I've always been a writer, even before I knew that one could make money off of it. About a year ago, I decided to try my hand at writing fan-fiction and realized that it was amazing. I had all of the power to put my favorite people, or characters, in a world all my own. Soon, after diving into the world of fan-fiction, I realized that this style of writing got a lot of hate from people. This concerned me and even made me reluctant to tell people about my side hobby. I was afraid of being deemed "one of those psycho fans" because I wrote fan-fiction. With this, I decided to compose a confession list for people on the outside looking in. A rough guide of what fan-fiction is, and what it isn't.
1. Not all of us are thirsty tweens.
Yes, it's true, smut is a very popular genre within the fan-fiction community. It's also true that books like "Fifty Shades of Grey" become popular for content and erotic imaging, but that's not the case for most fan-fiction. When it comes to smut, most writers like to avoid the topic. It's very uncomfortable to use real people (like musicians or actors) when writing about sexual desires. However, it's not unusual for writers to use cute scenarios as their subject matter when using real live people. Not every fan-fiction story is some bondage "One Direction" smut. So please, take the time to read some if you ever come across some fan-fiction. You might be surprised as to how creative they are. Many of these creative writers being over the age of 18, and productive members of society.
2. Yes, there are some really weird plots involving real life people.
Even though I love writing the occasional "out there" fan-fiction plot, there are a lot of very strange ones on the internet. I'd like to say these are niche market kind of genre, but the more I stay in the game, the more I learn how prevalent it is. Some can be right down terrifying, making you question the writer's mental health. Some of these stories are even read by the people they're written about. This brings me to point number three.
3. These people really do read your work.
While many celebrities deny the fact that they read fan-fictions about themselves, there are a few that own up to it. Some laugh, some get critical but overall they are really flattered over it. As a fan-fiction writer, I love to see celebrities read their own inspired fiction. It gives me hope that someday the same could happen with me and my work. Here are a few videos of celebrities talking about their own fan made fan-fiction.
This isn't fan-fiction, but fan art. Same idea, just in art form.
4. Even fan-fiction writers grow to "hate" fellow fan-fiction writers/readers.
I've met a lot of awesome people online through this hobby, and I've also met a lot of not-so-awesome people. Like anything in life, there are good people and bad people, and it seems that the divide is great within this hobby. Being a fan-fiction writer though Tumblr, I've gotten some weird requests and messages from my readers. It can be uncomfortable when the person is persistent, or even extremely rude. They can become hostile when you don't update an ongoing story weekly, or even daily. They can even send you nasty messages if you kill off or hurt one of their favorite characters. As a fan-fiction writer, I can see why people snub their noses at this hobby. All of the bad things are the most known, and they are even worse once you step into the hobby itself. This is why fan-fiction writers themselves begin to dislike the art.
5. Some of it is so good, it deserves to be published.
Like mentioned before, I do my work through Tumblr. It's easier to tag my stories and share them on a wide platform. I love to read other stories by other authors. They are so good and so detailed. I often wonder why many of these people have yet to be published. Many of these stories go on for chapters, sometimes forming into the length of a big novel. It amazes me the hard work that these people do, all for fun and as a hobby.
6. Don't be afraid to talk about your hobby.
The last confession I'll leave you with is, don't be afraid of your talent. If people are quick to judge what you do, educate them on it. Show them how it's not as stereotypical as society makes it out to be. Join an online community like Tumblr or Wattpad and share your work. Who knows, it might even lead you to a paying job. Embrace your talents and use them as much as you can.
