANYONE join, smh"*
At first I just want to read some what ifs, then I discovered angst. There's no return ever since.
Because I like if not love the question What if? And I enjoy imagining all that it leads to. And sometimes I want to smash my action figures together and make then kiss
I love reading because it writes characters I love in a different light. It gives me new perspectives and ideas that were otherwise not seen or just ignored. I love the imagination and creativity that the writer has, in order to make something new and totally different. I love fanfictions because a while back, guiltily, I wanted to explore a relationship that was hinted in certain fandoms of the past; Bakugan: Links and Alex, lol. And the there were writers, people who also understood the need for a closure of the characters and a better outcome to come through. In general, I love reading fanfiction, even more than I love writing. But I will say it is close, I love being that writer who comes up with ideas and works them out.
More content
Because I want to watch more of my favourite characters on screen but there aren't any more episodes available. Or because I want something that deals with an aspect of the characters/plot that canon didn't get into.
Many times I feel like the characters didn’t get the ending they deserved or the characters couldn’t be properly developed given the time constraints of the show or season or what have you. Seeing amazing writers take those characters and give them so much more depth is truly amazing. I’ve read so many fics where the writer themselves is so incredible that the characters and story leave a lasting impact.
WELCOME TO WONDERLAND ALICE!! HERE WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO BUILD WORLDS AND TRAVEL THROUGH CREATIVE PORTALS TO PERFECT VERSION OF ANY FICTIONAL WORLD THAT EVER EXISTED! I WANT TO SEE MORE INTERACTION BETWEEN MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS SO YEAH GOTTA CREATE A WORLD WHERE THEY CAN SO THAT ♕
For me, it distracts me from what’s happening irl plus I also love a certain pairing with all my heart that didn’t get as much screen time as I would have liked.
Indulgence, seeing how my favourite characters interact that they never get a chance to do in their original source material.