Some of my favorite authors have or are currently writing fanfiction (https://lplks.org/blogs/post/21-published-authors-who-write-fanfiction/). This medium brought me back into writing, and I believe it deserves more recognition. 

As we wrap up Pride Month, it feels appropriate to start with the fact that fanfiction is traditionally written by marginalized groups who don’t see themselves in the mainstream media. It can be an outlet for representation in race, gender, and sexuality. Writers can insert themselves, the reader, and/or experiment with non-traditional perspectives.

Mainstream media has begun to catch up to having diversity in their stories that so many people crave and find in fanfiction. It makes me wonder if fanfiction will ever receive a better reputation, or if it will just be forgotten that they did it first. 

Having a diverse pool of authors also creates differing perspectives on story structure and plot. I have long contemplated what stories would look like if their climaxes were more like a woman chaining one orgasm after another. So much of fanfiction is arcs full of lovely moments “not essential” to the plot. These are scenes most creative writing teachers would tell you to cut and an editor would cull. But to me, that is like claiming four play and after care aren’t necessary components of sex because it isn’t required for ejaculation. 

Speaking of, fanfiction is known for its prolific amount of sexual content. Some erotic writers find this obnoxious competition since it is free. To me, I find it is a useful tool for finding the pulse on popular kinks and desires. Popular culture doesn’t need to be snubbed as a fad. Some of these “fads” last decades, because there is a truth in those stories that speak to people across generations. Erotic content is not exempt from this fact. Just look at the popularity of vampiric temptation from Dracula or Carmilla to “Interview with a Vampire” or even “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” There is a Master/Slave component, a submission to darkness. It’s relatable to wish a release from the day-to-day grind and give yourself over to the thirst of another.

Image by Junnifer Baya from Pixabay

If they want it in fanfiction, they’ll want it in other mediums as well. People don’t just read fanfiction because it’s free. They read it because sometimes its the only place you can get the creativity missing in corporate Hollywood or Amazon filters.

Ultimately, fanfiction is fun. It is writing for the sake of writing. It is the free and full of enjoyment in a world you want to spend more time in. And it is not just practice. I have read stories in alternate universes of the video game “Undertale” that have made me cry, laugh, and become completely absorbed. I have seen fanfiction of fanfiction. Inspiration inspires others. It builds communities of writers, artists, voice actors, and more. It can lead to original content creation, but it doesn’t have to.

Fanfiction is a celebration of the journey. It can connect writers and their readers in a shared joy of content. It can build a base, but it can also just be there to make you feel a little less lonely in a world that can sometimes be extremely isolating.