I’m the kind of person who craves more whenever I finish a good story. Once that book closes or the credits roll, I’m already thinking about a million other ways to continue or adapt the story. I’m still crossing my fingers for some of my favorite middle grade books to make it to the big screen—looking at you, The Hardy Boys: American Teens Against Crime (Franklyn W. Dixon) and H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education (Mark Walden).
For me, it doesn’t even have to be a good story, just an interesting one. I’m well-known in my friend circles for loving “bad” movies just because they’re fun (Michael Bay’s TMNT movies, anyone?). As long as the story piques my interest and there’s more to say, I don’t mind playing it repeatedly in my head. Or reading other people’s takes.
The Fan Fiction Conundrum
What do you think of when you hear the phrase “fan fiction”? It’s hard not to recall lazy writing or wish fulfillment for someone’s favorite ship. And then, there are the NSFW fics out there that are…well, out there.
But I also think of success stories like Marissa Meyer, who started out writing Sailor Moon fan fiction and ended up creating one of the most unique sci-fi/fairy tale combos, The Lunar Chronicles. If you think about it, every fairy tale retelling can arguably be labelled as fan fiction. The same can be said of any sort of adaptation.
It’s important to remember that there are lots of different fan fics out there. Due to the very nature of the genre, anyone can toss a fan fic up on Wattpad or AO3. That’s the beauty of it! So, while it might take a while to wade through some of the stuff you aren’t interested in seeing, it’s worth it to find the gems.
Why Write Fan Fiction?
To be honest, I can’t really speak to this question as in-depth as I would like. I’ve never written a work of fan fiction myself, despite my respect for it. I just can’t get past the pressure of writing in someone else’s style and voice or leading a character that isn’t mine through a story that is. (The fear of writing someone OOC—out of character—is strong in me.) But I have thought about it.
Like I mentioned above, I crave good stories. Continuing the story or taking it in a completely different direction with a “what if?” scenario is a fun activity. And not just that—writing of any sort is a valid practice of the craft. Writing fan fiction can help build those writing muscles so that you’re extra prepared if/when you start writing original stories.
But my favorite thought experiment? Taking lackluster stories, identifying the gaps, and then filling them. While I don’t technically write out whole stories with my versions of filled plot holes, I do think about them and even jot down little notes. They aren’t technically “improvements” to the story, as I can never know what the original idea was if the story didn’t quite hit the mark. But I treat these activities like exercises—how would I fill those gaps? How would I make good use of this one character who disappeared from the story halfway through? How would I make the ending more satisfying?
That’s why I find lackluster movies so fun to experience. The creative side of my brain is loving every second of it because it’s constantly thinking through this writing exercise and filling in the gaps. Fan fiction writers just take that to the next logical step: Creating an entirely new story out of pre-existing structures.
If you’re stuck in that mire of writer’s block or if you’re just looking for a fun writing exercise, give fan fiction a shot! Fan fiction is absolutely valid, whether you’re writing an entire series or just a poem. You might even let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding.
Photo by Natalie Kinnear on Unsplash
Rachel Sandell 