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Fanfiction is one of the most highly debated topics in the world of pop culture. With just as many readers and writers praising it as condemning it, the genre has become an integral part of movie franchises, book series, and overall mainstream fiction. Its influence, innovation, and contribution to pop culture have paved an unconventional path into storytelling. Storytelling gives readers an unlimited capacity into worlds unknown. Audiences can read a book and get engrossed in different fantasies and universes that can only be reached through words and our own imaginations.
From having a front-row seat to The Battle of Hogwarts to witnessing the 75th Hunger Games, storytelling puts the readers in the middle of all the action, as if they are in the story witnessing the plot unfold. However, with the incorporation of fanfiction, fandoms from every side of the spectrum have taken it upon themselves to do more than place themselves in the audience of their favorite stories. Fans have gone above and beyond and decided to write themselves (or any other characters/people) into the books they know and love. But novels are just the tip of the iceberg. Music lovers and film fanatics have done the same, writing stories that involve themselves and their favorite musicians and actors/actresses.
What Is Fanfiction?
Fanfiction is defined as “fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, etc.” (( “Merriam-Webster Dictionary.” Merriam-webster.com, 2021. )). Sometimes the ending of a story isn’t enough for its readers. Audiences crave more and decide to let their creative juices flow by writing what they think (or want) to happen. Unfortunately, despite its great following, fanfiction still tends to have a negative connotation. Some hardcore fans take popular ships (two people/characters fans want to become an item, kiss, or enter into a type of relationship) and twist it into something unpleasant, and sometimes even borderline disrespectful and offending.
For example, One Direction fans became very passionate about the friendship between Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson (aka Larry Stylinson). Edited photos, videos, and fanfictions were created of the two, branding the bandmates as lovers. What was once a fun and harmless joke became over the top once fans constantly pushed the two friends together to become something more. It got so bad that the two artists stopped publicly interacting with one another and they are hardly ever photographed next to each other. With a constant push by the fans, members of One Direction have openly spoken on the matter, and they definitely are not as passionate about the ship as their fans are.
Although some fans get carried away with their stories, people should not look down upon fanfiction because of a handful of overzealous fans when there are even more amazing and genuine ones pursuing this art. And even if its reputation is still heavily tarnished for smutty writing, fanfiction also goes beyond sexual fantasies. Instead, fanfiction aims to create a medium and safe place for people to explore the sequence of events that they believe might (or should) have happened.
Fanfiction is commonly misunderstood and misrepresented. This genre is more than a Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson fantasy. It is more than boy-obsessed teenage girls living out their unimaginative knockoffs of an original story. This is more than being “Y/N” in a misspelled and grammatically incorrect fanfic about Dean Winchester. Fanfiction is an undiscovered side of the literary world where everyone and every story are welcomed with open arms.
Changing The Course
Let’s be honest; not everyone can be satisfied with the course a story takes in films, television, or even real life. Fanfiction opens the outlet for fans to create their own endings, form new relationships with characters more suitable for each other, or place themselves into the story as the main hero. In addition, fanfiction gives fans the option to explore alternate endings, linger in the world of their story, experiment with existing characters, or even create new characters to incorporate into the plot.
Some may call it fanatic, but the amount of time and effort a supporter puts into writing fanfiction shows passion for the craft they love more than anything else. If a fan can create a whole story based on a band they love or a film they wish never ended, it demonstrates just how much the subject means to them. An example of this can be seen through the many canon ships of the Harry Potter series, one of the most popular fan-made ones being “Dramione,” the relationship name of protagonist Hermione Granger and minor-antagonist Draco Malfoy. Although J.K. Rowling went a different direction with Hermione’s love interest, fans created this enemies-to-lovers love story between the two opposing characters. Readers can find hundreds of stories about the pair on Wattpad, a site known for publishing all kinds of fanfiction tales.
The fan-made ship even caught the attention of Tom Felton, the actor who portrayed Draco Malfoy in the film adaptation of the book series. Although he is more of a “Drarry” (Draco and Harry) (( Techamaneewat, Fachana. “Tom Felton SHIPS ‘Drarry’ and REJECTS ‘Dramione.’” Exclusive Hollywood. Exclusive Hollywood, June 20, 2019. )) supporter, the fact that Felton is even aware of fan-made couples showcases the power fans have when they are passionate about something. Fanfictions are not limited to relationships made by fans. There are times when fandoms genuinely support the couples that are supposed to be together in books, films, and television series.
Since the end of Shameless, fan-favorite couple Ian Gallagher and Mikhailo Milkovich, also known as “Gallavich,” has been the main subject for one-shots and full-fledged stories. Ten seasons building up the most loved couple on the show was not enough for the Shameless fanbase. This is the perfect example of fans wanting more of their beloved characters by exploring alternate endings and events they believe could have (or should have) happened.
Feeling Represented And Loved
If there’s one thing every fan dreams of, it’s to meet the ones they adore and admire, fictional characters and even real ones. Unfortunately, not everyone can be that lucky. For most, fanfiction is the closest they can get to the people they spend so much of their time reading about or watching. Many categorize fanfiction under the list of crazy things fans do; however, it is anything but that. Imagining yourself with your celebrity crush or with your book boyfriend has the same energy as fantasizing about yourself working your dream job — you’re hoping for something that may seem out of the ordinary but not downright impossible. Of course, the possibility of being in a romantic relationship with A-list stars like Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan is rare — but writing about it isn’t a crime. In fact, inputting those ideas and thoughts into a story is one of the healthiest ways to deal with it because you’re certainly not the only person in the world who feels the same way.
From personal experience, fanfiction can be the stepping stone for so much more. It opens up the doors to friendships around the world. With the pandemic taking its toll worldwide, many people took to their computer/phone screens for some comfort and thus discovered the beauty of what fanfiction could bring. By simply sharing your original story or commenting on one’s work, it broadens the horizon of your inner circle. From bonding over headcanons to sharing mutual opinions and interests on certain bands, actors, and/or films, fanfiction can connect hundreds of people from a simple click of a button. (( “Headcanon – Fanlore.” Fanlore.org, 2014. )). Fanfiction is also an alluring opportunity for fans to finally feel represented and loved in the stories they read and create. The genre gives the underrepresented a chance to finally be a part of the story for those sick of heteronormative love stories, white-washed casting, able-bodied characters, and overused tropes; fanfiction gives the underrepresented a chance to be a part of the story finally.
For example, Finn and Poe Dameron from the Star Wars franchise are fan favorites and have hundreds of stories written about them as more than just companions. Depicting an interracial LGBTQ couple in fanfiction certainly breaks the mold of normality for many. Normal typically alludes to white characters in heteronormative relationships, which is the foundation of almost all films and television shows. The fanfiction community gives liberty to those wanting to explore these relationships and pairings that are never shown in pop culture. There are times when professionally written and produced media don’t do LGBTQ+ characters and their love stories justice – it is always up to queer fans to do that civic duty for themselves, and fanfiction is their outlet for that. Writers of all ages, sexual orientations, gender identities, ethnicities, and religions can take original stories and place a unique twist on them to make them their own.
Fanfiction On The Big Screens
Fanfiction can be perceived as a far-fetched concept. The idea of a celebrity in love with a “normal” person is not something that happens every day. For most, that is just a fantasy, and that is all it will ever be. With fanfiction, there are no restrictions. Writers can create the stories they want and include whatever characters, story arcs, and settings they wish. This genre goes beyond the average novel because authors are also not restricted to copyright. Therefore, they can incorporate the names of the celebrities they wish to include. Fantasy is a concept for fanfiction writers, and many have gotten lucky enough to turn their fantasy stories into a reality – with a few exceptions, of course.
Unbeknownst to many, several big motion picture films actually started as fan fiction. For example, After, the film adaptation based on the novels by Anna Todd started as a Harry Styles fanfiction on Wattpad, a site known to produce thousands of fanfiction stories. Although its reputation is not the best in media, it is still a good example of fanfiction making it in on the big screens. Another example would be the Fifty Shades Of Grey series by E.L James, based on Twilight fanfiction centered around Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. This goes to show just how much power fans can have. Fanfiction not only gives power to the fans but to the creators of these stories and films. This genre allows their stories to continue without them and fit into several generations that it has adapted itself into by the hands of the fans.
Fanfiction: The New Must-Read Genre
At the end of the day, fanfiction is all in good fun. The genre is a world filled with endless possibilities and is simply something for fans to enjoy and explore when they can’t get enough. Although the genre is still heavily frowned upon, incorporating it into the current academic curriculum and eventually everyday life, fanfiction is slowly rising within pop culture and is here to stay.
Fanfiction is subjective, giving free rein to authors around the world. They can write whatever they wish and in any style they desire, which can lead to the most absurd stories and plotlines imaginable – but that’s the beauty of fanfiction. Even though creators such as George R.R. Martin, author of the Game of Thrones novels, and Diana Gabaldon, author of The Outlanders, are huge condemners of the genre, having said that it is dirty and wrong in many legal and moral ways, let’s face the facts: their fans love their stories, their characters, their made-up worlds and want more of it.
Fanfiction is changing the literary scene because of the way it heavily affects pop culture and society. As it slowly makes its way to physical novels and big motion pictures, the genre’s possibilities can slowly become the new normal. Fanfiction is the backbone of pop culture, and once people realize that, it will become more accepted. The only issue is what fandom will become the reigning one overall.