Snowflake Challenge: Fanfic Love
Jan. 19th, 2021 05:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
author_by_nightFive things I love about fanfic - even though I don't read or write it as much as I used to.
1. Fanfic is, technically, very old. We just gave it a new name in the 20th century. People wrote Sherlock Holmes fanfic. Romeo & Juliet was based on a much older work. People have always been about taking stories and doing their own thing with it. It's not as new as people would have you believe.
2. Fanfic is a great way for aspiring authors to practice. Or, if you have no intention of writing professionally, you can still dabble in a creative space. Win-win!
3. Beta readers. The right beta reader can work wonders for your fanfic.
4. Representation of LGBTQ+ and POC characters. Especially when I was writing fanfic in the 2000s, and probably earlier, as representation was incredibly slim. I never realized until a few years ago how liberating slash fanfic was for a lot of younger fans, and probably still is. As well as older ones, of course, but I'm thinking mostly of teens who didn't, or don't, have access to stories they can relate to.
5. It's just a fun way to explore something you love. While I realize not everyone writes fanfic for canons they love, or even know, for me personally, that's been one of the best parts.
As I said above, I don't write fic as much as I used to, although I do have a few bunnies nibbling at my toes.Always. But fanfic was a huge part of my life for so long, and I hope I always have a soft spot for it. Even if I become a famous writer.
The real WIP was the WIP we had inside of us all along.
1. Fanfic is, technically, very old. We just gave it a new name in the 20th century. People wrote Sherlock Holmes fanfic. Romeo & Juliet was based on a much older work. People have always been about taking stories and doing their own thing with it. It's not as new as people would have you believe.
2. Fanfic is a great way for aspiring authors to practice. Or, if you have no intention of writing professionally, you can still dabble in a creative space. Win-win!
3. Beta readers. The right beta reader can work wonders for your fanfic.
4. Representation of LGBTQ+ and POC characters. Especially when I was writing fanfic in the 2000s, and probably earlier, as representation was incredibly slim. I never realized until a few years ago how liberating slash fanfic was for a lot of younger fans, and probably still is. As well as older ones, of course, but I'm thinking mostly of teens who didn't, or don't, have access to stories they can relate to.
5. It's just a fun way to explore something you love. While I realize not everyone writes fanfic for canons they love, or even know, for me personally, that's been one of the best parts.
As I said above, I don't write fic as much as I used to, although I do have a few bunnies nibbling at my toes.
The real WIP was the WIP we had inside of us all along.
