Writing fan-fiction can be hard at times but it can also be extremely rewarding. Fan-fictions can be anything you want them to be, but what makes them special from just writing a story is you take characters from a well-known (or not well-known) franchise and put them in your own situation. People love reading about their favorite characters living happily in an alternate universe. Here are the top reasons
1. It allows your creativity to flow. Choosing a story someone else already made seems like plagiarism and yes if you aren't careful it could turn into that. But original plots are possible even in fan-fiction. A lot of them take time to plan out, especially if they're longer. You can be as creative as you want. The sky is the limit!
2. You can make the plot completely original even if the characters themselves aren't. if you have your own plot, it can be as memorable as any regular story. Some of the best ones are longer and the authors take time to create worlds that change or parallel the originals.
3. OC's can be anything you want them to be. An OC or "original character" is the character you create separate from the franchise itself. It can be a reflection of the author or a completely new character with its own personality, gender and other characteristics. They can of course be placed in the franchise but the name, personality and other traits are completely yours to play with as you please.
4. Other people love reading them and leaving you comments. As a writer, you need feedback. Authors thrive on people reading their writing and tweaking it productively. This makes your writing even better. Communities around Fanfics are generally kind and respectful about criticism. Sometimes though they don't give proper criticism and that can be difficult. They say "Wow! That's amazingly well written!" And don't give you tips on how to tweak things.
5. The franchises can be anything but the less known it is the more it has a chance of being noticed. A lot of people read stories from shows and movies that are rare in the fanfic world. This makes you exceptionally popular if you write a lot from lesser-known or appreciated works of media.
6. And finally- Fanfics have a way of connecting a lot of people together under one umbrella. This means any ships or plot holes people have or see can be discussed in length if the author writes to fix those things.
I'm fairly new to the world of writing high quality Fanfics and posting them online for others to read. But I love it anyway! It is a great way to hone my writing and planning skills.
If you are looking for a perfect way to show off your skills to a large group of people then this form of writing is worth exploring!!
